Lemieux MVP, Kariya Wins Lady Byng

Mario Lemieux’s inspirational return to the NHL was capped Wednesday night when he was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s most valuable player for the third time.

Lemieux, who sat out the entire 1994-95 season to rest an ailing back and to recover from the chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s disease, returned to lead the league in scoring and the Penguins to the fourth-best record in the NHL.

But despite winning his fifth Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer, Lemieux, 30, felt his play slipped this past season.

“It was frustrating not reaching the same levels I did in the past,” said Lemieux, who had 69 goals and 92 assists in 70 games. “Maybe I’ve lost a step or two.”

Mark Messier of the New York Rangers and Eric Lindros of Philadelphia were the other finalists in voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Assn. It was the first time since 1971 all three finalists were former winners.

Paul Kariya became the first Mighty Duck to win an NHL postseason award when he was given the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the league’s most gentlemanly player.

The award, won by Wayne Gretzky three times in the previous five seasons, generally goes to a high-scoring forward with low penalty-minute totals.

Kariya accumulated only 20 penalty minutes while scoring 50 goals and 108 points last season, his second in the NHL.

“It means a lot when you look at the past winners of the award--Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull, Ron Francis. It’s nice company to be in,” said Kariya, who also was named a first-team all-star.

“‘Paul’s a class act and really represents the NHL well,” said the Chicago Blackhawks’ Chris Chelios, who won the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman.

Earlier Wednesday, Lemieux won his fourth Lester B. Pearson award as the NHL’s most outstanding player as selected by his peers.

Other winners: Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa, Calder (rookie); Jim Carey of Washington, Vezina (goaltender); Sergei Fedorov of Detroit, Frank J. Selke (defensive forward); and Scotty Bowman of Detroit, Jack Adams (coach).

Also: Kris King of Winnipeg, King Clancy (humanitarian contribution); and Gary Roberts of Calgary, Bill Masterton (sportsmanship and dedication to hockey).

Chris Osgood and Mike Vernon of Detroit won the William M. Jennings Trophy for playing goaltender for the team with the fewest goals against.

Boston defenseman Ray Bourque was named to the NHL’s first all-star team for the 12th time, tying Gordie Howe’s record for most career first-team selections.

Lemieux is the center on the first team, flanked by teammate Jaromir Jagr on the right side and Kariya on the left. On defense are Bourque and Chelios, with Carey in goal.

The second team consists of Philadelphia’s Lindros and John LeClair with Vancouver’s Alexander Mogilny up front. On defense are Vladimir Konstantinov of Detroit and Brian Leetch of the Rangers, with Chris Osgood of the Red Wings at goaltender.

Lemieux suggested there is a possibility he’ll retire this summer.

“I’ll make a decision in a couple or three weeks,” he said. “It will be a very important decision in my life. The big thing was winning the Stanley Cup twice. I think my career would be complete if I retired today. Sometimes in life you have to move on. Maybe I can play for another year, another two or three years. I’ll make that decision soon.”

Kariya, 21, finished first in the Lady Byng voting with 255 points and 12 first-place votes. He was named on 37 of 54 ballots.

Boston’s Adam Oates was the runner-up for the fourth year in a row, with 222 points and 10 first-place votes, and the Ducks’ Teemu Selanne was third, with 200 points and eight first-place votes.

Kariya is a past winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the best U.S. collegiate player and won a silver medal with Canada at the 1994 Olympics but said Wednesday’s award was special.

“This is the biggest awards show in the NHL and the NHL is the best league in the world,” he said. “I never thought I’d be up here, period, but when I saw the kind of players who have won this award, I thought it would be neat. Now that I’m here, it’s great.”

Times staff writer Robyn Norwood contributed to this story.