The two have played together since the 2013-14 season when Barkov was still 19-years-old and Huberdeau was fresh off winning the Calder Memorial Trophy. Neither played more than 70 games, and the two finished with a mere 51 points combined.
There wasn’t a lot of other talent around the Florida Panthers’ forward core at that point, as Nick Bjugstad was the top point-getter at 38 points that season.
Fast forward five seasons and both Huby and Barkov finished in the top 12 of the NHL in points, with 92 and 96 points, respectively.