Florida Panthers winger Jonah Gadjovich was skating alone to start training camp, suggesting he has not fully recovered from the injury that ended his NHL season last year.
It's been a long road to recovery for Florida Panthers winger Jonah Gadjovich, and if the first day of training camp was any indication, the road to recovery is still not complete.
After playing the first 10 games of the 2025-26 campaign, Gadjovich suffered a neck injury that required surgery. His initial timeline had him set to return in March 2026, but setbacks kept him out of action and eventually ruled him out for the season.
With the longer off-season, the hope was that Gadjovich would be healthy and ready to start the season on the fourth line, but as camp opened up, Gadjovich was seen skating with Brad Marchand between team practice sessions.
That clearly indicates Gadjovich is still not healthy and is still a ways off from returning.
Marchand skating on his own was expected, as he recently had surgery and was expected to miss the beginning of the season.
But Gadjovich's injury update is a total surprise, especially considering GM Bill Zito's comments at the end of the season.
“He was pretty close a couple times and then would have a setback,” Zito said during the team’s end-of-season media availability. “Through it all, he’s been a wonderful teammate.”
The 27-year-old will undergo a physical in the coming days, and there are concerns about whether he will pass. If he can't start the season, the Panthers will, of course, have to adjust their lines, since Gadjovich was expected to form a physical fourth line with Lars Eller and Garnet Hathaway.
With several fringe NHL roster players like Cole Schwindt, Cole Reinhardt, Sam Lafferty, and John Beecher, the Panthers should have no trouble finding a replacement. Still, none of them provide the physical edge and emotional spark Gadjovich brings.
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