Aleksander Barkov: New Florida Panthers Captain
This month Aleksander Barkov was given the title of captain for the Florida Panthers. He is the 10th captain in Panthers franchise history. Both Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Dale Tallon and head coach Bob Boughner explain why he was selected in an article on the Panther’s website:
“Aleksander Barkov is ready to be the captain of the Florida Panthers,” said Tallon. “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 have made him one of the NHL’s best and most complete players. The time was right for Aleksander to be named the captain of this franchise and I’m certain that he will bring the same high standard of class 3and dedication to the captaincy that he brings to the rink every single day.”
“Aleksander is the complete package,” said Boughner. “He’s a great person and a great player who leads by example both on and off the ice. In discussing the makeup of our leadership group for next season over the summer, Dale and I felt that the time was right to turn the responsibilities of captain over to Aleksander before this season. He’s learned a lot from Derek MacKenzie and our veteran leaders and I’m excited to watch him take on this challenge and responsibility. I know that he’s the right person at the right time to lead this team.”
Some Florida Panther fans agree with both Tallon and Boughner:
“The team leader and face of the franchise!” said Brian Karpel a user on Facebook.
“I agree he deserves it he is the best player on the @FlaPanthers roster” said Joshua Benchimol a user on Twitter.
“Love the choice. Best man to represent our team on and off the ice. “GO PANTHERS” said Sherwin Levy
There are other fans who believe Barkov is not fit to be captain:
“I love Barkov, but I would prefer a guy with a bit more fire in his demeanor. Trocheck would have been my first choice” said Anthony Nicholas a user on Facebook
“The captain should be a guy that can motivate when needed, a leader on the ice and a voice of reason when needed, this kid is so timid it’s not funny, I don’t know how he is in the locker room but I just don’t see it, Troch maybe Eck sure Yandle definitely but Barky, I hope I’m pleasantly surprised” said Brett Allen a user on Facebook
“He’s too young. He needs to be able to say “When I was your age, I had 3 cup rings and led my team in penalties. I can imagine Mac last year saying things like I was in the AHL busting my ass when you were in diapers. You’re going to listen to me!! Plus he busted his ass way harder on every shift than a lot of the guys a decade younger than him” said Richard Eyre a user on Facebook
Florida Panthers drafted Aleksander Barkov in the 2013 hockey season. The Center set career highs in assists (51) and points (78) in 79 career games during the 2017–18 season. He is also known as a 2018 NHL All-Star. With these achievements so far, becoming captain of Florida Panthers is the icing on top of a cake.
Barkov shares his excitement of becoming captain on the panther’s website:
“This is a tremendous honor and I’m excited to take on the responsibility of being captain,” said Barkov. “I’ve been fortunate to be able to observe and work with quality leaders and captains like Ed Jovanovski, Willie Mitchell and Derek MacKenzie during my career. I love my teammates, we’re a tight group and there are a lot of strong leaders in our room. I was very happy when Bob and Dale told me that I was going to be captain. It’s a dream come true to see the captain’s ‘C’ on my jersey.”
Panther fans may be in between about his leadership, but the man has proven he has the skills as a hockey player. Barkov may not be a big talker, but he can lead by example. Below is a video Aleksander Barkov Becoming Captain.
