The uncomfortable reality of Marchand and Boston being separate entities was inevitable after the team fell short a couple of years ago.

Then, to top it off, Nikita Zadorov fired up the TD Garden by roughing up Sam Bennnett, the same Sam Bennett who concussed Marchand in the playoffs last year and then became his friend on Team Canada at the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off.

Marchand is still recovering from an upper body injury so his return to the ice is still up in the air. He won't play when the Panthers battle the Bruins Tuesday but is traveling with the team back home to Boston just days after getting traded away.