The Colorado Avalanche’s odds of winning the Stanley Cup improved Thursday night.

It’s terrible for the NHL that Aleksander Barkov, one of the best players in the world and a star for the two-time defending champions, sustained a knee injury during practice and needs surgery which will put his season in jeopardy.

The Florida Panthers announced Barkov will miss 7-9 months, which is either the entire regular season or the playoffs as well. It significantly hurts the Panthers’ chances of a three-peat, a team that is also going to miss star Matthew Tkachuk for a chunk of the season because of his own surgery.

It also reinforces how wide open the 2025-26 season feels, at least among the top contenders. The Panthers were the favorites, but only slightly because … stuff happens when a club has

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