Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov out 79 months after ACL, MCL surgeries Jack BaerSeptember 27, 2025 at 2:47 AM 0 If the Florida Panthers are going to complete their threepeat, they're likely going to have to do it without their captain for the entire regular season, and possibly the postseason too...
- - Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov out 7-9 months after ACL, MCL surgeries
Jack BaerSeptember 27, 2025 at 2:47 AM
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If the Florida Panthers are going to complete their three-peat, they're likely going to have to do it without their captain for the entire regular season, and possibly the postseason too.
The Panthers announced Friday that Aleksander Barkov underwent surgery to repair ACL and MCL injuries and is expected to be out for seven to nine months. A seven-month return would mean Barkov coming back in late April, around the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The injury also means Barkov will miss playing in the 2026 Winter Olympics for his native Finland.
Barkov suffered the injury during practice Thursday, falling awkwardly into a defensive player and needing to be carried off the ice.
Here's video of Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov going down today at practice... https://t.co/g32uLiJzjk pic.twitter.com/QIAamOdqzd
— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) September 25, 2025
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice didn't hide what the loss of Barkov does to the Panthers:
There's no hiding it. That's a hole. That's the big man. He has such an important place in that locker room. I think what we're going to experience now is you're going to get to know some of the other leaders that we have in our room.
"I know there's the idea, next man up, I get all that, but there's not a next man for Barky's skates. We've got to share it ... You get one day to be sad. Tomorrow I want everyone to be happy"
[Get more Panthers news: Florida team feed]
Obviously, Barkov has been a pivotal part of the Panthers' two championships in the last two seasons, posting at least 20 goals and 50 assists in each while earning his second and third Selke Trophies as the most defensively skilled forward. At 30 years old, he is the franchise's leader in games played (804), goals (286), assists (496), points (782) and game-winning goals (52) after 12 seasons.
Oddsmakers certainly don't love the Panthers' chances to overcome the loss, as the team slipped from an NHL-best +600 odds earlier this week to +1000, tied for fifth, on Friday.
At this point, the Panthers can only hope Aleksander Barkov will be ready for the playoffs. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File) ()
The Panthers were already facing the absence of another All-Star in Matthew Tkachuk, who underwent surgery for a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia last month and will miss the start of the season. ESPN notes that the Panthers have been without both Barkov and Tkachuk for a total of only five games since Tkachuk joined the team in 2022.
Florida is scheduled to open preseason on Monday, with its season opener against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 7.
Source: "AOL AOL Sports"
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