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Florida Panthers: Top Candidates for the 2019 All-Star Game

By Cal Friedman

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 28: {L-R} Atlantic Division All-Stars teammates Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jack Eichel #15 of the Buffalo Sabres, and Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers celebrate after a goal in the second half during the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game between the Atlantic Division and the Metropolitan Divison at Amalie Arena on January 28, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 28: {L-R} Atlantic Division All-Stars teammates Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jack Eichel #15 of the Buffalo Sabres, and Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers celebrate after a goal in the second half during the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game between the Atlantic Division and the Metropolitan Divison at Amalie Arena on January 28, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Player #1: Aleksander Barkov, Center

TAMPA, FL – JANUARY 27: Atlantic Division forward Aleksander Barkov (16) warms up prior to the NHL All-Star Skills Competition on January 27, 2018, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – JANUARY 27: Atlantic Division forward Aleksander Barkov (16) warms up prior to the NHL All-Star Skills Competition on January 27, 2018, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Aleksander Barkov was last season’s Panthers all-star, leading the team in points, assists, and shorthanded goals. One year has passed, and the Finn has one more year of experience, game time, and filthy backhanders.

Barkov was amongst the NHL’s top 20 centers via NHL Network and the NHL Network fan vote this past season, so the attention is already there:

It’s whether Barkov can produce similarly to last season, where he dropped 51 assists, 10 special teams goals, and a career high in goals at 27. All this said, he’s still only 22, and will be 23 at the beginning of the Panthers’ season in October.

These numbers are amongst the NHL’s elite, ranking above John Tavares, Patrice Bergeron, and Jack Eichel in assists. He led the NHL in shorthanded goals with 5 and is highly regarded as one of the best penalty killers in the league.

Barkov is perfectly made for the All-Star Game and showcased his moves in last year’s event in Tampa Bay in the Shootout Streak, where he used backhanders and dekes to impress the media and the fans watching.

He ended Marc-Andre Fleury’s streak of 13 saves, which wound up winning the competition with a signature Forsberg move:

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