As the Florida Panthers battle through crucial absences in their lineup, head coach Paul Maurice confirms Brad Marchand and Jonah Gadjovich will be out for the game against the Anaheim Ducks in the 2025-26 NHL season.
When it rains, it pours. Right now, the forecast in Sunrise is calling for cats and dogs to come down from the cloudy sky. On that note, key Panthers keep going down with injuries. As if being short stars of the likes of Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk wasn’t enough. Now, Gadjovich is out, while Marchand is sidelined due to personal reasons.
“Brad Marchand won’t play tomorrow, per Paul Maurice. A family member passed away and he’s attending the funeral,” as reported by Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson on X (formerly Twitter).
Implications
It goes without saying, but Marchand is a key piece to the offensive puzzle in Florida. Without him on the lineup, Maurice and the Panthers will be without their leader in goals (5), assists (6), and points (11). To say Marchand has been the engine behind the team’s production would be an understatement.
Paul Maurice, the head coach of the Florida Panthers
So far in the NHL season, the Cats have been as far as Marchand has been able to take them with his production. With Marchand taking some time to be with his family, the Cats must make up for his absence.
see also
Brad Marchand’s net worth: How much fortune does the Florida Panthers left winger have?
Filling in
While a key loss to the lineup, Marchand is expected back with the team in short notice. As for Gadjovich, Maurice stated the two-time Stanley Cup champion will be out for a week, at least.
To replace the latest absentees on the roster, Luke Kunin and Noah Gregor will be called up to the lineup, as reported by the Panthers’ official statement. So far in the 2025-26 NHL season, Kunin has appeared in nine games, registering a lone assist.
Brad Marchand at Amerant Bank Arena on October 11, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.
Gregor, on the other hand, will be making his debut as a Cat in Sunrise. The former fourth-round pick in 2016 recorded seven points (4G, 3A) in 52 games with the Ottawa Senators last season. It’s far from an exciting mark for fans in South Florida. However, if there’s one lesson they know by heart by now, it’s not to judge a book by its cover. If there’s one team in the NHL that can turn a player’s career around, it’s the Panthers in the Sunshine State.
Duck, duck, goose
When the Ducks visit the Cats at Amerant Bank Arena, the Panthers will welcome back many familiar faces. Former head coach Joel Quenneville will be back in Sunrise for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign, before he stepped down as bench boss in Florida. Moreover, there will be some players who used to be fan-favorites in Broward County, Radko Gudas and Frank Vatrano.
see also
Why do Florida Panthers fans throw rats after games?
Though it may be an emotional game filled with reunions, the Panthers must take care of business against a young team. Moreover, Florida has had much success against Anaheim in recent years. The Cats haven’t lost to the—once Mighty—Ducks in pointless fashion since Nov. 2018.
Since the 2019-20 campaign, the Panthers boast a 9-1 record against the Ducks. Even without Marchand, Gadjovich, and the long-term absences of Barkov, Tkachuk, and Kulikov, the Cats expect to follow the trend.
