Brad Marchand might make his debut for the Florida Panthers on Friday night time when his new workforce hosts the Utah Hockey Membership in Dawn, Fla.
Marchand, acquired from the Boston Bruins on March 7 for a conditional second-round draft choose in 2027, has not been capable of play for Florida due to an upper-body damage.
He skated on the Panthers’ second line in follow for the second day in a row on Thursday. Sam Bennett, who didn’t follow on Wednesday, was at heart, and Mackie Samoskevich was at left wing.
“We’ll see how everybody comes again to the rink (on Friday), after which (after) the morning skate, we’ll make the choice whether or not Brad is in or not,” Florida coach Paul Maurice mentioned.
Marchand, 36, had performed his total 16-season profession with the Bruins, recording 422 objectives and 976 factors in 1,090 video games. He has 21 objectives and 26 assists to go together with a minus-8 ranking in 61 video games this season. He had been Boston’s captain because the starting of the 2023-24 marketing campaign.
Marchand has acclimated himself to his new environment because the commerce.
“He is a part of the group, and he is had the chance to get all of the social elements out of the best way,” Maurice mentioned. “He is dying to get into the sport and play the sport with the blokes on the market.”
Florida (43-25-3, 89 factors) has been idle since posting a 4-3 shootout victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
The Panthers are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for second place within the Atlantic Division, one level behind the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Lightning breezed to an 8-0 win Thursday over the Utah Hockey Membership (32-29-11, 75 factors), who’ve misplaced two video games in a row.
Beginning goalie Karel Vejmelka surrendered 4 objectives on 11 photographs Thursday earlier than being pulled halfway into the second interval. Jaxson Stauber gave up 4 objectives on 10 photographs in reduction.
“It was actually disappointing the best way we got here out, did not win sufficient battles, did not get on the within,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny mentioned. “All people’s in the identical boat — coaches, gamers. … All of us need to look ourselves within the mirror. The nice factor is we’re taking part in tomorrow.”
The Utah Hockey Membership fell behind 2-0 simply 4:20 into the sport after which allowed 4 objectives within the second interval.
“That was horrible, from the begin to the end, we did not play practically the model of sport that we wished to play, and it confirmed,” Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev mentioned. “Now we have to decide if we wish to be within the playoffs or not. That is form of a punch within the face.”
Sergachev performed his first sport in Tampa since being traded in the course of the offseason. He was with the Lightning from 2017 to 2024 and helped them win Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. He was honored with a video tribute in the course of the first interval.
“It is robust to speak about it proper now, actually, after a sport like that,” Sergachev mentioned. “However I mentioned in between intervals that I actually appreciated it. It was nice. … Thanks for the nice and cozy reception. The followers are nice, everyone’s nice. It was alleged to be a particular night time.”
–Subject Stage Media
