Brad Marchand Expected to Make Panthers Debut Friday vs Utah

Brad Marchand is expected to make his Florida Panthers debut Friday night against the Utah Hockey Club, head coach Paul Maurice confirmed following the team’s morning skate.

”We’ll get him through warm ups and see,” Maurice said. “But he’s healed past that. We expect him to play.”

Marchand, 36, was acquired by the Panthers at the trade deadline from the Boston Bruins — where he served as team captain — for a conditional second-round pick.

If Marchand does take the ice Friday in Sunrise, it will be game No. 1,091 of his 16 season NHL career and the first where he’s not wearing a Bruins jersey. He has not played since sustaining an upper-body injury on March 1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins while he was still a Bruin.

”He’s had an incredible career — he’s a Stanley Cup champion,” Maurice praised Marchand. “1,000 games, 1,000 penalty minutes, lots of points.”

Marchand will play next to Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett — who was his linemate at the 4 Nations Face-Off with Canada — on the Panthers second line.

Maurice added: “It’ll be fun running the bench.”

With 11 games remaining in the regular season, the Panthers sit one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs (Florida has game in hand) for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Puck drop is at 7 p.m. ET at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL.