Welcome to the THW’s 2022-23 Selke Trophy Tracker, an ever-shifting list looking at the top defensive forwards that will be updated every month throughout the regular season. With the NHL season hitting its midpoint, there is enough data to properly judge who will walk away with the Frank J. Selke Trophy at the season’s end. As always, these are subjective rankings meant to initiate discussion, so feel free to disagree (civilly) in the comments and offer your own picks.
Last season, Patrice Bergeron ran away with the trophy after receiving 161 first-place votes. In the process, he set the record for most wins in franchise history, collecting his fifth Selke Trophy. This award is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. It causes a lot of debate as some may have different opinions on how to measure which forward best excels in the defensive aspects of the game. With that being said, here is a breakdown of the top five Selke contenders as of the end of November.
All statistics as of the end of games on Dec. 29, 2022
November’s Rankings: 1) Patrice Bergeron 2) Elias Pettersson 3) Nico Hischier 4) Mitch Marner 5) Anže Kopitar
5) Mitch Marner
2022-23 Stats: 36 Games Played (GP), 25 Blocked Shots (BkS), 36 Takeaways (TkA), 21:19 Time on Ice (TOI)
December wasn’t Mitch Marner’s best month, but he still showed why he should be in the Selke conversation. In 11 games, he played 28:49 on the penalty kill and was able to score his first shorthanded goal of the season against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He also continues to use his speed to break up plays and has one of the most active sticks in the NHL when it comes to breaking up passes along the ice.
Related: Maple Leafs: Marner’s Streak About More Than Offensive Play
If Marner has his sights on winning the Selke, he does need to improve in one area, giveaways. Overall this season, he has 43 giveaways and, in the month of December, finished with a team-high 14. Luckily for the Leafs, he looks to have bounced back after a tough stretch during the middle of the month and is once again playing at a high level defensively.
4) Elias Pettersson
2022-23 Stats: 33 GP, 33 BkS, 27 TkA, 19:43 TOI
Elias Pettersson has developed into a premier two-way defender in the NHL. His positioning is solid, and he has become one of the league’s best in knocking down clearing chances along the boards. He has also virtually singlehandedly won Vancouver games this year, putting him in the league’s superstar tier.
While his even-strength play was impressive during the month of December, it was his penalty killing that deserves the spotlight. In ten games, he played 14:08 of ice time and was able to help limit the opposition to four high-danger chances and only two goals against. He also drew two penalties, blocked a shot and threw a hit. The Vancouver Canucks may have the worst penalty kill in the league, but his play is one of the few bright spots and could help turn their fortunes around come 2023.
3) Mark Stone
2022-23 Stats: 38 GP, 21 BkS, 43 TkA, 19:44 TOI
Mark Stone continues to be one of, if not the best defensive wingers in the NHL. Only Brandon Hagel and Jaccob Slavin have more takeaways this season than him, and he has once again found himself as a favourite for the Selke Trophy. The most impressive part of his game, however, may be that he has only taken five penalties all season showing just how efficient he has been at stealing the puck without hooking or tripping the opposition.
Related: Golden Knights Break Home Scoring Slump in Win vs. Coyotes
Stone had a December to remember when it came to the penalty kill. During his 17:39 of shorthanded ice time, he outscored the opposition two to one with goals coming against the Arizona Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks. The Vegas Golden Knights also outshot the opposition 10 to eight when he was on the ice and finished with a ten-to-one count in high-danger chances created compared to given up. He made a massive difference during the 14 games he played during December and has made the Golden Knights one of the few teams that seem to play better down a skater.
2) Nico Hischier
2022-23 Stats: 34 GP, 21 BkS, 21 TkA, 19:45 TOI
Nico Hischier continues to be one of the most underrated players in the entire NHL. His play is a major reason the Devils are among the best defensive teams in the league. Currently, the team ranks second in shots against per game and goals allowed and have a top-ten penalty kill. He has embraced the shutdown center role and is on track to have his best overall season of his career.
The difference between Hischier and the other Selke candidates is that he doesn’t have the traditional counting statistics to help his case. His consideration for the award has to do with his overall play and ability to suppress shots when on the ice. For example, at five on five this season, he has only been on the ice for 179 shots against. That is significantly lower than Marner, Pettersson and Stone, who are all above 200 for this season. It is also lower than Patrice Bergeron who is at 183, but it is important to note that the Bruins captain has played around 30 minutes less this season. He has developed into one of the best shutdown centers in the league and should be applauded for his defensive play this season.
1) Patrice Bergeron
2022-23 Stats: 35 GP, 27 BkS, 18 TkA, 18:05 TOI
While Hischier is close to passing him, Bergeron still remains king in the Selke Trophy race. The 37-year-old is still one of the best defensive centermen in the league and a major piece in why the Boston Bruins have allowed only 75 goals in 35 games this year. Whether it is winning key draws in his own zone or an ability to be always in the right position to get the puck out of the defensive zone, he is the example prospects should look to if they want to be two-way centers at the NHL level.
Related: Boston Bruins’ 2022 Naughty & Nice List
To illustrate just how good the Bruins have been defensively when Bergeron is on the ice, they have only give up nine goals in 431 minutes at even strength or about one goal ever 47 minutes. Just like Hischier, his counting statsitcs may not blow anyone out of the water but when everything is broken down, it is hard to argue he is not the best defensive forward in the league once again. While this year’s race is closer than the 2021-22 season’s as of right now, he is projected to win his sixth career Selke Trophy.
Honourable Mentions
- Anže Kopitar (L.A. Kings)
- Jordan Staal (Carolina Hurricanes)
- Yanni Gourde (Seattle Kraken)
- Mikael Backlund (Calgary Flames)
- Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers)
Make sure to check back monthly for updates to this list. Let us know who you think will win the Selke in the comments below.
Adam is excited to be joining The Hockey Writers as part of the Seattle Kraken and Vancouver Canucks team. His work can also be found at area51sportsnet.com where he covers the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League.