FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — After three straight wins, the Florida Panthers hit the road for a trip that could decide their playoff fate for the 2025-26 season.
Hoping to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 season, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice shared the latest injury updates.
Forward Sam Reinhart, who scored the game-winning overtime goal against Columbus on Thursday, will not travel with the team on its four-game trip.
Maurice did not specify Reinhart’s injury but said, “It’s more than one thing he’s been dealing with.”
Through 65 games, Reinhart leads the Panthers with goals (29), assists (32) and points (61).
The Panthers are hoping to get defenseman Seth Jones back.
He has been out of the lineup since breaking his collarbone in the Winter Classic on Jan. 2 at loanDepot park while attempting to block a shot.
“He went through it,” Maurice said. “It took a long time to heal, and there was nothing he could do. It just had to heal. Hopefully get the green light today before he goes, and then we’ll get him pushed real hard here to see if we can make sure he’s strong.”
As for forward Sam Bennett, Maurice listed him as day-to-day, saying Bennett “picked something up” in the Panthers’ 2-1 overtime win over Columbus.
Two key forwards who did not play against Columbus, Carter Verhaeghe and Anton Lundell, will return to the lineup Sunday against Seattle at 8 p.m. ET.
Forward Brad Marchand, who’s been dealing with a lower-body injury, is not expected to play Sunday.
Maurice said Marchand would meet with doctors to determine the next step, possibly surgery that could end his season.
“Don’t have an answer for you on Brad,” Maurice said Saturday.
Fourth-line forward Jonah Gadjovich, who sustained an upper-body injury Oct. 25 against Vegas that required surgery, “could potentially return to the lineup at the end of the road trip,” with the Panthers visiting Vancouver on Tuesday, Edmonton on Thursday for a Stanley Cup Final rematch, and Calgary on Friday.
Defenseman Uvis Balinskis, like Jones, has been out of the lineup after blocking a shot.
He suffered the injury Feb. 27 at Amerant Bank Arena against Buffalo but will travel with the team.
Captain Aleksander Barkov, out since tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee in September, has yet to play this season but is nearing a return -- with Maurice noting he has been pleased with Barkov’s progress as he continues skating both individually and with the team.
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