Paul Maurice Updates Status of Injured Captain Sasha Barkov

The good news for the Florida Panthers is that injured captain Sasha Barkov should not miss too much time.

Coach Paul Maurice, speaking following Saturday’s morning skate in Buffalo, said Barkov should only miss a couple of weeks after he was injured at the end of Thursday’s game in Ottawa.

Barkov barreled skates-first into the boards after chasing down a puck heading toward an empty net.

“We think two to three weeks,” Maurice said per Jameson Olive. “We think that’s probably the right window on him. He’s a strong healer.

“He’s just a big powerful man, puts a lot of torque on his joints. We’re optimistic, I think very optimistic, that he’ll play in Finland.”

Florida, of course, will play a pair of games against the Dallas Stars in Barkov’s hometown of Tampere, Finland, on Nov. 1-2.

Playing without a stick after snapping it high in the Florida offensive zone, Barkov tried to make a sliding save against Tim Stutzle and, with no way to put on the brakes, slammed into the boards.

Reports from Ottawa following the game said Barkov left the building without the aid of crutches and NHL Insider Elliott Friedman reported Saturday morning that imaging showed there was no fracture presumably to Barkov’s right ankle.

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Florida made a couple of roster moves on Friday with Barkov out, moving Tomas Nosek to Long-Term Injured Reserve in order to bring up 24-year-old rookie Patrick Giles.

Giles will make his NHL debut tonight.

Florida will still play a forward down, however, with Matthew Tkachuk missing tonight’s game due to illness.

Defenseman Adam Boqvist is back after missing Thursday’s game; he was struck in the face by a clearing pass in the first period of Tuesday’s 6-4 win over the Bruins.

The Panthers will play 11 forwards with seven defensemen tonight.

Spencer Knight will get his first NHL action since Feb. 18, 2023; he will go against former Florida prospect Devon Levi.

Knight and Levi squared off against each other in the Gold Medal game of the 2021 World Juniors; Knight and Team USA won that game 2-0.

Levi was acquired by the Sabres in the Sam Reinhart trade at the 2021 NHL Draft.

This is the first time Levi has faced the Panthers.

— The Panthers announced Monday’s 1 p.m. game against the Boston Bruins be broadcast on WPTV-5 in the West Palm Beach market.

ON DECK: GAME 3

FLORIDA PANTHERS AT BUFFALO SABRES

• When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
• Where: KeyBank Center, Buffalo
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/Fort Lauderdale); WHDT 9 (West Palm); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/Fort Myers)
• 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 3-0) — At Buffalo: Panthers 4, Sabres 0 (Feb. 15). At Florida: Panthers 3, Sabres 2 (Feb. 28); Panthers 3, Sabres 2 OT (Ap.13).
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 57-45-8, 4 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Monday at Boston Bruins, 1 p.m. (Local TV)