Panthers, Oilers Veteran Forwards Share Stanley Cup Connection

Brad Marchand and Corey Perry have a common denominator in this Stanley Cup Final, and it is not just because they are the oldest players on the ice.

Jun 6, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) reacts after scoring a goal on Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the second period in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images / Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images

This will either be the NHL's Year of the Worm, or Year of the Rat. It all depends on who wins the Stanley Cup Final.

Leave it to two guys known as "The Worm" and "The Rat" to swipe the bright lights from their younger teammates. The Worm, Corey Perry, scored a goal with 17.8 seconds left to play Friday night to tie Game 2 and send it into overtime.

Brad Marchand of the Florida Panthers, a/k/a "The Rat", scored a short-handed goal and also netted the game winner in double overtime to tie the series at 1-1.

Perry, of the Edmonton Oilers, is 40. Marchand is 37. Perry is in his fifth final in the last six years. Marchand is in his fourth final. He won the Cup in 2011 with the Boston Bruins. He is also the fourth-oldest player to score an overtime goal in Stanley Cup Final history.

VIDEO!

Inside the @flapanthers radio booth in Edmonton for Brad Marchand’s Game 2 double-OT winner: pic.twitter.com/sAFYzqbNUF

— Doug Plagens (@DougPlagens) June 7, 2025

With their goals in regulation Friday night, they each broke the record for the most postseason goals among active players. Marchand would take the record back with his breakaway goal in overtime.

“We’re old kids living our lifelong dreams,” Marchand said when asked before the season how he and Perry continue to defy Father Time.

“It’s pretty amazing I can still be doing this at my age and have such an important role on a team like this,” Perry said to reporters after the game Friday night, per The Athletic.

The common denominator between the two is not only their ages. They also played with Shawn Thornton, who is now the Panthers' chief revenue officer. Thornton was a big-time enforcer in his playing days and won a Cup with Perry 18 years ago in overtime. Perry was a mere pup at 18 years old.

Thornton also helped Marchand and the Boston Bruins win the title in 2011. Marchand was 23 and staring at the rest of his career in front of him.

“I don’t feel that old,” Thornton said to The Athletic. “I will say, I never would’ve counted them out, but you don’t expect this. There’s only a few guys that get to play until they’re 40, but to see them still playing at such a high level and coming through in such big moments, I’m not surprised. They both kept me in the NHL.”

Perry and Marchand are defying Father Time and leaving people wondering how much gas they have left in the tank. By virtue of their performance in Games 1 and 2, they are at the refilling station as we speak.

Perry credits Thornton for being a good teammate and for protecting him and his Anaheim mates.

“He kind of protected us,” Perry said. “We could pretty much have our way out there and he was behind us all the time. He instilled a lot of good qualities in our game.”

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