FORT LAUDERDALE — Panthers star Aleksander Barkov had surgery for a knee injury he suffered on Thursday, Florida coach Paul Maurice said Friday. He is expected to miss most, if not all, of the season, the Panthers announced.
Barkov suffered the Injury during training camp on Thursday and needed help getting off the ice. Further testing confirmed that he suffered ACL and MCL injuries. He underwent successful surgery, performed by Dr. John Uribe at Baptist Health Doctors Hospital, and the expected recovery is seven to nine months, the Panthers said in a statement on Friday evening.
Barkov, 30, is the Panthers’ all-time leader in many categories, including games played (804), goals (286), assists (496), points (782), power-play goals (84) and game-winning goals (52). He also leads the franchise in postseason points (81) and assists (56). He is tied for fourth in franchise history in postseason goals and is captain of the team.
Last season, Barkov had 20 regular-season goals and 51 assists. He added six goals and 16 assists in the playoffs.
“That’s the big man, right?” Maurice said. “So it’s such an important place in that locker room. I think what we’re going to get to experience now is you’ll get to know some of the other leaders that we have in the room. … I know there’s the idea, ‘next man up,’ but there’s not a next man for Barky’s skates. So we’ve just got to share it.”
Barkov is also one of the league’s top defensive forwards. He has won the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward the last two years, and he has won the award three times in his career. Last season, he won the King Clancy Trophy, which is given to the player who “best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”
It’s going to be tough. He’s our leader,” winger Carter Verhaeghe said. “There’s no replacing Barky. So it’s going to be (that) everyone has to step up, and there’s no replacing him. But it’s another challenge for our group, and we’re usually pretty good at overcoming challenges. So it’s something we’re going to have to do.”
The Panthers have different options who can fill Barkov’s spot at center.
“Two guys playing the wings right now I know for a fact can play center ice in the NHL very well,” Maurice said. “Sam Reinhart came into the league as that. Eetu Luostarinen played here as a center iceman. So we’ve got lots of coverage there.”
Anton Lundell, entering his fifth season with the Panthers, will likely also take over a large share of Barkov’s duties.
“Obviously, not having Barky around means everybody else needs to step up,” Lundell said. “I’m going to fill his shoes. So as a team, that’s going to be our challenge, and that’s going to be our goal this year.”
Barkov is the longest-tenured Panther (12 seasons) after the team selected him with the second pick in the 2013 draft. He was first named team captain in 2018, and he has led the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.
“He leads from the front. I think that’s the biggest thing I see about him is he’s a true professional,” Panthers winger Brad Marchand said in May.
Lundell, who has been called “Baby Barkov” for his similar abilities and Finnish heritage, said the team’s mood was “a bit down” after the injury on Thursday.
“We all texted Barky, and I talked to him, and he’s doing all right,” Lundell said. “So that’s all we know, and we just hope it’s going to be a quick recovery.”
Barkov is not the only Panther dealing with a long-term injury. Winger Matthew Tkachuk is recovering from offseason surgery that repaired the torn hip adductor and sports hernia that he suffered last year during the 4 Nations Face-Off. He played through the injury during Florida’s Stanley Cup run.
“He’s a huge part of this team, not only as an incredible player, but as a leader,” Bennett said of Tkachuk. “But he’s one of the best at staying upbeat, staying positive, staying around the guys. He’s always in the locker room, chirping the guys and doing some pranks and whatever. But he’s a really important part of this group, so obviously, we’re going to have to step up, and guys are going to have to step up for the first few months when he’s out. But there’s a lot of really good players on this team, so we certainly have a lot of depth to try and fill that hole as much as we can.”
