Hellebuyck, Draisaitl and Kucherov are finalists for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP
Hellebuyck is expected to win his second consecutive and third career Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender. He backstopped the Jets to the Presidents' Trophy for the best regular season and the William Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals allowed before losing in the second round of the playoffs to Dallas.
Only five goalies have taken home the Hart and Vezina in the same year and not since Carey Price a decade ago. Jose Theodore also did so in 2002, Dominik Hasek in 1997 and '98 and Jacques Plante in '62.
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Kucherov, the Art Ross Trophy winner for leading all scorers with 122 points this season, was also chosen for the Ted Lindsay Award as most outstanding player, as voted on by his peers. The Russian winger was MVP in 2019 when the Lightning finished atop the standings.
Story continues below advertisement
Draisaitl, the Rocket Richard Trophy recipient for scoring a league-high 52 goals, won the Hart in 2020 after the season was cut short by the pandemic. He became the first German player to be MVP.
Los Angeles captain Anze Kopitar won the Lady Byng for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct for a third time.
A majority of the awards were for the first time given out as surprises with no advanced notice. Colorado's Cale Makar got the Norris as the top defenseman, Florida's Aleksander Barkov the Selke as the best defensive forward and Washington's Spencer Carbery the Jack Adams as coach of the year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
2 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Shohei Ohtani fans Trout with 101 mph fastball while pitching into the 5th in return to Big A mound
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani returned to the Angel Stadium mound with 4 1/3 innings of five-hit, four-run ball for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night in his first pitching appearance in Anaheim since he left the Los Angeles Angels nearly two years ago. Ohtani put on a two-way show for his old home crowd with seven strikeouts. He fanned Mike Trout twice, getting his friend and fellow MVP the second time with his fastest pitch of the night — a 101 mph fastball in the fourth inning.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Shohei Ohtani fans Trout with 101 mph fastball while pitching into the 5th in return to Big A mound
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani returned to the Angel Stadium mound with 4 1/3 innings of five-hit, four-run ball for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night in his first pitching appearance in Anaheim since he left the Los Angeles Angels nearly two years ago. Ohtani put on a two-way show for his old home crowd with seven strikeouts. He fanned Mike Trout twice, getting his friend and fellow MVP the second time with his fastest pitch of the night — a 101 mph fastball in the fourth inning. Ohtani also staked himself to an early lead by tripling and scoring as the Dodgers' leadoff hitter before he even took the mound, entertaining Angels fans with the same inimitable feats he accomplished regularly during his first six major league seasons with their club. Ohtani's mound start was his longest since he returned to pitching two months ago, but he didn't finish strong. He gave up three consecutive one-out hits in the fifth and left after Zach Neto's two-run double trimmed the Dodgers' lead to 5-4. Anthony Banda still escaped the jam, but only after the Angels loaded the bases. Ohtani also gave up a homer to Taylor Ward during the Angels' two-run second inning. He looked sharp in the next two innings before getting chased by two singles and Neto's drive. Ohtani is still beloved in Anaheim by fans who mostly couldn't blame him for leaving a team that could never assemble a winning lineup around him and Trout during six consecutive losing seasons. The three-time MVP — two of those trophies claimed with the Angels — has received cheers whenever he returns to the Big A, although that's also because much of the crowd wears Dodger Blue for these Freeway Series rivalry games. The fans were locked in on the main event in this showdown: After Trout and Ohtani acknowledged each other with slight nods and smirks, Ohtani finished his 1-2-3 first inning by throwing five straight fastballs to Trout before striking him out looking with a sweeper. The MVP ex-teammates hadn't faced each other since Ohtani famously struck out Trout in Tokyo — with the same pitch — to end the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Ohtani was even meaner to Trout in their second meeting, starting him out with a 73 mph curve before eventually fanning him with that blazing fastball in the low outside corner. Outside of Trout, Ohtani saw plenty of familiar faces Wednesday: Seven of the nine hitters in the Angels' starting lineup played with him in Anaheim. But Ohtani hadn't been on the mound at the Big A since Aug. 23, 2023, when he abruptly left a start against Cincinnati in the second inning with elbow pain later revealed to be a torn ligament. The resulting surgery kept him off the mound entirely in 2024 after he signed his 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers. Ohtani returned to pitching two months ago, and the Dodgers have gradually built up his innings while maintaining his everyday role as their DH and leadoff hitter. Before his mound return, Ohtani homered in each of the first two games of this series — although he also lined into a triple play Tuesday. After getting loud pregame cheers, Ohtani began by driving a 2-2 pitch from Kyle Hendricks into deep right for a triple, and he quickly scored on Betts' single. Will Smith added his 15th homer a few minutes later to stake his pitcher to a 3-0 lead. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Ward blasted a 97 mph fastball from Ohtani to right for his 29th homer, just the second allowed by Ohtani this season. Yoán Moncada then doubled and scored on two flyouts. Ohtani struck out at the plate in the second inning, but he drew a walk in the fourth, loading the bases and chasing Hendricks. Angels reliever Andrew Chafin struck out Ohtani with a slider when the slugger came up again in the sixth. ___ AP MLB:
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Blue Bombers call on rookie safety to help fill holes in banged-up secondary
Jordan Younger kept Winnipeg's secondary on the field after the Blue Bombers finished their walk-through practice on Wednesday. The team's defensive co-ordinator and defensive backs coach gave extra attention to the unit after more injuries caused changes ahead of Thursday's home game against the Ottawa Redblacks. One of the adjustments was adding rookie Cam Allen, who'll make his CFL debut at safety. The 25-year-old Purdue graduate is ready for it. "Whenever a new guy comes in, I know on the other side of the ball they're probably looking at who's back there," Allen said. "Me going into the game, I know I'm expecting a couple shots, for them to come at me. A guy like me, I'm very confident in my play, so I want those plays because if they go away from you, you ain't got no opportunity to make a play. I'm just ready for the opportunity." Dru Brown is the quarterback who'll be testing Allen's coverage, and he's coming off a career-high five-touchdown performance in Ottawa's 46-42 comeback victory over the Toronto Argonauts last Saturday. Allen knows a thing or two about reading quarterbacks. The six-foot-one native of Bluefield, Va., played the position in high school before sticking to defence at Purdue. "I feel like I have a very good sense of where the quarterback wants to go," Allen said. "Just reading concepts, being able to break on the ball and just knowing the quarterback wants to throw the ball and where he's going to throw the ball. Reading and reacting is what I'm best at." Allen got on the roster after cornerback Terrell Bonds was carted off the field in last week's 28-27 loss to the Calgary Stampeders that was decided by a final-play, 40-yard field goal from Rene Paredes. Bonds had knee surgery and is done for the season. Bombers rookie defensive back and kick returner Trey Vaval replaced Bonds in the game and remains in the spot this week. Winnipeg's other cornerback is Dexter Lawson Jr., a recently signed three-year veteran who started last week in place of the still-injured Jamal Parker. Winnipeg head coach Mike O'Shea isn't losing sleep over changes for a club that sits at 4-4 and has lost four of its past five games. "They're pro football players, right? They're going to step up and make the most of their opportunity," O'Shea said. Bomber halfbacks Deatrick Nichols and Evan Holm have been the constants in Winnipeg's secondary, both playing all eight games. Holm said the biggest challenge with change is communication. "Communication, getting everybody up to speed," he said. "It's just mostly trying to see the game the same, making sure there's not miscommunications because not everybody sees the game the same." The Redblacks (3-6) are replacing two defensive backs, bringing in rookie cornerback Gavin Heslop to make his first career start. Safety Bennett Williams' addition is a game-time decision. Two linebackers are also coming onto the roster. Head coach Bob Dyce told Ottawa media that even though it's a short week of practice, the players are ready to keep rolling after the victory over Toronto and two wins in a row. "You get an opportunity to get back on the field, carry through with the momentum that we built the last couple of weeks ," Dyce said. Running back William Stanback had 17 carries for 84 yards versus the Argonauts. "We're in great spirits, but we know that we're not even close to where we feel we can be," Stanback said. Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros and veteran receiver Nic Demski said the focus for the offence is cleaning up its mistakes from the loss to Calgary. The Bombers had mounted a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter and were ahead 23-16 at halftime, but didn't score a point in the third quarter. "When you look at the little things, the little details, alignments, assignments, being on the same page with everybody, being in the right place at the right time, I think that's a big thing right there," Demski said.
