Brad Marchand sat out two Team Canada games, and we now know why
![[Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Brad Marchand (63) during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game against the United States at TD Garden.](https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/medium/642923.webp "[Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Brad Marchand (63) during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game against the United States at TD Garden.")
Photo credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Brad Marchand sat for Canada's last two games and though it may have been to add some youth, we now know there was something else going on with the veteran forward.
For Team Canada's squad they had a pretty easy go of things in the preliminary round of the 2026 Olympics, going undefeated and showing exactly why they are the odds on favourites in this year's tournament.
Led by the likes of Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and a whole slew of other superstars -- it's hard to bet against them.
One player who hasn't been involved lately however is Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand, as he has been scratched the previous two games.
Marchand dealing with injury but good to go for quarterfinals
Initially thought to be a move to get some youth and speed into the lineup, it sounds like it was a little more than that according to head coach Jon Cooper.
Cooper explained the reason behind benching Marchand wasn't all due to getting Seth Jarvis in the lineup, but because Marchand has been dealing with a nagging injury:
While the extent of the injury is unclear, it is possible he reaggravated what he was dealing with earlier in the season which caused him to miss a couple games.
Marchand helps Canada get one step closer to Olympic gold
Canada is going to need him to not only be healthy, but be that typical pesky Marchand that we all love to hate but nonetheless respect. He's still a top player who adds another agitator to a lineup filled with no-nonsense guys.
Marchand has solid in the first game of the tournament as he scored a goal, so putting him back in even on the third or fourth line isn't a bad idea especially knowing that Sidney Crosby or Bo Horvat would be his center.
Canada awaits the winner of the Czechia/Denmark at which point we have to wait and see if Team USA can get past the winner of Sweden/Latvia, then we are going to be one step closer to that coveted North American Olympic Final.
For Marchand, it's also probably great to get back in on a personal note, as it may likely be the last Olympics he is able to take part in, unless he is able to keep up his current pace at 40 years old when the next one rolls around.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Team Canada scratches a forward for the quarterfinal, and the replacement is confirmed
Team Canada scratches a forward for the quarterfinal, and the replacement is confirmed
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 17|1351 ANSWERS Brad Marchand sat out two Team Canada games, and we now know why Will Brad Marchand be a key reason why Canada wins a gold medal? | ||
| Yes | 789 | 58.4 % |
| No | 562 | 41.6 % |
| List of polls | ||