WATCH: Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov surprised with Selke Trophy by children’s hospital patients

Aleksander Barkov has won the Selke Trophy as Nhl’s The best defensive advance for the second consecutive year and the third time of his career. Florida Panthers captain was a heavy favorite to win the prize again this season, but it is still a surprise thanks to the young patients of Joe Dimaggio Children’s Hospital.

Throughout his time in Florida, Barkov has become a regular at the Children’s Hospital. With the panthers in the middle of his third final appearance of the Stanley Cup, he has not been able to visit so often, so that the children reached him.

Several children at the hospital went through the installation of the Panthers during a team meeting to inform Barkov that he won the Selke trophy of 2025 and the King Clanccy Memorial Trophy, which is given annually to the player who “best exemplifies the qualities of leadership and out of ice and who has made a significant human contribution to their community.”

Barkov intends to follow a Selke trophy with the old Bruins star Patrice Bergeron at his retirement.

As a whole, Florida is one of the best defensive teams in hockey, but Barkov is the tip of the spear. Although it was usually the hardest matches, Barkov published a goal differential plus 13 and 58.4% of the targets planned to five to five, According to Natural Stat Trick. No one thrives against higher competition as Barkov.

This makes Barkov the most valuable weapon of the Panthers in the final game of the Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers. Most teams do not have a player capable of containing, or at least slow down – Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Barkov is up to the task and will be a fun battle to watch over the coming weeks.