Patrice Bergeron Named Finalist for Selke Trophy

Another year, another Selke Trophy nomination for Patrice Bergeron.

The NHL announced on Wednesday that the 29-year-old Bruins center has been voted a finalist for the 2015 Frank J. Selke Trophy, an award given “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.” Other finalists include Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings and Jonathans Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks; this is the second straight year that Bergeron, Kopitar and Toews were named the award’s three finalists.

Bergeron’s play marked one of the long bright spots in a disappointing 2014-15 season for the Bruins, where they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006-07. Bergeron won a league-leading 60.2 percent of the faceoffs he took this season, while his 1,175 total faceoff wins led the NHL for the second consecutive season.

As the Bruins’ offensive production fell to 22nd in the league after finishing third the prior year, Bergeron’s numbers barely dipped. He scored 23 goals with 32 assists for a team-leading 55 points, just seven less than his 62 in 2013-14 on one of the NHL’s top offenses. Bergeron suited up for all but one of the Bruins 82 games this season; his only missed contest came on Dec. 29, a game the Bruins would win over the Detroit Red Wings, 5-2.

2015 marks the fourth consecutive year Bergeron has been named a finalist for the Selke Trophy; he won the award in 2012 and 2014.