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Aleksander Barkov

Atlantic Notes: Cousins, Brannstrom, Barkov, Sturm

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While it was expected that the Senators would be without forward Nick Cousins for the rest of the season after he underwent knee surgery in January, that might not be the case anymore.  Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch relays that the 31-year-old could resume skating with them as soon as Thursday after skating on his own in recent weeks.  As a result, it’s possible that Cousins could return either late in the regular season or be available to suit up in the playoffs.  Through 47 games this season, Cousins has five goals and eight assists along with 80 hits in a little under 12 minutes of playing time.

More from the Atlantic Division:

  • Sabres defenseman Erik Brannstrom has had a bit of a whirlwind season with Buffalo being his fourth organization. Colorado signed him in free agency but moved him before the season to Vancouver and he was then flipped to the Rangers in the J.T. Miller trade.  Along the way, he has only gotten into 28 NHL games this season.  As a result, it appears he could be eyeing a change of scenery as SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson reports (subscription link) that the 25-year-old could be off to Switzerland next season with a long-term contract expected.  Brannstrom has 294 career NHL appearances under his belt but with a quickly diminishing role so a change of scenery could help his chances of getting back to the top level down the road.  Buffalo can retain his rights via restricted free agency for the next two years.
  • The Panthers announced (Twitter link) that center Aleksander Barkov was scratched from tonight’s game versus Toronto due to an upper-body injury. The captain was banged up on Tuesday in Montreal but while he left the game briefly, he returned for the third period and didn’t seem to have any lingering effects.  Barkov is second on Florida in scoring this season, tallying 19 goals and 47 assists in 64 games.
  • Still with the Panthers, center Nico Sturm suffered an upper-body injury on Tuesday in Montreal and is listed as day-to-day, relays team reporter Jameson Olive (Twitter link). The 29-year-old was injured in a collision in the first period with A.J. Greer in his first shift of the game.  Sturm was added from San Jose at the trade deadline as extra depth and has one assist in 11 appearances with Florida in a little under 10 minutes per night of playing time.  Sturm did not suit up tonight either with Tomas Nosek taking his spot on the fourth line.

Atlantic Notes: Lyon, Talbot, Edvinsson, Barkov

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Prior to tonight’s game against Philadelphia, the Red Wings announced (Twitter link) that goaltender Alex Lyon was activated off injured reserve.  He had missed nearly three weeks due to a lower-body injury.  The 32-year-old had played in nine games this season going into tonight’s action, posting a 2.74 GAA with a .911 SV%.  Lyon has been strong value on the two-year deal he signed last summer worth $900K per season; he’s well-positioned to command considerably more on the open market in July.

Meanwhile, team broadcaster Daniella Bruce adds (Twitter link) that the team is hopeful that starter Cam Talbot will be able to return by the weekend.  The 37-year-old has made just one start in the last two-plus weeks due to a lower-body injury but was off to a strong start before that and has a 2.69 GAA with a .916 SV% in 16 appearances so far.  Detroit has a home-and-home set against Montreal starting on Friday so it appears that they’re targeting Talbot to be available for one of those matchups.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • Still with the Red Wings, the team announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Simon Edvinsson suffered an upper-body injury against Philadelphia and did not return. In his first full NHL season, the 21-year-old has certainly made an impact, collecting 13 points in 29 games while averaging 21:16 per game, good for second on the team behind only Moritz Seider.  Speaking with reporters after the game including MLive’s Ansar Khan (Twitter link), head coach Derek Lalonde indicated that there was no immediate update on Edvinsson’s prognosis.
  • Panthers center Aleksander Barkov returned to action tonight against Minnesota, relayed team reporter Jameson Olive (Twitter link). He missed the last two games due to illness.  When healthy, the 29-year-old has been an impactful contributor with 29 points in his first 22 games; his 1.31 points per game average matches his previous best which was set back in the 2021-22 campaign.

Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov A Game-Time Decision

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Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has been announced as a “hopeful” game-time decision for the team’s Monday game against the Edmonton Oilers, per NHL.com’s Jameson Olive. Barkov sat out of Florida’s Saturday loss to the Calgary Flames, and the team’s optional practice on Monday morning, with an illness.

Barkov has continued to be a pillar of the Panthers lineup this season. He’s recorded nine goals and 20 assists in 22 games, averaging out to a 1.32 points-per-game pace – the 13th-best in the NHL. He ranks 10th in the league in assists-per-game (0.91). Barkov has continued his defensive acumen into his 12th NHL season, recording a staggering 62-percent faceoff win rate and 1.72 xGA/60 – both among the best in the league as well.

It’s been an impressive year for the reigning Selke Trophy-winner, though he could now miss his 10th game of the season should he get ruled out tonight. When asked for more detail into the decision, head coach Paul Maurice told NHL.com, “Guys will play through anything, but sometimes it’s just not the smartest thing to do… If he says he can play, then I’m not going to monitor his minutes. We’ll get him out on the ice against one of their two big centermen as much as I possibly can.”

Winger Jonah Gadjovich stepped into a rearranged Panthers lineup in Barkov’s absence. He recorded one shot on net and two hits in 10:30 of ice time. Gadjovich has posted one goal, a -5, and 10 penalty minutes in 15 games this season while averaging the second-fewest minutes (7:29) on the team. Still, he’ll likely return to the lineup should Barkov sit again, with Florida not carrying any additional forwards.

Aleksander Barkov To Return For Panthers

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The Panthers will have captain Aleksander Barkov back in the lineup tonight against the Sabres, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters in Buffalo (including Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald).

The team has danced around confirming his return for days now. Barkov has missed the last eight games with a lower-body injury, believed to be a high ankle sprain that he sustained in the closing seconds of Florida’s second game of the season against the Senators back on Oct. 10. The 29-year-old was a full participant in practice over the weekend, signaling that he’d likely be ready to play tonight.

Despite the absence of their No. 1 center for 80% of their schedule, the defending Stanley Cup champions have managed to stay ahead of the pack. They rank first in a mediocre Atlantic Division to start the season, leading the way with a 6-3-1 record. Remarkably, six of the division’s eight teams have a .500 record – the Panthers and the Lightning (5-3-0) are the only exceptions.

The team’s Jameson Olive relays Barkov will return with Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues as his wingers. Reinhart has shown no signs of slowing down from last season’s breakout campaign, but Barkov’s return could help jumpstart Rodrigues, who’s stumbled out of the gate with just three points and a -10 rating in 10 contests.

Barkov is coming off his second Selke Trophy-winning regular season. The 2013 second-overall pick led Panthers forwards last season with a +33 rating and 61 takeaways and controlled 58.4% of shot attempts and 58.2% of expected goals while on the ice at even strength. He proceeded to add 22 points (8 G, 14 A) in 24 playoff games, averaging over 21 minutes per night, as the Panthers lifted the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Florida never needed to move Barkov to IR despite the extended absence. They still have an open roster spot, even with him on the active roster.

Atlantic Notes: Ekblad, Barkov, Pacioretty, Subban

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The Panthers have been busy on the extension front early on this season.  They signed Carter Verhaeghe on opening night, recently inked Paul Maurice to a new deal, and are in discussions on an extension with Sam Bennett.  However, according to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, it has been quiet when it comes to potential talks with their other prominent UFA, defenseman Aaron Ekblad.  The 28-year-old is in the final season of what was a record-setting contract at the time for a blueliner coming off an entry-level deal, paying him $7.5MM per season.  Despite being banged up with injuries the last few years, it stands to reason that a new pact should come in somewhat close to this one which Florida might not be able to afford if they keep Bennett.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • Still with Florida, center Aleksander Barkov took part in a full practice for the first time since sustaining his lower-body injury, one that’s believed to be a high-ankle sprain, notes George Richards of Florida Hockey Now. While he has been ruled out for tonight’s game, the 29-year-old could be cleared to return on Monday against Buffalo.  Barkov has potted at least 68 points in the last three seasons and has an assist in two games so far in 2024-25.
  • Maple Leafs winger Max Pacioretty will return from his lower-body injury tonight versus Boston, relays TSN’s Mark Masters (Twitter link). The 35-year-old has played in five games so far this season, scoring twice.  Pacioretty is owed a bonus of just over $313K when he reaches the 10-game mark and even with Toronto not playing him full-time, he should be able to hit that over the next few weeks as long as he stays healthy.
  • The Grand Rapids Griffins, the AHL affiliate of the Red Wings, announced that they’ve released goaltender Malcolm Subban from his PTO deal. The 30-year-old played in 35 AHL games last season, posting a 3.12 GAA and a .901 SV%.  Subban also has played in parts of nine NHL seasons spanning 87 appearances where he has a 3.10 GAA and a .898 SV% and will now look to catch on elsewhere.

Snapshots: Panthers, Joshua, Honzek, Harkins

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Already missing three forwards due to illness or injuries, the Panthers won’t have forward Jonah Gadjovich available to them tonight against Vegas due to an undisclosed injury, relays team reporter Jameson Olive.  The 26-year-old has taken a regular turn on the fourth line so far this season, picking up a goal in Florida’s first six games.  As Florida doesn’t have enough cap space to afford a recall from the minors, they will dress just 17 skaters for this one, ten forwards and seven blueliners.

It’s not all bad news on that front, however.  Head coach Paul Maurice indicated that winger Matthew Tkachuk is expected to return from his illness on Tuesday while captain Aleksander Barkov should be back not long after that.  Meanwhile, Tomas Nosek is due to return early next month for their Global Series games.  With that in mind, while the Panthers will be eligible for a cap-exempt recall after tonight’s contest, they’re unlikely to actually need to use it.

More from around the NHL:

  • Canucks forward Dakota Joshua skated today for the first time as he continues to recover from surgery to address a cancerous lump from earlier this summer, mentions NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman (Twitter link). The 28-year-old had a breakout effort last season, notching career-highs in goals (18), assists (14), points (32), and hits (245) across 63 regular season contests, earning him a four-year, $13MM extension in late June.  There remains no timetable for Joshua’s return but the fact he has returned to the ice is certainly a good sign.
  • The Flames have placed forward Samuel Honzek on injured reserve, relays Tim Hiebert of The Hockey News (Twitter link). The 19-year-old is in his first professional season and played in four games before sustaining an upper-body injury that will keep him out on a week-to-week basis.  Calgary now has an open slot on their active roster and it stands to reason that it won’t take too long for it to be filled, likely with the expected pending return of Kevin Rooney who was a full participant in practice on Friday.
  • The Ducks have re-assigned forward Jansen Harkins to AHL San Diego, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 27-year-old is in his first season with Anaheim after signing with them in free agency but cleared waivers at the end of training camp.  Harkins was brought up yesterday following the injury to Isac Lundestrom and Frank Vatrano’s absence from the team for paternity leave and he suited up in their loss to Colorado, recording one shot on goal in 10:11 of ice time.  In a corresponding move, Vatrano is now back on the active roster.

Atlantic Notes: Barkov, Fischer, Dach, Ullmark

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The return of the Florida Panthers’ captain is imminent. Colby Guy of The Associated Press reported earlier that Aleksander Barkov resumed skating this morning although he did not participate in the full practice.

Barkov is dealing with a lower-body injury suffered in Florida’s game against the Ottawa Senators on October 10th. Imaging at the time confirmed that Barkov did not have a fractured ankle putting his recovery timeline around two weeks. Given that it’s already been a week since the initial injury diagnosis, Barkov is still on pace to return later next week.

The Panthers haven’t struggled much in Barkov’s absence with a 3-2-0 record in five contests. They line up against the struggling Vancouver Canucks with a chance to take an early lead in a competitive Atlantic Division.

Other Atlantic notes:

  • According to a team announcement, forward Christian Fischer will return to the ice tonight for the Detroit Red Wings as they take on the New York Rangers. Fischer has skated in two of a possible three games posting no points while averaging 9:02 minutes of ice time per game. He left the organization’s game against the Nashville Predators late in the first period but the upper-body injury proved mild.
  • There are no long-term concerns for Montreal Canadiens’ forward Kirby Dach after missing the team’s practice yesterday. The organization announced Dach was a full participant at practice this morning and he will play down the middle on the team’s second line tonight alongside Alex Newhook and Joel Armia. Dach has tallied one assist in four games entering tonight’s action.
  • Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark is poised on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning even though he did not start tonight against the New Jersey Devils. TSN’s Bruce Garrioch reported earlier that Ullmark participated in the team’s practice this morning and appears mostly recovered from a mild sprain that has prohibited him from playing in the last two games.

Atlantic Notes: Barkov, Tavares, Power, Greenway, Peterka

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7:00 PM : Toronto Maple Leafs centerman John Tavares missed the team’s Saturday matchup with illness.

10:00 AM : Imaging has revealed that Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov’s lower-body injury did not involve an ankle fracture (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman). That’s in line with David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period’s report yesterday that Barkov avoided the worst-case scenario after crashing into the boards near the end of Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Senators and is out a few weeks with a lower-body injury.

It’ll still be a while before we see Barkov back on the ice, but it’s at least confirmation that he should be expected back around the end of the month. He also hasn’t been moved to long-term injured reserve (or injured reserve at all) yet, although that could come if the Panthers need more roster flexibility. They’ve already recalled Patrick Giles from AHL Charlotte in response to his injury and moved Tomáš Nosek to LTIR to create cap room to accommodate Giles.

In the meantime, Barkov’s absence provides plenty of opportunity for usual middle-six pivots Sam Bennett and Anton Lundell to see some more ice time. That could benefit Bennett’s point totals in a contract year, while Lundell is looking to prove he can shoulder heavier usage after inking a six-year, $30MM deal this summer.

Barkov, 29, had an assist and a -1 rating in two contests this year. He was his usual dominant self in the faceoff circle, winning 30% of his draws.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • Maple Leafs center John Tavares didn’t practice with the team this morning due to illness, the team said. He’s now likely questionable for tonight’s game against the Penguins. If he can’t go, line rushes indicate that Pontus Holmberg and Bobby McMann will slide up to the second line to play with William Nylander while Max Domi drops down from second-line left wing to third-line center, per David Alter of The Hockey News. Enforcer Ryan Reaves would also re-enter the lineup after serving as a healthy scratch for Thursday’s 4-2 win over the Devils. Tavares, 34, has a goal and a +1 rating in two appearances thus far.
  • Any concerns about Sabres Jordan Greenway and Owen Power missing tonight’s game after taking maintenance days yesterday have been quelled after they returned to practice this morning, relays Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News. Winger John-Jason Peterka is also once again on the ice, marking the fourth straight day he’s been with the team while recovering from a concussion sustained during the Global Series earlier this month. He missed the home opener against the Kings on Thursday but appears to be an option to return tonight.

Injury Updates: Barkov, Woll, Peterka, Rust

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7:00 PM : After originally being labeled a game-time decision, Penguins winger Bryan Rust has made his return to the lineup. It’s his season debut, returning him to his role on Sidney Crosby’s wing, where he recorded 28 goals and 56 points in 62 games last season.

2:00 PM : The lower-body injury to Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov won’t keep him out for long.  Head coach Paul Maurice told reporters including Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News (Twitter link) that the center is expected to miss two to three weeks and is expected to be ready to play by the time Florida heads overseas in early November for games in Barkov’s native Finland, if not before then.  That means he shouldn’t miss any more time relative to his original week-to-week designation.  The 29-year-old has been a high-end two-way top center for several seasons now and has put up at least 78 points in each of the last three seasons.  Harrington also noted that Florida winger Matthew Tkachuk won’t play tonight against Buffalo although his absence isn’t injury-related but rather due to illness.

Other injury news from around the NHL:

  • Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll is progressing from his lower-body injury but still has not returned to the ice, relays Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun (Twitter link). The netminder was expected to get the start on Wednesday’s opener but was scratched earlier in the day, landing on IR retroactively to his last preseason appearance to make a roster spot for Dennis Hildeby.  Woll is entering his second full NHL season and posted a 2.97 GAA with a .904 SV% in 25 games last season and added a 0.86 GAA with a .963 SV% in three playoff appearances.
  • While the Sabres were hoping that winger J-J Peterka would be able to suit up tonight, the team announced that won’t be the case as he’ll miss his second straight game due to a concussion. However, head coach Lindy Ruff indicated that he’s hopeful Peterka will be able to suit up on Wednesday.
  • Penguins winger Bryan Rust is listed as a game-time decision for tonight’s game against Toronto, notes Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now. The veteran has been listed as day-to-day for the last couple of weeks with a lower-body injury, landing him on IR to start the season but he was a full participant in Pittsburgh’s morning skate.  Rust had 28 goals and 28 assists in 62 games for the Penguins last season.  The team has an open roster spot so they won’t have to send someone down if Rust is indeed cleared to play.

Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov Week-To-Week With Lower-Body Injury

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Florida Panthers star Aleksander Barkov has been reported as out week-to-week by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. Barkov had to be helped off the ice after awkwardly colliding with the boards while racing Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle to a loose puck that’d become the clinching empty-net goal. Pagnotta adds that Barkov seems to have dodged the worst-case scenario and that his injury is considered a bad ankle sprain.

Barkov’s importance to the Panthers can’t be understated. He’s been the team’s unrivaled top center since at least 2017-18, averaging over 20 minutes of ice time and scoring above point-per-game pace in all seven seasons since then. He’s become well-decorated in that span, winning the Lady Byng trophy in 2019, the Selke Trophy in 2021 and 2024, and the Stanley Cup in 2024. Barkov has so far managed just one assist in two games this season – adding three blocks, one hit, and no giveaways.

Filling the role of their team captain will be a daunting task for the Panthers. Sam Bennett has served as the team’s de facto second-line center, though Florida could look towards flexible forwards like Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, or Evan Rodrigues to step into a middle-lane role. This could also be a golden opportunity for the 23-year-old Anton Lundell, who’s recorded fewer than 17 minutes of ice time in each of Florida’s games this season. Lundell is building out his own reputation as a strong two-way player, even receiving votes for the Selke Trophy in his rookie 2021-22 season. Lundell posted an impressive 54.9 faceoff percentage last season, second on the team to Barkov’s 57.3 percent win-rate. That could be helfpul assurance as the Panthers look to hang onto their grip of all three zones without one of the world’s best defensive-forwards.

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