Lightning's Anthony Cirelli is runner-up in voting for Selke Trophy
Lightning center Anthony Cirelli was the runner-up for this season's Frank J. Selke Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL's top defensive forward. It was his highest finish yet in his fourth time as a top-five vote-getter.
This year's award went to Montreal center Nick Suzuki. He received 151 of the 198 first-place votes by select members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, who submitted their top five selections on a 10-7-5-3-1 point allocation. Suzuki had 1,726 total points, followed by Cirelli with 467 and Colorado's Brock Nelson with 406.
Cirelli, who placed third last season, fourth in 2019-20 and fifth in 2021-22, had 23 goals and 52 points and was plus-38 this season. He was an instrumental part of a Lightning penalty kill that ranked third in the league and topped the Eastern Conference.
Suzuki's offensive numbers - career highs of 72 assists and 101 points, to go along with a plus-37 - played well with voters.
Cirelli was one of five Lightning players to receive votes. Center Yanni Gourde placed 10th, his name appearing on 33 ballots, including one first-place vote. Left wing Brandon Hagel was 13th, appearing on 18 ballots, including one first-place vote. Wingers Jake Guentzel (one third-place vote) and Pontus Holmberg (one fourth-place vote) also received votes.
In his first full season since returning to the Lightning, Gourde centered a line that eventually took on more of the top defensive assignments, frustrating opponents' top scoring lines with their ability to possess the puck. The emergence of the line, which also included Holmberg, gave Tampa Bay a second quality matchup line to go along with Cirelli's.
Hagel, who paired with Cirelli at 5-on-5 and on the penalty kill, had 36 goals, 74 points and was plus-34. Guentzel had 38 goals and 88 points, and pitched in on the penalty kill.
Center Brayden Point, a three-time top-four vote-getter for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, finished 18th in this year's voting.
Montreal's Cole Caufield, who had the Canadiens' first 50-goal season in 36 years, won the award, which goes to the player "adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability," as selected by select members of the PHWA.
Eduardo A. Encina's Selke ballot
- Nick Suzuki, Canadiens
- Mitch Marner, Golden Knights
- Yanni Gourde, Lightning
- Brock Nelson, Avalanche
- Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes
Eduardo A. Encina's Lady Byng ballot
- Cole Caufield, Canadiens
- Kyle Connor, Jets
- Jack Eichel, Golden Knights
- Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets
- Mika Zibanejad, Rangers
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