The Florida Panthers will be without LW Matthew Tkachuk due to illness against the Buffalo Sabres, per NHL insider Elliotte Friedman. In his place, Spencer Knight will get the start. The Panthers will also be without C Aleksander Barkov (lower body), who is expected to miss two to three weeks.

Over the last few days, the Panthers also placed RW Justin Sourdif (undisclosed) and LW Tomas Nosek (upper body) on injured reserve.

Rocky start to the Panthers' 2024-25 season

Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) stands prior to a faceoff in the second period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre
© Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov won't be back until November. The defending Stanley Cup champions raised last year's title banners to start the 2024-25 season and put six in the net in the season opener against the Boston Bruins. But followed that up by allowing Ottawa's Tim Stutzle to score twice, including once on a power play in a 3-1 loss to the Senators. Ottawa dominated in blocked shots 30-9.

Barkov's injury wasn't as serious as first believed, per Friedman.

“We will see about exact timeline, but good news for Aleksander Barkov is imaging determined no fracture,” Friedman wrote. “So he will be out a bit, but worst outcomes avoided, thankfully.”

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Florida signed Carter Verhaeghe to an eight-year contract extension earlier in the week. The 2013 third-rounder joined the Panthers in the 2020-21 season but really came into his own over the last two seasons, accounting for 73 and 72 points.

Colin Gallant of ClutchPoints ranks the Panthers as the league's best team and believes the champions deserve to enter the season on top.

“For the second consecutive year in the NHL Power Rankings, the team that won the Stanley Cup will start the season in the esteemed No. 1 spot. It's the easy pick, but there's no reason to think that this roster won't be in the mix for another ring next June. There were a couple free agency departures, the toughest being top defenseman Brandon Montour, but the core is still in place.

“Sam Reinhart won't score 57 goals again, but along with Matthew Tkachuk, Sasha Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling and Sergei Bobrovsky, this is still an elite squad and one of the favorites to win the Atlantic Division. Tuesday night against the rival Bruins should be a lot of fun as the title defense kicks off in earnest.”

The Panthers are in Buffalo on Saturday, October 12 to hit the ice against the Sabres.