Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov Gets Devastating Injury Update

The Florida Panthers are set to be without another superstar and key piece of their championship culture after Aleksander Barkov received a devastating injury update.

Jun 9, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov (16) controls the puck during the third period against the Edmonton Oilers in game three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Florida Panthers’ defense of back-to-back Stanley Cups figured to be a daunting challenge, but the road to a third straight championship just took a devastating blow. The Panthers recently opened their training camp and preseason schedule without superstar forward Matthew Tkachuk as he recovers from offseason surgery. Now, the Panthers are set to be without another superstar and key piece of their championship culture.

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, one of the top two-way centers in the world, went down with a lower-body injury during a recent practice. The injury occurred without any contact and he required assistance to leave the ice. Now, reports out of Florida state that the captain will underwent surgery on his right knee. Panthers rink side reporter Katie Engleson shared the latest update from head coach Paul Maurice.

”Per HC Paul Maurice, Florida Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov is currently undergoing surgery,” she wrote via her X account. “Maurice says they will hopefully have a detailed update later today.”

Per HC Paul Maurice, Florida Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov is currently undergoing surgery (right knee injury).

Maurice says they will hopefully have a detailed update later today.

— Katie Engleson (@KatieEngleson) September 26, 2025

Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Road Under Construction

The timeline for the Panthers captain’s return is currently unknown. While the exact type of surgery and injury to Barkov’s knee was not disclosed, many believe it to be a season-ending one. NHL insider shared that the growing expectation within the organization and around the league is that this will sideline Barkov for the entirety of the 2025-2026 regular season.

”Going to know more in the next 24-48 hours, but Panthers are bracing for the possibility their captain, Aleksander Barkov, could be lost for the season,” he wrote on X. “Would be brutal, no one wants to see that…but, unfortunately, was a bad injury.”

The Panthers were already set to be shorthanded for a large portion of the regular season, but this news makes that reality even tougher. Two out of the their three best forwards and top players on the team in Barkov and Tkachuk will be watching as the Panthers try to replace two point-per-game offensive players.

Not only that, the veteran duo are the two strongest defensive players in the forward group as well. It’s hard to envision how the Panthers keep pace in the Atlantic Division without these two for the long-term.

The Panthers will hope that good news comes in the coming days and the expected timeline moves up. If that is the case, it could be a blessing in disguise for the Cats as they go for a three-peat, something that hasn’t been done since the New York Islanders dynasty in the 1980s. If not, the Panthers could go from the top team in the NHL, to clawing for their postseason lives with a championship-proven, but beaten down roster.

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