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NHL left winger Brad Marchand took a break from the Florida Panthers for a good cause on Wednesday, Oct. 29
The Stanley Cup winner filled in as a coach for the March & Mill Co. Hunters team after their coach, JP MacCallum, had to take time off
MacCallum stepped away after his 10-year-old daughter, Selah, died of cancer
Florida Panthers left winger Brad Marchand is missing time on the ice with his teammates to help out a friend.
Marchand, 37, offered his hockey expertise to the March & Mill Co. Hunters team on Wednesday, Oct. 29, by filling in as the team’s coach. The team's usual coach, JP MacCallum, took time off after his 10-year-old daughter, Selah, died of cancer, per Marchand's Instagram post.
Marchand missed the Panthers' 3-2 Tuesday, Oct. 28, loss to the Anaheim Ducks after taking a leave of absence from team to attend Saleh's funeral, according to NHL.com.
The Miami Herald's Jordan McPherson wrote on X that Marchand was missing from Wednesday's practice earlier in the day.
Hours before Wednesday's game against the Halifax Macs, the Nova Scotia U-18 Major Hockey League announced on X that Marchand and Andrew Bodnarchuk will cover for the grieving father as guest coaches.
The game will also be a fundraiser to support MacCallum’s family. Marchand has offered one of his jerseys as a raffle prize, which is up for auction online.
“This gesture reflects the true spirit of the hockey community in Nova Scotia, one built on compassion, loyalty, and connection that extends far beyond the rink,” league president Paul Graham said in a statement posted to X. “Our thoughts are with JP, his loved ones, and the entire Hunters organization.”
MacCallum and Marchand forged a friendship and have worked together multiple times during Marchand’s offseason training. Marchand also co-owns the March & Mill Co. Hunters with his former Boston Bruins teammate Kevan Miller, reports The Athletic. The team is named after their outdoor apparel line.
Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty
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Marchand posted information about the raffle on Instagram, saying the game will celebrate Selah Panacci-MacCallum's life.
"Please join us in celebrating an amazing night at the rink made possible by the ongoing giving nature of a 10 year-old girl that loved the game with all her ❤️," Marchand's caption read.
Marchand is expected to be available for the Panthers' upcoming home game against the Dallas Stars on Saturday, Nov. 1, coach Paul Maurice said, reports the Associated Press.
Marchand was born in Nova Scotia and was drafted by the Boston Bruins in 2006. He won the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals with the team and also played in the 2013 and 2019 finals. Marchand was traded to the Panthers in March and helped the team win the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals in June.
Read the original article on People
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