Aleksander Barkov, Anthony Cirelli, and Sam Reinhart shine as Selke Trophy finalists
Although goal scoring may be the unrelenting focus of interest, the tradition of backchecking by forwards should not be lost in attention. The three players this season who have gone farthest in the way of offensive contribution and defensive diligence are
Aleksander Barkov
,
Anthony Cirelli
, and
Sam Reinhart
. Each of them has shown commitment to stopping the other team with faceoffs, penalty killing, and transitioning. Their two-way performance has kept them on the list of finalists for the coveted Frank J. Selke Trophy.
Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart head the Florida Panthers' defense line
The captain of the Florida Panthers, Aleksander Barkov, has proven time and again to be among the best two-way centers in the NHL. Barkov's combination of size, awareness, and intelligent positioning all had him swinging elite defensive numbers throughout the 2024-25 season with evidence of consistent puck control, crucial faceoff wins, and a heavy presence on both special teams. Having won both awards before, Barkov's leadership and well-rounded play helped propel Florida to its sixth consecutive postseason.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Click Here To Read More - micro segmentation software
Expertinspector
Click Here
Undo
Reinhart, who was originally tagged as a pure offensive player, has now grown into a complete player. For as much as he may light up the goal or point charts for the team, Reinhart can also be counted upon as he was in those situations where a player would dive in front of a shot or break up a play on a penalty kill. His versatility becomes even more evident in pressure-packed situations when he must switch from forward play to defense in protecting a slim lead.
Anthony Cirelli earns long-awaited recognition for defensive prowess
While some stars of the Lightning often steal the spotlight, Anthony Cirelli has become one of the most unsung yet reliable defensive forwards in the entire league. A master of positioning and discipline, Cirelli has been front and center in the Lightning's effective penalty kill unit and in their overall defensive structure. Cirelli's presence against tough matchups and puck battles was a factor in Tampa reaching the postseason for the eighth consecutive year. For Cirelli, this is his first official Selke finalist appearance, a recognition many feel has been long in coming.
Also Read:
"Always done a good job": Connor McDavid sends subtle message to Oilers management ahead of NHL trade deadline
All three—Aleksander Barkov, Anthony Cirelli, and Sam Reinhart—are representatives of the modern NHL forward: offensively talented but defensively aware. As the league awaits the announcement of the Selke winner, these finalists have already shown that real greatness is about being commanding on both sides of the ice.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'The most beautiful bride': Leon Draisaitl's wife Celeste Desjardins reacts to Warren Foegele and Alexandra Servos' Toronto wedding
Images via Instagram/@alexandrafoegele Los Angeles Kings forward Warren Foegele and his longtime partner Alexandra Servos have officially marked 2025 as their summer of love. Earlier in July, the couple said 'I do' in a romantic ceremony at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, surrounded by glowing candles, flowers, and friends. Just weeks later, the pair were guests at Leon Draisaitl and Celeste Desjardins ' fairytale château wedding in France — a celebration that brought together a who's who of NHL stars. From Alexandra's lace gown to the league's star couples cheering them on, both weddings created moments that fans and friends are still swooning over. Inside Warren Foegele and Alexandra Servos' glamorous Royal York wedding When Warren and Alexandra exchanged vows at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, the historic ballroom was transformed into a glowing backdrop of candles and floral arrangements. Alexandra walked down the aisle in a lace gown with a dramatic veil, before joining Warren at the altar where the two shared their first kiss as husband and wife. On Instagram, Alexandra posted a carousel of photos with the caption 'At last.' The images showed the bride's walk down the aisle, portraits in the hotel's wood-paneled rooms, and the couple leaving the ceremony hand in hand. The reaction from fellow NHL families was immediate and emotional. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Guacara: New Container Houses – Take A Look At The Prices! Container Homes | Search Ads Learn More Undo Celeste Desjardins, wife of Foegele's former teammate Leon Draisaitl, commented: 'Crying all over again,' later adding, 'The most beautiful bride everpppp.' Alannah Hyman, wife of Zach Hyman, shared her excitement with: 'Ahhhh' followed by heart-eyes emojis. And Ines Kopitar, wife of Kings captain Anze Kopitar, described it all as simply: 'A dream' with a red heart emoji. From Toronto's Royal York to a French château: NHL stars' fairytale weddings Only weeks after celebrating their own wedding, Warren and Alexandra traveled to France to attend Leon Draisaitl and Celeste Desjardins' destination wedding. Alexandra documented the trip on Instagram Stories, sharing a group table photo with Madison Brown, Mara Teigen, and others, as well as a short clip of Warren in a black suit and sunglasses crossing the château lawn. The star-studded guest list read like an Edmonton Oilers reunion. Evander Kane , Connor Brown, Tyson Barrie, Zach Hyman, Calvin Pickard, Cody Ceci , and Tyler Ennis all attended with their partners. Emma Barrie, wife of Tyson, posted multiple snapshots — from her own black evening gown to a group portrait featuring the Barries, the Hymans, and the Pickards. She also shared candid moments of Tyson laughing with Draisaitl, a selfie with Liv Hall, and a shot of the newlyweds' grand hand-in-hand arrival at the outdoor reception. Between their own Toronto vows and the French château festivities, Warren Foegele and Alexandra Servos have enjoyed a summer filled with romance, friendship, and the support of the NHL community. Their ceremony at the Fairmont Royal York glowed with intimacy and emotion, while their time in France highlighted the bonds shared among players and their families. As Alexandra summed it up with her caption 'At last' the moment was long awaited. For the newlyweds, this season wasn't just about walking down the aisle; it was about celebrating love in its grandest forms, from candlelit vows in Canada to champagne toasts under the French sky. Also Read: Chicago Blackhawks avoid arbitration, sign Arvid Soderblom to two-year, $5.5M deal Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Lots to play for at inter-state meet
Chennai: There's a lot at stake at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships, the final competition for Indian athletes to earn a ticket for the World Championships in Tokyo. While five athletes have already surpassed the automatic qualifying mark in their respective disciplines, several others are in contention to qualify via the world-ranking route. While Avinash Sable has been ruled out due to an injury, the others who have breached the Worlds marks are Neeraj Chopra (men's javelin), Parul Chaudhary (women's 3000m steeplechase), Praveen Chithravel (men's triple jump) and Gulveer Singh (men's 5000m). Focus on javelin Since Neeraj has received a wildcard entry to the Worlds as the reigning champion, India can field three more javelin throwers at the global event. The inter-state meet presents an opportunity for Sachin Yadav, Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav to make the cut. Sachin is sitting comfortably at the 22nd position in the 'Road to Tokyo' standings, while Yashvir is 30th. A good performance here will all but see Yashvir seal his berth, with Rohit having an uphill task as he is placed well below the threshold. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Al Khider: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You) Unsold Furniture | Search Ads Learn More Undo On the women's side, Annu Rani is slowly getting into her groove after recording multiple 60m+ throws. Racewalker Servin gives the competition a miss Asian Championships bronze medallist Servin Sebastian (20km), who is well within the qualification standard for the Worlds, will not compete as the competition does not offer world-ranking points for the race walking events. 'As there is hardly a month for the World Championships, we wanted Servin to rest and train. Had he competed in the inter-state event, he would have needed three weeks for recovery. So, we wanted him to be fresh for Tokyo,' Servin's coach Ganapathi told TOI. Another chance for Animesh to impress Youngster Animesh Kujur has raised the ceiling of Indian sprinting. Animesh, the owner of national records in both 100m and 200m, is likely to qualify for the Worlds in 200m as he is ranked 42nd in the 'Road to Tokyo'. A good performance here could seal the deal for the 22-year-old. Meanwhile, as the relay teams (men's and women's 400m) will not qualify for the Worlds, the inter-state meet will merely be a 'practice run' for the quarter-milers. 'We were expecting the relay teams to qualify, but it is unfortunate to see them not do it. We initially thought that we might have a chance to qualify via the inter-state but that does not look possible,' India head coach Radhakrishnan Nair said. This is an important competition for Sreeshankar Murali (men's long jump), who can qualify directly by entry standard. After an injury break, Sreeshankar has breached the 8m mark on multiple occasions and it remains to be seen if he can qualify directly via the qualification standard (8.27m). The other athletes who are in contention include Sarvesh Kushare (men's high jump) and Ankita Dhyani (women's steeplechase). Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
"My intention was to stay": Jake Guentzel reflects on his exit from Carolina Hurricanes
Image Via Getty Carolina Hurricanes forward Jake Guentzel, who has left the team, recently shared his perspective on departing the Hurricanes, offering candid insight into how the move unfolded, including what was and wasn't within his control. According to reports, the Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired forward Jake Guentzel from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on June 30, 2025. Furthermore, reports suggest that before his legal entry into free agency, the Lightning were able to negotiate a new contract with him due to this rights-based transaction, which he quickly took advantage of by agreeing to a seven-year, $63 million deal. Let's find out what Jake Guentzel has to say about it. Reason behind Jake Guentzel's exit Following Jake Guentzel 's exit from Carolina Hurricanes, the former forward player has opened up about leaving the team. Guentzel had to leave as during the 2024 NHL off-season, the Tampa Bay Lightning signed him to a seven-year, $63 million contract, after they acquired his signing rights from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick. Speaking about his exit, the forward player opened up recently during an appearance on the "Cam and Strick" podcast. Guentzel stated, "Yeah, that was just a whirlwind kind of time, you know; first time going to a different team, you're not sure how it's going to go. But I loved my time there; great team, great group of guys, and it was a lot of fun to be out there with those guys. Aho, I think, is an unbelievable player. Jarvy's a great player too, so those guys were just special players to play with." "Yeah, just, there was kind of a lot of back and forth before free agency. I was hoping to get a deal done right after the season, just didn't kind of come to fruition. And as time got closer and it got closer to free agency, I was kind of sitting there, just, you know, I'm already four days away from free agency; let's just wait it out and see what happens. And then Tampa came, traded for my rights, and I think that was a no-brainer for me when that happened," he further added. ( Source : Road ahead for Guentzel Jake Guentzel is ready to start the next phase of his NHL career with the Tampa Bay Lightning after agreeing to a new seven-year, $63 million contract. For the 29-year-old striker, who is starting his prime with a track record of playoff heroism and top-line scoring, the move signifies stability and high expectations. Also Read : Is Aaron Ekblad the next Florida Panther player to have his number retired? | NHL News - Times of India Guentzel joins a Lightning squad that wants to retool for the future while maintaining its winning legacy. He is anticipated to fit in well with Tampa's high-octane offense while playing with top forwards Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and captain Steven Stamkos. He is a perfect fit for the Lightning's aggressive style because of his ability to both create and finish plays. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
