The conversation surrounding Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson rarely takes a day off. Everyone in the market has an opinion surrounding the 26-year-old, which has created intense debates, online, in the media and when fans get together to watch games. While Pettersson has not had an ideal start offensively to the 2025-26 campaign, he has emerged as one of the top defensive forwards in the league, which has created some Selke discussion so far this season.
Before diving into Pettersson’s case, it is important to lay out the exact definition of the Frank J. Selke Trophy. As per the NHL, the historic trophy is awarded, “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.” Some notable recent winners include Aleksander Barkov, Patrice Bergeron, Anže Kopitar and Pavel Datsyuk.
Pettersson has received Selke votes in the past.. In 2022-23, he finished seventh in voting, while in 2023-24, he finished 26th. The Selke is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, with all votes made public after the trophy is awarded.
While some may disagree, Pettersson’s play this season does meet the exact definition to be considered for the Selke Trophy. As noted, this is given to the best two-way forward, but the one who best performs in the defensive zone. This article is also not crowing Pettersson as the 2026 Selke winner, but showcasing why he could be considered for the award based on his defensive play through the first 13 games of the 2025-26 season.
Now that the explanations are underway, let’s dive into Pettersson’s defensive aspect this season. As of November 2, 2025, the Canucks center leads all forwards in the NHL in blocked shots with 26 while his six takeaways are just four off the NHL lead. Pettersson is also the only forward in the entire league with at least 20 blocks and 15 hits, as he is up to 17 through his first 13 games.
For those who may not be convinced based on counting stats, that is where analytics come in. According to Evolving Wild, Pettersson ranks tied for 22nd among forwards in Even-Strength Defense or EVD at 1.2. For comparison, no forward on Vancouver’s roster is close, with Aatu Räty and Filip Chytil coming in at 0.5.
What makes Pettersson’s defensive analytics impressive is that he is constantly used in a matchup role. According to Natural Stat Trick, head-to-head at even strength, he has kept Connor McDavid (16:03), Nick Suzuki (10:48), Artemi Panarin (9:33), Connor Bedard (7:22), Robert Thomas (7:06), and Mikko Rantanen (6:03) all off the scoresheet. To add another layer to these statistics, Pettersson’s linemates have rarely remained the same due to injury, indicating that he can be a consistent matchup center, regardless of who is on his wings. Artemi Panarin (9:33)
To answer the question asked, there is a case for Pettersson to get some Selke buzz early in the 2025-26 season. While his offensive game still needs improvement, he is providing the Canucks with high-end defensive play in a matchup role against the opposition’s top players. The question now is whether he can maintain these defensive performances while also finishing the season at or above a point per game.
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