The scoring champ, along with Brad Richards, also could win the Lady Byng, and John Tortorella has another shot at coach of the year.
By JOANNE KORTH
Published April 22, 2004
BRANDON - Martin St. Louis is honored but, with all due respect, has more important things to think about than adding individual awards to his trophy case.
He'd rather have one day with the Stanley Cup.
St. Louis, who led the NHL in scoring during the regular season, is among three finalists announced Wednesday for the Hart Trophy, given to the most valuable player. He also is nominated for the Lady Byng, which recognizes sportsmanship.
The other finalists for the Hart are Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur, who led the league with 38 wins and was fourth in goals-against average at 2.03, and Jarome Iginla, who tied for the league lead in goals with 41 and led Calgary to the playoffs for the first time since 1995-96. "I'm flattered by that, but these awards are about the regular season," St. Louis said. "They're not about what we're going through right now. That's all done and over with. There are a lot bigger and better things right now than those kinds of awards."
The same goes for coach John Tortorella, a finalist for the Adams as top coach, and Brad Richards, who joins St. Louis as a Lady Byng finalist.
Winners of the seven awards will be announced June 10. Opinions were easier to find when it came to the absence of St. Louis or Fredrik Modin among finalists for the Selke, presented to the best defensive forward. St. Louis tied for the league lead at plus-35 and had a league-best eight short-handed goals. Modin, better known for his booming slap shot, was plus-31 with 29 goals and a career-best 57 points.
"One guy who deserves it more than anybody is Mo," St. Louis said. "I'm surprised he's not nominated. He does everything in that part of the game. And to score 29 goals while he's doing that. ... He's a big reason I have eight short-handed goals during the season."
Tortorella, who guided Tampa Bay to a franchise-best 46-22-8-6 record and the No. 1 seed in the East, deflected the individual attention. But captain Dave Andreychuk said the no-nonsense coach has his vote.
"He's stepped up his level from last year," Andreychuk said. "From the season we had last year, he's made a lot of players in this room play a lot better. And to me, that's the sign of a good coach."
Tortorella, who finished second last season, considered it a compliment to the franchise.
"It's not about me," he said. "I think that nomination shouldn't be an individual thing. I think it sheds light on the fact that our team has played pretty well this year and the organization has gone about it the right way. I will say, on behalf of the organization, that it's an honor. It's good for the organization."
When it came to St. Louis, who captured the Art Ross as the league's leading scorer with 94 points (38 goals, 56 assists), Tortorella was direct.
"I think that vote's done," he said. "I think he's the MVP of the league."
While St. Louis stays focused on the team, longtime friend and teammate Eric Perrin knows the Hart would be a tremendous reward for a hard-working player who has fought to overcome his size - 5 feet 9, 185 pounds - at every level of the game.
"I can't think for him. But for what I see, it's a reward for all the hard work he put in and his dedication and the passion that he shows toward the game," said Perrin, also a teammate at the University of Vermont. "To him, it's just a big, big reward."
The Professional Hockey Writers Association votes for five trophies: Hart, Norris for top defenseman, Selke, Calder for top rookie and Lady Byng. The NHL Broadcasters' Association votes for the Adams and the league's general managers the Vezina for the top goaltender. Voting was done at the end of the regular season.
