Brad Marchand absent from Panthers' morning skate ahead of heated matchup vs Canadiens

Brad Marchand was not on the ice this morning, and it's generating a lot of buzz.

When a player like him misses the morning skate, it quickly becomes a major question mark. Especially when the Panthers come into the Bell Centre for a game that's already loaded with emotion.

The context doesn't help. Canadiens fans are still choking up on the hit to the head of Mike Matheson. The league did not issue a suspension, despite all the noise surrounding the sequence and the roughing penalty.

It leaves a sense of unfinished business, and we know how that can electrify a crowd in Montreal.

So, will he miss the game?

Impossible to confirm until we see warmups and the official lineup, but it really looks like that will be the case.

With what happened against the Leafs, let's just say the absence feels heavier today.

And for those talking about "revenge" on the Canadiens' side, I'll put it this way: the best revenge is two points, because everything indicates Brad Marchand will not be in uniform tonight.

If he plays, the atmosphere will be electric from his very first shift. If he doesn't play, it changes the scenery, but not the challenge. Either way, the Bell Centre will be ready.

Brad Marchand has been officially ruled out for tonight's game against Montreal and is considered day-to-day.

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