FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida captain Aleksander Barkov needed surgery Friday to repair the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee, injuries that will likely sideline him for the entire regular season and potentially the playoffs as the Panthers try to win a third consecutive Stanley Cup.
Barkov got hurt Thursday in his first official practice of training camp and was undergoing surgery Friday, coach Paul Maurice said.
Barkov is expected to miss several months, which calls the entire season into jeopardy and essentially ends any chance of him representing his native Finland — as he hoped and planned — in the Milan-Cortina Olympics this coming February.
Barkov was in surgery on Friday while Maurice was addressing reporters.
"I know the idea is next man up," Maurice said. "There isn't a next man to fill Barky's skates."
On Friday evening, the team released more details that Barkov suffered injuries to his ACL and MCL.
"Today, he underwent successful surgery by Dr. John Uribe at Baptist Health Doctors Hospital. He will be re-evaluated on an ongoing basis," the Panthers said in a release.
The expected recovery timeline for these injuries is 7 to 9 months.
Barkov led the Panthers in assists last season with 51 and was second in points with 71 — then added six goals and 16 more assists in the playoffs when Florida won its second consecutive Stanley Cup.
Barkov has appeared in more than 86% of all Florida games, including playoffs, in his 12 NHL seasons. This is the first time he’s dealt with something that could potentially keep him out for an entire season.
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It's the second significant injury issue for the Panthers — who have been to the last three Stanley Cup finals — to navigate as the season approaches.
In addition to Barkov, the Panthers also will be without forward Matthew Tkachuk while he recovers from offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle. There is no formal target for Tkachuk’s return; given the typical return-to-play timelines for such procedures, it wouldn’t seem likely that he plays in any games before December.
Since Tkachuk came to the Panthers in 2022, Florida has played only five games without either he or Barkov in the lineup — all last October, with the Panthers winning three of those five contests.
Barkov is Florida’s franchise leader in many categories, with games played (804), goals (286), assists (496), points (782), power-play goals (84) and game-winning goals (52) among them.
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