Subj : Flyers Sean Couturier Earns First Career Selke Trophy
To   : All
From : The Hockey Writers - Main
Date : Sat Sep 12 2020 04:40 am


Flyers fans rejoice. After several years of legitimate consideration and a
second place finish in 2018, Sean Couturier has finally won his first Frank J.
Selke Trophy.

Sean Couturier is your 2020 Frank J. Selke Trophy winner - his first-ever time
winning the award. #NHLAwards

MORE ➡️ https://t.co/QlWGRSX75e pic.twitter.com/OuG2wFRI3y- NHL (@NHL)
September 10, 2020

It';s been quite some time since a Flyer brought home any kind of personal
hardware. The last to do so was Ian Laperriere, awarded the Bill Masterton
Memorial Trophy, at the end of the 2010-11 NHL season. Related: Hitting in
Women';s Hockey - Why Not?

The drought for a Selke Trophy has been even longer in Philadelphia. Couturier
becomes the first Flyer to win the award - given to the league';s best
defensive forward - since Dave Poulin (1987) and the third in franchise history
joining Poulin and Bobby Clarke (1983). A Long Time Coming

Any Flyers fan will tell you that the Selke for Couturier is long overdue, and
they';re not wrong. Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers (Amy Irvin / The Hockey
Writers)

Over the past few years, he';s emerged as one of the game';s best two-way
forwards up there with the likes of Patrice Bergeron, Ryan O';Reilly, Anze
Kopitar, and Mark Stone.

The 2017-18 season is when Couturier started showing the league what he was
capable of. Through the earlier stages of his career he still played a valuable
role for the Flyers, but was plagued by injuries and was one of the few
standouts on some fairly mediocre squads.

Since 2017, he';s posted back-to-back 30-plus goal seasons, finished top three
in points for the Flyers in all three years, and led the team in plus/minus in
two of the three.

This year saw no change from Couturier. He was once again the most valuable
player for the Flyers, finishing second in points, first in plus/minus, and
absolutely dominating the faceoff circle, finishing with an impressive 59.63
faceoff percentage.

Remember when Alain Vigneault was "reprimanded" because an injured Sean
Couturier kept sneaking into the faceoff circle?

The Selke Trophy winner led all NHL centers in faceoff win percentage in
2019-20.https://t.co/eDfjGBjjkn- Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) September 11, 2020

His worth is easily measurable outside of scoring or face-off stats as well. As
a key member of both the Flyers'; power play and penalty kill units, he
consistently helps his team control the game, especially when he has the puck.
Landslide Victory

Couturier';s 2017-18 season also marked the first in which he truly started to
make waves in the Selke debate. He had earned some top-10 finishes in voting
several times in his first six seasons, but was never really in conversation to
actually win.

That year, he very narrowly came in second to Anze Kopitar, earning 976 total
votes including 37 for first place.

Well, this year, there were no discrepancies as to who would bring home the
Selke Trophy. Up for the award alongside four-time winner Patrice Bergeron and
former Selke and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Ryan O';Reilly, Couturier ran away
with the votes.

Sean Couturier won the Selke Trophy voting by a wide margin.
pic.twitter.com/G397DnRmaJ- Bill Meltzer (@billmeltzer) September 11, 2020

While it isn';t surprising to see Couturier finally get his first Selke, it had
to take some off guard to see him win by such a significant margin. As almost
any recipient of the award would, he was quick to give credit to his teammates
for helping elevate his game and to the coaching and management staff for
believing in him.Related: Greatest Rookie Seasons in NHL History

From the get-go, and especially after he was named the Professional Hockey
Writers Association';s mid-season favorite for the award, it felt like it was
finally Couturier';s year. Philadelphia Flyers Sean Couturier celebrates with
Philippe Myers and Oskar Lindblom (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

It may seem like a small victory after the Flyers disappointing playoff exit,
but for their fans and, obviously, for Couturier, it';s a massive one. It feels
good to say that the Flyers finally have a Selke winner, and especially one
that shows no signs of slowing down.

The post Flyers'; Sean Couturier Earns First Career Selke Trophy appeared first
on The Hockey Writers.

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