Brad Marchand and the Florida Panthers: ‘We’re Good’

Brad Marchand and Nate Schmidt do not have a long history in what was a pretty nasty feud between the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins — but they certainly had their moments.

Schmidt did not play in the season opener when Marchand and the Bruins were in Sunrise to see the Panthers raise their Stanley Cup championship banner to the rafters.

But Schmidt was less than a week later when the Panthers went to Boston for a Monday matinee game — and he and Marchand got after it.

The Panthers ended up beating the Bruins for the second time in the season’s first week, with Marchand getting into it with a number of his new best friends.

Carter Verhaeghe also got into it with Marchand in the final moments of Florida’s 4-3 win.

That was, really, the final negative interaction Marchand and the Panthers had. When the teams met up again in March, Marchand had already been traded to his former rivals.

Sam Bennett and Marchand had the biggest brouhaha, of course, that coming in Game 3 of last year’s second round.

But Schmidt and Marchand had their fun as well.

“I think he jumped me twice this year already,” Schmidt said after Florida beat the Oilers 5-4 in double-overtime on Friday night.

The Panthers, of course, beat the Oilers thanks to Marchand’s second goal in Game 2 and his seventh with Florida in these playoffs.

Bygones?

They way gone.

“We’ve hashed it out,’’ Schmidt said. “He bought me Dairy Queen once, so, we’re good.”

Paul Maurice, like everyone on the Panthers, loves him some Marchand.

And for good reason.

Not only has he been a terrific teammate since joining the Panthers at the NHL Trade Deadline, but he is certainly producing.

“Brad’s an honest man, and that’s why he fits in our room,’’ Maurice said. “He loves the game. He loves the people around him. He’s very open, very gregarious, so he just fits right in. He completed accepted. An incredibly positive human being.”

Said Bennett: “He’s just an absolute dog. He’s got that dog in him. It’s incredible. His leadership, his energy, his battle just inspires the group.”

PANTHERS / OILERS / FHN

• The Panthers kept the faith after Edmonton tied things up late in Game 2.
• Florida is getting a ton of offense from their defensemen — most notably Schmidt and Seth Jones.
• Marchand was the man for the Panthers on Friday night.
• Game 2 was a wild night for the Panthers.
• Maurice says his friend Pete DeBoer will “be fine” after being fired by Dallas.
• Travel in the Stanley Cup Final isn’t exactly a quick flight to Atlanta.
• The Panthers have built something special here in South Florida.
• Have the Oilers been complaining to the NHL about Bennett?
• Don’t forget to subscribe to the FHN YouTube channel to watch interviews with the Florida Panthers throughout the postseason. The Panthers are back in Fort Lauderdale so tune in later this afternoon.

NHL LINKS

• Washington Capitals coach Spencer Carbery was surprised by his wife and kids in getting the Jack Adams Award.
• NHL coaches have been sapped of all authority. DeBoer’s firing seems to be a perfect example of that.
• Looking at the trade value for Rickard Rakell of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
• Top Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov left the KHL, but could he return?
• The health of Alex Pietrangelo is in question for next season which is bad news for the Vegas Golden Knights.
• Is Michael Misa the guy for the San Jose Sharks?

2025 STANLEY CUP FINAL

GAME 3

EDMONTON OILERS @ FLORIDA PANTHERS

Best-of-7 Series Tied 1-1

• When: Monday, 8 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• National TV: TNT/truTV 
• National Streaming: Max
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys), SiriusXM
• Radio Streaming: SiriusXM, NHL App
• Series Schedule (all games at 8 p.m., TNT) — Game 1: @Edmonton 4, Florida 3 (OT); Game 2: Florida 5, @Edmonton 4 (2OT); Game 3: @Florida Monday; Game 4: @Florida, Thursday; Game 5: @Edmonton Saturday; Game 6*: @Florida, Tuesday June 17; Game 7*: @Edmonton, Friday June 20.
• How They Got Here: Edmonton d. Los Angeles (6), Vegas (5), Dallas (5); Florida d. Tampa Bay (5), Toronto (7), Carolina (5)
• Postseason History: Florida Won 2024 Stanley Cup Final 4-3
• Regular Season: Panthers won 2-0
• All-time Regular Season Series: Oilers lead 23-18-0, 3 ties