Ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft, prospects from around the world took part in a player survey hosted by NHL.com. Some of the questions the prospects, like Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg, had to answer included who the best forward and defenseman in the league are today.
However, there were other questions, including who they would like to play with if they could go back in time. Meanwhile, one of the top questions included “Who is your NHL role model?”, with 10.6% picking Sidney Crosby.
But in second place, at 5.9%, is none other than Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, a former second-overall pick from 2013.
— NHL (@NHL) June 26, 2026
Since debuting on Oct. 3, 2013, Barkov has gone on to become the franchise’s leading scorer with 782 points in 804 games. In addition, he’s a three-time Frank J. Selke Trophy winner as the NHL’s best defensive forward.
Moreover, Barkov won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2018-19 and then captured the King Clancy Trophy in 2024-25. He is the only Finnish-born captain to lead a team to a Stanley Cup victory, guiding the Panthers to the title in 2024 and 2025.
Outside of the NHL, Barkov is an international hockey star, recently helping Finland win the World Championship after overcoming a torn ACL and MCL in training camp last season. Meanwhile, he’s won an Olympic bronze medal and a silver medal at the World Championships, earning All-Star Team honors at the most recent tournament.
The three-time All-Star also invested in Tappara, the team he played with before jumping over to North America and the Panthers. Since the 2020-21 season, Barkov has been the franchise owner of the Liiga club.
Overall, Barkov is one of the most liked players in the game today, someone who conducts himself professionally on and off the ice. Recently, when the Panthers acquired Matthew Tkachuk’s brother Brady from the Ottawa Senators, he was more excited to skate with Barkov than with his own sibling.
Although Barkov has played against two legendary defensive forwards, Patrice Bergeron and Anze Kopitar, both are now retired, with Bergeron recently inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026. As many young players look for a role model to base their game on, picking someone like Barkov is a great choice because he’s as dedicated to his franchise as Sidney Crosby and the aforementioned Bergeron and Kopitar.
If Barkov walked away from hockey today, he’d be a first ballot Hall of Famer, whose legacy is loved and admired far beyond the ice rink.
Add us as a preferred source on Google