Barkov injury could alter balance of power in Eastern Conference

The devastating news surrounding Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov’s injury has sent shockwaves throughout the NHL.

Here’s a player who’s gone through everything and stood tall. He’s withstood three straight Stanley Cup runs playing through just about every sort of injury hockey players can deal with.

Yet, during a seemingly innocuous play, Barkov suffered a crushing knee injury that pretty much ended his season.

According to a statement released by the Panthers on Friday afternoon, the prognosis for Barkov is seven to nine months. Assuming the best, Barkov could be back in the lineup by April, just in time for the playoffs, coincidentally.

If we assume the worst, he could suit up in the third round of the playoffs. That would still be a huge boost to the Panthers, but that’s only assuming that they make it that far again.

The fact is that Barkov’s injury could alter the balance of power in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers are now severely weakened by the absence of Matthew Tkachuk and Barkov. That’s two top all-world players who will not be in the lineup this season.

While Tkachuk could be back in December, the fact is that the Panthers risk losing so much ground that their playoff positioning could be in jeopardy. Meanwhile, other clubs like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs could be licking their chops at the possibility of leaving the Panthers in the rearview mirror.

Barkov’s absence leaves Panthers thin down the middle

As it stands, Sam Bennett will now be expected to emerge as the Panthers’ top-line center. No offense to Mr. Bennett, but he’ll be hard-pressed to fill some big shoes. He’s hardly the elite two-way center that Aleksander Barkov is. While Bennett could have a big year offensively, the Panthers could struggle to adjust to their usual defensive system.

Then, things get really thin from there. Anton Lundell will now jump into the top six. This opportunity could be a career-changing one for the Finnish forward. The 23-year-old will need to prove he’s ready for prime time.

The Panthers’ bottom six now features Evan Rodrigues as a 3C and Luke Kunin as the 4C. Suddenly, the Panthers aren’t as deep as they once seemed. It’s unbelievable how one key injury changes the entire dynamic of a team.

All told, Barkov’s injury puts a serious dent in the Panthers’ chances to remain the Eastern Conference’s premier powerhouse. Yes, they are still an extremely talented club. They have an elite goaltender and two high-end blue liners in Seth Jones and Aaron Ekblad.

But these won’t be the juggernaut Panthers that steamrolled over everyone last postseason. These Panthers could struggle to stay above water. Of course, the plan is to make it to the playoffs. Once in, anything can happen.

Unfortunately for Panthers fans, this could be the end of the line for what was a once-promising dynasty. It’s now up to other clubs to claim the Eastern Conference throne (here’s looking at the Carolina Hurricanes).