After missing a full season, Florida’s captain eyes a massive comeback. Fresh off a gold medal performance, he returns to lead the Panthers' charge toward another title.
There is no arguing that Florida Panthers captain Sasha Barkov is one of the best hockey players in the world.
He will be a welcomed face in Florida’s locker room this season as the team looks to rebound from a rough 2025-26 campaign that saw the then-2-time defending Stanley Cup champs fail to qualify for the postseason.
Barkov suffered a devastating knee injury during training camp last September and missed the entire NHL season, eventually making it back on the ice to help his Finnish countrymen win gold medals at the IIHF World Championships in May.
He looked quite good during the World Championships, too, which was also a major milestone in his recovery, leading Finland in scoring with three goals and 11 points in 10 games.
“That was the main worry, that if I will be able to play free and not to think too much, and once the first game started, I wasn't thinking about it at all,” Barkov said on Tuesday at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour, per NHL.com.
Now Barkov has spent the summer as he normally does, preparing his body for a new NHL season.
It certainly helps, though, that Barkov knows he’s already put his surgically repaired knee to the test, one that it passed with flying colors.
“I have a better feeling going toward this camp knowing that I played some hockey, meaningful hockey, and felt good there,” said Barkov. “Especially the more we played, the better I felt. I was really happy about that.”
Barkov and the Panthers will be back on the ice next week in Fort Lauderdale, when they open their 2026 Training Camp at the Baptist Health IcePlex.
Florida will be among the favorites to come out of the Eastern Confernce and contend for the Stanley Cup once again.
“I'm really excited about going into the new season,” Barkov said.
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Photo caption: Jun 22, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, UNITED STATES; Florida Panthers centerAleksanderBarkov(16) speaks to the fans during the Stanley Cup championship parade and rally. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
