Sergei Bobrovsky named a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy

COLUMBUS, OHIO --- Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has been named a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy, given annually "to the player judged to be the most valuable to his team" as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, the club and NHL announced tonight.Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers are the other two finalists.
Bobrovsky, who is also a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender, posted a 41-17-5 record, 2.06 goals-against average, .931 save percentage and seven shutouts in 63 games this season, leading the NHL in GAA and SV% and ranking third in wins and shutouts (tied). He led Columbus to a 50-24-8 record and 108 points, which is the best mark in club history and a 32-point improvement over 2015-16 when the Blue Jackets went 34-40-8 (76 pts.).

Bobrovsky won 14-straight games from November 29 to January 3, tying the second-longest winning streak in NHL history. He was named the NHL's First Star for the month of December (12-0-0, 1.75 GAA, .939 SV%) and Second Star in March (9-1-1, 1.09 GAA, .967 SV%) and posted three-straight shutouts on March 2 vs. Minnesota, March 5 at New Jersey and March 7 vs. New Jersey to tie a franchise record. He also made his NHL All-Star Game debut at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles in January.

The 28-year-old native of Novokuznetsk, Russia won the Vezina Trophy in 2012-13 after going 21-11-6 with a 2.00 GAA, .932 SV% and four shutouts in 38 games. Since arriving in Columbus from the Philadelphia Flyers in a June 2012 trade, he has gone 139-84-20 with a 2.36 GAA, .923 SV% and 19 shutouts in 247 games.
Four Blue Jackets are nominated for five individual awards at this year's event, which will be held on Wednesday, June 21, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. In addition to Bobrovsky's Hart and Vezina Trophy nominations, defenseman Zach Werenski is a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy (rookie of the year), captain Nick Foligno is a finalist for the Mark Messier Leadership Award and John Tortorella is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award (coach of the year).
The 2017 NHL Awards and NHL Expansion Draft, celebrating the League's top talent from the 2016-17 season and revealing the initial roster of the League's 31st team, the Vegas Golden Knights, will be televised live in the United States on NBCSN at 8 p.m. ET.