Marchand hits 1,000 career points as Panthers open homestand with win over Capitals
Brad Marchand has joined the 1,000-point club.
With his assist on Eetu Luostarinen’s empty-net goal late in the third period of the Florida Panthers’ 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday at Amerant Bank Arena, the veteran winger became the 102nd player in NHL history to log 1,000 points in his career.
“Kind of hoped it would be tonight,” Marchand said. “Had the family here. It’s nice to do it at home too.”
Marchand, 37 years old and in his 17th NHL season, is one of 12 active players to have that many points, joining a group that includes Sidney Crosby (1,707 points entering Thursday), Alex Ovechkin (1,635), Evgeni Malkin (1,367), Patrick Kane (1,348), Anze Kopitar (1,287), Steven Stamkos (1,194), John Tavares (1,135), Claude Giroux (1,128), Connor McDavid (1,107), Nathan MacKinnon (1,047) and Nikita Kucherov (1,008).
Kucherov joined the 1,000-point club earlier this season.
Marchand, who also had the primary assist on defenseman Seth Jones’ power-play goal earlier in the third period, accomplished the feat in 1,116 games.
“It was awesome and special,” Jones said. “We’re a tight group in here, and he’s had an amazing career so far, and it feels like he’s got a lot left in the tank the way he’s playing for us this year. So that was pretty cool.”
It’s the latest effort in a stellar start to the season for Marchand, who is in the first season of a six-year contract extension with the Panthers after being acquired by Florida at the trade deadline last season. With his two points, he extends his team lead with 20 points on the season through 16 games. He also leads the with 11 goals and is tied for second on the team with nine assists. It’s the fastest Marchand had gotten to 20 points in a season in his NHL career.
He has logged points in nine consecutive games, with multiple points in five of those outings.
“He’s unstoppable,” Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said. “I don’t know how he does it every game, to have that kind of motor and be going every night. Everything he shoots [is going in]. It’s amazing. Such a great player. You can see the energy he brings every night.”
While Marchand’s milestone is the headliner, it was one of several accomplished by Panthers players on Thursday as Florida improved to 9-7-1 on the season and started a five-game homestand — and a stretch of 11 of 12 games on home ice — on a high note..
Forward Evan Rodrigues and Jones each scored his 100th career goal. Rodrigues’ goal came 8:53 into the first period to tie the game at 1-1 after Washington opened the scoring 28 seconds earlier. Jones’ came 9:50 into the third period to put Florida up 5-2.
Defenseman Gustav Forsling, meanwhile, had the primary assist on Cole Schwindt’s goal 3:05 into the second period to put Florida up 2-1 for his 200th career point.
And with 37 saves, Daniil Tarasov earned his first win with the Panthers.
“We all celebrate together,” Marchand said. “It feels pretty incredible to be part of a group that enjoys each other as much as we do and is as close as we are. It makes these moments that much more special.”
This story was originally published November 13, 2025 at 9:45 PM.
.JPG)