Ovechkin, Price, Tavares named Hart Trophy finalists
Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price and New York Islanders forward John Tavares were named finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy, given to the National Hockey League’s Most Valuable Player.
The winner will be announced at the NHL awards June 24 in Las Vegas. Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby won the award last season.
Ovechkin, a three-time winner of the award and five-time finalist, led the NHL in goals scored for the third straight season.
He finished with 81 points (53 goals, 28 assists) in leading the Capitals to their seventh postseason appearance in the past eight seasons. Ovechkin also had a +10 plus/minus rating, after compiling a -35 rating last season.
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Price led the NHL and set a franchise-record with 44 wins, also leading the NHL in goals-against average (1.96) and save percentage (.933), becoming the first goaltender to lead the NHL in all three categories since 1990-91. The last goalie to win the Hart Trophy Jose Theodore of the Canadiens in 2001-02.
Tavares had career highs in goals (38) and points (86) for the Islanders, who got back to the playoffs after finishing last season with the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference. He finished third in the Hart Trophy voting in 2012-13.
- Scooby Axson