Brad Marchand Expected to Miss First Month of Season for Panthers

Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand is expected to miss at least the first 14 games of the season while recovering from offseason surgery.

Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand is expected to miss the first month of the season, a timeline that sidelines the 38-year-old for at least the team's first 14 games. According to the Associated Press, Marchand is continuing to recover from an undisclosed offseason surgery he first revealed in mid-August. Panthers coach Paul Maurice confirmed on Thursday that the team is planning for Marchand to spend the entirety of October in rehabilitation.

Marchand participated in a separate workout on the first day of training camp rather than joining the two primary team sessions. He was limited to 52 games last season due to a lower-body issue, recording 27 goals and 27 assists for 54 points before being shut down in early March. The veteran forward missed a career-high 30 games during the previous campaign as Florida failed to qualify for the postseason.

In addition to Marchand's status, Maurice announced that forward Jonah Gadjovich is out indefinitely. Gadjovich, who underwent neck surgery after being limited to 10 games last season, skated alongside Marchand on Thursday. While Gadjovich is back on the ice, Maurice noted that the team is still searching for answers regarding a long-term issue that has not yet resolved.