Florida Panthers veteran Brad Marchand has seen the Toronto Maple Leafs collapse in the playoffs before, if not eliminating them himself, but this year feels different.

After Florida’s 4-3 loss in Game 2 on Wednesday and with the Leafs now in possession of a commanding 2-0 series lead, the veteran winger acknowledged the change in tone from a team he tormented as recently as last season.

“They came ready to play this round,” Marchand said. “We see that.”

Marchand, who joined Florida at the trade deadline, gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead early in the second period with his first goal of the postseason.

“We have our work cut out. They’re obviously playing really well right now.”
Brad Marchand on what’s different about this season’s Maple Leafs pic.twitter.com/l4tFI77296

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 8, 2025

The veteran winger also had two assists in Game 1, but neither effort was enough as Toronto defended home ice and took a 2-0 lead in the second-round series.

Asked what has stood out about Toronto through the first two games, Marchand was direct.

“They’re continuing to get better and grow as a group,” Marchand said. “They brought a lot of good pieces in at the deadline and the off-season to address their back end. They’re heavy back there.

“Their coaching has changed, and their structure is very, very good right now, especially in the (defensive) zone. They don’t give up a whole lot around the net.”

Marchand kept on going, touching on his and the Panthers’ expectations for a tough series against Toronto.

“We knew it was going to be a really tough battle,” Marchand said. “We didn’t expect to roll over them by any means. We have our work cut out. They’re playing really well, and obviously their top guys are capitalizing on every opportunity.”

Marchand’s third line with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen has been one of Florida’s most effective units so far, outscoring Toronto 4-1 in the series at 5-on-5. Lundell tied Game 2 in the third before Mitch Marner scored the winner just 17 seconds later, earning his team its second victory in the series.

Game 3 will be on Friday at 7 p.m. ET as the series shift to Florida for two games before returning to Toronto for Game 5, if necessary.

Related: Mitch Marner’s Immediate Reaction After Maple Leafs’ Second Straight Win Over Panthers

Related: Panthers’ Aaron Ekblad Breaks Silence on NHL Suspension For First-Round Hit

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