Barkov Helped Off the Ice After Ugly Fall Into the Boards Causing Serious Injury Concerns

Racing back against Tim Stutzle to prevent an empty net goal, Barkov got tied up and fell to the ice. Tangled up with Stutzle, Barkov slid feet first into the boards at a decent speed.

Barkov was helped off the ice and down the tunnel by his teammates, seemingly unable to put weight on his right leg. To make matters worse, Stutzle scored the goal to seal the win for Ottawa.

After the game, Coach Paul Maurice had no real update on Barkov's condition, only that he would be evaluated tonight and tomorrow. The Panthers have three more road games on their current road trip before returning to Florida.

It's never a good sight to see a premier player in the league need assistance to get off the ice, and potentially suffer a serious injury. The Florida Panthers lost some significant players in free agency this year, and if they lose their star center in Sasha Barkov as well, the regular season could be an uphill battle. Hopefully Barkov isn't severely injured, and is able to make a quick return to play.

Now 29 years old, the Panthers captain has long been named the most underrated player in the league. However, his elite 200 foot game has begun to really get recognition as one of the best in the game, and he was quintessential to their Stanley Cup Win over the Oilers. Even bitter rivals will want Barkov back on the ice soon, because hockey is best when all elite talent is available.