Patrice Bergeron Wins 2017 Selke Trophy for Best Defensive Forward

Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron was named the 2017 Selke Trophy winner at Wednesday night's NHL Awards in Las Vegas. 

Bergeron topped Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Kesler and Minnesota Wild center Mikko Koivu for the award, which is doled out annually to the forward who "best excels in the defensive aspects of the game." 

Now a four-time winner of the award, Bergeron is tied with Bob Gainey for the most Selke Trophies in NHL history. 

This past season, the 31-year-old proved why he's been regarded as one of the game's best defensive centers once again as he recorded a league-best 1,089 faceoff wins to go with 47 even-strength blocked shots and 65 takeaways—two shy of his career high. 

"I think you see the obvious: The faceoffs, the penalty kill and the matchups," coach Bruce Cassidy said, per CSNNE.com's Joe Haggerty. "You don’t have a true appreciation for how good his stick is and the angles that he takes to close guys off until you see it up close every day. He just has an uncanny ability to always be on the right side of the puck and get his stick into the passing lanes to close off breakouts."

Based on the reputation Bergeron has built during a prosperous stretch that's seen him nab six consecutive Selke nominations, the Bruins center figures to be a mainstay of the trophy's conversation for the remainder of the decade as he continues to uphold a standard of defensive excellence few forwards can match.