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Have Your Say: Is Florida Captain Sasha Barkov a Hall of Famer?

Originally posted on Florida Hockey Now
By George Richards, FHN Publisher | Last updated Aug 21, 2024 9:43 AM ET

With so little hockey news happening weeks before training camp opens, the NHL Twitter account created some summertime engagement Saturday by posing a simple question: Is Florida Panthers captain Sasha Barkov a Hall of Famer?

The obvious answer is, no, not yet.

But based on the majority of the responses on the Tweet, most figure Barkov will be once he retires.

And that is probably the correct assessment.

Barkov, the first Finnish captain of a Stanley Cup winner, is perhaps the best two-way player in the NHL right now.

The second-overall pick of the Panthers at the 2013 NHL Draft, Barkov just completed his 11th NHL season.

Not only does he now own just about every single important record in franchise history, but he recently won his second Selke Trophy which goes to the league’s top defensive forward.

Before Barkov won it in 2021, no Florida player had ever won the Selke. Expect him to win a few more before he is done.

Oh, and Barkov is right in the sweet spot of his career.

He turns 29 on Sept. 2.

“I don’t really have the words for what he’s doing for our team right now,” Matthew Tkachuk said after the Panthers beat the Bruins in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

“He is playing the best hockey in the world right now. He’s the best player in the world right now.’’

The original tweet from the NHL account had 130,000 views as of Tuesday night — with 150 comments.

Again, most of them said that, yes, Barkov will eventually make his way to the Hall of Fame.

He will also have his No. 16 retired by the Panthers.

That is as good as done.

As for the replies, there were only a few which went against the grain.

One, not surprisingly, came from what we can assume is an Edmonton Oilers fan.

@ReginaBoy38, who goes by Ethanol28Oilers, wrote: ‘Not yet, if he gets another selke or a few hundred point seasons then maybe.’

So what do you say?

Is Sasha Barkov a Hall of Famer — yes or yes?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.