Panthers’ Barkov officially out for rest of 2025-26 NHL season
Florida Panthers Paul Maurice has confirmed to reporters that Aleksander Barkov will not play at any point in the 2025-26 NHL season.
❌Aleksander Barkov (lower-body) will remain out for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. #TimetoHunt
Sasha Barkov will not play for the Panthers this season. With nine games to go an a top 10 pick within reach, it makes sense to let Barkov go through the full recovery process. #TimeToHunt story from @juliangaudio89 @TheHockeyNews ⬇️ thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-pa…
The news isn’t entirely surprising, given he was expected to miss between seven and nine months due to injuries to both his ACL and BCL. The timeline set back in October opened the possibility of Barkov returning in time for the playoffs if the Panthers advanced. Barkov had skated quite a bit in recent months, but with the Panthers well out of a playoff spot, it made sense to let him fully heal up for 2026-27.
Barkov was unable to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics with Finland despite originally being named to the roster. Barkov last played during the 2025 Stanley Cup final, registering two assists in a 5-1 victory to help the Panthers win their second consecutive championship. Barkov also took home the NHL’s King Clancy Trophy (leadership-humanitarian award) and Selke Trophy (top defensive forward), with his Selke marking the third win of his career.
The 30-year-old has spent his entire NHL tenure with the Panthers since getting drafted second overall in 2013. Barkov has 286 goals and 782 points in 804 career games over 13 seasons. Add in another 25 goals and 81 points in 94 playoff games, and Barkov is widely considered to be one of the best two-way forwards of his time.
Florida currently sits 28th in the NHL with a 35-35-3 record for 73 points. The team is on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018-19, which means we will not get the first threepeat Stanley Cup winner in the Salary Cap Era.
Injuries have plagued the Panthers this season, with Anton Lundell, Brad Marchand and Matthew Tkachuk, among others, all missing significant time.
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