FORT LAUDERDALE - The Florida Panthers will be without veteran forward Brad Marchand for six weeks after he sustained a lower-body injury late in Tuesday’s 2-1 road win over the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena, head coach Paul Maurice announced Friday.
Marchand was high-sticked by Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke while driving to the net, sending him crashing into the right post in an awkward position. He immediately grabbed his left knee, was examined by a trainer on the ice, and was helped to the locker room. Maurice said Marchand is expected to resume skating in three weeks.
“Took a high hard one and got in a bad position,” Maurice said of how the injury unfolded. “None of it was his fault.”
The injury compounds an already difficult stretch for Florida. Captain Aleksander Barkov is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury suffered in the second game of the season, leaving the Panthers without two of their most important forwards as the schedule deepens. Maurice said the sight of Marchand going down triggered immediate concern. “When they go down and you see that, you’re worried,” he said. “We went through it last year, so that’s the first thing that flashes through your mind.”
To fill the void, Maurice elevated veteran forward Lars Eller from the fourth line to center Brady Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart during Friday morning’s practice at Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale. Eller, 37, joined the Panthers on a one-year contract this summer and brings 1,188 games of NHL experience, including a Stanley Cup championship with the Washington Capitals in 2018. In four games with Florida, he has recorded three primary assists.
“He’s such an accomplished pro that I think he can play any position and understand the role and what it means,” Maurice said.
Defenseman Aaron Ekblad offered a measured take on the situation. “Glass half full situation,” Ekblad said. “Great news for our team” - a reference to the expectation that both Marchand and Barkov could return to the lineup sometime during the holiday season.
The Panthers, sitting at 2-0-2 through four games - all on the road - return home Saturday for their home opener against the Minnesota Wild at 6 p.m. ET.