NEW YORK (AP) — Detroit center Pavel Datsyuk has a shot at winning a fourth straight Frank Selke Trophy, being nominated along with Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler and Chicago’s Jonathan Toews for the award given to the NHL’s best defensive forward.
The league announced the finalists Wednesday and will reveal the winner at the June 22 awards banquet in Las Vegas.
Datsyuk had a plus-11 rating and could become the first player to win the trophy four years in a row since the Canadiens’ Bob Gainey did it from 1978-81.
Kesler was fourth in the league in blocked shots (80), had a team-high 65 takeaways and finished with a plus-24 rating. It’s the third straight year the Canucks center has been nominated.
Toews led the NHL with a 56.7 percent faceoff winning percentage and was second in the league with 95 takeaways. It’s his first Selke nomination.
