Brad Marchand’s recent surgery may have cracked open a spot in the Florida Panthers’ forward group, and Patrik Laine is suddenly the kind of name that fits the moment.
Training camp is only about a month away, and Marchand’s timetable still isn’t clear. The 38-year-old could miss all of camp and the start of the season after having surgery believed to be related to his hip/groin area. If that absence stretches out, Florida could have room to take a swing.
Laine is still out there.
The 28-year-old winger has a few things working in his favor if the Panthers decide to kick the tires. He played under Paul Maurice in Winnipeg, where he was a 40-plus goal scorer before his production tailed off.
He also knows Panthers captain Sasha Barkov well from growing up in Tampere, Finland, and both played for Tappara when they were younger. Laine has even been spotted working out this offseason in South Florida.
At the same time, he’s looking for his next opportunity. Laine remains unsigned, and with camps nearing, a professional tryout may be the path he has to take before someone commits to him.
The fit is at least easy to see. Florida has little cap space, though Marchand’s move to LTIR could create some relief.
The Panthers also don’t have many open roster spots. Still, this is the sort of low-risk, upside play they could consider.
Laine’s recent track record is uneven, but the talent has never been the question. He played just five games for the Canadiens last season, finishing with no goals and one assist after surgery to repair a core muscle injury.
He was cleared to return, but never got into another game after October. Montreal, meanwhile, went on to reach the Eastern Conference final after getting past Tampa Bay and Buffalo.
Before that, Laine was still putting up numbers in the right spots. He scored 44 goals as a 19-year-old for Maurice and Winnipeg in 2016-17, and from 2016 to 2020 he scored 138 goals. He was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets during the Covid-shortened 2021 season, later spent parts of four seasons there, and signed a four-year, $34.8 million contract during that stretch.
He then arrived in Montreal and scored 20 goals, with 15 coming on the power play, during the 2024-25 season.
Florida’s current expectation, with Marchand sidelined, is that rookie Sandis Vilmanis will get a chance to start with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen. That doesn’t rule out another move, though. In fact, a Laine audition would feel very much in line with how the Panthers operate: not a lot of risk, and maybe a lot of reward if it clicks.
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Brad Marchand Just Gave The Panthers An Early Roster Problem
Brad Marchands arrival in Florida already carried plenty of intrigue, but the Panthers are now staring at a more practical question before the season even opens: how soon can they count on him? Marchand underwent offseason surgery for lower-body issues, a development that puts his readiness in doubt and immediately shifts some of the focus from the excitement of adding a veteran scorer to the more mundane business of roster construction.
For a team built to chase another deep run, any uncertainty around a major new piece has ripple effects. Marchands status is the kind of thing front offices have to map out early, especially when a roster has to balance short-term health with long-term flexibility, and Florida may have to keep a close eye on how his recovery shapes its options in camp and beyond. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Have A New Brad Marchand Concern This Offseason
The Panthers spent the spring proving how thin the margin is when injuries start piling up, and that reality has only sharpened this offseason. Florida is coming off a season in which multiple players battled health issues, so any new medical wrinkle around a key veteran immediately lands with extra weight in Sunrise.
Brad Marchand is now part of that conversation after undergoing surgery, adding another layer of uncertainty to a roster that is trying to stay in championship shape. The recovery timeline was not disclosed, which leaves the Panthers waiting for answers at a time when keeping the lineup intact already feels like one of their biggest concerns. [Read more 🡒]
Brad Marchand's Offseason Update Created A Panthers Question
Brad Marchand gave Panthers fans a bit of offseason news this week when he confirmed on social media that he recently underwent a procedure and will be off the ice for the near future. The update landed during a quiet stretch on the hockey calendar, but it still matters in South Florida because any setback involving a veteran forward is going to draw attention, especially when the regular season is still months away.
Marchand also said he will miss Zdeno Charas charity game in Slovakia, a reminder that his recovery is going to keep him away from some of the summer events players usually use to stay connected and stay sharp. For the Panthers, the immediate concern is less about an exhibition appearance and more about where this leaves his timeline heading into the next season, with one more unanswered question hanging over an already notable offseason update. [Read more 🡒]