Pucks of a Feather Midseason Awards Ballot: Selke Trophy
By Jason Byun
Dec 22, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) battles for the puck with Calgary Flames center Lance Bouma (17) in the first period at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Honorable Mention: Anze Kopitar
Anze Kopitar seems to fly under the radar as one of the league’s best players. He’s a premier two-way center, evidenced by his Selke Trophy nomination last season (he finished second behind Bergeron). Kopitar’s terrific defensively, but he’s no slouch offensively either: he’s been the leading scorer for the Los Angeles Kings the past seven seasons, and he leads them in scoring again this season with 11 goals and 37 points.
Kopitar plays 19:23 per game, 1:48 of which is on the penalty-kill. He’s won 51.4% of his faceoffs this year. So why only sixth on this ballot?
Well, he’s an integral penalty-killer, but LA’s penalty-kill is 25th in the league this year, at 77.8%. That’s not a great number or place in the standings at all. Of everyone on this ballot, Kopitar is the only player who will be “named” who has a Goals For % under 50% (meaning he’s been on the ice for more goals against than goals for at 5-on-5). He’s also got a ZS% of 55.5%, meaning 55.5% of his non-neutral-zone starts are in the offensive third of the ice.
Kopitar, in my mind, is still one of the three best defensive forwards in the NHL today. But this season, he has not been in the top-five, so it’s hard for me to name him on my ballot.
Now, the ballot begins, starting with the fifth player.
Next: Number 5: One of the Best Offseason Additions