Panthers' top brass rave about Brad Marchand and Seth Jones fitting seamlessly into team culture

The Florida Panthers' top brass praised forward Brad Marchand and defenseman Seth Jones for fitting seamlessly into the team culture.

The Panthers acquired Mrahcnad from the Boston Bruins while Jones joined the Cats from the New York Rangers. Both players were acquired during the trade deadline.

Marchand and Jones have lived up to the expectations so far, becoming key players during the Panthers' Stanley Cup run. When asked about what was expected from Marchand and Jones, Panthers GM Zitto said.

"Honestly, as advertised, both of them. That's an easy question to answer because I had the luxury of being with Seth in Columbus, knowing what he could do, knowing him as a person, knowing firsthand how he would fit into our room and how he comports himself," Zitto said.

"With Brad, the whole room knows. There's no secrets of what he is as a player, as a competitor. Getting to know him a little bit more as a human, he's more special than I could have imagined on that front, as a teammate and as a character human. From that standpoint, it was really pleasantly—it's like frosting on the cake." he added.

Marchand and Jones have been pivotal for the Panthers in the playoffs, driving the team's success with complementary impacts. The 37-year-old veteran has tallied up 14 points through four goals and 10 assists in 17 games, including a clutch overtime goal in Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Meanwhile, Seth Jones has anchored the defense, logging the most ice time among Panthers skaters and amassing even points through three goals and four assists in 17 games.

Brad Marchand feels less stressed heading into the Stanley Cup Final

Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand feels less stressed heading into the Stanley Cup final, which could potentially be his last. During an interview with NHL.com last week, the 37-year-old said:

“I honestly feel less stressed now going into this Final than I did in the first round of the last five playoffs I was in. I’m just so excited for it. I’m not nervous about it at all. At the end of the day, however it plays out, it’s going to play out. Statistically, it’ll most likely be my last one; hopefully it’s not, but that’s just how this game works. I’m just going to enjoy every second of it.”

Brad Marchand won a Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011. This time, with the Florida Panthers, it will mark his fourth appearance in the Cup final.