Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk named to Second All-Star Team, finishes third in Hart Trophy voting
Matthew Tkachuk had a phenomenal first season with the Florida Panthers, but it wasn’t enough to top Edmonton’s superstar Connor McDavid.
Tkachuk came up short, finishing third for the Hart Memorial Trophy at the NHL Awards Monday night in Nashville. However, he still earned an accolade as a Second All-Star Team selection.
McDavid took home the Hart Trophy, which is given “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.”
Boston’s David Pastrnak was the third finalist and placed second with 1,053 voting points. Tkachuk recorded 741 and McDavid ran away with it with 1,951.
McDavid, who had 64 goals and 89 assists this season, is now a three-time recipient of the award. He’s the fifth player in league history to reach that mark in his first eight seasons.
Tkachuk, who wore a sling on his right arm at the red carpet as he recovers from a broken sternum, was seventh in the league with 109 points. He’s the fourth player in NHL history to record consecutive 100-point seasons after switching teams. Only 10 other players reached the 100-point mark this season.
Joining Tkachuk on the Second All-Star Team was the New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin, Edmonton’s Leon Draisatl, Boston’s Hampus Lindholm, Colorado’s Cale Makar and New York Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin. Dallas’ Jason Robertson, San Jose’s Erik Karlsson, New York Rangers’ Adam Fox, Boston’s Linus Ullmark and Pastrnak and McDavid were all named to the First All-Star Team.
Florida has yet to have a player win the Hart Trophy. Jonathan Huberdeau was fifth in voting last year, the closest a Panther at the time had gotten since Pavel Bure in 2000. John Vanbiesbrouck was also a finalist in 1994.
A handful of Panthers also received votes for the various awards handed out at Bridgestone Arena. Team captain Aleksander Barkov was fifth in Lady Byng Trophy voting and eighth in Selke Trophy voting. Brandon Montour was 12th in Norris Trophy voting. Tkachuk, Eric Staal and Sam Reinhart were 17th, 21st and 25th in Selke voting, respectively. Panthers coach Paul Maurice was 11th in Jack Adams Award voting.
Panthers GM Bill Zito is a finalist for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award, which will be announced Wednesday at the first round of the NHL draft.
