Polish the trophies

With Cup in hand, Brodeur sets sights on Vezina, Hart

NHL Award Finalists Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP to his team)   Martin Brodeur, New Jersey  Peter Forsberg, Colorado  Markus Naslund, Vancouver  Frank J. Selke Trophy (Outstanding Defensive Forward)   Jere Lehtinen, Dallas  John Madden, New Jersey  Wes Walz, Minnesota  Calder Memorial Trophy (Outstanding Rookie)   Barret Jackman, St. Louis  Rick Nash, Columbus  Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit  Jack Adams Award (Outstanding Coach)   Jacques Lemaire, Minnesota  Jacques Martin, Ottawa  John Tortorella, Tamba Bay  James Norris Memorial Trophy (Outstanding Defenseman)   Derian Hatcher, Dallas  Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit  Al MacInnis, St. Louis  Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sportsmanship & Gentlemanly Conduct)   Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit  Mike Modano, Dallas  Alexander Mogilny, Toronto  Vezina Trophy (Outstanding Goaltender)   Ed Belfour, Toronto  Martin Brodeur, New Jersey  Marty Turco, Dallas

TORONTO (Ticker) -- Martin Brodeur and John Madden can cap a huge week for the New Jersey Devils on Thursday at the annual NHL awards ceremony.

Just three nights after the Devils captured their third Stanley Cup championship in nine years, Brodeur is a finalist for the Hart Trophy as the league' most valuable player and the Vezina Trophy as its top goaltender.

Madden is one of three finalists for his second Selke Trophy as top defensive forward.

The winners of the Norris, Calder and Lady Byng Trophies and the Jack Adams Award also will be announced during the 90-minute ceremony, which will be televised live in Canada and the United States at 8 p.m. EDT.

Brodeur has been among the league's elite goaltenders during his 10-year career. But individual honors have eluded him. He won the 1994 Calder Trophy as rookie of the year but never has captured the Vezina, finishing second twice and third in 2001.

Balloting was conducted before Brodeur backstopped the Devils to another championship, so voters considered only his regular-season performance. He became the first goalie in NHL history to record four 40-win campaigns and led the league with nine shutouts.

Brodeur is trying to follow in the footsteps of another French-Canadian goalie after Jose Theodore became the third player in NHL history to win the Hart and Vezina Trophies in the same season.

Vying with Brodeur for the Hart are Colorado Avalanche center Peter Forsberg and Vancouver Canucks captain Markus Naslund. Forsberg led the league in scoring with 29 goals and 77 assists in 75 games and Naslund, his Swedish countryman, was right behind with 48 goals and 56 assists in 82 games.

The other Vezina finalists are Marty Turco of the Dallas Stars and Ed Belfour of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Turco succeeded Belfour as the Stars' No. 1 goalie and posted a 1.72 goals-against average, the lowest in the NHL's modern era. A two-time winner, Belfour was third in the league with 37 wins and tied with Turco for fifth with seven shutouts.

One of the NHL's most dangerous penalty-killers, Madden is joined as a Selke finalist by two-time winner Jere Lehtinen of the Stars and Minnesota Wild center Wes Walz.

Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings is trying to become the first player since Bobby Orr to win three straight Norris Trophies as the NHL's top defenseman. He is vying with 1999 winner Al MacInnis of the St. Louis Blues and first-time finalist Derian Hatcher of the Stars.

MacInnis' defense partner on the Blues, 22-year-old Barret Jackman is one of the finalists for the Calder Trophy. The others are versatile Red Wings left wing Henrik Zetterberg and Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Rick Nash.

Lidstrom also is a finalist for the fifth straight season for the Lady Byng Trophy, which goes to the league's most gentlemanly player. Mike Modano of the Stars and Alexander Mogilny of the Toronto Maple Leafs are first-time finalists.

The three finalists for the Adams Award as coach of the year have something in common - they got their teams past the first round of the playoffs.

Jacques Lemaire took the upstart Wild to the Western Conference finals. Jacques Martin of the Ottawa Senators won the Presidents' Trophy before losing to New Jersey in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference finals. And John Tortorella's Tampa Bay Lightning were eliminated by the Devils in the conference semifinals after defeating the Washington Capitals for the first playoff series victory in franchise history.

Boston Bruins defenseman Bryan Berard, Red Wings center Steve Yzerman and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim center Steve Rucchin are finalists for the Bill Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Other awards will be presented Thursday. Forsberg will receive the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer and Avalanche teammate Milan Hejduk will get the Maurice Richard Trophy after pacing the league with 50 goals.

Brodeur will share the Jennings Trophy with Robert Esche and Roman Cechmanek after the Devils and Philadelphia Flyers gave up an NHL-low 166 goals. Cechmanek was traded to the Los Angeles Kings last month.

 

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