Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner is being honored for a strong 2022-23 season.
The 25-year-old winger was named a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, which is awarded to the best defensive forward in the NHL. The award is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
He is coming off his best regular season, now in his seventh year in the NHL, having scored 30 goals for the first time while also recording career highs in assists (69) and points (99). Marner, too, hit his highest point for takeaways this season with 104.
According to hockeyviz.com, Marner has fielded defense that’s eight percent above the league average, the best he’s done so far in his career.
He has never won the Selke Cup before in his life, but he has had some votes before. His highest finish came in 2020-21, when he finished 10th in voting for the award.
Other forwards have been named finalists for the award as well. Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron and New Jersey Devils forward Nico Hischier compete for the award.
Bergeron was a finalist for the award, which he has won five times already in his career. In all honesty, it is very likely that this award will be renamed in his honor in the future.
Heischer, who was in its sixth season, did not reach an award final, but finished seventh in Calder Trophy voting in 2017-18.
Zack Ling is the news director and columnist for The Nation Network. He can be followed on Twitter at @employeeor by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.