It was a long time coming, but the Florida Panthers have finally won the Stanley Cup.
They lost the final against the Vegas Golden Knights last year, but after taking a 3-0 series lead against the Edmonton Oilers this Final series, they won the all-deciding Game 7 at home for the first Cup in the organization’s history.
Many players deserve praise for making the Panthers a winning team.
Sergei Bobrovsky played some incredible goaltending, Matthew Tkachuk played just as well and intensely as you’d expect, but the perhaps biggest hero was Aleksander Barkov.
The Panthers’ captain is often mentioned as the most underrated player in the league, and during this year’s playoffs, he showed everyone just how great he is.
Barkov contributed both offensively and defensively, and behind the inhuman Connor McDavid, he got the most votes for the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP.
Barkov, as team captain, was the first Panthers player to lift the Stanley Cup after Monday’s Game 7, and the party hasn’t stopped since.
There’s been plenty of hilarious videos of Matthew Tkachuk and other Panthers players doing wild things with the Cup, like swimming in the ocean with it and, of course, chugging beer from it.
But Aleksander Barkov decided to do something way more wholesome with it.
Paul Castronovo is the host of the Castronovo Show on BIG 105.9, a South Florida classic rock radio station. He lived next to Barkov for ten years in Florida before moving just months ago.
But Barkov hasn’t forgotten about his neighbor. On X, Castronovo shared that Barkov came over for a surprise visit with Lord Stanley itself.
So I’ve mentioned that Barkov has been my neighbor for about 10 years,” he said on X. ”Well we moved out a few months ago, then the Panthers win the Cup. Who shows up knocking on my buddies door at 4am??? Lord Stanley and the captain himself!!”
On social media, Barkov was praised for his move, and everyone was, of course, very jealous.
”That’s respect,” one said.
”Unreal,” another said.
”That is cool! What a captain … good guy,” a third added.
”Very very cool,” a fourth said.
