Ovechkin Awarded Third Career Hart Trophy, Isles Center Tavares Finishes Third Place
CHICAGO (CBSNewYork/AP) — A strong finish to the 2012-13 NHL season earned Alexander Ovechkin his third Hart Trophy, given to the NHL's most valuable player.
"It was kind of hard, but as everybody knows, I like challenges," Ovechkin, who was moved to the right wing this season, said in taped remarks. "It was a big challenge for me and the coaching staff, but we make it."
Ovechkin is the eighth player to win three or more Harts, joining Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Clarke, Bobby Orr, Gordie Howe, Eddie Shore and Howie Morenz.
The talented Russian beat out Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and John Tavares of the New York Islanders. Ovechkin led the NHL with 32 goals during the regular season, the first time he's led the league in scoring since 2009, when he won his second straight Hart Trophy.
In other awards, announced before Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals, Montreal's P.K. Subban won his first Norris Trophy, given to the NHL's top defenseman. Sergei Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets won the Vezina Trophy, given to the NHL's top goaltender. And Florida's Jonathan Huberdeau won the Calder Trophy, given to the NHL's top rookie.
Crosby won the Ted Lindsay Award, which recognizes the league's most outstanding player as voted by fellow members of the NHL Players' Association.
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