Three Florida Panthers Players Who Need To Step Up In Barkov And Marchand's Absence

The injury bug continues to affect the Florida Panthers.

Last season, injuries derailed their campaign. And while they haven't been hit as hard, they've still taken some damage.

The Panthers will be without captain Aleksander Barkov for six to eight weeks and veteran winger Brad Marchand for six weeks.

Without two key forwards, the Panthers will need other players to step up. Here are three players off to slow starts who need to fill the void left by Barkov and Marchand. 

Anton Lundell has had a tough time finding the back of the net despite playing very well overall. The Panthers are a better team with Lundell on the ice, and that's never been put into question. But now they need Lundell's stellar play to translate into more production.

We saw glimpses last season as he potted 18 goals and 44 points despite playing just 64 games. With major injuries, the Panthers need to stay afloat until Barkov and Marchand return.

To do so, they'll need the 25-year-old to up his production.

Life in Florida has not been easy for Brady Tkachuk. Despite standing out in the pre-season, Tkachuk's success hasn't translated to the regular season. Through four games, the 27-year-old has failed to register a point and hasn't scored on any of his 11 shots on goal.

Although Tkachuk has never been known for his speed, he looks considerably slower and often trails behind the play. He has been finding shots in good locations, and they are bound to find the twine at some point, but the Panthers desperately need more from him.

Without Barkov, Tkachuk may have a harder time creating offense, but that's what is required of him. 

Despite playing the 2025-26 season without Barkov, Sam Reinhart showed he still has what it takes to be a high-end point producer in the NHL. Through four games to start the season, Reinhart has struggled, notching just one assist. 

While coach Paul Maurice has asked for patience with Reinhart's approach to playing center, it appears he is moving him back to the wing alongside Lars Eller.

Hopefully this lets Reinhart play more freely and rediscover his scoring touch, as the Panthers are currently averaging just two goals per game and rank 28th in the NHL. The power play, where Reinhart has thrived in his career, has also been woeful, clicking at just 4.3 percent and ranking 31st in the NHL. 

Sam Bennett is getting an honorable mention because, unlike Lundell, Tkachuk, and Reinhart, who are struggling to create offense, Bennett has produced three assists in four games. Bennett's play hasn't been poor, but without Barkov and Marchand, the Panthers need him to raise his game another notch, both offensively and physically. 

He's shown he can do that before, and the Panthers need him to do it again.

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