The Flordia Panthers announced Thursday that captain Aleksander Barkov will return to the team's lineup against the Detroit Red Wings, per head coach Paul Maurice.
Barkov has been out of the lineup for the Panthers for the past six games with an illness that is now being reported as pneumonia.
The centre actually missed seven games total because of the illness, as he missed Florida's Nov. 17 tilt, then returned for the next three games, before the team finally shut him down indefinitley.
Barkov has five goals and 18 points in his 19 games for the Panther this season.
After coming off a 2-2-1 road trip, the Panthers will turn to Sergei Bobrovsky in net when they host Detroit.
