The Florida Panthers have announced that Aleksander Barkov will be the 10th captain in franchise history, and they definitely made the correct choice.
The 23-year-old Barkov, who is now the second youngest captain in the league behind the 21-year-old Connor McDavid, is a guy who leads the Florida Panthers both on and off the ice. Barkov has put up 249 points in 331 career NHL games and is an emerging superstar who can help the Cats get to the next level.
The Finnish native had a breakout season in 2017-18, putting up 78 points in 79 games, and taking over as captain he seeks to continue to lead the Florida Panthers both on and off the ice. He was also named an all-star last year, his first of hopefully many appearances in the All-Star Game.
Barkov also contributes in all situations, headlining the first power play unit, as well as being apart of the Panthers penalty kill. He also led the league in shorthanded goals last season with five by his name.
The young superstar continues to progress season after season and his progression matches with what the team is trying to do. The Panthers are experiencing a youth movement where their core is filled with other young stars with the likes of Jonathan Huberdeau, Vincent Trocheck, and Aaron Ekblad joining forces with their captain Aleksander Barkov.
General Manager Dale Tallon had high praise for Barkov, noting “Aleksander Barkov is ready to be the captain of the Florida Panthers. He has all of the qualities of a great leader: unrivaled work ethic, wisdom beyond his years, and the respect and admiration of his teammates. Aleksander’s determination and passion for the game made him one of the NHL’s best and most complete players.”
As Tallon said, Barkov brought everything he could to the table, which included a complete 200-foot game, a hard-working mentality, and the admiration of his teammates. Aleksander is the type of guy to be at the rink working until 1 A.M. after a loss because he’s one of the most hardworking players in the league.
Barkov is the type of player every team should want to build around, as he has undeniable talent, a passionate worth ethic, and knowledge of the game that a young core can feed off of. He’s a perfect representation of what the Florida Panthers are right now: a young team that’s hungry for playoff contention.
Aleksander Barkov, who is now the second Finnish captain currently in the NHL – joining Mikko Koivu – is hungrier than ever, looking to guide his team to something great.
When the Panthers selected Barkov with the second overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, they were looking for a leader, a franchise center who could take them to the next level, and Aleksander Barkov is ready to do just that for the Florida Panthers.