Overview

• The team said Barkov had successful surgery performed by Dr. John Uribe at Baptist Health Doctors Hospital with an expected 7–9 month recovery window.
• The captain was injured during the first full training-camp practice in a non-contact sequence and had to be helped off the ice.
• The timeline likely rules him out for most or all of the 2025–26 regular season and puts his participation with Finland at the 2026 Olympics in serious doubt, according to team guidance and multiple reports.
• Florida is already without Matthew Tkachuk until at least December after adductor surgery and expects Tomas Nosek to miss significant time, with coach Paul Maurice acknowledging there is no direct replacement for Barkov.
• General manager Bill Zito must weigh internal options such as Sam Bennett, Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart against potential acquisitions, with any additions constrained by the newly applied playoff salary-cap requirements.