Monday, June 17, 2013

Toews, St. Louis Claim Awards

Former college stars heralded among the best of the NHL.

Former college stars heralded among the best of the NHL.
Former North Dakota star Jonathan Toews won the Selke Trophy Wednesday night.

Jonathan Toews and Martin St. Louis – who both finished among the top nine in the NHL’s Hart Trophy voting for Most Valuable Player – both claimed major awards unveiled by the league Friday and Saturday night.

Toews, the North Dakota product and current Chicago Blackhawks’ captain, won the Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward in the NHL. Former Vermont star St. Louis, who had already claimed the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer, also won the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly play.

NCAA Alums to Win NHL Awards | NHL.com Coverage | In the NHL

In addition, St. Lawrence alum Ray Shero was named the NHL’s General Manager of the Year for his work leading the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Toews claimed the Selke for the first time after ranking second in the league on faceoffs (59.9%) and third in plus/minus (+28). It marks the eighth time a college alum has won the award, dating back to another North Dakota alum – Troy Murray – in 1986. Two other former WCHA stars joined Toews in the top nine of the Selke voting, as David Backes (Minnesota State) finished fifth and Derek Stepan (Wisconsin) was ninth.

St. Louis won his trophies for the second (Art Ross) and third (Lady Byng) times. He reclaimed the Lady Byng for the third time in four years after winning it in back-to-back seasons in 2010 and ’11. Another former ECAC star, Cornell’s Matt Moulson, was also among the Lady Byng finalists, finishing third.

With Toews’s win, North Dakota alums have now claimed 12 major NHL awards, matching Cornell for the most of any school. St. Louis and Vermont rank third with 11.