Ahead of the Leafs vs. Panthers matchup, Brad Marchand discussed his decision to stay in Florida instead of signing in Toronto and his selection to the Team Canada Olympic team.
The comments you made on the way out after the playoff series last year, about what the Leafs go through in the market, generated a lot of interest. Was there ever any interest from the Leafs to bring you on board as a free agent?
Marchand: Yeah. It was between Toronto and Florida as to where I was going to go. Ultimately, I never thought it was going to be possible to re-sign with Florida. I really didn’t, just with the guys we had up (for a contract).
I was serious about what I said about where they are as a group and the way they’re competing now. They compete the right way, which is kind of the hurdle they had to get over. It is just unfortunate that the fans ran Marner out of town. That is a huge impact for their group; he’s a point-a-game player, and that hurts.
But they’re a great team, and they’re a great organization. But once the opportunity to come up to sign (in Florida), there was no question it was where I wanted to be. With where we were, I just didn’t think it was going to be able to happen.
What did you notice about the Leafs through the end of that series?
Marchand: They just seem like they’ve become a hard team to play against, and that was a much tougher series than we maybe thought it was going to be. They competed very hard. That was a big win. It was a must-win for us, and a big one to make sure we were prepared moving forward.
How big is this matchup in Toronto tonight, ahead of a road-heavy month of January?
Marchand: Every team is so close in the East. Every night is so important, especially the divisional games, which we have a bunch of this week. They’re going to be very important for all of the teams. It starts tonight, and we have to make sure we have our best game to start the road trip on a good note. We have to keep rolling. The points are so important for both teams, and they’re going to feel the same. It should make for an intense game.
What does seeing Matthew Tkachuk out of the no-contact jersey mean to the team?
Marchand: It just means you have to keep your head up. He is going to be looking for a hit in practice. It has been a while for him, and I think he is itching.
It’s fun having him out there. He is so energetic and mouthy out there. He is always chirping, and it keeps things light. He looks really good; he has an extra step right now, after what he went through last year to finish the year, which he was struggling with. It is great to see him. It’s fun to watch.
What does it mean to represent Team Canada at the Olympics?
Marchand: It is the most proud I’ve ever been. It is the ultimate goal for a hockey player. It is one thing to hope and dream of playing in the NHL, but that is just a different level. You go back to being a kid and watching the Olympics as a kid, with how important it was for the country of Canada, what it meant to them, what it meant to us young hockey fans, just from watching it. It is an incredible opportunity to represent your country. It is a spot you never really picture being in; it is not really a dream I ever had, because it was just so far out of reality. For it to come full circle here and to be a part of it is a pretty incredible feeling.
What was it like participating in the 2016 World Cup?
Marchand: That was the kind of first taste. There were the World Championships, but guys are still in the playoffs, so it is not a full roster. In ’16, it was the first real look at being a part of a team that could compete at the Olympics. It was huge. All of the guys on that team I watched in ’14 and the years before that in the Olympics. They’re the best of the best. I always thought they were a level above me, so it was an incredible feeling to be a part of that group. It was also really disappointing that in the two Olympics after that, we weren’t able to go, and we kind of got shafted. But it is great that we are back now.
The Olympic rink is supposed to have some unique dimensions. Do you think the players will notice it on the ice?
Marchand: I don’t think so. The game happens so quickly, and you are so in the moment. I don’t think you are really going to see or notice it. I don’t think guys are really going to care… Well, they don’t care. We are happy to be going.
