Patrice Bergeron finishes third for Selke Trophy, Bruce Cassidy finishes second for Jack Adams Award

Patrice Bergeron will have to wait at least another year to win another Selke Trophy, and it's all but certain the Bruins forward will be back in contention for the award given to the league's best defensive forward.

Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar won the award Wednesday night in Las Vegas. Bergeron finished third behind Philadelphia Flyers forward Sean Couturier. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy was also in the running for the Jack Adams Award, but finished second behind Vegas Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant. It was expected, but Gallant won in a landslide after Vegas' magical season. He had 102 first-place votes. Cassidy had two.

Bergeron made history this year with his seventh-consecutive nomination, one more than Pavel Datsyuk accumulated from 2008-13. He's tied with Montreal Canadiens great Bob Gainey as the only other player to win the award four times. Bergeron has won the award in 2017, and then three times in four years from 2012-15.

It was a weird sight in the playoffs to see Bergeron tossed from repeated faceoffs as officials cracked down on violations, something that hardly seems to happen for the Bruins technician in the past. During the regular-season Bergeron won a league-high 58.3 percent of his faceoffs when the team was short-handed. He won 57.3 percent of his faceoffs overall, which ranked sixth.


The 32-year-old has long been the gold standard for Bruins centers. From the way he carries himself in the locker room as a respected leader, to the smart, two-way game he plays on the ice, there’s plenty for young players to learn from watching Bergeron.

He’s been a steady, consistent performer for the Bruins for over a decade – a mainstay of the franchise since he joined the team when he was 18 in 2003.

“I’m very humbled every year, thankful that my teammates obviously bring me to this point,” Bergeron said Tuesday via the team website. “The individual awards are always a reflection and the recognition from how your team performed. It’s no different. I know it’s cliche, but I truly believe it and I’m trying to have fun and just enjoy my few days here.”

One of Bergeron’s most impressive skill is the way he pressures the opposing team on the forecheck, disrupting their flow before they can get out of their own zone. He makes the type of plays that are often praised once they lead to a goal or a scoring opportunity, but what’s impressive is the effort that Bergeron gives on a nightly basis – one that often goes unrecognized.

Hingham's Brian Boyle, who went to St. Sebastian's in Needham and Boston College, won the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy given for "perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication. Boyle was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a type of bone marrow cancer, and worked made it back into the lineup by Nov. 1. He notched 10 goals over his first 25 games.

Other award winners:
Art Ross Memorial Trophy (Most valuable player): Taylor Hall, New Jersey Devils

James Norris Memorial Trophy (Best defenseman): Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning

Vezina Trophy (Best goaltender): Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators

Ted Lindsay Award (NHLPA most outstanding player): Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

William M. Jennings Trophy (Fewest goals against team): Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings

King Clancy Memorial Trophy (leadership and humanitarian efforts): Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks
Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the year): Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders. Charlie McAvoy finished fifth.
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Most gentlemanly): William Karlsson, Vegas Golden Knights
Maurice Rocket Rachard Trophy (goal-scoring leader): Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award: Deryk Engelland, Vegas Golden Knights
General Manager of the Year: George McPhee, Vegas Golden Knights
Art Ross Trophy (Most points): Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award: Darcy Haugan, Humboldt Broncos