Fort Lauderdale – For the first time since becoming teammates in 2021-22, Alexander Barkov and Sam Reinhart are competing against each other.
For them, that’s absolutely fine.
On Saturday, Barkov and Reinhart became the fifth pair of teammates nominated for Selke Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s top defensive forwards.
Another finalist is Anthony Cirelli of Tampa Bay Lightning.
“It’s really important to our team,” coach Paul Maurice said.
To find the final pair of teammates nominated for Selke Trophy, you will have to go all the way until 2007-08, when both Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg were honored.
Datsyuk won that season, and Zetterberg came in third place.
In NHL history, no teammates have placed first or second in the awards.
“They’re amazing on both sides,” goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky said while raiding Barkov and Reinhard. “Last year, Reino scored 57 goals. He’s a candidate for Serke. That doesn’t happen very often with the same guy. He can score goals, he can defend everything, he can do everything.
In his second consecutive Selke trophy and a third overall capture, Barkov has scored 71 points (20 goals, 51 assists) while leading the Panthers with 34 takeouts this season.
Dot’s demon Barkov’s 56.5% face-off win rate ranked ninth in the NHL among skaters who have tied at least 1,000 this season. 5-5, his 59.3% shot attempt percentage was fourth-best among the NHL forwards who competed in at least 50 games.
Additionally, the Panthers led 41-28 in goal when they were deployed 5-5.
“It’s obviously pretty exciting to be with you,” Reinhardt said of playing with Barkov.
Selke Trophy’s first finalist, Reinhart was knocking on the door of last season’s awards.
This season, Reinhard led Florida to goals (39), power play goals (13), shorthanded goals (5) and points (81), pacing the team’s forward with blocked shots (62).
In addition to helping the Panthers lead 51-36 with goals 5-5, Reinhart ranked second in the team forward with a expected goal of 58.46 in percentage.
In the penalty kill, he recorded an ice time of 123:19.
“Amazing,” Barkov said he would be nominated for Reinhardt. “It’s not like two guys from the same team get nominated for an award every year. That’s pretty special.”
In some respects, the dynamic duo appears to share their brains on the ice.
“It’s amazing to play with a guy thinking about games,” Barkov said. “Both are defensive, but you’ll learn how to play offensively together. It goes a long way when you’re on the ice and know that the guy next to you think the same way about the game.”
If they can share the trophies!
The winners of the Selke trophy will usually be announced in mid-May, so stay tuned.
Bobrovsky enters the zone
It looked more like ballet than fighting preparation.
Bobrovsky, the only panther to take the ice on Saturday, slowly and elegantly circled the link for an extension session while goaltending Rob Taras watched.
As peaceful as we see it, it brings to number 72 equally inner calm.
“My head is clearer,” Bobrovsky said of his skating. “Go deeper into your body and feel all the little things, how it moves. I say it’s a day of mental and physical maintenance. I just move around and try to put my mind into my body.”
For Bobrovsky, it’s safe to say his unique routine is working.
The 36-year-old veteran has found the perfect recipe for success in the playoffs, whether he’s deadlifting hours before a massive game, finding Zen-like clarity on his days off.
He won the Panthers in Round 1 in a 4-1 series with Tampa Bay Lightning, with Bobrovski having a .901 save percentage while making 21 Heidanger saves.
Over the course of the five-game series, the two Vezina Trophy winners allowed less than two goals in three starts, including 19 shutouts in a 2-0 victory in Game 2.
With each MoneyPuck.com, he saved 1.7 goals so far.
Back in the 2023 playoffs, he boasts a more saved goal of 24.6 than expected.
There’s a “playoff bob” in the zone as the deck has a second tilt with Toronto.
“It’s just a bob,” defensive man Seth Jones said of his goaltender. “You let him do his thing.”
Game 1 has been announced
There is a start date!
The Panthers officially drop the pack against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1 of the second round of the Eastern Conference, held at Scottia Bank Arena at 8pm on Monday.
Coverage in the US is done through ESPN.
“They tend to be similar to Tampa Bay,” forward Evan Rodriguez said of the Maple Leafs. “I think they’re in a hurry. They like to stick to the puck and play. I think taking their rush game will probably be a big key (of the series).”
Stay tuned at Floridapanthers.com for the full upcoming schedule for Round 2.
Click here to learn more about what the Panthers say about Maple Leaf.
Saturday practice line
forward
Carter Verhaeghe – Aleksander Barkov – Sam Reinhart
Evan Rodriguez – Sam Bennett – Mackie Samoskevich / Matthew Tokachuk*
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand
AJ Greer – Nico Sturm – Jesper Boqvist
Jonah Gadjovic – Thomas Nose
Defender
Gustav Falling – Seth Jones
Niko Mikkora – Dmitry Klikov
Uvis Balinskis – Nate Schmidt
Jaycob Megna – Aaron Eckblad (sup.)
Goaltender
Sergei Bobrovsky
Vitek Vanecek
*Note: Tkachuk did his strength training himself for the first half of the practice, but later in the practice he rejoined the main group of special team drills.
“He actually got more jobs than he did today,” Maurice said. “He’s doing some strength and conditioning things. You can’t do it all in one day. That was the important piece.”
