BOSTON - The National Hockey League announced today, April 19, that Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron has been named a finalist for the 2017 Frank J. Selke Trophy. Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Kesler and Minnesota Wild forward Mikko Koivu are the other two finalists for the award, which is given annually to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game. The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season, and will be announced at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas on June 21.

Bergeron, who served as alternate captain for the Bruins for the 11th straight season in 2016-17, recorded 21 goals and 32 assists for 53 points with 24 penalty minutes and a plus-12 rating in 79 games this year. He led the league in faceoffs taken (1,812), faceoffs won (1,089), even strength faceoffs won (817), even strength faceoff win percentage (62.3), neutral zone faceoffs won (324) and neutral zone faceoff win percentage (63.7). Bergeron also ranked first overall in the team puck possession metric SAT (shot attempts differential), as the Bruins registered 439 more shot attempts than they allowed when Bergeron was on the ice while each team had five skaters per side. The 31-year-old forward was also second in the NHL in offensive zone faceoffs won (420), third in faceoff win percentage (60.1), third in shots (302) and fourth in defensive zone faceoffs won (340). Bergeron won 17-of-17 faceoffs in Boston's 4-0 playoff-clinching win vs. Tampa Bay on April 4.

This is the sixth straight season Bergeron has been named a Selke finalist. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound centerman won the award in 2012, 2014 and 2015, and could become just the second four-time winner in NHL history. Hall of Fame forward Bob Gainey of the Montreal Canadiens was the first recipient of the award in 1978 and also won the award the following three seasons in 1979, 1980 and 1981. Bergeron's three Selke awards are the most of any current player.

The L'Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec native was selected by the Bruins in the second round (45th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.