Aleksander Barkov was helped off the ice Thursday, the Florida Panthers captain favoring his proper leg.
“It can get checked out right now,” coach Paul Maurice mentioned at Baptist Well being IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale. “I’ll have a greater reply for you tomorrow.”
Thursday was the primary time Panthers veterans practiced on the ice. Maurice had them figuring out away from it for the primary week of coaching camp.
It’s the newest harm for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, who open their season at residence in opposition to the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 7 (5 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN1, TVAS).
The Panthers are already going to begin the season with out high ahead Matthew Tkachuk (decrease physique) and fourth-line middle Tomas Nosek due to what common supervisor Invoice Zito known as a “long-term harm.”
“It’s past our management,” Maurice mentioned. “We’ve to be taught to win hockey video games with out good gamers. But when that’s the adversity or the take a look at that we face this yr, that’s what we’re going to do. I imply, I’m not a health care provider. Regardless of the report is, it gained’t have an effect on what we do the subsequent day.”
Barkov is a three-time winner of the Selke Trophy (2020-21, 2023-24, 2024-25) voted because the League’s high defensive ahead. He was chosen by the Panthers with the No. 2 choose within the 2013 NHL Draft, had 71 factors (20 targets, 51 assists) in 67 video games final season and has 782 factors (286 targets, 496 assists) in 804 regular-season video games.
Over the previous two postseasons, Barkov has 44 factors (14 targets, 30 assists) in 47 video games, one level behind Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe for probably the most amongst Panthers skaters.
“If he’s out of the lineup on opening evening, or if he misses an exhibition sport, or if he’s out long run, it’s simply not going to have an effect on that day,” Maurice mentioned. “We’ve to win the hockey sport. We’ve to prep for it. That’s all.”
NHL.com unbiased correspondent George Richards contributed to this report
