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Barkov Ready To Surprise

July 25, 2014, 12:17 AM ET [66 Comments]
Dan Spiegel
Florida Panthers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Aleksander Barkov's season was cut short because of a knee injury sustained at the Olympics. If not for that, he likely would have won the team scoring title by a large margin. Yes, this is the Florida Panthers so that is not hard to do. Nick Bjugstad won the "prestigious" award with a measly 38 points.

However...

Losing the one player in Barkov this team could not afford to lose changed the entire complexion of the team. Before injury he was often the best Panther on the ice, and sometimes the best player in the game period.

Now fully healthy and ready to roll into next season, Barkov is out to prove his being selected 2nd overall in the 2013 NHL Draft was not only a good pick, but a great one. He will turn 19 years old on September 2nd, and his 6'3", 205 lb. frame continues to fill out as he develops into a star in this league.

GM Dale Tallon surely had visions of a potential all Finnish top line when he signed Jussi Jokinen on July 1st. Grumblings are Sean Bergenheim may complete the "Flying Finns" line, but both Jonathan Huberdeau and Brad Boyes will be vying for a spot.

What Barkov brings to the table is incredible. He has an amazing hockey IQ to go along with his great strength and soft hands. He can do it all, and will only get better.

While Nathan MacKinnon stole the show for rookies last year, he is also surrounded by great talent. When Barkov, Boyes, and Bergenheim were paired together they were the best line in hockey for a month. The Panthers are definitely better and deeper than they were at the beginning of last season. A healthy Barkov is practically the lynchpin to a playoff berth at the end of next season.

It has taken some time and patience from the Panther faithful, but 3-4 years of good draft picks and shrewd decisions by Tallon have put them in a position where they can improve very quickly.

To think Barkov is probably 5 years away from his prime. Watching him grow and improve along the way will be incredibly exciting to watch.

Dan Spiegel...
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