Another day means another announcement of the finalists for the individual player award for the 2023-24 season. On Saturday, May 4th, Jacob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes was a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy, taking home the honor. On Sunday, May 5th, Frank J. Selke his trophy finalists were announced. The Zelke Trophy is awarded annually to the forward who excels on the defensive side of the game, as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Prizes will be awarded at a later date. Like Slavin's Lady Byng, the Hurricanes have another Selke Trophy finalist. It's been a long time coming, but now it's time for team captain Jordan Staal to get the recognition he deserves.
Welcome to Captain Stahl
Staal, 35, from Thunder Bay, Ont., was named a Selke Trophy finalist for the second time in his career. He was first selected as a finalist in the 2009-10 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He finished that season in third place in the voting, losing to Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings. Mr. Stahl received 528 votes, including 24 first-place votes and 21 third-place votes. He finished 120 votes short of Datsik, who received 31 first-place votes.
Looking ahead to the 2023-24 season, Staal will become the second Hurricanes player to be selected as a Selke Trophy finalist. The last player drafted by the franchise was Rod Brind'Amour, who won again in 2006-07 (as well as in 2005-06). He will face fellow finalists Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers.
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In the 2023-24 season, Staal had 10 goals and 30 points in 80 games. In his career with the Hurricanes, he racked up 165 goals, 262 assists, and 427 points in 822 career games. Since joining the team via trade before the 2012-13 season, he ranks fourth in franchise history in games played, sixth in points and seventh in assists. He has been Carolina's captain since 2019 and has been a central figure in the leadership core along with Slavin ever since.
When asked about Staal being selected as a finalist, former Hurricanes Soelke Trophy winner and current head coach Brind'Amour said: , Really. I know it's a huge honor for him and well-deserved. ” Brind'Amour knows how much this trophy means to a player like Staal, whose defensive side of the game shines above and beyond what's on the scoresheet.
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He shined better than ever in the 2023-24 season, playing 1,375 games, the 14th most in the NHL. He also ranked seventh in faceoff percentage among players who took at least 500 faceoffs during the regular season at 58.1 percent. For the Hurricanes, Staal tied for the team lead with 142 hits and was second among the forward core with 41 blocked shots and 25 takeaways. That's a guy who can rely on a defensive game that locks down one of the best lines of any team in the NHL, leading the team to a current six-game winning streak of first-round wins. Staal is the epitome of a defensive forward who can play 60 meters out, using the lost art of being a lockdown center in a league where scoring is at an all-time high. If he wins, he will join Brind'Amour as the second Hurricanes player to win the Selke Trophy.
Award finalists to be announced by May 8th
The NHL will begin announcing the awards on April 29th and will continue to announce the finalists for each award through May 8th. The final two awards to be announced are the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay, which goes to the NHL's most valuable player. The NHL Players Association's award to the most outstanding player will be presented on May 7th and 8th. Trophy and award winners will then be announced at a later date.
