The Florida Panthers are looking to have a bounceback season.
A year ago, they missed the playoffs entirely, a disappointing end to their reign as back-to-back Stanley Cup champs, and injuries were a big reason why.
They got the season off to a good start earlier this week when they beat the defending champion Carolina Hurricanes in overtime.
But on Thursday night, the injury bug bit again.
The Panthers were playing in San Jose against the Sharks, and in the second period, Aleksander Barkov went down in pain.
He left the game, and he didn’t come back out for the third period.
What Happened to Aleksander Barkov?
Barkov was injured as he found himself sandwiched near the boards while trying to protect the puck.
He got an arm in his back, which cause his left leg to dip out at an awkward angle.
As he went to the ground, he appeared to grab toward his left knee.
He clearly was disgusted with what happened as he left the ice.
Barkov just went down and it didn’t look good.
He threw his gloves to the ground in frustration as he walked down the tunnel. pic.twitter.com/SffuZIOfKW
— Jesse Blake (@JesseBlake) October 2, 2026
Barkov is now 31 years old and one of the best players in Panthers history.
He was their No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft and now has won two Cups in Florida.
Barkov was playing in his 806th game for Florida and has 286 goals and 496 assists for 782 points.
Barkov, when healthy remains one of the best centers in the NHL.
But this has to feel a bit like deja vu all over again.
What Was Barkov’s Injury Last Year?
Barkov actually didn’t play a game in the entire 2025-26 NHL season.
He was injured before the year and couldn’t take the ice in regular season action.
That was a right knee injury, though, so it doesn’t appear immediately related to what he sustained on Thursday night in San Jose.
Still, Barkov’s absence was a big reason the Panthers couldn’t put the pieces together.
His last healthy season was 2024-25, when he played in 67 games and had 20 goals and 51 assists for 71 points.
An entire season without Barkov hurt the depth of the Panthers’ forward lines considerably. Everyone had to play up, some guys in roles they weren’t quite ready for.
Barkov makes life easier for all of his teammates when he’s on the ice for Florida.
When he’s not out there, he’s sorely missed.
And after the way he went down in San Jose on Thursday night, all of his Panthers teammates and the entire fanbase will simply be hoping that this wasn’t as bad as it looked.
What Happened to Aleksander Barkov? Injury Update Doesn’t Look Good for Panthers