Wild captain's contending for a precious individual award!

Something we keep hearing from the management staffs around the league : how important is a 200-feet centerman?  Great two-way players are a rare commodity around the league and teams need them to expect winning tight games.

Every year at the NHL award, they present the Frank J. Selke trophy awarded to the forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game.

This year, the Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu seems to be contending for that precious individual award. The Hockey News considered Koivu on their top 5 emerging contenders in wide open Selke race : "New coach Bruce Boudreau has leaned heavily on Koivu in the defensive zone, and his ability to handle the duties has been a big part of Minnesota's unexpected success. With the Wild emerging as one of the one of the year's best surprises, voters will be paying attention."

The guy certainly deserves to be considered for all his good work in the defensive zone. What do you guys think ?