Among the throngs of South Floridians swept up in the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup Championship run last season was a little cluster of fans who cheered on the team from their rooms at Joe

“It means the world to me, to be honest,” Barkov said. “It’s Athlete of the Year in Finland, the country where I was born, where I was raised and grew up watching national teams play and cheering for them. To get that honor, it’s huge for me. I’m really, really happy and really thankful to be able to get that award.”

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov became the first hockey player to ever win Finland's Sportsman of the Year in a vote by the Finnish Association of Sports Journalists. Barkov, the first Finnish captain to win the Stanley Cup, was named Hockey Player of the Year at the annual Sports Gala on Thursday night.

BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Kings play the Florida Panthers in a non-conference matchup. Los Angeles has a 25-14-5 record overall and a 14-3-1 record in home games. The Kings have conceded 109 goals while scoring 129 for a +20 scoring differential.

Putting a cherry on top of an incredible year, Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov took home “Athlete of the Year” honors at the Finnish Sports Gala in Helsinki on Thursday. Given out annually since 1947, Barkov is the first hockey player to ever win the prestigious award.

It’s been quite a run for Florida Panthers captain Sasha Barkov. He won the Selke Trophy and became the first Finnish captain to hoist the Stanley Cup back in June, while also playing a pair of ...

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has made history as the first ice hockey player to be named Finland’s Athlete of the Year. The honour was announced at the Finnish Sports Gala in Helsinki on Thursday,

Samuel Helenius scores his first NHL goal, Adrian Kempe tips in a go-ahead goal and the Kings hold on for a 2-1 win. Darcy Kuemper stops 26 shots for the hosts, who remain desperate for more

Samuel Helenius and Adrian Kempe scored in the third period, and the Los Angeles Kings rallied to beat the Florida Panthers 2-1.

The final NHL game on Wednesday's schedule will pit the defending champion Panthers against the Kings out on the West Coast.

Zegras returns to the lineup after missing 22 games with a knee injury, but Florida beats the Ducks for the second time in four days, 5-3. Frank Vatrano and Mason McTavish score for the Ducks.

If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. When it comes to hockey equipment, that’s the motto for some Florida Panthers. Whether it’s superstition, comfort or something else, sometimes you can’t just let go.