How Jonathan Toews won the 2013 Selke Trophy
Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks won the 2013 Selke Trophy given "to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game," as voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.
Centers Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins, Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings and Toews were up for the award. Bergeron won the 2012 Selke.
From the NHL, on Toews:
Toews played a leading role in helping the runaway Presidents' Trophy winners rank first overall in team defense (2.02 goals-against per game). He finished third in the NHL in plus-minus with a career-high +28 rating, including a League-leading +21 away from home; shared the overall lead in takeaways with fellow Selke finalist Pavel Datsyuk (56); placed second in the NHL in face-off winning percentage (59.9%, 559-374); and played an average of 1:25 per game on the NHL's third-ranked penalty-killing unit (87.2%). The Blackhawks captain is a Selke finalist for second time, having finished runner-up to Vancouver's Ryan Kesler in 2011.
We cast our ballot for Bergeron, and this was a bit of an upset. Consider Bergeron was on the ice for only 13 goals at even strength this season, and led the NHL in faceoff percentage with a 61.2 winning percent.
Still, there was a sense Toews was due for this, and there’s no quibbling about his defensive prowess. Ask Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu about it.
Here are the vote totals for the Selke:
Poor Boyd Gordon.
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