Panthers’ Brad Marchand helped off ice with lower-body injury

The Florida Panthers continue to struggle with injuries.

Forward Brad Marchand needed help off the ice after he suffered an apparent lower-body injury in Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.

The incident occurred late in the second period after Marchand drove to the Kings’ net and fell awkwardly, with his left leg buckling underneath. He would require help off the ice and was unable to put pressure on the leg.

Marchand finished the night with two shots and one hit in 9:36 of ice time.

It was just the second game of the season for Marchand, 38, who returned to the Florida lineup after he underwent offseason surgery for an unspecified injury. He had an assist and three shots on goal in the Panthers’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.

Marchand’s injury comes after head coach Paul Maurice said earlier in the day that captain Aleksander Barkov is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks with a lower-body injury. Barkov was hurt last week against the San Jose Sharks in what was just his second game since missing the entire 2025-26 season due to an ACL injury.

Marchand had 27 goals and 27 assists for 54 points in 52 games with the Panthers last season. Since entering the league in 2009, Marchand has recorded 451 goals and 583 assists for 1,034 points and 1,153 penalty minutes with Florida and the Boston Bruins.

The Halifax native has reached the 80-point mark five times in his 17-year career, including a 2018-19 campaign with Boston that saw him post a career-high 100 points (36 goals and 64 assists).

He also has 66 goals and 92 assists for 158 points in 180 career playoff games. He won the Stanley Cup in 2011 with the Bruins and again in 2025 with the Panthers.