Brad Marchand’s latest update raises concerns as Panthers take no chances

The Florida Panthers opened training camp in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday with players reporting for physicals and the first practice set for Thursday morning. But the biggest talking point had nothing to do with who was on the ice. It was about who won't be there when the season begins.

Star forward Brad Marchand will miss the start of the 2026-27 campaign after undergoing surgery in August, general manager Bill Zito confirmed as camp got underway.

"We're going to be very conservative in bringing him back," Zito said. "It's not really a worry or a concern for me."

Zito added that he expects Marchand to return "early in the season," though no specific timeline was offered. Marchand is reportedly already skating, which is an encouraging sign, but the nature of the procedure and the player's age have raised understandable questions.

The 38-year-old is believed to have been battling hip and sports hernia issues dating back to last December. Florida limited his workload before he suited up for Team Canada at the Olympics, then ultimately shut him down in March.

Marchand had hoped to rehab the problem without going under the knife, but that approach ultimately fell short. He revealed the surgery himself in a video explaining why he could not participate in former Boston teammate Zdeno Chara's "Last Shift" charity game.

"I was trying to fix a problem without surgery, but unfortunately that was unable to happen and had to kind of do it last minute," Marchand said in the video.

What makes this particularly concerning is the recurring nature of the injury. Marchand previously had both hip surgery and a sports hernia procedure during his time with the Bruins. He reportedly aggravated the old issue in December, just as he was leading the Panthers with 23 goals and 55 points.

Fans online were quick to note that age could be a complicating factor. At 38, recovery timelines tend to stretch, and there is no guarantee that a "conservative approach" won't extend well beyond the early weeks of the season.

Florida opens the 2026-27 regular season on September 29 at Carolina, with the home opener against Minnesota set for October 10. The Panthers will play four preseason games beginning Sunday against the Hurricanes.

The club appears comfortable moving forward without Marchand in the short term, but how long that short term lasts could go a long way in shaping Florida's early season outlook.