Aleksander Barkov missed the 2025-26 season due to injury – Hockey Writer – Florida Black Panthers
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season due to a knee injury.
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Balkov fell down during practice yesterday and stayed on the ice for a few minutes before he needed help getting out of the car.
Bakov may miss the entire 2025-26 season
Head coach Paul Maurice spoke to the media after Friedman’s report and said a detailed update will be made later. He confirmed that Bakov was undergoing knee surgery today.
If the Panthers had no Balkov throughout the season, it would be a huge loss. They have started a year without Matthew Tkachuk, and it was a big blow to a team looking to defend a back-to-back Stanley Cup title.
Last season, Balkov scored 20 goals in 67 games and added 51 assists to score 71 points. He also scored 22 points in 23 playoff games. He is a franchise leader in the game (804), goals (286), assists (496), score (782), power game goals (84) and win game goals (52).
Hopefully Balkov won’t miss the entire season. A knee injury is serious, but if he can return at some point, it will be a huge driving force for Florida’s chances to stay competitive.
