Injury and roll-in status updates ripple across the NHL as fantasy rosters shift daily. Dahlin and company in Buffalo sit with others out or week-to-week; Calgary’s Huberdeau is day-to-day while Hyman logged drills after practice in Edmonton; Lundell is day-to-day for Florida and Bolduc is listed day-to-day for Montreal. Kaprizov’s contract whisper could push Necas’ price higher, Panarin’s status remains cautious but improving, and Toews is day-to-day for Winnipeg. Goaltending plans hinge on Vasilevskiy’s readiness for the opener.

Barkov is out for 7-9 months after knee reconstruction, leaving the Panthers to decide how aggressively to replace him. The timing of Matthew Tkachuk’s return in December adds urgency, but Florida’s cap situation and playoff-pool rules complicate any midseason splurge. The team can lean on Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, but the question remains: go shopping now or wait for Barkov’s progress and preserve flexibility for a potential deadline move?

With depth already strong, the Panthers could smooth the transition by internal bump-ups and smart grinders, while weighing whether to chase a veteran scorer or top-six forward. The Penguins are floated as a potential trade partner in rumors, but any move must align with Barkov’s timeline and the evolving playoff-cap framework. The East’s balance—and Florida’s title window—hangs in the balance.

Aleksander Barkov suffered a torn ACL in early training camp and will miss 7-9 months, potentially sidelining him for the full 2025-26 season. He underwent surgery with Dr. John Uribe and will be reevaluated periodically as Florida navigates the setback.

With Barkov out and Matthew Tkachuk out until December, the Panthers lean on Sam Bennett and Anton Lundell to drive the middle, while Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe pick up top-line scoring. Brad Marchand’s return adds veteran depth, and Bill Zito’s cap room via LTIR could spark a midseason maneuver as Florida pursues a deep playoff run.

Fantasy managers should watch how the forward corps rebalances, especially Bennet/Lundell line pairings and the top PP units, as the Panthers chase production amid significant injury disruption.