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Marchand Injured After High-Stick as Kings Win 2-1

By Drooid · Oct 7, 2026, 4:00 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Brad Marchand Exits

Brad Marchand left the game after a high-stick from Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke twisted his left leg.
Teammates Brady Tkachuk and Niko Mikkola helped Marchand off because he could not bear weight.
Panthers won 2-1, with Matthew Tkachuk scoring the decisive goal after Marchand’s departure.
Captain Aleksander Barkov entered long-term injured reserve, sidelined six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury.

Summary

Kings Field Oldest

Kings averaged 2.68 goals per game last season, near the NHL’s lowest output.
The Los Angeles Kings field the NHL’s oldest roster, averaging 31.3 years per player per PuckPedia.
Coach Peter Laviolette, in his first season with the Kings, previously led three teams to the Stanley Cup Final.
Veteran defenseman Drew Doughty entered his 19th NHL season and continues to log heavy minutes for Los Angeles.

History

Historical Context

After the collective bargaining agreement expired in September 2004, the NHL lockout ended on February 16, 2005 when Commissioner Gary Bettman cancelled the season. The new CBA imposed a hard $39 million salary cap and floor, capping payroll after clubs spent about 76 % of revenues and lost $273 million in 2002-03. The cap forced teams like the Los Angeles Kings to build veteran-heavy rosters.

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Brad Marchand Exits

Brad Marchand left the game after a high-stick from Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke twisted his left leg.
Teammates Brady Tkachuk and Niko Mikkola helped Marchand off because he could not bear weight.
Panthers won 2-1, with Matthew Tkachuk scoring the decisive goal after Marchand’s departure.
Captain Aleksander Barkov entered long-term injured reserve, sidelined six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury.

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