New Delhi, June 6 -- The NHL orchestrated something the Canadiens had not seen in a generation: two teammates, in the same dressing room, handing each other trophies neither knew was coming.

Caufield was also under the impression he was there to hand Suzuki something. When the presentations unfolded in sequence, the locker room erupted. The Professional Hockey Writers Association, it turned out, had decided to honor both men at once, and the NHL had turned the reveal into theatre.

Suzuki is the winner of the 2025-26 Frank J. Selke Trophy, the award given annually to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game. The margin was not close. The 26-year-old captain received 151 first-place votes out of 198 ballots and 1,7...