Panthers Weigh Shutting Down Barkov for Season

Injured captain's $10M cap hit could provide relief, but at cost of playoff eligibility

Feb. 24, 2026 at 8:19pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Florida Panthers are facing a difficult decision regarding the future of injured captain Aleksander Barkov. Barkov has been sidelined all season after undergoing surgery in September to repair a torn ACL and MCL. With the Panthers struggling to make the playoffs and the NHL's new salary cap rules for the postseason, the team is considering placing Barkov on season-ending injured reserve, which would make him ineligible to play for the rest of the year but provide $10 million in crucial salary cap relief.

Why it matters

The Panthers' ability to make a deep playoff run this season has been severely hampered by Barkov's absence. Putting him on season-ending IR would give the team more flexibility to acquire players before the trade deadline, but at the cost of losing their captain for the playoffs if they do manage to qualify.

The details

Barkov, a three-time Selke Trophy winner, has been skating on his own for the past two months but has not participated in full team practices. The original timeline for his recovery was 7-9 months, and it's been almost 5 months since his surgery. Panthers GM Bill Zito says the team is considering all options, including shutting down Barkov for the season to free up his $10 million cap hit, which could be used to acquire other players before the trade deadline.

  • Barkov underwent surgery on September 26, 2025.
  • The original timeline for Barkov's recovery was 7-9 months.
  • It's been almost 5 months since Barkov's surgery.
  • The NHL trade deadline is on Friday, March 6, 2026.
  • The Panthers have 25 games remaining in the regular season.

The players

Aleksander Barkov

The Florida Panthers' captain and a three-time Selke Trophy winner who has been sidelined all season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL and MCL.

Bill Zito

The general manager of the Florida Panthers who is weighing the team's options regarding Barkov's potential season-ending injured reserve designation.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Obviously it goes without saying that [Barkov's] a considerable addition to make to any team. So the sooner the better as far as I'm concerned.”

— Bill Zito, General Manager, Florida Panthers

“There's any number of scenarios that can present themselves. You could have one where you want to preserve his (Barkov's) ability to play in the playoffs. There's a scenario in which it's so far away (to make the playoffs), 'I just don't think we can do it', in which case it doesn't really matter — you could use that cap space.”

— Bill Zito, General Manager, Florida Panthers

What’s next

The Panthers will have to make a decision on Barkov's status before the NHL trade deadline on March 6, 2026.

The takeaway

The Panthers' difficult decision on Barkov's future highlights the challenges teams face under the new salary cap rules for the playoffs. Shutting down their star player for the season could provide crucial cap relief, but at the cost of losing him for a potential playoff run.