A day after he had to be helped off the ice during the Florida Panthers' first training camp practice, captain Aleksander Barkov is set to undergo knee surgery on Friday, putting his ability to play in the 2025-26 season into doubt.

The Panthers announced the update on Friday. Head coach Paul Maurice said Barkov will miss at least several months and possibly the entire season but that the team woudn't have a firm timeline until after the surgery.

The injury also likely will prevent the center from representing Finland in next February's Milano-Cortina Olympics, the first time NHL players will be participating since 2014.

"That's the big man," Maurice said of Barkov. "He's such an important place in that locker room. What we're going to get to experience now is you'll get to know some of

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