Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov Faces Potential Season-long Absence After Knee Surgery
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is expected to miss several months following knee surgery, potentially jeopardizing his entire 2023-24 NHL season, teh team announced Friday. The injury occurred during the first official practice of training camp on Thursday.
Barkov underwent surgery Friday, according to Panthers coach Paul Maurice, wiht further details to be released upon its completion. The severity of the injury casts doubt on Barkov’s ability to participate in the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February representing Finland, a goal he had previously expressed.
“I know the idea is next man up,” Maurice told reporters. “There isn’t a next man to fill Barky’s skates.”
The loss of Barkov is a significant blow to the Panthers, who are aiming for a third consecutive Stanley Cup appearance. Last season, the star center led the team with 51 assists and finished second in points with 71, adding six goals and 16 assists during Florida’s championship playoff run.
In 12 NHL seasons, barkov has consistently been a durable presence, appearing in over 86% of all Florida games, including playoffs. This marks the first time he has faced an injury with the potential to sideline him for an entire season.
The Panthers are already navigating another key injury as forward Matthew Tkachuk recovers from offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle. Tkachuk’s return timeline is uncertain, but a return before December appears unlikely. Florida has played only five games without both Barkov and Tkachuk in the lineup – all last October – winning three of those contests.
Barkov holds numerous franchise records for the Panthers, including games played (804), goals (286), assists (496), points (782), power-play goals (84), and game-winning goals (52).
“Not a guy you want to see go down, for sure,” said Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist.
