The NHL trade deadline was a productive one on Friday, with a plethora of notable moves across the league. Arguably the most surprising trade of them all saw the Boston Bruins ship franchise legend Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers.

Marchand has spent all 16 of his NHL seasons with the Bruins and is known as one of the top agitators in the sport who also consistently puts up points. The blockbuster seemingly came out of nowhere and it appears there's a reason they decided to part ways with the 36-year-old.

Speaking on ESPN Saturday, NHL insider Emily Kaplan said the Bruins and Marchand had discussions in February about a new three-year extension that would've kept him with the team for the remainder of his career, but there was a clear gap in AAV desires:

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Once the two sides failed to agree on a deal, the Bruins made it clear they would work with Marchand to find him the best landing spot and that was evidently the defending Stanley Cup champions. While the Panthers are of course an Atlantic Division rival, they're a legitimate Cup threat once again and as Kaplan noted, it allows Marchand to stay on the East Coast with his family.

Despite the trade, Marchand will forever remain a beloved figure in Bruins history. He was crucial in their 2011 Stanley Cup win and has been everything they could've imagined since drafting him back in 2006. Boston is clearly heading in a different direction, however, also moving Brandon Carlo, Trent Frederic, and Charlie Coyle.

As for Florida, they now have a ridiculous line of Matthew Tkachuk-Sam Bennett-Brad Marchand. That's of course once Tkachuk is healthy, which should be by the playoffs, if not sooner. The Bruins meanwhile still have a chance at making the postseason, but parting ways with their captain isn't exactly a move that screams contender.