Selke Trophy

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Finalists for the Selke this year..

Jordan Staal

Pavel Datsyuk

Ryan Kessler

I'm going to have to say Ryan Kessler

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

Finalists for the Selke this year..

Jordan Staal

Pavel Datsyuk

Ryan Kessler

I'm going to have to say Ryan Kessler

+1

[furlanitalia 1]

Hmm, I don't know. It's definitely tight and while my first thought was Staal I'm starting to think it could really go to either one of them and be justified.

[Fin19 1]

Correct me if I'm wrong but it will be a three-peat if Datsyuk wins again

[furlanitalia 1]

Correct me if I'm wrong but it will be a three-peat if Datsyuk wins again

Yup. That's why I'm thinking it'll go to one of the other guys.

[JohnnyCanuck 0]

Prolly Not Kesler, for me anyways, and I am a huge fan.

All three are centres that often match up against other teams top lines and play gobs of Pk time...

Kesler finished a plus 1 on the year, and the others over +15... therefore the other two have a better shot of winning it imho. Plus Kesler's PIM's are WAY higher than the others...

If I'm betting money on it I'd say Staal.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Kessler and Datsyuk both have much more points than Staalsy does, although I'm not sure those two are as integral to their PK as Staal is for the Penguins. (I watch alot more Pens games obviously).

[fiimb 1]

kesler is huge on vancouver's PK. also in on a lot of short handed goals too. i'm leaning towards datsyuk because he's so well rounded. but i'd like to see kesler win it seeing how datsyuk's had his name on it 'enough' times.

[Balzinsker 0]

While I would be thrilled to see Kesler win, Staal should win it, he embodies what the award is meant to be more then the other two. Also, Datsyuk is an offensive player with defensive tendencies, and not the other way round. Not trying to be an ass, but the pizza buffet in the press box at Joe Louis probably had more to do with nomination that his play.

[Chadd 916]

kesler is huge on vancouver's PK. also in on a lot of short handed goals too.

1g 2a hardly qualifies as "a lot of shorthanded goals".

[Rustpot 1]

Also, Datsyuk is an offensive player with defensive tendencies, and not the other way round. Not trying to be an ass, but the pizza buffet in the press box at Joe Louis probably had more to do with nomination that his play.

Uh, no.

He plays everywhere on the ice, covers the point for D joining the rush, first one back on defensive collapse. He is a two-way player and if he isn't scoring he's playing shut-down for the opposition's top line. There's a reason he's taken it home twice in a row, and the Illitch family has nothing to do with it.

[chk hrd 164]

and don't for get to add most take aways (again). His play is what gets him nominated and the award

[Dean_ 0]

My vote would go to Kessler.

[dsjunior1388 81]

kesler is huge on vancouver's PK. also in on a lot of short handed goals too. i'm leaning towards datsyuk because he's so well rounded. but i'd like to see kesler win it seeing how datsyuk's had his name on it 'enough' times.

This is the biggest reason why Datsyuk probably won't win his third in a row. For one, he's competing just as much against himself as he is Staal or Kesler, and two, it seems like a lot of writers won't want to give it to one guy three times, because then it's no longer "who was the best defensive player in 2009-2010, it's "Was Pavel Datsyuk a better Defensive forward that Rod Brind'amour, who won twice, or is he as good as Jere Lehtinen who won 3, or Bob Gainey who won 4?" I'm still convinced this is the same reason Steve Nash wasn't voted league MVP for the third year in a row in 2007.

[JohnnyCanuck 0]

I want to see Kesler win it, as I think he is truly the best defensive forward that contributes at the other end of the ice...

he is excellent in the faceoff circles

he is durable

does a great job of creating space for teammates

shuts down other teams heavyweights

Immense on PK's

takeaway to turnover ratio is good

but his stats just aren't what staal and datsyuk have, and with the Lions share of the voters not in his time zone, I don't see how they can look past Staals stats and vote for Kesler, assuming they have vetoed Datsyuk from winning it for a third consecutive year.

[kosydar 0]

Maybe its just me, but I can't believe how many people buy into the Jordan Staal is Selke caliber hype. Just because he had a great rookie year statistically and has regressed, suddenly his defense has blossomed. Lets forget the fact that he is playing behind the best 1-2 center punch in the NHL, who draw the other teams best lines. Staal could be a good #2 center on most teams, but he has a huge bias surrounding him, especially defensively simply because he is a Penguin. Remove his name, put him on any other team and he doesn't even get top 10 in Selke voting. It seems as if people just want him to be better than what he has demonstrated he is.

And before anyone asks, yes I've seen him play.

[furlanitalia 1]

Maybe its just me, but I can't believe how many people buy into the Jordan Staal is Selke caliber hype. Just because he had a great rookie year statistically and has regressed, suddenly his defense has blossomed. Lets forget the fact that he is playing behind the best 1-2 center punch in the NHL, who draw the other teams best lines. Staal could be a good #2 center on most teams, but he has a huge bias surrounding him, especially defensively simply because he is a Penguin. Remove his name, put him on any other team and he doesn't even get top 10 in Selke voting. It seems as if people just want him to be better than what he has demonstrated he is.

And before anyone asks, yes I've seen him play.

But the reality is he isn't on any other team, and while he would be a good number 2 centre on any other team he is the number three centre on the Pens and does really well at his position. What matters is what he did, not what would happen if he was elsewhere.

[kosydar 0]

I understand that, but I think you're missing my point. He can't control that for the time being he has no realistic shot at being more than a 3rd line center. But what he does in his situation isn't what people are making it out to be. Because he was a 2nd overall pick in a pretty deep draft and has a famous last name, people expect far more from him. Its absolutely ridiculous to think that he is "the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game" in the NHL.

[furlanitalia 1]

I haven't seen enough Pittsburgh games this year to really weigh in on if he is the best or not, but I do feel that for what he can control he's obviously done a good job at it. Who would you put up for nomination if you don't feel that Staal is deserving?

[Chadd 916]

I understand that, but I think you're missing my point. He can't control that for the time being he has no realistic shot at being more than a 3rd line center. But what he does in his situation isn't what people are making it out to be. Because he was a 2nd overall pick in a pretty deep draft and has a famous last name, people expect far more from him. Its absolutely ridiculous to think that he is "the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game" in the NHL.

Actually, his line was the shut down line for the Pens all season and it was very good in that role. One of the best I've seen in the league this season, in fact. I also think he would be a first line center on a lot of teams in the NHL. He may not have as much offensive talent as his brother, but he gives up on the offensive side to fill the defensive role they have given him.

[kosydar 0]

Its hard to say. I guess Staal is just the prime example of the bastardization of trophies in the NHL. This has been argued to death on this board in the past, namely with the Norris. I do think Kesler and Datsyuk are much more fitting than Staal. I would also put Mike Fisher in this group of players who put up numbers and play a solid two way game. But if we're looking at primarily the best defensive forwards I'd look at names like Moore, Malhotra, Pahlsson, Grier, etc, and players cut from the same cloth. I'll admit that I haven't heard much of any of these four this season, probably because they don't put up great numbers.

Actually, his line was the shut down line for the Pens all season and it was very good in that role. One of the best I've seen in the league this season, in fact. I also think he would be a first line center on a lot of teams in the NHL. He may not have as much offensive talent as his brother, but he gives up on the offensive side to fill the defensive role they have given him.

I'll take your word on the Pens any day. I question whether he could be a first line center on many teams due to the number of solid C's in the league, but that might not be your point. Regardless, Staal does play a good two-way game. There is no denying that. But I still think its absurd to have him in consideration for the top defensive player of the year.

[Balzinsker 0]

Its hard to say. I guess Staal is just the prime example of the bastardization of trophies in the NHL. This has been argued to death on this board in the past, namely with the Norris. I do think Kesler and Datsyuk are much more fitting than Staal. I would also put Mike Fisher in this group of players who put up numbers and play a solid two way game. But if we're looking at primarily the best defensive forwards I'd look at names like Moore, Malhotra, Pahlsson, Grier, etc, and players cut from the same cloth. I'll admit that I haven't heard much of any of these four this season, probably because they don't put up great numbers.

I'll take your word on the Pens any day. I question whether he could be a first line center on many teams due to the number of solid C's in the league, but that might not be your point. Regardless, Staal does play a good two-way game. There is no denying that. But I still think its absurd to have him in consideration for the top defensive player of the year.

I'm going to quote an analyst that will remain unnamed, "The vast majority of people that vote on the Selke watch less games then the average fan", and the more you think a bout this the truer it rings. In order to properly evaluate how good a player is you need a fair deal of experience from various levels in the hockey world, whether it be as a player, coach, or member of a management team. The people that vote on these awards have degrees in Journalism or Literature, not hockey. They never bother to tell it to you straight, instead they just write whatever makes the best story, and more often then not the best story is the one that puts money in peoples pockets. Its the reason we get propaganda like this:

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/3313...e-champion.html

That's why I brought up the whole pizza buffet thing, not to be an ass, but to point out the fact that these awards are all about politics and not actually doing the right thing. Just watch this year, Crosby will win the MVP because no one will have bothered to watch Sedin's games. Add that to the fact that right now the majority of the Canadian media has been whipped into Cherryesque levels of xenophobia, and they'll gladly give it to a good ole boy which a good ole Canadian name. And I'm not a Crosby hater, I respect the guy as much as the next guy, I'm just disgusted at the way he`s been made into a propaganda tool.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

Its Cherry's fault. The guy brainwashes the youth.. its kind of sad.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Dominic Moore 10g 18 a 28 p -3 43pim

Manny Malhotra 14-19-33 +17 41 pim

Sammy Pahlson 3-13-16 -9 32 pim

Mike Grier 10g 12a 22 -4 14p

J Staal 21-28-49 +19 57pim

I'd take Staal any day of the week. More offensive upside and centers what is arguably the best third line in the league, which happens to be the Pens shut down line. To me he embodies the award perfectly. As a forward your expect to put up some point production, which he does, and his play and good +/- speak for themselves and his defensive game. His high TOI on the PK is also big. I mean damn, 3 of the guys arn't even plus players and only one of them is even close in points. Fisher, 53 points and +1 is certainly some production and okay defensively, and i'm sure was in consideration; He and Staal were both also considered for the same type of role for Team Canada this year as well. Fishers poor finish to the season probably hurt him.

[tro 4]

Dats will still win this award, the guy is unreal, the play that sums it up