Two Bruins Pick Up Votes For 2026 Selke Trophy
Awards season proceeds as the NHL continues to hand out its annual awards.
One of the latest honors to be given out is the Frank J. Selke Trophy which is awarded to the best defensive forward in the league.
This year’s winner was Montreal’s Nick Suzuki who earned 1,726 points. He picked up 151 first-place votes, 23 second-place votes, six third-place votes, seven fourth-place votes, and four fifth-place votes.
SUZUKI FOR SELKE‼️ #NHLAwards
— NHL (@NHL) June 5, 2026
Nick Suzuki is this year's winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy, an award presented to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game! pic.twitter.com/Y8lsj2xI8p
Tampa Bay’s Anthony Cirelli was the runner up for the award with 467 points and Colorado’s Brock Nelson came in third place and was a finalist with 406 points.
A pair of Bruins earned points in the final tally of votes.
Pavel Zacha tied for 40th place with three points and Mark Kastelic tied for 47th place with one point. Zacha received one fourth-place selection while Kastelic picked up a fifth-place selection.
Rounding out the Top 10 in the voting is Vegas’ Mitch Marner in fourth place with 356 points, Carolina’s Jordan Staal in fifth place with 310 points, Ottawa’s Shane Pinto in sixth place with 288 points, Vegas’ Jack Eichel in seventh place with 215 points, Carolina’s Sebastian Aho in eighth place with 182 points, New Jersey’s Nico Hischier in ninth place with 149 points, and Tampa Bay’s Yanni Gourde in 10th place with 130 points.
Since the award’s inception in 1978, only two Bruins have earned the honor. Steve Kasper won it in 1982 and was the second NHL player to ever earn the honor after Montreal’s Bob Gainey was the recipient for the first four seasons of the award and Patrice Bergeron picked up the honor six times in his career in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2022, and 2023.
Florida’s Aleksander Barkov is the only other player to win the award in the last six seasons as he received the trophy in 2021, 2024, and 2025.
2025-26 Selke Trophy Voting Final Results:
Frank J. Selke Trophy Winners:
- 2026: Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens
- 2025: Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
- 2024: Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
- 2023: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
- 2022: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
- 2021: Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
- 2020: Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers
- 2019: Ryan O'Reilly, St. Louis Blues
- 2018: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
- 2017: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
- 2016: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
- 2015: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
- 2014: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
- 2013: Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
- 2012: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
- 2011: Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks
- 2010: Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
- 2009: Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
- 2008: Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
- 2007: Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes
- 2006: Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes
- 2004: Kris Draper, Detroit Red Wings
- 2003: Jere Lehtinen, Dallas Stars
- 2002: Michael Peca, New York Islanders
- 2001: John Madden, New Jersey Devils
- 2000: Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings
- 1999: Jere Lehtinen, Dallas Stars
- 1998: Jere Lehtinen, Dallas Stars
- 1997: Michael Peca, Buffalo Sabres
- 1996: Sergei Fedorov, Detroit Red Wings
- 1995: Ron Francis, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1994: Sergei Fedorov, Detroit Red Wings
- 1993: Doug Gilmour, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1992: Guy Carbonneau, Montreal Canadiens
- 1991: Dirk Graham, Chicago Blackhawks
- 1990: Rick Meagher, St. Louis Blues
- 1989: Guy Carbonneau, Montreal Canadiens
- 1988: Guy Carbonneau, Montreal Canadiens
- 1987: Dave Poulin, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1986: Troy Murray, Chicago Blackhawks
- 1985: Craig Ramsay, Buffalo Sabres
- 1984: Doug Jarvis, Washington Capitals
- 1983: Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1982: Steve Kasper, Boston Bruins
- 1981: Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadiens
- 1980: Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadiens
- 1979: Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadiens
- 1978: Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadiens
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Kim Rankin is one of the lead writers for Boston Bruins on SI and Boston College On SI. A 2020 graduate of the University of Alabama. she joined Alabama Crimson Tide On SI in February 2024 covering baseball, softball, football, men’s basketball, and more for BamaCentral, but has also contributed to Missouri Tigers On SI. She previously worked as the brand manager at Tide 100.9 FM in Tuscaloosa, Ala. She has covered a wide variety of events including SEC Championships, NCAA Regionals, and bowl games.