Brad Marchand Makes Surprise Return Against Bruins in Final Game Before Olympic Break
SUNRISE - Just hours after Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said Brad Marchand wouldn’t be in the lineup Wednesday night, the veteran winger laced up his skates and hit the ice - against his former team, no less.
Marchand, who had missed the past two games with a lower-body injury - the same issue that sidelined him for seven games in January - returned unexpectedly to face the Boston Bruins. He took warmups on the third line alongside Evan Rodrigues and A.J. Greer, signaling a last-minute change in plans for Florida.
It wasn’t just Marchand making a comeback. Anton Lundell also returned to the lineup, while Jesper Boqvist and Luke Kunin were scratched to make room. Earlier in the day, Maurice had confirmed that Sam Bennett would play, called Lundell “probable,” and ruled Marchand out - but clearly, that status shifted fast.
According to a source close to the situation, Marchand was still weighing his options after the morning skate, deciding between returning Wednesday night or waiting until Thursday’s matchup in Tampa Bay. Ultimately, he chose the Bruins - the team he spent his entire NHL career with before joining Florida - as his return stage.
And it’s a fitting stage, too. Marchand isn’t just coming back for a regular game - this is Florida’s final contest before the Olympic break, and the veteran forward is among ten Panthers players heading to Milan this weekend to represent their countries at the Winter Games. The timing of his return adds another layer of intrigue to an already compelling season.
What’s Next: Panthers vs. Lightning
The Panthers now head across the state for a Thursday night showdown in Tampa against the Lightning - a heated in-state rivalry with playoff implications and plenty of recent history.
This will be the fourth and final regular-season meeting between the two clubs, with Tampa Bay currently holding a 2-1 edge in the season series. The Lightning took the first two matchups (3-1 on Nov. 15 and 4-2 on Dec. 27), while Florida answered back with a dominant 5-1 win in Tampa on Dec. 15.
The rivalry has only intensified over the past few years. The two teams have split their all-time postseason meetings, with Florida winning the first-round series in both 2024 and 2025, and Tampa Bay taking the matchups in 2021 and 2022. In the regular season, the Panthers hold the edge historically, leading 80-55-19 with 10 ties.
Puck drops at 7 p.m. Thursday at Benchmark Arena in Tampa, and fans can catch the game via streaming on ESPN+, Disney+, or Hulu. Radio coverage is available on WQAM, WBZT 1230-AM, WCTH 100.3-FM, and SiriusXM.
Looking Ahead
After Thursday’s game, the Panthers will enter the Olympic break, with their next NHL action scheduled for February 26, when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Until then, all eyes will be on the Winter Olympics - and on how Marchand and his Florida teammates perform on the international stage.
For now, though, Marchand’s surprise return adds a jolt of energy to a Panthers team looking to close out the pre-Olympic stretch with momentum. And doing it against the Bruins? That’s just the kind of storyline hockey fans live for.