After donating more than $420,000 to children's hospital, Panthers' Sasha Barkov vows to keep on giving

Sasha Barkov is already one of, if not the most beloved, Florida Panthers of all time.

The captain has been a superstar on the ice since entering the league, winning awards, racking up points, and most recently bringing the Stanley Cup to Florida.

While his play on the ice is often the focus of many around the hockey world, what flies under the radar is the tremendous work he does off the ice. Barkov is an excellent human being and spends lots of time getting involved in the community.

Starting in 2019, Barkov has donated $1,600 to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital for every goal he scores as a tribute to his number 16, while also donating another $800 for every assist he tallies. He also visits the hospital before the start of every season to interact with the kids and their families.

Team reporter Jameson Olive shared more of the details, along with some comments from Barkov on X (formerly Twitter).

"Since he started #BarkovScoes4JoeD, Barkov has donated more than $420,000 to the hospital, not including the suite he provides them every game," Olive wrote.

"Barkov: "I've done it for a little while now, and I'm not stopping. ... It's very close to my heart," Olive added.

Sasha Barkov still has another five years remaining on his eight-year, $80,000,000 contract extension signed with the Panthers in 2021. Plenty of time to continue endearing himself to the fan base and community.

Sasha Barkov's teammates are also appreciative of him

It's not only the fan base that loves Sasha Barkov; his teammates are huge supporters too.

Barkov has been praised as one of the best leaders in hockey on and off the ice over the years, and Sam Bennett was asked about him during his media availability on Monday.

Jameson Olive shared what Bennett had to say about his captain on X.

"He really is just the perfect human," Bennett said.

He certainly has the trust of the locker room, which is a huge reason why Florida is heading to the finals for the third consecutive season.

Barkov and the Panthers are preparing for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Oilers, which goes down on Wednesday night in Edmonton. The puck drops at 8 p.m. EDT at Rogers Place.