Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice has confirmed that captain Aleksander Barkov will not return to game action during the 2025-26 season.
Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has been ruled out for the 2025-26 season, coach Paul Maurice announced on Sunday.
Barkov suffered an ACL and MCL tear during the training camp, which required surgery to fix. He was given a seven-to-nine-month timeline, with hopes that he could return to action before the playoffs or during them.
Because the Panthers are out of playoff contention and their chances of making the post-season are slim, they have elected to go the safe route and give Barkov additional time to get back to 100 percent.
“I don’t think so. Not in this situation,” Maurice said, per Florida Hockey Now. “If (his timeline) is six-to-eight (months) and we put him in at seven and something happens, that doesn’t make much sense. We’ll let him go straight through the entire rehab process.”
Despite Barkov’s injury, the Panthers always believed they could still earn a spot in the playoffs. While several additional injuries did not help their efforts, it always felt like a near-impossible task without their leader and dominant captain.
The 30-year-old has been practicing and is expected to continue doing so with the team as they close out the season. He is expected to make a full recovery and, barring any major setbacks or additional health issues, should be ready to go for the start of the 2026-27 season.
Barkov is as established as they come in the NHL. Drafted second overall by the Panthers in 2013, Barkov is a two-time Stanley Cup Champion, a three-time Selke Trophy winner, a King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner, and a Lady Bing Trophy winner. In 804 games, Barkov has scored 286 goals and 782 points. The 6-foot-3 center has also posted career highs of 39 goals and 96 points in separate seasons.
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