Chicago Blackhawks: 5 Reasons Dave Bolland Will Be a Selke Trophy Finalist

Dave Bolland is off to a hot start with the Chicago Blackhawks, tallying four goals and five points in his first four games. He is the center of arguably the most important line for the Hawks.

He is a shutdown player and clearly has the offensive capabilities to put up points this season. If he can continue to produce and put up a 25-30 goal season, there is no reason why he should not be considered for the the Selke Trophy as the game's best defensive forward.

While it goes without saying that Bolland's defensive play is dynamic, recent Selke Award winners have excelled at both ends of the ice.  

Bolland is on that track, and here are the reasons he will be in the mix come season's end. 

Plus/Minus

Bolland currently has a plus-four rating, and that should only improve.

When you are a third-line center, or any third-line player for that matter, it is critical that you keep the opposition off the board. Bolland is a master at taking care of the opposition's first line, and his current line with Bryan Bickell and Michael Frolik on the wings continues to put pucks in the net.

This line will stay intact, and their biggest piece will continue to be on the ice when the Hawks score goals.

Penalty Killing

If you missed Bolland's goal on Tuesday night against the Phoenix Coyotes, feel free to tune in and let Pat Foley take you away.

Bolland has already established himself as one of the Hawks' premier penalty killers, and this should continue.  

He is an absolute pest, is in the right position at the right time and will come away with his fair share of short-handed goals in 2011-12. 

Faceoffs

One focal point for Bolland, which he worked on during the offseason, is in the faceoff dot.  To date, he has improved this aspect of his game.

You will consistently hear faceoff percentage as a key category in determining a center's value.

If Bolland finishes the season winning more than 50 percent of his draws, that will put him in the running. 

Takeaways

One of the newer stats in the NHL, takeaways have become an ingredient when winning the Selke Trophy.

On Tuesday night, we saw the best example of how effective Bolland is in the area.

He'll annoy you, chirp in your ear, gain a mental edge, take you off your game and then steal the puck off your stick. When Bolland goes into the corner for a 50/50 battle, he comes out with the pill more times than not.

When the season comes to a close, expect Bolland to be amongst the league leaders in this category.  

The Hawks Will Be in the Hunt

Your credibility as a player goes only as far as your team's success. This year the Blackhawks are deeper and more talented and will be in pursuit of their second Stanley Cup in three years.

If you are an essential piece in your team's success, it only increases your chances at bringing home hardware.

To date, it is extremely difficult to argue against the fact that Bolland and Patrick Kane have been the two most valuable members of this team. You can flip a coin as to which one has been the guy.

Let's hope for a healthy season for Bolland. If we get it, we will see him invited to Las Vegas in June.