ANAHEIM – He’s back.
Initially expected to miss the entire month of October while rehabbing from offseason surgery, Brad Marchand will return to the lineup and make his season debut for the Florida Panthers against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on Sunday.
With captain Aleksander Barkov recently placed on LTIR with a lower-body injury, Marchand’s return comes at the perfect time.
“It should be a great boost with Barkov out of the lineup,” head coach Paul Maurice said.
Last suiting up for the Panthers on March 6, Marchand was limited to 52 games last season with an undisclosed injury.
In August, he announced on his personal Instagram that he would need to undergo surgery to fix the lingering issue.
Prior to his injury last season, the veteran winger had been on the best goal-scoring pace of his career, ranking second on the Panthers in goals (27) and assists (27) over 52 games played.
Preparing for his 18th season in the NHL, Marchand has recorded 1,034 points (451G, 583A) in 1,152 career regular-season games.
A two-time Stanley Cup champion, the 38-year-old has also produced158 points (66G, 92A) in 180 career games in the postseason.
“He’s a really, really effective player, and he’s creative,” Maurice said. “He creates from the chaos that he causes. He can make those tight plays in traffic. Some offensive production, for sure, but it’s the energy [he gives] the whole group. We’re so pleased to have him back.”
The Panthers will drop the puck with the Ducks at 8 p.m. ET.
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