Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final between the Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes will be on Thursday night in Raleigh, North Carolina. The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers picked up a 5-2 Game 1 victory. While Boston Bruins fans probably are not hanging their hat on every shift and goal, the Bruins did pick up a win on Tuesday night from Florida.
When Brad Marcand took his first shift in the game for the Panthers, the Bruins' return for him on trade deadline day went from a second-round pick to a first-round pick in 2027 after conditions were met. Florida had to make it through two postseason rounds, and Marchand had to play in at least 50% of his games.
Tuesday night was the 13th playoff game this spring for the Panthers, and he has played in all 13 games to date. The most Florida can play if the next two rounds go seven games is 26. It’ll likely be a late first-round pick, but it’s a first-round pick to have or trade in the future.
Former Bruins are thriving in Florida
As the playoffs have gone along, has there been a better trade deadline addition than Marchand for the Panthers? He haunted the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second-round series, and he has already gotten under the skin of the Hurricanes after just one game. Two other former Bruins have played well for Florida in the postseason and had a hand in the Game 1 win.
In the second period, A.J. Greer scored his second playoff goal with Tomas Nosek picking up an assist. Nosek also had an assist on a third-period goal by Eetu Lustarinen for his third helper of the postseason run. Neither player was good enough to retain the last couple of seasons in Boston, but they are having a deep run in South Florida.
Is Don Sweeney narrowing the coaching search?
There will be a new coach in place next season when training camp begins at Warrior Ice Arena in September, but we’re still waiting to see who that’ll be. General manager Don Sweeney, who just received a two-year extension on Tuesday, told Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald that he was not waiting for teams still alive in the playoffs to speak with any potential candidates.
That would mean that Dallas Stars assistant Misha Donskov would be considered for the position. Dallas rallied to beat the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, 6-3, on Wednesday night. Sweeney has said that he wants to have a coach in place by the end of June, ahead of what is a vital Entry Draft and free agency opening a few days later. Some rather big decisions are on the horizon.