Sharks’ Burns wins top defenseman award
Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks won his first Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman at the league’s annual postseason awards show Wednesday night at T-Mobile Arena, the new home of the expansion Vegas Golden Knights.
Burns beat out Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson for the Norris in a duel of 70-point scorers. Burns doesn’t think offensive numbers alone determine the Norris winner.
“That’s the way I play the game,” Burns said. “For me to be successful, to help the team, I’ve got to help create offense and get into the plays. If I’m not doing that, if I’m not skating and creating things, then I’m not really doing much out there.”
Connor McDavid won his first Hart Trophy award as the NHL’s most valuable player. He also won the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the league’s most outstanding performer in a vote of his fellow players.
The honors capped a remarkable sophomore season for the 20-year-old center, who won the scoring title and led the Oilers back to the Stanley Cup playoffs after an 11-year absence. The former No. 1 pick beat out fellow finalists Sergei Bobrovsky of Columbus and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby.
“I’m so proud to be in Edmonton,” McDavid said. “I’m so proud to be an Oiler, and so proud to play with the guys.”
Others winners were Boston center Patrice Bergeron, Selke Trophy (best defensive forward); Toronto center Auston Matthews, Calder Trophy (top rookie); Bobrovsky, Vezina Trophy (top goalie); Nashville’s David Poile, top executive; Columbus’ John Tortorella, Jack Adams Award (top coach); Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson, Bill Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey; and Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau, Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanlike play). Schlemko drafted: Sharks defenseman David Schlemko, Stanley Cup-winning goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, defensemen Marc Methot and Alexei Emelin, 30-goal scorer Jonathan Marchessault and forwards David Perron and James Neal were among the players selected by the Golden Knights in the NHL expansion draft.
Golden Knights owner Bill Foley and general manager George McPhee announced their choices during the awards show.
Fleury took the stage in a Golden Knights jersey to wild cheers from his new home fans. The three-time Cup winner lost his starting job with the backto-back champion Penguins, but he’ll get to start over in the desert with two years on his contract.
Other picks included defensemen Trevor van Riemsdyk and Brayden McNabb, and forward Oscar Lindberg.
The Golden Knights also announced additional acquisitions of a handful of veterans and free agents, including Anaheim defenseman Shea Theodore and Florida forward Reilly Smith. Sharks season opener: The NHL’s 2017-18 season will open Oct. 4, and the Sharks will host the Philadelphia Flyers as one of four games on Opening Night.
The league announced home openers Wednesday. The complete 2017-18 schedule will be released Thursday.
San Jose has the longest active season-opener winning streak at seven.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins also open Oct. 4, raising their latest title banner before hosting the St. Louis Blues. Hossa out for season: Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa will miss the 2017-18 season because of a progressive skin disorder.
Hossa stunned the NHL by announcing he won’t play next season because of severe side effects from medication to treat a progressive disorder he has been dealing with for years. At 38, he may have played his last NHL game in a career that many believe will land him in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“Playing hockey is not possible for me during the upcoming 2017-18 season,” Hossa said. “While I am disappointed that I will not be able to play, I have to consider the severity of my condition and how the treatments have impacted my life both on and off the ice.”
Hossa has been a major part of the Blackhawks’ core during their run of three Stanley Cup titles in six seasons.