Barkov Injury Update from Florida Panthers Coach Paul Maurice

Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice updated the injury status of captain Sasha Barkov and fourth-line center Nico Sturm following Friday’s practice in Ottawa.

Neither will play against the Senators on Saturday afternoon, again leaving the Panthers shorthanded up the middle.

Barkov, who was sustained an upper-body injury during the second period of Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime loss in Montreal, did not play against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

Sturm was hurt midway through the first period of that game in Montreal when he and A.J. Greer collided at center ice.

Maurice said that while Barkov’s injury is not serious and is considered day-to-day, he would not play in Ottawa nor in Detroit on Sunday.

Sturm would also miss the remainder of the road trip but perhaps return for the final homestand of the regular season which starts Tuesday against the Maple Leafs.

With Barkov out, Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen were reunited with Sam Reinhart as Florida’s top line against Toronto.

On Friday, however, Maurice put Brad Marchand with them and moved Reinhart with Sam Bennett and Jesper Boqvist as Florida’s new top trio per FloridaPanthers.com reporter Jameson Olive.

Evan Rodrigues will continue centering the third line with Carter Verhaeghe and Mackie Samoskevich.

Tomas Nosek, who had been a healthy scratch a number of times since Sturm was acquired before the NHL Trade Deadline, is back centering Florida’s previous fourth line with Greer and Jonah Gadjovich.

The Panthers have not made any additional call-ups from AHL Charlotte aside from bringing up defenseman Jaycob Megna to replace Toby Bjornfot.

“I am looking to find as many different combinations to get a look at it, see if we can get a couple of guys going offensively,’’ said Maurice, whose team is 0-1-1 thus far on the trip.

“Some of it has to do with the matchup the next two days, how those teams are built.

“We have an opportunity to experiment, which is forced on us when Barkov is out of your lineup it changes the center icemen. So, we’re just looking at different guys.”

ON DECK: GAME No. 76

FLORIDA PANTHERS at OTTAWA SENATORS 

• When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
• Where: Canada Tire Center, Ottawa
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• Streaming: Panthers+; ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Last Season: Panthers won 4-0
• This Season (Tied 1-1) — At Ottawa: Senators 3, Panthers 1 (Oct 10); Saturday. At Florida: Panthers 5, Senators 1 (Feb. 8).
• All-time Regular Season Series: Ottawa leads 58-49-5, 3 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Sunday at Detroit Red Wings, 5:30 p.m. (TNT/tru)