Date of birth: 09/02/1995
Height: 6′ 2″
Weight: 205
Position: C
Acquired: Drafted in the 1st round, 2nd overall in 2013 by Florida
Corey Pronman Hockey Prospectus – @coreypronman
Year in Review: Barkov had one of the greatest U18 seasons of all time for someone in a top European league. He played tough minutes, and he was a leading offensive player in the SM-Liiga.
The Good: Barkov’s hockey sense is off the charts. His creativity, two-way instincts, and vision are elite. He has the ability to slow the game down and dictate the flow. He is a very skilled player, and while he does not show a proclivity to dangle around defenders, he has a high level of ability with the puck. He is a strong player for his age, he protects the puck well, and he can muscle off of his checks effectively. Barkov is also solid in the faceoff circle.
The Bad: Barkov has no significant weakness, but if there were any one area of concern, he could be a tad bit quicker of a skater.
Projection: He could be an All Star, if not possibly an elite center, and one of the league’s best two-way forwards.
Internationals Scouting Services – @ISSHockey
The Panthers surprised many when they Barkov 2nd overall but Barkov is one the very few sure bets or as close to sure bets as there is in the draft. Barkov is a big body, who can protect the puck well, has already succeeded against men and who really loves to play the game down the middle of the ice.
Dobber Prospects – @dobberprospects
October 2013 – Barkov is doing well so far this season with five points in six games. Although he hasn’t recorded points in consecutive games yet this year, he is receiving quality minutes including almost three minutes of powerplay time per game and over 17 minutes the past 2 games. He surely isn’t going anywhere and barring an injury will be in contention for the Calder so use him and just hope the plus-minus isn’t too horrible (currently at 0). Nathan Kanter
October 2013 – Barkov, as expected, has made the opening night roster for the Panthers. At 18 years and 32 days, he’s the youngest Finn to make an NHL team. The latest is that he will be playing with Huberdeau and Boyes on the top line. Previously, he had been slated to center the second line with Boyes and Versteeg but either way he will be getting top-six minutes so he certainly has the potential to have a great rookie campaign. Calder potential. Nathan Kanter
Fantasy Outlook: A
Superstar potential, top three pick in 2013 entry draft.
Carl Maloney of The Hockey Writers – @maloney3383
Perhaps not projected to go as high as No. 2 in the draft this year, it shouldn’t really be all that big a surprise. Barkov has great size, skates well and has excellent hands. He has also played against men in Finland the last two years and was very good as a 16 and 17 year old.
Panthers GM Dale Tallon has made it clear that Barkov was drafted to help the team immediately and should start the year in Florida.
Profile by Luke Anthony
Strengths: Barkov is a very complete player and excels in nearly every aspect of the game. He’s a big creative center that protects the puck extremely well and isn’t afraid of going to the front of the net. Barkov has incredible hockey sense and vision, he also has good strength for his age. He’s a good skater for his size as well.
Weaknesses: Barkov has no major weaknesses in his game, however some areas could be better. He’s a good skater for his size, but he won’t just blow past defenders with pure speed/acceleration. To reiterate he’s a good skater, just not an elite level skater.
General: Barkov is an elite prospect that could be a good first line center with terrific defensive value. He’s good enough to contribute in the NHL as an 18 year old.
2012-13 Season: Barkov was one of the best players in the Finnish pro league despite playing against men as a 17 year old. He was nearly a point per game player and scored 21 goals in 53 games while still playing good defense. Barkov also added 5 assists in 5 playoff games. He made Finland’s World Junior team and scored 3 goals and 7 points in 6 games despite his age. Unfortunately, Barkov sustained a shoulder injury during the playoffs and his season ended early. However, he still had something to look forward to in the summer – as the 2013 NHL Draft drew near, he was expected to be picked 4th or 5th overall. After the Colorado Avalanche had selected Nathan MacKinnon 1st overall, who Florida would take at number 2 was somewhat of a mystery. Many believed that Seth Jones was the obvious choice for the Panthers, but they chose to go a different route, Florida surprised nearly everybody by taking Barkov 2nd overall.
2013-14 Season: Despite only turning 18 about a month before the start of the NHL season, Barkov still managed to make the Florida Panthers. On October 3rd, he became the youngest player to score a NHL goal since 1942. Despite his young age, Barkov has averaged 16:24 of ice time per game through his first 12 matches. As of October 30th, that puts him at 5th amongst rookie forwards. He has produced fairly well thus fair, scoring 7 points in 12 games and has shown flashes of brilliance. Barkov has done a good job in adjusting to the NHL, on most nights he looks more like an NHL veteran than an 18 year old. He still will be prone to rookie mistakes, but very encouraging start for Panthers fans.
Aleksander Barkov’s first NHL goal
Aleksander Barkov Drafted 2nd Overall in 2013
