The Florida Panthers' loss of captain Aleksander Barkov to a catastrophic knee injury has sent the NHL into a frenzy.
The biggest piece of the back-to-back Stanley Cup champs is now off the board. It’s like losing your queen early in a chess match. Now, Panthers coach Paul Maurice will make do with his still deep lineup to compensate for the loss of the NHL’s best two-way forward.
But that make-shift arrangement may not last for long. Florida GM Bill Zito will now likely face mounting pressure to do something about the gaping hole in the Panthers’ top six. Since Barkov is likely done for the season, Zito will need to figure out a workaround for the club.
That workaround could mean a huge trade. There have already been rumors about the Panthers kicking the tires on Evgeni Malkin. Could the Panthers circle back to Malkin now that Barkov is down?
Could there be another deal in the works? Possibly. But that won’t likely happen at this time. The indication thus far is that certain teams, like the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Boston Bruins, among others, are in a holding pattern. If they have rough starts to their seasons, they could start selling off pieces.
But that might be until November or early December. So, the Panthers’ depth will be put to the test. The club will be expecting veterans to step up amid the uncertainty unleashed by Barkov’s sudden vanishment.
Sam Bennett to step up in Barkov’s absence in Panthers’ lineup
Sam Bennett, who signed an eight-year extension this summer with the Panthers, will now be relied upon to prove he’s worth the money and term.
Bennett will now be thrust into the Panthers’ top-line center role. Sure, the team could do much worse. But Bennett has never really been a number-one pivot. That’s why this opportunity could be Bennett’s shot to prove he’s the real deal.
Last season, Bennett had a relatively pedestrian regular season. He scored 25 goals and 51 points in 76 games. That’s solid for a middle-six forward. Of course, Bennett shone in the playoffs, stealing the spotlight en route to the Conn Smythe Trophy.
But that’s in the past now. The Panthers will be counting on everyone, not just Bennett, to make up for the vacancy left by Aleksander Barkov’s loss. Bennett could rise to the occasion and take his game to the next level.
Fans could see Bennett blow past the career-high in points he set last season. He could even top the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career. It will certainly be a tall order to step into such a big role at this point, but this moment is a sink-or-swim proposition for Sam Bennett.
For the Panthers’ sake, fans hope he will swim instead of just treading water.