Brad Marchand embracing identity with NHL's 'supervillain' Panthers

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.

Brad Marchand is fitting in nicely.

Sporting shorts, a T-shirt and sandals at the Baptist Health Iceplex on Sunday morning, the guy from Nova Scotia who became a star in Boston seems to be enjoying playing hockey at the beach.

And he is.

Even more than that, though, Marchand is enjoying playing his role in the Battle of Florida.

The Panthers lead the Lightning 2-1 in a series that is starting to become spicy, and Marchand smiles when he is reminded that hes now joining forces with fellow antagonists Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett.

Its almost too much bravado for one team to handle.

Advertisement Just dont call it a gathering of bad-guy superheroes.

Nah, Marchand told The Athletic on Sunday.

Supervillains, maybe.

Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, and Sam Bennett were all chirping the Lightning bench at the end of Game 2.

Absolute nightmare fuel for the rest of the NHL pic.twitter.com/S7ZQLAC1Pr B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 25, 2025 There is a sense that this series between Tampa Bay and Florida, which isnt just the Battle of Florida but also a showdown between the teams that have won the Eastern Conference for five years running, is only just beginning.

Each team has a blowout win to its credit.

Florida has the current edge because it won Game 2, a rugged, defensive battle.

While Brandon Hagel has been suspended and a number of jarring hits have taken place, there is another level of intensity and hatred around the corner.

You can sense it through the first three games, which have largely been heavyweights feeling each other out.

I can feel the intensity rising, Marchand said.

It started in Game 1, and it kept rising in Game 2, Game 3.

You know, cross-checks after the play.

Slashes when the ref isnt looking, and after the play.

So yeah, the intensity is rising, right? When the emotions get into it, and the intensity creeps up? Oh yeah.

How do you not love games like that? At the end of Game 3, Marchand, Tkachuk and Bennett each had to be held back while taunting the Tampa Bay bench.

Three of the most polarizing men in hockey were taking turns getting their verbal jabs in.

It was great theater.

With Marchand, it usually is.

Oh, its a lot of fun being with those two, Marchand said with a smile.

The intensity they bring, the way they approach the game, I love it.

Its fun.

I can feel us starting to feed off of one another.

We all kind of think the game in a similar fashion, me and those guys.

I love being on the same team with those two guys.

I absolutely love it.

Marchand is enjoying being teammates with Tkachuk and Bennett, but he doesnt play on a line with either.

Hes the old man with a couple of kids on Floridas third line, playing alongside Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen.

Paul Maurice, the Panthers coach, makes it quite clear that one of the reasons for acquiring Marchand from the Bruins was to help Lundell realize his potential.

Advertisement Hes making those two younger players better, Maurice said.

We feel theres more offense with Anton Lundell.

Those three players comprise Floridas third line and, while third liners have certain responsibilities playing defense and producing a physical edge have never been an issue for Marchand, who is one of the most well rounded players of his time Maurice sees Marchands patience with the puck and creativity, and believes his presence has the potential to turn Lundell, who is only 23, into a force.

Marchy defends hard, plays hard, battles hard, Maurice said.

But when the puck is on his stick, hes looking to get something going.

Thats a good little change for those guys.

Playing in Florida has been a good little change for Marchand.

He will forever be an icon in Bruins history and smiles every time the city of Boston is mentioned, but make no mistake, hes enjoying his time in South Florida.

There is a growing reality around hockey that players love playing in Florida.

Maybe its the lack of state income tax, maybe its the presence of great coaches such as Maurice and Jon Cooper, or maybe its the weather.

Whatever it is, Marchand has taken a liking to it.

Its incredible, Marchand explained.

The only knock that Ive ever heard about Florida from guys who played here was the way things were (previously), he said.

Things needed to be a lot better, the way the team was run.

But since the new ownership has come in here? The way the team is now, the management, the coaching, the players, they have built an incredible culture in the room and at the rink.

It starts from ownership on down.

Thats not the only thing to like.

Then, you add the lifestyle, he continued.

You wake up every morning, and theres sunshine.

Youre happy.

Your body feels better.

Youre happy.

You can be outdoors every day.

Youre at the beach if you want.

Every day, you get home from the rink, you almost feel like youre on vacation.

Youre able to escape the game.

Thats a tough thing about colder climates.

For the most part, youre trapped inside.

Thats when your mind starts to drift back to the game.

And that can be bad.

It makes it hard to escape it.

It can be depressing.

The lifestyle down here is incredible.

It creates such an active lifestyle for you and your family, your kids.

Its good.

Its really good.

Advertisement Playing for the defending Stanley Cup champions only adds to the dream hes living.

Right, he said.

Because then you consider how much fun these guys are to play with.

How incredible this team is.

Incredible guys.

We have it all here.

Statistically speaking, Marchand has been fine in Florida but hasnt really produced as you might expect.

He was injured when Boston traded him to Florida.

In 10 regular-season games with the Panthers, he produced two goals and four points.

He has an assist in three games in this series.

It was tough at first, he said.

Its different than anything Ive ever been used to.

I was having a bit of a tough time getting adjusted when I came in because I was hurt, so I was on a different schedule than the group.

Its hard when youre trying to build relationships and learn systems, when your day-to-day routine is different than usual, and youre not practicing, youre not skating with the guys.

But everyone has become welcoming and understanding of that.

And once I could start skating again, it got a little easier.

From that point on, to be honest, Ive felt comfortable.

Im very used to everything by now.

His new teammates are impressed and happy to have their old rival on their side.

As advertised, Aaron Ekblad said.

On and off the ice.

Everyone says hes the funniest guy.

He is.

Hes very talkative.

A great leader.

On and off the ice, as advertised.

Great poker player, too.

Marchand will never be known for having a poker face.

If anything, he has always showcased the face that the opposition wants to punch.

In the Florida locker room, they call him Marchy.

Around the league, some call him The Rat.

Marchand has played well in this series.

He looks dangerous with the puck.

He hasnt quite made his mark yet, though.

But this series is just getting started.

And the thing about rats is, they dont like to get started until its late.

Long way to go, Marchand said, smiling again.

But I love this time of year.

Im getting more and more comfortable.

I feel good.

Im ready to go.

(Top photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images).

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