He’s kind of a big deal.
Putting a cherry on top of an incredible year, Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov took home “Athlete of the Year” honors at the Finnish Sports Gala in Helsinki on Thursday.
Given out annually since 1947, Barkov is the first hockey player to ever win the prestigious award.
“To get that honor, it’s huge for me,” said Barkov, who complimented the rich history of hockey in Finland. “I’m really happy to be able to get that award. Yeah, very thankful.”
Highlighting a wide variety of athletic achievements, previous winners include swimmers, skiers, soccer players, race car drivers, rowers and weightlifters, just to name a few.
“Finland is a huge, huge sports country,” Barkov said. “They love sports.”
So how did Barkov separate himself from everyone else in his homeland?
Well, being the first Finnish-born player to captain a Stanley Cup champion helps.
Helping the Panthers bring Lord Stanley to South Florida, the 29-year-old center finished tied for the team-lead with 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) during the team’s epic playoff run.
A two-way beast during the regular season, he also won his second Selke Trophy as the top-defensive forward in the NHL.
In addition to being named “Athlete of the Year” and “Best Hockey Player” in Finland, Barkov’s historic lifting of the Stanley Cup was deemed the “Best Moment of the Year.”
Just like Panthers fans, that moment is one that he'll carry with him forever.
“It was one of the best moments in my life, for sure, and will forever be,” Barkov said. “Very grateful to do it here in Florida, and to be the first Finnish captain is a huge, huge honor.”
Congrats, Cap!
