The Florida Panthers spent much of last season battling injuries as key contributors dropped out of the lineup.
That was the main reason the then-back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champions failed to even reach the 2026 playoffs despite entering the year with high expectations.
Even so, several veterans continued playing through physical issues at different times throughout the season, with the organization attempting to manage their workloads amid a lost season to prevent further issues.
One of those players was 38-year-old winger Brad Marchand, whose first full season with Florida only saw him appear in 52 regular-season games, with none of those played after March 6.
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Marchand, who had planned to participate in former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara's farewell game in Slovakia, announced in a video message that he recently underwent surgery and would no longer be able to attend.
“Hey fans, Brad Marchand here,” he said. “I just wanted to send you a note and first off apologize; I won’t be able to make Z’s game. Unfortunately, I had to have surgery.”
Marchand explained he initially pursued non-surgical treatment before ultimately changing course.
“I was trying to fix (the injury) without surgery, but unfortunately that wasn’t able to happen and had (to) kind of do it last minute,” Marchand said. “With the time and the recovery I’m going to need, I’m not going to be able to make it and play in the game, unfortunately.”
Added Marchand: “I need to do the rehab and take care of that so I can get back on the ice soon.”
Following the season, Marchand had already described surgery as a possibility, though only as “a last resort.” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, meanwhile, said in April that Marchand wouldn't need surgery, thus the unexpectedness of Marchand's late announcement.
Despite appearing in only 52 games, Marchand still produced 27 goals and 54 points in his first full campaign with the Panthers, topping his 51 points from the year before when he played in 71 regular-season games, split between Boston and Florida
