STOCKHOLM, (OTHL) -- As usual the OTHL Award Ceremony takes place shortly after the conclusion of the playoffs. And as usual the stars are lined up to receive the accolades from there peers, and from the general managers around the league. And as usual, there is bound to be some surprise winners as the night goes on. This years biggest surprise, even if it was not major surprise, was when Evgeni Malkin won the Calder Trophy, most people thought that Vancouvers rookie net minder Henrik Lundqvist was a shoe in for the rookie award, but instead it went to San Jose's young Russian.
The Hart Memorial Trophy was given to Marty Turco, after his marvelous season with the Washington Capitals when he guided them to the #1 spot in the eastern confernece. Fellow netminder Roberto Luongo took home the Vezina Trophy, as the leagues top goaltender. He won the Vezina only 2 points a head of Marty Turco, who won the award last season.
Petr Sykora surprise some people when he took home the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the leagues top defensive forward. With Sykora winning the award, the Bruins strangle hold of the trophy was broken. Last season Jere Lehtinen took the award as a Bruin, and the season before, his teammate Michal Handzus won it. Mattias Öhlund was another winner who broke a winning run, as he was awarded with the Norris Trophy, a trophy Scott Niedermayer has won the two previous seasons.
Joe Sakic who had a great season, but fell in the Art Ross race when Alex Tanguay flew past in the dying days of the season, was awarded with the Masterton Memorial Trophy and the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as the leagues leading passer.
Biggest cheer of the night came when the Maurice Richard Trophy was handed out, and Simon Gagne, Alexander Ovechkin, Alex Tanguay and Marek Svatos were all called up to the stage as they recived the trophy together. All four players ended the season with 43 goals, and the league decided to give all four players the award.
Last trophy to be handed out, was the OTHL GM of the Year, which was given to both Dan Fillion and Ryan Caster for there work with Washington Capitals. Turning the bottom dwelling Capitals, into a cup contender.
OTHL AWARDS