Bergeron Making Another Case to Rename the Selke Trophy
Patrice Bergeron is widely considered the best defensive forward in NHL history, and even at 37 years old, he continues to demonstrate why.
Still Getting Better and Better
Now in his 19th season, Bergeron may be having his best defensive season yet, having already secured a record-breaking five Selke Trophies.
According to Natural Stat Trick, Bergeron once again ranks at or near the top in several key defensive statistics, prompting the question: Should the NHL rename the Selke Trophy in honor of Patrice Bergeron?
Among forwards with a minimum of 800 minutes of ice time at 5 on 5, the following are the stats, with Bergeron's rank and season totals, in brackets:
Goals For - 114th (45)
Goals Against - 1st (18)
GF% - 1st (71.34)
Expected GF% - 2nd (63.02)
Interestingly, Bergeron ranks in the top ten for both offensive and defensive zone starts among the same group of players.
O Zone Starts - 2nd (303)
D Zone Starts - 10th (207)
N Zone Starts - 185th (177)
O Zone Starts% - 84th (59.41)
On the Fly - 192nd (638)
Elite defensive skills might not be easily recognized by most fans, as they are challenging to assess. However, it is safe to say that Bergeron has become the gold standard for perfect execution.
In addition to his impressive defensive stats, the veteran has recorded 27 goals and 30 assists in 74 games.
As read on Bruins Insider - Bergeron is Once Again Proving Why the Selke Should Be Renamed.
| POLL | ||
6 AVRIL | 133 ANSWERS Bergeron Making Another Case to Rename the Selke Trophy Is Patrice Bergeron the best defensive forward to ever play? | ||
| Yes | 124 | 93.2 % |
| No | 9 | 6.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
