More surgery for Panthers winger Brad Marchand, questions facing the Canadiens this season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers winger Brad Marchand said he recently underwent surgery to address a lingering lower-body issue.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

Marchand, 38, said he’d hoped to address the issue without surgery but that it was no longer avoidable. It’s believed that he’s dealing with a hip and sports hernia injury. He could be sidelined for two months, which means he could miss training camp and the start of the 2026-27 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The wear and tear of 17 NHL seasons may be catching up with Marchand. His injuries sidelined him for 30 games last season, though he did manage to score 27 goals and 54 points in 57 games.

Fortunately for Marchand and the Panthers, his recovery period shouldn’t keep him out of the lineup for too long this season. Nevertheless, at this stage of his career, it will be interesting to see how long it takes him to return to game shape and the effect it has on his performance.

NHL.COM: Whether Jakub Dobes can play as a No. 1 goaltender for a full season is among the questions facing the Montreal Canadiens this season. The 25-year-old Dobes started well in 2025-26, struggled through November and December, improved during the second half of the regular season, and was outstanding during the playoffs.

Whether Kirby Dach can stay healthy and whether the Canadiens can find a suitable second-line center from within or outside the organization are the other questions to be addressed this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens will be in good shape between the pipes if Dobes has emerged as a reliable starting goalie. He’ll also be challenged by promising Jacob Fowler, while former starter Sam Montembeault could push to regain his former job.

It’s probably wishful thinking to expect Dach to put his injury woes behind him and become the second-line center the Canadiens envisioned him to be when they acquired him four years ago. His development has been hampered by those injuries, making him a depth forward at this point.

THE SCORE: Jack Roslovic is confident that the Toronto Maple Leafs are “ready to win” despite missing the playoffs last season. The 29-year-old forward joined the Maple Leafs as a free agent, signing a two-year contract on July 1.

Speaking with TSN’s Overdrive last week, Roslovic believes the Maple Leafs have improved since last season. He’s also looking forward to playing with Leafs captain Auston Matthews again. The two were linemates with the US National Team Development Program in 2014-15.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: On paper, the Maple Leafs are a better team than they were last season. Nevertheless, there are some potentially concerning issues, starting with whether 37-year-old goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky can rebound from his poor performance with the injury-ravaged Florida Panthers last season.

How well first-overall pick Gavin McKenna adjusts to the NHL is another issue to watch, along with whether defenseman Darren Raddysh can build on last season’s career year with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The play of other newcomers such as Roslovic, Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, and Teddy Blueger will also be crucial to the Leafs’ hopes of returning to playoff contention.

What do you think, Maple Leafs fans? Do you share Roslovic’s confidence that his new club is ready to win this season? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

DAILY FACEOFF: Mike Gould looked at the top NHL sophomore breakout candidates for this season.

Gould’s listing includes Matvei Gridin and Zayne Parekh of the Calgary Flames; Gabe Perreault of the New York Rangers; Igor Chernyshov and Michael Misa of the San Jose Sharks; Danila Yurov of the Minnesota Wild; and Ryan Leonard of the Washington Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Do you agree with Gould’s listing? Is there a promising sophomore you think belongs on this list? Let us know in the comments section.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ryan O’Hara reports Utah Mammoth prospect Tij Iginla believes he’ll be ready to crack the roster this season.

During the Mammoth’s development camp earlier this summer, Iginla said he was looking forward to a big summer of preparation for training camp in September. He had a healthy 2025-26 campaign and made improvements to the smaller details in his game.

RATINGS.COM: Marco D’Amico reports Nashville Predators prospect Cam Reid is looking forward to another shot at pursuing a gold medal in the World Juniors. He’s also committed to the University of Michigan for 2026-27 after spending the past three seasons with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers.

The 19-year-old defenseman was selected 21st overall by the Predators in the 2025 NHL Draft. He captained the Rangers to the Memorial Cup last season.