It is no secret that Florida Panthers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers] forward Sam Bennett had some intense battles with Brad Marchand when No. 63 was a member of the Boston Bruins. However, any bad blood between the two stars disappeared once Marchand was traded by the Boston Bruins to the Panthers at the 2025 NHL trade deadline. Marchand and Bennett developed great chemistry once they became teammates on the Panthers. Following the Panthers' Stanley Cup win, Bennett dove into just how important a player Marchand was for Florida during their run. "That guy is the biggest dog I ever played with," Bennett said about Marchand to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman. "He's incredible. This guy is the best leader. He leads by example. He speaks up. He is fearless out there, and I've been telling him this whole playoffs, 'we're following you,' and we followed him this whole playoff run. He was incredible." Marchand certainly played a huge role in the Panthers repeating as Stanley Cup champions, as he had 10 goals and 20 points in 23 playoff games for Florida. Six of his goals came in the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers. Bennett also had more major praise for Marchand, as reported by ESPN's Greg Wyshynski [https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/45534860/panthers-cruise-oilers-win-second-straight-stanley-cup]. "What he's meant to this team... I don't think we win a Stanley Cup without him," Bennett said. "I truly don't think we win a Stanley Cup without him. "His leadership, his will to win, it's inspiring. He's a better player and person than I ever knew, and I'm grateful that I got to play with him." Clearly, Bennett enjoyed having Marchand as his teammate, and it is easy to understand why. Marchand proved to be a perfect addition to the Panthers' roster, and it will be fascinating to see if Florida will be able to re-sign the pair before July 1 from here. LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Brad Marchand Opens Up About Panthers Future After Stanley Cup Win [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/brad-marchand-opens-up-about-panthers-future-after-stanley-cup-win] Matthew Tkachuk Says This About Connor McDavid After Cup Win [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/matthew-tkachuk-says-this-about-connor-mcdavid-after-cup-win] Amazingly, unbelievably, incredibly, the Florida Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/game-day/amazingly-unbelievably-incredibly-the-florida-panthers-are-back-to-back-stanley-cup-champions] Panthers defeat Oilers in Game 6 to claim second straight Stanley Cup Championship [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/game-day/panthers-defeat-oilers-in-game-6-to-claim-second-straight-stanley-cup-championship] 3 Panthers Who Must Shine In Massive Game 6 vs. Oilers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/3-panthers-who-must-shine-in-massive-game-6-vs-oilers] Photo Credit: © Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
