Sunshine, Florida (AP) – The following is a summary of Aleksander Barkov’s best moments during the Florida-Boston series: the game-winning goal that gave the Panthers the advantage in Game 2, the game-winning goal that completed a remarkable comeback in Game 4, and the shot-blocking late in Game 6 that kept the score tied just ninety seconds before the Panthers won the game and the series.
He completed everything. And later, Matthew Tkachuk of the Panthers gave him a ton of praise.
Tkachuk remarked, “I don’t really even know how to express what he’s doing for our team right now.” “At this moment, he’s playing the best hockey in the world.” Right now, he is the greatest player in the world at both ends of the rink. He has been amazing.
There are other outstanding players on the Panthers, including Sam Reinhart, who has scored over 60 goals in the regular season and playoffs, Tkachuk, who is always dangerous, and Gustav Forsling, who is unquestionably one of the finest defenseman in the NHL. Barkov, however, is without a doubt the man leading the group. He raised the Prince of Wales Trophy the previous year following Florida’s victory in the Eastern Conference to secure a spot in the Stanley Cup Final.
Beginning on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden with the opening of this year’s East finals against the New York Rangers, the Panthers will try to win it again.
This year’s vote for the Selke Trophy, which recognizes the greatest defensive forward in the NHL, will be revealed on Saturday. Florida’s captain, who has already won the award twice, is a modest, almost reluctant superstar who yet manages to go unnoticed in public. People close to the Panthers claim in private that he’s the funniest player in the room. However, if you ask Barkov about himself, the conversation won’t go very far since he will never, ever laud his own praises.
Thus, the Panthers have to take all the glory for him.
Coach Paul Maurice declared, “He is the ideal man to be the captain of the Florida Panthers.”
Long before Friday night, when, with 2:58 remaining in the third period of a 1-1 tie, Barkov blocked a shot from Boston star David Pastrnak with his left hand, the Selke voting was completed. Pastrnak, who is unstoppable these days, had ample of net to fire at after a cross-slot pass while the play was on power play. Pastrnak was very surely scoring and Florida would have been in for a Game 7 if someone hadn’t blocked it.
Barkov deflected the puck with a little touch of his hand. Shortly later, he went down the tunnel for examination, obviously in pain. That kind of play would have easily resulted in a broken hand for him. However, it appears that he was alright since Barkov returned to the ice to celebrate the series’ end around ninety seconds after the Panthers scored.
“Blocked shots are very important, especially during the playoffs,” stated Barkov. “Our guys give their all for that.”
Their leader is the reason they follow suit. Coworkers do what Barky does. That’s how easy it is.
While it’s evident that everyone loves a good victory, none on the Panthers knows the full extent of the trip the team undertook to reach back-to-back NHL final fours more than Barkov. Nothing except losses in postseason series throughout his first eight seasons in Florida. The team was usually terrible. He spent his first seven seasons at Florida playing for six different coaches. For a few home games, the facility was recorded as half-full, which seemed like some rather liberal ticket counting.
Currently, it is very hard to obtain tickets. There formerly was just a football market in South Florida. Football’s sway began to weaken when the Miami Heat began to win; in fact, they even used the term “Basketball Town” in some of their marketing. And Barkov definitely appears to be making South Florida feel like a hockey town these days.
Before being traded to the Panthers in the middle of the season, Kyle Okposo, the captain of Buffalo, said of the player, “His level of preparation is something that I haven’t seen very often in my career.” It is imperative that everyone in this room emulate that behavior. He’s setting the example to go above and beyond what is expected of him because he wants to be the greatest you’ve ever seen, so there’s no excuse to be weary for a day and not perform what is needed of you that day.
One day, Barkov will retire with nearly every team record a skater can have, so his No. 16 jersey will hang over the rink in Florida. Most games played, most assists, most goals, most points, and much more.
Maurice believes that Barkov should be the only one to retire the jersey due of his character.
“The 13th forward is treated here in the same manner as he treats (anyone).” He has the same opinion about them. They’re partners, Maurice said. And that’s how he handles everyone. The flying crew, the trainers, and every individual associated with our team. He left a significant legacy of ethical behavior in professional sports. Give your child a pat on the back if they are purchasing a sweater. You’re doing OK. That will be yours to retain for a very long time.
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