Aleksander Barkov is opting for non-surgical rehab and is set to miss six to eight weeks, a far better outlook for the Florida Panthers than first feared.
Darren Dreger reported the update Tuesday, as relayed by Gino Hard.
A day earlier, Gino Hard had passed along a report putting Barkov's absence at 10 to 12 weeks.
That's the best news Florida has had in a week. Cutting a month off the timeline turns a holiday return into a late-fall one.
It's the mechanic calling back to say the part doesn't need replacing after all, just some time on the lift.
Why skip surgery? The report framed it as the captain's choice and didn't go further.
Paul Maurice called six to eight weeks the most likely timeline.
-
- Major Barkov news breaks as the official report takes an unexpected turn
"Could be a little less, could be a little more," Maurice said.
He had already said Saturday that it was "going to be 10 games anyway."
Six to eight weeks from now lands somewhere between mid-November and the start of December.
Barkov went down in San Jose last Thursday after an awkward fall in the second period, and Florida had already placed him on LTIR, per Tim Reynolds.
The 31-year-old carries a $10,000,000 cap hit and had no points in two games before the injury.
The Panthers are 1-0-2 after an overtime loss in Anaheim on Sunday.
-
Eetu Luostarinen leads the team with two goals, while Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett have two points each.
Jacob Markstrom is at .914 with a shutout, and Akira Schmid sits at .875.
Florida visits Los Angeles tonight, then finally plays at home Saturday against Minnesota.
Every game of the season so far has been on the road, so the Panthers will be glad to see their own building.
The timeline also means Barkov will miss Brady Tkachuk's first trip back to Ottawa with the Panthers on October 21.
If the rehab holds, Florida gets its captain back before the holidays. If it doesn't, Maurice's "little more" could become the phrase everyone in Florida remembers.
Is skipping surgery the right call for Aleksander Barkov?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
The best free agent on the market has signed a massive contract with the Flyers
