Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov expected to miss 6-8 weeks with injury

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is expected to miss six to eight weeks due to a lower-body injury, according to head coach Paul Maurice. Barkov suffered an apparent left knee injury during the second period of a game against the San Jose Sharks when his leg buckled after a collision with defenseman Darnell Nurse. The 31-year-old was placed on long-term injured reserve on Saturday.

Under this updated timeline, Barkov could be sidelined until late December or early January. The setback comes after he missed the entire 2025-26 NHL campaign due to torn ACL and MCL ligaments. Florida has struggled in his absence, recording back-to-back overtime losses against the Sharks and Anaheim Ducks as they conclude their California road trip.