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Ekblad (personal) is not available for Sunday's game in Anaheim, according to Armando Velez of Locked On Podcast Network.
Per Velez, the Panthers' television broadcast said that Ekblad is with his family, and the reason for his absence is a personal matter rather than an injury. It's unclear if the right-shot defenseman will be available for Tuesday's game in Los Angeles, but if Ekblad traveled back to Florida, he might not be an option for the Panthers until Saturday's home matchup against the Wild.
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Panthers' Gustav Forsling: Back in lineup Sunday
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Forsling (upper body) will suit up Sunday in Anaheim, per Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site.
Forsling was deemed a game-time decision Saturday after missing Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Sharks. The steady left-shot blueliner will slot in on the top pairing next to Dmitry Kulikov, as Aaron Ekblad (personal) isn't in Sunday's lineup.
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Panthers' Jacob Markstrom: Tending twine Sunday
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Markstrom will defend the road net against Anaheim on Sunday, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.
Markstrom earned a shutout in his first appearance of the 2026-27 campaign, making 15 saves in a 1-0 overtime victory over Carolina on Tuesday. Anaheim picked up a 4-3 win over Vegas on Friday.
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Panthers' Brad Marchand: Making season debut Sunday
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Marchand (lower body) will make his season debut during Sunday's game against Anaheim, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.
Marchand was initially expected to be sidelined through October, but the Panthers announced this week that his recovery was going better than expected and that he could be back in action before the end of the month. He's ultimately been given the green light to return after missing just two games to begin the regular season. Across 52 regular-season appearances last year, Marchand recorded 27 goals, 27 assists, 38 PIM, 36 hits and 16 blocked shots while averaging 17:44 of ice time.
Petrovic was called up from AHL Charlotte on Saturday, per Panthers TV Rinkside Reporter Katie Engleson.
Petrovic is up from the minors after Aleksander Barkov (knee) was moved to long-term injured reserve. Petrovic gives Florida another option, but it wouldn't be surprising if he was a healthy scratch Sunday versus Anaheim. He had two goals, 10 points and 47 PIM in 54 regular-season outings with Dallas in 2025-26.
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Panthers' Sam Lafferty: Summoned from AHL
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Lafferty was recalled from AHL Charlotte on Saturday, according to Panthers TV Rinkside Reporter Katie Engleson.
Lafferty registered one goal, two points, nine shots on net, five blocked shots and 35 hits in 29 regular-season games for Chicago in 2025-26. With Aleksander Barkov (knee) unavailable, Lafferty will likely make his Florida debut against Anaheim on Sunday.
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Panthers' Gustav Forsling: Game-time call for Sunday
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Forsling (upper body) is expected to be a game-time decision for Sunday's tilt in Anaheim, per Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site.
Forsling missed Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to San Jose due to the injury. If he ends up playing Sunday, then he will likely serve in a top-four capacity. Aleksander Barkov (knee) was forced to exit Thursday's game, so Uvis Balinskis might remain in the lineup as a seventh defenseman, even if Forsling returns.
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Panthers' Aleksander Barkov: Moves to LTIR
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Barkov (knee) was placed on long-term injured reserve Saturday, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
Barkov will miss at least 10 games and 24 days following his LTIR placement. The Panthers might provide a timeline for his return after Saturday's practice. Barkov injured his left leg in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to San Jose. He sat out the entire 2025-26 campaign after he had reconstructive surgery to repair his right ACL and MCL.
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Panthers' Aleksander Barkov: Will undergo MRI
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Barkov (knee) is scheduled to have an MRI on Friday, Pierre LeBrun of TSN reports.
Barkov exited the ice immediately after suffering his apparent knee injury, which isn't an encouraging sign for a player who missed all of last season with a knee injury on his other side. While not officially ruled out, at this point it seems unlikely the veteran center will be ready to face the Ducks on Sunday and could miss the rest of Florida's West Coast swing.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Forces overtime
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Tkachuk scored a goal on two shots and added two hits in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Sharks.
Tkachuk's third-period tally forced overtime. The winger has racked up four shots on net and three hits over two games this season while seeing time on the second line and first power-play unit. Tkachuk should continue to be a point-per-game threat on offense while maintaining a physical edge. As long as he can stay healthy, he'll offer multi-category upside as a lock to be in fantasy lineups.
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Panthers' Eetu Luostarinen: Pots pair of goals in overtime loss
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Luostarinen scored two goals, including one on the power play, in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Sharks.
Luostarinen had the Panthers' first two goals of the contest. The 28-year-old forward has added four shots on net and four hits over two games this season. He's seeing time on the third line, though he could be a candidate for power-play usage if Aleksander Barkov (leg) gets bad news with his injury evaluation after leaving Thursday's game early. Luostarinen has enough physicality to be useful in deeper fantasy formats, but he's topped the 40-point mark just once in his five full-length seasons.
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Panthers' Akira Schmid: Takes overtime loss
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Schmid allowed four goals on 32 shots in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Sharks.
Schmid didn't have an answer for the Sharks' top line, though the Panthers' offense did enough to carve out a point in the standings. Schmid likely got this start because the Panthers made a cross-country trip after opening the season in Raleigh on Tuesday. Jacob Markstrom is projected to handle a majority of the starts for Florida this year, and he should be between the pipes Sunday versus the Ducks. Schmid will be a streaming option in fantasy when he gets a good matchup.
Panthers' Aleksander Barkov: Injury update expected Friday
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Barkov sustained an apparent left leg injury Thursday versus the Sharks, but an update on his status isn't expected until Friday, Panthers TV Rinkside Reporter Katie Engleson reports.
Barkov's injury isn't related at all to his devastating right ACL and MCL injuries from last year. His left leg buckled underneath him as he fell to the ice in a board battle during the second period Thursday, and Barkov was visibly upset when he left the ice. While it's definitely possible he'll miss time, the severity of the injury won't be known until his evaluation is completed.
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Panthers' Gustav Forsling: Late scratch Thursday
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Forsling (upper body) won't play Thursday versus the Sharks.
Forsling was a late scratch after reportedly participating in warmups. The defenseman didn't skate in practice Wednesday, but there was no other indication that he was dealing with an injury. Uvis Balinskis will play Thursday in place of Forsling, who can be considered day-to-day until more information is made available.
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Panthers' Akira Schmid: Starting against San Jose
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Schmid was the first goalie off during Thursday's morning skate, Max Miller of NHL.com reports, indicating that he'll draw the road start against San Jose.
Jacob Markstrom drew the Opening Night start for the Panthers on the road against Carolina on Tuesday and led Florida to a 1-0 overtime win, but Schmid will have an opportunity to defend the crease Thursday. Schmid made 34 regular-season appearances for the Golden Knights last year, going 16-10-6 with a 2.59 GAA and .893 save percentage.
Marchand (lower body) might be able to play before the end of October, Max Miller of NHL.com reports Wednesday.
Marchand's recovery is going better than initially hoped, though his timetable is only marginally different from what it was before. The 38-year-old might end up on the third line when he's healthy, but that says more about how stacked Florida is than his actual worth. Marchand had 27 goals and 54 points in 52 regular-season appearances with Florida in 2025-26, and on most teams, it would be easy to pencil him on for a top-six role.
