NHL roundup: Three finalists for Hart Trophy named
The NHL announced Friday that Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, Washington Capitals right wing Alex Ovechkin and New York Islanders center John Tavares are the Hart Trophy finalists.
The Hart Trophy winner -- the league's MVP -- will be announced during the Stanley Cup Finals.
Despite missing the final 12 games of the regular season with a broken jaw, Crosby finished fourth in the NHL with 56 points, second with 41 assists.
Ovechkin scored 32 goals to become the first three-time winner of the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the league's leading goal scorer. He had 56 points overall. He led the league with 16 power-play goals, 27 power-play points and 220 shots on goal.
Tavares finished third in the NHL with 28 goals and led the Islanders with 47 points. He was third in the league with 15 goals on the road. Tavares ranked in the top 10 in the NHL with 19 even-strength goals, nine power-play goals and five game-winning goals.
The voting was done by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association and submitted at the end of the regular season.
---Colorado Avalanche executive Joe Sakic has been given a new title - executive vice president of hockey operations - and will be in charge of all hockey-related decisions for the Avs, team owner Stan Kroenke said in a release.
Greg Sherman will remain general manager (under Sakic) and Josh Kroenke (son of the owner) will replace Pierre Lacroix as team president.Lacroix will stay on as an adviser.
---Nashville Predators forward Colin Wilson had stabilization surgery on his left shoulder earlier this week, and it will require about 4-6 months to recover.
Wilson, 23, had 19 points in 25 games before undergoing a similar procedure - on his right shoulder - in April.
