With Toronto Maple Leafs’ superstar Auston Matthews sidelined with an injury for the upcoming 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend in Sunrise, Florida, the NHL has announced that Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has been named his replacement for the Atlantic Division.
The Panthers’ captain will join teammate Matthew Tkachuk at the upcoming All-Star Weekend that begins with the All-Star Skills competition on Feb. 3 and the All-Star Game on Feb. 4 at the FLA Live Arena. Barkov’s last appearance at the All-Star Game was in 2018 when the Tampa Bay Lightning hosted the event. He reached the 3-on-3 final with the Atlantic Division.
The 27-year-old has registered 43 points (13 goals, 30 assists) in 40 games, holds a 1.08 points per game average and ranks second on the Panthers in points. He has also notched 21 power play points. Last season Barkov recorded a career-high of 39 goals and registered 88 points in 67 games. He signed a massive eight-year, $80 million extension with the Panthers in October 2021; the contract holds an average annual value (AAV) of $10 million.
Barkov has spent his entire career in Florida. He has registered 596 points (233 goals, 363 assists) in 636 regular season games. Barkov’s 233 goals are the most in Panthers franchise history. He surpassed previous record holder Olli Jokinen last season. Barkov won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in the 2020-21 campaign for displaying the best defensive metrics for a forward league-wide, and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2018-19 for displaying the best sportsmanship in the National Hockey League.
