Jon Cooper announces that a key forward will not be in the game against Switzerland

It is being framed as rest, not panic. Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas reported the scratch is purely for "maintenance," but any lineup change at the Winter Olympics lands like a bomb. You don't park a guy with 50 points in 50 games unless you have a plan. Or a secret.

With the 2025-26 numbers Marchand has put up—25 goals, 25 assists, and a masterclass in agitation—he has been the heartbeat of the roster. But Canada is looking at the long game.

Seth Jarvis draws in, and that changes the flavor of the offense immediately. The kid is a motor. He doesn’t glide; he attacks space. Jarvis brings a pace that burns clean through the neutral zone, a different kind of threat than Marchand’s heavy, grinding warfare.

Then there’s Travis Sanheim. He enters the fold with Josh Morrissey out, and Canada gets a stabilizer. Sanheim isn’t flashy. He doesn’t need to be. He eats minutes like a machine and uses his reach to kill plays before they start. With Morrissey gone, the blue line needed a security blanket, not a gambler.

Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper are dressing, keeping the crease battle alive, but the story is the empty spot on the left wing.

Switzerland is a tough out, sure. But they aren't the final boss. Canada knows the real war starts in the medal rounds. And you don't burn your best agitator in group play; you keep him hungry.

Marchand’s game is built on pain. Giving it and taking it. That 25-25-50 stat line came from living in the dirty areas, taking cross-checks, and digging pucks out of corners where other guys won't go. That takes a toll. The bruises add up.

If Canada wants gold, they need the Rat King frothing at the mouth for the semi-final. They need him fresh enough to turn a 2-1 game into a psychological nightmare for the other team.

So let Jarvis run wild tonight. Let Sanheim lock it down.

Marchand isn't sitting because he's done; he's sitting so he can finish everyone else later.