Sam Bennett clears the air about his dynamic with new teammate Brad Marchand following controversial incident from 2024 playoffs

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett addressed his relationship with new teammate Brad Marchand after their playoff clashes last season. Marchand joined the Panthers on Friday in a trade with the Boston Bruins. The Bruins received a conditional second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and retained 50% of Marchand’s salary.

When asked if any bad blood remained between the two, Bennett dismissed the notion.

"Yeah, I mean, we’re just all competitors. I think you never take anything personally," Bennett said.

"You can be rivals as much as you want on the ice when you’re playing against each other, but as soon as you’re on the same team and wearing that same jersey, everything’s forgotten about the past. You’re automatically teammates and good friends."

Bennett and Marchand have been rivals for years. In last season’s playoffs, Bennett accidentally hit Marchand’s jaw, making him miss Games 4 and 5. Now, they are teammates after briefly playing together for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

Brad Marchand is in the final year of an eight-year $49 million contract. He has 47 points (21 goals, 26 assists) in 61 games this season but is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Marchand spoke about his transition to Florida.

“It was a weird feeling. … Reality is setting in here. I’m starting to feel like I’m part of the group,” Marchand said. (via. athlonsports.com)

Regarding Bennett, Marchand joked about their past battles.

“Yeah, still a scumbag,” he laughed. “No, Benny’s great. I had a great time getting to know him at 4 Nations. … I wasn’t surprised that we’d get along.”

Brad Marchand is currently injured and is expected to skate with the Panthers soon. The team has won six straight games, including shuotout wins against Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Buffalo Sabres.

The Panthers (40-21-3) are leading the Atlantic Division with 83 points, two points more than the Toronto Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, the Bruins are in a tough spot after trading multiple top players, sitting near the bottom of the division but still in the playoff race.

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Brad Marchand understands Boston's situation on his trade

Brad Marchand joined the Florida Panthers on Monday after the Bruins traded him three days earlier. He thanked the Bruins and their fans, saying that he wanted to stay but understood the business side of things.

"I've had an incredible run in that organization. I'm extremely proud, just how things went there," Marchand said (via cbsnews.com).

"It was very disappointing things didn't get done. I loved the organization and wanted to stay there. At the end of the day, I also know the business is a business. ... sometimes there are things out of our control that dictate situations."

Boston is struggling this season and has decided to focus on the future.