SILKY SELKE

Mario Russo

With the All-Star break in the rear view mirror, it is time to take a good look at some of the league’s best forwards at both ends of the rink. The Selke trophy, along with the rest of the NHL awards are handed out following the conclusion of the postseason, with the trophy being awarded to the forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. Some may argue the Selke award is one that holds the closest comparison to the Hart trophy-awarded to the player most valuable to their team. Playing a full 200-foot game over 82 consecutive matches is a dying trait in the league these days, making this award one of the more exclusive one’s in it’s class. In this article, I will present forth some players that I believe have made themselves a case in the first half of this season through their talented efforts on both ends of the puck.

Patrice Bergeron

When you think of Selke, it should come as no surprise that this player is worthy of being in the mix. Since breaking into the league in 2003, Patrice Bergeron has only begun reaping the rewards for his defensive efforts since the turn of the decade in 2011. Since then, the veteran Bruin has logged ten consecutive nominations for the award and has taken home almost half of them. Although he hasn't won it since the conclusion of the 2016-17 season, Bergeron has positioned himself in an elite class that witnesses the league’s best, both in filling the net with points, and keeps the puck far from the Bruins goal. To add on to Bergeron’s long list of defensive accolades, the 36-year old has always had a knack for getting his team the puck off the draw, finishing all his NHL seasons with the majority of his faceoffs being won. So far this season, Bergeron has shattered his previous record in the faceoff dot and has won just over 63% of his draws, leading the league by almost ten percent. Through 45 games this season, Bergeron has registered a 1.5 defensive point share (an estimated number of points a player contributes due to their defense) which ranks the highest amongst the Bruins forward group. It wouldn't be a proper NHL season if Bergeron wasn't putting up grand efforts all over the rink, making him a marquee player in this year's Selke voting.

Auston Matthews

You wouldn't be the first one to question why Auston Matthews, one of the game’s most prolific offensive threats, sits amongst my top five players in Selke voting. With fans in Toronto being treated to seeing short-side snipes and no-look passes from number 34, the reigning Rocket Richard winner has quietly been piecing together one of the best two-way performances the city has ever seen. The last Maple Leaf to take home the praised accolade was a similar game changer that went by the name of Doug Gilmour, who took home the Selke in the summer of 1993. Just recently, Matthews has filled the net with 30 goals for the sixth time in his young career. The aspect of Matthews' game that makes him an interesting case for the award is that the Leaf’s forward is filling the net while ranking second in takeaways amongst forwards this season. On the surface, stripping the puck from the opposition does not necessarily scream defensive genius, but is nevertheless an element that voters account for when the selection period begins. Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone has historically been known for annually leading the league in takeaways, and to his credit has been nominated for the award in two of his last three seasons. I’m not saying he’s a lock for the award, but don’t be surprised if you see Matthews come away with a second award to compliment his Rocket Richard season thus far.

Alexander Barkov

As we've seen in recent years, it is not totally uncommon for a player to win the Selke trophy in back-to-back years. Patrice Bergeron doubled up on the hardware in 2014 and 2015, while Pavel Datsyuk went for the three-peat between the summers of 2008 and 2011. Last year fans of the game got to witness Alexander Barkov tear up the competition all over the rink, leading the Panthers in takeaways, time on ice, and ranking second in blocked shots. Barkov accomplished all this while leading his side in goals with 26, and sitting second on the team in points with 58. Very little has changed in Barkov’s game this season, despite the little amount of games played following his knee injury. The 26-year old still identifies as one of the league’s best defensive forwards and is on pace to shatter his last year point totals that got his name engraved on the Selke trophy. In addition to his offensive success, Barkov is amongst the top of his class in killing penalties (averaging 2:06 on the top penalty kill), winning defensive zone draws (50.2%), and above all else, stripping the puck (36 takeaways through 37 games). If anything is gonna interfere with Barkov’s nomination this season, it will likely be his injury history as one more major injury could sideline him for large portions of the final sprint to the playoffs.

Anze Kopitar

The four-time nominee, and two time winner of the Selke award,-Anze Kopitar has led the Kings to a playoff spot this season through his performances on both ends of the rink. A defensive pedigree is not the only element in Kopitar’s game that puts him in contention, but rather the career best numbers he’s putting up to compliment his Selke history. The 34-year old is on pace this season to shatter his best shot-blocking year, all the while leading all Kings’ forwards in penalty kill minutes. Although Kopitar has yet to put up an offensive season that earned him his pair of Selke trophies, voters may very well overlook the offensive totals and make their case purely on the longtime King’s role in defensively leading this young group in southern California. On countless occasions, we have witnessed Kopitar and fellow nominee Patrice Bergeron go at it when it came to Selke voting. Expect 2022 to be no different.

Ryan O'reilly

The St.Louis faithful will only want to see Ryan O'reilly continue to string together a Selke-esce season over the second half of the year. Reason being is purely based on superstition, and the fact that the last time O'reilly took home the award, the city of St.Louis held a Stanley Cup parade around the same time. In the eyes of the league, the 31-year old has been subject to being one of the hardest players to match up against, especially between the dots. O'Reilly has constantly put up sub 60 faceoff percentages that blow competition out of the water. This year alone, O’Reilly ranks top three amongst centermen in winning draws at any strength, making it almost impossible for the opposition to start with the puck. To compliment his faceoff abilities, The 2018 Selke winner isn't afraid to throw his body on the line and block shots as well. Ryan O’Reilly is one of the game’s most reliable defensive forwards and over the second half of the season, will look to boost his point totals to give him a good chance at replicating the summer of 2018.

No matter which way you split it, each of these five defensively minded players make up for a very acute percentage of today's game. With so much attention these days surrounding the players filling the net with goals, the annual Selke trophy nominees commonly drum to their own beat while quietly piecing together some of the greatest statistical seasons the league has ever seen.

The Hart trophy may award players with the most value to their respective squads, but dominating the game at both ends of the rink is in many ways the league's most valuable prize.