Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette said Wednesday that Barkov is week-to-week with an apparent left knee injury but won't require surgery, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.
While the team officially called Barkov's injury a lower-body issue, he was involved in a knee-on-knee collision that saw Scott Mayfield fined by the Department of Player Safety. Even with the news that Barkov won't require surgery, the Panthers won't have an easy time replacing their top goal scorer (nine) and point producer (17). For now, Sam Bennett will get the opening shot at stepping into Barkov's spot on the first line, though Carter Verhaeghe could also be in the mix. Given his timeline, Barkov should probably be expected to land on injured reserve to free up a spot on the 23-man roster.