Auston Matthews Officially In The Conversation For Selke Award With New Role
Auston Matthews will be in the conversation for the Selke this year if he maintains his new position that Keefe is trying him out in at camp this year.
Auston Matthews to be Tried Out on Penalty Kill
In a recent media day interview, Sheldon Keefe revealed that Auston Matthews will get some time on the Penalty Kill this training camp, in order to fill some of the minutes left by the departure of other players this offseason.
Keefe has full faith in Matthews being able to contribute to the penalty kill, complimenting him on his all-around skill. The only thing that remains is to see how it impacts Matthews' ability to contribute elsewhere on the ice.
"When it comes to a player of Auston's caliber, it's not a question of CAN he do it. It's a matter of how it would affect the team"
Matthews Has Yet To Be Considered for the Selke But Now Might
Matthews is known for his ability to score and his offensive prowess. However, what flies under the radar is his defensive capabilities. Matthews was a plus-13 last season. Matthews is consistently top of the list for takeaways, and when you add in his ability to block shots and take faceoffs, his defensive skill comes to light. Some have even called for him to be considered for the Selke a few years ago.
If he can get some significant minutes on the penalty kill this year, Matthews will surely be in the conversation for the Selke by the end of the year.
| POLL | ||
Do you think Matthews has the ability to win the Selke? | ||
| Yes | 671 | 81 % |
| No | 157 | 19 % |
| List of polls | ||
