Florida GM Comments on Aleksander Barkov’s 5 AM Stunts With Stanley Cup Trophy

3 min read

“Aleksander Barkov, let’s do it again,” shouted NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on the mic, calling the Florida Panthers skipper after his side’s emphatic Stanley Cup win over the Edmonton Oilers. By “again“, Mr. Bettman subtly left the Finnish professional nostalgic about the Panthers’ previous season’s victory against a very similar opponent. So a second consecutive victory means double celebrations and flare, right? Well, it does, but the only problem was that Barkov ended up taking the extravaganzas literally to the next level!

And it’s something that we hardly ever witnessed before. Well, after Tuesday night’s 5-1 rump over the Oilers, Barkov literally went to the streets of his neighborhood, knocking on their doors to show them his Stanley Cup. Fortunately, one of the homeowners was able to capture the scene through their ring cameras, courtesy of a video shared by @rogerarojas_ on X that continues to make rounds on the internet.

Interestingly, Barkov, still dressed in a full suit, can be seen coming across the street and boldly pressing the doorbell button more than a couple of times, even desperately adding a few knocks on the door, until he could receive an answer from behind the door. Yes, even though it was 5:04 a.m. EDT!

Eventually, the neighbor turns up on the door and speaks from the speaker of the doorbell, saying, “Coming”. That saw one of Barkov’s fellow accompanies showcase the Stanley Cup and ask, “Is he coming out or what?” To which, the female again responds, “He’s coming…He’s on his way!”

Interestingly, this became a topic of discussion on the Pat McAfee show, where Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zitto narrated this moment. “I heard a great story about Aleksander Barkov from last night. Apparently, he went home at like, 5 in the morning to change and clean up before they kept going, walked around his neighborhood, and banged on everybody’s front door,” said Zitto.

“I heard a great story about Aleksander Barkov from last night..

At five in the morning he walked around his neighborhood banging on everybody’s front door with the Stanley Cup” ~ @bzitojr #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/UPoiYQ8e9H

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 18, 2025

Talk about not just confidence, but a complete lack of filter—Barkov took the post-game shenanigans to a whole new level, one that’s hard to even describe. Then again, he more than deserved his moment to celebrate. The 29-year-old didn’t just lead the Panthers to an emphatic victory; he also helped make them the first NHL team since the Tampa Bay Lightning to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.

Beyond securing the Stanley Cup, Barkov capped off an outstanding season with multiple accolades. He was honored as the NHL’s best defensive forward with the Frank J. Selke Award and also earned the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, a distinction that underscores his leadership and contribution to the community. The rest of the brownie points are for being a warrior for his team like never before.

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