On Saturday, May 18, Florida Panthers forward (and captain) Aleksander Barkov was named the recipient of the 2024 Selke Trophy. The award is annually given “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.” This is the second time that Barkov has captured the award, having also won it following the 2020-21 season. He has now been a finalist for the trophy three times in the past four seasons, finishing third in 2022.
Barkov was a key contributor on a Panthers team that captured the Atlantic Division during the regular season and tied for first in the NHL in goals-against-per-game (2.41). That mark also set a franchise record. He led the Panthers with 1,100 faceoffs taken and won 57.3 percent of them, which was good enough for ninth in the league among players with at least 50 games and 500 faceoffs. Furthermore, he placed fifth among NHL forwards in plus/minus with a plus-33 rating.
In early May, Barkov was named a finalist for the trophy along with Toronto Maple Leaf Auston Matthews and Carolina Hurricane Jordan Staal. Barkov continues to lead the Panthers in the postseason where they will take on the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final.