The Boston Bruins have traded Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers after failed contract negotiations. The team had initially proposed a three-year deal in February but could not agree on terms, resulting in Marchand's departure as he was to become an unrestricted free agent in July. The Bruins received a conditional second-round pick, potentially elevating to a first-round pick based on Marchand's playoff performance. Marchand, who turns 37 this May, has undergone multiple surgeries during the offseason and is currently sidelined, with an expected return in about a month.

The Bruins also traded veterans Charlie Coyle and Brandon Carlo, indicating a strategic shift towards rebuilding the team. Marchand, a longtime Bruin and integral to their 2011 Cup win, expressed a preference for remaining on the East Coast, which facilitated the Panthers deal, given their championship aspirations and the involvement of former teammates in their management.