Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov goes down with concerning leg injury during Sharks game

Last season, the Florida Panthers dealt with a long list of injuries to key players, many of whom missed significant portions of the campaign. One of their earliest major setbacks came when captain Aleksander Barkov tore his ACL and MCL during training camp, forcing him to miss the entire 2025-26 season.

Now, there are concerns that Barkov may have suffered another serious leg injury just two games into the 2026-27 season. During Thursday evening's game against the San Jose Sharks, the Panthers captain went down awkwardly in the corner, with his left leg bending awkwardly in the process. He immediately left the ice as a trainer rushed toward the tunnel leading to the locker room to assist him.

Barkov was visibly frustrated as he threw his gloves down while heading down the tunnel toward the locker room.

The Panthers took Barkov in the first round (second overall pick) in the 2013 NHL Draft, and he quickly developed into one of the NHL's premier two-way centers. The longtime Panthers captain has won the Selke Trophy three times as the NHL's best defensive forward, and has become a franchise cornerstone, eventually leading Florida to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and 2025. He also helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2023, though they fell short against Vegas.

Barkov has spent his entire NHL career with the Panthers, setting numerous franchise records along the way. He's become one of the most decorated players in team history, and his two Stanley Cup titles made him the first Finnish-born captain to hoist the trophy.