The Florida Panthers held their first practice since captain Aleksander Barkov was helped off the ice with an injury, adjusting their lines to compensate for his absence.
Coach Paul Maurice's first move was to send Conn Smythe winner Sam Bennett to the top line alongside Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe. Bennett signed a massive, eight-year, $8-million contract in the off-season, and the pressure to live up to the contract may come into play sooner than many had expected.
Maurice's second decision was to elevate what is usually considered his third line into his second line. Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen formed a formidable trio in the playoffs, and they'll be heavily depended on to do it for a full 82-game season.
Forming the Panthers' third line was Jesper Boqvist, Evan Rodrigues and Mackie Samoskevich. Rodrigues and Samoskevich were expected to play in the top six prior to Barkov's injury, but after the lineup change, they'll be the focal points of Maurice's third line.
Finally, completing the lineup was a fourth line of A.J. Greer, Luke Kunin and PTO attendee Noah Gregor. With Tomas Nosek and Jonah Gadjovich away from the team due to injuries, spots on the fourth line opened up, and Gregor has seemingly taken full advantage of it.
Currently, no update from Maurice or the Panthers has been provided, but reports have claimed that the organization fears it could involve his ACL. The Panthers return to pre-season action on Monday against the Carolina Hurricanes, and Maurice's lineup in that fixture could be the lineup seen on opening night.
REPORT: Panthers Fear Captain Aleksander Barkov Could Have ACL Injury
<a href="https://x.com/Hockey_Robinson/status/1971321069765263524">According to Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects</a>, there is internal concern within the Florida Panthers organization that Aleksander Barkov's injury could involve his ACL.