Make no mistake, Brad Marchand has been playing as good as any other player in the National Hockey League. However, in the NHL it takes more than one star to win games. As the Florida Panthers battle through adversity, the team heard just what they hoped to hear on Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov’s recovery.
Marchand and company knew the 2025-26 NHL season would be a rollercoaster. The Panthers learned that from the get-go, as Tkachuk recovered from offseason surgery and captain Barkov went down with ACL and MCL injuries during the preseason.
Missing arguably their two best players and biggest leaders in the locker room—with starkly opposite yet complementary personalities—Florida knew it was in for a whirlwind of a year. Still a ways from reaching the light at the end of the tunnel, Marchand and the rest of the team received an encouraging update on where Barkov and Tkachuk stand in their comeback journey.
“They’re where they’re supposed to be,” head coach Paul Maurice admitted about Barkov and Tkachuk, as reported by Jameson Olive on X (formerly Twitter). “Hope is that Tkachuk will be able to get back on the ice and start that phase of his rehab in the next 2 weeks,” the Panthers’ beat writer added.
Aleksander Barkov at Rogers Place on June 03, 2025 in Edmonton, Alberta.
How Barkov and Tkachuk’s absences impact the team
Without Barkov and Tkachuk, Marchand and the Panthers seem stuck in a loop. Over the past nine games in the NHL, Florida has intertwined wins with losses. Such a statistic indicates there’s a silver lining: the Cats don’t dwell on defeats, nor they stay on the ground for too long.
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On the other hand, it also indicates they can’t be consistent. In the NHL regular season, consistency is the name of the game, and that’s what leads teams to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The postseason is a different beast—one the Panthers seem to have tamed and kept as a house pet in Broward County. However, it’s of no use if Florida can’t make the playoffs, and that’s the way it’s trending as the reigning back-to-back champions continue to perform in fits and starts.
Meanwhile, Marchand will stay the number one weapon
Obviously, the cons far outweigh the pros of being without players like Tkachuk and Barkov. Still, there are a few positives the Panthers can take from this challenging stretch—chief among them, Marchand’s production.
Brad Marchand at Amerant Bank Arena on October 23, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.
If there were any concerns about how the 37-year-old veteran would perform in the first season of his six-year, $31.5 million contract, they’ve been put to rest early in the 2025-26 NHL campaign. Many feared his postseason surge last year was simply the product of playing for his next deal. After all, hungry dogs do run faster. But in Marchand’s case, he’s not chasing money—though it certainly feels nice. Instead, he’s playing for his legacy.
Marchand recently voiced his true thoughts as he enters the twilight of his career. And while he often hints at retirement with sincere remarks, his mindset should keep fans in South Florida confident that a three-peat is possible—and that dynasties aren’t extinct in the NHL.
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