FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla — He's won the Stanley Cup. He's considered one of the best leaders in the NHL.
But that's just part of what captain, Aleksander Barkov, brings to the Florida Panthers.
Amy Wegmann and Trent Aric got to spend some time with Barkov on the bench at the team's practice facility.
All December Fox 4 is celebrating it's partnership with the Florida Panthers. Watch their interview with Barkov here:
Barkov on how he spent his day with the Stanley Cup:
"I did way too many things. I showed it to as many kids as possible. I showed it to literally every person that I know and spent some time with them. I had a good dinner and just went to sauna, I went to sauna with it. It's a Finnish tradition."
Barkov on his work with Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital:
"$1,600 per goal and $800 per assist. And they have a suite for our game and it's always full, so I appreciate that there's a lot of kids and their families from the hospital coming to our games to watch us play and cheer us on. All the healthcare workers back in the hospital, they're just doing the right thing. They have a great heart and they love what they're doing. Obviously it's not the best place for the kids to be, but they're making it the best place for that moment. I appreciate their work and I'm lucky to be a part of it in some way."
Barkov on living in South Florida:
"I love it. And actually, to see hockey grow here the last few years has been incredible. Everything seems to go in the right direction. So, it's been a lot of fun to be a part of that."
Watch all month long for exclusive, behind the scenes access with the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers. And don't forget, you watch their games live on channel 36.3 or Xfinity 221 in Southwest Florida.
