After years and years of waiting, it looks like the Winter Olympics won’t be in Aleksander Barkov’s cards after all. In 2018, NHL players were barred. The same occurred in 2022 but due to Covid-19; Barkov could only watch from home as Finland took home the gold. From missing past tournaments to now standing just months away from the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina 2026, fate seems to test him. Barkov had been named to Finland’s Olympic roster back in June and was expected to play a starring role. The anticipation, the hope, the chance to make his country proud, it all felt within reach. And yet, somehow, the timing couldn’t be crueler.
The Florida Panthers shared a post on X: “Florida Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov suffered injuries to his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) at yesterday’s practice. Today, he underwent successful surgery by Dr. John Uribe at Baptist Health Doctors Hospital. He will be re-evaluated on an ongoing basis. The expected recovery timeline for these injuries is 7 to 9 months.” Fans could hardly believe what they were reading. The heartbreak was immediate and intense. Just 20 minutes into a routine drill, Barkov went down. Minimal contact, maximum heartbreak. But the most heartbreaking news was shared by a fan.
One X user, @JessBlaylock, summed up the pain perfectly: “What absolutely guts me most is Barkov missing the Olympics. He’s the face of Finnish hockey and deserved that opportunity more than anything. These guys have waited years for this chance to represent their home countries on that stage. So incredibly brutal.” Ouch, but it’s hard to argue with that sentiment. At the very least, Barkov won’t be back before the playoffs. And as if that weren’t enough, it wipes out his chance to represent Finland in Milano-Cortina this February, where NHL players return to the Olympics for the first time since Sochi 2014.
Last season, Barkov helped the Panthers drive the team to consecutive Stanley Cup victories. “There’s no next man for Barky’s skates,” Coach Maurice said, and wow, it is a harder line than any slap shot. It might not be worse when the time comes and the stakes are even greater, and fans can’t help but think about the burden of another dream passing by Barkov.
Fans are heartbroken as Aleksander Barkov faces another setback
One fan commented, “I can’t help thinking about how he got injured at the 2014 Olympics as well. Some horrible luck and I wish it wasn’t like this.” And honestly, it’s hard to argue with that. Back then, Aleksander Barkov was just 18, full of promise, when he suffered a knee injury right before the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. During Finland’s game against Norway on February 14, 2014, he went down and was ruled out for the rest of the tournament. At the time, he was playing on Finland’s top line alongside legends Teemu Selänne and Mikael Granlund. Still, despite his early exit, Finland managed to take home the bronze, defeating the United States 5-0 in the final.
Another fan added, “Just at a loss for words. Totally innocent play. Praying for a complete recovery.” And yet another chimed in, “I’m absolutely heartbroken for him and for Finland. Get well soon, Barky 💚.” It’s easy to see why. Last season, Barkov led the Panthers in assists with 51 and finished second in 71 points, then added six goals and 16 assists in the playoffs as Florida claimed its second consecutive Stanley Cup. “It’s going to be tough,” Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said. “He’s our leader — there’s no replacing Barky. Everyone has to step up. There’s no replacing him, but it’s another challenge for our group. And we’re usually pretty good at overcoming challenges.”
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“He’s such an important person in that locker room,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Friday. “I think what we’re going to get to experience now is you’ll get to know some of the other leaders that we have in our room.” On top of Aleksander Barkov’s absence, forward Matthew Tkachuk is recovering from offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and is also expected to miss the start of the season.
One more fan added, “That’s what makes me more devastated for him than anything. I just hope he makes a complete recovery and keeps his spirits up. This is so rough.” Another added, “I’m not ruling him out of anything at this point. The dude is a stud. It would not surprise me if he is back much sooner.” For Aleksander Barkov, it’s now about rehab and mental strength. For the Panthers and fans, it’s a test of patience, hope, and support as they wait for one of hockey’s brightest stars to return to the ice.