Paul Maurice says the Panthers don't always look like themselves without Aleksander Barkov, and Florida hosts Chicago tonight.
Barkov is on injured reserve with a knee injury, listed as out until at least Nov 27. He has played only 2 games this season and has no points. Without him, the Panthers are 8-5-2, 13th in the NHL and 5th in the Atlantic, and they lost 3-5 to Detroit on Monday.
The Blackhawks arrive 31st in the league at 4-10-1, with three straight losses and an 0-5-1 record on the road. On paper, that's a night for Florida to settle down.
The Panthers have survived because a handful of skaters are carrying them. Matthew Tkachuk leads the team with 21 points, built on 17 assists. Seth Jones has 18 points from the blue line, 16 of them assists.
Up front, Brady Tkachuk has 16 points and 8 goals. Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe both have 8 goals and 13 points, and Reinhart has 6 of his on the power play to Verhaeghe's 4. Maurice already explained Sam Reinhart's hot streak this week.
Jameson Olive reported that Maurice spoke about the Panthers not always looking like themselves when Barkov is out of the lineup.
The coach's own words, from the same practice comment: "Barky is the rising tide that lifts all boats, but we also have to be responsible for our own play."
Who is not pulling their weight in the Panthers lineup
The quiet spots are easy to find. Anton Lundell has 6 points through 15 games and sits at -3. For a center who is supposed to anchor a line while Barkov is out, that is not enough.
Brady Tkachuk is also at -3 despite his goals, so the scoring is not translating into clean nights at five-on-five. Florida's goal differential is only +3, which is thin for a team leaning this hard on its top scorers. That's why Brady Tkachuk's scoring with Barkov sidelined has mattered so much.
Barkov, meanwhile, is 4 assists shy of 500 for his career, sitting at 496. That milestone can't come tonight, and with his return listed as Nov 27 at the earliest, the Panthers have a long stretch to prove Maurice's point about responsibility.
Can the Panthers stay in the Atlantic race if Barkov misses until late November?
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