“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.

SUNRISE — Florida Panthers captain Sasha Barkov is not exactly a guy who wears his emotions on his sleeve. But when he was named Finland’s Sportsman of the Year — the first hockey player ever so honored — it was obvious that he was touched and,

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 NHL games in his hometown of Tampere, Finland a couple months ago. Now he’s receiving an incredible honor from his homeland.

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.