Panthers hit with very tough Brad Marchand news ahead of season

Florida fans already knew this one was coming, but hearing it straight from the general manager still stings a little.

Brad Marchand will not be in the lineup when the Panthers open their season, and the wait for his return is going to test everyone's patience in South Florida.

Zito addressed the situation Wednesday morning as players reported for physicals ahead of training camp, and he didn't sugarcoat it.

Marchand had surgery back in August for what's been called an unspecified injury, and the recovery clock simply hasn't hit zero yet.

The good news, if there is any, is that Zito sounded genuinely unbothered by the timeline.

The Panthers GM told reporters he expects Marchand back early in the season and made a point of saying it isn't something keeping him up at night.

Florida plans to bring the 38 year old along slowly rather than rush him back before he's truly ready, which tracks given how much this same lower body issue bothered him down the stretch last year.

Marchand missed a big chunk of games late in the previous campaign dealing with the same general area, so nobody in the organization wants a repeat.

Even in a limited role last season, Marchand was one of the most productive players wearing a Panthers sweater, and losing him for even a handful of games opens the door for younger forwards to step into bigger minutes early.

Training camp opens Thursday, and the countdown to the opener against Carolina on September 29 is officially underway, with or without him.

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