Awards Week – Frank J Selke Trophy
Today SenShot takes a look at the Frank J. Selke Trophy, the award that is given to “forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.” -NHL.com
The award, voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association, is often one of contention among people who argue that the offensive output often plays too much of a role when votes are cast.
The nominees as named by the PHWA are:
Pavel Datsyuk, DETROIT – Datsyuk is the three time defending champion of this award. He was limited to 56 games this season but still registered over a point per game while still handling the defensive responsibilities of playing against the other teams’ top lines on a nightly basis. Finished with a +/- rating of +11.
Ryan Kesler, VANCOUVER – It was truly a breakout season for the 7 year veteran as he surpassed the 40 goal mark for the first time, but he really emerged as one of the top all-around players in the game. He matured in his play and avoided the useless post-whislte scrums and retaliation penalties that resulted in spending too much time in the penalty box the previous year. Kesler suited up for all 82 games for the third straight season, and finished at +24
Jonathan Toews, CHICAGO – The captain of the defending Stanley Cup Champions carried the Hawks to the playoffs on his back this season. His stellar play at both ends of the ice has drawn comparisons to some of the greats of the past, most notably Hall of Famer Brian Trottier. Toews set career highs with 72 points and a +25 rating respectively.
SenShot selects:
Jonathan Toews, with two first place votes and one 2nd place vote, gets the nod from SenShot. Toews is surrounded by good players, but as he goes, so go the Hawks. He is their undisputed leader at both ends of the ice, and is setting a new standard by which all-around players will be judged. He takes this award from the grasp of Datsyuk, and all indications are he could be in line to win this honor many times in his career.
What do you think?
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