NHL Awards: Top 3 potential Selke Trophy nominees

NHL Selke Trophy potential nominee: Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers

If you’re a betting person, you should probably hitch your wagon to Sean Couturier. Having finished 10th or higher in Selke voting in four of the last six seasons, this year just feels like Couturier’s year.

All the numbers point to Couturier being the lead candidate. He recorded his third straight 20-plus goal season (likely would have made it the third straight 25-goal season), his 59.6 FOW % is tops among centers who played at least 25 games, boasts a sparkling 57.2 Corsi For % and manages to do all this despite starting more than half of his draws in the defensive zone.

While the importance of zone starts has diminished in recent years, it’s still worth noting that a player of Couturier’s caliber is still used in primarily defensive situations.

But that’s sort of the crux of the case for Couturier. Unlike other players mentioned in this piece, Couturier is his team’s best player in all aspects of the game. He isn’t a defensive specialist who can chip in offense or a solid offensive player who just happens to be good at defense. When Couturier is on the ice, he’s the best player on the rink.

He’s relied upon for the lion’s share of offensive production, while still being expected to match up against the McDavid’s, Crosby’s and Pastrnak’s of the world. And he succeeds in doing so.

Couturier’s xGF of 39.9 easily outpaces his xGA of 30.5. Also, his 4.4 OPS and 2.2 DPS highlight how his ability to help his team earn points through offense hasn’t come a the cost of defense. Couturier is able to make an impact on the ice and in the standings in both facets of his game.

Couturier, along with head coach Alain Vigneault’s new system, has also helped the Flyers lead the league in shot suppression, go from a porous team defensively to one that allows the seventh fewest goals and take one of the league’s worst penalty kills and turn it into a near top 10 unit.

After a season of disappointment in Philly, the Flyers resurgence and Couturier’s expanding recognition among the national hockey media seems to have him on the fast-track to Selke contention. Add in his stats to the narrative and he seems to have an air-tight case.