BLAKE TAKES NORRIS.Byline: Roger Phillips Long Beach Press-Telegram The Long Beach Press-Telegram is a major daily newspaper published in Long Beach, California. Tracing its history to 1897, it is currently published by the Los Angeles Newspaper Group. External links
Rob Blake started hearing it almost from the moment he arrived in Los Angeles eight years ago. He wasn't simply the Kings' top defenseman. His name, it seemed, became ``Future Norris Trophy Winner Rob Blake.'' Only it seemed as if the future would never arrive. Thursday night, however, the Kings' 28-year-old star strode to the podium in Toronto at the National Hockey League's awards ceremonies after being named winner of the Norris Trophy, presented annually to the league's top defenseman. ``I was a little nervous,'' said Blake, who beat out fellow finalists Chris Pronger of St. Louis and Nicklas Lidstrom of Detroit. ``It's a great feeling. There's nothing to really explain it.'' Blake was one of a number of players and coaches honored Thursday. Buffalo goaltender Dominik Hasek dominated the night, winning the Hart Trophy for the second straight year as the league's most valuable player and the Vezina as the NHL's top goalie. Earlier, Hasek won the Pearson award, the players' counterpart to the Hart, which is voted on by hockey writers. In other presentations, Boston left wing Sergei Samsonov won the Calder Trophy (top rookie), Dallas right wing Jere Lehtinen won the Selke (best defensive forward), St. Louis goalie Jamie McLennan won the Masterton (the NHL's version of the comeback award), Pittsburgh center Ron Francis won the Lady Byng (gentlemanly play) and Boston's Pat Burns won the Adams (top coach, edging finalists Larry Robinson of the Kings and Ken Hitchcock of Dallas). As for Blake, the Norris Trophy represented the culmination of a comeback from a series of major injuries, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament anterior cruciate ligament n. Abbr. ACL The cruciate ligament of the knee that crosses from the anterior intercondylar area of the tibia to the posterior part of the lateral condyle of the femur. in his left knee that sidelined him for all but six games during the 1995-96 season. On his way to becoming the first King ever to win the Norris, Blake led NHL NHL Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, see there defensemen with a career-high 23 goals as the Kings made the playoffs for the first time in five years. ``A couple of years ago, I wondered if I could get back to my level of play,'' said Blake, who earlier this year played for Team Canada and was named the top defenseman at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. ``It's a tribute to the medical staff. That was the key to getting me to where I wanted to be.'' Blake also credited Robinson, a Hall of Fame defenseman who is his coach and once was his defense partner. These are busy times for Blake. Saturday, he is scheduled to be married in Southern California. Wednesday, he becomes a restricted free agent. Blake and the Kings have said they don't anticipate problems coming to terms. THE ENVELOPE PLEASE Winners of the 1997-98 NHL awards, presented Thursday night at the Toronto Metro Convention Centre (voting is by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, except Vezina, which is awarded by NHL general managers This is a List of General Managers in the National Hockey League. In the National Hockey League, the General Manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the hockey club during contract discussions with players. , and Adams, which is determined by a poll of NHL Broadcasters' Association members): Hart Memorial Trophy <onlyinclude>The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in the National Hockey League. (MVP) - Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Vezina Trophy (goaltender) - Dominik Hasek, Buffalo James Norris Memorial Trophy This article is about the National Hockey League award. For the International Hockey League award, see James Norris Memorial Trophy (IHL). The James Norris Memorial Trophy (defenseman) - Rob Blake, Kings Calder Memorial Trophy <onlyinclude>The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League."[1] The award has been awarded 70 times since its beginnings in 1937. (rookie) - Sergei Samsonov, Boston Frank J. Selke Trophy The Frank J. Selke Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association following the regular season. (defensive forward) - Jere Lehtinen, Dallas Lady Byng Memorial Trophy The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability". (most gentlemanly) - Ron Francis, Pittsburgh Jack Adams Award The Jack Adams Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League coach "adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success."[1] It has been awarded 33 times to 28 different winners. (coach) - Pat Burns, Boston King Clancy Trophy (humanitarian contribution to hockey) - Kelly Chase, St. Louis CAPTION(S): Photo, Box PHOTO After eight years and numerous injuries, the Kings' Rob Blake clutches the Norris Trophy. John Lehmann/Associated Press BOX: THE ENVELOPE PLEASE (see text) |
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