Named NHL’s Best Defensive Forward in 2020-21, Panthers Captain Commits to Cats Long Term
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, Oct. 8, 2021
SUNRISE, Fla. – Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito announced today that the club has re-signed team captain Aleksander Barkov to an eight-year contract extension through the 2029-30 season.
“Over his past eight years in South Florida, Sasha has demonstrated his leadership, character and elite playmaking ability, cementing himself as one of the best all-around players in hockey,” said Zito. “He has earned the respect of the hockey community through work ethic and a team-first attitude. Most importantly, he is a tremendous person, athlete and friend and we are thrilled to secure Sasha as our leader on and off the ice for the next eight years.”
Barkov, 26, ranked second on Florida with 58 points (26-32-58) over 50 regular season games in 2020-21, becoming the only Panther in club history to post six consecutive seasons with at least 50 points and 20 goals. He was also named the recipient of the 2020-21 Frank J. Selke Trophy, an annual award given “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game,” becoming the first Panther to win the award.
In 2020-21, Florida’s captain led the team in goals, even-strength goals (18), even-strength points (38), shots (176), and a career-high 54.9 faceoff win percentage. He ranked second in assists (32), points (58), power-play goals (7), power-play points (19), game-winning goals (6), overtime goals (2), takeaways (39), and total time on ice (1,046:52). He was named the Central Division Star of the Month for March, compiling 16 points (5-11-16) over 11 games.
The native of Tampere, Finland has appeared in 529 career National Hockey League games, all with Florida (2013-14 to 2020-21), amassing 465 points (181-284-465). He ranks second in franchise history for goals, assists, points, and game-winning goals (33), and he leads the club in all-time plus-minus rating (+44) and takeaways (438).
Since entering the NHL in 2013-14, Barkov leads all Finland-born skaters in goals, assists, points, even-strength goals (124), even-strength points (324), power-play points (130), game-winning goals, and takeaways.
Following the 2018-19 season where Barkov amassed a franchise-record 96 points (35-61-96), he was named recipient of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy awarded to the “player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.” He was the youngest European-born player and first Panthers player to win the award. Barkov is the fifth player in league history to win both the Lady Byng and Frank J. Selke trophies, joining Pavel Datsyuk, Ron Francis, Anze Kopitar, and Ryan O’Reilly.
On the international stage, Barkov won a Bronze Medal with Finland at the 2014 Winter Olympics and a Silver Medal at the 2016 IIHF World Championship. On Thursday, it was announced that he will compete in the upcoming 2022 Beijing Olympics.
He was originally selected by Florida in the first round (second overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.
Barkov has contributed to the South Florida community off the ice as well with over $100,000 in donations and a continued commitment to the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation.
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