Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a left leg injury but will not need surgery, coach Paul Maurice said Tuesday.
Barkov was hurt during Florida’s overtime loss at San Jose on Thursday. His left knee appeared to buckle, and he left the ice in discomfort. It is not the knee that required reconstructive surgery last year.
The Panthers placed Barkov on long-term injured reserve over the weekend. After he saw team doctors Monday, the team settled on a rehabilitation plan. Maurice said the six-to-eight-week estimate could change; it suggests Barkov may miss roughly 20 to 25 games.
Florida was due to play at Los Angeles on Tuesday to finish its season-opening four-game road trip. Barkov missed the entire previous season after an injury at the first training camp practice.
Please note! Comments are published by readers. The opinions expressed may not reflect the position of the editorial team. NYCT is not responsible for the content of readers' opinions and asks authors to observe moral standards, not to incite national or racial hatred, and to avoid rudeness. Think before you speak. You are responsible for your words! By publishing an opinion, you agree to the rules! If this request is ignored, NYCT reserves the right to deprive the user of the ability to leave comments.