Sasha Barkov: Home, Again, with the Florida Panthers in Tampere

When the Florida Panthers show up at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland, today for their game against the Dallas Stars, captain Sasha Barkov will be on home ice.

Not only is Barkov from Tampere, but he is a part-owner in the team that plays their home games at that arena.

The Panthers are using the Tappara locker room, too.

Feels right.

Following the practice, Barkov had lots of plans for his teammates as he showed off his hometown.

“Bringing my teammates here to play in some NHL games, it is really hard to describe how great it feels right now to be here,” Barkov said following Thursday’s practice in Tampere. “I was talking to Jussi Jokinen before practice and he told me to try and enjoy these couple of days. I don’t even know if I have enough time to enjoy … this is so nice, I don’t know if I realize how special this is. I am going to try and enjoy it as much as possible.”

The two-game NHL Global Series is the second visit to Tampere, but the first featuring the city’s favorite son.

Barkov, 29, grew up playing in the Tappara junior program — his father Aleksander spent 10 seasons there, playing until he retired at 39 and joined their coaching staff — before he joined the senior team as a teenager.

The Panthers were so impressed with Barkov’s professional play with older men in the Liiga with Tappara that they made him the second-overall pick of the 2013 draft.

“He’s big, strong, creative and can play in all three zones,” Dale Tallon said when Florida drafted him in Newark 11 years ago.

“He makes other players around him better. He has great vision, great hands. He’s a rare commodity, a big center with skill. He fits into what we already have coming in size and speed. He gives us real strength up the middle.”

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Since joining the Panthers, Barkov has evolved into one of the top players in the NHL.

He is Florida’s first player to win two NHL awards — the Lady Byng, and the Selke Trophy twice — and is the first Finnish captain to ever hoist the Stanley Cup.

“He is the cornerstone we build around from a hockey perspective, from a culture perspective, from a leadership perspective,’’ general manager Bill Zito said after Barkov signed the largest contract in Panthers history.

“You will find in short order as you talk to his teammates that you see it resonate both in the words they use and the tone in which they use them how appreciated Sasha is as a teammate and as a leader. He is an example with his attention to detail.’’

The Florida Panthers celebrate taking center Aleksander ‘Sasha’ Barkov with the second overall pick at the 2013 NHL Draft at the Prudential Center in Newark. Those pictured include, from left: Dale Tallon, Jason Bukala, Jari Kekäläinen, Michael Santos, Barkov, Scott Luce and Kevin Dineen.

When Barkov brought the Stanley Cup home in July, it was one of the biggest parties Tampere has ever seen.

Although Barkov can sort of slip under the radar in South Florida despite being one of the region’s top athletes, that is certainly not the case in Tampere.

Or, anywhere in Finland, really.

“He’s kind of like a god up here especially after winning and becoming the first Finnish captain to hoist the Cup,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “It is going to be interesting to see everything that comes with him and us being here. It is cool for him to show off his hometown. I know he’s super-proud of it.’’

Added coach Paul Maurice: “People constantly tell you what he means but, what’s interesting with him is, you would never assume that of him, that he is that popular. Not because of his personality, but how he carries himself. He could walk into his old rink and start working concessions and everyone would think that is normal because, ‘that’s Barky.’ He’s just that guy. ‘Do you need help?’ He’s just a wonderful, wonderful man.”

In 2009, the Florida Panthers went to Finland to play the Chicago Blackhawks in a two-game series to kick off that season.

As part of their Finnish tour, the Panthers traveled from their base in Helsinki to Tampere to play an exhibition game against Tappara.

In the stands that night was Barkov, rooting on the home team.

Tappara beat the Panthers 3-2 in a shootout in that 2009 exhibition.

During the pandemic in 2020, Barkov invested in his hometown team, becoming the third-largest shareholder in the parent company of Tappara.

He said being able to invest and continue his support of the team was important to him.

“This is a huge thing for me and my family,” Barkov said then. “That team is probably one of the most important things for my family.

“My dad played most of his career there; I grew up with the team, went through the junior system and played two years in the Finnish Elite League.

“I will never forget those years, playing and training with them every summer. I know the whole organization, the guys on the team. I always felt I was part of the team, but now, I feel honored to become one of the owners and hopefully bring something new and some knowledge to the organization moving forward.”

When the NHL announced the Panthers would be playing a game in Barkov’s hometown, it certainly sounded like a gift to the team’s captain.

Barkov has been excited for these games ever since word got out that they would be held near where he grew up.

The Panthers are just as excited — only they are mostly excited for their guy Barky.

“I think this (trip) is a little different because my sense around the room is that everyone is really excited for him,” Maurice said.

“This is such a dream for him. He is such a humble man, and is the driver of our character and the culture in our room. … Everyone here is going to enjoy watching Sasha enjoy the moment and we’ll do everything we can to make this special for him.”

• Video of the Panthers in Helsinki and Tampere, including Barkov and his Finnish teammates answering questions from the local media, is on the FHN YouTube Channel.

ON DECK: GAME 12 

NHL GLOBAL SERIES AT TAMPERE, FINLAND

FLORIDA PANTHERS V. DALLAS STARS

• When: Friday, 2 p.m. ET
• Where: Nokia Arena; Tampere, Finland
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/FTM)
• National TV: NHLN
• Streaming: Panthers+; ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Last Season: Florida won 2-0
• This Season — At Tampere, Finland: Friday, Saturday.
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 26-21-2, 3 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Saturday vs. Dallas Stars, noon ET