‘They’re some of my heroes’: Barkov makes large donation to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Everyone knows how generous Aleksander Barkov is on the ice.

An elite playmaker, the Florida Panthers captain stands as the franchise’s all-time leader in both assists in the regular season (496) and assists in the playoffs (56).

But it was a different type of assist that made headlines on Tuesday.

Continuing his incredible philanthropic work in South Florida, Barkov made a “significant seven-figure” gift to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in addition to his usual yearly donation.

“This is more than a dream for me, to be able to be some part of this great, great place,” Barkov said of his generous display. “Obviously, the years that I’ve been here, working with Joe DiMaggio has been amazing. This is the next step that I could’ve never even dreamed about. I’m very honored and just very thankful and very happy right now.”

Barkov’s relationship with Joe DiMaggio’s dates back to 2019.

After scoring a hat trick against the Montreal Canadiens, the former second-overall pick was awarded $1,000 through an NHL sponsorship to donate to any charity of his choice.

Based on a recommendation from his agent, Todd Diamond, he picked Joe DiMaggio’s.

“As I learned about this amazing place, I decided I wanted to be part of it,” Barkov said.

The following season, Barkov further cemented his relationship with Joe DiMaggio’s with the launch of his #BarkovScores4JoeD campaign. Since then, he’s donated $1,600 for every goal and $800 for every assist he has registered to the hospital, amassing over $550,000.

He also provides a suite for staff and patients at every Panthers home game. 

“This community has given so much to (me) and you’re so fortunate that you get to play hockey for the Florida Panthers,” Barkov said. “It’s such an amazing organization and community. With that, I felt like it would be awesome to give something back. Every year there’s been a little progress. Where it is right now, it’s a huge step forward.”

Fueled by his donations, Joe DiMaggio’s is launching the “Barkov Sports Medicine” program.

Expanding the offerings of the hospital, the program will focus on improving concussion protocols, injury prevention and nutrition programs for patients under 18 years old.

It will also help fund the hospital’s sports teams for children with disabilities.

“It’s great,” said Barkov, who won the NHL’s prestigious King Clancy Memorial Trophy last season for his humanitarian work with the hospital. “This place (South Florida) is my home now. Like I said in my speech, I was drafted here in 2013. If you told me that 13 years later this would happen here, I’d never believe you. I’m very honored and thankful.”

While his latest donation was marked by a large party with patients, parents and staff, Barkov regularly visits Joe DiMaggio’s throughout each season with no fanfare at all.

In some ways more valuable than a check, he also donates a lot of his time.

“We shed tear all the time when Sasha is here,” Kelley Morris, who leads Memorial Healthcare System & Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Foundations. “He comes here very quietly. He never asks for recognition. He really understands what we do here and how important his name and his presence are here.”

During this special visit, even Barkov shed a rare tear after watching a thank you video from patients.

“Very emotional,” the stoic star said. “I get those photos [from patients] here and there from the games, from the suite. But a video like that, all the speeches they did for me, it just touched me. I got very emotional there. It was really nice to hear. I’m very thankful.”

Like the rest of the Panthers, the patients are Joe DiMaggio’s are Barkov’s teammates.

As much as he works to help them get better, they make him better as well.

“To come here and see what they have to go through and try to in some way encourage them, and then they obviously encourage me to be better -- a better athlete, better human being -- with their fight and how they fight,” Barkov said. “It’s very encouraging to me.”

Working tirelessly to return to the ice for the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Panthers following offseason surgery, that encouragement continues to help Barkov during his long and challenging rehab.

“They’re some of my heroes,” Barkov said.