FORT LAUDERDALE — Panthers star Aleksander Barkov was undergoing surgery for a knee injury he suffered on Thursday, Florida coach Paul Maurice said Friday.

Barkov suffered the Injury during training camp on Thursday and needed help getting off the ice. Further testing confirmed that he suffered a knee injury.

“Not a guy you want to see go down, for sure,” Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist said Thursday.

Barkov, 30, is the Panthers’ all-time leader in many categories, including games played (804), goals (286), assists (496), points (782), power-play goals (84) and game-winning goals (52). He also leads the franchise in postseason points (81) and assists (56). He is tied for fourth in franchise history in postseason goals.

Last season, Barkov had 20 regular-season goals and 51 assists. He added six goals and 16 assists in the playoffs.

Barkov is also one of the league’s top defensive forwards. He has won the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward the last two years, and he has won the award three times in his career. Last season, he won the King Clancy Trophy, which is given to the player who “best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”

“He’s our leader on the ice, and he’s our leader off the ice, as well,” Florida’s Sam Bennett said in June. “He just sets a perfect example for everyone, especially young guys coming in. … There’s no better player to look up to than Barky.”

Barkov is the longest-tenured Panther (12 seasons) after the team selected him with the second pick in the 2013 draft. He was named team captain in 2018, and he has led the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.

“He leads from the front. I think that’s the biggest thing I see about him is he’s a true professional,” Panthers winger Brad Marchand said in May.

Barkov is not the only Panther dealing with a long-term injury. Winger Matthew Tkachuk is recovering from offseason surgery that repaired the torn hip adductor and sports hernia that he suffered last year during the 4 Nations Face Off. He played through the injury during Florida’s Stanley Cup run.

“He’s a huge part of this team, not only as an incredible player, but as a leader,” Bennett said. “But he’s one of the best at staying upbeat, staying positive, staying around the guys. He’s always in the locker room, chirping the guys and doing some pranks and whatever. But he’s a really important part of this group, so obviously, we’re going to have to step up, and guys are going to have to step up for the first few months when he’s out. But there’s a lot of really good players on this team, so we certainly have a lot of depth to try and fill that hole as much as we can.”

This story will be updated.

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/09/26/panthers-barkov-injury-severe/