April 10, 2025, 09:06 PM ET
Sunrise, Fla. – Brad Merchand is a professional hockey player and a professional charge. He’s excellent at hockey. He might have a better chirp.
Chirp, loosely defined in hockey terms, is insult. Wise. To your opponent, you might mean (and maybe you would). To my teammates, not that much.
After Merchand scores the first goal for the new team, we take us to the Florida Panthers locker room Thursday night. It was my first time scoring in the NHL for someone other than the Boston Bruins.
Teammate Evan Rodriguez was asked what he thought of his goal.
“He’s a rat,” Rodriguez said. “Yeah, I wasn’t very happy.”
Sitting nearby, Merchand smiled a lot as he listened. Obviously, Marchand had no intention of unanswering Rodriguez’s chirp.
“He’s not wrong,” said Merchand. “I hated him. We skated together over the summer. I hated him for a long time, so that’s not going to change now.”
Let’s be completely clear here. Neither Rodriguez nor Marchand was serious. (I don’t think so anyway.) However, the fact that Rodriguez tried to quit chirp while talking about dozens of reporters helps explain one of the things Merchant brings to the Stanley Cup champions.
He is walking sw. If the Panthers wondered about it, he joined the team group chat – what else? – Chirp as an introduction to him. He’s cocky. He is the speaker. All of these are good things to be playedoff time, and the Panthers are set to start their Cup defense in the coming weeks.
“It’s part of the package, and it’s a key part of that,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “Everyone will be wired here in 10 days and in two weeks. Especially now, he will bring a lot of energy.
Florida Center’s Brad Merchand will celebrate after facing Detroit in his second term at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday. The goal was first for the Panthers’ Merchand. Sam Navarro-Immagn Images
Marchand’s goals held back the second period of Florida’s three goals. This was the one that gave the Panthers a 3-1 lead on the way in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
Marchand was playing in his eighth match in Florida. The team took off the stunning move at the trade deadline and acquired him from the Panthers’ postseason rival in recent years. Many of the crowds on Thursday gave a standing ovation when the goal was announced as “the 22nd of the season, first Florida Panther.”
Marchand assisted twice in his first seven games in Florida. This included one of them setting Sam Bennett’s overtime winner in his debut with the Panthers on March 28th. Marchand’s first goal came with his 15th shot against Florida.
“I’m just enjoying this whole trip,” said Marchand. “It’s been a very unique experience for me, and I’m part of a really good team that’s done a lot of things, and some of them aren’t. Regardless of that, what you’re realising is that these opportunities are so few and you have to enjoy every day in this league.
