- Aleksander Barkov is back with the Panthers for 2026-27 after missing all of last season with a knee injury
- Teammates and coach Paul Maurice say their captain is smiling more than ever since his return
- Read below for what Ekblad, Maurice and Tkachuk had to say about getting Barkov back
Aleksander Barkov is smiling again, and the Florida Panthers can’t stop talking about it.
The Panthers captain is back on the ice for the 2026-27 season after tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee 20 minutes into last year’s training camp. Florida missed the playoffs without him, and that wasn’t a coincidence.
Lundell was asked about the difference in his captain since the injury.
“It’s awesome to see him happy, see him smile sometimes, and just enjoy playing hockey right now,” Lundell said.
Barkov sets the tone in a room loaded with talent, from Olympic champions in the Tkachuk brothers to a future Hall of Famer in Brad Marchand.
Ekblad was asked what it means to have his captain back on the ice.
“I’m so excited,” Ekblad said. “I’m excited to just throw pucks up the middle of the ice. It could be hip-high or off his boots and he’ll find a way to grab it. We all know who Barky is.”
Barkov talked about what missing the season taught him when he met with reporters at Panthers media day:
“You just have to enjoy every single chance you get to play hockey, to be with your teammates, to go to every single practice, every single game,” Barkov said. “You’ve got to be excited about that.”
Maurice was asked how much he trusts his captain’s reads on the bench.
“All I’ve got to do is put Barky on the ice and none of you guys are going to call me out on it, right?” Maurice said. “He makes you a better coach, so I missed being able to call his name.”
The numbers explain why. Over his last 10 healthy seasons, Barkov put up 722 points, 485 hits and 463 blocked shots, marks no other NHL player matched in all three categories over that stretch.
Tkachuk was asked what it means to get his captain back for a run at a third straight title.
“Anytime you can add a top three player in the world, that’s definitely a good thing,” Tkachuk said. “He’s the full package, and we need him back.”
Barkov already looks like himself with the games underway. Check out his return to the lineup against Carolina:
He scored in that preseason opener, then added a no-look, highlight-reel finish days later that had teammates buzzing on the bench.
