Brad Marchand’s first offseason as a Panther has already hit a rough patch.
The 38-year-old announced on social media Saturday morning that he underwent surgery for a lower-body injury, a development that could keep him out for a stretch and potentially cost him the start of the season. Panthers insider George Richards reported that Marchand is believed to be dealing with a hip and sports hernia injury, and that the surgery could sideline him for two months. That timeline makes him unlikely to be ready for opening night on September 29.
Marchand’s last season in Florida was productive, even if it came in a year that ended without a playoff berth for the Panthers. He put up 27 goals and 54 points in 52 games before Florida landed the ninth overall pick.
That pick didn’t stay put for long. Florida turned it into a major trade package to bring in Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators, adding another big piece to what has become a championship-caliber roster.
There is also a familiar element to this injury scare. Marchand had double hip surgery in the summer of 2022 and was initially expected to miss up to six months, though he made it back in under five months and sat out only the first seven games of the 2022-23 season.
Marchand’s career résumé is already stacked. He won the Stanley Cup in 2011, became a star and a leader in Boston, and finished his Bruins run with 422 goals and 974 points. He served as Bruins captain from 2023 through the 2025 deadline.
Boston traded him to Florida at the 2025 Trade Deadline for a 2028 first-round pick, and Marchand later won the 2025 Stanley Cup with the Panthers.
The Bruins used that same stretch to reset and push back toward the playoffs in 2025-26, then moved the 2028 first-rounder and the 23rd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to land JJ Peterka, who is expected to play a major role for Boston this coming season.
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