LAS VEGAS — Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers has won the Calder Trophy as the NHL rookie of the year.
Myers won the award Wednesday at the NHL Awards ceremony, edging finalists Colorado center Matt Duchene and Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard.
Myers was one of four rookies to play all 82 games. He led the Sabres and all rookies by logging nearly 24 minutes of ice time per game. He was also first among rookies with 137 blocked shots, and third with 48 points.
Duchene, the No. 3 pick in the 2009 draft, led NHL rookies in scoring with 55 points. His 24 goals in 81 games matched the scoring total of the New York Islanders’ John Tavares, who was chosen first overall. The 18-year-old Duchene was second among rookies in assists.
Howard went 37-15-10 with a 2.26 goals-against average for the Red Wings.
Ovechkin picked as most outstanding by NHL players
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has been picked by members of the NHL Players’ Association as the league’s most outstanding player for the third straight year .
Ovechkin won the Ted Lindsay Award on Wednesday at the NHL Awards ceremony, topping Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin.
This marked the first time the award was named after Lindsay. It was previously called the Lester B. Pearson Award.
Ovechkin topped 100 points and 50 goals for the third straight season.
Crosby had a career high 51 goals, tying for the league lead with Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos. Crosby was second with 109 points.
Sedin led the league with 112 points on 29 goals and 83 assists.
Buffalo’s Miller tabbed NHL’s top goaltender
Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller has won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender.
Miller won the award Wednesday at the NHL Awards ceremony in Las Vegas, beating New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur and Phoenix Coyotes goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.
Miller won nine of his first 12 games, leading Buffalo to its second Northeast Division title in four years. He ranked fourth among goalies with 41 wins and was nominated for the award for the first time.
Brodeur failed to win the award a fifth time in nine nominations after leading the league with 45 wins and nine shutouts. He also led NHL goalies in games played and the fewest team goals-against.
Bryzgalov set Coyotes season records for wins and points.
St. Louis picked as NHL’s most well-behaved player
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Martin St. Louis has won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s most well-behaved player.
St. Louis beat out Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk, the Lady Byng winner each of the last four years, and Dallas Stars center Brad Richards at the NHL Awards ceremony on Wednesday.
The Lady Byng is given to the player who shows the best sportsmanship and most gentlemanly conduct, while also displaying skill.
St. Louis had only 12 penalty minutes, the fewest among the NHL’s top 50 scorers.
Datsyuk, who earlier Wednesday won his third straight Frank J.
Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward, was one of three top-50 scorers with fewer than 20 penalty minutes.
Richards was assessed only 14 penalty minutes in 80 games while averaging nearly 21 minutes of ice time.
Phoenix’s Tippett named NHL’s top coach
Dave Tippett of the Phoenix Coyotes has won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s most outstanding coach.
Tippett was honored Wednesday over Colorado’s Joe Sacco and Nashville’s Barry Trotz at the NHL Awards ceremony.
Tippett led the Coyotes to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. The team set franchise records with 50 wins and 107 points.
Phoenix was third in the league with only 2.39 goals allowed per game, down from 3.04 last season.
Sacco led the Avalanche to the playoffs one year after the team finished last in the Western Conference. It was Sacco’s first year as a head coach.
Trotz passed 900 games coached this season, becoming the sixth to reach the milestone with one team.
