McDavid cleans up at NHL Awards with four honors

NASHVILLE >> No unfamiliar tunes were played on a predictable Music City Monday night.

As expected, Connor McDavid once again cemented his status as the best player in the world at the NHL Awards.

The 26-year-old Edmonton Oilers superstar tied a league record by winning four individual awards in a single season, taking home a third Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player as voted by the media and a fourth Ted Lindsay Award as league MVP as voted by his peers to go along with his previously earned fifth Art Ross Trophy for having posted the most points in the NHL with a whopping career-high 153, as well as his first Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for leading the league in goals 64, also a career-best.

There were largely no surprises at the event, with the majority of the winners winning by the large margins that were expected heading into it. That’s not to say there weren’t a handful of special moments, however, led by Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery’s acceptance speech of his Jack Adams Award as the league’s best bench boss, one in which he acknowledged his issues with alcohol that cost his job with the Dallas Stars several years ago, and how he hopes to inspire others with the path he’s taken since.

“I have found that being vulnerable creates a trust more than anything,” he told reporters afterwards.

“Being vulnerable is actually a strength. Everybody has their things that they battle in life — whether it’s someone in their family, someone else, mental health — and people need support. It’s important to know that people aren’t alone, and I’m very lucky that I’m not alone.”

Seattle Kraken forward Matty Beniers also took home Calder Trophy honors as the league’s best rookie, living up to the hype as the second overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft to pot 24 goals and add 33 assists in 80 games this season. The former University of Michigan standout jumped straight to the game’s highest level after his collegiate career came to an end in 2021-22, and says the ten games of experience he gained then were instrumental in helping prepare for his full, true rookie year.

“It definitely prepared me,” Beniers said. “It kind of gives you a feel for what it is like getting games playing against these obviously great players. The intensity of games, how many games you’re playing in a week, which is obviously different than at Michigan. It’s a big jump for guys that come out of college, how many games you’re playing, so you’re just getting a little taste of everything, which was a huge help going into that (past) summer.”

A full list of winners can be found below:

BILL MASTERTON MEMORIAL TROPHY >> Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins

CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY >> Matty Beniers, Seattle Kraken

E.J. MCGUIRE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE >> Connor Bedard, Regina Pats (WHL)

FRANK J. SELKE TROPHY >> Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins

HART MEMORIAL TROPHY >> Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

JACK ADAMS AWARD >> Jim Montgomery, Boston Bruins

JAMES NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY >> Erik Karlsson, San Jose Sharks KING CLANCY MEMORIAL TROPHY >> Mikael Backlund, Calgary Flames LADY BYNG MEMORIAL TROPHY >> Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings MARK MESSIER NHL LEADERSHIP AWARD >> Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning

TED LINDSAY AWARD >> Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

VEZINA TROPHY >> Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins