Aleksander Barkov injury: Latest update on Panthers captain after elbow hit to face

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov sustained an injury with less than ten minutes remaining in Monday's Game 2 win. He got injured when the Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl hit Barkov in the jaw with his right elbow.

The Panthers' forward fell onto the ice and was helped by the team trainers. Here's the video of the hit from Draisaitl:

Aleksander Barkov eventually exited the game after clocking 17:37 minutes on the ice. Initially, the officials did not hit Draisaitl with a penalty; they discussed it with the linesman and eventually issued him a two-minute minor penalty for roughing.

During the subsequent power play, Evan Rodrigues scored his second of the night to put the home team ahead 2-0 in the third period.

Barkov didn't return to the game to finish the game contest after the hit. Panthers coach Paul Maurice did not provide an update on Barkov's condition after the game but said that the team was not holding him out for precautionary measures.

When asked about the hit, Maurice said (via The Athletic):

“This isn’t ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show,’” Maurice said when asked how he felt about the hit. “My feelings don’t matter.”

It remains to be seen what the NHL Department of Player Safety will decide regarding Draisaitl's hit. Meanwhile, fans can anticipate receiving updates on Barkov's health status before Game 3 on Thursday.

How has Aleksander Barkov fared for the Panthers?

Aleksander Barkov has been in top form for the Panthers in the playoffs. He leads the team in scoring with 19 points through six goals and 13 assists after 19 games. Against the Edmonton Oilers, the 28-year-old center has notched up two points.

Barkov had a decent regular season, in which he collected 80 points through 23 goals and 57 assists in 73 games.

Barkov and the Florida Panthers are in their second consecutive Cup Final. Last year, they were defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights, who won their first Cup, in five games. This season, the Panthers advanced to the final after defeating the New York Rangers in six games of their Eastern Conference final series.

The Florida Panthers now hold a commanding 2-0 lead against the Oilers in the Cup final. They will be heading to Edmonton for Game 3 on Thursday at Rogers Place.