The Florida Panthers lost last night 3-1 against the Ottawa Senators, but they could very well have loss more than just the game. At this point, David Pagnotta, of the Fourth Period, is reporting that Aleksander Barkov avoided serious injury. It does appear to be a sprain, and his status will eventually be announced as week-to-week.
Aleksander Barkov Will Miss Some Time With a Leg Injury
In what was a bit of a calamity of errors, late in the game, Aleksander Barkov snapped his twig attempting a shot from the high slot. The puck ended up on the stick of Sens captain Brady Tkachuk, who flipped the puck down the ice into the Panthers zone. This initiated a foot race between Barkov and speedy Sens forward Tim Stutzle with the Panthers net empty. Moreover, Barkov was handicapped with the fact he didn’t have his stick. Stutzle was able to out-maneuver the Panther captain, and directed the puck into the empty net. Unfortunately, as both Barkov and Stutzle crashed hard into the boards, Barkov ended up taking the worst of it.
Aleksander Barkov is one the best players in the league and regarded as perhaps the most difficult to play against. Even on a roster as deep as Florida, they will struggle to overcome his injury. You need not look any further than his accomplishments, personal and team wise. He has captured two of the last four Frank J. Selke Trophy titles as the NHL’s best defensive forward. This was traditionally an award that the Boston Bruins Patrice Bergeron would take home honours, however, with his retirement, he has passed the torch onto Barkov. That’s not to mention helping the Florida Panthers taking home the ultimate team prize, with the 2024 Stanley Cup championship.
What Does This Mean for Barkov and His Panther Teammates
Also, Barkov has been instrumental in boosting his linemates. Over the past three seasons, he has teamed up with Carter Verhaeghe. Verhaeghe has had goal totals of 24, 42, and 34 as a result. In addition, in 2021-22, when playing with Anthony Duclair, he helped him reach his career-high of 31 goals. The following season, playing with Matthew Tkachuk frequently, allowed Tkachuk a career-high, 109 points. Finally, in the most recent, 2023-24 campaign, Sam Reinhart played alongside Barkov. And guess what? Reinhart had career-marks in goals (57) and points (94). All-in-all, it’s not hard to see how valuable Aleksander Barkov is to the powerhouse Panthers and how impactful his injury could become. The sooner he is back, the better.
Main Photo Credit: Marc DesRosiers – USA TODAY Sports
