George Richards, FHN Publisher
The Florida Panthers have been without star defenseman Seth Jones ever since he fractured his collarbone off a deflected puck 4 minutes into the Winter Classic on Jan. 2 in Miami.
Jones finally gets back in the lineup tonight against the Vancouver Canucks.
Paul Maurice said before the Panthers left for their four-game road trip that he thought Jones would be able to play tonight.
Tuesday, he confirmed to reporters that Jones would be return from his injury.
To get Jones under the salary cap, it is thought that Florida will place Brad Marchand on long-term injured reserve. Marchand has missed the past few games and is not expected back with a lingering lower-body issue.
The Panthers were a point out of the playoffs when Jones got hurt — and things went on a downward slide after that.
Florida comes into tonight’s game 12 points back of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
“The proverbial straw,’’ Maurice said last week.
“You take the dominant man up front — and, he and Niko Mikkola, at times, in the playoffs were the dominant pair — that seems to be the straw. There was there, then stacked on that was nine games in 15 days.’’
ON DECK: GAME 67
FLORIDA PANTHERS at VANCOUVER CANUCKS
- When: Tuesday, 10 p.m.
- Where: Rogers Arena, Vancouver
- Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
- Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
- Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
- Local Betting Odds — Panthers Favored: MoneyLine (-145); Puck Line -1.5 (+160); O/U 6.5 (+115/-145)
- Season Series (Panthers Lead 1-0) — At Florida: Panthers 8, Canucks 5 (Nov. 17). At Vancouver: Tuesday.
- Last Season: Canucks Won 2-0.
- All-time Regular Season Series: Vancouver leads 21-14-4, 6 ties
- Up Next for the Panthers: Thursday at Edmonton Oilers, 9 p.m.