Panthers head coach updates captain Aleksander Barkov's status

Aleksander Barkov will be out of action for the next few days due to a knee injury, according to Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice. He suffered the injury during the Panthers’ Friday evening game against the Anaheim Ducks. They won the game 2-1 and improved to a 11-5-1 record on the season. Knee injuries are always tricky so the team will play it safe and hope Barkov can be back in the lineup safely as soon as possible.

Barkov played nearly 13 minutes that game but had to leave early in the third period after a knee-on-knee collision with Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe. He had two shots on goal and a 50% faceoff percentage during that game.

Barkov has played 16 games this year and has modest numbers for a player of his stature. So far, he scored six goals and 17 points, tied for second on the Panthers in points along with Matthew Tkachuk. The Panthers captain also has a +14 rating on the season, which tied him for first place in the league in that category.

After the Panthers made a surprise run to the Stanley Cup Final last season, many expected them to take a step back. After all, they only made the playoffs by the skin of their teeth with 92 points last year. So far, they have done the opposite. They currently sit in second place in the Atlantic Division and are in a good position to make the playoffs again this season, this time by a better margin.

The Panthers are set to play the Edmonton Oilers on Monday evening, and it would be fair to assume that Barkov will not play in that game. He could be back as early as the Panthers’ Wednesday game against the Boston Bruins.