Brad Marchand Finds Silver Lining for Florida Panthers Amid Aleksander Barkov’s ‘Unfortunate’ Season Miss

“There’s not a next man for his skates,” said Paul Maurice after Aleksander Barkov was injuries came to light. Following the revelation, the Panthers’ captain was ruled to miss most of the upcoming season. breaking fans’ hearts worldwide. However, Brad Marchand, one of the most experienced names in the Florida roster, believes moments like these are what make or break stars.

When Marchand arrived in Miami, many hockey fans thought it would be a tough transition after the star having played for Boston for so many seasons. But, being the adaptable NHL-er that he is, the 37-year-old winger hit the ground running. Bagging 20 points in 23 playoff games last season, Marchand became a driving force behind the Panthers’ second-straight Lord Stanley Cup triumph. And now, as defending the title looks like a tall task right now, the Canadian the team needs to step up.

In a recent video shared by the official Florida Panthers’ X handle, Brad Marchand could be heard talking about how the captain’s absence shouldn’t be a determining factor for the team’s campaign. “You know, you can have guys go down and still have success, because there’s not one player that you rely on. It’s a group game, a team game…it doesn’t matter who’s in or out,” the hockey veteran hockey star could be heard saying. With that, he also noted that the best and most successful NHL teams always manage to find the winning formula even in the face of the toughest adversity.

But even Marchand had to admit that losing Barkov is a severe blow to the Panthers’ plans. “Obviously, it’s unfortunate that we lost our best player and our best leader,” he said. And yet, that could turn out to be a boon in disguise, the winger posited, saying, “Again, that just creates the opportunity for someone else to be big, someone else to fill into a hole that maybe they didn’t think they were needed for a while because Barky was there. But it gives an opportunity for others to step up and have a voice.”

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— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) September 27, 2025

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