Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperMatt18
They are leaning into Tkachuk being the Villain in Florida...he is the "Rat King".
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That's not really how they're using it. It's more of a reclaimation project. They see people calling him a rat and they're turning it around on them. Rats are their "C of Red."
Quote:
For older Panthers fans, the return of the rats to South Florida is a sight for sore eyes and leads them to fondly remember the Panthers’ magical run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996. Yet, for the younger generation, a brief history lesson may be in order about the story behind the flying vermin.
The Origins of the Florida Panthers Rats
The story of the rats goes back to Oct. 8, 1995. Prior to a game against the Calgary Flames, a rat appeared in the Panthers’ locker room in the old Miami Arena. Former Panthers’ captain Scott Mellanby jumped up, grabbed a stick, and smacked the pesky rodent against a wall. Later that night, Mellanby scored two goals, leading then Panthers’ goalie John Vanbiesbrouck to quip, “He scored a rat trick”.
https://thehockeywriters.com/florida...y-of-the-rats/
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They're not leaning into him being a villian. They're saying, to everyone who calls him a rat, "You're absolutely right, but he's not just a rat. We're all rats, and he's our King."
Corny, I know, but the point is they're trying to chage the meaning of the term "rat" as it relates to Tkachuk, not celebrate the negative connotation of it.
Ps. My all-time favourite memory of the rats in Forida isn't even about the rats at all. It's about a bounce-back game for my all-time favourite player - and Michael Haynes', "Forget the rats, throw the hats!" after his third goal.