The Florida Panthers confirmed the news everyone had expected but did not want to hear. Captain Aleksander Barkov suffered an injury in practice a few days ago. And he will miss seven to nine months after undergoing right knee surgery. As a result, his teammates will need to step up, including young star Anton Lundell.
Lundell is a very talented player. He is a former first-round pick of the Panthers from the 2020 NHL Draft. He has emerged as a key secondary offensive contributor. This past season saw the 23-year-old score 17 goals while recording a career high 45 points.
However, Lundell has played a mostly third-line role for Florida over the last few seasons. The Panthers boast one of the best rosters in the NHL. And they’ve won back-to-back Stanley Cups as a result.
Now, without his fellow countryman in the lineup, Lundell has a chance to show what he can do. He can make a larger impact in a much larger role. The team is embracing a “next man up” mentality, and the 23-year-old Lundell is certainly no different.
“We’ve got to move on as a team and it’s time for everybody to step up,” the Panthers star said, via NHL.com. “Especially for me, it’s an opportunity to bring something even more to the table and something I want to take as a good challenge.”
Panthers Not Sugarcoating Aleksander Barkov Injury
Joel Auerbach/Getty ImagesAleksander Barkov’s impact on the Florida Panthers cannot be understated.
Florida is very aware of the situation. This is a huge blow to their roster. Barkov has a strong case for being the greatest player in franchise history. Losing his influence on and off the ice is something the team is trying to grapple with.
“There’s no hiding it,” coach Paul Maurice said, via NHL.com. “That’s a hole. That’s the big man, right? He has such an important place in that locker room.”
At the same time, they don’t have time to dwell on what-ifs. They don’t have time to wonder how things would be had Barkov not been hurt. This is a team looking to achieve a feat that hasn’t been done since the 1980s. They can’t dwell on losing Barkov. They need to move forward.
Florida Can’t Replace Barkov’s Impact
The next man up mentality is evident throughout this organization. Everyone is going to be called upon to step up. And Barkov’s injury is not the only one the team is dealing with. Matthew Tkachuk and Tomas Nosek are out long-term with their own injuries.
When it comes to Barkov, though, everyone shared a similar sentiment. Everyone needs to step up to try and cover for the loss of their captain. However, they know they can’t truly replace what Barkov brings to this franchise.
“What we’ll get to know now is some of the other leaders in the room,” Maurice said, via NHL.com. “We’ll get to see other players. And, at the end of the day, I know there’s the idea of ‘next man up,’ and I get all that. But there’s no next man for ‘Barky’s’ skates. We just have to share it, spread it across the room and among the coaches. We have to share that.”
The Panthers open the 2025-26 regular season on October 7th against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks.
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