All eyes are on game 2 in the Battle of Florida after the Panthers made a statement in their 6-2 win against Tampa in game 1. Yet, this one’s turning out to be a lot less action-packed in terms of goals, and so the NHL on TNT panel had a chance to catch up with Brad Marchand on the bench. Yet, what he had to say about his new teammate and former rival, Matthew Tkachuk, surprised long-time fans.

With Marchand and Tkachuk sharing the ice for the time as teammates in Game 1, the hosts couldn’t help but ask the burning question: “What is he (Matthew Tkachuk) like as a teammate?” And while Marchand’s reply lined up with what he has said in the past, the rest didn’t. “He’s a terrible guy,” joked the 36-year-old from inside Amalie Arena moments ahead of Game 2.

“No, he’s great. Keeps the room really light, but he’s ultra competitive. You see the mindset he gets into when it becomes game time,” Brad Marchand added on a serious note. It’s easy to see why the former Bruin would say this. Marchand saw the Panthers’ alternate captain score two goals despite being out for two months.

Tkachuk played like he didn’t even miss a beat, despite coming off a long-term injury he sustained during the 4 Nations tournament in February. Yet, long-time fans may have found such praise for Tkachuk coming from Marchand hard to believe. After all, just a couple of months ago, Marchy was taking jibes at the Tkachuk brothers when Canada beat Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

“Sometimes when you shoot your mouth off in the media, it bites you. You can do that during the season, but when you’re playing best-on-best it’s different, and they got a little bit ahead of themselves,” Brad Marchand had said after Canada’s overtime win against the USA. Then again, the NHL veteran was still a Bruin two months ago.

Yet, the unceremonious last-minute trade, following contract extension hiccups in early March, saw the Bruins captain become part of the Panthers. Suddenly, the team that had been Brad Marchand’s rival for 16 seasons was his own. Now, his once sworn NHL and international rival has impressed Marchand.

“Obviously, last night was the first time I saw him. But just the way he thinks of the game and talks about it… He has a very impressive mind, and I love his competitive level,” confessed the 4 Nations Face-Off winner after watching Matthew Tkachuk power Florida to a 6-2 win in Game 1. However, playing with Tkachuk wasn’t the only new experience for the NHL icon.

Brad Marchand’s special playoff debut

Besides playing with his new team, this is the NHL forward’s first Battle of Florida. While the former Bruin played against his then-divisional rival Florida Panthers, and Tampa Bay several times in the past one and a half decades, he has never been part of the iconic Battle of Florida. And Marchand never would have had the chance if the Bruins hadn’t traded their captain.

So, how has the experience been for Brad Marchand? Well, for starters, the NHL star didn’t need long to feel the impact of the iconic rivalry between the Panthers and Lightning. “You can tell the rivalry as soon as you start talking about the other team… You can instantly feel the hatred that they have for us, we have for them,” admitted the newest Panther.

And guess what? This is exactly the kind of high-intensity, high-stakes matchup that Marchand enjoys. After all, Marchand is known to bring intensity to any game he’s part of. Yet, coach Paul Maurice is trying to capitalize on a different aspect of the hockey icon’s play style. “I mean, the intensity is there, the fire is there,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice told the media ahead of Game 2.

“But because of his skill set, Anton and Eetu are starting to think of the game in terms of offense as well,” the Stanley Cup-winning coach explained. Just like Brad Marchand praised Mathew Tkachuk’s mind as a leader, Coach Maurice praised his impact on the team. Last year, Maurice paired Vladimir Tarasenko with the young but experienced duo on their road to winning the Stanley Cup.

Yet, in the last few games, Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen have discovered a different aspect to their game with Marchand as their linemate. Despite only playing a handful of games with the 36-year-old, the winger has enabled the young hockey centers to be more offense-oriented. It’s something even Coach Maurice didn’t see, despite the pair playing together for the last three years.

“There’s an offensive component to that line that I don’t think we’ve had,” the coach added. Brad Marchand also described how easy he gelled with the duo. “I like the way that we communicate. We talk a lot on the bench and in the room,” the veteran told the Miami Herald in early April. Back then, they’d played only three games. Something similar may be happening with Matthew Tkachuk, too.

So while Marchand praising the elder Tkachuk brother may still sound alien to some, the duo has found respect for one another. In fact, the 27-year-old was among the first to welcome Marchand into the team. “I texted him first… we’re super excited to have them… let’s go finish the job this year,” Tkachuk said. And after winning the first two games of the Battle of Florida, they’re off to a great start to the postseason.