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Friday 23 June 2017
Edmonton’s Connor McDavid wins first Hart Trophy as NHL MVP

By GREG BEACHAM “I’m so proud to be in Ed- Anderson left the Senators know that he is going to do revival for the best season
AP Hockey Writer monton,” McDavid said. during the season to sup- great things here.” in franchise history.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Connor “I’m so proud to be an port his wife, Nicholle, in her Bergeron also won the Burns beat out Ottawa’s
McDavid won his first Hart Oiler, and so proud to play fight against throat cancer, Selke in 2012, 2014 and Erik Karlsson for the Norris in
Trophy. Hardly anybody in with the guys.” but returned to become 2015. The two-way Bruins a duel of two 70-point scor-
hockey believes it will be McDavid is the third-young- Ottawa’s career victories star beat out Anaheim’s ers. Burns doesn’t think of-
his last. est player to win the award. leader. Ryan Kesler and joined Bob fensive numbers alone de-
The Edmonton captain Only Crosby and Wayne Calgary’s Johnny Gaud- Gainey as the only players termine the Norris winner.
claimed the award as the Gretzky claimed the Hart reau won the Lady Byng to win the Selke four times. “That’s the way I play the
NHL’s most valuable play- as teenagers. Trophy for sportsmanlike Bergeron paid tribute to game,” Burns said. “For me
er Wednesday night at Boston center Patrice play. Gainey after the Montreal to be successful, to help
the league’s postseason Bergeron won the Selke The league also revealed great presented the award the team, I’ve got to help
awards show at T-Mobile Trophy for the fourth time the results of the Golden to him. create offense and get
Arena, the new home of as the NHL’s best defensive Knights’ expansion draft “I think it’s the way that into the plays. If I’m not do-
the expansion Vegas Gold- forward, and San Jose’s during the show, with for- he played the game hard ing that, if I’m not skating
en Knights. Brent Burns won his first Nor- mer Pittsburgh goalie and was always in the right and creating things, then
McDavid also won the Ted ris Trophy as the top defen- Marc-Andre Fleury getting position,” Bergeron said. I’m not really doing much
Lindsay Award, given to the seman. Toronto center Aus- wild cheers from an arena “Not only him on the ice, out there.”
league’s most outstanding ton Matthews easily took filled with new fans of the but also him off the ice as Matthews was the no-
performer in a vote of his the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s 31st franchise. a role model, as a person, brainer choice for the
fellow players. He already league’s top rookie, and While Crosby didn’t claim I’ve always respected him Calder after his 69-point
knew he would win the Columbus goalie Sergei the Hart, the back-to-back for that. It was special to rookie season for the Leafs,
Art Ross Trophy as the NHL who hadn’t had a Calder
scoring champion. Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers poses with the Art Ross Trophy, left, the Hart Memorial winner since Brit Selby in
“To see the trophies up Trophy, center, and the Ted Lindsay Award after winning the honors during the NHL Awards, 1966.
Wednesday, June 21, 2017, in Las Vegas.
close and personal, touch The Arizona-raised center
them, get your picture with was grateful to accept the
them, it makes it a little Bobrovsky won his second Stanley Cup champion receive that award from award in Las Vegas, where
more real,” McDavid said. Vezina Trophy. won the Richard Trophy as him, because he was such he hopes more desert kids
“Today is a very special Nashville’s David Poile was the NHL’s top goal-scorer. an important player for the will be inspired by the Gold-
day in my life, for sure.” named the NHL’s top ex- “I haven’t even thought NHL.” en Knights.
The honors capped a re- ecutive after the Predators’ about that, to be hon- Bobrovsky got 25 of the 30 “I think it’s going to be
markable sophomore sea- first Western Conference est with you,” Crosby said. first-place votes to outdis- great,” Matthews said. “For
son for the 20-year-old cen- title, and Columbus’ John “Been a lot of things going tance Braden Holtby and myself, when the Coyotes
ter, who won his first scoring Tortorella won the Jack on.” Carey Price after lead- moved (to Phoenix), that’s
title and led the Oilers back Adams Award as the top Crosby was sorry to part ing the league with a 2.06 how I got into hockey. See-
to the Stanley Cup playoffs coach. ways with Fleury, his long- goals-against average and ing the teams in California
after an 11-year absence. Ottawa goalie Craig An- time teammate in Pitts- a .931 save percentage. kind of encouraged kids
The former No. 1 pick beat derson won the Bill Mas- burgh. Bobrovsky, the first Russian growing up to pick up the
out fellow finalists Sergei Bo- terton Trophy for persever- “I’ll let him know how weird to win the award twice, stick and start playing. (The
brovsky of Columbus and ance, sportsmanship and it was seeing him in a jersey and Tortorella played ma- Golden Knights) will defi-
Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby. dedication to hockey. like that,” Crosby said. “I jor roles in the Blue Jackets’ nitely grow the game.”q

After Giro crash, Thomas back to support Froome in Tour

PARIS (AP) — Chris Froome and posting three more to beat.
will have support rider podium finishes to claim the “We’re ready as a team
Geraint Thomas alongside mountains classification. and I can’t wait for the Tour
him again as he pursues a Henao and Landa should to start now. Honestly, I just
fourth Tour de France title in also escort Froome in the love it. It’s a feeling that you
five years. mountains. don’t get from any other
Thomas opened the Froome won the Tour in race,” Froome said.
year aiming for victory in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Jacques Anquetil, Eddy
the Giro d’Italia but was “Aiming for that fourth Merckx, Bernard Hinault
forced to abandon that victory has given me a lot and Miguel Indurain share
race because of injuries of motivation,” Froome the record with five Tour
sustained in a crash caused said. “To me, each Tour tells wins each — after Lance
by a police motorbike. a different story. Every Tour Armstrong was stripped
Thomas recently returned in is a different battle in terms of his seven victories for
the Route du Sud and gives of getting that yellow jersey doping.
Team Sky a second overall and then trying to hold on “To win the Tour once is
option if Froome struggles. to it.” a huge achievement,
Also named to Sky’s squad Froome preceded each of but to win it a fourth time
Thursday were: Sergio his Tour victories by winning would be remarkable,”
Henao, Vasil Kiryienka, the Criterium du Dauphine Sky team principal Dave Sebastien Henao Gomez from Colombia of Team Sky
Christian Knees, Michal but he finished only fourth Brailsford said. “We’ve competes during the prologue, a 6 km race against the clock,
Kwiatkowski, Mikel Landa, in the warm-up race this selected a strong and with start and finish in Cham, Switzerland, at the 81st Tour de
Mikel Nieve and Luke Rowe. year — with former Sky experienced lineup who Suisse UCI ProTour cycling race, on Saturday, June 10, 2017.
Landa was injured in the teammate Richie Porte will support (Froome), and Associated Press
same Giro crash as Thomas taking victory. But the we’ll be looking to use the
but stayed in the race, Kenyan-born British rider strength of the team to our The Tour begins July 1 in in Paris three weeks later.q
winning the 19th stage believes he’s still the man advantage.” Duesseldorf and concludes