The Selke Award is presented yearly to that “forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.” According to Michael Peca, the award is for “a player who did whatever they could to win a hockey game….a player who is always putting the team ahead of themselves, always willing to make sacrifices within his own game, to do whatever it takes to help his team win.” Sounds like Anze Kopitar to me!
The finalists were Patrice Bergeron, Jonathan Toews, and Kopitar. Coincidentally or not, these are the same three finalists for the 2013-14 Selke, which ultimately went to Bergeron. Bergeron was Vegas’ odds-on favorite to win it again, and win it he did.
Maybe next year, Anze. On the bright side, Kopitar did beat out Backes for third. And on the brighter side, Kopitar could still win the Lady Byng!