The Florida Panthers could face a setback before the 2026-27 season due to Brad Marchand’s situation. As the Panthers aim to build a formidable team for the Stanley Cup challenge next season, they will have to begin without Marchand.
Marchand had been playing despite lower body issues. However, he announced on Instagram that he has finally undergone surgery. This procedure will also keep him from participating in Zdeno Chara’s ‘Last Shift’ charity game next week.
“I won’t be able to make Z’s game… Unfortunately, I had to have a surgery, was trying to fix a problem without surgery, but unfortunately that was unable to happen and had to kind of do it last minute,” Marchand said.
You can check what Brad Marchand said in the video below:
Missing a player like Brad Marchand at the start of the season is a setback for the Panthers. At 38, Marchand is nearing the end of his career but remains highly respected in the locker room.
Despite his age, Marchand continues to perform exceptionally well. In the 2025-26 regular season, he recorded 54 points, comprising 27 goals and 27 assists, across 52 games.
Brady Tkachuk reveals Brad Marchand as the player he’s most excited to play with
During the ongoing offseason, Brady Tkachuk surprised NHL fans by moving from the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers. Shortly after the move, Brady joined his brother Matthew Tkachuk for an episode of Wingmen with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk.
In the episode, Brady was asked which player he is most eager to play with on the Panthers. Brady expressed:
“Just so many great players, like, just look at the roster. Like, I’ll be happy to play with him. I’ll be lucky to play with him. Nobody’s more excited than me. I legit can’t wait, and you know what, whatever coach thinks is best for the team, Brady’s gonna do.”
When pressed to name one player, he confirmed Brad Marchand as the player he’s most excited to team up with.
“Marchy, like, what a great career he’s had.”
Although he mentioned Marchand first, Brady also highlighted other Panthers players he’s eager to play alongside, including Sam Bennett, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe, Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell, and Sam Lafferty.
Edited by Varun Anand Bhat
