Connor McDavid, Linus Ullmark big winners at NHL Awards Show
Connor McDavid of the Oilers poses with the Hart Trophy during the 2023 NHL Awards at Bridgestone Arena on Monday in Nashville. Credit: Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
Vezina Trophy finalist Ilya Sorokin correctly figured the Bruins’ Linus Ullmark would win the award as the NHL’s best goalie.
After all, the Islanders netminder reasoned, Ullmark did score a goal this season.
“I’m proud to be here,” Sorokin told the media before Monday night’s NHL Awards Show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. “One thing I know, 200%, is how Ullmark plays with his stick. When he scored a goal, I said, ‘Well, give it to him.’ ”
Sorokin finished second to Ullmark in the Vezina balloting and Islanders captain Anders Lee was a runner-up to the Flames’ Mikael Backlund for the King Clancy Trophy for leadership and community humanitarian efforts. The Rangers’ Adam Fox of Jericho was second to the Sharks’ Erik Karlsson for the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman.
Fox, who had 12 goals and 60 assists and won the Norris in 2021, was selected to the NHL first All-Star team as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. Sorokin and the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin (29 goals, 63 assists) were voted to the second team.
The Oilers’ Connor McDavid was a near-unanimous winner of the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP as voted by the PHWA, garnering 195 of the 196 first-place votes after leading the league with 64 goals and 89 assists for 153 points.
McDavid won his third Hart Trophy. For the fourth time, he won the Ted Lindsay Award as the league’s most outstanding player as decided by his peers in the NHL Players’ Association.
Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark and Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin (inset). Credit: Jim McIsaac; Getty Images
“It’s the most prestigious award we give out,” McDavid said.
Karlsson won the Norris for the third time after compiling 25 goals and 76 assists to become the first defenseman since the Rangers’ Brian Leetch in 1991-92 to top 100 points. Last season’s winner, the Avalanche’s Cale Makar, was the third finalist after recording 17 goals and 49 assists in 60 games.
“Whenever you’re recognized in the top three of your position, it’s a huge honor,” Fox told the media in Nashville before the event. “You’re not playing for those awards, but when you get recognized for it, it’s definitely a nice feeling.”
Sorokin was a Vezina finalist for the first time after going 31-22-7 with a 2.34 goals-against average, a .924 save percentage and a league-best six shutouts.
But Ullmark went 40-6-1 with a league-best 1.89 GAA and .938 save percentage. He scored an empty-net goal in the Bruins’ 3-1 win over the Canucks on Feb. 25.
The Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, who won the Vezina in 2020, was the third finalist after going 37-25-2 with a 2.49 GAA and .920 save percentage.
“It’s a huge honor,” Ullmark, who earned 22 first-place votes to Sorokin’s three, said when presented the trophy. “First, I want to congratulate Ilya and Connor for a terrific season. It’s always fun to play against you guys on those nights.”
The Oilers’ Darnell Nurse was the other King Clancy finalist.
“I think there’s a phenomenal desire from guys throughout the whole league to give back to their communities,” Lee told Newsday before the event. “I’m not doing anything any different from those guys. So it really is a big honor.”
The Kraken’s Matty Beniers (24 goals, 33 assists) won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie. The Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron won his NHL-record sixth Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward.
The Kings’ Anze Kopitar won his second Lady Byng Award as the league’s “most gentlemanly” player with 28 goals, 46 assists and only four penalty minutes in 82 games. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang won the Bill Masterton Trophy for dedication to hockey.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
