The New Jersey Devils are riding high on Tuesday after beating the New York Rangers in Game 7 of their first-round series. However, when things couldn’t get better, they found a way. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Nico Hischier was named one of the finalists for the Selke Trophy.
Your Selke Finalists: Bergeron (BOS), Hischier (NJ), Marner (TOR).
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 2, 2023
The Frank J. Selke Trophy has been given to the league’s best two-way forward since 1978, when Bob Gainey took home the award. He went on to win the league’s first four Selke Trophies. While the NHL explains the award as given “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game,” we all know offensive capabilities are taken into account. Michael McLeod isn’t winning this award.
We understand that this seems pretty clear that it’s Patrice Bergeron‘s award to lose. He could be in his final year, and he’s won five Selke Trophies already. NHL voters want to send him off in the sunset with a new record sixth Selke Trophy. However, it’s still special that Hischier was nominated.
He was great this season. He set career highs in points, goals, assists, +/-, shorthanded goals, and game-winning goals. In fact, he finished the season with nine GWG, good for fifth in the league. You know the voters pay attention to things like that.
Hischier is always paired with the best line on the other side of the ice. Whenever the stars are on the ice, Hischier is glued to their hip. He makes sure he not only shuts them down but he drives offense the other way. He legitimately is asked to do everything, and he finished the season with 80 points. He also finished the season with a +33, which isn’t as impressive as it used to be, but it does tell a story.
Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs is the other finalist, but he has as much a chance as Hischier to win the award. Hischier at least had a lot of people gunning for him early in the season (namely national analyst Jeff Marek). Still, this is Bergeron’s award to win.
One New Jersey Devils player took home the Selke Trophy in its history. After a long history of players playing both sides of the ice, it might surprise fans who actually won the award. It wasn’t Patrik Elias, Jason Arnott, or Bobby Holik. John Madden won the award in 2001. Madden had 23 goals that season, a career high.
This is the first time Hischier has been nominated for the award, but we don’t expect it to be his last. He’s becoming one of the best two-way guys in the game, and the Devils expect to be a long-time contender. As long as the Devils keep winning and Hischier stays healthy, he will be in the conversation for this award.