Why Panthers’ Brad Marchand won’t be punished for elbow to head of Canadiens player

Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand will not face supplemental discipline from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for his overtime elbow to the head of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson on Tuesday.

The league chose not to issue a hearing, fine, or suspension, which means Marchand will be available for the high-profile 2026 Winter Classic against the New York Rangers on Friday at LoanDepot Park in Miami.

The incident occurred with the game tied 2-2 in overtime. Sam Bennett had Matheson pinned along the goal line when Matheson reached for the puck. Marchand came in from the side and made contact, extending his right elbow into Matheson’s head area at the 1:27 mark.

Officials assessed a two-minute roughing penalty. Montreal took advantage of the power play, with Nick Suzuki scoring at 3:24 to complete a 3-2 comeback after Florida had let a late 2-0 lead slip away.

Video of the play showed elbow contact, but the Panthers forward’s arm was low and tucked, and Matheson was crouched close to the ice.

As per ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, a league source pointed to the limited force of the contact and the fact that it was already penalized on the ice as reasons for not taking further action.

Marchand’s most recent suspension came in 2021. However, earlier in the season, the veteran Panthers forward was fined $5,000 by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for unsportsmanlike conduct following an altercation with the Buffalo Sabres skipper, Rasmus Dahlin.

In this case, the league did not see a clear intent or an injury that warranted escalation. It is worth noting that Marchand has been suspended eight times for on-ice misconduct, the most of any player in NHL history.

Social media quickly filled with clips of the play and criticism of the league’s leniency. The timing added fuel to the debate, as Marchand had been honored before the game for reaching 1,000 career points and is set to appear in his fourth outdoor game while playing a key role in Florida’s Stanley Cup defense.

Questions arose about whether the Winter Classic influenced the ruling, though similar penalized plays without severe violence have often avoided further discipline.

Later on Wednesday, Hockey Canada selected the Florida star for its 25-man roster for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. He will be making his Olympic debut, though he has already won gold with Canada at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and the 2016 IIHF World Championship.

Marchand, who was acquired in 2025, has been one of the top performers for the Panthers at age 37 and leads the team with 23 goals, including the opening goal in the loss to Montreal. His availability provides stability for head coach Paul Maurice as Florida moves forward after a frustrating defeat.

Sitting fourth in the Atlantic Division, the Panthers will now turn their attention to redemption in Miami, where nearly 40,000 fans are expected under the Winter Classic spotlight.

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