Net Result of Hasek’s Big Season: He’s MVP

Dominik Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres became the first goaltender in 35 years to win the Hart trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player Thursday during a televised awards ceremony in Toronto.

Hasek edged Paul Kariya of the Mighty Ducks and Mario Lemieux of Pittsburgh for the Hart Trophy in voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Assn. Hasek won the Lester B. Pearson Award as the the league’s outstanding player, which is voted on by the players. In addition, he won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goalie.

Kariya, who was second in the Hart voting, is expected to be among those to inherit Lemieux’s mantle as the NHL’s top offensive player. Kariya won the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly play for the second consecutive season.

“I’m proud of it,” said Kariya, who had 44 goals and only six penalty minutes. “Look at the trophy and go down some of the names--Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull, Stan Mikita. I’m sure they were all proud of it too.”

Lemieux, who retired at season’s end after 11 years, was considered a sentimental choice to win the Hart Trophy and finished third.

Kariya, Lemieux, Hasek, Duck right wing Teemu Selanne, New York Ranger defenseman Brian Leetch and Colorado defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh were voted to all-league team.

“That was special,” Kariya said of being named to the all-league team with Selanne.

Voting took place before the playoffs; otherwise, Hasek might not have been the first goalie since Jacques Plante in 1962 to win the Hart.

During the regular season, Hasek had a career-best 37 victories, a 2.27 goals-against average and led the Sabres to the Northeast Division title.

But he suffered a knee injury during the postseason, was suspended three games for physically threatening a Buffalo columnist over a critical article and denied a report he had a drinking problem.

Thursday, he addressed his strained relationship with Buffalo Coach Ted Nolan.

“Of course, I sometimes still think about it, but I want to put everything behind me,” Hasek told the Associated Press.

Nolan, whose future as Buffalo coach remains uncertain after Darcy Regier was named general manager last week, won the Jack Adams Trophy as the league’s coach of the year.

Buffalo’s Mike Peca won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward.

The evening, usually a light-hearted affair, took on a somber tone as awards presenters and winners made reference to Detroit Red Wing defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov.

Konstantinov, seriously injured in car accident last week and still in critical condition in a Detroit hospital, was a finalist for the Norris Trophy as best defenseman.

Leetch, who won the award for the second time, said, “Obviously, we want to wish Vladimir a speedy recovery and hope to see him around a rink soon.”

San Jose’s Tony Granato, who recovered to play again after undergoing brain surgery, won the Bill Masterton Trophy for “perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

Bryan Berard of the New York Islanders won the Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year.

Vancouver’s Trevor Linden received the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player who best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice and who has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community.”

NHL AWARDS

* HART TROPHY (most valuable player)--Dominik Hasek, Buffalo.

* VEZINA TROPHY (goaltender)--Hasek.

* NORRIS TROPHY (defenseman)--Brian Leetch, N.Y. Rangers.

* CALDER TROPHY (rookie)--Bryan Berard, N.Y. Islanders.

* ROSS TROPHY (leading scorer)--Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh.

* SELKE TROPHY (defensive forward)--Mike Peca, Buffalo.

* LADY BYNG TROPHY (sportsmanship)--Paul Kariya, Mighty Ducks.

* PEARSON AWARD (outstanding player)--Hasek.

* KING CLANCY TROPHY (leadership)--Trevor Linden, Vancouver.

* MASTERTON TROPHY (perseverance, dedication)--Tony Granato, San Jose.

* ADAMS AWARD (coach)--Ted Nolan, Buffalo.

Note: Voting for awards is by members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Assn., except the Vezina, which is awarded by NHL general managers, the Adams, which is determined by a poll of NHL Broadcasters’ Assn. members, and the Pearson, voted on by the players.