Pronger Named MVP and Top Defenseman

Chris Pronger was a triple winner Thursday night, taking home awards as the NHL’s most valuable player and top defenseman and making the All-Star team.

The St. Louis Blues’ star is the first defenseman since Bobby Orr in 1972 to win the Hart Memorial Trophy. He got the MVP honors by only one point in the closest balloting in the award’s history, beating out scoring champion Jaromir Jagr and top goal scorer Pavel Bure.

Pronger had 396 points, Jagr 395.

Pittsburgh’s Jagr, and Detroit’s Steve Yzerman joined Pronger on the 2000 All-Star team, along with Detroit winger Brendan Shanahan and defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, and Washington goalie Olaf Kolzig.

Kolzig was selected as the NHL’s best goaltender, winning the Vezina Trophy.

But Roman Turek of St. Louis was the Jennings Trophy winner for lowest goals-against average.

Jagr, who scored 92 points, won his second consecutive Lester B. Pearson award from the NHL Players’ Assn. as the top player.

Yzerman won the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward. Scott Gomez, who led all first-year players in points and helped the New Jersey Devils win the Stanley Cup, won the Calder Trophy as the outstanding rookie.

Defenseman Ken Daneyko, who has appeared in every one of New Jersey’s postseason games, took the Masterton Trophy for perseverance and dedication to hockey.

St. Louis forward Pavol Demitra got the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play.

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Atlanta Thrasher center Ray Ferraro, the team’s second-leading scorer, exercised the option in his contract and will return to the club for the 2000-01 season.

The 16-year veteran recorded 19 goals and 25 assists with 88 penalty minutes in 81 games for the expansion Thrashers.

The 36-year-old Ferraro has tallied 365 goals and 420 assists in 1,101 games with Hartford, the New York Islanders, N.Y. Rangers, the Kings and the Thrashers.

The Thrashers also agreed to terms with 22-year-old free-agent defenseman Mike Weaver, who completed his collegiate career at Michigan State this past season.