Leo’s Hockey Report: Florida loses Barkov, Marchand to injuries
The Florida Panthers have had a rough couple of years. The squad entered the 2026-27 National Hockey League (NHL) season looking to bounce back after finishing in the basement of the Atlantic Division and missing the playoffs.
Florida’s struggles came as a shock, as the team won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025. However, blame can be partially placed on their star players falling victim to injuries.
Matthew Tkachuk did not play until mid-December after suffering a groin injury.
Alexander Barkov tore his ACL and MCL in preseason, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. He did not return to the ice until late May. Forward Anton Lundell was shut down in late March with a rib injury.
Fast forward to the new season. Like Bill Murray in the film, “Groundhog Day,” the team finds itself trapped in a never-ending loop. Instead of waking up and discovering you are reliving the same day over and over again, Florida finds itself reliving the injury scares of the past.
Barkov returned to the shelf two games into the new season with an apparent leg injury. The team was saved from experiencing the worst-case scenario, as his injury did not occur on the same leg as last season. He will be out for the next six to eight weeks with a lower body injury.
Brad Marchand was the next star to fall victim. He collided with Los Angeles Kings defenceman Brant Clarke before hitting the goal post. He was forced to get up with the help of his teammates, unable to put any weight on his left leg.
Marchand returned to Florida last Thursday and was evaluated by team doctors. He will be out for the next six weeks with a lower-body injury. Tuesday’s game was Marchand’s second one back after having surgery in the offseason to repair a previous ailment.
“Last year was tough, so my first thought was, ‘Do I have to go through that again? I just started playing, just starting to be with the team and did this happen again?’” Barkov told reporters. “But then, obviously, really good news came pretty soon after that. Knowing I have a good team behind me, they’re going to take good care of me.”
“I promise I'll be back in the Panthers' uniform very soon.”
Still, the question remains. Is it déjà vu in the Sunshine State? Some fans feel it is time to press the panic button and waive the white flag. Where’s Roger Nielson when you need him?
However, fans can breathe a sigh of relief knowing the severity of both injuries. Florida lost Barkov early last season and failed to rebound. This time around, the team is presented an opportunity to not let the season get out of hand.
Florida sits fifth in the Atlantic with two wins, one regulation loss and two overtime defeats. What is different from last year is their depth.
The team bolsters a somewhat healthy roster for the first time since their 2025 Stanley Cup Finals run. Florida can move players around and have them in different situations.
Depth was something General Manager Bill Zito zeroed in on during the offseason. He brought in players like Garnet Hathaway and Lars Eller. Those players will not give you the same production as someone like Barkov or Marchand.
However, Eller and Hathaway can eat up big minutes and find a role on the bottom six or on Florida's penalty kill.
They can also put the puck in the back of the net when it is needed.
Florida has seen an immediate impact from their depth forwards. Eller is tied in team scoring with Sam Bennett. He has three assists in four games.
At the same time, players like Eller and Hathaway will complement some of the Panthers’ established and deep forward core. Carter Verhaeghe is capable of producing when his name is called. He scored 25 goals and 55 points across 77 games last year.
Florida also has the likes of Bennett, Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk to help drive the offence.
The Cats also wanted to become a more sandpaper and gritty team. Acquiring Brady Tkachuk will go a long way to achieve their goal. He was someone whose game was missing from their roster last season.
Tkachuk was dealt to Florida from the Ottawa Senators in the offseason. He was the Senators’ captain for the past two seasons. When healthy, Tkachuk possesses a very high ceiling. He is capable of scoring north of 40 goals and up to 90 points. Being the elite power forward that he is, Tkachuk can also dominate the physical part of the game and in those high-danger situations.
Tkachuk is also a pest in front of the opponent’s net.
"We have a little experience with Sasha going down, so it wasn't quite as shocking the second time it happened," Head Coach Paul Maurice told reporters. "We know we have good depth. And there's a threshold for any team ... and we passed that early last year. The tank is deep right now. We had a big summer off, so we're strong."
Florida’s next challenge is Saturday against Minnesota. The game proved whether the team could play while under adversity and hardship.
However, all we can do now is see how the team’s depth will hold up while Barkov and Marchand are on the shelf. The team brought in pieces like Tkachuk, Eller and Hathaway for a reason.
Hopefully they can stabilize a shorthanded offensive core for the time being.
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