LAS VEGAS, Nev – Just a week following the Chicago Blackhawks’ capturing of the Stanley Cup the NHL put on a glittering display of ceremony in Las Vegas Wednesday night to celebrate award winners for the 2009-2010 season.
Some of the highlights from the evening included Martin Saint Louis winning the Lady Bing Trophy. On receiving the award St Louis was measured in his response to questioning.
In an NHL press release, Saint Louis said of the award, “ It’s just I’m happy I can add that one, you know. Obviously we all play for a Stanley Cup. But when you get recognized for other stuff besides a team trophy, it’s neat. It’s something that nobody can take away from you.”
Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres was awarded the Vezina Trophy for best goaltender of the year. Miller was clearly impressed by the competition for the award.
“ Yeah, standing next to Martin Brodeur, and Ilya Bryzgalov, after watching them the entire season and being thoroughly impressed. It feels really good to walk away with this award,” said Miller in post event press conference.
Pavel Datsyuk was awarded the Frank Selke Trophy for defensive defenseman in the NHL. For Datsyuk, it was his third time taking the trophy home.
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos each won his first Maurice Richard Trophy as the NHL goal-scoring leader. Crosby and Stamkos prevailed in a three-way race with Washington’s Alex Ovechkin for the title.
The Phoenix Coyotes’ head coach, Dave Tippett, was presented with the Jack Adams award for the head coach contributing most to his club’s success. His Coyotes challenged for the Western Conference crown before falling to the Sharks in the final days of the season.
In his post award press comments, Tippett said, “ Well, it’s very gratifying, I think for our organization. I’m very happy for our coaching staff. You know, we were a team that nobody gave much of a chance at the start of the year, and we used that adversity as a motivating factor throughout our whole group right from Doug Moss and his staff to Don Maloney and the hockey operations staff to our players. In the end, we probably did a lot more than people thought, but in Phoenix we think it’s just the start of putting the foundation in place that we want to build there.”
The most emotional award of the evening was the Bill Masterton award given to the player “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.” Jose Theodore of the Washington Capitals was the recipient and in emotional acceptance speech acknowledged the loss he and his family suffered prior to the 2009-2010 season. Theodore’s infant son, Chace, passed away in the summer of 2009 as a result of complications from premature birth.
In the post award press conference, Theodore was introspective, “Well, it’s a mixed feeling, I think. Obviously, it was a tough year emotionally, but I’m really proud of the way I handled myself. Then winning this award just brings back some tough memories or good memories, it depends, but it’s tough. With all the support I had, it was just fun to see people around me that cared for that.”
Stanley Cup winner, Duncan Keith, was awarded the Norris Trophy for the defenseman demonstrating “the greatest all-around ability in the position.”
In the post award press conference, Keith was asked about losing his teeth in the Stanley Cup finals, “Well, I did. You know, I think just coming from a small town, you know, Fort Frances (Ont.) and Penticton, British Columbia. People kind of looked at me with the long hair and the beard and no teeth, so I heard a lot of the jokes that I look like I’m from the woods and the bush. I am, you know. That’s the way I am and where I am from, and I’m proud of that. But to lose my teeth was tough, and nobody wants to go through that. But a dentist did a good job, and I got some teeth in now.”
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Press conference quotes provided courtesy of the NHL and ASAPSPORTS.com.
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