Florida Goes Crazy as Aleksander Barkov Confirmed to Be Out All Panthers Season

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov was at the pinnacle of his career, coming off a season where he led his team to a second consecutive Stanley Cup while solidifying his reputation as the league’s premier two-way forward. Barkov captured his third Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2025, awarded to the forward who best excels defensively, and was also honored with the King Clancy Trophy for his leadership and humanitarian contributions, becoming the first player in NHL history to win both awards in the same season.

On the ice, his leadership was unmistakable; he recorded 71 points (20 goals, 51 assists) in 67 regular-season games and added 22 more points during the playoff run. Teammates consistently praised his unassuming yet dominant presence, with forward Sam Reinhart noting after a crucial playoff goal, “He’s one of the best in the world at that, if not the best. He’s got so much strength. Big players make big plays at the biggest moments when you need them, and he’s certainly the leader of this team.”

However, the championship defense now faces an unprecedented challenge, as the Panthers’ season has been dealt a catastrophic blow. On X, American radio host Andy Slater reported about the severity of Aleksander Barkov’s injury, stating, “Extremely tough news for the Florida Panthers. Aleksander Barkov is expected to miss the entire season after being injured during practice on Thursday, I’ve learned.”

On Thursday, during the team’s first official practice of training camp, Barkov suffered a significant injury to his right knee, collapsing to the ice after his leg gave out while cutting toward the net. He was unable to put weight on the leg as he was helped to the locker room. However, as the confirmation has already come that he will be out of the entire season, this is a big bummer for the Panthers. Indeed, before their captain, they lost their star winger Matthew Tkachuk to injury until at least December. And Florida fans are just devastated and concerned with this update.

This is a developing report…

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