Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron named Selke Trophy finalist for 10th straight season

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron has a chance to go down in history as the most-decorated defensive National Hockey League forward of all-time.The NHL announced Sunday that Bergeron is one of three finalists for the 2021 Frank J. Selke Trophy, which is given each year to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game as judged by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.This marks the 10th straight season that Bergeron has been named a finalist for the award, which he has won four times previously in his career (2012, 2014, 2015, 2017).If he wins the Selke Trophy this year, the 35-year-old center would become the first player to win the award five times. His haul of four Selke trophies is currently tied with Hockey Hall of Famer Bob Gainey, who played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1973 through 1989. Bergeron scored 23 goals and notched 25 assists for 48 points in 54 regular-season games in 2021. His plus-minus rating of plus-27 ranks fourth among all NHL forwards and led the league with 714 faceoff wins and a 62.2 faceoff win percentage. He was one of just five NHL players to take more than 1,100 faceoffs this season.He helped the Bruins limit opponents to an average of 2.39 goals per game, which was tied for the fourth-lowest mark in the NHL. He also had the third-most time on the ice among Boston’s forwards while the team was shorthanded, helping the penalty kill unit rank second in the league with an 86% success rate.The other finalists for the 2021 Selke Trophy are Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov and Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone.Bergeron was drafted by the Bruins in 2003 with the 45th overall pick in the second round. He has played each of his 17 NHL seasons and 1,143 career games with Boston and is in his first season as the team’s captain.The Quebec native has scored 375 goals and tallied 542 assists for 917 career regular-season points with a career rating of plus-228. He also has scored 46 goals and notched 73 assists for 119 career playoff points with a plus-46 rating in 158 postseason games as of Sunday.

BOSTON —

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron has a chance to go down in history as the most-decorated defensive National Hockey League forward of all-time.

The NHL announced Sunday that Bergeron is one of three finalists for the 2021 Frank J. Selke Trophy, which is given each year to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game as judged by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.

This marks the 10th straight season that Bergeron has been named a finalist for the award, which he has won four times previously in his career (2012, 2014, 2015, 2017).

If he wins the Selke Trophy this year, the 35-year-old center would become the first player to win the award five times. His haul of four Selke trophies is currently tied with Hockey Hall of Famer Bob Gainey, who played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1973 through 1989.

Bergeron scored 23 goals and notched 25 assists for 48 points in 54 regular-season games in 2021. His plus-minus rating of plus-27 ranks fourth among all NHL forwards and led the league with 714 faceoff wins and a 62.2 faceoff win percentage. He was one of just five NHL players to take more than 1,100 faceoffs this season.

He helped the Bruins limit opponents to an average of 2.39 goals per game, which was tied for the fourth-lowest mark in the NHL. He also had the third-most time on the ice among Boston’s forwards while the team was shorthanded, helping the penalty kill unit rank second in the league with an 86% success rate.

The other finalists for the 2021 Selke Trophy are Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov and Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone.

Bergeron was drafted by the Bruins in 2003 with the 45th overall pick in the second round. He has played each of his 17 NHL seasons and 1,143 career games with Boston and is in his first season as the team’s captain.

The Quebec native has scored 375 goals and tallied 542 assists for 917 career regular-season points with a career rating of plus-228. He also has scored 46 goals and notched 73 assists for 119 career playoff points with a plus-46 rating in 158 postseason games as of Sunday.