FORT LAUDERDALE – Brad Marchand is expected to return to action “early in the season,” Florida Panthers president of hockey operations & general manager Bill Zito announced on Wednesday.
”We’re going to be very conservative in bringing him back,’’ Zito said during his press conference on the team’s Media Day. “It’s not really a worry or a concern for me.”
Last suiting up for the Panthers on March 6, Marchand, who’s entering the second year of a six-year deal, was limited to 52 games last season with an undisclosed injury. In August, he announced on Instagram that he would need to undergo surgery to fix the lingering issue.
“Unfortunately, I had to have a surgery,” said Marchand, who was forced to miss a charity game hosted by his former Boston Bruins teammate Zedeno Chara. “I was trying to fix a problem without surgery, but unfortunately that was unable to happen and had to kind of do it last minute.’’
When healthy last season, Marchand was playing at an elite level.
Stepping up in a big way for the injury-plagued Panthers, who missed the playoffs after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025, the veteran winger posted 54 points in 52 games, ranking second goals (27) and assists (27) at the time of his last game.
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 recorded 158 points (66G, 92A) in 180 career games in the postseason.
With medicals being conducted on Media Day, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said that he should be able to provide a clearer timeline for Marchand’s recovery on Thursday.
To view a full schedule and roster for this week's training camp, click HERE.
