Erin Brown is a Boston sports fan who lives on a ranch in Wyoming.
She loves the Bruins as much as she loves horses.
Which means she loves
Brad Marchand.
A love that has no boundaries.
Four months ago, she would have rather wrestled a steer than cheer for the
Florida Panthers
.
Today, she is the proud owner of rat shirt, Panthers-colored gear from Marchand’s hunting website …
And an ankle tattoo of a rat holding a hockey stick with Marchand’s number 63 on its back.
A tattoo that, thanks to the best general manager in the NHL and maybe in all of sports, will not have to be altered going forward.
“I wasn’t sure where he was going,” said Erin, my grandniece. “As long as he didn’t go to the Maple Leafs and make (TV hockey analyst and Toronto homer) Paul Bissonnette happy, I’m happy.”
When Erin’s ankle was being punctured and permanently stained, the consensus was that the Panthers could not re-sign their top three free agents: Conn Smythe trophy winner
Sam Bennett,
defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Marchand, the 37-year-old acquired from Boston in March.
And Marchand was the favorite to be the odd man out.
But she took that gamble.
And
GM Bill Zito
made sure it paid off.
After Marchand proved the best midseason acquisition in any sport in recent memory, Zito kept his word and somehow magically found a way to fit all three into $19 million in cap space.
First came Bennett, who went on a scoring spree in the postseason with 15 goals. Then Ekblad, a key part of the Panthers’ success who logged heavy minutes while playing on the power play and penalty kill units. And Marchand, who proved as valuable off the ice as he was on the ice.
For those familiar with Italian-American slang, Marchand is the skating definition of a “scooch.”
In other words: “A pain in the (rat’s) a**.”
Now, he’s the player the Panthers and their fans will love for the next six years. And every other team will hate.
Impact of Brad Marchand on South Florida immeasurable
It’s not hyperbole to say that Brad Marchand made a bigger impact in three months in South Florida than most athletes who have played here do in a lifetime.
Marchand is a player the Panthers were hoping could provide a spark during the postseason. Instead, that spark turned into a continuous flow of electricity that ended with the
Panthers hoisting a second consecutive Stanley Cup.
Bennett had one challenger for the Conn Smythe Trophy, which goes to the MVP of the playoffs.
Brad Marchand.
“Instantly supplementing our lineup from the moment he arrived in South Florida, Brad has been an outstanding addition to our team,” Zito said. “He is the definition of a warrior on the ice, a critical leader for our group and a relentless competitor.”
The little ball of hate had 10 goals and 10 assists in the playoffs, six of those goals in the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers. This after scoring four points in 10 regular-season games.
And he scored the biggest goal of all during the Panthers’ playoff run,
the overtime game-winner in Game 3 against the Maple Leafs,
which in all likelihood saved the season.
That goal put the Panthers back into the series after dropping the first two games in Toronto. Even the Leafs would have found it difficult to blow a 3-0 series lead if they win that game. We think.
Between the gut punch to the Leafs and his extraordinary Final, which included two game-winners as the Panthers closed out the Oilers in six games, it’s highly possible the Panthers are not making plans to take Lord Stanley’s cup on a second consecutive summer world tour if not for Marchand.
Marchand is the King Rat. He is a culture guy. One who became so intertwined with this franchise’s history that following each win teammates playfully shot the rubber rats thrown from the stands in his direction.
This is one of those players you love if he’s on your side – especially the Panthers – and hate if he’s the opponent.
The Panthers are a step-on-your-throat-when-you-are-down type of team. And then mock you as you are gasping for air.
That made Marchand a perfect fit for one of the most antagonistic teams in the league.
Marchand was not wearing a “C” on his sweater in Florida like he did in Boston, but his presence was felt everywhere in the Panthers’ locker room during the postseason.
After securing Bennett, Florida’s No. 1 offseason priority, to an eight-year deal worth $64 million, Zito promised the Panthers were “going to spend it all,” referring to their available money under the cap.
“Everything is so intertwined,” he said. “The wiggle room on little things is really, really difficult.”
Ekblad then signed an eight-year extension worth $48.8 million and Marchand wiggled into a six-year contract extension worth approximately $32 million, according to various reports.
And while Zito’s flex does not guarantee the Panthers will become the first team to “three-peat” (the check is in the mail, Pat Riley) since the New York Islanders, who won four in row in the early 1980s, it sure sets them up to make a run.
And you know what else it does … it gives a lot longer shelf life to Erin’s tattoo.
Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post:
King Rat is back: Florida Panthers re-sign Stanley Cup star Brad Marchand | D’Angelo
