Aleksander Barkov Becomes First Hockey Player To Be Named Finnish Athlete Of The Year

Aleksander Barkov Becomes First Hockey Player To Be Named Finnish Athlete Of The Year

The Finnish Sports Journalists’ Association has voted Aleksander Barkov the best Finnish athlete of 2024. Incredibly, he is the first hockey player to ever receive the honor, which has been awarded since the 1940s.

Previously, the best finish by a Finnish hockey player was Jari Kurri, who was second in voting in 1990.

Because of the ongoing Florida Panthers season, Barkov couldn’t attend the ceremony in Helsinki – a former coach accepted the award on his behalf – but he did speak to the live and television audiences remotely via video.

“I'm really impressed,” Barkov said according to Finnish media outlet MTV. “I didn’t expect this kind of start to the morning. This would definitely not have happened without you Finns here.”

Barkov edged out soccer goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, tennis player Harri Heliövaara and NBA basketball player Lauri Markkanen. Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche finished seventh in voting and Sebastian Aho of the Carolina Hurricanes finished 12th.

It was announced on Monday that Barkov was the top hockey player in the voting – he also previously topped all hockey players in 2021, finishing seventh overall that year. Teemu Ilmari Selänne was voted top Finnish hockey player 10 times and Kurri nine times.

Below is a list of all Finnish hockey players of the year, going all the way back to the beginning in 1948:

2024 Aleksander Barkov (F)

2023 Mikko Rantanen (G)

2022 Mikko Rantanen (G)

2021 Aleksander Barkov (F)

2020 Miro Heiskanen (D)

2019 Marko Anttila (F)

2018 Pekka Rinne (G)

2017 Pekka Rinne (G)

2016 Patrik Laine (F)

2015 Teuvo Teräväinen (F)

2014 Teemu Selänne (F)

2013 Tuukka Rask (G)

2012 Teemu Selänne (F)

2011 Mikael Granlund (F)

2010 Antti Niemi (G)

2009 Niko Kapanen (F)

2008 Valtteri Filppula (F)

2007 Teemu Selänne (F)

2006 Teemu Selänne (F)

2005 Niklas Bäckström (G)

2004 Miikka Kiprusoff (G)

2003 Jere Lehtinen (F)

2002 Sami Kapanen (F)

2001 Sami Kapanen (F)

2000 Teemu Selänne (F)

1999 Teemu Selänne (F)

1998 Teemu Selänne (F)

1997 Teemu Selänne (F)

1996 Teemu Selänne (F)

1995 Saku Koivu (F)

1994 Saku Koivu (F)

1993 Teemu Selänne (F)

1992 Markus Ketterer (G)

1991 Esa Tikkanen (F)

1990 Jari Kurri (F)

1989 Jari Kurri (F)

1988 Jari Kurri (F)

1987 Jari Kurri (F)

1986 Jari Kurri (F)

1985 Jari Kurri (F)

1984 Jari Kurri (F)

1983 Jari Kurri (F)

1982 Jari Kurri (F)

1981 Timo Nummelin (D)

1980 Jukka Porvari (F)

1979 Pekka Rautakallio (D)

1978 Veli-Pekka Ketola (F)

1977 Pertti Koivulahti (F)

1976 Seppo Repo (F)

1975 Pekka Marjamäki (D)

1974 Veli-Pekka Ketola (F)

1973 Antti Leppänen (G)

1972 Jorma Valtonen (G)

1971 Ilpo Koskela (D)

1970 Urpo Ylönen (G)

1969 Seppo Lindström (D)

1968 Urpo Ylönen (G)

1967 Urpo Ylönen (G)

1966 Lasse Oksanen (F)

1965 Jarmo Wasama (D)

1964 Juhani Lahtinen (G)

1963 Raimo Kilpiö (F)

1962 Juhani Lahtinen (G)

1961 Raimo Kilpiö (F)

1960 Heino Pulli (F)

1959 Esko Niemi (G)

1958 Yrjö Hakala (F)

1957 Teppo Rastio (F)

1956 Unto Wiitala (G)

1955 Yrjö Hakala (F)

1954 Unto Wiitala (G)

1953 Ossi Kauppi (D)

1952 Aarne Honkavaara (F)

1951 Keijo Kuusela (F)

1950 Aarne Honkavaara (F)

1949 Unto Wiitala (G)

1948 Matti Rintakoski (F)