Panthers' Barkov leaves game with lower-body injury
The Florida Panthers are holding their collective breath, as captain Aleksander Barkov left Thursday's game vs. the San Jose Sharks with an apparent leg injury. This is not what the Panthers wanted to be dealing with just a week into their season.
The injury occurred during a Panthers man advantage midway through the second frame, and it was what looked like a very normal battle of the puck in the corner. Next thing you know, Barkov is down, and visibly frustrated, and walked himself to the dressing room, which is a low-key good sign.
Barkov's left leg buckled underneath him, and this was a very awkward fall:
Barkov goes down and his knee and ankle don't look good pic.twitter.com/4ekJtrfajl
— JD Young (@MyFryHole) October 2, 2026
The Panthers captain missed all of last season with two injuries, one to his ACL and one to his MCL of his right knee. From all accounts, he injured his left leg on this play against the Sharks, and isn't reaggravating his previously surgery repaired leg.
Barkov played just under 21 minutes in Tuesday's opener against the Carolina Hurricanes, and was held pointless in their 1-0 victory. He dressed in the 2026 IIHF World Championships in May, and posted 11 points in 10 games, captaining Finland to gold.
Barkov could miss weeks, and on Friday, it will likely be confirmed as far as timelines go. The Panthers will carry on without their leader, as their four-game road trip continues in Anaheim on Sunday.