Flyers’ Sean Couturier named runner up in Selke voting

A breakout season from Philadelphia’s Sean Couturier fell just short of well deserved hardware.

After annihilating his career highs in almost every offensive category, Couturier was named a finalist for the Selke Trophy with Kings forward Anze Kopitar and Boston’s Patrice Bergeron (a seven time finalist himself).

The PWHA (Professional Hockey Writers Association) voted Wednesday night and gave Couturier 37 first place votes – three more than Mr. Selke himself, Patrice Bergeron. However, Kopitar received 70 first place votes and claimed his second Selke award in the past three years.

Claude Giroux tied with 2013 Selke winner Jonathan Toews at 16th place. He received one third place vote for his efforts.

The top-5:

1: Anze Kopitar, LAK

2: Sean Couturier, PHI

3: Patrice Bergeron, BOS

4: Aleksander Barkov, FLA

5: Mikko Koivu, MIN

Kopitar finished seventh in the NHL scoring race with 92 points (a career high) in his age-30 season. The Kings captain nearly tripled his goal total from last year, jumping from 12 to 35. He faced the opposition’s best players at nearly all times.

The NHL’s first Slovenian continues his great career with another well deserved Selke.