Marchand Feared Knee Injury Was Career-Ending. Now He Targets a December Return

Brad Marchand went down on October 6 thinking his career might be over. On Thursday, he stood at an airport in Fort Lauderdale talking about December. The Florida Panthers winger told reporters he feared his left knee injury against the Los Angeles Kings could be a career-ending or season-ending one, then said he has never been so happy to be out for this long. He expects to return in five to six weeks, which points to a December comeback, and he is already skating again.

What happened on October 6?

Marchand was driving hard to the net against the Kings when he was pulled down by defenceman Brandt Clarke. His left leg collapsed beneath him and he crashed into the boards in a heap, NHL.com reports. The Associated Press adds that he took a high stick late in the second period and wound up crashing into the goal post, his left knee bending at an awkward angle. He had to be helped off the ice by teammates, unable to put any weight on the leg. The Panthers said on October 9 that he would miss six weeks. Coach Paul Maurice said last week that he could be back in as few as three weeks. Marchand’s own update on Thursday lands between the two and closer to the original estimate. It was a frightening scene for a player who had never been hurt this way before, and the first reports out of Los Angeles did nothing to calm it. Semyon Varlamov’s return from two knee replacements after 676 days away shows how long these roads can run, and Marchand’s began with the same uncertainty.

What did Marchand think when he went down?

He thought the worst, and he said so plainly. “I’ve never hurt my knee before; I didn’t know what to think when I went down,” Marchand said. “I thought it could be a career-ending type of thing, a season-ending thing.” The fear did not last long. The Panthers soon learned he would be able to begin on-ice rehab within a few weeks, which is what happened, and Marchand has now been skating for more than a week. “When I found out it would be a couple of months or whatever, I was pretty happy that that was the case,” he said. “It’s been getting better and stronger every day. We’re working through it.” That is why the quote that travelled furthest on Thursday was not about the injury at all. “I’ve never been so happy to be out for this amount of time,” he said, and for a player who has spent 18 seasons hating to sit, the sentence only makes sense if the alternative was never playing again.

Why is December later than the last timeline?

Because the last timeline was the optimistic one. Maurice told reporters last week that Marchand could be back in as few as three weeks, and the Panthers’ original October 9 announcement said six. Marchand’s own estimate on Thursday, five to six weeks from now, settles closer to the original number and rules out a November return. “I can’t say it’s this month, but probably within five weeks, six weeks,” he said, Florida Hockey Now reports. The Associated Press reports he hopes to return to game action within the next six weeks, possibly a bit less. The difference matters because Florida is already playing without its captain, and because every week of the estimate is a week the Panthers’ depth gets tested. Igor Shesterkin’s season-ending injury in New York is the reminder of how these stories can turn, and Marchand knows his own could have turned that way too.

Who is rehabbing with him?

His captain, and his old enemy. Aleksander Barkov hurt his own left knee against the San Jose Sharks on October 1, when his leg crumpled during a board battle, and was said to be out six to eight weeks, NHL.com reports. The two have been skating on their own with forward Jonah Gadjovich, and Maurice said the next step is incorporating them back into the main practice group. Barkov missed all of last season with a right knee injury sustained in training camp, so this is his second straight year starting in the treatment room. “Hopefully, soon, both of us will be back,” Barkov said. “It has been great to share the experience with Marchy, see what he does, how he gets ready.” Then the line that sums up the strangest part of the pairing: “I like getting to know him better. I didn’t think I would ever say that.” Marchand spent 16 seasons in Boston as the player Florida fans loved to hate, and the rehab skate has turned him into Barkov’s training partner.

What does this mean for a 38-year-old in year 18?

It means the ending is still his to choose. Marchand is in his third season with the Panthers after playing his first 16 with the Boston Bruins, and he helped Florida win its second straight Stanley Cup last season, the Associated Press reports. He is under contract for four more seasons after this one, so the club clearly believes he has plenty of hockey left. He said he hopes to dictate when his time is done, and not have an injury make the decision for him. “When you win, that’s what drives you. I want to win,” he said. “The longer you play, you realize that you may think that you are going to have multiple opportunities throughout your career, but you may never have another one.” Alex Ovechkin’s sons introducing him at his final home opener showed what a chosen ending looks like this season, and Marchand’s relief on Thursday was the relief of a player who gets to chase one of his own. The hit that could have ended his career instead gave him a scare and a timeline, and he is treating both as a gift.

What happens next?

The rehab moves into the main group, and then the calendar decides. The Panthers, 9-5-2 without their two best forwards, visit the Washington Capitals on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET, NHL.com reports. Barkov’s return should come first, at the end of November or the start of December, with Marchand following in December. Bo Horvat’s return to the lineup after Frank Nazar’s match penalty showed how quickly a scary injury can resolve into a return, and Florida will be hoping for the same shape here. Marchand signed the new JetBlue plane before it flew to Boston on Thursday, his former home, and the next time he boards a team flight, it should be as a player again rather than a passenger at a ceremony.