Brad Marchand shares emotional video amid personal tragedy

Earlier this week, the Florida Panthers announced that star forward Brad Marchand would step away from the team, revealing that there had been a death in the Marchand family and that Brad will take a brief leave of absence in order to attend the funeral and tend to family matters.

On Wednesday, fans found out more about Marchand’s unfortunate absence and the death in his entourage. Marchand in fact headed back home to coach in Nova Scotia, stepping in for coach JP MacCallum after the devastating loss of MacCallum’s 10-year-old daughter, Selah, to cancer.

The team did not get the win on Wednesday night, as I have sure the players struggled with their own grief.

On Thursday, Marchand showed yet another side of his character, sharing an emotional video highlighting the devastation in Nova Scotia and offering his support to MacCallum and his family during a heartbreaking time.

Clearly still affected by the tragedy, Marchand’s video reflects the depth of his empathy and his commitment to the community, even as the NHL season continues. Wednesday’s game also served as a donation with proceeds from a bake sale and 50-50 draw going to Selah’s family. There will also be a jersey auction.

In his video, Marchand he discussed the fundraising efforts to support the McCallum family, including urging fans to donate, if possible, on the GoFundMe page set up by former NHLer Andrew Bodnarchuk, who also coached the team last night.

For now, Marchand’s return to the Panthers remains uncertain. The team has emphasized that he has their full support and will come back to the lineup when he feels ready, allowing him to focus on his loved ones without pressure.

As fans wait to see Marchand back on the ice, the video he shared underscores that leadership and impact go beyond goals and assists.