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Couturier 3rd Flyers to be named NHL's top defensive forward

Sean Couturier is the third Philadelphia Flyers player to named the NHL’s top defensive forward.

Credit: AP

Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (14) tries to hold onto the puck under pressure from New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) and teammate Matt Martin (17) during the second period of an NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference playoff hockey game in Toronto, Ontario, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

PHILADELPHIA — Sean Couturier is the third Philadelphia Flyers player to named the NHL’s top defensive forward.

The Flyers center was revealed as the Frank J. Selke Trophy award winner Thursday night.

He finished ahead of four-time winner Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins, who was a finalist for the ninth time.

Ryan O’Reilly of the St. Louis Blues was last season’s winner. Couturier was named on 163 of the 170 ballots cast by the Professional Hockey Writers Association, and got 117 first-place votes.

The other Flyers to win the award were Bobby Clarke in 1983 and Dave Poulin in 1987.

Couturier, 27, skated in 69 games for the Flyers during the NHL's regular season, and totaled 22 goals and 37 assists en route to a plus-22 plus/minus rating.