The Captain could be back sooner than expected !
Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov could return to the ice sooner than expected, following a lower-body injury that has kept him sidelined for five games.
According to Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, Barkov may be available as early as the team’s upcoming road trip to New York, which kicks off on October 24.
Barkov was injured on October 10 in a 3-1 loss against the Ottawa Senators after crashing into the boards skates-first while trying to prevent an empty-net goal.
Since then, he has been steadily progressing, returning to skating last Thursday and again on Saturday.
Though the team has been cautious, Maurice stressed that they are prioritizing being “smart” over overly cautious with the star forward’s recovery.
“We’re hopeful that [Barkov returns] sometime on the New York trip,” Maurice said. “It may not be, but we are quite confident that means in Finland.”
The coach hinted that Barkov is very likely to be ready for the Panthers’ two-game stint in his hometown of Tampere, Finland, on November 1-2, as part of the 2024 NHL Global Series.
For now, Aleksander Barkov is going through a crucial phase of his recovery, which involves a week of heavy skating to ensure no setbacks.
“He’s really in tune with his body and he will play as soon as he’s 100 percent ready,” Maurice added.
Despite Barkov’s absence, the Panthers have managed a respectable 4-2-1 start to the season, including a 4-3 overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights with just 17 healthy skaters.
The team has also been without star forward Matthew Tkachuk, who missed five games due to illness. Like Barkov, Tkachuk is close to returning, with Maurice noting that he could be back as soon as Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild.
Tkachuk has passed medical tests and is preparing for a few intense days of training.
Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
NHL 
