In the NHL, Brad Marchand suffered an undisclosed injury, which led him to miss ten of the Florida Panthers’ final 15 games heading into the Milan Olympics break. And at the Games, he just played against Czechia and wasn’t found in the following match. However, a recent injury update regarding the former Bruins captain says a lot about Team Canada’s strategy before the quarterfinals.

Armando Velez reported on Marchand’s status, stating, “With Canada securing first in group A, Brad Marchand will be sitting out today’s game vs. France for rest purposes as he was battling an injury pre-Olympics. Canada’s next game will take place on Wednesday, opponent TBD.”

His absence against France, following his scratch against Switzerland, seems more of a calculated approach by head coach Jon Cooper and his team, who are preserving one of their best players for high-stakes hockey matches that will commence on a later date at the Winter Olympics.

With this decision, Team Canada’s intentions are very clear. They have already achieved their first goal, being at the top of Group A with six points, and an impeccable goal differential of +9. And the game against France is statistically meaningless for the QF spot. So, the team isn’t taking any chances by putting Marchand on ice, as that could potentially risk an injury.

However, the 37-year-old hasn’t been away from the rink. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug posted a video of Brad Marchand training with his team, as he was observed skating for 40 minutes before Canada’s match against France. The reporter also pointed out that the Panthers star “seemed to be moving well and didn’t push himself too hard.”

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

So, by resting him now, Canada is signaling that their only concern is the eliminators, which will begin on Wednesday, with them locking their eyes on the gold medal game on February 22, 2026. But with or without Marchand, the team is already looking excellent.

Brad Marchand is a part of a strong Canadian squad

“The guys here are so competitive, and obviously everyone’s here for a reason. I think you gotta enjoy it too. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – except for [Sidney Crosby] and [Drew Doughty] – but you just gotta be able to enjoy the moment, have fun with it,” Brad Marchand said before the Winter Olympics kicked off, while talking to TSN’s Ryan Rishaug.

So, he played against Czechia and also was able to secure an assist at 37:26, allowing his teammate Bo Horvat to score. And the results? Canada didn’t just defeat Czechia; they dominated them with a score of 5-0.

However, against Switzerland, Marchand wasn’t part of the squad, and still, Canada went on to dominate in the game 5-1. He’s also missing the match against France, but as of writing this report, his team is already up 6-1 in the second period.

As the tournament transitions into its next phase on Wednesday, fans can anticipate a rested and prepared Brad Marchand to unleash his full potential against Team Canada’s opponent.