One day after witnessing his team’s captain, Aleksander Barkov, suffer an injury from an illegal hit, Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice provided limited updates on Barkov’s condition ahead of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers. Maurice noted that Barkov’s condition had not worsened, which he viewed as a positive sign, and mentioned that if Barkov continues to improve, the team should be in good shape.
The injury occurred with 9:28 remaining in regulation during Florida’s 4-1 victory over Edmonton, which gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The incident happened when Oilers star Leon Draisaitl left his feet and struck Barkov in the jaw with his forearm in the Panthers’ defensive zone. Barkov, who recently won his second Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top two-way forward, fell to the ice and had to be assisted by trainers. He did not return to the game, and Maurice later clarified that Barkov’s absence was not precautionary, indicating that he was either in concussion protocol or too injured to play.
Maurice emphasized that with just over nine
minutes left in a close game, he would not have kept Barkov out of the action if he was able to play. He also mentioned that a more thorough assessment of Barkov’s condition would take place on Wednesday before the team’s departure to Edmonton. Maurice reassured that while some medical evaluations were conducted, nothing serious was found, and Barkov was feeling better the next day. However, he stressed the importance of waiting another 24 hours to ensure Barkov is strong and effective before making a final decision on his availability.Following the hit, Draisaitl defended his actions, describing the play as “just a hit” and denying any intent to injure Barkov, though he acknowledged that the hit may have been a bit high. Draisaitl received a two-minute minor penalty for roughing, during which Florida’s Evan Rodrigues scored his second goal of the period, extending the Panthers’ lead to 3-1. Aaron Ekblad later sealed the win with an empty-net goal. Despite the injury to their captain, the Panthers remained focused and rallied to secure the victory.
After the game, Maurice refrained from commenting extensively on the hit, stating that the league would review it, as it does with all significant plays. The NHL’s director of player safety, George Parros, who was present at the game, will determine if Draisaitl will face further punishment. However, the only disciplinary action announced by the league was a fine for Oilers forward Sam Carrick for slashing Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov late in the third period.
On Tuesday, Maurice expressed a desire to move past the incident, acknowledging that the referees had called the penalty and that the league would make its decision regarding any additional consequences. Barkov, who is tied with Matthew Tkachuk for the team lead with 19 points in the playoffs, is a crucial part of Florida’s lineup, contributing significantly to both their power play and penalty kill units. His teammates expressed hope that he would recover quickly and return to the ice even stronger. This marks the second time this season that Barkov has taken an elbow to the face, the first of which occurred in January against the Vegas Golden Knights, though he did not miss any games after that incident.