Brent Burns, the only Sharks player among finalists for a major NHL award, lost out on the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman on Wednesday night in Las Vegas.
Los Angeles' Drew Doughty took home the trophy, while Ottawa's Erik Karlsson was second. Burns received three first place votes to Doughty's 93.
Sharks center Joe Thornton was not a finalist for any awards, but finished fifth in voting for the Hart Trophy as league MVP, and fifth for the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward. Joe Pavelski finished 14th for the Hart.
Thornton and Burns were both named as second team NHL All-Stars. For Thornton, it was his third time overall and first since 2007-08 making the second team, while it was a first for Burns.
Burns, 31, led all NHL defensemen with 27 goals and was second in scoring with 75 points, behind only Karlsson. He appeared in all 82 regular season games with the Sharks, finishing third in points, and setting new franchise records for most goals and points for a blueliner in a single season.
Thornton finished tied for fourth in the NHL in scoring with 82 points, and second in assists with 63.
San Jose Sharks
Chicago's Patrick Kane won the Hart, while Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar took home the Selke. Other award winners included Washington's Braden Holtby winning the Vezina Trophy and Capitals head coach Barry Trotz the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year, while Kopitar was also the recipient of the Lady Byng Award as the league's most gentlemanly player.
Sharks general manager Doug Wilson finished sixth in GM of the year voting, while coach Pete DeBoer was seventh in voting for the Jack Adams.
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Below is my personal ballot for the NHL awards that were voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Hart Trophy
1 – Patrick Kane
2 – Joe Thornton
3 – Alex Ovechkin
4 – Jamie Benn
5 – Sidney Crosby
Norris Trophy
1 – Drew Doughty
2 – Erik Karlsson
3 – Brent Burns
4 – Roman Josi
5 – Dustin Byfuglien
Calder Trophy
1 – Shayne Gostisbehere
2 – Artemi Panarin
3 – Connor McDavid
4 – John Gibson
5 – Dylan Larkin
Selke Trophy
1 – Joe Thronton
2 – Anze Kopitar
3 – Nicklas Backstrom
4 – Jonathan Toews
5 – Ryan Kesler
