Former Boston Bruins star Brad Marchand will make his highly anticipated debut for the Florida Panthers on Friday night against the Utah Hockey Club. The Panthers head coach, Paul Maurice provided with major health update on Marchand and during the media duties in the morning, he even answered about his availability.
Will Brad Marchand start against Utah Hockey Club?
The veteran winger has been out of the action since March 1 due to an upper body injury. He suffered the injury after taking a hit from Penguins defenseman P.O. Joseph in the first period of a 3-2 victory in Pittsburgh.
Jameson Olive, who is the reporter for Panthers shared the news that Maurice shared on his X account (formerly known as Twitter).
We expect him to play tonight, Maurice said.
It is exciting times ahead for both the Panthers and the fans as they will get to see Brad Marchand as a Florida Panther player for the very first time. Marchand was traded from Boston to Florida in exchange for a conditional 2027 second-round draft pick on trade deadline day. That pick will become a 2027 or 2028 first-round draft picks if the Panthers manage to secure two rounds in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, while Marchand plays in at least 50 percent of those game.
The former Bruins captain is a pending UFA in the final season of an eight-year contract for a whopping $49 million which he signed back in 2016. Time will only tell how his stint at the Panthers pans out and whether he hits the open market as a free agent on July 1.
Brad Marchand will start on the second line
Brad Marchand was seen practicing as the second-line right-winger for Paul Maurice and the Panthers. He will form a trio with center Sam Bennett and left-winger Mackie Samoskevich. Marchand and Bennett will look to revive their chemistry that they shared as linemates for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. It remains a mystery whether he'll get time on the number one power play unit.
In his 16th year in the top level, he is still showing no signs of slowing down as he registered 47 points (21 goals and 26 assists) in the 61 games he has featured in. He will look to add to his tally in the 11 regular-season games left on the Panthers schedule.
Marchand will make his Florida Panthers debut on Friday night against the Utah Hockey Club. The puck drops at 7:00 pm EST at the Amerant Bank Arena.