LAS VEGAS – Patrick Kane used to settle down in front of the TV with a pen and paper to pick the winners at the NHL Awards.
The Chicago Blackhawks sniper was at the top of the list on Wednesday night.
Kane won the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player after also taking home the Ted Lindsay Award, the MVP nod voted on by fellow NHLers.
winning the NHL scoring title.
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“It was fun for me to watch,” Kane said of tuning into past award shows. “It was one of the days of the year that you marked on your schedule and made sure you didn’t miss.
“To be here today in Las Vegas receiving these awards is kind of surreal. I don’t know if it’s really hit me yet, but I’m sure it will in the future.”
Kane beat out Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Dallas Stars counterpart Jamie Benn for the Hart, snagging 121-of-150 first-place votes.
“This year I never really got satisfied,” said Kane. “I think that’s been one of my positive attributes for the past couple of seasons.”
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The first American to be named MVP, the 27-year-old also won the Art Ross Trophy as the top scorer in the NHL ahead of Benn and Crosby after a league-best 106-point campaign.
Kane recorded a career-high 46 goals and 60 assists in a year that included a franchise-record 26-game point streak – the longest in NHL history by a U.S.-born player – and rounds out a season that started shrouded in controversy on a high note.
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Kane was investigated by police following an alleged sexual assault at his home near Buffalo, N.Y., last summer. Prosecutors declined to file charges because of a lack of credible evidence. The NHL also investigated, but determined the sexual assault allegation was unfounded.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings was a double winner, taking home the Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward and the Lady Byng Trophy as the league’s most gentlemanly player.
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Kopitar beat out Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins and Ryan Kesler of the Anaheim Ducks for the Selke, before topping Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers and Loui Eriksson, also of Boston, for the Lady Byng.
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Kings teammate Drew Doughty won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenceman after being nominated two other times, beating out Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson, who won the award last year, and San Jose Sharks blue liner Brent Burns.
“It means a lot to me,” said Doughty. “I’ve been so close twice, kind of getting a sniff at it, but not finishing the deal kind of sucked. It feels great to just win that award after the history of it.
“It’s really special.”
Kane’s linemate, Artemi Panarin, beat out Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere and Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid for the Calder Trophy as the top rookie, while Barry Trotz of the Washington Capitals won his first Jack Adams Award as coach of the year on a third try.
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“You need everybody around you,” said Trotz, who edged out Gerard Gallant of the Florida Panthers and Lindy Ruff of Dallas. “Winning a Jack Adams Award is really a representation of the great staff you put together, the players buying in (and) management and ownership really putting a good team in your hands.”
Washington’s Braden Holtby captured his first Vezina Trophy as the top goalie in the NHL, beating out Ben Bishop of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Jonathan Quick of Los Angeles.
“It’s pretty special,” said Holtby. “My friends and family are here with me to enjoy something where you never know if you’ll get a chance to do it again.”
Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin was honoured with his fourth-straight and sixth-career Rocket Richard Trophy as the league’s top scorer after a 50-goal season.
Ducks goalies John Gibson and Frederik Andersen took home the Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals allowed. Andersen, who was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier in the week, and Gibson were beaten just a combined 192 times in 2015-16.
Hockey legend Gordie Howe, who died earlier this month, and former Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider, who passed away in April, were both honoured during the ceremony hosted by actor Will Arnett.
Pittsburgh’s Jim Rutherford was named general manager of the year, while Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr won the Masterton Trophy for the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
Nashville Predators defenceman Shea Weber won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, Vancouver Canucks forward Henrik Sedin won the King Clancy Trophy for leadership on and off the ice and noteworthy humanitarian contributions to community, and Calgary Flames defenceman Mark Giordano won the NHL Foundation Player Award for community service.
“It’s a fun night. It’s fun to get this recognition,” said Kane. “But I think all of us that have won individually tonight will trade it in for the biggest team award in winning the Stanley Cup. We know how precious and how fun that is to win.”
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