Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov leaves Game 3 vs. Hurricanes with undisclosed injury

Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov made an early exit from Monday’s playoff game against the Carolina Hurricanes at FLA Live Arena after awkwardly colliding with opposing forward Jack Drury during the first period.

Barkov, 27, left the ice in apparent discomfort with 7:04 remaining in the opening frame of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final, which the Panthers lead two games to none.

The six-foot-three center remained in the dressing room for the rest of the first period and did not join his teammates in returning to the bench after the intermission.

Here’s a video of the incident involving Barkov and Drury, taken from the TNT feed of Monday’s game:

Through 15 games with the Panthers in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Barkov has collected four goals and 12 points. The Tampere, Finland product recorded 23 goals and 78 points in 68 games with the Panthers during the 2022–23 regular season.

The Panthers originally selected Barkov with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, one spot after the Colorado Avalanche took Nathan MacKinnon. Barkov has amassed 243 goals and 631 points in 664 games over parts of 10 regular seasons in Florida.

Barkov has served as the Panthers’ captain since 2018 and is under contract through 2030 at a $10 million annual NHL cap hit. This is his first experience playing in the Eastern Conference Final, and the Panthers’ first time making it out of the second round of the playoffs since they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1996.

After winning the first two games of the series in Raleigh, N.C., the Panthers are looking to take a commanding 3-0 advantage over the heavily favored Hurricanes with a victory on home ice in Game 3. Sam Reinhart has scored to give Florida a 1-0 lead in the second period of Monday’s game.