Florida’s camp opens with a new crease, a Tkachuk reunion and one immediate hole on the wing. Brad Marchand will not be ready for the Sept. 29 regular-season opener after offseason surgery for an undisclosed issue.
- Brad Marchand is sidelined to begin the season. His absence could create an opening for rookie Jack Devine.
- Florida went 40-38-4 last season, finished seventh in the Atlantic Division and missed the playoffs after consecutive Stanley Cup-winning seasons.
- Injuries also cost time last year for Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, Seth Jones, Dmitry Kulikov and Niko Mikkola. Staying available is the club’s central concern under coach Paul Maurice, now entering his fifth season.
- Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid arrive to replace Sergei Bobrovsky, who left for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Markstrom was acquired from the New Jersey Devils on June 30; Schmid came from the Vegas Golden Knights a day earlier.
- Markstrom returns to the organization that drafted him 31st overall in 2008. He played 43 games for Florida across four seasons through 2013-14. Last season in New Jersey, he went 23-19-1 with a 3.07 goals-against average, an .883 save percentage and one shutout in 44 appearances.
- Schmid posted a 16-10-6 record for Vegas, with a 2.59 GAA, .893 save percentage and two shutouts in 34 games. He is expected to begin as the No. 1B behind Markstrom.
- Brady Tkachuk joined Florida from the Ottawa Senators on June 21. The 26-year-old recorded 22 goals and 59 points in 60 games last season and is projected beside Barkov and Sam Reinhart.
- Brady and Matthew Tkachuk could also be reunited on the same Florida line. They previously played together for the United States at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, where the Americans won gold.
- Devine, a 2022 seventh-round selection, turns 23 on Oct. 1. He had 18 goals, 25 assists and 43 points in 63 games for AHL Charlotte, then went scoreless in six NHL games from Nov. 20 through Dec. 2.
- Sandis Vilmanis is slated for bottom-six duty entering camp. The 22-year-old had three goals and five points in 19 Panthers games while averaging 10:24 of ice time. In Charlotte, he put up 17 goals and 38 points in 48 games, then led Latvia with 11 points in eight games at the 2026 IIHF World Championship.
- Schmid’s 2.59 GAA ranked tied for 11th among goaltenders with at least 30 games last season. His .901 save rate on mid-range shots ranked tied for 14th. In the 2023 playoffs with New Jersey, he went 4-4 with a 2.35 GAA, .921 save percentage and two shutouts over nine games.
The projected top unit has Brady Tkachuk on Barkov’s left and Reinhart on the right. Verhaeghe, Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk form the second line. Luostarinen, Lundell and Vilmanis follow, with Schwindt, Eller and Hathaway penciled into the fourth group.
Forsling-Ekblad, Mikkola-Jones and Kulikov-Gudas are the projected defense pairs. Markstrom gets the first look in net, with Schmid behind him. The Panthers have enough depth to rebound, but the season will turn on whether the roster can avoid another long injury ledger and whether the new tandem can cover Bobrovsky’s departure.
SEO Title: Florida Panthers Shift Report: Marchand Out, New Goalie Tandem
SEO Description: Brad Marchand will miss the start of Florida’s season, while Jacob Markstrom, Akira Schmid and Brady Tkachuk reshape the Panthers’ projected lineup.
