Matthew Tkachuk makes feelings known about Brad Marchand's addition to Panthers squad

Matthew Tkachuk spoke about Brad Marchand’s move to the Florida Panthers during his appearance on the Pat McAfee Show. Marchand joined the Panthers near the trade deadline this year after playing 16 seasons with the Boston Bruins. He was their captain before the trade, but his contract negotiations with the team failed, leading to his move.

Tkachuk said Marchand has been a great addition to the team and praised his overall play. He said Marchand was the perfect fit in Boston but looks like he was meant to be a Florida Panther.

"He's been a great addition, he's such a good player," Tkachuk said. "People don't really see it too much, I get to see it everyday. He's so skilled and so strong on the puck. I get that he was the perfect Boston Bruin for a long time, but he's almost born to be a Florida Panther."

Marchand played over 1,000 games for Boston and won a Stanley Cup in 2011. Last season, he took his team to the Stanley Cup playoffs and won in round 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs but lost to the Panthers in round 2.

Marchand plays on the Panthers' third line with Anthon Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen and has added scoring depth and experience to the team. His style of play fits well with Florida.

Matthew Tkachuk alsoo talked about facing Oilers in Stanley Cup finals rematch

Matthew Tkachuk also shared his thoughts about a possible Stanley Cup Final rematch with the Edmonton Oilers. He said it’s rare to see a rematch in pro sports, but he believes the Panthers and Oilers are clearly the best teams in the NHL.

"I think that it's the two best teams in the league, and, to be honest, I think it's pretty clear that we're the two best," Tkachuk said. "It's going to make for an incredible final."

Matthew Tkachuk praised the Oilers for their strong playoff performance, going 12-2 since the first round. He said they are playing their best hockey right now and he believes the Panthers will take on an underdog mindset again.

"We've got our hands full," Tkachuk said about Panthers' approach. "We're gonna take that underdog mindset and mentality and go up there and try to do what we did last year."

Florida beat Edmonton in Game 7 last season, but the Oilers now have home-ice advantage. Edmonton has been strong at home, while the Panthers have played well on the road.

Matthew Tkachuk is ready for the challenge as Game 1 is on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.