The Florida Panthers announced Friday that captain Aleksander Barkov and the reigning back-to-back Selke Trophy winner will be out seven to nine months after injuring his ACL and MCL in practice. 

It's a devastating blow to the two-time defending champions as they gear up for a potential threepeat. Barkov was a point-per-game player who averaged 20 minutes per game for the Panthers and played in all situations. He was a top-tier fantasy player though injuries have plagued him over the past few seasons. He has not played 82 games since 2018-19. 

The silver lining, however, is that the Panthers don't have to go out and acquire a center right now because they have 23-year-old Anton Lundell primed to shoulder a lot of the burden. The fellow Finn is a responsible two-way center who has shades of Barkov in his game, though it must be said that it's impossible to replace Barkov. 

During an eight-game stretch from mid- to late-October when Barkov missed eight games, Lundell filed in admirably, averaging 20:11 TOI/GP and scored five goals and 10 points, including four on the power play. His playing dipped, obviously, upon Barkov's return, but Lundell still set a career high with 45 points in 79 games.

Sam Bennett is also a candidate to take Barkov's spot, but I think he's a better matchup player. 

From a fantasy standpoint, I think Lundell has more offensive upside if he's the 1C, though Bennett will still likely outpace him in shots and hits. Lundell's hit totals -- he had 110 last season, a big jump from 61 the previous season -- should also climb, making him a multi-category contributor. His shooting volume leaves a lot to be desired and he's not a particularly efficient shooter, but playing alongside Sam Reinhart should at least help him bring in the assists.

While Barkov is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season, if not most of it, he still has plenty of value in keeper leagues. It's a huge setback for the Panthers and fantasy managers, but if you have an IR spot on you roster, Barkov's one of the few players who's worth stashing for the entire season. 

In redraft leagues, Barkov won't be worth drafting unless it's with the last pick. It's possible he doesn't return until the final weeks of the regular season, which is during the fantasy playoffs, provided you've already made it that far. 

In conclusion, Lundell and Bennett get boosts in fantasy value in Barkov's absence, so be sure to draft them higher than you normally would.