The Florida Panthers dived into the new season with the goal of snagging their third straight Stanley Cup, but they’re up against some unique challenges right from the start. It’s a tough situation for the team, as their captain and top center, Aleksander Barkov, had surgery for a serious knee injury. He’s looking at a recovery time of about seven to nine months. On top of that, Panthers’ star forward Matthew Tkachuk is out too, dealing with an injury that will keep him sidelined for the next few months.

With two key players missing, there’s a big gap at the top of the lineup. This impacts the Panthers’ offense and their locker room leadership. Now, the team has to look at every possible option to keep their championship dreams alive. In the midst of this crisis, there’s a fascinating narrative making the rounds among NHL insiders, suggesting a possible blockbuster solution.

The rumor was highlighted by the NHL Rumor Report on X, which quoted esteemed ESPN journalist Greg Wyshynski, who said, “The growing narrative in the league right now with Barkov going out and Malkin having a house in Miami, that they’ll probably find a way for him to be the 1C in Florida before too long.”

The player at the center of this rumor is Evgeni Malkin, the future Hall of Fame center from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Malkin is wrapping up the last year of his 4-year, $24,400,000 contract with the Penguins. The team is expected to have a tough season, and they might be looking to trade an aging star for some future assets.

Malkin, at 39, is still playing at a high level, having just wrapped up a 50-point season. He could really step in and offer the secondary scoring and top-line presence that the Florida Panthers are looking for while Barkov is out. The personal connection really makes the speculations more believable. The journalist pointed out that Malkin already has a house in the Miami area, which could make moving to South Florida a more appealing option for him.

Moreover, Malkin has been open about thinking it might be time for a change. “It’s hard, you know? But again, we see a story, like, with Brad Marchand. Looking good, you know? Again, if the team trades you and you [don’t] win the Cup, it’s like a little bit weird, too, you know? But we’ll see what’s going on [with] my future. But of course everybody wants to try to play in the playoffs and have maybe one more run to the Cup. Again, it’s a great story when you see it on TV. But I don’t know how I [would] feel if the team wants to trade me,” Malkin said.

The Panthers are definitely going to lean on their solid defense, but the front office needs to make a decision pretty quickly. On the other hand, a recent incident on the ice had fans concerned about one of the Panther’ star players.

The Florida Panthers almost lost another key player to an injury scare

During Tuesday’s season opener against the Chicago Blackhawks, both the team and the fans had a little scare for a moment. During the second period of the game, top-line forward Sam Reinhart took a puck right to the mouth, and now he’s got a bigger offensive load to carry.

Reinhart ended up with stitches after the incident, so he was held out of the team’s practice the next day just to be safe. But, you know, the information that came after the scare was a relief to for the Panthers’ lineup. Journalist Jordan McPherson shared on X that “Sam Reinhart is fine, per Paul Maurice.”

This update came as a blessing for the Florida Panthers, as they can’t afford to lose another key player. Last season, Reinhart really stood out as the Florida Panthers’ leading goal scorer and point producer, netting 39 goals and totaling 81 points. So, with Barkov and Tkachuk’s absence, Reinhart’s health update brought relief to the team. That gives the Panthers at least a little stability as they start their title defense and chase after that historic three-peat.