Barkov is used to being the youngest player on his line with the Florida Panthers. He's used to having Jagr, 44, on his right wing and 23-year-old Jonathan Huberdeau on his left. However, when Team Finland opens the World Cup of Hockey 2016 against Team North America at Air Canada Centre on Sunday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN2, SN, TVA Sports), Barkov will likely have 18-year-old Patrik Laine and 19-year-old Sebastian Aho on his wings.

The line has 191 games of NHL experience; all of them Barkov's.

Video: Barkov on '65-year-old' Jagr & his Finnish linemates

"It's a big difference," Barkov said. "I play with Jagr, he's like 65 years old [actually 44], and now I play with the younger guys. I'm almost their age, but it still feels like I'm so much older than them. They're great players. I like the way they play and I like to play with them."

On paper, the decision to put Barkov with Laine and Aho, two players who hope to make their NHL debuts next month, may look like a dangerous risk taken by Team Finland coach Lauri Marjamaki.

It's not. It's calculated. There is history here.

Barkov played with Laine in the 2016 IIHF World Championship, where Laine tied for the tournament lead with seven goals and together they helped Finland get to the gold-medal game, where it lost to Canada 2-0.

Laine played with Aho in the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship. They combined for 27 points and helped Finland win the gold medal.

"They can help each other a lot," Team Finland captain Mikko Koivu said. "All three of them, they know each other, and it might even help that Patrik and Sebastian can feed off each other that it's going to be their first tournament. They played in the World Championships, but it's still a different level here. With Barkov, he has a lot of NHL under his belt already, so as a center he can, I don't know, teach them. I see it as a good thing that all the young kids are on the same line."

Video: Team Finland talks about the competition at media day

They have the necessary components to be a dynamic line too, what with Laine's big shot, Barkov's 200-foot game and Aho's ability to read plays, react quickly and make smart decisions.

"I think we have big potential on this line," Aho said.

Barkov thinks they started to deliver on it in Team Finland's 3-2 loss against Team USA at Verizon Center on Tuesday. They played only the third period together, but Laine had his best period of the pretournament schedule and scored a power-play goal. The line got the puck to the net and generated scoring chances. It was dangerous.

"Aho came in our line and I think we started to play well, we started to move the puck and move the legs, and started to play in their zone, passing and shooting and everything," Barkov said. "Then we had a good practice [Wednesday]. We'll practice twice more and then play. I think we'll be good."

A great deal of the responsibility to be good, to see the potential through, falls on Barkov. This is where his history of playing with Jagr can benefit him, Laine, Aho and Team Finland as a whole.

Video: SWE@FIN: Barkov whips puck top shelf past Enroth

Barkov has watched Jagr lead by example and taken notes. He has heard Jagr talk to him and Huberdeau about ways to get better, to play better, and how to handle different situations, pressure situations. He cherishes those lessons. Now he can try to pass on some of them on to Laine and Aho.

"Of course I'm not as experienced as [Jagr], but I'm a little more experienced than them [Laine and Aho] and I know a little bit more about the NHL, so maybe I can tell them something," Barkov said.

Barkov also thinks his age will help him make the transition to being a vocal leader and veteran presence for his line. He's two years older than Aho and three years older than Laine. They are from the same generation. They speak the same language, literally and in a hockey sense too.

"Everything we do together is similar," Barkov said. "We play video games. We go out to eat. We don't watch cartoons anymore, but still we're close to the same age and we do the same things. I think it will work.

"I feel like a veteran but I'm still 21 years old. … I do the things that every young kid does."

Now he just has to do some of the things that Jagr does too. It's strange to him, yes, but not uncomfortable.

"I'm capable," Barkov said. "It helps when you have an older guy on the line who knows the League, who knows the game, and who knows what to do. I want to be that guy."