<\/p>\n
Florida Panthers captain and center Aleksander Barkov at an event at Joe DiMaggio Children\u2019s Hospital on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, announcing the naming of the \u201cBarkov Sports Medicine\u201d department at the hospital.<\/p>\n
Jordan McPherson<\/p>\n
jmcpherson@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n
Aleksander Barkov has been a mainstay at the Joe DiMaggio Children\u2019s Hospital in Hollywood for going on seven years now. The Florida Panthers\u2019 captain has been donating money annually to the hospital since 2019 as part of his \u201cBarkov Scores 4 JoeD\u201d initiative that began with the 2019-2020 season and has resulted in nearly a half-million dollars donated.<\/p>\n
Barkov took his commitment to the next level on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Barkov and Joe DiMaggio\u2019s announced Tuesday that Barkov made a \u201csignificant seven-figure philanthropic gift\u201d to advance pediatric sports medicine at the hospital.<\/p>\n
The hospital\u2019s sports medicine program will now be known as \u201cBarkov Sports Medicine at Joe DiMaggio Children\u2019s Hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Michael Jofe, the surgeon-in-chief at Joe DiMaggio Children\u2019s Hospital, said Barkov\u2019s \u201ctransformational, generational gift\u201d will allow the hospital to form a state-of-the-art rehab facility and also help its concussion, injury prevention and nutrition programs as well as help fund the hospital\u2019s sports teams for children with disabilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t really put into words what it means to me and my family to have our family\u2019s name on the sports medicine program and next to one of the most legendary athletes of all time, Mr. Joe DiMaggio,\u201d Barkov said in a speech at the hospital ahead of a party for about 50 pediatric patients and their families. \u201cAs a kid in Finland, I dreamed of playing an NHL, but I never could have dreamed about this moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the latest way Barkov will leave a lasting legacy in South Florida off the ice in addition to everything he does for the Panthers on the ice. The 30-year-old center is one of the NHL\u2019s top players. He won the Selke Trophy as the league\u2019s best defensive forward three times, including each of the past two seasons. He owns just about every notable Panthers franchise record for a skater. He has been their captain since 2019. And he has been at the center of the team\u2019s first two Stanley Cup championships the past two years.<\/p>\n
But Barkov is more than just a hockey player. What he has done \u2014 and will continue to do \u2014 for Joe DiMaggio\u2019s exemplifies that.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s selfless,\u201d Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. \u201cHe thinks of other people and other players first before himself. You see it in the way he plays the game, and for all of us that are lucky enough to work with him every day, you can see and how he treats you and how he treats me. He is special.\u201d<\/p>\n
The relationship began on Feb. 17, 2019, after Barkov scored a hat trick against the Montreal Canadiens. He was awarded $1,000 from an NHL sponsor to donate to a charity of his choice. After consulting with his agent, Todd Diamond, Barkov decided on Joe DiMaggio\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I learned more about this amazing place, I decided I wanted to be part of it and hoped that they would accept my outreach,\u201d Barkov said. \u201cI am happy to confirm that they did.\u201d<\/p>\n
The following season, Barkov\u2019s support came on a consistent basis. He donates $1,600 for every goal scored (for the No. 16 he wears for the Panthers) and $800 for every assist.<\/p>\n
But his impact goes beyond the dollars.<\/p>\n
He visits the children regularly. He plays games with them (air hockey is a staple), goes into their rooms, takes pictures, helps them through the tough times.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe world knows Sasha as an elite athlete,\u201d Kelley Morris, the president of Joe DiMaggio Children Hospital and Memorial Foundations, said. \u201cHere at Joe DiMaggio, we know him differently. We know him from his heart, and we are incredibly grateful to Sasha for his generosity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barkov said he has been discussing making this significant donation for some time now but \u201cas fate would have it,\u201d the announcement and official work was delayed because of an injury of his own.<\/p>\n
Barkov has not been able to play for the Panthers this season while rehabbing from surgery to repair the ACL and MCL in his right knee following an injury in training camp.<\/p>\n
He said the injury this season, and the \u201chundreds of hours\u201d in his career that he spent with the Panthers\u2019 sports therapists and orthopedic surgeons, gave him perspective on the importance of sports medicine and wanted to push that forward at Joe DiMaggio\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, the years that I\u2019ve been here working with Joe DiMaggio\u2019s has been amazing, but this is a next step that I never even dreamed about,\u201d Barkov said. \u201cSo I\u2019m very honored, very just very thankful and very happy to be doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n