Is Brad Marchand playing in Olympic quarterfinal? What to know about Team Canada status vs. Czechia

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The Brad Marchand saga continues.

Team Canada will play its Olympic hockey quarterfinal on Wednesday against Czechia, and the veteran's status isn't certain.

He has missed Canada's last two games.

Marchand played in the opening 5-0 win against Czechia, then sat out on the second day of a back-to-back in an apparent rest day.

Except then when everyone expected Marchand back on Sunday to play France, he was a scratch again.

Marchand has been at practice, and he skated on the conceptual third line at Tuesday's workout.

But at this point, nothing can be taken for granted on the Marchand front.

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Is Brad Marchand playing?

Brad Marchand's playing status isn't certain, with only two words from head coach Jon Cooper to the media providing any sort of update.

Cooper said of Marchand: "He's available."

That seems like intentional word choice. He didn't say he'd be active, just that he could be.

If Marchand sits again, Seth Jarvis will remain in the lineup.

If Marchand returns, Nick Suzuki is actually a candidate to get scratched instead of Jarvis, but it remains to be seen what might happen.

It'll be news that likely emerges about an hour before the matchup with Czechia gets underway in Milan.