Aleksander Barkov injury update: Florida Panthers' captain set to miss months after knee surgery

Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers' captain and a significant part of their championship runs, underwent knee surgery on Friday after a scary injury during training camp. This setback could sideline the star center for months, shaking up the team's early-season plans and impacting the team's dream of a third straight Stanley Cup.

How did the injury happen?

It all unfolded on Thursday at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale. During his first full practice of camp, Barkov appeared to suffer a right knee issue while trying to deke a teammate in a non-contact drill.

Video footage captured the moment his leg buckled, forcing him to kneel on the ice for several minutes. Trainers rushed to his side, helping the 30-year-old off the ice as he put almost no weight on the leg.

Coach Paul Maurice addressed the media the next day, confirming Barkov was in surgery and that more details would follow.

Early reports suggest it might involve the ACL or MCL, though nothing's official yet. Maurice didn't sugarcoat it: "I know the idea is next man up," he said. "There isn't a next man to fill Barky's skates." The Panthers promised a fuller update post-procedure, but whispers indicate a potential full-season absence.

Barkov's legacy with the Panthers

Since being drafted second overall in 2013, Barkov has been the Florida Panthers' key player. He is the franchise leader in games played (804), goals (286), assists (496), points (782), power-play goals (84), and game-winners (52). In the previous season, he topped the team with 51 assists and 71 points in the regular year, then added 22 playoff points to clinch another Cup.

A double blow for the defending champions

This isn't the Florida Panthers' first injury headache. Forward Matthew Tkachuk is already out until at least December after offseason surgery for a torn adductor and sports hernia from his Team USA stint. Fourth-liner Tomas Nosek is sidelined for months with a lower-body issue, too. Since Tkachuk joined in 2022, Florida has only played five games without him or Barkov—winning three last October.

The two-time champs open against Chicago on October 8, but without their top-line center, the grind looks tougher.

Maurice remains defiant, "It's beyond our control. We have to learn to win hockey games without good players."