Brad Marchand has never been one to mince his words or hide his true thoughts. That hasn’t changed since moving down to the Sunshine State to play for the Florida Panthers. After an encouraging start to an injury-riddled NHL season, Marchand dropped a bold message.
The Panthers are missing key pieces to their puzzle, yet seem to be firing in all cylinders on the ice. Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Tomas Nosek, and Dmitry Kulikov are all out with injuries, but Marchand and company are making sure to hold their own in the NHL.
Following three straight home wins to open the 2025-26 NHL season, the Panthers don’t seem to have missed a single step. However, the journey to a Stanley Cup three-peat has only just begun for the reigning back-to-back champs. Still, Marchand and the Cats like their odds.
“We feel very comfortable with adversity,” Brad Marchand said in dialogue with Sportsnet. “Obviously, having a few guys out is not the way we would have liked to start the season. We just have so much depth and belief in our group. We know we are a competitive team no matter who is on the lineup. It’s just that next man up mentality.”
Brad Marchand smiling at a press conference.
Leading the pack
It’s hardly news, but the Panthers are still well-rounded across their lines despite missing Tkachuk and Barkov. Marchand leads the team with three points through as many outings, but is tied with Mackie Samoskevich, Anton Lundell, and Evan Rodrigues who have three tallies so far in the 2025-26 NHL season.
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The campaign has only just begun. But the fact so many players are standing nearby in the stats leaderboards goes to show just how dangerous Florida can be regardless of who is and out of the lineup.
“I’m the old guy,” Marchand joked about his role in Florida. “I have a little bit of a voice, but I felt comfortable from day one in here. It’s such a welcoming crew. What I love about our group is: everyone leads in their own way. You don’t really need anyone to take charge, everybody is so dialed in here.”
Brad Marchand #63 of the Florida Panthers looks on in an NHL game.
Staying hungry
It could be very easy for Marchand and the Panthers to sit on the passenger seat and rest on their laurels after the franchise’s second Stanley Cup conquest. However, that’s the last thing on the Cats’ minds right now. It’s all about chasing the three-peat, and cementing the team’s spot as one of the best teams in NHL history. The league is on dynasty-watch, and Marchand knows how special this group can be.
“There’s always something [to keep you motivated],” Marchand admitted. “The biggest thing is there’s so much gratitude to play this game. Such a short window, and you never know when it’s going to end. You want to make the most of it. I don’t ever take a day for granted.
“There’s always something to prove and an Olympic team to make. Always trying to get better and make sure these young guys don’t chase me out [of the league] It’s going to happen eventually, but hopefully not today.”
