• Associated Press

Oct 10, 2024, 10:24 PM ET

OTTAWA, Ontario —

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    There was no immediate word on the nature or severity of the injury. It appeared that Barkov could put no weight on his right leg, which he flexed a couple of times as he made his way off the ice.

    “He’s going to get looked at here tonight, and probably tomorrow as well,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.

    The Panthers were scheduled to fly to Buffalo on Friday afternoon and will play the Sabres on Saturday.

    The play started innocently enough, with Barkov in the offensive end trying to help Florida tie the game. Down 2-1, Barkov tried a wrist shot from just inside the blue line and broke his stick in the process. The puck trickled only a few feet, then was flipped down the other end by Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk toward the empty Panthers net.

    Barkov, without a stick, gave chase but couldn’t stop Stutzle from scoring.

    The 29-year-old Barkov — the reigning Selke Trophy winner as the NHL’s best defensive forward — is in his 12th season, all with the Panthers. He was the first Finnish-born player to be the captain of a Stanley Cup champion when Florida topped Edmonton for last season’s title.

    The Panthers are scheduled to play two games in Barkov’s homeland on Nov. 1 and 2, when they travel to Tampere, Finland, for a pair of matchups against the Dallas Stars.

    Barkov is the Panthers’ career leader in a number of categories, including goals (266), assists (466), points (712) and game-winning goals (48).