Overview

• Barkov suffered the right-knee injury during Florida’s first full training-camp practice and needed help to leave the ice.
• The team said Dr. John Uribe performed the surgery at Baptist Health Doctors Hospital, with ongoing re-evaluations planned.
• The timeline makes a regular-season return unlikely and could limit any comeback to the postseason window.
• Coach Paul Maurice promoted Sam Bennett to center the top line as Florida spreads responsibilities in Barkov’s absence.
• The Panthers are also missing Matthew Tkachuk and Tomas Nosek, creating LTIR flexibility now but complicating playoff cap compliance under new rules.