Former Penguin Jordan Staal named Selke Trophy finalist

Former Pittsburgh Penguins and current Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal has been named a finalist for the 2024 Frank J. Selke trophy. Staal spent the first six years of his career with the Penguins honing his two-way game as a depth forward.

Staal is heading into his 19th season in the NHL and his 13th with the Hurricanes if he plays next year. The 35-year-old captain has been recognized for years as one of the NHL's best defensive forwards.

The Selke is awarded annually to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game of hockey.




Staal captained the Hurricanes and led them in shorthanded ice time at 168:58. He also helped the team allow the fewest power-play goals in the NHL with a penalty kill percentage of 86.43%.



In his second nomination for the Selke in his career, Staal posted 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 total points in 80 games throughout the 2023-24 season. While the other two finalists, Aleksander Barkov and Auston Matthews finished with a plus-minus above a plus-30, Staal finished the season with a minus-14.

Staal was last nominated for the Selke back in the 2009-10 season when he was with the Penguins. His 14-year gap between nominations serves as the longest in NHL history for any voted award. He finished third in voting for the 2010 Selke.