Training camps are getting closer, and three of the league’s biggest names are already driving the conversation. Brad Marchand’s offseason surgery has introduced a fresh layer of uncertainty in Florida, Auston Matthews is trending in the right direction in Toronto even as one back-related detail raised eyebrows, and Zach Werenski did plenty to cool off the trade chatter in Columbus.
Marchand’s case is the one that feels most unsettled. The Panthers forward said this week that he had offseason surgery to deal with lingering lower-body problems, an issue believed to involve his hip and a sports hernia. Marchand had initially hoped to manage it without going under the knife, but the injury had been bothering him late last season and eventually led to him being shut down after his return from the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Even with that setback, Marchand still delivered in his first full season with Florida, finishing with 27 goals and 54 points in 52 games. The surprise now is the timing.
Panthers GM Bill Zito said on July 1 that Marchand’s recovery was moving in the right direction and that surgery was not anticipated. That clearly changed, and with camp about a month away, it’s still unclear whether Marchand will be ready for opening night.
There’s also a roster wrinkle for Florida. The Panthers are projected to have only about $34,000 in cap space to start the season, so Marchand’s health could affect more than just his own availability.
If he’s out but doesn’t land on long-term injured reserve, the team will have to get creative with its roster. To qualify for LTIR, Marchand would need to miss at least 10 games and 24 days, which means the Panthers may simply have to wait and see how the recovery unfolds before making any bigger calls.
Marchand is entering the second season of the six-year, $31.5 million extension he signed in June 2025.
Toronto’s situation is a lot more encouraging, at least on the surface. Auston Matthews is said to be moving well in his recovery from offseason knee surgery, and his sports chiropractor Shawn Robek described the Maple Leafs captain as energetic and optimistic as he looks ahead to the 2026-27 season. Matthews is still expected to be ready for training camp, and there are no reported setbacks in his offseason work.
The part that got people talking was Robek’s mention of Matthews’ back. In discussing the summer rehab plan, Robek said the back is not a current focus, which naturally led to speculation that it may have been an issue at some point.
That could help make sense of the steep drop in Matthews’ production over the past two seasons, from 69 goals to 33 and from 78 points to 53. Still, the main takeaway is the positive one: Matthews is feeling good now, and the knee rehab is on schedule.
Then there’s Columbus, where Zach Werenski gave Blue Jackets fans a strong reason to breathe easier. After a summer full of trade rumors - including reports that a possible deal involving the Dallas Stars had become serious - Werenski made his preference plain. He said he wants to stay with the organization long term and keep winning in Columbus.
“Ideally, I’m here for the long term,” Werenski said while speaking with reporters at Nationwide Arena. He added that he wants to win in Columbus and suggested Thursday would be the only time he plans to speak publicly about the trade speculation. That should go a long way toward calming things down, even if the noise won’t disappear completely until an extension is officially in place.
Werenski also gave Blue Jackets fans another reason for optimism by saying he expects Adam Fantilli to remain with the club as well.
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