Watch Finnish star Alexsander Barkov skate in backwards for nasty shootout goal (VIDEO)
Alexsander Barkov is a 17-year-old that currently plays for Tappara of the Finnish Elite League, the same team that Jannik Hansen played for during the NHL lockout.
Barkov is eligible for the NHL draft this coming summer, and someone is going to take him, and probably pretty early, because he's very, very good. As evidence, I submit this absolutely nasty shootout goal Barkov scored Saturday versus the Lahti Pelicans.
That is all kinds of cheeky. Talk about poise, especially for a 17-year-old. At that age, I'd have thrown up in the neutral zone and then escaped to the locker room to have a cry. (I might also do that now. Hockey is stressful.)
You have to feel for the goaltender. The moment Barkov shows backhand, you can practically see him tense up. A backhander can go anywhere. No surprise then that Barkov's fake backhand, which looks labelled for the top right corner, freezes him completely.
When Barkov pulls it back, evading a desperate poke check and drifting to the far side of the goal, this thing is over. He casually roofs the puck for the goal.
One final note: If, perhaps, you're more intrigued by the insane amount of ads on Tappara's jerseys than the goal, here's an interactive photo breaking down what each one of them is for.
s/t to Reddit Hockey.
Follow Harrison Mooney on Twitter at @HarrisonMooney
