Achi news desk-
Toronto Maple Leafs star center Auston Matthews is a finalist for the NHL’s Salka Trophy.
Florida Panthers center Alexander Berkov and Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal are also nominated for the league’s best defensive forward honor.
Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association submitted ballots for the Selka Trophy at the end of the regular season, with the top three vote getters designated as finalists.
Matthews has already won the Morris Richard Trophy this season as the leading scorer in the league with 69 goals in the regular season.
He is the first Richard winner who was also voted into the final of Seleka that season.
Also named a finalist for the Lady Bing Trophy for Gentleman Play, Matthews ranked second among all NHL forwards in takeaways (85), tied for second in blocked shots (93), was fifth in even-strength ice time (1,364:28) and seventh in plus-minus (+31).
Berkov helped the Atlantic Division champion Panthers finish the season tied for the best goals-against average in the NHL (2.41, not including two GA for shootout losses).
Staal led all Hurricane forwards in short-ice time (168:58) for the NHL’s top kill unit (86.4%). He took a team-leading 1,375 tackles and won 58.1 percent of them, sixth best in the league (min. 50 GP/500 tackles), took 89 percent more tackles in the defensive zone (581) than on offense. Area (308).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 5, 2024.
