
The Florida Panthers will see a boost to their lineup Tuesday against the Atlantic Division rival Toronto Maple Leafs as three key players are set to return.
Up front, the Panthers will see captain Aleksander Barkov back in action following a three-game absence related to an upper-body injury. Beyond Barkov, fellow forward Sam Reinhart and rearguard Gustav Forsling will return after missing Sunday’s contest versus the Detroit Red Wings.
On the season, Reinhart and Barkov lead the Panthers offensively, with Reinhart pacing the squad with 37 goals and 78 points, while Barkov sits second with 67 points backed by a team-leading 48 assists.
Originally chosen second overall in the 2013 NHL Draft, Barkov is skating in his 12th season with the Panthers where through 801 career contests he has collected 285 goals and 493 assists for 778 points. Barkov has also added 59 points through 71 postseason appearances including eight goals and 14 assists through 24 games last spring en route to the Panthers’ first-ever Stanley Cup championship.
For Reinhart, following a career-high 94-point finish a year ago, the veteran forward has now collected 616 points through 772 career contests. Acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in the 2021 offseason, Reinhart has skated four seasons with the Panthers and last summer signed an eight-year extension with the club that carries an $8.625-million annual average value, according to PuckPedia.
For Forsling, through 76 appearances this season the veteran rearguard has tallied 10 goals and 17 assists to sit second in team scoring among defensemen with 27 points. With it, the 28-year-old Swede has averaged 23 minutes of ice time per game.
On the season, the Panthers sit 44-29-4 and six points back of the Maple Leafs for top spot in the Atlantic Division. On Saturday, the Panthers clinched their spot in the upcoming postseason, marking the sixth-straight season in which Florida will participate in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.