Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand is facing a significant absence and may require surgery for a lingering lower-body injury, coach Paul Maurice confirmed Monday.
The 37-year-old has been managing the issue for several months, but Maurice said it worsened on the team’s recent road trip to the point where it was no longer recovering between games.
“There’s going to be a decision made on what’s the best way to get him to 100 percent full health,” Maurice said. “Even if there isn’t surgery, we’re still talking long-term. This isn’t going to be a couple of days. We’re into weeks.”
Marchand had already missed 10 games before representing Canada at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics last month, where he picked up one assist in four games and played in the gold medal match, a 2-1 overtime loss to the United States on Feb. 22.
The timing is difficult for Florida. Marchand ranks second on the team in both goals (27) and points (54) in 52 games this season. The Panthers, who have won back-to-back Stanley Cups, sit at 31-29-3 and trail the Boston Bruins by 11 points for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Maurice said the team hopes to know more about the extent of the injury this week.
Meanwhile, defenseman Seth Jones is also working his way back after fracturing his collarbone on Jan. 2 at the NHL Winter Classic. Jones practised in a regular jersey on Monday and could return within a week, though Maurice cautioned that he still needs medical clearance.
“We believe he is trending in the right direction,” Maurice said. “Our best case is that it’s another week and we can see him back in our lineup. But we don’t know that.”
Jones has posted 24 points in 40 games this season while averaging over 23 minutes of ice time per night.
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