NEW YORK (May 2, 2025) – Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers, Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Sam Reinhart of the Florida Panthers are the three finalists for the 2024-25 Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game,” the National Hockey League announced today.

Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association submitted ballots for the Selke Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists.

Following are the finalists for the Selke Trophy, in alphabetical order:

Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers

Barkov helped the Panthers rank among the NHL’s top 10 clubs in goals-against per game (7th, 2.72), penalty-killing percentage (10th, 80.7%) and shots-against per game (5th, 26.2). He ranked fourth among NHL forwards in the puck possession metric SAT% (59.3%), with Florida accounting for 59.3% of all shot attempts 5-on-5 when Barkov was on the ice. The puck was in the offensive zone for 46.7% of the time Barkov was on the ice at even strength according to NHL EDGE tracking data, ranking in the 98th percentile among NHL skaters, and in the defensive zone for just 35.5% of the time (97th percentile). The Panthers captain is a Selke Trophy finalist for the fourth time in the past five seasons. He became the first Selke winner in franchise history in 2020-21, captured his second last season and aims to join Patrice Bergeron, Pavel Datsyuk and Rod Brind’Amour as back-to-back winners in the past quarter-century.

Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning

Cirelli posted several single-season highs in helping the Lightning allow just 216 goals in 2024-25 (not including goals-against for shootout losses), the fourth-lowest total in the NHL and 51 fewer than in 2023-24 – the second-biggest drop among all clubs. He recorded a career-best +30 rating, seventh among NHL forwards, and set a new scoring mark with 59 points (27 goals, 32 assists) in 80 games despite making 257 of his 963 face-off shift starts in the offensive zone (26.7%). He played the most minutes in his eight-season NHL career (1495:14, an average of 18:41 per game), took the most face-offs (1,292) and recorded the most face-off wins (647, 50.1%). He led all Lightning forwards in shorthanded ice time (164:19) for a unit that ranked sixth in the NHL at 81.6% and contributed seven shorthanded points (four goals, three assists), tied for second in the NHL. Cirelli is a first-time NHL Awards finalist and the first Lightning player voted a Selke finalist in franchise history.

Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers

Reinhart joined teammate/Selke finalist Aleksander Barkov as a zone time leader at even strength; the puck was in the offensive zone for 45.8% of the time Reinhart was on the ice according to NHL EDGE tracking data, ranking in the 96th percentile among NHL skaters, and in the defensive zone for just 36.3% of the time (95th percentile). Reinhart doubled as an elite scorer and penalty-killer, leading the club with 81 points (39 goals, 42 assists) and ranking third among Panthers forwards in shorthanded ice time (123:19). The only NHL forwards with more in both categories were Jesper Bratt (NJD), Brandon Hagel (TBL) and Mitch Marner (TOR). The Panthers penalty-killers tied a franchise record by scoring 12 shorthanded goals, with Reinhart notching five of them to tie for third in the NHL. Having also scored five in 2023-24, Reinhart is the first player to record 5+ SHG in back-to-back seasons since Philadelphia’s Mike Richards in 2007-08 (five) and 2008-09 (seven). Reinhart is an NHL Awards finalist for the first time.

Did You Know?

Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart are the first set of teammates voted Selke finalists since Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg of the Detroit Red Wings finished first and third, respectively, in balloting in 2007-08.

History

The Frank J. Selke Trophy was presented in 1977 by the NHL’s Board of Governors in honor of Frank J. Selke, one of the great architects of Montreal’s and Toronto’s championship teams.

Announcement Schedule

The series of NHL Trophy finalist announcements continues Monday, May 5, when the three finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy will be unveiled.