David Pastrnak opens up on facing former Bruins captain Brad Marchand upon his Boston return

Brad Marchand lifting the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers last season was a proud moment in his career. However, for those who spent years alongside him in Boston, it felt surreal. Among them was David Pastrnak, who shared not only the ice with Marchand, but also a strong bond built over nearly a decade as teammates and close friends.

The trade that sent Marchand to Florida happened quietly in March. He spent 16 seasons with the Bruins, including two as captain. Boston received a conditional draft pick in return and kept 50% of his salary.

For Pastrnak, who became the face of the rebuilding Bruins, the change was emotional. He talked about Marchand’s Stanley Cup win, saying that he congratulated him.

“Of course, I wrote him congratulations on the cup," Pastrnak said on Tuesday, via hokej.cz. "We played a big part of our careers together, and our wives are also great friends. The bond is there, so of course it was difficult to see him leave.”

However, watching Marchand win in a Panthers jersey wasn’t easy.

“I’m not happy about the Stanley Cup for Florida, but I am happy for Marchand,” Pastrnak said.

He also admitted to giving Marchand some warning after the trade and contract news.

"Then when he signed a big contract, I kind of let him know that I would make the first game against us a little difficult for him," Pastrnak said. "I am looking forward to it. We always had tough battles together, even in practise.”

From Florida’s perspective, the trade was a win. Although Marchand arrived while managing an injury, Panthers general manager Bill Zito had no doubt about his value.

“His record speaks for itself,” Zito said in March, via NHL.com.

Meanwhile, Boston finds itself in a period of change. After missing the playoffs, the team is in transition, and Pastrnak, now 29, carries more weight than ever.

Elliotte Friedman reflects on Brad Marchand trade delay and its impact on Panthers players

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman discussed the Brad Marchand trade on his "32 Thoughts" podcast on Monday. Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues said he learned a lesson from the experience.

“The next time you do a trade, you don’t wait an hour to post what the return was,” Rodrigues said.

Friedman mentioned that the delay in sharing who went to Boston caused confusion among Florida Panthers players. Their group chat was full of guesses, and Matthew Tkachuk joked about which players might be involved.

Marchand became a key piece of Florida’s playoff run with 10 goals and 10 assists in 19 games, including multiple game-winners.