Holtby takes home Vezina Trophy

After a stellar record-tying season, Braden Holtby is officially the NHL's best goaltender.

The Washington Capitals netminder won the Vezina Trophy by a landslide on Wednesday night at the NHL Awards.

Holtby won 48 games, tying Martin Brodeur's single-season wins record, as the Capitals marched to the Presidents' Trophy. He finished fourth in Vezina voting last year.

The 26-year-old's 2.20 goals-against average was the lowest of his career, and his .922 save percentage was the second-highest he's posted. He's the Capitals goalie of the present and future, signed through 2019-20.

Holtby is the seventh goalie in history to post back-to-back 40-win seasons, and is the third Capitals goalie to win the Vezina, joining Jim Carey (1996) and Olaf Kolzig (2000).

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Kopitar earns Lady Byng Trophy

Anze Kopitar is cleaning up.

The Los Angeles Kings forward won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy on Wednesday night, awarded to the player best combining sportsmanship and ability, shortly after being named the Selke Trophy winner as the league's top defensive forward.

The newly minted Kings captain captured his first Lady Byng over Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov and Loui Eriksson of the Boston Bruins.

Kopitar led the Kings in scoring for the ninth consecutive season with 74 points in 81 games. He also finished second in the league with a plus-34 rating, and only totaled 16 penalty minutes all season.

The 24-year-old Slovenian is the first King to win the award since Wayne Gretzky took it home in 1994.

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Kings’ Kopitar nabs Selke Trophy

Anze Kopitar is hockey's best defensive forward.

The Los Angeles Kings center won the Selke Trophy on Wednesday night at the NHL Awards. It was his sixth time nominated, and the first time he won. He finished second in Selke voting in 2014, and third last year.

After a slow start to his season offensively, Kopitar found his groove and finished with 74 points, his most since the 2011-12 season.

The 28-year-old led all NHL forwards in ice time, averaging almost 21 minutes a game. He took the fifth-most faceoffs, and ranked seventh in the league in faceoff wins. He finished with a beastly 56.6 percent Corsi For rating, according to Hockey Reference.

Kopitar was named the Kings' 14th captain in franchise history last week, taking over for teammate Dustin Brown. The Slovenian is the first Kings forward to ever win the Selke.

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Capitals’ Barry Trotz named NHL’s top head coach

Barry Trotz of the Washington Capitals won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's best head coach on Wednesday night.

Trotz earned the honor over Florida Panthers head coach Gerard Gallant and Lindy Ruff of the Dallas Stars.

In his second season with the Capitals, Trotz guided them to the Presidents' Trophy with the league's best record of 56-18-8.

The 53-year-old joined Washington before the 2014-15 campaign after 15 seasons behind the bench with the Nashville Predators.

It's the first time Trotz has won the Jack Adams Award, and the first win by a Capitals head coach since Bruce Boudreau in 2008.

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Tarasenko named NHL 17 cover athlete

Vladimir Tarasenko is the face of hockey.

The St. Louis Blues forward was named the EA Sports NHL 17 cover athlete at the NHL Awards ceremony Wednesday night.

Tarasenko was chosen over San Jose Sharks captain Joe Pavelski.

The Blues sniper edged Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn while Pavelski beat out Edmonton Oilers rookie Connor McDavid to advance to the final round of voting.

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Report: Blackhawks exploring trade market for Kruger, Shaw

Stan Bowman is reportedly working the phones.

The Chicago Blackhawks general manager is "shopping Marcus Kruger and putting out feelers on (a) possible trade partner for Andrew Shaw," according to the Chicago Tribune's Chris Kuc.

With the club seemingly forever in a jam with respect to the salary cap, and with free-agent defenseman Brian Campbell reportedly interested in a Chicago return, the Blackhawks may be forced to make some moves.

Kruger, 26, played 41 games with the Blackhawks this past season, recording four assists. He had one assist in seven playoff games. He's signed through 2018-19 at a cap hit of $3.083 million.

Shaw, who turns 25 on July 20, made $2 million against the cap this past season, and is a restricted free agent. He had 14 goals and 20 assists in 2015-16, and had four goals and two assists in six first-round playoff games.

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Doughty wins Norris Trophy

Drew Doughty is the NHL's top defenseman.

The Los Angeles Kings blue-liner won the Norris Trophy on Wednesday night at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas.

Doughty topped two-time winner Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators, and San Jose Sharks All-Star Brent Burns to win the award for the first time in his career.

Doughty didn't produce the same offensive numbers as his fellow finalists, but the 26-year-old suited up in all 82 games for the Kings, logging over 28 minutes per game while chipping in 51 points.

The Norris should fit well in Doughty's trophy case, alongside two Stanley Cup's and two Olympic gold medals.

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