ESPN report: NHL announces the names for the 2024 Selke Trophy finalists
The 2024 Selke Trophy, which goes to the forward who best exhibits skill in the defensive half of the game each year, had its contenders announced by the NHL. Last season, Patrice Bergeron, a legend of the Boston Bruins, won the trophy for the sixth time.
The forwards Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes, Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers, and Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs are the finalists for this year’s Selke Trophy.
The sole previous champion in the group is Barkov, who won the Selke in 2021 after competing flawlessly in the abbreviated COVID-19 season. Throughout his career, Barkov’s 200-foot effect has been evident, since his style is based on his exceptional ability to outplay his opponents in terms of speed, strength, and skill. Barkov cruised to 23 goals and 80 points this season, posting a 71.95 Corsi-For per-60 (CF/60) and a 1.99 anticipated goals-against per-60 (xGA/60).
Although Matthews’ nomination could be the most remarkable, Barkov might still be the frontrunner. On the other side of the puck, he had a historic season, becoming the first player to achieve 69 goals since 1995–96’s Mario Lemieux. Having scored a career-high 107 points in 81 games, Matthews topped all Maple Leafs in scoring. However, Matthews’ work did not end in his own zone. He continued to display his sixth sense by obstructing opponents and stealing the ball. According to Evolving Hockey, Matthews recorded 85 takeaways for the season, more than Staal and Barkov combined, despite having the fewest hits and the worst CF/60 and xGA/60 of the group. His ability to regularly create opportunities in each of the three zones may be sufficient to give him the advantage over the others.
The only other nominee, Staal, managed Carolina’s middle six with ease this season, averaging 15:23 in ice time over 80 games, rather than playing on his team’s top line. In the role, he shown remarkable fortitude, acting as the anchor for the flamboyant wingers Teuvo Teravainen and Seth Jarvis. Of the three finalists, Staal had the strongest stat line, with 76.67 CF/60 and 1.90 xGA/60, demonstrating how well he managed possession and minimized opponents’ opportunities to score. Despite garnering votes for the award in 15 seasons, Staal has only been a Selke finalist twice in his 18-year career, with this nomination marking the second time. His 2009–10 season third-place finish was the result of his previous finalist campaign.
This summer, during the NHL Awards, the prize will be presented. The timing and place of the event are still to be determined.
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With Selke’s nomination, Matthews is out of the playoffs but not out of the trophy chase.
Auston Matthews at least has another prize nomination, though he would much rather be receiving his plane pass to the next round.
Twelve hours after the Maple Leafs were eliminated from the postseason by the Boston Bruins in a 2-1 overtime Game 7 loss on Saturday, Matthews received word that he was a finalist for the Frank Selke Trophy, which goes to the best defensive forward in the National Hockey League. Doug Gilmour was the last Leaf to win the trophy in 1993. The prize is decided by vote of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Matthews will face Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes and Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers, who would have faced Toronto in the following round. A day prior, Matthews was announced as a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy in recognition of his excellent play and exemplary behavior on the ice. He has also already earned his third Rocket Richard Trophy, given that he leads the NHL in goals scored with 69.
Along with an amazing goal total, the player played a larger role in the 57:44 penalty killing time this season, a plus-31 in an average of 20:58 minutes of ice time per game and 43 seconds shorthanded. The most astounding thing was that he won 53.5% of face-offs, had 93 shots blocked, and had 85 steals—all of which ranked second among forwards.
But the competition is fierce. Barkov placed third the next year after taking home this award in 2020–21. He performed admirably in the previously listed areas as well, scoring 33 at 5-on-5 and 57.3 on the draw. In the Atlantic Division, he assisted Florida in finishing ahead of the Leafs.
Staal led the Canes in hits with 142 and was relied upon repeatedly during the season in crucial defensive faceoffs, while having less points (30) in 80 games than the other two nominees. Out of players who have taken at least 500 draws, he ranked eighth in terms of face-off percentage (58.1). Staal finished second among the Hurricanes’ forwards with 41 blocked shots, tied for the team lead in hits (142), and had 25 takeaways.
The two-time Selke finalist aspires to become the first Hurricane to win the award since current coach Rod Brind’Amour did so in 2006–07; he was up for it with Pittsburgh fourteen years ago.
