He ‘deserves a lot more credit,’ but Barkov’s focus is on Panthers’ success, not accolades

There he was again, the Florida Panthers’ captain making a play when the team needed it.

Aleksander Barkov gracefully made his way into the offensive zone for a one-on-one battle, just him and the goaltender. As he drove toward the front of the net, Barkov extended his stick out with his right hand, lifted the puck in the air and stuffed the puck past Vancouver goaltender Spencer Martin.

The Panthers win the shootout and beat the Canucks 2-1 at Rogers Arena on Friday.

“He’s got like a magic wand,” goaltender Spencer Knight said. “I mean, the things he does, it’s just crazy.”

Barkov’s skills as a playmaker are well-established at this point. He’s the Panthers’ all-time career leader in goals scored, a one-time All-Star, the reigning Selke Trophy winner (given to the NHL’s top defensive forward) and, when healthy, a likely candidate for the Hart Memorial Trophy (the NHL’s most valuable player award).

He’s approaching three career milestones. Heading into Sunday’s game against the Seattle Kraken, Barkov is two goals away from No. 200, one assist away from No. 300 and three points shy of No. 500 in his career.

But the recognition of his talent, of his success? His coach isn’t sure the respect is fully there.

“That underrated tag is definitely still there,” Panthers interim coach Andrew Brunette said this week, “and it’s not fair to him. He deserves a lot more credit.”

One point Brunette looks to with this assessment: Barkov not being selected to the All-Star Game this season. Jonathan Huberdeau, a legitimate contender for the Hart Memorial Trophy this year, was the only Panthers player who was named an All-Star this season from a team that is in first place in the NHL standings. Barkov was part of the league’s “Last Men In” ballot, but lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos for the Atlantic Division’s final spot.

“It’s hard to believe that we don’t have him in the All-Star Game,” said Brunette, who will coach the Atlantic Division team. “Nothing against the other guys; it is hard with so many deserving players, but he is such a great player that nobody really … you hear everyone talk about it and then you get moments like this where he doesn’t get voted in.”

Despite missing 13 games, Barkov is still tied for the team lead and in a nine-way tie for 23rd overall in the NHL with 17 goals entering Saturday. His three shorthanded goals are second in the league.

He’s scoring on 19.3 percent of his shots on goal, by far a career high (his next best was 16.99 percent in the 2018-19 season).

“All you’ve got to do is watch a game,” center Sam Bennett said. “Every single game, he proves that he’s an All-Star and he does something special. He makes it fun to watch.”

Maybe another stellar season will break Barkov from the underrated moniker. Maybe the Panthers finally making a deep playoff run — they’ve made the Stanley Cup Playoffs three in Barkov’s first eight seasons and were eliminated in the first round each time — will do the trick.

Regardless, Barkov isn’t putting too much energy into it. He has the second half of the season to focus on.

As for his plans during the All-Star break?

“It’s a good time to relax and stay at home with my family,” Barkov said. “They are all here so I get to stay here with them for a bit. I will relax, train, go to the beach, whatever. It is going to be a nice little break.

“And, of course, I will watch Huby in Vegas.”