The Florida Panthers were handed a major early jolt just weeks ahead of the puck dropping on the 2025-26 NHL season. Captain Aleksander Barkov suffered ACL and MCL injuries in a training drill at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale and is expected to miss between seven and nine months of hockey.
With the Panthers’ top-line center out of action for a major chunk of the season, and Matthew Tkachuk also expected to be out until at least December, the reigning Stanley Cup champions will be left shorthanded as they look to enter an exclusive club of teams to have won three Stanley Cups on the bounce.
Who Could The Panthers Target In Light Of Aleksander Barkov’s Injury?
The popular choice among fans appears to be Sidney Crosby. That, alas, may be a pipe dream.
Much has been said and written about the Crosby trade speculation, especially after his agent, Pat Brisson, publicly put pressure on GM Kyle Dubas to accelerate the rebuild to give Crosby a shot at winning his fourth Stanley Cup. Despite all the speculation, it appears highly unlikely that Crosby will be on the move this year.
But it appears one man is already willing to fill Barkov’s shoes in Florida’s lineup.
That man is none other than former Washington Capitals stalwart Evgeny Kuznetsov.
According to a report from RG Media, Kuznetsov is fielding interest from both the Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. “Evgeny wants to play in the NHL. Right now, he’s waiting on Toronto’s decision, though Florida is also an option,” RG Media quoted a source as saying.
Kuznetsov, 33, spent 11 seasons with Alex Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals, racking up 568 points in 723 games. Kuznetsov was also famously part of Washington’s 2018 Stanley Cup–winning squad.
However, his last NHL stint with the Carolina Hurricanes didn’t yield much success. He suited up in 20 regular-season games for the franchise, registering seven points (two goals, five assists). In the playoffs, he managed another three points across six games.
Kuznetsov has been holding out for an NHL contract since mutually terminating a four-year deal with SKA Saint Petersburg in the KHL.
That patience could finally come in handy. The Panthers will be desperate to ensure they don’t enter the new season on the back foot, given they are the favorites to hoist the Stanley Cup for the third year in a row. Kuznetsov would bring a reliable presence to the roster along with a championship-winning pedigree. However, it could be a while until we see him firing on all cylinders if Florida brings him on board.
The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, have been on the lookout to add some depth over the past few weeks. Unrestricted free agent Jack Roslovic’s name has been bandied about as a solution to those problems. But in all likelihood, if Kuznetsov’s name is out there, he would probably edge Roslovic as an option for Toronto.