Florida Panthers Nominate Sasha Barkov for King Clancy Trophy

When it comes time for the Florida Panthers to nominate one of their players for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, captain Sasha Barkov is always at the top of this list.

The nomination not only goes to a team’s top player, but one who “best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”

Hard to come up with a more qualified and deserving candidate than Barkov.

Over the course of his 10 seasons with the Panthers, Barkov has not only excelled on the ice — he is now the team’s all-time leader in points and goals among other things — but he is also one of the most philanthropic players in the league.

Barkov has been an advocate for the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood for the past four years, not only donating money but his time and a suite at every Florida home game for those affiliated with the hospital as well.

“I love that the kids get to come to our games,” Barkov told FHN in 2021.

“Every game is full of kids, families and healthcare workers from the hospital. That makes me happy. I am looking forward to continuing to do that.”

The money he has donated over the years helps make a difference.

Barkov donates $1,600 for each goal and $800 for each assist he records each season including the playoffs.

Last season, he donated almost $110,000; this season his tab is up to close to $90,000.

He previously donated over $105,000 in the past to the hospital but upped his amount last season.

During the holidays, Barkov lent his name to an initiative in which special teddy bears wearing a Barkov-themed jersey were made for children at the hospital.

“When you have a player like Barkov who lends his name and does things for the hospital, it just creates awareness throughout the entire community about Joe D’s,” Jeff Conine, an original member of the Florida Marlins who has a wing of the hospital named after him, said at the hospital’s toy drive in 2021.

”That, in turn, gets more support for these kids. It’s great to see him be so involved. When we first got here in 1993, we wanted to be involved in a children’s charity of some sort and obviously Joe DiMaggio and baseball is a great for us. We have been a great partner ever since.”

Each NHL team selected one nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and the winner will be chosen by a committee of senior NHL executives led by commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly.

Per the league, the selection committee have a criteria in determining the finalists and winner which includes clear and measurable positive impact on the community, investment of time and resources, commitment to a particular cause or community and creativity of programming.

The winner will receive a $25,000 donation to the charity or charities of his choice.

The two runners-up each will receive a $5,000 donation.

FLORIDA PANTHERS ON DECK

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (ATL2) AT FLORIDA PANTHERS (WC2)

GAME 4 (Florida Leads 3-0)

• When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
• Where: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise
• TV: ESPN
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932
• First Round Schedule — Game 1: Florida 4, @Toronto 2; Game 2: Florida 3, @Toronto 2; Game 3: @Florida 3, Toronto 2 (OT); Game 4: Wednesday at Florida, 7 (ESPN); Game 5*:Friday, May 12 at Toronto (TNT); Game 6*: Sunday, May 14 at Florida (TBA); Game 7*:May 16 at Toronto (TNT). (*) – If Necessary
• How They Got Here: Toronto d. Tampa Bay 4-2; Florida d. Boston 4-3
• Season Series (Toronto won 3-1): Maple Leafs 5, @Panthers 4 OT (Jan. 17); @Maple Leafs 6, Panthers 2 (Mar. 23); Panthers 3, @Maple Leafs 2 OT (March 29); Maple Leafs 2, @Panthers 1 OT (April 10)
• Last season: Florida won 2-1
  
• All-time Regular Season Series: Toronto leads 48-36-7, 7 ties
• Postseason History: First Meeting