Dairy Queen in Florida names Blizzard after Panthers’ Brad Marchand

The good times keep rolling in South Florida, especially for one of the team’s most important players during its latest championship run.

On Friday, a Dairy Queen in Sunrise is paying tribute to Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand by offering customers a special “Brad Blizzard” for one day only.

Marchand even showed up at the restaurant, which had a line around the block to get the unique menu item, specially flavored “Chocolate Chirp Cookie Dough,” and catch a glimpse of the two-time Stanley Cup champion.

Marchand has previously expressed his love for Dairy Queen, which has caught on with teammates and fans alike. The love for the former Boston Bruins captain in the area was earned thanks to his terrific performance during the playoffs, which led to the Panthers keeping Lord Stanley’s Cup for the second consecutive year.

When asked whether the Panthers will re-sign Marchand, general manager Bill Zito jokingly answered that he purchased a Dairy Queen. There have been no public discussions about whether Marchand will be staying in Florida, but the outpouring of support from his teammates and the fan base may pave the way for a future with the rising dynasty.

Marchand was acquired by the Panthers right at the trade deadline in early March. Though he only played a handful of games before the postseason, the 37-year-old picked up his game when it mattered most. A Conn Smythe Trophy finalist, Marchand scored 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in 23 games, finishing sixth on the team in playoff scoring, three points behind Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe for the most on the Panthers roster.

Marchand also made history in the final, breaking a 52-year-old record by becoming the oldest player to score goals in each of the first three games of the final, posting four goals early in the series against the Edmonton Oilers. He also scored the game-winning goal in double overtime in Game 2 to give the Cats their first win of the series.

Marchand is at the end of the eight-year contract he signed with the Bruins in 2016, which carried an AAV of $6.125 million. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.