Sasha Barkov has lived up to all of the advanced hype that he received before he was drafted second overall by the Florida Panthers in 2013.
The upstart Panthers would not be in first place in the Atlantic Division and challenging a division crown right now were it not for Barkov's transcendent play. The youngster is mature beyond his years and is playing a leadership role on the dramatically improved Panthers. Barkov has been like a fountain of youth for his 43 year old line mate Jaromir Jagr.
Barkov has 12 goals and 18 assists in 38 games played this season.
He scored 16 goals last season and potted 8 goals in his rookie year.
Barlov was set to become a restricted free agent in July. In my opinion, the Panthers did the right thing by blowing off the boiler plate two-year bridge contract and instead locked up their future all star with a fat deal now.
Barkov tweeted on Monday night that he has signed a six year contract extension with the Cats.
The deal is being reported as a six year, $35.4 million contract with a $5.9 million AAV.
The team and player will officially announce the deal at a Tuesday presser.
This six year extension may well end up being the contract comparable that Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray will be working from when the time comes to re-up three of his brilliant young players in Rasmus Ristolainen, 21, and centers Samson Reinhart, 20, and Jack Eichel, 19.
Ristolainen, who played with Barkov in their native Finland, is in the final season of his entry level contract. Ristolainen is on pace for 50 points this season and is skating 22 minutes TOI per game on Buffalo's top D pair. Suffice to say, Ristolainen will not be signing a two year bridge contract anytime soon.
Reinhart and Eichel are in the first year of their respective NHL entry level contracts.
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Barkov's Florida teammates Aaron Ekblad and Erik Gudbranson should like this Barkov deal.
Ditto Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse. Calgary's Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett and Vancouver's Bo Horvat like this deal, too,
Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings will also be using the Barkov deal as his comparable moving forward.