The NHL awarded a prestigious prize – this man took the “Aleksander Barkov trophy”
Montreal Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki has been named the NHL’s best defensive forward for the 2025–26 season. The 25-year-old Suzuki received the prestigious Frank J. Selke Trophy for the first time in his career.
The award is presented annually to the forward who has excelled particularly in defensive play.
This recognition is also significant in terms of the Canadiens’ franchise history. Suzuki is only the third Montreal player to have won the Selke Trophy. The last time the trophy went to the Canadiens was in 1992, when it was awarded to franchise legend Guy Carbonneau.
This season, Suzuki emerged as the undeniable leader of the Canadiens in both ends of the ice. He took on significant responsibility in power plays, penalty kills, and while playing against the opposing team’s top forwards.
In the voting, second place went to Tampa Bay Lightning’s Anthony Cirelli. The experienced center Brock Nelson from the Colorado Avalanche came in third.
In recent years, the Selke Trophy has practically been the domain of Florida Panthers’ Finnish captain Aleksander Barkov, who has won the award three times.
This time, however, the competition saw a new winner, as Barkov had to watch the entire NHL season from the sidelines due to injury.
The award is one of the most significant personal recognitions in the NHL and further solidifies Suzuki’s position among the elite centers in the league.
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