Sean Couturier Wins Frank J. Selke Trophy

The National Hockey League announced this evening that Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier has won the Frank J. Selke Trophy for the 2019-20 season as "the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game." Couturier was named the winner based on voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. He is just the third Flyer to win the Selke and the first in 33 years, joining Dave Poulin (1987) and Bob Clarke (1983).
Couturier was a finalist for the award along with Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins and Ryan O'Reilly of the St. Louis Blues. Couturier received 117 first-place votes and was included on 163 of the 170 ballots cast. It was his second time as a finalist for the Selke after finishing second in the voting following the 2017-18 season.

"It's a great honor," Couturier said. "It wouldn't be possible without my teammates, coaching staff, management and the whole organization believing in me. I'd like to congratulate Patrice Bergeron and Ryan O'Reilly as well, two great players who I respect a lot and also had great years."
Couturier appeared in all 69 games for the Flyers this season, recording 22 goals and 37 assists for 59 points. He had a plus-minus rating of plus-21, which led the Flyers and tied him for 10th among all NHL forwards. Couturier also had a faceoff win percentage of 59.6, which led the NHL this season among the 256 players who took at least 50 faceoffs. He won his second consecutive Bobby Clarke Trophy as the team's most valuable player.
Couturier was selected by the Flyers in the first round (7th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft out of Drummondville of the QMJHL and jumped directly to the NHL, appearing in 77 games as a rookie. He has played 647 of a possible 691 regular-season games over nine NHL seasons, which is the most of anyone in the 2011 draft class. His career plus-minus of plus-92 ranks best among that draft class, 14th in the NHL in that nine-year timeframe, and is +67 better than any other Flyer in that span.