Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins and Ryan Kesler of the Anaheim Ducks were also named finalists for the 2017 Selke Trophy. It marks the first time Koivu has been an NHL Award finalist in his 12-season career. The Wild captain joins Wes Walz as the only Selke Trophy finalists in Wild history. Walz was one of three finalists in 2003, as Dallas' Jere Lehtinen was awarded the trophy.
Koivu, 34 (3/12/83), totaled 58 points (18-40=58) and 34 penalty minutes (PIM) in 80 games during the 2016-17 regular season, ranking T-8th in the NHL with a career-high plus-27 rating. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound center ranked fifth in the NHL in faceoff wins (938), sixth in faceoffs taken (1,699) and 16th in faceoff win percentage (55.2%). The Turku, Finland, native also ranked T-16th amongst NHL forwards with a career-high 65 blocked shots.
Koivu led Wild forwards and ranked T-29th amongst NHL forwards in TOI/game (19:07). The Wild captain ranked second on the club in assists, third in scoring and multi-point games (12), and T-3rd in game-winning goals (4) in 2016-17. His 58 points were the third-highest single-season point total of his career, his most since 2010-11, and his 18 goals were his highest single-season total since 2009-10 and fourth-highest of his career.
Koivu ranks first on the Wild's all-time lists in games played, assists, points, shots on goal, power-play points, shorthanded points and multi-point games, second in goals, shorthanded goals, game-winning goals and plus/minus rating, and third in PIM. He is the only player in team history to win at least 20 faceoffs in a game, a feat he has accomplished in 11 regular-season games in his career. Koivu was named the first full-time team captain in franchise history on Oct. 20, 2009. He was originally selected by the Wild in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
The Wild and Blues continue their first-round playoff series tonight at 8:30 p.m. CT in St. Louis. The game will be broadcast on KFAN 100.3 FM, FOX Sports North and NBCSN.
