Brad Marchand won’t be in the Florida Panthers’ lineup to open the regular season, but the expectation around the team is that his absence should be short-lived.
That was the message from general manager Bill Zito on Wednesday, when the Panthers held their annual Media Day at the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, connected to the club’s practice facility, the Baptist Health IcePlex. Zito was one of the first people to address Marchand’s status, and he delivered an upbeat update.
“I anticipate Marchy back early in the season,” Zito said.
Marchand, 38, spent the summer recovering from a procedure he said would keep him off the ice at least in the short term. There still isn’t an official return date, but Florida is taking a careful approach as it waits for the veteran forward to work his way back.
“I would say that we’re going to be very conservative with bringing him back,” Zito said.
The Panthers are planning for a start to the season without one of their most experienced players, though the broader outlook is encouraging. Marchand is heading into his 18th NHL season and his second full year with Florida after being acquired at the 2025 Trade Deadline.
He produced 27 goals and 54 points in 52 games last season before shutting things down because of injury.
Outside of Marchand, Florida is expected to open the season fully healthy. That stands in sharp contrast to last year, when injuries tore through the roster and undercut the Panthers’ bid to defend their back-to-back championships.
Training camp officials begins Thursday morning.
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For Sasha Barkov, the change is about more than just the goaltending chart. The captain made clear he appreciates what Bobrovsky meant to the team and welcomed Markstrom back into the fold, a reminder that even a hockey business decision can land with some emotion when it involves a player who helped define a championship era. Now the Panthers begin sorting out how this new look in net fits with everything else they are trying to build. [Read more 🡒]
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