“While it might be good for a player in a particular case, we have to look at what’s good for the game, the players overall and the league. It’s something we’re going to keep an eye on. I think we’ve gotten past the way no-trade clauses were originally intended,” Bettman admitted on Sportsnet 590 Toronto. “I don’t think that’s a good thing. I don’t think it’s good for the player, the club or the fans’ connection to the game.”

Coming across Bettman’s statement through a post on Instagram, Marchand shared his true thoughts on the matter, backing players across the NHL, namely Larkin, who is in the eye of the storm after requesting a trade out of the Detroit Red Wings, but barely providing a handful of destinations to be sent to.

“[Laughing out loud] this goes both ways,” Marchand commented through his Instagram account. “I guess it’s okay if a team signs you to a long-term deal and wants to trade you, but not if you want out during that term. Broken system.”

Marchand could be luring Larkin to Florida

At 38 years old, Marchand has been around in the NHL for a long time. He’s seen the changes over the last few years and has often been on the players’ side in league-wide debates. However, considering Larkin could finally be traded to the Florida Panthers as they await an injury update on Aleksander Barkov, it might also be that Marchand finds himself with an agenda to carry out.

Perhaps he isn’t defending Larkin for the sake of playing devil’s advocate and going against the commissioner, but because he senses Larkin may soon become his teammate. That’s just a theory, though, but it could turn out to be true.

Hellebuyck is another name linked to Florida, and one Marchand may be trying to build a bridge to, but after signing Jakob Markstrom in the offseason, it’s less likely the Panthers can actually pull off that trade.

Marchand has an NMC, too

Lastly, Marchand may not be looking to defend any particular interest and simply speak his mind. At the end of the day, the NHL hinges on its stars, and Marchand is one of the most vocal ones among them.

Moreover, Marchand may want to defend no-trade clauses for his own sake. Not only is he signed through the next five seasons under a full NMC, but he was able to work his way out of the Boston Bruins and to a Stanley Cup in Sunrise, in part thanks to his modified no-trade clause, along with the perfect timing of an expiring contract in Massachusetts.

Had no-trade clauses been taken off the playbook, the past few seasons could’ve turned out very differently for Marchand.

Key takeaways

• Brad Marchand criticized Gary Bettman’s comments regarding player no-trade clauses.
• Commissioner Gary Bettman stated that current no-trade clauses reflect a broken system.
• Florida Panthers are monitoring potential center trade targets amid injury concerns.

Brad Marchand is out for the start of the NHL season as he is still rehabbing from offseason surgery on an undisclosed injury. Though the two-time Stanley Cup champion (2011 with the Boston Bruins and 2025 with the Florida Panthers) didn’t reveal the nature or location of his injury, he did disclose that it had been lingering for a while.

Marchand attempted to play through it and avoid surgery, but in the end, that wasn’t viable. The 38-year-old had to pay a visit to the operating room ahead of the 2026-27 NHL campaign. As a result, he will also miss the Panthers’ away game against the Sharks.

“Unfortunately I had to have surgery,” Marchand revealed over the summer through his social media. “I was trying to fix without surgery but unfortunately that wasn’t able to happen and had to kind of do it last minute. With the time and the recovery I’m going to need I won’t be able to make it and play in [Zee’s Final Shift, the farewell charity game for Zdeno Chara].”

How long will Marchand be out for the Panthers?

The original timeline announced by Marchand, Paul Maurice, and the Panthers pointed to the veteran winger missing at least the entire first month of the NHL regular season. With that timeline, Marchand’s return would have been trending toward November. However, Marchand has been making progress, even to Maurice’s amazement, and he might be back earlier than expected.

“He is probably further ahead than we thought,’’ Maurice said per Florida Hockey Now. “The window is still there. So, I don’t know where he is at, but I think he is closer than the end of the month.“

Maurice’s injury update came on the heels of Marchand’s appearance at practice alongside the rest of the Panthers after the win over the Carolina Hurricanes on opening night of the NHL season. It was Marchand’s second on-ice appearance since the surgery, and perhaps the first truly meaningful one, as his previous one came during training camp when the team was going through a skills-heavy workout.

Who is replacing Marchand on the Panthers?

With Marchand placed on Injured Reserve (IR) by the Panthers, the team needed someone to fill in for the veteran on the third line alongside Finnish duo Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen. Rookie Sandis Vilmanis has been placed by Maurice alongside Lundell and Luostarinen and could remain there until Marchand is cleared to play again.

Vilmanis made his NHL debut last season and has played 20 games since. The former fifth-round pick in 2022 was a pleasant surprise for the Cats amid the turmoil and injury bug last season, earning the coaches’ trust and the honor of playing on Florida’s third line.

Though outside the top six, the Panthers’ third forward group can match up against any line in the league. At least, it did when Marchand was healthy, and the expectation remains unchanged despite his injury. Thus, Vilmanis is in for a tall order.

Key takeaways

• Brad Marchand missed the Panthers’ start while rehabbing from offseason surgery.
• Head coach Paul Maurice noted Marchand is progressing ahead of schedule.
• Sandis Vilmanis was placed on Florida’s third line to replace Marchand.

During the recent offseason, Marchand underwent surgery to address a lingering lower-body injury, meaning the veteran forward will be unable to join his teammates for the first few games of the season.

“Unfortunately I had to have surgery,” he recently revealed. “I was trying to fix without surgery but unfortunately that wasn’t able to happen and had to kind of do it last minute. With the time and the recovery I’m going to need I won’t be able to make it and play in the game.”

While there is no exact timetable for his return, there could be more clarity throughout October. Both Paul Maurice and GM Bill Zito intend to handle the situation cautiously, although it is not considered a long-term issue.

The Panthers need Marchand

The Florida Panthers need Brad Marchand’s veteran grit and offensive firepower as they look to turn things around after a tough 2025-26 campaign. During that season, Marchand proved he can still deliver top-tier production despite battling injuries, posting 27 goals and 54 points in just 52 games.

The Panthers desperately need that scoring depth and physical edge on the ice, especially after finishing 7th in the Atlantic Division with an 84-point record (40-38-4) and missing out on the postseason standard they set during their recent championship runs.

Marchand’s proven track record as a clutch playoff performer and crucial depth scorer provides Florida with the leadership and energy necessary to climb back up the divisional standings.

Florida’s first challenges

Maurice’s team will kick off its 2026-27 NHL regular season campaign with a four-game road trip through Carolina and California. Panthers’ season opener vs Hurricanes at PNC Arena is followed by a matchup against the San Jose Sharks at the SAP Center on Thursday, October 1.

They then visit the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on Sunday, October 4, before wrapping up the opening swing against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday, October 6, right before returning home against the Minnesota Wild on October 10.

Key takeaways

• Brad Marchand will miss the season opener while recovering from lower-body surgery.
• He posted 27 goals and 54 points in 52 games last season.
• Florida opens its season against Carolina on Tuesday, September 29.

According to Nestor Quixtan from Heavy.com, the Panthers might have the ideal replacement to Marchand in Laine, who is sitting around in free agency. Although there would be several questions to be addressed mostly regarding the contract term, Laine may have all the ingredients of the kind of player that thrives in Sunrise.

Doubted, mocked, called to an early retirement, yet fueled by it all. That’s been a recipe for success for the Panthers before. Under Bill Zito, the Cats have channeled the best from players many around the NHL had given up on. Laine could be the latest addition to that list, and why not? A new name engraved on the Stanley Cup by season’s end. Because if Florida can stay healthy, there aren’t many teams that can take them out in a best-of-seven playoff series.

Contract concerns for Laine and Panthers

For Laine, however, it would also be a matter of being offered a contract worth his while. Where exactly that line is, though, remains unclear. Coming off a five-game season and facing concerns on several fronts—including injuries and his overall ability to produce consistently—Laine may not be able to ask for much. The Panthers, moreover, can’t hand out too much, either.

Aside from the Vegas Golden Knights, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dallas Stars, who are over the cap, the Panthers currently have the narrowest cap space, with a measly $34,000 available, according to PuckPedia. In order to strike a deal with Laine, the Cats would have to make a roster move and, even then, sign Laine to a bonus-laden, performance-based deal.

Whether Laine would accept such an uncertain contract remains the biggest question. As confident in himself as he might be, Laine is wise enough to know he’d much rather make guaranteed money than chase a potential fortune. Obviously, admitting that even he and his camp are wary of just how productive he may be would be a terrible look, so Laine won’t ever make that feeling public. But there’s reason to believe it’s an actual thought.

Would Laine be a good fit in Florida?

The Panthers know it might be unrealistic to expect Laine to return to his 40-goal form from back in 2017-18. At least not right away, but perhaps he can eventually and gradually grow into a more similar version of himself. Still, Florida won’t toss Laine into a top-six role, largely because they don’t have one up for grabs, either. Instead, the job vacancy is on the third-line wing, where Marchand played alongside Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen.

The Panthers don’t know how long Marchand will be out, but it’s always best to prepare for the worst just in case. Laine would bring a very different style from Marchand, nowhere near as energetic or defensively committed, but he could compensate with depth scoring. He could also take a second power-play unit to the next level, granting the Cats a two-headed monster in the man advantage.

To Florida’s fortune, Lundell and Luostarinen can hold it down defensively well enough by themselves. There’s a reason they are mainstays on the penalty kill in Sunrise, and they could take on a little more of the dirty work to allow Laine some freedom to find open spaces in the offensive zone and set up shop. As long as Laine gets his scoring touch back and is available, there might be no problem with that strategy. That’s still a big if, though.

Florida need to fill Marchand’s void

Even at 38, Marchand is irreplaceable for the Cats. There’s no sugarcoating that fact. Still, Laine may be an intriguing option. A completely different one, at that, but one that Paul Maurice may be able to make work regardless.

The Panthers’ key to success, along with an excellent defensive system that grinds out opponents, has always been deeply rooted in their depth scoring and how the Lundell-Luostarinen-Marchand third line could operate in the Stanley Cup Final as efficiently as another team’s first unit.

With Marchand out, that strength will face headwinds. Laine, however, could be a great solution. Most importantly, an unexpected one that could take the league by surprise. Just when the rest of the NHL thinks they have the Panthers figured out, the latest back-to-back champions could pull a rabbit out of their hat.

Biggest question is contract-wise

If Florida can figure out a way around Laine’s financial and term demands and stay cap-compliant at the same time, it seems there would be no harm in giving the experiment a shot. Most likely, Laine will be after some kind of term and job security.

The Panthers, like virtually every team linked to Laine up until this point, may be wary of such a commitment. Florida will likely want to bring Laine in on a professional tryout contract (PTO) or a prove-it deal. Laine may have no appetite for that. Finding that sweet spot in between will be what makes or breaks this potential signing.

If there’s two things Zito has accustomed fans in Broward County to, it’s: winning and always finding a way to make roster-boosting moves. Those traits may also excite Laine, who is well overdue for some success at the NHL level and may be willing to loosen up his end of the rope just to join a Stanley Cup contender, arguably the biggest one in the league.

Thus, the upcoming games will be crucial. If the Panthers cannot turn the tide before the trade deadline on March 6, they may be forced to wave the white flag on the season. After three straight runs to the Stanley Cup Final, it appears the wear and tear has finally caught up with Florida.

Still, even during one of the darkest stretches Marchand and the Panthers have endured in some time, there is a silver lining. However, as has often been the case for Florida this season, the good news did not come alone. Stanley Cup champion Dmitry Kulikov is back in the lineup, but another player is headed to injured reserve (IR).

“The Panthers have activated Dmitry Kulikov off IR, and placed Cole Schwindt on IR,” as reported by Alex Baumgartner from Five Reasons Sports.

Kulikov is back after long injury

As the Panthers visit the New York Islanders, Kulikov made his return to NHL action. The Russian blueliner is back in the lineup for the first time since October. 9, 2025. Kulikov underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum earlier on the season and had been placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) since.

Scwhindt will miss time

Schwindt has blossomed into a key piece on Florida’s fourth line. As the Panthers have struggled throughout the season, their bottom line has been a significant contributor for the Cats.

Playing alongside A.J. Greer and either Luke Kunin or Sandis Vilmanis, the 24-year-old Schwindt has recorded four points (three goals, one assist) in 22 games. Though far from a household name in the NHL, Schwindt’s absence could prove more costly than fans might expect. Numbers don’t lie, but they don’t always tell the whole story. When it comes to Schwindt’s impact, stats don’t do it justice.

However, the American and Canadians must put it all behind them—or at least set is aside. The 2025-26 NHL season has resumed, and the Florida Panthers must change the course if they want to stay alive in the Eastern Conference’s jam-packed postseason race.

On that note, Tkachuk voiced a clear message for the rest of the team, one that may serve as a reminder for Marchand, Bennett, and Reinhart. “We have to flip the switch,” Tkachuk stated, per @JamesonCoop on X.

Obviously, it’s somewhat easy for Tkachuk to say such a thing after winning gold along his brother Brady and the rest of Team USA. For his teammates, especially those who fell just short, it’s definitely not.

Marchand can chase another trophy

For Marchand, who likely played in his first and last Olympics, flipping the switch is not an easy thing. In doing so, the 37-year-old veteran would be accepting that his pursuit for an Olympic gold medal has come to an end. However, Marchand’s chapter with Team Canada may have more in store.

While making the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Panthers is the clear goal for Marchand and company after the break, there is a silver lining for the veteran in the event they miss the postseason. The 2026 IIHF World Championship will be held in Switzerland from May 15–31. While the rest of the NHL competes for the Stanley Cup, players on teams whose seasons have ended can be called upon to represent their countries.

For Marchand, who has repeatedly stated how much he embraces every opportunity to compete for trophies and represent Canada, it may be an unsurpassable chance to don the Maple Leaf sweater once more. Obviously, he would much rather be playing meaningful NHL hockey in late May, but at least he may not come away empty-handed if Florida cannot complete a miraculous late-season turnaround to reach the playoffs.

Are the Panthers on a playoff spot?

Coming out of the Olympic break, the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions sit in last place in the Atlantic Division with 61 points in 57 games. The Panthers are eight points back of the final wild-card spot, currently held by the Boston Bruins with 69 points.

Needless to say, the Cats will need all hands on deck. Thus, the Panthers hinting the return of two Stanley Cup champions could be just what the doctor ordered for Tkachuk, Marchand, Bennett, and company to pick up the pace and go on a red-hot run to close out the regular season.

Perhaps Tkachuk’s gold medal and the chip on the shoulders of Marchand, Bennett, and Reinhart are exactly what the Panthers need to emerge from the break fully recharged.

“Paul Maurice just told Joe Rose that Dmitry Kulikov and Tomas Nosek are coming out of the non-contact jersey for today’s practice,” as reported by George Richards of NHL.com.

It may take a while before Kulikov can return to the ice and Nosek can make his debut in the 2025–26 NHL campaign, but the fact that both are back practicing at full capacity is definitely a good sign.

Kulikov and Nosek may need more time

However, despite the intensity brought into the training facility by Tkachuk, Marchand, and company, it doesn’t quite equal the pace and aggressiveness of an NHL game.

Even if Kulikov and Nosek don’t wear non-contact jerseys, the rest of the team knows both are coming off long-term injuries and won’t go at full speed against them. In an NHL game, opponents won’t care about that. Thus, Paul Maurice and his staff must be completely sure Kulikov and Nosek can withstand that rhythm before sending them onto the ice.

When was Kulikov and Nosek’s last NHL game?

Tomas Nosek has yet to play a game in the 2025-26 campaign. The Czech forward underwent surgery on his knee during the summer. His last appearance for the Panthers was on Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Needless to say, Nosek went out with a bang, but the wait has been too long, and he hopes to be back in action soon.

As for Kulikov, the veteran defenseman sustained a labrum tear in the second game of the 2025-26 regular season. The Russian blueliner underwent surgery on his shoulder and was placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). Four months later, he may finally be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

After missing the last two games of the group stage, Marchand is ready to be back on the ice in the Winter Olympics. Marchand has gone through almost every emotion as he voiced sincere feelings on his role with Team Canada. Hoping to be back in the lineup in the first win-or-go-home game of the tournament for Canada, Marchand will most likely take on Pastrnak, who he knows like the back of his hand due to their shared NHL history in Boston.

However, there might be no love—or respect—from Pastrnak’s Czechia, as it eyes a historic upset victory in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Widely considered the favorites to strike gold—along with Team USA—Marchand and Canada can’t afford a misstep, but Czechia will grant them nothing. If the Maple Leaf wants to move on to the semifinals, it will have to earn it.

“It might be the best team ever,” Pastrnak admitted about Team Canada, via NHL.com’s Dan Rosen. “So maybe we have to put the respect aside a little bit and try to take their game to them.”

Emotional matchup

While both teams will hold nothing back, only one can go through to the next stage in Milano Cortina 2026. Czechia acknowledges—and fully embraces—the underdog role set upon it. Meanwhile, the Czech hope their Canadian counterparts crumble to the pressure on their shoulders.

“We let them win the first one because we knew we were not going to win two in a row against Canada,” Czechia star Martin Necas jokingly—and not so much—stated about the upcoming showdown against Canada. Czechia fell by a score of 5-0 when the two sides met in Group A. However, now they will play for all the marbles, and that precedent has become utterly meaningless.

Necas’ message, as well as Pastrnak’s, shows just how much respect Team Canada’s lineup demands across the Winter Olympics. Still, that doesn’t mean the rest of the teams will go easy on them. In the contrary, it might mean the complete opposite. Everybody is coming for the The Great White North, so Marchand and company must sleep with one eye open.

“To be honest, coming in, I didn’t think I’d be in the lineup. I thought I’d kinda be the extra guy and be a voice,” Marchand admitted, via Sportsnet’s Luke Fox. “Try to be loud and obnoxious in the room. So, I mean, I’m just so proud and honored to be part of this group.”

Dealing with an injury for a while now, Marchand missed the last two games of the round-robin stage in the 2026 Winter Olympics. During his lone appearance (so far), though, he made sure to record his first Olympic point, assisting Bo Horvat during Team Canada’s 5-0 victory over Czechia.

Although Marchand is crucial to the lineup, Crosby and company took care of business during his absence. The group stage came to a close and the Maple Leaf finished with a perfect 3-0-0 record (9 points), as well as the No. 1 seed in the tournament. As Cooper confirmed, Marchand is available to play in the knockout round—the rest of the nations might be wise to keep an eye on him.

The real fun begins for Team Canada

However, seeding will become meaningless when the puck drops in the quarterfinals and beyond. If anything, being the highest-ranked national team at Milano Cortina 2026 will only put a giant target on Marchand and Team Canada’s back.

Everybody will be coming for them—especially Team USA, which craves revenge for last year’s 4 Nations defeat. Revenge is a dish best served cold, and despite everything that can be said about the smaller Olympic hockey rink in Milan, it is certainly freezing down there.

Canada vs. USA: be careful what you wish for

Team USA and Canada will put the frozen surface to the test by bringing the heat game in and game out, though. With all the history behind the two powerhouses, it’s no surprise Matthew Tkachuk issued a bold comment warning Team Canada, as he spoke about the Americans rallying behind captain Auston Matthews.

Still, only a quick look at the Winter Olympics updated bracket shows Team USA and Canada can’t play each other until the gold medal game. Thus, both sides must first make sure they reach that stage before actively going at each other’s throat. On paper, the Americans and Canadians may be a peck above the rest. Yet, when standing on thin ice, everything evens up and anything can happen.

Shortly after Tkachuk made his season debut—appearing in his first game since Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final—Florida saw both Marchand and Anton Lundell sustain injuries. Now, Sam Bennett has been injured as well.

Needless to say, the odds are not in the Panthers’ favor to make the postseason. A miracle may be needed, and Tkachuk didn’t sugarcoat that feeling when he addressed the media following the 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, the team’s fourth-straight in the 2025-26 NHL season.

“We are in trouble now,” Tkachuk stated, via Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. “If we don’t simplify (our game), this year is going to get away from us.”

Playoff race is getting away from Panthers

The Panthers are spiraling out of control. Florida now drags a four-game losing streak—with three of those losses coming at home. The Panthers sit nine points back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Moreover, every team currently holding a playoff position is on a heater, while the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions can’t build momentum. That’s nearly impossible to do when stars go down with injuries on a nightly basis.

Injury-plagued Panthers

Tkachuk and the Panthers would love to have Marchand back on the lineup. The 37-year-old veteran has been the best player on the team this season—and arguably ever since he arrived in Sunrise last year. However, with just two games left on the schedule before the 2026 Olympics, it doesn’t look like Florida will risk Marchand missing the one tournament he’s always dreamed of playing in.

In the meantime, the Panthers must weather the storm with the available pieces they have. Florida is currently missing all five centers who played during their 2025 Stanley Cup run (Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, Anton Lundell, Tomas Nosek, and Nico Sturm).

On the defensive side of the puck, the Cats are missing much security on the blueline as Dmitry Kulikov and Seth Jones remain sidelined with long-term injuries. Needless to say, the blueprint for back-to-back Cups has gone up in flames and now looks like a recipe for disaster.

The Panthers have been affected by a season-long injury bug. Watching star players go down like flies night in and night out, it was Marchand and company who kept the ship afloat. However, the 37-year-old can only take them so far in an 82-game NHL campaign.

Though Tkachuk’s return is a little further down the road, the Cats are trending to welcome back one of the most exciting young players on the roster: Mackie Samoskevich.

“Maurice says he’s ‘hopeful’ that Samoskevich will be able to return for the game vs. Tampa after the [Christmas] break,” Panthers beat reporter Jameson Olive stated on X.

Tkachuk’s timeline

All season long, fans in Sunrise have wondered when Tkachuk was going to make his return to the ice. After undergoing surgery on a torn adductor and a sports hernia, everybody knew it would take a while for him to be back with the Panthers. Still, the prospect of playing in the southernmost Winter Classic in NHL history at loanDepot Park in Miami has been enough to fuel Tkachuk’s recovery journey.

The timeline for him still stands at January 2, when the Panthers take on the New York Rangers outdoors in the elements—if playing in tropical Little Havana can even be called that. Tkachuk himself has recently issued an honest statement on how he feels heading into the home stretch of his post-surgery rehabilitation.

“I (expletive) feel great, Brady [Tkachuk]. Really, really good,” Matthew Tkachuk said during the latest episode of his podcast, Wingmen with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk. “I will be back with the team practicing probably right after Christmas, if things go as they’ve been going. I’m just following the doctors and trainers orders right now.”

Panthers are back in business

In the meantime, Marchand and the Panthers will vie to keep it rolling. After struggling to be consistent all season long, Florida is now 8-2-0 in its last 10 outings.

Heading into the holidays break, the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions are holding the last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Considering they are missing Tkachuk, Barkov, Kulikov, Nosek, Schwindt, and Gadjovich, things could be much worse for the Cardiac Cats.