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Independent ice hockey blogger from Helsinki, Finland. 100% original content, sharing authentic behind-the-scenes stories and non-mainstream angles.

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Anton Lundell visited the Sijoituskästi podcast just one day before returning to North America

Anton Lundell’s primary objective as a young player was always to follow in his father's footsteps by playing for IFK and competing in the Finnish Liiga. At the time, the NHL was merely a distant dream that only began to materialize during his participation in the World Junior Championships. Competing against elite talents like Jack Hughes while skating alongside line-mates like Kaapo Kakko, Lundell played against older competition and helped lead Finland to a World Junior gold medal. His progression from a 14-year-old prospect to an NHL regular happened remarkably fast. Owing to a late-year birthdate, he was drafted in 2020 in the first round (12th overall) alongside players from the following birth year. From an early age, Lundell recognized that he could hold his own against higher-level competition, which steadily cultivated his development into a highly competitive NHL player. Notably, he reached the NHL without ever having to play a single AHL game. A foundational element of his success has been a disciplined lifestyle focused on prioritizing sleep, clean eating, high-quality training, and stretching before bed—habits heavily influenced and guided by his father. This structured approach became the core framework of his overall lifestyle, fully supported by a family that provided backing both on and off the ice. During the NHL Draft process, which took place via Zoom at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lundell faced several unconventional interview questions, such as "If you could be any animal, what would you be?" (he answered a lion) or "If you found 20 euros on the street, would you pick it up?" Florida Panthers entered the picture as an interested team later in the process following a change in their general management. Draft night was spent with a small group at the IFK arena restaurant in Helsinki, following one of his games, as the event started at 3:00 AM local time. Returning to practice the next day, the congratulations from his teammates elevated his motivation even further, instilling a desire to prove to Florida that they had made the right selection. Transitioning directly from his family home to Florida, Lundell navigated his initial months in the United States independently. He spent his early weeks staying in a hotel and driving a 7-passenger vehicle containing all his possessions. Soon after, he moved in with Panthers captain Sasha Barkov for a couple of months to adjust to local life, including basic routines like grocery shopping. Viewing Barkov as the best player in the world, Lundell integrated Barkov's habits and professional example into his own daily routine. Lundell made his NHL debut under Head Coach Joel Quenneville against the Pittsburgh Penguins, complete with the traditional rookie solo lap. Although a puck got caught under his skate during the lap, he managed to stay on his feet. His first NHL goal arrived in his third game against the Tampa Bay Lightning following a pass sequence with Sam Reinhart. As he established himself in the league, Head Coach Paul Maurice encouraged him to adopt a more physical style of play. While this adjustment presented challenges during his second NHL season compared to European ice hockey, fully embracing the shift unlocked his strengths and elevated his game, for which Lundell remains grateful. To manage pressure and nervousness, Lundell focuses on turning expectations into internal motivation by playing disciplined defense and executing the team system. Building confidence through simple plays, he aims low on shots to beat large NHL goaltenders who effectively cover the top corners—an insight influenced by his father, a former goaltender and current goaltending coach. When it comes to equipment, Lundell remains straightforward. He uses 80-flex CCM sticks with a rounded shaft, lasting 2 to 4 games (sometimes up to 5) until they lose stiffness or break. By comparison, he recalls former teammate Joe Thornton using a 120-flex stick with a completely straight blade. Lundell keeps two spare pairs of sharpened blades with the equipment trainer during games, though he rarely overthinks skate maintenance. He sticks to a single pair of gloves during games and uses off-the-shelf retail equipment without heavy customization. Despite the relaxed NHL dress code, Lundell continues to view game days as special occasions, preferring sharp suits alongside occasional bolder fashion choices. With his entry-level contract and subsequent regular salary—supplemented by signing bonuses—Lundell partnered with Finnish financial advisory firm Obsido Group to manage his investments. Signed to a 6-year, $5 million AAV contract paid out twice a month across six months, he invests the majority of his earnings, including a small allocation in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and XRB, while avoiding heavy spending habits. A notable team tradition involves players putting financial stakes on specific games into a collective team pool to win. While the baseline contribution is €500, higher amounts are posted for various reasons, such as playing against a former team. Lundell’s largest personal contribution occurred around the #NHLGlobalSeries event following his contract signing, when he hosted a team lunch at Bistro in Helsinki, personally selecting the menu to keep costs within reason. A standard NHL game day requires significant energy management, with Lundell burning approximately 2,000 calories per game and up to 3,000 calories across a full game day. Daily routines are structured around team facilities and recovery. His morning consists of breakfast at the arena, warm-up, a short 10–15 minute team skate, optional individual ice time, followed by lunch at the facility. In the afternoon, he takes a 45-minute nap at home before returning to the arena three hours prior to a 7:00 PM puck drop. After games, he relies on recovery routines involving saunas and cold tubs, which are built into both Florida’s main arena and training facility. During the previous season, an injury to Aleksander Barkov required Lundell to step up as the top-line center against opponent matchup lines. Playing against top international talent every night confirmed that he could hold his own and generate offense at an elite level. Lundell's first Stanley Cup victory in 2024 involved an intense seven-game series against the Edmonton Oilers. After Florida took a 3-0 series lead, Edmonton rallied to force a Game 7. The atmosphere in Edmonton was exceptionally hostile, with passionate fans surrounding team buses and directing chants at players' families. To navigate the stress of media coverage during the finals, Lundell turned off his phone completely. Florida ultimately secured the Stanley Cup on home ice in Game 7, as was also the case for their second consecutive championship. Post-game celebrations inside the locker room with family and teammates stood out as highlights, followed by championship parades—the second of which drew over 500,000 attendees. During the post-parade gatherings at the practice facility restaurant, line-mate Eetu Luostarinen slipped while dancing and hit his head, but returned to celebrate after receiving stitches. Behind his humble personality, Lundell maintains a competitive edge and physical intensity on the ice, drawing inspiration from playing alongside physical teammates like Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen. Reflecting on his journey, Lundell acknowledges that while the NHL schedule is demanding—often offering only one day off per week alongside constant travel—the amenities, such as private charter flights, allow players to focus strictly on performance. Representing the Finnish national team remains a point of pride, and he intends to suit up for Leijonat whenever called upon. Following a summer spent at his cottage, fishing, playing tennis, padel, and golf, and completing a strong off-season training regimen, Lundell returns to North America with strong confidence for the upcoming season.Sep 4, 2026

Florida Panthers

Alexander Barkov Brought the World Championship Trophy on Display to the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov visited the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame with the 2026 World Championship gold trophy. The Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame is where historical and current trophies won by the Finnish national team are kept, alongside other hockey memorabilia, and it houses Finland's official Hockey Hall of Fame. During the visit, Barkov also got to see his own dedicated exhibit for the first time, which currently features donations such as Barkov's game jersey, an All-Star Game jersey, and miniature replicas of the Frank J. Selke and Lady Byng trophies. The museum's auditorium filled up well in advance of the event with Finnish NHL fans of all ages. Many supporters of Tampere’s Tappara—where Barkov was raised and of which he is now a co-owner—were in attendance. Yours truly managed to snag a seat in the very front row, right next to an older gentleman who recalled watching Barkov's very first strides on the ice at the Atalain school rink in Tampere when Barkov was just three years old. "One Christmas, it caught my eye when Aleksander Barkov's father was out skating on the school rink with his son. Those were almost certainly Sasha's first strides on the ice," the man told me proudly. When Sasha arrived in the auditorium, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause. Barkov was accompanied by another Tampere legend, Teppo Numminen, who serves on the board of the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame and chairs the selection committee responsible for inducting future Finnish players. The local newspaper Aamulehti livestreamed the event online and interviewed Barkov throughout the occasion. Fishing as Barkov's New Hobby Barkov shared that he has been training hard over the summer. Aside from resting and hanging out with friends, he mentioned taking up a new hobby: fishing. In the same breath, however, Barkov admitted he hadn't caught a single fish yet, though he remains enthusiastic about it. Fishing simply allowed him to switch off his brain and cast his spinning rod into the water. In addition to fishing, Barkov said he has played a lot of tennis this summer, which has long remained his top secondary sport (whether by coincidence or not). Last weekend, Barkov was spotted alongside the President of Finland Alexander Stubb at an Eppu Normaali concert in Tampere. Eppu Normaali is a iconic Finnish band that was playing its farewell concert in its hometown of Tampere. Sasha said he has listened to their songs his whole life, even though he doesn't usually go to music concerts. "Maybe I was the only Tampere local the president knew, which is why he invited me along to the show," Barkov joked, drawing laughs from the audience. "For Some Reason, All the Opponents Who Were Circled in Red Are Now in Florida" Barkov was also asked about his thoughts on the upcoming season and Florida's recent trades. He happened to be in Florida right after the World Championship when the news of the Brady Tkachuk trade broke. Barkov gestured toward Teppo Numminen, who knew the Tkachuk brothers' father, Keith Tkachuk, well from his own playing career. All three shared character traits of putting others first and contributing to a positive team environment. Furthermore, all the Tkachuks are born winners, ready to do whatever it takes for the team to succeed. "I'd much rather have the Tkachuk brothers on my side than play against them. Even Matthew's move to Florida had such a huge impact on us—he remains the single biggest player who boosts everyone’s morale immensely," Barkov reflected. Barkov expressed excitement for the upcoming season. The injury is now behind him, and in a way, it provided a good mid-career breather—or so he explained. According to him, the entire Florida Panthers organization is committed to making another collective push toward the top of the NHL. Opponents who were circled in red about five years ago, such as Marchand, Brady Tkachuk, and Radko Gudas, are now all playing on the same side, which Barkov described as a huge relief. "Back when Gudas played for the opposition, there were a few times he could have completely flattened me. My thanks to him for holding back on those hits and sparing me," Barkov laughed. At the end of the event, Barkov stayed behind to take photos and sign autographs for everyone who wanted one. This is by no means a given, even in Finland, which is a small and passionate hockey nation. Barkov spent nearly three hours at the event, making sure every single person was met. He even told one young fan that he constantly studies new moves on YouTube—pointing out that his one-handed deke originated from there—and mentioned that he focused heavily on his balance this summer, taking cues from figure skaters. Barkov Returns to Florida, Trophy to the Museum After the auditorium had cleared out, one more incredible moment took place. I got to watch up close as Barkov and the museum staff headed upstairs, where Barkov finally saw his own exhibit for the very first time! They also inspected the future spot for the World Championship trophy, which will be placed in the museum for public display after the summer. Barkov jokingly expressed hope that he could hold onto his spot in the museum display case for at least a little while longer before some new player comes along to take his place. Naturally, no one in the museum—or anywhere else—believed that for a second.Aug 12, 2026

Florida Panthers