LAS VEGAS – At the end of a long NHL season, there is always something more to look forward to for a select few stars. While most of the members of the NHL Players Association are sitting at home, improving on their golf game or preparing for another grinding NHL season, a lucky few of the league’s best travel to Vegas to hopefully take home some hardware inscribed with the names of some of the NHL’s previous superstars.
Most NHL players of today may not know about the impact that former Montreal Canadien, Georges Vezina had on the sport of hockey or on goaltending in particular or how former Ottawa Senator and Montreal Maroon King Clancy helped shape the game to what we know it to be today. However, without knowing most of the history behind the hardware, all NHL players know is that they want the trophy, which proves that they are the best at what they do.
Considering that a team just across from Hollywood won the Stanley Cup this season, it is only fitting that the end of the year gala would be held in the only other city that can rival the glitz and glamour of Tinsletown.
However, with only a few awards to give out and more than enough people deserving of them, only one player could walk away with the trophy of their choice.
Pittsburgh Penguin Centre Evgeni Malkin, a former winner of the Calder Trophy, was the evening’s big winner, taking home a handful of metal, including the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP. If the NHL season MVP wasn’t enough for one evening, Malkin also earned the Art Ross Trophy as the regular season points leader and the Ted Lindsay Award, for the NHL’s most outstanding player as voted by the members of the NHLPA.
During the post awards press conference, Malkin was almost impossible to make out behind his table full of inscribed metal.
Taking home the Vezina Trophy for league’s top goaltender was New York Ranger Henrik Lundqvist. Following a season that saw Lundqvist post a .930 SV% in 39 wins out of 62 games played, the Ranger joins famous former winners of the Vezina Trophy Ed Belfour, Dominik Hasek, Patrick Roy and Tiny Thompson.
Other big winners of the evening were Florida Panther Brian Campbell, taking home the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship, Avalanche left winger Gabriel Landeskog earning the Calder Trophy for best rookie and St Louis Blues headman Ken Hitchcock earning the Jack Adams Trophy for best coach. Also, Senator Erik Karlsson earned the James Norris Trophy for outstanding defenseman and Bruin Patrice Bergeron earned the Frank Selke Trophy for best defensive forward.
Out of all of the glamour and star studded aspects of the event, the happiest person of the event award had to be shared by Ottawa Senators right winger Daniel Alfredsson and Phoenix Coyotes right winger Shane Doan. Coming away from the evening with the King Clancy Trophy and Mark Messier Leadership Award respectively, both men seemed to be in very high spirits after adding more pieces to their ever expanding trophy cases.
Alfredsson, who was interviewed post-show by no less than four of his Swedish counterparts, stated that he was still undecided about his possible return for his 17th NHL season but was still excited about winning the King Clancy Trophy and seeing teammate Erik Karlsson earn the James Norris Trophy. 1
Doan, currently an UFA and about to enter his 18th NHL season, said after the show,
“ “I am thrilled to receive the Mark Messier Leadership Award. Growing up in Alberta, I was a huge fan of Mark Messier and to receive this award from one of the greatest leaders to ever play in the NHL is a tremendous honor,” Doan said.
Overall, the evening was what you would expect of a big production in Las Vegas with the top hockey league in the world. With Hollywood stars like Diane Kruger and Matthew Perry in attendance, the awards showcased the best and most glamorous that the NHL has to offer.
There’s no reason to think that the hockey juggernaut known as the NHL has any intention of slowing down.
Contact Joel.Hoopaugh@prohockeynews.com Follow us on twitter @prohockeynews
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