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NHL Notebook: Brad Marchand departs Panthers’ game with lower-body injury

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

By Cynthia Ryley Delaney

Oct 7, 2026, 18:45 EDTUpdated: Oct 7, 2026, 18:49 EDT

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Just one game into his 2026-27 season, it looks like Brad Marchand will miss significant time.

Active off the injured list this past weekend, the Florida Panthers’ forward crashed hard into a goal post late in the second period against the Los Angeles Kings, having to be helped off the ice. As of right now, it’s considered a lower-body injury with no additional updates.

This comes one game after their captain, Aleksander Barkov, departed the game against the San Jose Sharks with an apparent knee injury. Barkov missed all of the 2025-26 season due to a knee injury, and Marchand missed 30 games as his season ended prematurely.

In 52 games last season, Marchand scored 27 goals and 54 points, a rather productive season for a 37-year-old at the time. When healthy, Barkov is widely considered one of the best two-way centres in the league, scoring 20 goals and 71 points in 67 games during the 2024-25 season.

Losing both these players for any significant amount of time is a big blow to the Panthers’ playoff hopes. After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025, the Panthers missed the postseason and swung big in the off-season, acquiring Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators.

Oilers and Penguins make a trade

The trade deadline is still months away, but on Wednesday morning, the Edmonton Oilers sent Spencer Stastney to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Filip Hållander.

Pittsburgh Penguins

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The Penguins have acquired defenseman Spencer Stastney from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for forward Filip Hallander. Details: pens.pe/3VwVGhm

Photo of Spencer Stastney with trade details for Filip Hallander.

4:30 PM · Oct 7, 2026

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Stastney, a defenceman, found himself on the odd-man out on the Oilers’ blue line, failing to appear in the Oilers’ three games. Acquired by the Oilers on Dec. 12 as a replacement for former Calgary Flame Brett Kulak, Stastney’s tenure in Alberta finished after just 36 games where he scored.

Ironically, Kulak was traded to the Penguins on Dec. 12, making this an odd trade circle. As for Hållander, he’s played just 18 NHL games after the Penguins selected him 58th overall in 2018, scoring two goals and seven points. In the Penguins’ season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Swede scored a goal and three points in a blowout victory.

Alex Ovechkin set to retire following the 2026-27 season

From a player with just two NHL goals to the all-time goal scorer, Alex Ovechkin announced on Monday morning that the 2026-27 season will be his final season before retirement.

Washington Capitals

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Alex Ovechkin announced to his teammates this morning that this season will be his final in the NHL

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2:54 PM · Oct 5, 2026

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Ovechkin was selected first overall by the Washington Capitals back in 2004. Over his 22-year career, the 41-year-old has scored 929 goals and 1,688 points in 1,575 games, becoming the all-time goal leader late in the 2024-25 season. The Russian has remained productive, scoring 32 goals and 64 points in 82 games with the Capitals last season.

In his 22 seasons, Ovechkin has won nine Rocket Richard trophies, three Hart Trophies, three Ted Lindsay awards, and a Stanley Cup in 2018. He’s a first ballot Hall of Famer in 2030 (assuming he doesn’t continue his career in Russia).

Cynthia Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for DFO Calgary, DFO Edmonton, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @CynthiaRDelaney.

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