Panthers' Brad Marchand steps away from team to support friend whose daughter died from cancer

Brad Marchand is taking some time away from the Florida Panthers to help a friend dealing with an unimaginable tragedy. Marchand returned to his hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia, to serve as a fill-in coach for his friend, JP MacCallum, whose 10-year-old daughter recently died from cancer, per the Associated Press.

Marchand missed Tuesday night's shootout loss against the Anaheim Ducks as he traveled back to Halifax and served as a guest coach for the March and Mill Co. Hunters in Wednesday's game against the Halifax Macs.

Prior to the game, Marchand announced that there would be fundraisers to support the McCallum family and to honor Selah Panacci-MacCallum after her passing.

"Please join us in celebrating an amazing night at the rink made possible by the ongoing giving nature of a 10 year-old girl that loved the game with all her (heart)," Marchand wrote.

Marchand co-owns the parent company, March and Mill Co., that supports the Nova Scotia U18 Hockey League team. Marchand is expected to rejoin the Panthers for Saturday's game against the Dallas Stars, and coach Paul Maurice said the extended break between games gave Marchand a good opportunity to support his friend.

"The schedule actually worked well for what he's going through, for what the family is going through," Maurice told reporters on Wednesday. "... We took the second day off, which is what we're gonna do now. It fits well with what Brad's going through. He obviously won't be here tomorrow. There's no ice tomorrow. He'll come back for the game."

Now in his first full season with the Panthers, Marchand is off to a fast start with five goals and six assists in 10 games.