Paul Maurice's latest update on Florida Panthers star winger Brad Marchand, concerns are real

Coach Paul Maurice said Marchand is day to day and will miss Thursday against Montreal. He would not rule out Saturday in Ottawa.

Marchand remains Florida's engine, 23 goals and 46 points in 41 games, and those are first-line touches to replace. He left Tuesday in Toronto before the third period, and Florida chose caution.

Sam Reinhart has matched Marchand with 23 goals, and that matters when your top trigger man sits.

As a Panthers watcher, I hate a road game in Montreal without Marchand's bite on every shift. But this roster has depth, it has to prove it tonight.

Without him, Florida's power play loses a left-shot threat and a nasty puck-retrieval guy. That means cleaner zone entries and more bodies at the crease, especially on second chances.

Maurice has talked up how fast and dangerous the Montreal Canadiens can look, especially on the power play.

If Florida protects the slot and pushes pace off the forecheck, the missing star becomes a storyline, not an excuse.

Florida is the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion, so nobody will feel sorry for them when a star sits. This is where their depth wingers have to crash the crease and turn rebounds into goals.

These teams have already traded punches this season, and Marchand was right in the middle of the noise. With him out, Florida must stay disciplined and keep it about puck touches.

Sergei Bobrovsky will get the start tonight against the Montreal Canadiens, and Florida is clearly hoping for a reset after his tough outing versus the Toronto Maple Leafs. His results have been pretty average lately, and you can see him fighting the puck at times, especially on second looks and traffic plays.

The Panthers still trust his resume, but this feels like one of those starts where he has to make an early statement save and settle the whole bench down. Against a Canadiens team that can generate quick offense, Bobrovsky's rebound control and composure will be the story from the opening faceoff.

For tonight, the Panthers need scoring from the rest of the top six and a road mindset, then we all stay alert for saturday's morning skate.