Latest news with #AleksanderBarkov
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
A player that epitomizes the Panthers' success? Look no further than Aleksander Barkov
In a span of eight seconds, Aleksander Barkov showcased just about everything that makes him one of the National Hockey League's top players and the epitome of the Florida Panthers' recent run of success. Barkov receives the puck from Sam Reinhart along the right wall and begins his magic. As he moves around the boards, going behind the net and looking for open space, Barkov muscles his way past Dmitry Orlov, stops and spins. With a couple taps of his stick, he eludes another defender in Eric Robinson and makes his way to the front of the net. And then, in one swift motion, he sends the puck across the goalmouth, just beyond the reach of Alexander Nikishin's stick, to Carter Verhaeghe, who roofs a tough-angle shot into the net for the Panthers' game-winning — and Eastern Conference final-clinch — goal against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. 'Such a great player,' Verhaeghe said. 'It was such a great play by him. It was all him.' Added Reinhart: 'He's got so much strength. Big players make big plays at the biggest moments when you need them, and he's certainly the leader of this team.' Barkov is as fitting of a player to fit that role. The Panthers are a team that preaches selflessness. Every player on the team — from Barkov and stars such as Matthew Tkachuk, Sergei Bobrovsky and Brad Marchand to players fighting for playing time in Uvis Balinskis, Jesper Boqvist and Nico Sturm — is treated equally. No one is bigger than anyone else in the dressing room. The camaraderie of the team's core along with the integration of newcomers to round out the roster each year has fed into Florida's success, which has the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive year and in a position to repeat as champions. It's a position Barkov longed to see. He was here during the team's lean years. Florida made the postseason just once in Barkov's first six seasons before things finally started to turn over the past half-dozen years. There were doubts Florida would ever consistently make the playoffs, let alone be annual Stanley Cup contenders. That's a thing of the past now. 'I think it was a long time coming,' Barkov said. 'Obviously, there's been a lot of work put in by this organization to become better and reach the level where we want to win Stanley Cups, we want to compete for Stanley Cups every single year. There are 31 other teams in the league, and it's hard every single year. They want to do that too, so it's not easy. But we've managed to do it three years in a row, which is, I think, an incredible achievement so far.' For that success to occur, the respect and trust has to be established from the top. There had to be a driving force inside the room to establish the foundation and keep the drive and hunger going. That is Aleksander Barkov. 'Sasha has almost become like a planet, with the energy that comes from him,' said Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito, who took over ahead of the 2020-21 season and has said multiple times how fortunate he was to already have Barkov as a franchise cornerstone. 'How caring he is as a human and a teammate — he forces you to want to be better. It cannot be overstated the grace of each of our guys. If you came into the meal room you wouldn't know who just scored the winning goal and who didn't play.' Barkov doesn't need the praise — and frankly, he doesn't want it. That's not how he operates. Ever since the Panthers selected him second overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Level Draft, the elite two-way center from Finland has done his best to make as much of an impact for the Panthers without making waves. Even after taking over as captain ahead of the 2018-19 season, Barkov didn't change his approach. Why would he? 'Just being myself,' Barkov said, 'and doing my job as good as possible.' That's more than enough to command the attention and respect of his teammates. Barkov owns basically every record of merit for a skater in Panthers franchise history — games played (804), goals (286), assists (496), points (782), power-play goals (84), game-winning goals (52), multipoint games (209), multigoal games (33), the list keeps going. He became the first Finnish-born player to captain his team to a Stanley Cup when Florida beat Edmonton in seven games last year. And through all the success, he remains humble. He's still one of the first on the ice every day at practice, a regular during optional workouts because he knows the example he sets by being on the ice. He twice has won the Selke Trophy given annually to the league's top defensive forward and is nominated for the award again this year. 'He's just trying to do everything right, by the book,' said defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, who is in his second stint with the Panthers and was on that 2013-14 roster when Barkov was a rookie. 'He doesn't cheat the the game. He's an honest player. He just works his bag off and obviously has a lot of skill to complement his hard work. When you see a guy like that, your captain, being the hardest working guy, that brings everybody with him.' Added Tkachuk: 'That's the stuff that fires us up the most is the little battles, the little stick lifts, the 1-on-1 wins, the little plays, the skills that maybe the average fan doesn't notice, but we definitely notice. He's the full package. I've seen it here for almost three years now. It's an honor to play with him, so lucky to share the ice with him.' Oops. There's more praise. Barkov would probably want that spread around to the rest of the team. There's good reason for that, especially on this current playoff run. Consider this: The Panthers enter the Stanley Cup Final with 19 players who have scored at least one goal and 10 players who have produced at least 11 points this postseason — with Barkov leading with 17 points (six goals, 11 assists). Florida's balance and depth has been its calling card all season, something that was only amplified at the trade deadline when the Panthers added Marchand and defenseman Seth Jones into the mix. That said, the success starts somewhere. It starts with the leader who makes everyone feel appreciated, the player who knows how to say a lot without really needing to say anything. It starts with Aleksander Barkov. 'We are getting contributions from everybody,' Tkachuk said, 'but he has definitely been been leading the charge, and we're so lucky to be able to follow him.'
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Economic Times
NHL: Captain Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk lead Panthers' comeback to reach their third consecutive Stanley Cup final
NHL Playoffs: The Florida Panthers won against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5. Panthers rallied from a two-goal deficit. Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov led the comeback. Sergei Bobrovsky made 20 saves. Panthers are now in their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final. They await the winner of the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars series. The team is focused on defending its championship title. Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov celebrates with teammates after setting up Carter Verhaeghe's go-ahead goal during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes on May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, North Carolina Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov led the comeback Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Eetu Luostarinen's injury The Florida Panthers demonstrated their championship mettle on Wednesday night(May 28), rallying from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final This victory propels the Panthers to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final , underscoring their dominance in recent NHL game began with Carolina's Sebastian Aho netting two goals in the first period, giving the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead. However, the Panthers responded emphatically in the second period, scoring three goals in rapid Tkachuk initiated the comeback with a power-play deflection, followed by quick goals from Evan Rodrigues and Anton Lundell, turning the tide in Florida's the third period, after Seth Jarvis tied the game for Carolina, Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov executed a pivotal play, assisting Carter Verhaeghe's go-ahead goal. Sam Bennett sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, marking his league-leading 10th playoff goal. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky contributed significantly with 20 the triumph, the Panthers faced adversity as forward Eetu Luostarinen exited the game due to injury. Coach Paul Maurice later indicated that Luostarinen is not expected to miss significant time. Maurice also made headlines by abstaining from the traditional postgame handshake line, explaining that he believes this ritual should be reserved for players, emphasizing the authenticity of their mutual Panthers previously overcame the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games and the Toronto Maple Leafs in a seven-game series. Now, they await the winner of the Western Conference Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars, with Edmonton currently leading the series the Panthers prepare for the Stanley Cup Final, their focus remains unwavering. "It's all business, and we've got a bigger goal in mind," Tkachuk stated, reflecting the team's determination to defend their championship title.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
NHL: Captain Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk lead Panthers' comeback to reach their third consecutive Stanley Cup final
Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov led the comeback Live Events Eetu Luostarinen's injury (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Florida Panthers demonstrated their championship mettle on Wednesday night(May 28), rallying from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final This victory propels the Panthers to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final , underscoring their dominance in recent NHL game began with Carolina's Sebastian Aho netting two goals in the first period, giving the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead. However, the Panthers responded emphatically in the second period, scoring three goals in rapid succession. Matthew Tkachuk initiated the comeback with a power-play deflection, followed by quick goals from Evan Rodrigues and Anton Lundell, turning the tide in Florida's the third period, after Seth Jarvis tied the game for Carolina, Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov executed a pivotal play, assisting Carter Verhaeghe's go-ahead goal. Sam Bennett sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, marking his league-leading 10th playoff goal. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky contributed significantly with 20 the triumph, the Panthers faced adversity as forward Eetu Luostarinen exited the game due to injury. Coach Paul Maurice later indicated that Luostarinen is not expected to miss significant time. Maurice also made headlines by abstaining from the traditional postgame handshake line, explaining that he believes this ritual should be reserved for players, emphasizing the authenticity of their mutual Panthers previously overcame the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games and the Toronto Maple Leafs in a seven-game series. Now, they await the winner of the Western Conference Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars, with Edmonton currently leading the series the Panthers prepare for the Stanley Cup Final, their focus remains unwavering. "It's all business, and we've got a bigger goal in mind," Tkachuk stated, reflecting the team's determination to defend their championship title.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Smart drafting and strategic player development shaped core of the Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers celebrate the win after game 7 of the Eastern Conference Playoffs (Credit: Getty Image) The Florida Panthers' rise to the top of the Eastern Conference did not happen overnight It started with foundational draft picks. Notably Aleksander Barkov in 2013 and Aaron Ekblad in 2014. As both players became cornerstones, evolving into leaders on and off the ice. Also, Anton Lundell and Mackie Samoskevich, selected in 2020 and 2021 respectively, added fresh talent and depth to the lineup. These homegrown players reflect the team's strong development pipeline. Impact trades and experienced signings, transformed the roster The Florida Panthers are the 2023-2024 Eastern Conference Champions! While the draft laid the foundation, Florida's front office made critical trades. The signings to complete the picture. Matthew Tkachuk, acquired in a blockbuster deal with Calgary in 2022. This added elite offensive firepower. Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart were also key acquisitions who now play central roles in the team's offensive structure. Deadline additions like Brad Marchand and Nico Sturm brought in proven playoff experience. In total, seven playoff contributors were added via trade and eleven more through free agency. Notably, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. He signed in 2019, remains a key figure in net. Veteran coaching and front office, leadership delivered results The Florida Panthers celebrate the win after game 7 of the Eastern Conference Playoffs (Credit: Getty Image) Behind the bench, Paul Maurice provided consistency and structure. Since his hiring in 2022, his calm demeanor and decades of coaching experience. This helped guide the Panthers through tight playoff battles, also assistant coaches like Tuomo Ruutu and Jamie Kompon added layers of expertise. Especially in special teams and player development. General manager Bill Zito has been the architect of this new era. Since taking over in 2020, Zito's smart roster moves, contract management, and long-term planning have turned Florida into a perennial contender. His ability to identify undervalued players, manage cap space, and build a culture of winning has been central to the Panthers' sustained success. Read more: Pyotr Kochetkov's life and personal achievements The Florida Panthers' Eastern Conference title is no accident, it's the result of methodical roster building, smart scouting. And a leadership group committed to long-term success, as they prepare for another Stanley Cup Final. Most of their journey offers a clear example of how an NHL team can be built the right way.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Panthers advance to Stanley Cup Final with win over Hurricanes, refuse to touch Prince of Wales Trophy
The Florida Panthers advanced to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final with a 5-3 victory in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night at the Lenovo Center. It was also the second consecutive year the team did not touch the Prince of Wales Trophy, which is awarded to the Eastern Conference champion. It worked for the Panthers last year, as they went on to defeat the Edmonton Oilers in seven games and won their first championship in franchise history. While the Panthers ended up winning Game 5, it did not start out well for them. The Hurricanes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period as they capitalized on Panthers giveaways. The Panthers responded with three second-period goals to take a 3-2 lead. Hurricanes' forward Seth Jarvis tied the game 3-3 in the third period as they looked to extend their season, but they would not find the back of the net again. After a sensational individual effort along the boards behind the Hurricanes' net, Panthers center Aleksander Barkov found Carter Verhaeghe with a slick pass, and Verhaeghe buried the puck into the net and gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead. "He took on one guy, then two guys and then gave the puck to me with a pretty open net," Verhaeghe said of Barkov's key assist. "So it was an unbelievable play by Barky at a critical time." Sam Bennett clinched the win for the Panthers with an empty-net goal with 54 seconds remaining in the game. This was the second time in three years the Panthers had defeated the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals, but the Panthers' celebration after the win this time was much more subdued. "I remember a few years ago, it felt like such an accomplishment (making the Stanley Cup Final) from where we were at one point," forward Matthew Tkachuk said, adding, "It's all business and we've got a bigger goal in mind." Panthers' head coach Paul Maurice said his team overcoming the early two-goal deficit is what makes hockey great. "That was all the elements that make our sport great," Maurice said. "They're all over us. And we're serving up pizzas, and we don't look like we should've made the playoffs, and then the next thing you know we look pretty good." The Panthers will play the winner of the Oilers and Dallas Stars series. The Oilers hold a 3-1 lead over the Dallas Stars with Game 5 coming on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET. If the Oilers end up defeating the Stars and advancing, they have a chance to get revenge on the Panthers for last season's Stanley Cup Final defeat. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
