WATCH ABOVE: Carey Price wins Hart Trophy at NHL Awards
LAS VEGAS — Carey Price came away from the NHL Awards show with a hat trick.
The Montreal Canadiens’ record-setting goalie claimed the Hart Trophy, the Vezina Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award at the NHL’s annual postseason bash Wednesday night.
Price also shared the already-announced Jennings Trophy with Chicago goalie Corey Crawford, but his hefty haul of hardware capped one of the greatest regular seasons for a goalie in NHL history.
READ MORE: Canadiens’ Carey Price wins Vezina Trophy; gives emotional speech on First Nations youth
Price led the league with 44 victories, a 1.96 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage, becoming the first goalie to take all three top spots since Chicago’s Ed Belfour in 1991. The butterfly-style star led Montreal to the Atlantic Division title and the league’s second-best record before falling in the second round of the playoffs to Tampa Bay.
He became the first goalie to win the Hart Trophy since Colorado’s Jose Theodore in 2002.
Washington captain Alex Ovechkin, a three-time league MVP, and New York Islanders captain John Tavares also were nominated for the Hart, which went to Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby last season.
READ MORE: Calgary Flames’ Bob Hartley wins Jack Adams Award, Hudler takes Lady Byng
But Price made history with the NHL’s most storied franchise. He broke the Montreal record for single-season victories set by Jacques Plante, who won 42 games in 1956 and 1962, and matched by Ken Dryden in 1976. Price’s save percentage was the third best in a season since 1977, and he was second in the league with nine shutouts.
Price dominated the festivities as the NHL’s top players and executives gathered at the MGM Grand Garden Arena for hockey’s postseason ritual, accepting trophies and participating in comedic moments of varying awkwardness alongside host Rob Riggle.
Boston’s Patrice Bergeron won the Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward for the third time in four years, while Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson won the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman for the second time in four years.
READ MORE: Former Oiler Devan Dubnyk wins Masterton Trophy after resurrecting career
Bob Hartley of the Calgary Flames won the Jack Adams Award as the top coach, while Tampa Bay’s Steve Yzerman was chosen general manager of the year. Both won their awards for the first time.
Florida’s Aaron Ekblad edged Ottawa’s Mark Stone and Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau for the Calder Trophy, becoming the youngest defenseman to win the award since Bobby Orr in 1967. Calgary forward Jiri Hudler won the Lady Byng Trophy as the NHL’s most sportsmanlike player after committing just 14 minutes in penalties during his 76-point season.
The NHL also handed out its awards recognizing humanitarian work and charitable endeavors. Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg was awarded the King Clancy Trophy, while Chicago captain Jonathan Toews took home the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.
San Jose’s Brent Burns was selected for the NHL Foundation Player Award, while Minnesota goalie Devan Dubnyk won the Bill Masterton Trophy from the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
Several statistical awards already were won at the conclusion of the regular season, but the winners picked up their trophies in Vegas.
Dallas’ Jamie Benn roared from behind to win the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s scoring champion, while Ovechkin got a league-best 53 goals to win his fifth Richard Trophy. The Jennings Trophy was split between Price and Crawford after the Canadiens and Blackhawks each allowed a league-low 189 goals.
Comments