When Carolina thought a couple of years ago by Justin Williams after the end of the career, who would be the next hurricane captain of the new era, I myself was in the front row, offering the honorary position To Sebastian Aho, because why not? Aho is a Conscientious and exemplary top player in every way, who exudes genuine leadership. The Sebastian Aho era in Raleigh was about to begin.
However, the club chose By Jordan Staal – it’s probably fair to say that of course.
Staal, 34, has seen and experienced it all, a Stanley Cup-winning longtime Carolina player. Staal still is. As the central man of a reliable and rugged identity chain, the Canadian center represents everything that a head coach does Rod Brind’Amour wants to represent Carolina as a team.
In hindsight, the choice was a no-brainer, as it would be expressed in English. The time has yet to come.
A similar clear choice could not be made in Florida in the summer of 2018, when it was decided to sew the captain’s letter C Alexander Barkov to the chest. On the other hand, there were no alternatives.
However, a C on the chest does not make anyone a captain.
And it is not intended to criticize Barkov’s character in any way. When we talk about Barkov, we are talking about an extremely well-behaved, polite and in every way fine gentleman. And Barkov doesn’t miss anything from the game or the example.
The Finnish star still has too much on his shoulders.
The latest demonstration of the deep core of Florida’s character quality was seen in ‘s TV match late Saturday night. Even though the Panthers are in the middle of the fiercest playoff battle, they performed in Nashville as if they came to the rink straight from the country halls of Broadway with the same eyes. Careless, undisciplined and totally submissive Florida got a 3-7 win from Nashville.
And no, it wasn’t the first time.
Florida has picked up steam after a dismal fall, but let’s take a quick look at the 2023 losing streak:
Rangers 3–5
Dallas 1-5
Toronto 4–5
Rangers 2–6
Pittsburgh 6–7
Colorado 3-5
St. Louis 2-6
Nashville 3-7
In just eight losses, the own net has been fouled an incredible 46 times – that is, almost six times per match. On the 2023 side, according to the Natural stat trick site, Florida has given opponents 14.7 first-sector scoring chances per hour on just 5-for-5. The reading is shockingly high and the fourth weakest in the entire series.
How does this relate to Barkov’s captaincy?
The fact that Florida, which was even talked about during the season as a championship candidate, is still often soft, sloppy and undisciplined as a team, shows a huge lack of leadership within the team. Especially when Florida isn’t a boy band anymore. The team’s most important players are Anton Lundellia except for everyone aged 25 or over.
However, this group is not guided by itself.
It’s unbelievable that a submission like Saturday goes through the leading players. It is unbearable that constant stealing from the game, slipping from the rear hairs, lax defending or a total lack of ice hukar are passed by the leading players. Florida has taken small ice caps by far the most this season.
The fact that there is no change in the big picture shows precisely that the team itself cannot discipline itself. The leading players must take responsibility for this. Then the gaze turns to Barkov, to Aaron Ekbladto the one who has seen and experienced everything to Eric Staal and so on.
But how do you lead and demand if your example doesn’t speak for itself?
When St. Louis, who is playing a miserable season, upset Florida earlier in the week, for example, one of the experienced players Sam Reinhart couldn’t – or didn’t bother – to skate down in the middle of the opponent’s superior attack, but was content to slide and watch how the puck was easily put in from the back post. This is how the 4-1 hit that killed the match was born.
In Florida culture, this kind of thing is by all accounts acceptable because it happens all the time.
Barkov needs support
Such a club culture does not lead to success in any time frame. In general, there is too much talk about coaches, in this case Paul Maurice. The problems are often not structural, but individual mistakes. A coach cannot act as a babysitter for adult players earning millions of taels.
Successful teams manage themselves and the players are responsible for each other in the right way in a healthy culture.
Florida shows itself as an unruly group of dudes, among which no one can find the courage to put a cat on the table. No one has argued that this team can’t score and entertain, but playing Stanley Cup-level disciplined winning hockey has nothing to do with it – it didn’t last season, and it doesn’t now.
How you react to adversity or indiscipline in Colorado, Boston or Tampa can be seen directly on the faces of the leading players – my forehead begins to throb and smoke rises from my ears. Matters are dealt with immediately and with a firm grip.
Then there are clubs trying to win without the leadership of a tough class, like Florida. Of course, you can try, but the locomotive with its wagons will never arrive at the Stanley Cup station.
It is not Barkov’s fault that he has been made captain. You grow up to be a tough class captain, but you don’t learn it. You either have leadership, charisma and edge or you don’t. Barkov can be the captain of Florida, but then you have to get around as quickly as possible a really tough caliber of support.
Because the current situation is completely unsustainable.
You can see the NHL standings at this link.