The NHL has announced the finalists for the 2024 Selke Trophy, awarded annually to the forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. Boston Bruins legend Patrice Bergeron took home the trophy last season, marking his sixth time winning the award.
This year’s Selke Trophy finalists are Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov and Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Staal.
Barkov is the only former winner of the group, having taken home the Selke in 2021 after not missing a beat during the shortened COVID-19 season. Barkov’s 200-foot impact has been clear throughout his career, with his style rooted in an elite ability to play with more speed, strength, and skill than any of his opponents. Barkov posted a 71.95 Corsi-For per-60 (CF/60) and a 1.99 expected-goals-against per-60 (xGA/60) while cruising to 23 goals and 80 points this season.
While Barkov may be the favorite, Matthews’ nomination may be the most impressive. He had a historic season on the opposite side of the puck, becoming the first player to reach 69 goals since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96. Matthews led all Maple Leafs in scoring with a career-high 107 points in 81 games. But his effort didn’t stop in his own zone, with Matthews still showing a sixth sense for how to get in the way of opponents and steal away possession. While he posted the fewest hits and worst CF/60 and xGA/60 of the bunch, Matthews did record 85 takeaways on the season – more than Staal and Barkov combined, per Evolving Hockey. His ability to consistently make things happen in all three zones could be enough to earn him the edge over the rest.
Staal is the only nominee who didn’t play on his team’s top line this season – instead comfortably manning Carolina’s middle six, averaging 15:23 in ice time through 80 appearances. He proved incredibly stout in the role, serving as the safety net behind flashy wingers Teuvo Teravainen and Seth Jarvis. Staal posted the best stat line of the three nominees, with a 76.67 CF/60 and 1.90 xGA/60 – showing just how well he controlled possession and limited opponents’ scoring chances. This nomination marks just the second time in Staal’s 18 year career that he’s been a Selke finalist – despite receiving votes for the award in 15 seasons. His last time as a finalist led to a third-place finish in the 2009-10 season.
The award will be announced at the NHL Awards this summer. That event is still pending a time and location.
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