The Florida Panthers’ worst fear came true on Friday morning.
Aleksander Barkov’s lower-body injury, suffered during a practice on Thursday, is serious and requires him to undergo knee surgery, which could ultimately sideline the captain for the entirety of the 2025-26 season.
It’s devastating news for the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, whose already difficult road to a three-peat just got that much tougher.
There is absolutely no replacing Barkov, who is one of the best players in the world and the most important piece to the success of the Panthers. However, we know general manager Bill Zito is uber-aggressive and always looking to improve his roster, so don’t expect him to sit on his hands in the aftermath of Barkov’s injury.
While Florida will likely have to start the season without any outside additions, Dan Powers of the “Empty Netters” podcast has already thrown out a bold suggestion that the Cats go after veteran Penguins star Evgeni Malkin to fill some of the void.
“If Barkov’s injury is, in fact, long term. A trade for Evgeni Malkin makes a hell of a lot of sense for Florida,” Powers wrote.
If Barkov’s injury is, in fact, long term. A trade for Evgeni Malkin makes a hell of a lot of sense for Florida 👀
— Dan Powers (@Dan_Powers_) September 26, 2025
The 39-year-old Malkin is entering the final season of the four-year, $24.4 million contract extension he signed with the Penguins in 2022 and has said he’d like to keep playing beyond 2025-26.
Malkin has always been linked to Florida
While Evgeni Malkin has never wavered in his desire to finish his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the future Hall of Famer always ends up connected to the Florida Panthers.
Malkin spends his summers in Florida, which has long been the reason for the speculation. Now that the Penguins are rebuilding and the Panthers are perennial cup contenders, the possibility makes more sense than it ever has, especially with Barkov on the shelf.
It ultimately comes down to how the season goes in Pittsburgh and whether the four-time all-star is even willing to consider a move. If it does reach a point where Malkin is open to it, then the Florida Panthers immediately become the most likely landing spot.
He also mentioned how cool it was to watch Brad Marchand win a Stanley Cup in the Sunshine State, so as much as this feels like a fantasy, it’s not that far-fetched, and something to keep an eye on closer to the trade deadline.
