“It’s our time right now,” United States’ ice hockey forward Matthew Tkachuk had confidently proclaimed in February, after what was United States’ electric win (3-1) over Canada. Reaching the final of the first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, Tkachuk’s message was not one seeped in desire to be like his legendary dad, Keith Tkachuk. And neither was in it coated in retaliation over Canada fans’ boos over the US National Anthem. The hockey veteran’s message meant one and only one thing: The US team was battle-ready, and its greatest hockey rival should start panicking. A few days later, Brad Marchand had the perfect answer.

Far from a desired effect, Tkachuk’s monologue served as that perfect dash of motivation Canada needed before they pulled off a scintillating 3-2 (in overtime) 4 Nations championship win. In a post-game conversation, the then Bruins forward retorted back, “They play their game. They do what they do. 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.” What the Canadian didn’t know was things were about to get potentially awkward pretty soon…

Just minutes before the NHL trade deadline closed on March 7, the 16-year Boston Bruins veteran found himself in unfamiliar territory. Failing to reach a financial agreement with the Bruins, the Canadian superstar was ultimately traded to the Florida Panthers—a team Marchand has been a part of since 2022—in exchange for a conditional 2027 second-round pick, with Boston retaining 50 percent of the player’s contract. No wonder the locker room would become familiar territory for the demons of the past. Aleksander Barkov put it best: “Kind of weird, for now.” But how are Marchand and Tkachuk handling it? Well…

Like true professionals, they’ve let the past stay where it belongs, it seems. In a recent YouTube interview with Kay Adams, the Florida Panthers forward was asked a pretty interesting question pertaining to the moniker he recently took from his newest teammate—The ‘Rat King’. “You’re like the guy everyone wants on their team, Matthew. Everybody wants a YOU on their squad. What do I need to know about the ‘Rat King’? Is that a thing? What do I need to know about that?” Adams questioned.

To this, Marchand heartily revealed about his sacrifice, “That is not me coming up with at all, but I think it’s kind of funny….We have a bigger rat on my team in Marchand now. So he could take over that title…I think what made our team successful last year is we had about 15 rats on the team. So I think that it’s, it’s good and okay to have more than one.” It seems you may have figured it out! Tkachuk’s happily passing the ‘pesky player’ crown to Brad Marchand—and he’s totally cool with it. In fact, the 27-year-old even took it a step further to make Marchand feel at home.

Adams asked, “Who texted who first? Because you guys had this whole brewhaha that happened…There still a cold war with Canada between you and this guy.” The guest replied, “No, I texted him first when he first got traded out to let them know that we’re super excited to have them. And, you know, let’s go finish the job this year. So I think once, once something like that, the competitiveness is obviously in everybody, but, um, you know, once you become on the same team, it’s, it’s an instant connection and you have to.”

The Panthers are on the hunt for the Stanley Cup once more, this time as the reigning champions. Despite their rivalry during the 4 Nations Face-Off, with Marchand now on the Panthers, Tkachuk recognizes the necessity of collaboration to reach their shared goal of success. Now, how does Marchand feel about becoming a Panther?

Brad Marchand goes candid about the Florida Panthers

On April 10, 2025, Brad Marchand netted his inaugural goal as a member of the Florida Panthers, contributing to a decisive 4-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Amerant Bank Arena. The goal arrived late in the second period, concluding a three-goal flurry that transformed a 1-0 deficit into a commanding 3-1 advantage for Florida.

After the game, Marchand shared his thoughts on the Panthers’ playing style, saying, “I love the messaging. The messaging that the team portrays in the room and on the bench is very simple to follow and very direct. The system… it helps regardless of your skill, talent, or physicality level. The expectations are the same right through the lineup. It’s a very aggressive style. I mean, that is kind of how I play.”

After 16 seasons with the Boston Bruins, Marchand made his way to Florida. Although the transition posed challenges for him, he ultimately grew fond of navigating the new franchise. He even noted that the Panthers players are unbothered by dropping their gloves or chirping with their opponents, creating an atmosphere in which he excels. As the Panthers prepare for the playoffs, it remains to be seen just how significant Marchand’s contribution will be to their success.