Paul Bissonnette was distraught after learning about Panthers trade for ‘Mr. TNT’ Brad Marchand

Friday was an eventful day in the NHL as the trade deadline came and went. But one move in particular caught the attention of NHL on TNT studio analyst and Spittin Chiclets’ host Paul Bissonnette in the worst way possible.

On Friday, Bissonnette joined Sportsnet’s trade deadline coverage on Hockey Central, in large part to be the de facto voice of his favorite team, the Toronto Maple Leafs and their trade deadline activity.

The Maple Leafs, who sit near the top of the Atlantic Division with a 38-21-3 record on the year, were rumored to be active buyers at the deadline. And they largely were, bringing in defenseman Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton in a pair of trades with the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers, respectively.

However, the Maple Leafs missed out on perhaps the most high-profile player that was available, longtime Bruins captain Brad Marchand, who had been linked to the Maple Leafs over the past few days leading up to the deadline.

Instead of the Maple Leafs acquiring Marchand, it was their division rival, the Florida Panthers, who landed the four-time All-Star.

When Marchand and the rest of the Hockey Central cast learned about the trade, Bissonnette immediately made his frustrations about the move known by putting his head down on the desk.

“Holy! I said get out of the East, Brad! I said get out of the East!” said Bissonnette before realizing that the rumored trade had become official.

“Brad Marchand could become a Florida Panther.”

😳😳😳 #NHLTradeDeadline pic.twitter.com/kkMg460d6q

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 7, 2025

Obviously, a player like Marchand would have been a huge addition for Bissonnette’s Maple Leafs. But missing out on Marchand is also something that Bissonnette is likely upset about due to his longstanding relationship with Marchand over the years.

Since joining the NHL on TNT cast in 2021, Bissonnette and Marchand, a former “Mr. TNT” winner, have had several back-and-forths where the two could be seen playfully roasting one another on the pregame show. It sure seems like the two are pretty good friends outside of the typical player-media relationship that plays out on screen.

As Bissonnette alluded to, losing out on Marchand also hurts even more considering he ended up going to the Panthers, who are the only team in the Atlantic Division that sits above the Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.

Only time will tell how effective Marchand will be for his new team. But obviously, Bissonnette isn’t overly fond with everything that took place on the final day of the trade deadline.