The 2017 NHL awards show has come and gone, and there was plenty to talk about. All the big names were involved, and there was a couple of good stories from the awards portion of the night. The Vegas Golden Knights announcing their expansion picks only furthered the excitement surrounding the night.
2017 NHL Awards Roundup
Awards announced on Tuesday
There were two players given awards on Tuesday night. Travis Hamonic of the New York Islanders was awarded the NHL Foundation Player Award. Columbus Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno was given both the King Clancy Trophy and the Mark Messier Leadership Award.
Ted Lindsay Award
In what turned out to be a successful night for the young forward, Connor McDavid was awarded the Ted Lindsay Award. The Ted Lindsay Award is given out every year to the Most Valuable Player in the league, as voted on by the NHL Players’ Association.
Selke Trophy
The Selke Trophy is given out annually to the best defensive forward in the NHL. The usual names were on the list, with Patrice Bergeron, Ryan Kesler, and Mikko Koivu being picked as the three finalists. Unsurprisingly, Bergeron took the award home for the fourth time in his career.
Norris Trophy
In the first trophy to bring up a bit of debate, the Norris Trophy was won by San Jose Sharks two-way defenseman Brent Burns. The reason there was so much debate was due to the season that Erik Karlsson had, with many believing he was more deserving of the honor. The other defenseman involved was Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Calder Trophy
While both Zach Werenski and Patrik Laine put up a bit of a fight in the voting, Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Auston Matthews took away the Calder Trophy. Matthews finished with 40 goals and 29 assists in his first NHL season. His 40 goals and 69 total points led a rookies in scoring.
General Manager of the Year
Another unsurprising and well-deserved result was that of General Manager of the Year. With the Nashville Predators making moves last off-season to improve their offensive ability, it ensure their team could challenge in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They did just that, making their first ever Stanley Cup Final. General manager David Poile was the recipient of GM of the Year due to all of this.
Jack Adams Award
Another winner from The Buckeye State came in the form of Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella. Tortorella has taken Columbus from a perennial punching bag into one of the best teams in the NHL during the 2016-17 regular season. While they may have lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games in the first round of the playoffs, it was still a historic season for the Jackets, and Tortorella deserves his fair share of credit for their success.
Masterton Trophy
The Masterton Trophy is given out annually to the player who exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the sport of hockey. The recipient this year was that of Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson. Another well-deserved award on the night.
Lady Byng
The Lady Byng is given out annually to player who best combines sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct, and ability on the ice. With his great character on and off the ice, along with his stellar play, Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau took home the Lady Byng this year.
Vezina Trophy
The third, and final, winner coming out of Columbus made an appearance on stage when they announced that Sergei Bobrovsky won his second career Vezina Trophy. Bobrovksy helped the Blue Jackets to their best ever season in franchise history. The Russian netminder finished the season with a 41-17-5 record, a 2.06 goals-against-average, and a .931 save percentage on the season. His win total and goals-against-average were both career highs.
Hart Trophy
The Hart Trophy, awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in the NHL, showcased three players with fantastic seasons in Sergei Bobrovsky, Connor McDavid, and Sidney Crosby. While Bobrovsky had a Vezina-winning season, and Crosby finished with 89 points in 75 games this season, it wasn’t enough to outclass the 100-point sophomore season that McDavid had. McDavid walked away from the 2017 NHL awards week with the Art Ross Trophy, the Ted Lindsay Award, and the Hart Trophy.
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