Marchand recalls outdoor memories ahead of Winter Classic with Panthers

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Brad Marchand gets what makes NHL outdoor games so special. Of the 1,133 regular-season games he has played in the League, three have been outdoors.

“They’re the games you remember,” the 37-year-old forward said. “I’ve played a lot of games in this league, and they all kind of bunch together. The years bunch together. I probably couldn’t tell you what happened in many games in the regular season. But I could go on and on about the moments that happen in these outdoor games.”

And here’s the thing: Until NHL.com told him, Marchand didn’t realize he had four points (one goal, three assists) in three outdoor games. He didn’t even realize he was 3-0-0. He said he’d never thought about that.

In the end, what sticks with you most is the unique spectacle and experience -- the sights, the sounds, the feeling of playing in the cold.

Or, in this case, the warmth.

Marchand’s fourth NHL outdoor game will be the first in the Sunshine State. The Florida Panthers will host the New York Rangers at loanDepot park in Miami on Jan. 2 (8 p.m. ET; HBO Max, truTV, TNT, SNW, SNO, SNE, TVAS).

“I don’t think any of us ever thought this would be a possibility,” Marchand said. “Just to see the game grow to the point where it has in Florida, where we’re having outdoor games here, is pretty incredible. But yeah, to play in the heat, seeing everybody in shorts and T-shirts, will be pretty remarkable. It’s pretty special what they’re doing, creating this opportunity.”

Marchand has played for the Boston Bruins in two iconic stadiums and one unusual location, in front of one of the largest crowds in NHL history and the smallest.

His first outdoor game was the Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, on Jan. 1, 2019. He remembers walking onto the field and allowing himself to look around at the scene; how it was cold but not unbearable, 36 degrees Fahrenheit at face-off; how the fans felt farther away than usual, but at the same time, it felt like people were everywhere. The attendance was 76,126, the second largest in NHL history then, the fifth largest now.

When he scored an empty-net goal with 33 seconds left to seal a 4-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks, the sound was unlike anything he’d heard before.

“When you’re on the ice, it’s like any other game,” Marchand said. “You kind of forget everything that’s going on. And then you look up, and you realize you’re in this unbelievable setting. But it’s also just different the way that you hear it, the noise and everything. It was pretty cool to be able to score a goal like that and take it all in.”

It was totally different for the NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada, on Feb. 21, 2021. Crowds were restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the League built an outdoor rink on a golf course with the lake and mountains in the background, staging a made-for-TV event with no fans in attendance.

“Tahoe was probably my favorite, just because of the uniqueness of it,” Marchand said.

The sun was so bright when the game began, Marchand couldn’t see the net because of the glare, so he passed to forward David Pastrnak, who gave Boston a 1-0 lead at the 34-second mark. He assisted on another goal late in the first period as the sun started to slip behind the mountains. The sky changed colors -- yellow, orange, pink, purple -- and faded to black for the third period. The Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 7-3.

“You felt like you were a kid playing under the stars again, and it’s just such a unique opportunity in that sense as well,” Marchand said. “Obviously, a different time in the world at that time, but an incredible, incredible experience. It was beautiful.”

Then there was the Winter Classic at Fenway Park in Boston on Jan. 2, 2023. Marchand was in his 14th season with the Bruins and had watched the Red Sox play baseball often in that historic park. He was home. It meant a lot to wear a vintage Red Sox uniform for the entrance, play in front of a Boston crowd, record an assist in a 2-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins and have his family come down onto the field afterward.

“Those are things we never expected to do,” Marchand said. “It’s pretty awesome that they implemented [NHL outdoor games] a number of years ago, and now we all get to enjoy these moments. I think when we look back at our careers, those are going to be some of the funnest times.”

Marchand has become a huge part of the Panthers since Boston traded him to Florida on March 7. He had 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 23 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, including six goals in six games in the Stanley Cup Final. Florida won the Stanley Cup for the second straight season; he added another ring to the one he won with Boston in 2011.

After signing a six-year, $31.5 million contract July 1, he leads the Panthers in goals (20), assists (19) and points (39) this season.

“His game is better now than it was in the playoffs for us last year, because he’s got more time with these guys and he understands everybody,” coach Paul Maurice said.

Now he has another opportunity to shine and make memories. To him, it doesn’t matter what the ice, the weather or even the game itself is like at an outdoor game. You soak it up.

“Whether it’s raining or it’s snowing or it’s sunshine or it’s cold, you’re going to enjoy it,” he said, “because you may never get to do it again.”