Brad Marchand played his first game with the Florida Panthers on Friday night. The long-time Boston Bruins pest was dealt to Florida at the trade deadline for a conditional 2027 second-round draft pick.
The 36-year-old winger was an instant positive for the Panthers, providing the primary assist on Sam Bennett’s overtime winner against the Utah HC. Marchand picked up a loose puck behind Utah’s net and fed Bennett for a backhand past Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka.
After Bennett put away the game-winner, Panthers fans littered the ice at Amerant Bank Arena with victory rats. Rat-throwing has been a Panthers tradition dating back to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1996.
Marchand, often called a rat for his antagonistic nature on the ice throughout his career, was on the winning side of the rodent tossing for the first time. In honor of his milestone moment, he collected several of his distant cousins off the ice and brought them back to the Panthers’ locker room as a keepsake.
Per the Panthers’ Jameson Olive, the reason Marchand picked the rats up was actually a little more wholesome than just fun recognition of Florida’s fanbase. The veteran forward collected the non-furry, furry friends for his kids, who asked him to bring them some before the game.
“Being cheered by Panthers fans was a lot different, but it’s a great feeling,” Marchand added. “It’s not often you get to be part of a group like this.”
Brad Marchand collecting rats after setting up the game winning goal in OT 🐀 pic.twitter.com/euT8NZQoJa
— Katie Engleson (@KatieEngleson) March 29, 2025
Marchand played 16:30 of ice time in his Panthers debut, which was delayed due to an upper-body injury he suffered with the Bruins at the beginning of March. He recorded the assist on Bennett’s goal, three shots on goal, two hits, and two shot blocks.
Marchand played on Florida’s second line in the win, skating with Bennett and Mackie Samoskevich. He now has 48 points (21g, 27a) in 62 games this year.
