Aleksander Barkov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aleksander Barkov
Barkov with the Florida Panthers during the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals
Born	(1995-09-02) 2 September 1995 (age 29) Tampere, Finland
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Florida Panthers Tappara
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	2nd overall, 2013 Florida Panthers
Playing career	2011–present

Aleksander Aleksandrovich "Sasha" Barkov (Russian: Александр Александрович Барков, romanized: Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Barkov; born 2 September 1995) is a professional ice hockey player from Finland and Russia. He plays as a centre and is the captain for the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL).

The Panthers chose Barkov second overall in the 2013 NHL entry draft. He is known as one of the best two-way forwards in hockey. This means he is great at both offense (scoring) and defense (stopping opponents). He has won the Frank J. Selke Trophy three times, in 2021, 2024, and 2025. Barkov is the son of former Russian ice hockey player Alexander Barkov Sr. and has dual citizenship in Finland and Russia.

Barkov grew up in Tampere, Finland, where his father played for Tappara. He started his professional career with Tappara in the Finnish Elite League in 2011. At just 16 years old, he became the youngest player in the league to score a point. After being drafted, Barkov joined the Florida Panthers. He became the youngest player in the NHL during the 2013–14 season.

Even though he faced some injuries early in his career, Barkov kept getting better. He became the tenth captain in Panthers history in 2018. That season, he set a new team record for most points in a single season with 96. He also won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for being the league's most gentlemanly player.

Later, Barkov led the Panthers to the Stanley Cup playoffs for four years in a row. In the 2020–21 season, he became the first Panthers player to have six seasons in a row with at least 50 points and 20 goals. He also won his first Selke Trophy that year. Barkov captained the Panthers to win the Stanley Cup in both 2024 and 2025. He was the first Finnish-born captain to win the Cup and the first European to captain multiple Stanley Cup-winning teams.

Early Life and Family

Aleksander Barkov was born on 2 September 1995, in Tampere, Finland. His parents, Alexander Sr. and Olga Barkov, are Russian. His father, Alexander Barkov Sr., played ice hockey in Russia, Italy, and Finland.

While Aleksander followed his father into hockey, his older brother Juri wanted to be a professional tennis player. The family decided to stay in Tampere after Barkov Sr. finished his hockey career with Tappara. Growing up, Aleksander and Juri spoke both Finnish and Russian. Barkov is a citizen of both Finland and Russia. He plays for the Finnish national team in international games.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting in Finland

Barkov played for his hometown team, Tappara, throughout his junior years in Finland. In the 2010–11 season, he was one of the youngest players in the U20 SM-sarja league. He scored 17 points in 25 games that season.

On 1 October 2011, Barkov made his debut in Finland's top league, Liiga, with Tappara. He became the youngest player in the league to score a point, breaking a 37-year-old record. He finished that season with 16 points in 32 games.

In the 2012–13 season, Barkov had a great year. He scored 21 goals and 27 assists for 48 points in 53 games for Tappara. Even though a shoulder injury ended his season early, he was ranked as the top international skater for the 2013 NHL entry draft. The Florida Panthers drafted him second overall, right after Nathan MacKinnon.

Joining the Florida Panthers

Early Years (2013–2018)

Barkov signed with the Florida Panthers on 15 July 2013. He made his NHL debut on 3 October 2013, and scored his first NHL goal. This made him the youngest player since 1967 to score a goal in the NHL. As the youngest player in the league that season, Barkov quickly showed his skill.

His early seasons were sometimes cut short by injuries. However, he steadily improved his game. He often played on the Panthers' top line with teammates like Jonathan Huberdeau and hockey legend Jaromír Jágr. Playing with Jágr helped Barkov and Huberdeau score more points.

Barkov with the Florida Panthers in March 2015.

In the 2015–16 season, Barkov had a career-best year with 28 goals and 59 points. He also had very few penalties, which earned him a nomination for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. The Panthers made the playoffs that season for the first time in a while. Barkov scored his first playoff goal in Game 3 against the New York Islanders.

Barkov continued to be a key player for the Panthers. In the 2017–18 season, he had a very productive year. He was named to the 2018 NHL All-Star Game for the first time. He set new career highs in points and assists, finishing with 78 points. He was also nominated for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy again.

Captaincy and Championships (2018–Present)

After his impressive 2017–18 season, Barkov became the tenth captain in Panthers history. He continued to reach new milestones in the 2018–19 season. He scored his first career NHL hat-trick on 15 December. Barkov finished the season with a franchise-record 96 points. He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for being the most gentlemanly player in the league.

Barkov playing street hockey in Tampere in July 2016.

In the 2019–20 season, Barkov kept climbing the Panthers' record books. He became third all-time in franchise scoring. When the NHL paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barkov had 62 points.

The Panthers and Barkov did very well in the following seasons. They made the Stanley Cup playoffs four years in a row. In the 2020–21 season, Barkov led the team with 26 goals and 58 points. He also became the first Florida Panthers player to win the Frank J. Selke Trophy, given to the best defensive forward.

In October 2021, Barkov signed a long-term contract to stay with the Panthers. He continued to break franchise records. On 9 November, he scored his 189th goal, becoming the Panthers' all-time leading goal scorer. On 27 January, he scored his 200th NHL goal and 500th NHL point, another first for the Panthers.

Barkov (left) with Vladimir Tarasenko during a game in March 2024. Barkov captained the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history later that season.

In the 2021–22 season, Barkov led the Panthers to win the Presidents' Trophy for having the best record in the league. He finished with 39 goals and 88 points. The Panthers advanced past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 1996.

During the 2022–23 season, Barkov reached another major milestone. On 20 March, he passed former teammate Jonathan Huberdeau to become the Florida Panthers' all-time leading scorer with 614 points. He also became second in all-time games played for the franchise. The Panthers made a deep run in the 2023 playoffs, reaching the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals.

Barkov won his second Selke Trophy at the end of the 2023–24 season. He then led the Panthers to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship in 2024, defeating the Edmonton Oilers. In the 2024–25 season, Barkov continued his excellent play, winning his third Selke Trophy and his first King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his community work with Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. He also captained the Panthers to their second consecutive Stanley Cup in 2025.

International Play

Barkov has proudly represented Finland in many international hockey tournaments.

He played for the Finland men's national junior ice hockey team in 2011 and 2012. In the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, he became the youngest Finnish player chosen for the team. He also became the youngest player ever to score in the U20 World Juniors, beating a record held by Sidney Crosby.

Barkov was chosen to play for Finland at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He suffered a knee injury after two games, but Team Finland still won a bronze medal.

He also played for the senior team at the 2015 IIHF World Championship and the 2016 IIHF World Championship, where Finland won a silver medal. Barkov continued to represent Finland at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011	Finland	IH18	4th		5	3	4	7	2
2012	Finland	WJC	4th		7	1	3	4	0
2012	Finland	WJC18	4th		7	1	2	3	27
2013	Finland	WJC	7th		6	3	4	7	6
2014	Finland	OG			2	0	1	1	2
2015	Finland	WC	6th		8	3	4	7	4
2016	Finland	WC			9	3	6	9	2
2016	Finland	WCH	8th		3	0	0	0	0
2025	Finland	4NF	4th		3	1	1	2	2
Junior totals					25	8	13	21	35
Senior totals					25	7	12	19	10

Awards and Honours

See also

In Spanish: Aleksander Barkov para niños