Marchand (lower body) might be able to play before the end of October, Max Miller of NHL.com reports Wednesday.
Marchand's recovery is going better than initially hoped, though his timetable is only marginally different from what it was before. The 38-year-old might end up on the third line when he's healthy, but that says more about how stacked Florida is than his actual worth. Marchand had 27 goals and 54 points in 52 regular-season appearances with Florida in 2025-26, and on most teams, it would be easy to pencil him on for a top-six role.