New York, NY – Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins, Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks have been named finalists for the Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward in the NHL.
Bergeron, the winner of this award last year, scored 10 goals and dished out 22 assists in 42 games this season. The 27-year-old posted a team-best plus-24 rating and led all NHL players in faceoff percentage, winning puck drops at a 62.1 percent rate.
Bergeron and Steve Kasper (1982) are the only Bruins to win the Selke. If Bergeron captures the award again this year, he would become the sixth-ever to win it in consecutive years, joining Datsyuk (2008-10), Rod Brind'Amour (2006-07), Jere Lehtinen (1998-99), Guy Carbonneau (1988-89) and Bob Gainey (1978-81).
Datsyuk, who is trying to win his fourth Selke, had 15 goals and 34 assists in 47 games. The 34-year-old tied for the league lead with 56 takeaways, while his 30 blocked shots were second among Red Wings forwards.
Toews posted 23 goals and 25 assists in 47 games. The 25-year-old tied Datsyuk for the league lead with 56 takeaways and finished second to Bergeron in faceoff winning percentage at 59.9 percent.
If Toews wins, he would join Dirk Graham (1991) and Troy Murray (1986) as Blackhawks to win the Selke.
The winner will be announced during the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals.
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