Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/0fdbe22b-f620-4e7b-942b-959307507c9c.jpeg] Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images) The NHL announced the three finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy on Friday, and they come from the Sunshine State. Florida Panthers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers] center Aleksander Barkov and right winger Sam Reinhart, along with Tampa Bay Lightning [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning] center Anthony Cirelli, are up for the Selke, which goes "to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game." This award [https://www.nhl.com/news/selke-trophy-finalists-for-best-defensive-forward-for-2024-25-announced-by-nhl] is voted on by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. Barkov [https://thehockeynews.com/news/players/aleksander-barkov-becomes-first-hockey-player-to-be-named-finnish-athlete-of-the-year] has been a staple in the Selke Trophy conversation over the last few years. He received the award last season, along with the Stanley Cup. He won the Selke another time for his play in the 2020-21 season. With two already to his name, Florida’s captain could be halfway [https://thehockeynews.com/news/panthers-aleksander-barkov-wins-2024-selke-trophy-could-he-catch-bergeron] to catching former Boston Bruins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins] center Patrice Bergeron, who took the award home six times. While he has several qualities, Barkov is known for his faceoff ability. He finished the regular season with a 56.5 percent win rate, which ranks ninth in the NHL among players who took at least 1,000 draws. His linemate, Reinhart [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/nhl-selke-trophy-candidates-from-the-sure-things-to-the-long-shots], is a finalist for the Selke Trophy for the first time in his 11-year career. Last season, a career year for Reinhart with 57 goals and 94 points, he finished fourth in Selke voting. Reinhart has been a threat on the penalty kill this season, scoring five shorthanded goals for the Panthers. With his and Barkov’s help, Florida allowed the seventh-fewest goals in the regular season and scored the second-most goals in the league while shorthanded. Tampa Bay’s Cirelli [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/latest-news/lightning-coach-provides-new-update-on-anthony-cirelli] is the other finalist for the Selke Trophy. Aside from his rookie season in 2017-18, Cirelli has been a top-30 Selke candidate throughout his career, including a fourth-place finish in 2019-20. The 27-year-old has grown into a two-way center assigned the tough matchups against the opposition’s star players. Lightning coach Jon Cooper took Cirelli with him to represent Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off because of his responsible abilities on the ice. For the last two regular seasons, he’s averaged north of 18 minutes of ice time. The Bolts were eliminated from the playoffs by the Panthers on Wednesday, but in the final three games of the series, Cirelli averaged over 19 minutes of ice time. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
