Anaheim Ducks’ Corey Perry named NHL’s Most Valuable Player with Hart Trophy -2011 NHL Awards Update
It was a surprising moment for the whole National Hockey League (NHL) and especially for Anaheim Ducks’ young right winger, Corey Perry, who was all chocked up at the moment his name was called as the winner of this year’s Hart Trophy at the 2011 NHL Awards
at the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on Wednesday.
Perry was up against very tough competitors including Daniel Sedin, who had led his team, Vancouver Canucks, to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in nearly 19 years and Martin St. Louis of Tampa Bay Lightning, the third contender for the prestigious
award who had contributed greatly to his team’s run-up until the time it was eliminated by Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals.
"(I) didn't know what to expect coming in and all of sudden you hear your name and you're like 'woah'," said Perry after he won his first Hart Trophy. "It surprised me. I've got to give a lot of credit to my teammates and I've got a lot of family and friends
here so it's pretty special".
The 26-year-old finished off the regular season on a high note and lifted Anaheim Ducks to the fifth position of the Western Conference entering the playoffs after nearly being eliminated. He ranked number one overall in the league in goals scored with 50
along with potting 48 assists for a total of 98 points.
Anaheim played well against Nashville Predators but was eliminated in game six of the quarterfinals.
The Canadian native from Peterborough, Ontario, really showed off a MVP capable performance during the final 16 games of the season in which he scored 19 goals and became the only player to reach the half century.
Perry still has a lot to soak in since it is the first time he has won the MVP award and realising that his name has been added to the list, including legends like Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and Mario Lemieux.
"I haven't sat down and looked at it, but obviously you do know who is on that list and on that trophy", said Perry. "It's a pretty remarkable list, just in the recent years, the guys that have won this”.
Corey Perry will be starting his sixth consecutive season with Ducks and having the MVP award under his belt will make him a different player overall.
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