Marchand Set for Panthers Debut Against Utah Hockey Club

SUNRISE, Fla. – Brad Marchand is set to make his debut with the Florida Panthers Friday night when they take on the Utah Hockey Club at Amerant Bank Arena. The veteran forward was acquired in a trade from the Boston Bruins and had been sidelined with an upper-body injury prior to his first game with Florida.

“He got through the (morning) skate, so we expect him to be a player for us,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said. “He’s healed past that.” Marchand, 36, has built an impressive resume during his 16 NHL seasons, tallying 976 points (422 goals, 554 assists) across 1,090 games.

In the immediate lead-up to the game, the Panthers are in a tight race for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, currently sitting at 43-25-3, just one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs. They come off a successful 4-3 shootout win against the Pittsburgh Penguins, where Sam Reinhart scored twice.

“We’re doing a lot of good things,” Reinhart said. “We need to build on that and eliminate the mistakes.” The Panthers aim to extend their solid home form, having won six straight games at Amerant Bank Arena.

Meanwhile, Utah enters this match on a disappointing note, struggling with a 4-4-2 record in their last 10 games. The team suffered a heavy 8-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, dropping them to 32-29-11 and leaving them 10 points out of a playoff spot. As the centerpiece of their attack, Clayton Keller leads the team with 78 points this season.

“We need to reset and come back stronger,” Keller said following their recent loss. “It’s crucial for us to regroup.” The team has been outscored 13-1 in their past two games, highlighting a need for improvement as they look to remain in contention.

Marchand is expected to team up with Sam Bennett and rookie Mackie Samoskevich on a new second line for the Panthers. Maurice emphasized the importance of simplicity in Marchand’s play as he transitions into this new role.

The goaltending matchup pits Sergei Bobrovsky against Utah’s Karel Vejmelka, who has started the last 15 games – the longest active streak in the league. Bobrovsky is 30-15-2 with a .935 save percentage in March, solidifying his status as a key asset for Florida.

In injury news, the Panthers are without Matthew Tkachuk due to injury, and Aaron Ekblad is suspended. For Utah, defenseman Robert Bortuzzo and Liam O’Brien are sidelined with lower-body injuries.

Tonight’s matchup marks the second and final meeting between the two teams this season; the Panthers previously defeated Utah 4-1 on January 8. “We expect them to be very good,” Maurice said. “Our focus is on our game and what we need to bring.”

The game is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET and can be watched on Panthers+, WSFL-TV, and NHL Network.