The Florida Panthers captain, Aleksander Barkov, underwent surgery on Friday to repair the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee. These injuries could sideline him during the regular season and possibly the playoffs, at a crucial moment for the Panthers, who are seeking their third consecutive Stanley Cup title. Barkov suffered the injury on Thursday during his first official training camp practice. The team reported that the estimated recovery time for this type of surgery ranges from seven to nine months. This means that, at a minimum, he will not be able to play before the start of the playoffs. In addition, the injury prevents him from representing his native Finland in the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games next February, something he was hoping and planning for.
Barkov was injured 20 minutes into training during an exercise in which he received minimal contact.“He’s a very important person in the locker room,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said on Friday. “I think what we’re going to experience now is that we’ll get to know other leaders we have on our team.”
Paul Maurice, Panthers Coach
Last season, Barkov led the Panthers in assists with 51 and was second in points with 71. In the playoffs, he added six goals and 16 more assists, contributing to Florida winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup. In his 12 seasons in the NHL, Barkov has participated in more than 86% of Florida’s games, including the playoffs. This is the first time he has faced an injury that could end his season. The Panthers, who have reached the last three Stanley Cup Finals and have played more games in the last three seasons than any other team in a three-year period in NHL history, will have to face another major setback as the season approaches. In addition to Barkov, the Panthers will also be without forward Matthew Tkachuk, who is recovering from summer surgery to repair a tear in his adductor muscle. There is no defined timeframe for Tkachuk’s return; given the usual recovery time for this type of procedure, it is unlikely that he will return before December. Since Tkachuk arrived at the Panthers in 2022, Florida has only played five games without him or Barkov in the lineup, all last October, winning three of those games. In addition, Tomas Nosek, who played a significant role in last season’s Cup run, is expected to miss a considerable amount of time due to a knee injury.“I know the idea is that the next player steps up,” Maurice said. “But there is no next player for Barky’s skates.”
Paul Maurice, Panthers Coach
Barkov leads Florida in numerous categories, including games played (804), goals (286), assists (496), points (782), power-play goals (84), and game-winning goals (52).“It’s going to be difficult,” Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said when asked about the news of Barkov on Friday. “He’s our leader; there’s no way to replace Barky. Everyone has to step up. There’s no way to replace him, but it’s another challenge for our group. And we’re usually pretty good at overcoming challenges.”
Carter Verhaeghe, Panthers forward
