You’ve read the headline correctly. After being nominated once before in 2018, Sean Couturier has been awarded the Frank J. Selke Award, given annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. Couturier was nominated for the Selke Trophy alongside Patrice Bergeron (BOS) and Ryan O’Reilly (STL).
Couturier received 117 first place votes to Bergeron’s 21 and O’Reilly’s 11. Bergeron receiver 54 second place votes to O’Reilly’s 47 and Couturier’s 27. All in all, Couturier had 1,424 points, Bergeron had 884, and O’Reilly came in at 816. It’s safe to say, this was a bit of a landslide victory in Couturier’s favor.
Couturier had himself a year during the 2019/20 season, leading the Flyers in ATOI (19:50.) He was second on the team in scoring with 59 points (22g, 37a.) He was a +21 as well.
Couturier is the third Flyer to win the Selke Trophy. Bobby Clarke won it in 1983 and Dave Poulin won the award four years later in 1987.
Couturier scored two goals and added seven assists in this years playoffs. Two of those assists came during the round robin, while Coots added three assists in the Montreal series and two goals and two assists in the New York Islanders series.
Sean Couturier now becomes the youngest Flyer to win the Selke Trophy. Bobby Clarke was 33 when he won, and Dave Poulin was a year senior to Couturier, 28 years old.
Mandatory Credit – Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
