The post Panthers' Aleksander Barkov's 6-word message after Stanley Cup victory will spook rest of NHL appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Fresh off winning their second straight Stanley Cup, the Florida Panthers already have their eyes on next season. Winning a third straight Stanley Cup would make them the fourth franchise in NHL history to do so. Can the Panthers join the Montreal Canadiens , Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders in this exclusive club? That is certainly something that Florida captain Aleksander Barkov thinks can happen. He discussed his opinion with the Miami Herald on Saturday.
"I don't see us slowing down," said Barkov, the team's longest-tenured player, to the Herald.
After winning the last two titles, it certainly wouldn't surprise anyone if the Panthers captured number three next June. In fact, fans likely wouldn't be surprised by yet a third straight Panthers-Edmonton Oilers series as well. Both teams are certainly a step above their conference rivals. Whether it's the Oilers or another team, it's clear that Barkov and his teammates are focused on making even more history. Can general manager Bill Zito, head coach Paul Maurice and the rest of the Florida brass get them back to the promised land?
Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
Zito and Maurice will have their hands full, but they've already proven that they can build and coach a title-winning team. Doing it two times in a row is something that 22 other NHL teams haven't done yet. If they can do it three times, it will be an even more exclusive club. If they can continue this run like Barkov and the rest of his teammates believe they can, then they'd join the Canadiens as the only four-team repeat champions.
For now, the focus is certainly on keeping the band together as much as possible. There are multiple key contributors that are now free agents, including Sam Reinhart and trade deadline acquisition Brad Marchand . Bringing them back might be expensive, especially since longtime stalwart Aaron Ekblad also needs a new deal. Not to mention there are certainly additions that need to be made. Can Zito, Maurice, Barkov and the rest of the squad maintain their pursuit of three straight Cups? Or will they fall short, just like seven other teams before them did?
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