Panthers star Brad Marchand drops bold wake-up call to teammates ahead of critical road trip (2025)

The Florida Panthers kick off a road trip through Canada and Detroit, where every game will carry huge implications and high stakes. Ahead of a pivotal four-game stretch during the 2024-25 NHL season, new leader in the locker room, Brad Marchand, voiced a strong reminder to his teammates and head coach Paul Maurice.

The Panthers will begin their journey in Canada with a critical duel against the Montreal Canadiens on April 1, in a game that seems destined to be a bloodbath following a heated clash in Sunrise over the weekend.

Marchand and the Cats will follow this game with a back-to-back in Toronto, where they’ll take on the Maple Leafs, with whom they are battling for the first place in the Atlantic. The road trip will end with another back-to-back as they pay visits to the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings on April 5 and 6.

No game will be a walk in the park, as every team they face during the road trip is either holding a playoff spot or actively fighting for survival in the 2024-25 NHL season.

Ahead of this journey through the Atlantic Division, Marchand delivered a bold wake-up call to his teammates as the Panthers vie to get back in the win column after a disappointing loss to the Habs.

“This is a big road trip. Right now, everyone is playing their best hockey,” Brad Marchand said, per Panthers’ beat reporter Jameson Olive. “You’re not going to get any easy night. We just have to make sure we’re playing our best game.”

Off the gate with urgency

Florida must put on a better performance during their visit to Montreal, than their latest showing at home against the Canadiens. The Habs have got the Cats’ number this season, boasting a 3-0-0 record against the reigning Stanley Cup champions. Montreal has gotten under Florida’s skin, and Marchand is eager to get one back over them.

“They’re dangerous,” Marchand said, per NHL.com. “It doesn’t take much for them to create opportunities. You’ve got to take care of the puck, you can’t turn it over and give them easy looks. Their power play is very, very dangerous right now, so we’ve got to try and stay out of the box.”

The Panthers were too undisciplined during the 4-2 defeat on Sunday, allowing two power-play goals to the Canadiens. They must stay out of the sin bin to finally get one back over Montreal this season.

Clinching scenario

The Panthers could punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where they’ll hope to successfully defend their Stanley Cup title, during their upcoming visit to Bell Centre.

In order to clinch a berth in the NHL’s postseason, Marchand and Florida must defeat the Canadiens in regulation, while the Columbus Blue Jackets must lose to the Nashville Predators in regulation, as well.

Federico O’Donnell is a bilingual sports writer from Argentina, fluent in both Spanish and English. He joined Bolavip US in August 2024 while completing his Journalism degree at Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales (UCES). Federico has covered soccer and the NHL for various media outlets, including ExtraTimeTalk and Last Word on Hockey. His extensive knowledge of soccer, NBA, NFL, NCAAF, and NHL, combined with his passion for these sports, allows him to effectively handle breaking news and deliver insightful analysis.