Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane has won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player, becoming the first American to win the award.
The NHL’s scoring champion is the first Chicago player to take home the Hart since Stan Mikita in 1968.
Earlier in the night, Kane won the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL’s outstanding player selected by his fellow players. He also received the Art Ross Trophy for winning the NHL scoring title.
Kane was the runaway winner as expected, getting 121 of the 150 first-place votes. Sidney Crosby finished second with 11 first-place votes, while Dallas’ Jamie Benn was third. Vezina Trophy-winning goalie Braden Holtby of Washington was fourth.
Kane, a Buffalo native, also became the first U.S.-born player to lead the league in scoring with 106 points, leading Benn by a whopping 17 points.
Kane already is a three-time Stanley Cup champion with a Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP, and he’s only 27 years old.
Vezina Trophy (best goalie): Braden Holtby, Capitals
Holtby was rewarded for a remarkable season in which he tied Martin Brodeur’s record with 48 victories for the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Caps. His goals-against average was fifth in the league at 2.20, and he finished eighth in save percentage at .922.
Holtby’s wins record pushed him past fellow finalists Ben Bishop of Tampa Bay, who led the NHL with a 2.06 GAA, and Jonathan Quick of Los Angeles, who played a league-high 4,034 minutes.
Selke Trophy (best defensive forward), Lady Byng Trophy (most gentlemanly): Anze Kopitar, Kings
Kopitar has been the Kings’ leading scorer for nine consecutive seasons, but the Slovenian center’s willingness to embrace coach Darryl Sutter’s defense-first mindset was a major reason for Los Angeles’ run to two Stanley Cup titles in three years from 2012-14.
Kopitar led all NHL forwards in ice time, averaging nearly 21 minutes per game, while finishing second in the league with a plus-34 rating. His puck possession skills and backchecking acumen were key factors in the Kings finishing third in the league in team defense.
Kopitar was a Selke finalist for the award in each of the previous three seasons. He beat out three-time winner Patrice Bergeron of Boston and Anaheim’s Ryan Kesler, the 2011 winner.
The Slovenian center wasn’t in attendance to claim either of his trophies.
Jack Adams Award (best coach): Barry Trotz, Capitals
Trotz earned the award for the first time by leading the Caps to an NHL-best 120 points this season, setting a franchise record with 56 victories. Washington allowed the second-fewest goals in the NHL, adding stellar defense to its traditional winning formula behind Alex Ovechkin’s scoring.
Trotz just finished his second year in Washington after 15 seasons with the Nashville Predators. He is a three-time finalist for the Jack Adams.
He won it for the first time over fellow finalists Lindy Ruff of the Dallas Stars and Gerard Gallant of the Florida Panthers.
Gallant’s Panthers exceeded all expectations with a franchise-record 47 victories and 103 points.
Ruff also got a 2015 non-playoff team back to the top, with the Stars winning the Central Division while scoring a league-high 265 goals.
Norris Trophy (best defenseman): Drew Doughty, Kings
Doughty’s first Norris victory ended a lively three-man race that forced voters to decide between pure offensive production and analytical superiority.
Doughty, the two-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, beat out Erik Karlsson of Ottawa and Brent Burns of San Jose.
While Doughty didn’t match his competitors’ offensive production, voters recognized his two-way prowess for the defense-minded Kings.
“To my teammates, without you, I couldn’t have done it,” Doughty said. “You guys are everything to me, and we’re brothers for life.”
Doughty led all defensemen in Corsi percentage at 58.9, and he scored 51 points with a plus-24 rating while playing enormous minutes on the Kings’ depleted blue line.
Masterton Trophy: Jaromir Jagr, Panthers
Jagr won the Masterton Trophy for his perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
The 44-year-old forward didn’t attend the ceremony in Las Vegas because he was with his ailing father.
Jagr was rewarded for his seemingly ageless skills and enthusiasm. The Czech veteran scored 66 points in his 22nd NHL season to lead the Panthers, who set franchise records with 47 wins and 103 points.
Calder Trophy (best rookie): Artemi Panarin, Blackhawks
The 24-year-old Russian forward beat out Philadelphia’s Shayne Gostisbehere and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, who finished third in the voting.
Panarin scored 77 points in 80 games during his debut season in North America, leading all rookies in goals (30) and assists (47).
Although Panarin played seven pro seasons back home before coming stateside, voters didn’t object to his experience, awarding the trophy to a Chicago player for the first time since Patrick Kane won it in 2008.
McDavid was the No. 1 pick last summer. He scored 48 points in 45 games, his dynamite season shortened by two months thanks to a broken collarbone.
