They may be teammates now but during the 4 Nations Face-Off back in February, they were busy letting the chirps fly. That’s right, we’re talking about Brad Marchand and Matthew Tkachuk who are honestly not too dissimilar at all as players. Both are fighters at heart who never shy away from a little verbal trolling or some nonverbal rough and tumble on the ice. Which is to say nothing of their equally impressive offensive prowess. And now that they’re on the same team, maximizing their dark arts coefficient, Tkachuk spoke about what it was like to have him around in Florida.

He talked about how great it’s been to have Marchand on the team, saying, “It’s been unreal having him in. And he’s got what everybody wants in this league, and that’s that winning pedigree and being a champion and having that experience.”

Also, for Tkachuk, this story hasn’t changed at all. “I mean, Marshy first, like, you know, coming in, we’ve had some crazy series with them in the past and the rivalry. And, you know, he just fit in so perfectly when he came. It’s like we’ve been playing together forever,” said the Panthers’ no. 19 during Episode 564 of Spittin’ Chiclets. The Panthers have faced off against Boston before, and you won’t believe who was on that team! Brad Marchand.

Even though Matthew Tkachuk and Marchand have had their fair share of rivalry, this time around, they got to play on the same team. This was something really special! Tkachuk mentioned how they connected so fast that it really felt like they were always on the same team. And why not? They totally have a similar mindset. Which one is it? Aggressive hockey!

Stressing on that factor, Tkachuk said, “And he brings like that confidence, that swagger that we’ve had. It just adds right to he’s like a perfect this team’s perfect for him. Like it’s like a perfect match. So we’re so excited having him. He’s been unreal. Like he’s so strong on the puck. Their line’s been just incredible.”

Just because Marchand left Boston doesn’t mean he left his aggressive style behind on the ice. He hasn’t changed at all. It’s just that he’s wearing new colors now. Plus, he’s bringing that style of hockey into the Panthers, turning them into a tough team to take down. So, are you in the loop? Even Florida’s coach recognized the impact he had on the team.

The Brad Marchand effect is all over the Panthers

Brad Marchand’s impact on the Florida Panthers has really taken their coach, Paul Maurice, by surprise. After winning the 2025 Stanley Cup Semifinals against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Maurice mentioned, “There is. And that’s a [Anton] Lundell score tonight, a roll off the slot hole. And he’s affected those guys in such a positive way about thinking about the game and the small-area plays. And I felt those two young guys had it in them, but the role that I gave them stunted them. I wouldn’t let them do that.”

The coach mentioned that Lundell scored a goal, and it was all thanks to Marchand’s inspiration. According to him, this is something that the former Bruins star can achieve with his influence on the team.

“Every puck deep, all that stuff, on it and above it, get it deep, put the puck at the net. It’s not a lot of creativity in the way that I coach, right? It’s pretty simple. Brad comes in and says, hey, we can do all those things, but we can also make some plays around here, fellas. And so it starts in practice, right? They start close supporting small area plays. And there’s some hands there,” Maurice said. So, Florida’s heading to the Eastern Conference Finals now, and they’ve got to take down the Carolina Hurricanes if they want to keep those dreams of a second Stanley Cup Final win alive.