Joe Thornton and Alexander Ovechkin were the top winners at the annual National Hockey League awards ceremony Thursday in Vancouver, Canada.
Thornton won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player, having led the San Jose Sharks to a fifth-place finish in the Western Conference after he was traded from Boston last November. Thornton was the league's top scorer with 125 points.
Ovechkin, 20, received the Calder Trophy for being the NHL's rookie of the year. The Russian sensation scored 106 points for the Washington Capitals, becoming just the second rookie in league history to score 50 goals and 100 points.
Ovechkin beat out Sidney Crosby, 18, of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who was the youngest player to earn 100 points in a season.
The New York Rangers' Jaromir Jagr, who finished second behind Thornton for the Hart Trophy, was chosen by his fellow players to receive his third straight Lester B. Pearson Award for most outstanding player. Jagr won the Hart award in 1999 with Pittsburgh.
Calgary Flames goaltender Mikka Kirprusoff won the Vezina Trophy, while Nicklas Lindstrom of the Detroit Red Wings won his fourth Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman.
Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff won the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year. He edged out Peter Laviolette of the Carolina Hurricanes, this season's Stanley Cup champs, by one point.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.