Marchand reflects on path to 1,000 points

SUNRISE, Fla. – Brad Marchand began his career on a point-per-game pace.

During his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins all the way back on Oct. 21, 2009, he tallied an assist on a goal for Michael Ryder in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators at TD Garden.

Pretty easy, right?

Wrong.

Appearing in 19 more games that season, he didn’t record a single other point.

“I had a pretty rude awaking after that,” Marchand smiled while recalling his rookie season in 2009-10. “You just see how hard it every night to play in this league. That first game, that first little bit, you’re kind of running on adrenaline and you feel like you can play forever.

“Then, the everyday routine hits you: the travel, playing at that level every night, the consistency of it. You just realize how difficult it is and how much harder you need to prepare and train and dedicate yourself in order to be able to stick in this league.”

Flash forward a little more than 16 years later, and Marchand celebrated joining the 1,000-point club when the Florida Panthers hosted the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.

A lofty milestone, he became just the 102^nd player in NHL history to reach 1,000 points when he dished out two assists during a 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Nov. 13.

“That sounds like a big number, but I think we’re at about 7,500 to 8,000 guys that have played a game in this league,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “I think he’s about 34^th to have 1,000 points and 1,000 [penalty] minutes. He’s not the biggest guy on the ice, so that’s a story. That’s a book. You’re reading that one. That’ll be interesting when it comes out.”

Whenever that book does come out, there will be no shortage of fascinating chapters.

Originally taken by Boston in the third round (71^st overall) of the 2006 NHL Draft, Marchand spent parts of two seasons in the AHL before catching on with the Bruins in a full-time role during the 2010-11 campaign, a wild season that ended with him hoisting the Stanley Cup as a rookie.

From there, he continued to steadily produce before really breaking out in 2016-17.

Seen as player that could consistently chip in 50-60 points prior to that season, Marchand quickly proved he could do even more. From 2016-2020, he averaged 89.25 points a season over a breakout four-season span, including a career-high 100-point campaign in 2018-19.

When asked what clicked, Marchand pointed to the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Helping Canada win the tournament, he led all skaters with five goals.

“I always thought there was a level of players above me,” Marchand said. “I believed I was a good player, but I didn’t think I was an elite player until I played in that tournament and realized that a lot of what separates the guys at this level is belief and confidence.”

Since then, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more confident player.

Bringing his infectious love of the game to South Florida, Marchand hasn’t showed any signs of slowing down after being acquired by the Panthers at last year’s trade deadline.

After racking up 20 points (10G, 10A) in 23 playoff games to capture his second Stanley Cup and help the Panthers become back-to-back champions in June, the 37-year-old fireball has notched a team-leading 45 points (23G, 22A) through 38 games so far this season.

Prior to the Panthers dropping the puck against the Canadiens, Marchand was joined on the ice by his family and honored by both fans and his teammates in a special ceremony.

In addition to a video highlight his career, a clip of congratulations was also played during the ceremony that featured former teammates like Zedeno Chara and Patrice Bergergeon, current teammates like Aleksander Barkov, and other NHL icons such as Sidney Crosby.

As a gift, Marchand received a golden stick.

His children -- Sawyer, Rue and Sloan -- received miniature sticks.

Showing their support, teammates wore special shirts and “BM63” hats to the game.

“Very grateful for the Panthers and everything the organization did for my family and myself,” Marchand said. “I’m very fortunate to be part of this group.”

Just one season into a six-year deal he signed with the Panthers this past summer, Marchand certainly has more points coming his way before he hangs up his skates.

As it stands now, he’s sitting on 1,025 points (447G, 578A) in 1,138 games.

He might be 37 on paper, but hockey has helped him never stopped feeling like a kid.

“My favorite thing about it is the amount of fun that we have and the enjoyment it brings, not just me, but my family and friends,” Marchand said. “I walk in there (the locker room) every day and I forget that I’m 37. I feel 20. … It’s an incredible game. It keeps you so young.”