On Tuesday, Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings, Vancouver's Ryan Kesler and Pittsburgh representative Jordan Staal were established as the finalists for the 2009-2010 Frank J. Selke Trophy. This award goes "to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game." The NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas will be the setting on June 23, when the winner is announced.
NHL’s Selke Trophy Finalists Named; Who Deserves The Hardware?
Find out why each player is worthy of the title below.
PAVEL DATSYUK, Detroit Red Wings
Two individuals have won the Selke Trophy three times, Guy Carbonneau and Jere Lehtinen, and Datsyuk would be the third. As the reigning two-time champion, the Russian had a mediocre season offensively by his standards but didn't sacrifice any part of his defensive awareness. In the face-off dot, he won 55.1% of his attempts through 80 games.
Leading the league in takeaways for the fourth time in five years with 132, he hunts down defensemen for loose pucks like there’s no tomorrow. Detroit ran into plenty of injury troubles this year, but fortunately, Datsyuk’s health remained intact for the Red Wings.
RYAN KESLER, Vancouver Canucks
Out of the three finalists, Kesler created the best offensive credentials; a testament to how much of a two-way force he’s become. Nominated for the second consecutive year, his incredible mix of speed, control, shooting efficiency and courage make him a key component in Vancouver’s engine. Like Datsyuk, his face-off percentage was 55.1%.
With 73 blocked shots, he beat out his fellow nominees by a mile and won himself a silver medal with USA at the Olympics. At $1.75 million, he’s an absolute bargain and his six-year, $30 million contract extension kicks in next season. Kesler’s understanding of the game and constant improvement earn him every penny.
JORDAN STAAL, Pittsburgh Penguins
Staal takes advantage of his long reach to break up plays and create shorthanded opportunities for his linemates. At 21 years-of-age, he matched the exact offensive output from 2009 while setting a new personal best in plus-minus rating (plus-19) and assists. Averaging close to 20 minutes per game, he doesn't always receive the recognition because of teammates Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin being center's themselves.
Each of the candidates have a category which was their bread and butter; Staal’s was hitting as he threw the body 121 times. Should he win the trophy, he’d be the first Penguins skater to do so since a gentleman by the name of Ron Francis earned it in 1995.
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