When the Florida Panthers traded for Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand in March, it raised a lot of eyebrows. But the agitator quickly found his place on a mean, physical Panthers team, where his nickname really hit home with both fans and teammates. Now, a video shows just how quickly Marchand has become a fan and team favorite.
Since Brad Marchand made his NHL debut in 2010, he has become known for his incredible ability to get under opponents’ skin with his energetic and physical style of play—earning him the nickname “The Rat.” His playing style made last year’s champions, the Florida Panthers, trade for him in March in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick.
Made an instant impact
Marchand has since made a significant impact on his new team, and his gritty approach fits perfectly in the current “Battle of Florida” taking place in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. In fact, his presence has already inspired a new postgame win tradition. In Florida, fans have a long-standing tradition of throwing fake rats onto the ice in celebration. That tradition now merges perfectly with Marchand’s nickname.
Brad Marchand rat celebration
In a clip currently going viral in the hockey world, Marchand’s teammates are seen shooting plastic rats at him. Even the Panthers’ mascot, Viktor E. Ratt, joins in on the celebration.
”Just embraces all of it haha what a character” one person writes on X.
”Things have really come full circle for Marchy” another person writes.
The Panthers are currently up 3–1 in their “Battle of Florida” series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Game five will be played Wednesday night in Tampa. You can watch the hilarious clip below.
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