Canadiens' Nick Suzuki, Lightning's Anthony Cirelli Headline 2025-26 NHL Selke Trophy Finalists

The Montreal Canadiens' Nick Suzuki, Tampa Bay Lightning's Anthony Cirelli and Colorado Avalanche's Brock Nelson are in the running to be named the NHL's top two-way forward.

Suzuki, Cirelli and Nelson were announced as 2025-26 Franke J. Selke Trophy finalists Wednesday by the NHL.

The Selke is awarded annually "to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game" as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Cirelli, who finished third in award voting last season, will get another shot at the trophy after posting 23 goals and 29 assists for 52 points in 71 games for the Lightning.

The Lightning outscored opponents 60-29 when Cirelli was on the ice at 5v5, per Natural Stat Trick.

Cirelli also led Lightning forwards in ice time on the penalty kill while ranking sixth among forwards on the power play.

Nelson is up for the honor after posting 33 goals and 32 assists for 65 points in 81 games of his first full season with the Avs.

He took a team-high 1,459 faceoffs while winning 50.4 percent of his draws, per Hockey Reference.

Nelson also ranked third among Avs forwards in penalty kill time, per Natural Stat Trick, on a unit that led the NHL with an 84.6 percent success rate.

Suzuki is a first-time finalist after becoming the first Canadiens player in 40 years to top 100 points in a single season. He finished the campaign with 29 goals and 72 assists for 101 points in 82 games.

The Habs captain posted a 50.4 win rate in the faceoff circle while taking almost a third of his team's draws.

The Canadiens also outscored opponents 72-39 when Suzuki was on the ice, per Natural Stat Trick.

The Selke is set to go to a new winner this spring. Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, who took home the trophy in each of the last two seasons, missed the entirety of the 2025-26 campaign due to a right knee injury.