In just five short years with the Florida Panthers, Aleksander Barkov has morphed from a quiet first-round pick from Finland into one of the most respected up-and-coming forwards in the National Hockey League.
On Monday, hours before the Panthers’ preseason opener against the Nashville Predators, it was announced that he will serve as the Panthers’ captain for the 2018-19 season. At 23 years old, Barkov is the youngest player in franchise history to be bestowed the honor. He takes over as captain for Derek MacKenzie, a 15-year NHL veteran who held the captain honor the past two seasons.