Draisaitl wins Art Ross, Ovechkin shares Rocket as NHL firms up regular season awards
The NHL has made its regular season awards official, shutting down any speculation that future games in the return-to-play protocol could count against the season’s records.
Sharing the league lead in goals with David Pastrnak, the greatest goal scorer in history, Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin secured his record ninth Rocket Richard Trophy with 48 goals. Pastrnak, the prolific sniper with the Boston Bruins, is a first-time recipient of the award, which has been split this season for the first time in 10 years when Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos scored 51 apiece.
Leon Draisaitl, meanwhile, has won the Art Ross Trophy, bagging the first major award with an unrivalled point total and career-best season. The Edmonton Oilers centre scored 43 goals and totalled 110 points, and claims the award by 13 points over teammate Connor McDavid. It’s the first time a pair of teammates have finished one-two in the scoring race in seven seasons.
Draisaitl is also considered the front runner for the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player.
Finally, the Boston Bruins nabbed their third Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history, leading the league with 110 points in 70 games, while netminders Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak will share the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest combined goals.
Rask is a first-time winner, while Halak was previously acknowledged eight years ago with the St. Louis Blues in a tandem with Brian Elliott.
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