Some things are just meant to go together.
Milk and cookies.
Summer and baseball.
Movies and popcorn.
There is just a natural, mutual attraction and benefit between the two.
Well, it appears we can add Brad Marchand and the Florida Panthers to the list.
Marchand has fit in seamlessly since being acquired by Florida at the Trade Deadline, both on the ice and off, but what he’s been able to accomplish during the postseason has made the deal a grand slam home run.
“He's been incredible for us this whole playoffs, just scoring massive goals at massive times,” said Panthers forward Sam Bennett.
On Friday, Marchand netted the overtime winner in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final for Florida, sending the series back to Sunrise tied with the Edmonton Oilers at one game apiece.
The breakaway beauty was his second goal of the game and third of the Final. It was also his second OT winner during Florida’s playoff run, and both have come at pivotal moments for the Cats.
His first overtime tally came in Game 3 against Toronto during round two, after the Panthers had lost each of the first two games and were at risk of falling into a deep 0-3 hole.
“I just don’t think (the game) gets too big for him,” said Florida defenseman Nate Schmidt. “He’s one of our most vocal guys, throughout the third (period), the first or second overtime intermissions. It doesn’t seem like he ever gets too riled about it, which is what you need. He’s a veteran presence and a guy whose got a ring. We’re really lucky to have him.”
It must have been a jolt, at least at first, for many of the Panthers who have gone to battle with Marchand so many times over the course of their respective careers to suddenly have him as their biggest cheerleader.
“He's up and down our bench all the time, just pumping tires,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “‘Stay in the fight.’ But he is going to be the same way at breakfast tomorrow morning. He's just going to be jacked, high-fiving everybody at the table.”
It’s not just the goals he’s scoring that have made his presence so valuable, though. Since being placed on a line with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, the young Finns have hit another gear offensively when skating with Marchand.
Through 19 playoff games, Lundell has five goals and 14 points to go with a plus-15 on-ice rating while Luostarinen similarly has four goals and 14 points and a plus-10 rating.
To his credit, Marchand has racked up seven goals, 17 points and a plus-14 rating during the postseason.
Despite playing at the ripe at of 37 and having nearly 1,300 regular season and playoff games played under his belt, Marchand is showing that he’s in some of the best shape of his life.
Perhaps his new linemates have something to do with that. At least they seem to think so.
“I hope he gets the energy from me and Luosty (Luostarinen),” Lundell said with a smile. “He’s in great shape. It seems like nothing is stopping him.”
Marchand’s work ethic and seemingly endless motor on the ice has caught the eye of more than a few of his teammates.
“He can play until he’s 47 the way he’s going,” said Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk. “Just an unreal player, unreal competitor.”
One of the interesting things about hearing what Florida’s players have to say about Marchand goes well beyond just the physical, competitive elements that are generally first thought of in regard to playing against him.
The little plays he makes, how he uses his hockey IQ to make everyone on the ice better, it’s another thing to experience when on the receiving end.
“Playoffs aside, I think his best strength as a player – he’s really skilled, hard on pucks, wants the puck – but his anticipation and being in the right spots, his hockey sense, it’s unbelievable,” said Tkachuk. “You saw it (in Game 2). Two breakaway goals, just seeing the play, seeing the puck go to a player, and he’s gone. I saw that a ton with him in Boston, but it’s way better seeing it now.”
As Marchand continues to write an incredible story that could very well end with him holding the Conn Smythe Trophy at the end of this postseason, it seems the more we learn about the man who he is, the easier it is to root for him.
“Brad's an honest man, and that's why he fits in our room,” said Maurice. “He loves the game. He loves the people around him. He's very open, very gregarious, so he just fits right in, completely accepted. He’s just an incredibly positive human being.”
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Photo caption: Jun 6, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) reacts after making the game winning goal against the Edmonton Oilers during double overtime in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)