It appears the Florida Panthers will have forward Brad Marchand back before the end of the calendar year.
Cautioning that the team is still awaiting MRI results, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun said Thursday that the “early word” is Marchand will be out week-to-week rather than multiple months or the entire season.
LeBrun added on Early Trading that Marchand’s timeline could still extend beyond six weeks, but it is not the worst-case scenario that may have been feared when Marchand was first injured Tuesday.
Losing the veteran is another blow to a Panthers team that is also without captain Aleksander Barkov, who was given a timeline of six-to-eight weeks on Tuesday for his knee injury.
Marchand’s injury occurred late in the second period of Florida’s 2-1 win Tuesday when Marchand collided with Los Angeles Kings defenceman Brandt Clarke while driving to the Kings’ net and Clarke’s stick came into contact with Marchand’s face. Marchand also collided with teammate Brady Tkachuk and crashed into the boards.
Marchand was on the ice grabbing his left knee and needed assistance from teammates to get to the bench.
Clarke was given a four-minute double minor for high sticking Marchand on the play.
The 38-year-old Marchand was playing in only his second game of the season after he returned to action on Sunday. Marchand missed the entire pre-season and the first two regular-season games while recovering from off-season surgery to repair a sports hernia.
Marchand recorded a goal in his return on Sunday during the Panthers’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks and registered 27 goals and 54 points in 52 games last season, which was mired by injuries.
Drafted 71st overall by the Boston Bruins in 2006, Marchand has 452 goals and 1,035 points in 1,153 career games split between the Bruins and Panthers.