BERGERON, KESLER AND KOPITAR VOTED SELKE TROPHY FINALISTS
Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins, Ryan Kesler of the Anaheim Ducks and Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings are the three finalists for the 2015-16 Frank J. Selke Trophy, which is awarded “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game,” the National Hockey League announced today. Members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association submitted ballots for the Selke Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists. The winner will be announced Wednesday, June 22, during the 2016 NHL Awards, hosted by actor Will Arnett, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Following are the finalists for the Selke Trophy, in alphabetical order:
Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
Bergeron was the NHL’s busiest player in the faceoff circle, leading the League with 1,978 draws — the highest single-season total since Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour took 2,047 during his Selke-winning campaign in 2006-07. Bergeron also led all centers in faceoff wins with 1,130 (57.1%), eclipsing a 57% win rate for the fifth consecutive season. That figure included 389 defensive-zone wins, tops in the Eastern Conference. He appeared in 80 games and played an average of 19:50 per contest, second among Bruins forwards and his highest figure since 2006-07. Bergeron is a Selke Trophy finalist for the fifth consecutive season; he captured the award in 2012, 2014 and 2015 and finished second in voting in 2013.
Ryan Kesler, Anaheim Ducks
Kesler helped the Ducks record the lowest team goals-against average in the NHL (2.29) for the first time in franchise history. He ranked second among NHL leaders in faceoff win percentage (58.5%), winning at least 50% of his draws in 58 of 79 games. He led all players in both defensive-zone faceoff wins (441) and shorthanded faceoff wins (168) and ranked third among all NHL forwards in shorthanded ice time (217:29) as the Ducks’ penalty killers posted the League’s top percentage (87.2%). In addition, he tied for the lead among all NHL forwards in blocked shots (92) and dished out a team-leading 168 hits. Kesler was a Selke Trophy finalist each season from 2009-11 with Vancouver, climbing in voting from third to second to first place in successive years.
Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
Kopitar led all NHL forwards in total ice time (1,690:12), an average of 20:52 per game, on the club that ranked third in the NHL in team defense, allowing an average of 2.34 goals a contest. He ranked fifth and seventh League-wide in total faceoffs and faceoff wins with 1,776 and 950, respectively, setting career highs in both categories. He placed second in the NHL in plus-minus (+34) and was the League’s third-ranked forward in the team puck possession metric SAT (shot attempts differential), as the Kings registered 332 more shot attempts than they allowed when Kopitar was on the ice while each team had five skaters per side. Kopitar is a Selke finalist for the third consecutive season, finishing second in voting in 2014 and third in 2015.
History
The trophy was presented in 1977 by the National Hockey League Board of Governors in honor of Frank J. Selke, one of the great architects of Montreal and Toronto championship teams.
Announcement Schedule
The three finalists for NHL trophies are being announced by NBCSN in the United States and Sportsnet/TVA in Canada on Stanley Cup Playoff broadcasts through May 7, during pregame programming. The series of announcements continues on Friday, April 29, when the three finalists for the Norris Trophy will be unveiled. A full lineup of presenters and entertainment, information on broadcasting and tickets, as well as hospitality and travel packages through PrimeSport will be announced at a future date. In addition, fans can tweet about the event using the official hashtag #NHLAwards.
* Information provided via NHL Press Release
National Hockey League Press Release. Information provided from the NHL that describes various news releases that describe current events in the league.