It became public knowledge that Matthew Tkachuk would not play until December, which put the Florida Panthers’ pursuit of an unprecedented third straight Stanley Cup in jeopardy. Now, all eyes are on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, as some choices from the Florida front office are shaping the team’s season. At the team’s first official practice of training camp, Barkov unfortunately hurt his right knee during a non-contact drill.

The injury required surgery, which took place on Friday, September 26, and the initial prognosis suggests he could miss the entire regular season, a catastrophic blow to the two-time defending champions. Coach Paul Maurice recognized how tough the loss was, saying, “I know the idea is next man up. There isn’t a next man to fill Barky’s skates.” So, the Pant

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