FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Florida Panthers appear set to miss the playoffs for the first time under coach Paul Maurice and since the 2018-19 season.
Injuries have ultimately defined the Panthers’ 2025-26 season, with several key players missing significant time.
Maurice addressed local reporters at Baptist Health IcePlex prior to the team’s game Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators at Amerant Bank Arena, where the Panthers will look to play spoiler.
Forward Evan Rodrigues will undergo surgery on a broken finger suffered in the Panthers’ 3-2 last-second loss to the Minnesota Wild March 26, ending his season.
“There’s not a team in the league you take 10 guys out and you’re gonna look the same,” Maurice told reporters Tuesday.
Maurice hinted there’s only one player who may return this season and that is forward Cole Schwindt.
“I think on our list, to be honest with you, he’s (Schwindt) the only player who has a chance to come back this year of all those guys,” Maurice said.
He has been out of the lineup since suffering a lower-body injury on Feb. 26 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Maurice made it official that captain Aleksander Barkov, who tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee in September, will miss the remainder of the season, meaning the injury will have sidelined him for all 82 games.
Joining Barkov are defensemen Uvis Balinskis (foot), sidelined since March 10, and Niko Mikkola (knee), sidelined since March 20; and forwards Jonah Gadjovich (upper body), inactive since Oct. 25, Anton Lundell (ribs), sidelined since March 19, Brad Marchand (lower body), missing since March 6, and Sam Reinhart (foot), sidelined since March 12.
The Panthers find themselves in a spot they aren’t used to and, with the playoffs out of reach, will begin preparing for a fresh start in 2026-27.
Florida’s first-round pick is top-10 protected, meaning if the draft were held this week, the Panthers would own the selection based off their current position in the standings.
If they lose in regulation Tuesday, they will be officially eliminated from playoff contention.
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