What is the Panthers' current strength?
"I think our strongest strength right now is probably the width of the roster. We've got a lot of depth, there's a lot of hard-working guys, guys who can go at you. That makes us tough to play against."
Does the current Florida team have anything in common with the Boston team you won the Stanley Cup with in 2011?
"I would say all the teams that have gone far in the playoffs are built a little bit similar. They've got stout defensemen, a whole team filled with stout players. It's difficult to compare the different rosters, but they are slightly similar."
Interview with Marchand
How did you and your family adjust to Florida?
"My family isn't here with me, they're staying in Boston for now. The kids go to school... And when they come to see me, of course they like it here. Of course, they've only been here for a few days each time they've had a vacation."
How hard was it for you to leave Boston and your friends?
"I don't really have any friends, so that made it all the easier (laughs). It was definitely a big change. A lot of things are different in Florida than they are in Boston, but there's a great group here. When you have a good team, it makes the transition a lot easier because you spend most of your time with them. And the guys here are great, they helped me a lot."
You have another Czech in the booth, Tomas Nosek, who you know from Boston...
"Yeah, I love Czechs! I said I won't play without them on the team anymore. (smiles) I like Nosey, he's a great guy and a great teammate. And now he's playing really great. It's a pleasure to watch him."
Are you in contact with David Pastrnak? And are you looking forward to playing against him?
"We're definitely still in touch. But I don't want to play against him, he's too good. I'll probably hold his stick the whole game to make sure he doesn't get the puck at all."