In a fun twist during the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Florida Panthers have been celebrating their wins by tossing plastic rats at veteran forward Brad Marchand.
Marchand, who has earned the nickname “The Rat” for his pesky play, has become a target of the Panthers’ unique tradition.
A Tradition Rooted in the ‘Rat Trick’
The Panthers’ rat obsession goes back to the 1995–96 season.
That year, forward Scott Mellanby killed a rat in the locker room with his stick before a game. Mellanby then scored two goals that night with the same stick, prompting goalie John Vanbiesbrouck to dub it a “Rat Trick.”
Fans loved the story and began throwing plastic rats onto the ice after Panthers goals, creating a tradition that has stuck around for decades.
Today, the plastic rats are available for purchase at the team store. Fans have embraced the tradition, and it’s become a fun part of the Panthers’ identity.
How Brad Marchand Became a Target
Marchand’s involvement in the tradition is a recent development. Florida forward Evan Rodrigues started the playful trend after a Panthers victory. During the celebration, Rodrigues shot a plastic rat at Marchand — who happens to be nicknamed a rat throughout his NHL career due to his aggressive nature on the ice — as a joke. From that moment on, the Panthers players joined in.
“I don’t know how it started. But I think we won the first game he was here, so we ended up doing it. And it’s just kind of became a thing,” Rodrigues said.
The players’ antics haven’t gone unnoticed. Marchand himself has taken the playful shots in stride.
New Panthers postgame win tradition in Florida: shooting rats at bRAT Marchand 🤣🐀 pic.twitter.com/Z9quUBU4aS
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 29, 2025
“Yeah, they’re shooting to hurt now,” Marchand said via ESPN ahead of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday, May 24. “Matthew Tkachuk caught me with one last game that I actually really felt there.”
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice also sees the humor in the situation.
“There are really fun stories that are just kind of organic. Now they’re ripping the plastic rats off Marchy, and it’s funny as hell,” Maurice said.
What Happened in Game 3 Between the Panthers and Hurricanes?
On the ice, the Panthers have been just as relentless. In Game 3, the Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 6-2 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. The win gave them a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Final.
Team captain Aleksander Barkov and defenseman Niko Mikkola led the way for the Panthers, each scoring twice. Forward Jesper Boqvist, filling in for the injured Sam Reinhart, also scored. Marchand joined in with a goal of his own, adding to the team’s offensive onslaught. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves to help seal the win.
On the other side, Logan Stankoven and Seth Jarvis scored for the Hurricanes. Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov faced a barrage of shots in his first start of the series, making 22 saves from 28 shots.
The loss continued a troubling trend for the Hurricanes. Carolina has now lost 15 straight games at this stage of the playoffs, getting swept in each of their last three appearances in the Eastern Conference Final.
For the Panthers, the commanding lead has them on the verge of their second trip to the Stanley Cup Final in three years. With their depth and experience, they have looked like a team on a mission.
What’s Next? Looking Ahead to Game 4
The series continues with Game 4 on Monday, May 26, at Amerant Bank Arena. The puck drops at 8 p.m. ET, with coverage available on MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, and CBC.
The Panthers will be looking to close out the series and advance to the Stanley Cup Final, while the Hurricanes face the daunting task of trying to stay alive.
As the Panthers continue their playoff push, the plastic rats have become a symbol of their run. Fans have leaned into the tradition, creating a loud and energetic atmosphere at Amerant Bank Arena. The players, including Marchand, have taken it all in stride, turning what started as a lighthearted joke into a full-blown playoff tradition.
It’s one of those quirky things that makes hockey playoffs special. The Panthers’ fans love it, the players love it, and even Marchand can’t help but smile — while also bracing for the next rat to come his way.
