Panthers forward Brad Marchand leaves game with undisclosed injury

Brad Marchand did not return for the third period of Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs because of an undisclosed injury, and coach Paul Maurice said the decision was made to avoid making it worse.

Brad Marchand did not return for the third period of the Florida Panthers' 4-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday due to an undisclosed injury. The 37-year-old is in his first full season with Florida and is tied for the team lead in goals and leads the team in points. Coach Paul Maurice said Marchand "has been dealing with something" and described the removal as a coach's decision made to avoid making it worse. Marchand was recently named to Hockey Canada's 25-man roster for the Winter Olympics in Milan. Key facts: - Brad Marchand did not return for the third period of Tuesday's 4-1 road loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs because of an undisclosed injury. - Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Marchand "has been dealing with something" and that the decision to remove him was made to avoid worsening the issue. - Marchand, 37, is tied for the team lead in goals (23) and has a team-high 46 points in his first full season with Florida. - He was named to Hockey Canada's 25-man roster for the Winter Olympics in Milan; the report notes this would be his first Olympic appearance. - The Panthers are scheduled to play the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. Summary: Marchand's absence removed a leading scorer from the Panthers' lineup in Tuesday's loss and the team framed the move as precautionary to protect the player's health. His status for the Panthers' next game on Thursday is undetermined at this time.