Toronto, Ontario (My Sportsbook) - Peter Forsberg of the
Colorado Avalanche has won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player in the National Hockey League.
Forsberg accepted the trophy at the NHL's annual awards ceremony on Thursday night in Toronto. The Swedish center led the NHL in 2002-03 in points with 106 and assists with 77.
Forsberg scored 29 goals to help Colorado win a record ninth straight Northwest Division title. He also led the NHL with a plus-52 rating after missing all of the 2001-2002 season because of having his spleen removed and surgeries on both ankles.
Forsberg also picked up the Art Ross Trophy for leading the NHL in points.
Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings was honored with the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. Lidstrom won the award for the third straight season and has been nominated six years in a row. He finished third among defensemen in scoring (62 points) and led the league in ice time per game (29:20) during the 2002-03 campaign.
Lidstrom is the first player since Boston's Bobby Orr to be selected the top defenseman for three straight years. Orr won eight consecutive Norris Trophies from 1968-75.
Jacques Lemaire of the Minnesota Wild was honored with the Jack Adams Award as the coach of the year. Lemaire, who also won the award in 1994 with the Devils, guided the Wild to a 22-point improvement over the 2001-2002 season. Lemaire coached the Wild all the way to the Western Conference Finals before the Ducks ended their season.
Martin Brodeur of the Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils was honored with the Vezina Trophy as the National Hockey League's top goalie. This was Brodeur's first Vezina and his fourth Vezina nomination. Brodeur led all goaltenders in victories (41) and shutouts (nine) this season. He was also a finalist for the Hart Trophy.
Just three days ago Brodeur shut out Anaheim in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. It was his record-setting seventh shutout of the 2002-03 postseason. He finished second to Dominik Hasek in Vezina voting in 1997 and 1998 and was third in 2001 when Hasek won it again.
The netminder was also the co-winner of the William M. Jennings Trophy, given to the goaltender(s) with more than 25 appearances on the club allowing the fewest goals in the regular season. Brodeur shares the award with the Roman Cechmanek and Robert Esche, the Philadelphia Flyers goaltending duo in 2002-03.
St. Louis Blues defenseman Barret Jackman was awarded the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie. Jackman led his team in plus/minus with a plus-23.
Dallas Stars right wing Jere Lehtinen was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy, given to the league's best defensive forward. Lehtinen is now a three-time winner of the award and a five-time finalist.
Colorado's Milan Hejduk took home the Maurice Richard Trophy for scoring a league-leading 50 goals.
Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is presented for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
Maple Leafs' forward Alexander Mogilny won the 2003 Lady Byng Trophy as the league's most gentlemanly player, edging out Mike Modano and Lidstrom.
Left winger Brendan Shanahan of the Detroit Red Wings was presented with the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his leadership and humanitarian contribution to his community.
Markus Naslund, a finalist for the Hart Trophy, was named the recipient of the 2003 Lester B. Pearson Award as the most outstanding player during the regular season. The award, which was presented at the Hockey Hall of Fame earlier on Thursday, is given by voters of the National Hockey League Players' Association.
Naslund finished second to Hejduk in goals with 48 and second to Forsberg in points with 104. The 29-year-old winger beat out Forsberg and Boston centerman Joe Thornton for the honor.
