Barkov, who is 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, said no one on the Panthers suggested he lose weight. He himself concluded it from “just the feeling, the experience.”
Even if the impact wasn’t tangible in Barkov’s point production during the regular season (he had 80 points (23 goals, 57 assists) in 73 games after having 78 points (23 goals, 55 assists) in 68 last season ) Maurice said he has been pushing the game to a different level with his speed and physicality.
“The good thing about Barkov is that he didn’t decide on one game,” Maurice said. “He didn’t decide at 26 years old, ‘This is who I am as a player and there’s no need to add anything. I don’t need to improve anything.’ He’s constant. Improvement isn’t just, ‘These five things I’m good at,’ I improve them.” The big improvement is: ‘These five things are my core. I’m good at that and I can add them too, then I become a different player, a more complete player.'”
Barkov’s relentless desire to improve is one example that is among the reasons why Maurice called him “the perfect man to be captain of the Florida Panthers.” Forward Kyle Okposo, who was traded to the Panthers by the Buffalo Sabers on March 8, remembers playing against Barkov and concluding that he must work hard because of how strong he was with the puck.
Seeing Barkov up close in practices and games over the past two months has given Okposo an even greater appreciation for that and his leadership style.
“Everything he does on a day-to-day basis explains why he’s so difficult to play against and why he’s so mentally prepared,” said Okposo, a 17-year NHL veteran and former Buffalo captain. “That level of preparation is something I don’t see very often, and I haven’t seen it very often in my career, and everyone here has no choice but to follow that example.
“There is no excuse to be tired for a day and not do what is required of you that day because he is setting the example of going above and beyond what is expected of him because he wants to be the best every day.”
Although Barkov may be soft-spoken, Okposo said his voice as a captain carries weight, “whether he says a thousand words a day or ten.” Leading a Panthers leadership group that includes a wide range of personalities, from the more vocal and bold Tkachuk to the measured maturity of Aaron Ekblad, Barkov has learned during his six seasons as captain when to talk and when to let play. make the conversation.
“What he’s done this year is feel what our team needed in games,” Maurice said. “And that’s kind of a leader’s vision: ‘What’s going on? What do we need? How can I make this better?’ And not just, ‘I go out and play my game.’ (It’s) ‘I go out and play the game that I’m capable of playing.'”
Barkov sees leadership as a group effort.
“I think everyone in this room has the same goal, we have the same mentality,” he said. “So it doesn’t matter how you lead. Someone is more vocal than others. Someone is more serious than others. Someone may be making jokes and that kind of thing. So, everyone leads in a different way. I don’t think there is one.” or two. They are all.
“We are all in this together and just working toward our ultimate goal.”
The Panthers are closer to that goal now, but they have work to do, with the Rangers being their next obstacle. Unwavering in his quest to give Florida its first Cup championship, Barkov is not willing to give in now.
“We’re close, but we take it day by day,” he said. “We don’t think too much about the future. It’s one day at a time and we’re ready for the next challenge.”
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