2023-24 Frank J. Selke Trophy finalists: Aleksander Barkov, Auston Matthews, Jordan Staal | Winner: Aleksander Barkov

[Frosty415]

Leafs and Canadian media are such a joke.

Barkov wins this easily though.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Has there ever been a Selke trophy finalist who wasn't in the top five in PK TOI (among forwards) on his own team? I'm struggling to find even one example.

 

[Kazcram]

It doesn't pain me

Reading some of your posts does from time to time. Although, cringing doesn't always signify pain.

he sure is a beauty that one , lol

 

[Oscar The Grouch]

I know Hfboards isn’t going to be happy about a 69 goal scorer being a Selke finalist but they don’t watch him play

We are aware that the Toronto Lobbying Machine is powerful. Hell, it won Matthews a Hart...

 

[Divine]

We are aware that the Toronto Lobbying Machine is powerful. Hell, it won Matthews a Hart...

It even won him a Ted Lindsay the same season! It’s crazy the media is voting on behalf of the players now

 

[FiveFourteenSixOne]

Does he even kill penalties?

no

 

[the_fan]

I don’t get the Staal nomination. Dude had 30 points in 80 games. Did the league ran out of options?

 

[PB37]

He is a Selke finalist, as much as it pains you to hear.

First Rocket winner and Selke finalist in the same season in NHL history

He's also a 7 time first round loser by the time he's 26, which sounds like it could be an NHL record! Amazing!

 

[Xirik]

Even though It's Barkov's award there are definitely better choices then Staal and Mathews.

 

[DFF]

Matthews and Staal?

They should retire this award

 

[Goptor]

I find it hillarious that Jordan Staal has been criminally underrated for this award during his career and finally gets a nomination now that his play has dropped significantly.

 

[Buck Naked]

I don’t get the Staal nomination. Dude had 30 points in 80 games. Did the league ran out of options?

Why are you bringing up points in a thread about the award for the best defensive forward?

 

[the_fan]

Why are you bringing up points in a thread about the award for the best defensive forward?

Because I thought you had to have little bit more points than 30 for a Selke

 

[Buck Naked]

Because I thought you had to have little bit more points than 30 for a Selke

One might think so based on how the voting usually looks. But actually, no.

 

[Wolfpuck]

Barkov. Easily.

 

[Forge]

It's weird how many people (Leafs homers) think Matthews is elite defensively.

I don't pay enough attention to Matthews defensively to say that, tbh.

Penalty killing is a coaches decision and being good at it isn’t the same as being good defensively 5v5, but it’s still an important defensive role. You can be known as a strong defensive forward and not PK, but if you’re naming the forward who had the best defensive season, they should probably PK regularly.

I have no problem with the idea that pking should be a criteria for the award. As you said, I think it's just a different beast than 5 on 5 defense

 

[McShogun99]

Can you really take any award that the media votes on seriously?

The voting should be done by the players or coaches and GMs.

Just so the media doesn't feel left out create a Media top player award so they can all stroke each other off on who they think is the best player.

 

[pcruz]

Can you really take any award that the media votes on seriously?

The voting should be done by the players or coaches and GMs.

Just so the media doesn't feel left out create a Media top player award so they can all stroke each other off on who they think is the best player.

When Matthews wins the Pearson award, you're going to be singing a different tune.

 

[McShogun99]

When Matthews wins the Pearson award, you're going to be singing a different tune.

That's the real MVP trophy. Matthews already won it and he deserved it that year but if the players voted on the Selke I don't think he finishes top 3 in voting this year.

 

[KevinRedkey]

I know Hfboards isn’t going to be happy about a 69 goal scorer being a Selke finalist but they don’t watch him play

Neither do you after game 89 every year.

 

[pcruz]

That's the real MVP trophy. Matthews already won it and he deserved it that year but if the players voted on the Selke I don't think he finishes top 3 in voting this year.

Not sure about that, considering that the players who have been in contention for this award in the immediate past have sated on the record that Matthews deserves to be in that conversation.


But you know, everyone is free to get bent out of shape about a player who is perennially among the best defensive players in the league, who excels in the defensive statistics that are traditionally tracked, and more so on the advanced stats, being considered among the best defensive players.


Meh

 

[mattihp]

One guy happens to be the best goal scorer in the game while being elite defensively, not like the other. Say what you want about the Leafs failing in the playoffs, but people are exposing themselves by trying to take a shot at Matthews game.

Matthews can be really, really good defensively. But not the same season as he is the best darn goalscorer there is.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Has there ever been a Selke trophy finalist who wasn't in the top five in PK TOI (among forwards) on his own team? I'm struggling to find even one example.

Datsyuk off the top of my head, not sure if he was outside of the top 5 all 4 Selkes (just checked one year and he was 6th behind Filpulla) but he was never a main PK option.

 

[newsportsfan123]

Top 10 defensive ratings amongst forwards according to hockeystatcards:

Defensive Rating: A weighted combination of blocked shots, faceoffs, penalties taken, expected goals against impact at five-on-five, goals against impact at five-on-five, penalty kill impact and usage.

 

[JimmyApples]

We all remember the Toronto media giving Matthews an undeserved Hart, looks like they really wanna give him an undeserved Selke

The guy is the last person back in the defensive zone and floats after giving the puck away.