As the NHL season prepares to resume after the 2026 Winter Olympics, the Florida Panthers are setting their sights on a crucial late-season playoff push. The break has been a boon for the team, allowing several key players to recover from injuries.
Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice recently shared updates on the team's health status. The encouraging news is that most of the roster is on the mend. However, fans will need to be patient regarding captain Sasha Barkov and defenseman Seth Jones, who are still a bit away from hitting the ice in competitive action.
The silver lining is that players like Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand, and Evan Rodrigues, who have been sidelined with injuries, are expected to return within the next couple of weeks. They're joined by Tony Bjornfot, Dmitry Kulikov, Jonah Gadjovich, Tomas Nosek, and Daniil Tarasov, who are also nearing their comebacks.
For Barkov and Jones, the timeline is a bit more extended. Jones is about a week from rejoining team practices, albeit in a non-contact capacity initially.
Barkov, meanwhile, is diligently working through rehab for his surgically repaired knee. Both have been skating independently, guided by Panthers Skills Coach Max Ivanov, who shared some impressive footage of their sessions on social media.
With these players gradually returning, the Panthers are poised to make a strong push in the latter part of the season, aiming to capitalize on their depth and talent as they eye the playoffs.