Selke: Top 5 NHL stars who could win the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2024

Since 1978, the Frank J. Selke Trophy has gone to the forward "who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game." Since 2021, only former Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron has won the award, becoming the only skater to win it six times.

Now that Bergeron has retired, a new Selke Trophy winner will be crowned, and some of the past winners are still in the running for this year's title.

After being runners-up for the past couple of seasons, Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers) and Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings) are leading their respective teams back to the postseason. According to several Selke Trophy trackers, they are front runners who want to get their name inscribed on the hardware this season.

However, their quest to win the Selke Trophy again will have plenty of hurdles in the final two weeks. Opponents like Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers) are on the verge of 60 goals, while Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) leads his team on a miracle postseason run.

Of course, dozens of players are worthy of a nomination for this prestigious award, but here's a breakdown of the top contenders as the NHL's best defensive forward.

Top 5 NHL stars who could win the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2024

#5 Sidney Crosby - Pittsburgh Penguins

Mid-way through March, most hockey experts had written off the Penguins, who traded away one of their best forwards, Jake Guentzel, at the trade deadline. However, they are 8-5-3, and captain Crosby has 22 points in the span.

Although Pittsburgh didn't have a chance, they are now on the verge of qualifying for a wildcard spot. Crosby is finishing his 19th season at a point-per-game pace while skating slightly over 20 minutes a night. Moreover, 2023-24 is his 13th season with at least 80 points.

#4 Jordan Staal - Carolina Hurricanes

Jordan Staal is a former second-round pick (2006) who has won a Stanley Cup title and served as captain of the Carolina Hurricanes since 2019. Although he hasn't scored over 40 points since 2018, he's on pace to finish with 30 points for the fourth straight campaign.

Early in his career, he was a routine 20-goal scorer, but since moving to the Hurricanes, Staal has become a role player who chips in offense when necessary but is better at shutting down opponents as a third-line center.

#3 Sam Reinhart - Florida Panthers

Sam Reinhart never scored more than 25 goals with the Buffalo Sabres and upped his totals after joining the Panthers in 2021, reaching 30 in consecutive seasons before erupting for over 50 in 2023-24. As a top-line winger, set to be a free agent in July, he's one of the league's most surprising stories.

According to Oddspedia.com, Reinhart has the third-best odds of winning the Selke Trophy despite playing on the same line as Barkov, the skater with the best odds. As confusing as that is, Florida is vying for the Presidents' Trophy as the top team in the NHL, and Reinhart has played a significant role in their success.

#2 Anze Kopitar - Los Angeles Kings

Kings captain Anze Kopitar is the only active player in the NHL who has won the Selke Trophy more than once, capturing the award in 2016 and 2018. Despite Los Angeles' up-and-down season, they are most likely going to the playoffs, and Kopitar will finish with 70 points for the second consecutive season.

In 18 seasons, Kopitar has earned votes for the Selke Trophy on 12 occasions and has the second-best odds heading into the final two weeks of the regular season. Even though he's a front-runner for the Lady Byng Trophy (most gentlemanly player), Kopitar is another future Hall of Famer who excels as one of the best defensive forwards.

#1 Aleksander Barkov - Florida Panthers

Barkov hasn't finished lower than 11th in Selke Trophy voting since 2016-17, when he finished 17th. Last year, he finished 8th and came up short (third place) after winning the 2020-21 award. As the captain of the 100-plus-point Panthers, he hasn't scored less than 58 points since 2016.

Now that Bergeron is retired, a superstar like Barkov can finally receive some recognition for their outstanding play in the regular season. Considering he plays in Florida, he often flies under the radar, but as the team's all-time leader in games played, goals, assists, and points, 2023-24 may be the year he adds more hardware to his trophy case.