Brad Marchand embraces Panthers' rat-throwing tradition, which goes back 30 years

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — There's a giant, gold-outlined rat emblazoned on the hat that dangles in Brad Marchand's locker.

The scrappy NHL veteran has been likened to the tiny rodent for much of his career, notoriously known as ''The Rat'' among hockey fans for his brash play.

So when Marchand was traded from Boston to Florida back in March, it didn't take long for him to embrace Panthers fans' longstanding tradition of tossing plastic rats onto the ice after wins.

''I hope we get some rats thrown at us,'' Marchand quipped at his locker on Sunday, before Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. ''I just hope it's on the ice and not outside."

Marchand got his wish. After the Panthers routed the Edmonton Oilers 6-1 on Monday, those unmistakable gray pests rained down on the ice in a tradition that has lasted three decades. As they've done after most games this postseason, Marchand's teammates fired the rats at his legs before exiting the ice.

For Marchand, getting the rats thrown at him is like a badge of honor — a tiny, symbolic moment that represents how the Panthers have been able to keep things lighthearted while going for their second straight championship.

''This group has a ton of fun," Marchand said. ''It's an incredible environment to be a part of. In the room, on the ice, even just in the city, there's a lot of excitement around right now.''

The rat-throwing tradition goes back 30 years

Before their 1995-96 season opener, Panthers players were waiting to take the ice in a cramped, makeshift dressing room at the now-demolished Miami Arena when a large rat scampered in.

''Players were jumping on top of their stalls ... big, tough hockey players,'' said Billy Lindsay, Panthers left wing from their expansion season in 1993 to 1999, ''most of us were pretty scared of this big rat running around. We were ducking for cover everywhere.''

Right wing Scott Mellanby then grabbed his stick and one-timed the rat into the wall. The rodent went flying across the dressing room. It died as soon as it hit the wall. Players later memorialized it by circling the small dent in the blood-stained wall and placing a rat statue there for the year.

The Panthers went out and beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 that night. Mellanby scored a pair of goals with that same stick.

''Scott Mellanby didn't even have time to really tape his stick,'' Lindsay said. ''So he's got a little rat and blood there on his stick and went out there and scored a couple of goals.''

In his postgame news conference, goalie John Vanbiesbrouck noted that Mellanby had the NHL's first ''rat trick.''

The incident was in the local paper the next day. About a week or so later, a toy rat hit the ice after a home game. The next game, there were a couple more. By the end of that season, which included Lindsay scoring the game-winning goal that clinched Florida's first ever playoff series win, the rat throwing had become such a phenomenon that the team earned a sponsorship from the pest control company Orkin.

''And funny enough, it's still around today,'' Lindsay said, ''which is quite strange.''

'It's a feeling you can't replicate'

Sports traditions are ubiquitous. Some are sacred. Many are quirky. And they can include just about anything. There's the Lambeau Leap at Green Bay Packers games. The ''Gatorade Bath'' after a win in the NFL. LeBron James' patented pregame chalk toss. Detroit Red Wings fans occasionally celebrate wins by throwing octopuses on the ice. The Nashville Predators have their catfish toss.

For the Panthers, who at the time were in just their third season as an NHL franchise, the rat throwing — buoyed by the fact that Florida made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final that year — became the first real way they got the South Florida fans in a non-traditional hockey market to embrace their team.

Colin Fox, 32, a Panthers fan from Boca Raton, Florida, said it's ''a thrill'' to be a part of the rat throwing at the end of games.

''Even when they weren't very good, when they weren't on these hot streaks, there were still rats on the ice," said Fox, who wore a throwback Mellanby jersey to Game 3 of the final. "It's something that has persevered through the years."

For opposing teams, the rats are often a nuisance, Lindsay said, recalling how some goalies would hide in their net between goals to try and escape them. So many hit the ice after that initial season the NHL changed its rules to say such in-game celebrations could lead to penalties, though the league still allowed rats to be thrown after games.

There's plenty of rat-themed memorabilia for sale at Panthers games, and the plastic rodents themselves can be purchased all over Miami. At gas stations. Party stores. Some fans order them online.

The rats that Panthers fan JP Kirkpatrick, 23, tossed onto the ice after a game this season came from a fan sitting next to him who brought plenty of extras.

''It's a feeling you can't replicate,'' said Kirkpatrick, an Orlando, Florida, native. ''It's something you can't get (anywhere else). You've got to be there to get it. You can't watch it on TV. You can't get it in the parking lot. You've got to be out there, be in the seat. The fans, everybody there, it's electric.''

No one from that 1995 Panthers group thought they'd be a part of creating a lasting, iconic symbol for the team, but as they look back on that moment amid all the Panthers' recent success, they're proud of what it's become.

"There's been enough people from back then to hang on to the tradition and pass it along," Lindsay said. "And now you get this unparalleled success where you get three Stanley Cup appearances in a row, you win a Stanley Cup championship, you're looking for a second. And that rat is just (still) going.

''It just makes me proud of what we started.''

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