Aleksander Barkov led Florida to the NHL championship in the seventh game of the finals. Amid the buzz of the championship, he praised his family and opened up about the meaning of fatherhood to .
Pertti Lappalainen,
Tommi Seppälä
Ice hockey player Alexander Barkov made Finnish history in the NHL early Tuesday morning Finnish time. He became the first Finnish captain to lead his team to the championship of the world’s best hockey league.
Florida, represented by Barkov, beat Edmonton 2–1 in the seventh game of the final series and won the final series 4–3.
The emotional images of Barkov lifting the championship trophy spread around the world via TV images. For the 29-year-old striker, the moment was made special by the presence of his family. He got to greet his loved ones after the championship was over.
– Didn’t even have time to think about how much they have helped me during my career and life. Not only in hockey, but in other ways. They have always been supportive. It’s great that I can share this moment with them, Barkov told in an interview in the hustle and bustle of the championship party.
The central striker is also the father himself. The presence of his own son made Barkov describe his feelings in an even extraordinary way.
– He has been one of the biggest joys in the last couple of years. I know there are bigger things than hockey. However, this experience rises almost to the top, Barkov says.
– When I came to the NHL when I was young, I didn’t think I would be able to celebrate with my own son. Or well, I don’t know if I can when he sleeps, Barkov joked.
He stressed that he has understood the proportionality of things through his child. Ice hockey has not been the number one thing anymore.
– Every day when you see him, you realize that there is more than hockey.
Florida lost its 3–0 lead in the series. In the seventh match, the losses of the previous three games no longer seemed to weigh heavily on the players’ minds.
– In this deadlock game, we had the least pressure of these decisive matches. In the quadruple game, the family came to Edmonton and felt like it was a terrible mess. In the five-a-side game, we wanted to win at home and that created a little pressure, Barkov described the earlier stages of the match series.
– We came into this game and knew we had to play our best game and we did it, he continued.
Barkov received the championship trophy from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. The captain was the first to lift the trophy, walked around the rink with it and passed it forward to goalkeeper Sergei Bobrovsky. The center had dreamed of raising a pitcher since he was a small child.
– It was a peak moment. I have lost many finals in my life, there are roller hockey finals and street stick finals, but now I can finally say that I am a champion, Barkov smiled.