The Florida Panthers are waiting to see if captain Aleksander Barkov will be able to play Saturday when their playoff series resumes against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This much is known: Brandon Hagel, the Lightning player that hit Barkov, won’t be out there.

Barkov missed the final 10:09 of the Panthers’ win in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series at Tampa Bay on Thursday night after taking a hit from Hagel. The NHL, late Friday night, said Hagel will be suspended for Game 3.

Panthers coach Paul Maurice said he has “two or three” different lineups in mind for Game 3, which is on the Panthers’ ice in Sunrise. Florida leads the series 2-0.

“He hasn’t been ruled out yet and he hasn’t been cleared,” Maurice said when asked if he had an update on Barkov’s status.

Barkov remained down on one knee briefly after the hit, then skated off and went to the Panthers’ locker room. He did not return. Hagel drew a 5-minute major for interference on the play and had a call Friday afternoon with the NHL’s department of player safety, which decided on the one-game suspension.

Barkov has played in all 73 of Florida’s playoff games since he joined the club. He is Florida’s all-time leader in playoff appearances, assists (43), points (62) and is tied for third in goals (19).

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Republished with permission of the Associated Press.

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Iran and the United States held in-depth negotiations in Oman over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program on Saturday, talks that likely will hinge on the Islamic Republic’s enrichment of uranium.

Iranian state television reported the talks had begun in Muscat, the mountain-wrapped capital of this sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula. A person close to U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door talks, also acknowledged the meeting had started.

However, neither Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi nor Witkoff offered any immediate specifics or details on the talks that they’ll lead.

Araghchi arrived Friday in Oman and met with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who has mediated the two previous round of talks in Muscat and Rome. Araghchi then visited the Muscat International Book Fair, surrounded by television cameras and photojournalists. Video late Saturday morning showed Araghchi heading to the talks.

Witkoff was in Moscow on Friday meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin. He arrived Saturday to Oman, where the talks were expected to start in the coming hours, a source familiar with Witkoff’s travels told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations.

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Republished with permission of the Associated Press.

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The former mayor of Florida’s third biggest city says he wants to return to finish the job.

Bob Buckhorn led Tampa from 2011 to 2019 before he was term-limited from office. Now, nearly two years away from the next election, he says he wants back in.

“Tampa has more chapters to write and to the extent that I can be helpful I will, ” Buckhorn told the Phoenix in a text message on Thursday night. “It was a job that I loved and the opportunity to lead this city and finish the job would be an honor.”

The 66-year-old Democrat won re-election for Mayor by gaining 95% of the vote in 2016, sparking speculation that he would run for Florida Governor in 2018.

But he announced early in 2017 that, with two teenage daughters at home, “the timing for me and my family would be a challenge.”

There is precedent in Tampa for former mayors running again for office.

Dick Greco was elected three different times as mayor and just barely missed making a run-off for a fourth term in 2011 (losing by fewer than 400 votes to Buckhorn).

Among Buckhorn’s likely opponents is Tampa City Council member Bill Carlson, a noted foe of Buckhorn and sitting Tampa Mayor Jane Castor. Carlson told the Phoenix that he is working on a plan and will announced his candidacy “when the time is right.”

“The community is clearly saying they want to move on from the Castor/Buckhorn era and move toward a positive, collaborative vision that’s focused on people, not buildings,” Carlson said.

The Tampa mayoral election will take place in March 2, 2027.

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Mitch Perry reporting. Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: [email protected].

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