Former Penguins Forward Finalist for Selke Trophy
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PITTSBURGH – Jordan Staal spent the first six years of his NHL career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he planted the seeds as one of the best two-way players in the game. Not only can Staal score at a solid pace as a depth forward, but he also stands out defensively.
At the age of 35, after his 18th year in the NHL, Staal is once again being recognized as one of the best defensive forwards and was named a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy. The Selke is given to the “forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.”
As captain of the Carolina Hurricanes, Staal led the team in shorthanded ice time at 168:58 and only allowed the fewest power play goals in the NHL. At 86.43%, the Hurricanes also led the league in penalty kill percentage.
In 80 games played, Staal scored 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 total points. Staal may end up being a longshot in the race, however, as he finished the year with a +/- of -14. The other two finalists finished above a plus-30.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews scored 69 goals and was a +31 and is up for his first Selke Trophy. Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov recorded 80 points and finished with a +33 rating. This is Barkov’s third nomination in the last four years, and he won the award in 2020-21.
This is Staal’s second nomination for the Selke, his first coming in 2009-10 with the Penguins. The 14-year gap between nominations is the longest in NHL history for any voted award. He finished third in voting in 2010, losing to Pavel Datsyuk.
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