Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand has dealt with multiple injuries over the past couple of seasons, and the veteran will again be sidelined after suffering a scary injury in his second appearance of the season Tuesday night.

Marchand was high-sticked by Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke late in the second period of a 2-1 victory at Crypto.com Arena, causing him to crash into the post and awkwardly bend his left knee.

The 38-year-old remained on the ice before being helped off. He is expected to miss six weeks and resume skating in three, head coach Paul Maurice confirmed Friday.

“When they go down and you see that, you’re worried,” the bench boss said, per team reporter Jameson Olive. “We went through it last year, so that’s the first thing that flashes [through your mind].”

Marchand missed 30 games in 2025-26 but still managed 27 goals and 54 points in 52 appearances. He's been a reliable contributor for the Panthers since arriving in a trade with the Boston Bruins ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.

He was a key piece of Florida's 2025 Stanley Cup run, recording 20 points in 23 games as the Cats won their second straight championship in June 2025.

Rather than testing free agency, Marchand signed a six-year, $31.5 million contract extension that will likely keep him in Sunrise for the remainder of his NHL career.

“Took a high hard one and got in a bad position,” Maurice said of Marchand's injury, per Olive. “None of it was his fault.”

After being riddled with injuries throughout the 2025-26 campaign, the Panthers are dealing with more setbacks this season. Captain Aleksander Barkov, who didn't play a single game last year, is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after suffering a lower-body injury in the team's second game.

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The hope is that both Marchand and Barkov will return during the holiday season. Until then, Florida will lean on its depth, with veteran Lars Eller elevated from the fourth line to center star forwards Sam Reinhart and Brady Tkachuk.

Following a successful four-game season-opening road trip, during which the Panthers went 2-0-2, Florida returns to Amerant Bank Arena for its home opener Saturday.

They'll host the Minnesota Wild, with puck drop scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.