Florida Panthers Without Sasha Barkov For Next Few Games

SUNRISE — Due to a lingering non-Covid illness, the Florida Panthers will be without captain Sasha Barkov for at least the next two games.

Barkov has been dealing with this for about the past 10 days. Barkov missed the game against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 17 but returned and played the following three games.

He was told to stay home and away from the team facilities this weekend.

Florida was without Barkov in Saturday night’s 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues and he will not fly with the team to Edmonton this afternoon.

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Coach Paul Maurice said Barkov could fly west on his own once he is cleared by the team doctor.

The Panthers play the Oilers on Monday and then visit the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

It is possible Barkov meets the team in Vancouver for the final three games of this trip.

Florida will play the Canucks, Seattle Kraken and Winnipeg Jets at the end of the five-game set.

”He is not starting the trip with us, he is not getting on the plane with us,” Maurice said. “The moment he feels ready, we’ll get him on the trip. He has seen all the people he has needed to see and it is precautionary as well. We just don’t want to put him on an airplane where his illness is at right now.

”We are hoping in a couple of days he won’t be contagious and we can get him back in the lineup. If he does not have a fever and is feeling good in a couple days, he’ll be on a plane. If it is a few more days, we’ll wait. If he can‘t get it to break, we’ll see him when we get back home.’’

Although the Panthers had to play shorthanded without Barkov against Dallas and St. Louis, they will be back to 20 rostered players for the start of this trip.

On Sunday, Aleksi Heponiemi joined the team on an emergency basis from AHL Charlotte and he will play the next two games.

When Barkov returns, Heponiemi will be returned.

PANTHERS ON DECK

FLORIDA PANTHERS AT EDMONTON OILERS

• When: Monday, 9:30 p.m.
• Where: Rogers Place; Edmonton, Alberta
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida; ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932
• Season Series (Oilers lead 1-0): Edmonton 4, Florida (Nov. 12)
• Last season: Split 1-1
  
• All-time regular season series: Edmonton leads 22-14-0, 3 ties