Panthers forward Sam Reinhart speaks after Florida's 6-5 win in Edmonton on Dec. 16. The Florida Panthers may be getting their captain back in the lineup. Sasha Barkov has sat out each of Florida’s past two games due to an illness, one that Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said has impacted several players in the locker room. Barkov was on the ice at Xcel Energy Center on Wednesday morning for the Cats’ morning skate, the first time he’s been spotted on the ice since Florida’s 3-0 loss in Calgary last Thursday night. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNjE3OTM2NjIzMjQ4NDky/img_6014.jpg] Maurice said on Monday in Edmonton that he was “hopeful” Barkov would be able to suit up on that night, but he ultimately did not go. After Barkov took part in Wednesday’s pregame skate, Maurice again seemed optimistic that his captain would be able to play, though he still designated him a game-time decision. “He got through the morning skate and felt pretty good,” Maurice said. “We’ll get some more food into him and make that decision.” While Barkov may be playing in Minnesota, Florida will still be down a center because Sam Bennett is out. He’s also battling an illness, one that nearly kept him out of the Oilers game on Monday night. “He was significantly under the weather in the Edmonton game but knew that Barkov couldn’t play, so he gutted it out for us,” Maurice said of Bennett. “The cost of that probably is that he doesn’t play tonight. We’ve got to get him rested.” Here is how Florida’s forward lines looked during their morning skate, per Jameson Olive [https://twitter.com/JamesonCoop/status/1869443181336743994], which would indicate how they will be should Barkov be able to go. Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Matthew Tkachuk Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart Evan Rodrigues – Jesper Boqvist – Mackie Samoskevich A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Jonah Gadjovich The puck drops from Xcel Energy Center at 9:30 p.m. ET and will air nationally on TNT. LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Panthers challenging road trip ends in Minnesota against Kirill Kaprizov, Wild [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/game-day/panthers-challenging-road-trip-ends-in-minnesota-against-kirill-kaprizov-wild] Goaltending remains cause for concern as Panthers push for second Stanley Cup [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/players/goaltending-remains-cause-for-concern-as-panthers-push-for-second-stanley-cup] Three takeaways: Improvements in important areas, love for the fourth line [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/three-takeaways-improvements-in-important-areas-love-for-the-fourth-line] Wild Stanley Cup Final rematch in Edmonton goes to Panthers 6-5 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/game-day/wild-stanley-cup-final-rematch-in-edmonton-goes-to-panthers-6-5] Panthers 'hopeful' Sasha Barkov can play Monday night in Edmonton [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/game-day/panthers-hopeful-sasha-barkov-can-play-monday-night-in-edmonton] Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxNjQxMjA5NjI4NzMxMDIz/unnamed.jpg]
