BREAKING: Florida panthers Star breaks history as he wins the NHL best defensive forward for the third time in last four seasons.

The National Hockey League today announced that Florida Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov has been named a finalist for the 2023-24 Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded annually “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.” The other two finalists this season are Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Jordan Staal (Carolina Hurricanes).

Barkov, 28, appeared in 73 regular season games with Florida in 2023-24, amassing 80 points (23-57-80). Florida’s captain led all Panthers forwards with a plus-33 rating and a career-high 57.3 faceoff win percentage. He ranked second on the team in assists (57), third in points (80) and power-play points (29) and fourth in goals (23).

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound native of Tampere, Finland led all NHL skaters who skated in at least 70 games this season in on-ice goals for percentage at five-on-five play (69.7%). He also became the Panthers all-time leader in assists (445), games played (737) and shots on goal (1,948), having already owned the club records for goals (266), points (711), power-play goals (75) and game winning goals (48).

Barkov surpassed the 700-mark in both games played and points this season, becoming the fourth fastest Finnish-born player in NHL history to reach 700 points. 2023-24 represented his ninth consecutive campaign with at least 50 points, tying Olli Jokinen (9 from 2002-03 to 2011-12) for the second-most consecutive 50-point seasons by a Finnish-born player behind only Jari Kurri (10 from 1980-81 to 1989-90).

Originally selected in the first round (second overall) by Florida in the 2013 NHL Draft, Barkov became the first Panthers skater in club history to win the Selke Trophy following the 2020-21 campaign. He was also a finalist for the award in 2021-22. Former Panthers captain Brian Skrudland had been a finalist in Florida’s inaugural season in 1993-94.

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