SUNRISE, Fla. – The Florida Panthers weren`t satisfied with just one Stanley Cup; they were driven to capture a second, largely because it was the ultimate way to exasperate everyone who wasn`t a Panthers supporter.
They have earned a reputation as the NHL`s most provocative, trash-talking intimidators. Opponents frequently criticize their actions, and fans of rival teams openly detest them. Nearly three decades after the franchise became known for fans tossing rats onto the ice, they now boast one of the most notorious `rats` in the league on their roster: winger Brad Marchand, a label he has fully embraced. Being the final team standing isn`t just a testament to their top-tier preparation, execution, and skill; it`s the fulfillment of the promise inherent in their relentless taunting.
“They embody that bad-boy attitude. They hit you, then stand over you, telling you how superior they are. They make it clear they will defeat you by any means necessary,” one active NHL player shared with ESPN. “They aim to humiliate you, not only physically but also on the scoreboard.”
This provocation comes from players like Marchand and Matthew Tkachuk. It`s their willingness to both dish out abuse and gleefully absorb it, exemplified when bearded Jonah Gadjovich stuck out his tongue at the Edmonton Oilers after being bloodied in a fight with Darnell Nurse.
It includes center Sam Bennett`s collisions with opposing goalies, often with just enough ambiguity to avoid clear blame. They seem adept at drawing penalties while avoiding taking them themselves. “They appear to get away with things more than we do. It`s challenging to understand the boundary,” Oilers winger Evander Kane lamented during the Stanley Cup Final.
Marchand`s retort to Kane: “Sometimes we get away with things. You can`t call everything all the time.”
The more challenging aspects of the Panthers` game are integral to their identity, not accidental flaws. Their confrontational style and confidence enhance a recipe for success rarely seen in the league: dominant offense, stifling defense, and a group of players who consistently rise to the occasion in crucial moments.
Florida has reached three Stanley Cup Finals under head coach Paul Maurice. They are the first team to achieve this in three consecutive full NHL seasons since the Edmonton Oilers from 1983-85. (The Tampa Bay Lightning won two Cups and lost a third during the pandemic-affected seasons).
Like the 80s Oilers, the Panthers lost in their initial Final appearance, falling in five games to the Vegas Golden Knights, before winning back-to-back championships. The Panthers are the seventh team in the last 40 years to secure consecutive Cups.
No other team in the NHL rivals their depth. Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart, both finalists for the Selke Trophy as the league`s best defensive forwards, anchored their top line, frequently matched against Oilers star Connor McDavid. Bennett, who led all playoff scorers in goals, and superstar winger/agent of chaos Tkachuk formed a formidable second line. Marchand, delivering arguably the best playoff series of his career in the Final, solidified an exceptional third line alongside the exceptionally underrated forwards Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell.
Their two defensive pairings – Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling, along with Seth Jones and Niko Mikkola – were outstanding throughout the postseason. And when all else failed, Sergei Bobrovsky provided the ideal last line of defense in net.
The Panthers set a record for road wins in NHL playoff history (10) and shattered the record for goals scored away from home, tallying 61 compared to Wayne Gretzky`s Los Angeles Kings` 49 in 1993.
“Anyone who understands hockey is in awe of what they`ve accomplished,” remarked Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier, a member of two separate back-to-back Cup-winning Oilers teams, now an ESPN analyst.
Messier doesn`t view the Panthers solely through the lens of their `villainy`.
“They can adapt to any style of play. They possess such undervalued talent across many positions,” he stated. “You don`t always find the right players at the right stages of their careers. This is a highly sophisticated, skilled, and driven team.”
Someone else who doesn`t want the Florida Panthers defined solely as antagonistic bullies? The Florida Panthers themselves.
“I genuinely don`t see us as these big, physical sons of b—-es,” general manager Bill Zito commented.
The Panthers argue that the on-ice antics used by others to characterize them during these two Cup runs don`t reflect the players` true personalities off the ice. They feel perceptions of their adversarial nature shouldn`t overshadow the chemistry, culture, and camaraderie that truly form the bedrock of these championships.
“We don`t discuss it. That`s not our approach. It`s not what we talk about before games,” Tkachuk explained. “We aim to play fast and physical. We want to defend each other when the situation demands it.”
Are the Florida Panthers, in fact, the friendliest `rats` to ever win the Stanley Cup twice?
“Ultimately, you are willing to do things on the ice that differ from your typical behavior as a person off the ice,” Marchand noted.
Perhaps the strongest indicator that the Panthers frustrate opponents is the vehemence with which those opponents deny being frustrated.
“[Agitation] is integral to their identity. It`s just what they do,” Oilers center Leon Draisaitl said during the Final. “I`m not losing my composure. I don`t believe anyone is. It`s an emotional time. They are effective at what they do. But no one is getting out of control here.”
Kane suggested the Panthers` reputation for agitation is somewhat exaggerated.
“You know, I think they receive excessive credit for how much they supposedly unnerve other teams. I don`t think Florida is driving us crazy at all. We`ve done an excellent job preventing them from getting inside our heads,” said Kane, who accumulated more penalty minutes in the first five games of the Final (20) than in his prior 15 playoff games combined (12).
Playing against the Panthers can be infuriating. Not just because of what they do, but because of how often they seem to avoid repercussions for their actions. Sam Bennett`s frequent collisions with opposing goaltenders are a prime example.
This happened at least four times during their playoff run, most notably when Bennett caused a concussion to former teammate Anthony Stolarz of the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1 of the second round. Stolarz did not return for the rest of the playoffs. Bennett received no penalty on the play, nor were there any subsequent actions from the NHL Department of Player Safety. However, Toronto fans and media were outraged, adding this Bennett incident to a history of others, including when he concussed Leafs forward Matthew Knies by throwing him to the ice in May 2023.
“I`ve seen every hit Sam Bennett has delivered since he was 12 years old on TV this morning,” Maurice quipped the day after the Stolarz incident. “There was a hit from 2½ years ago that [the media has] shown 4,000 times. I think a parking ticket from seven years ago also made the video reel.”
In the 2025 playoffs, Bennett also had collisions with Carolina`s Frederik Andersen and two instances of falling into Stuart Skinner`s crease against the Oilers.
“Naturally, you dislike it when players intentionally fall onto your goaltender,” Kane stated.
For many opponents, the Panthers represent the NHL`s `Team That Keeps Getting Away With Everything`.
“It`s incredibly frustrating,” another current NHL player commented. “When you play them, you realize, `They`ve mastered this.` They are being `smart,` in quotation marks, regarding that type of play. But it generally falls within the rules.”
Defenseman Nate Schmidt disliked facing the Panthers before signing with them last offseason. “I have to admit, playing against them is not enjoyable,” he said. “I much prefer playing alongside them than being on the other side.”
The Panthers weren`t always as provocative as they are now. In 2022, Florida won the Presidents` Trophy with the league`s best record (122 points) and top offense (4.11 goals per game) under interim coach Andrew Brunette, who took over after Joel Quenneville`s resignation. Their leading scorer was winger Jonathan Huberdeau, who finished tied for second in the NHL with 115 points in 80 games.
However, after the Panthers were swept in the second round by their rival Tampa Bay Lightning, it became clear that their regular-season dominance didn`t translate to postseason success following an “in-depth review of all aspects of our team,” as Zito described it at the time. On June 22, it was announced that Brunette was out and Paul Maurice would be the new head coach.
That hiring wasn`t universally praised – Maurice had coached in the NHL since the mid-1990s with the Hartford Whalers, reaching the Stanley Cup Final only once in 2002. But Zito stated that the Panthers` shift in attitude “began with Paul.”
The Panthers accumulated 842 penalty minutes in their Presidents` Trophy season. This increased to 998 in Maurice`s first season and then 1,116 in his second season, the year Florida won the Stanley Cup.
One month after Maurice`s arrival came another pivotal and even more surprising moment: Huberdeau and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar were traded to the Calgary Flames for Matthew Tkachuk.
The Panthers had officially entered their Swagger Era.
“I hate Edmonton, but I hate Tampa more now,” was Tkachuk`s bold statement at his introductory news conference. The Lightning had eliminated the Panthers in consecutive postseasons. It`s perhaps no coincidence that Florida holds a 2-0 record against both Tampa Bay and Edmonton since the Tkachuk trade.
“I bring a certain confidence that will significantly benefit this team,” Tkachuk said at the time. “I have good self-assurance. It`s not arrogance. I believe some successful teams in this conference possess that. I need to help cultivate that here.”
A significant part of that swagger stems from Tkachuk`s readiness to say or do anything to win, as anyone who saw the first USA vs. Canada game in the 4 Nations Face-Off can attest. But Zito argues that Tkachuk embodies why the Panthers are often misunderstood as the NHL`s current reigning bullies – their irritating quality primarily comes from how exceptionally difficult he is to play against.
“He has a sophisticated game that blends elite puck skills and hockey IQ with an intense competitive drive. When you look around the league at players who possess that combination, almost without exception, they are seen as agitators,” Zito explained.
This is where the Panthers challenge the notion that they are the NHL`s `king rats`.
“I believe our reputation is simply that we are guys who play hard. We don`t concede ice space, and that inevitably leads to numerous confrontations and collisions,” defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “It`s not necessarily about us being bullies; we are simply trying to play with maximum intensity.”
Zito concurred.
“Bodychecking is a fundamental part of hockey. When you play the game correctly and focus on all the details, checking will be involved. It`s not intended to intimidate or injure. It`s literally about preventing you from engaging in the play if I check you,” Zito stated. “It`s like chess, but incorporating time and space. So it`s an effective tactic.”
Marchand has now been a key member of two of the NHL`s most challenging teams to play against: the Boston Bruins, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2011, and the Panthers, with whom he lifted the Cup recently. Both teams were labeled `bullies` – the image of Marchand delivering blows to Daniel Sedin`s head in the 2011 Final against Vancouver is hard to forget. But according to Marchand, both teams simply played the style necessary to succeed in the postseason.
“Certainly, high-level skill and finesse get you to this point, but it requires a completely different game and intensity to go further,” he observed. “That`s clearly what we possessed for a long time in Boston. What Florida has done exceptionally well is construct a team that is incredibly difficult to compete against at this time of year. So, it`s the kind of game style you want to be a part of.”
Marchand has personally experienced the Panthers` aggressive side. Sam Bennett delivered a gloved punch in last year`s playoffs that concussed Marchand and forced him out of their series. “I didn`t hold a grudge. I understand how this game is played. I`ve played a similar way myself, and it`s something we now joke about,” said Marchand, now Bennett`s teammate. “I`ve been in situations where I`ve done similar things to guys I later became teammates with. Things occur on the ice, and you move past them.”
According to Marchand, that`s just the nature of hockey. “I can`t speak for other sports, but our culture is one where you could fight a guy and meet up afterward and share a laugh about everything. That`s just how it is,” he commented. “You are performing a job when you`re on the ice. That`s the entirety of it.”
This implies that off the ice, the Panthers are different individuals. And according to them, that exceptional chemistry is the genuine reason they have skated the Cup for a second consecutive time.
“They are tough on the ice. They truly are. And much of that toughness is fueled by how they feel about each other. They don`t want to disappoint their teammates. There`s a real sense of care among them,” Maurice stated. “These guys are unique.”
If Marchand has absorbed one key lesson during his time with the Florida Panthers, it`s that plastic rats sting when your teammates are slap-shooting them at you.
In one of the playoffs` most memorable new traditions, Panthers players would take turns shooting plastic rats, tossed onto the ice by fans, directly at Marchand after victories.
“They see my family on the ice and want us to be together,” Marchand deadpanned. “They`re just picking on me. They`re aiming to inflict pain now.”
Beyond being their most dominant scorer in the Stanley Cup Final, Marchand also became the focal point of the Panthers` internal levity after joining the team at the trade deadline.
“Marchy and I have a certain kinetic energy together. It`s great to have someone else who shares that,” Schmidt said. “One bouncy ball is fun. When you bounce two together? It`s a bit more fun. So I`ve thoroughly enjoyed having him here.”
The pregame bouncing around. The rat-shooting. The now-famous poker games on cross-country flights. Team outings to Dairy Queen, and the subsequent confusion over whether Marchand was consuming a Blizzard between periods of a playoff game.
(Spoiler: It was honey, something Marchand has enjoyed since childhood when he would feed it to his stuffed Winnie the Pooh doll. “It`s what we do in Halifax. We feed honey to teddy bears,” he clarified.)
“There are countless things happening behind the scenes that fans never witness,” Marchand remarked. “Those are the small moments that make things a bit easier and help you momentarily escape the stress. I think it`s evident when we`re together, we`re simply like big kids. Behind closed doors, everyone is always joking and having a good time.”
Comedy within the Panthers` dressing room is democratic. Players say no one is exempt from teasing, regardless of salary or ice time. It`s a reflection of the team`s overall ethos. When Tkachuk says “nobody cares who scores,” they truly mean it.
“It`s impossible to overstate the character and… I`m not sure if it`s the correct term, but the humility of each player. If you walked into the meal room, you wouldn`t… know… who… is… who,” Zito emphasized, pounding his hands on the table. “You wouldn`t know who scored the winning goal. You wouldn`t know who didn`t play. I believe that, as much as anything, is a testament to those players and their character.”
Each offseason, Maurice conducts a `culture survey` for his team. Last offseason, one player reported that upon entering the Panthers` dressing room for the first time, “it felt like I`d been there for 10 years” with the team.
“That room we have is incredibly welcoming. Your personality fits, almost no matter what it is. In fact, the more unusual your personality, the more you`re likely to fit in our room,” Maurice stated. “As long as you handle the four or five essential things required, everyone is free to be themselves.”
What fuels that chemistry?
“That`s entirely because of Barkov, honestly,” Maurice said.
“[Barkov] is like a magnet. You naturally find yourself drawn to him,” Schmidt shared. “You see what the Captain does, and that attitude just filters throughout the entire lineup. There`s no alternative way; it feels like you have to do it for him, even though he`s not an imposing vocal presence.”
Zito likened Barkov to a planet, generating “all the energy that comes from him” as a leader. “It starts with Sasha,” the GM reiterated. “Paul has discussed it. I`ve discussed it. The players have discussed it. The only person it`s not talked about is Sasha himself. His compassion as a human and a teammate is immense. He inspires you to be a better person. This makes it easy for the positive aspects of your personality to surface. It`s as if he draws it out of you.”
Barkov, too, has learned from his teammates, particularly Marchand since his arrival at the trade deadline. “He`s clearly very old, but he still works diligently and strives for improvement,” said the 29-year-old Barkov of the 37-year-old Marchand. (See? Everyone gets teased.) “It`s inspiring to see, and it`s contagious. You want to match his work ethic.”
Every iteration of the Panthers during their three-year reign as Eastern Conference champions has seen roster changes. Eric and Marc Staal, as well as Radko Gudas, were on the 2023 team. Brandon Montour, Ryan Lomberg, Nick Cousins, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Vladimir Tarasenko were part of last season`s Cup winner. This season saw Marchand, Schmidt, Seth Jones, and A.J. Greer, among others, join the roster.
“You just try to integrate, come in, and not disrupt anything, not alter anything. Just seamlessly blend in and add a bit of your own `spice,` I suppose you could say,” commented Greer, who signed as a free agent. “Joining a group that had just won the Stanley Cup, I simply tried to inject a little energy. They had a long season. Sometimes that can weigh on you mentally and physically. So I arrived, aimed to replenish that energy, bring a fresh face, and simply be myself, personality-wise. The guys welcomed me exceptionally well. They create a welcoming atmosphere throughout the locker room, and that`s a major reason they won.”
Hearing stories of humility and warmth from within the Panthers organization presents a striking contrast to the team that frequently appears on the ice. They are the epitome of the classic hockey cliché: `a player you love having on your team and despise playing against.` Marchand himself recently used this phrase to describe Bennett. They frustrate opponents during games while simultaneously pushing each other to perform like champions behind the scenes.
“This is something about hockey culture that makes it truly special and unique,” one current NHL player observed. “Some of the individuals who are the most aggravating on the ice are the most genuinely good people off the ice.”
Maurice was recently asked about this apparent contradiction.
“I`ll pose two questions that might be personal. You don`t have to answer. Have you ever shotgunned a beer? And have you ever attended church?” he began. “Now, would you shotgun a beer while in church? No, you wouldn`t, and that doesn`t make you a hypocrite. There`s a specific context for all things in that environment.”
Maurice admitted he disliked facing Tkachuk intensely when he was coaching Winnipeg and Tkachuk was in Calgary. His on-ice swagger shaped Maurice`s perception of him as a person, a view that was quickly dispelled when the two were united in Florida. “You meet him, and you think, `Oh my god, what a wonderful human being,`” Maurice recalled.
The same applies to Marchand. The same applies to Bennett, who is “relentless” on the ice but dedicates his spare time to raising money for finding adoptive homes for dogs. The Panthers are more than just what they display on the ice. They are more than just what they are off the ice. But the combination of these elements – the intensity and the harmony – merged to make them back-to-back Stanley Cup champions.
“They are all genuinely, genuinely nice people,” Maurice said of his team. “Then the puck drops.”
