Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said Barkov may play Friday against Minnesota, but only if the injury is 100% healed

The Florida Panthers will be without their captain while trying to snap a miniature losing streak against a tough divisional opponent.

Center Sasha Barkov sat out the final six-plus of Florida’s overtime loss to Anaheim on Monday afternoon, and after missing Wednesday’s morning skate, has been ruled out of tonight’s matchup with the Detroit Red Wings.

Florida Head Coach Paul Maurice said after Monday’s game that he was hopeful Barkov, who is dealing with a lower-body injury, would be able to play against Detroit.

Wednesday, Maurice said Barkov would be held out for precautionary reasons.

“He’s got a lower body injury that we want to completely heal,” Maurice said. “If he’s at 95% for the Minnesota game (on Friday), he won’t go for that one either. We’ve got to get this back to 100% because of the way he plays, but we don’t’ think it should take long to do that.”

Maurice also indicated that the injury was nothing serious and had previously described it as “tightening up” on Barkov.

“Tightened is a fair word,” Maurice said. “There’s no strains, pulls or anything sinister. We caught it early enough and think it’s very short term.”

Third line center Anton Lundell was skating in Barkov’s spot between Evan Rodrigues and Sam Reinhart during the morning skate.

Kevin Stenlund moved up to take Lundell’s spot on the third line with Eetu Luostarinen and Ryan Lomberg, while Steven Lorentz will slot into the lineup and center the fourth line between Jonah Gadjovich and Will Lockwood.

Additionally, Florida will welcome defenseman Dmitry Kulikov back into the lineup after he was held out of Monday’s game with a minor injury.

In goal, the Panthers will start Sergei Bobrovsky.

The puck drops at Amerant Bank Arena at 7 p.m. 

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