Ovechkin wins second straight MVP award
- Thursday, June 18, 2009 7:47 PM
- Written By: Josh Marks
Washington Capitals left winger Alex Ovechkin added more hardware to his growing collection on Thursday night at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas.
The 23-year-old star won his second straight Hart trophy as the league's best player and the Pearson award as the most outstanding player in voting by fellow NHLPA members.
Ovechkin won the Hart by a large voting margin over Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin and Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk. The Russian was awarded 115 of 131 first-place tallies.
In nabbing the MVP trophy again this year, he became the first player to win back-to-backs since Dominik Hasek in 1997 and 1998 and the first forward since Wayne Gretzky, who snagged eight-straight Hart trophies from 1980-'87.
Other highlights from the Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort included Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas winning the Vezina as best netminder and Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason being awarded the Calder trophy as rookie of the year.
In his acceptance speech, Ovechkin dedicated the award to the loyal Caps fans and said Washington is his favorite city right now (Ovechkin wasn't the only Washingtonian making hockey headlines today as President Barack Obama called Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma earlier in the day to congratulate the Penguins on winning the Stanley Cup).
"Next year, I hope [the] Stanley Cup will be ours," Ovechkin said to cheers from the Caps fans in attendance.
Here is the winners list (winners in bold):
HART MEMORIAL TROPHY (Most valuable player)
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
VEZINA TROPHY (best goaltender)
Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota Wild
Steve Mason, Columbus Blue Jackets
Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins
JAMES NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY (best defenseman)
Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins
Mike Green, Washington Capitals
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings
CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY (best rookie)
Steve Mason, Columbus Blue Jackets
Bobby Ryan, Anaheim Ducks
Kris Versteeg, Chicago Blackhawks
LADY BYNG MEMORIAL TROPHY (best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct)
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
Zach Parise, New Jersey Devils
Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
FRANK J. SELKE TROPHY (best defensive forward)
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks
Mike Richards, Philadelphia Flyers
JACK ADAMS AWARD (best coach)
Claude Julien, Boston Bruins
Todd McLellan, San Jose Sharks
Andy Murray, St. Louis Blues
LESTER B. PEARSON AWARD (best player as voted by fellow NHLPA members)
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
MASTERTON TROPHY (player who best exemplifies the qualities of perserverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey)
Chris Chelios, Detroit Red Wings
Steve Sullivan, Nashville Predators
Richard Zednik, Florida Panthers
