Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin is the winner of this year’s Mark Messier Leadership Award, the league announced. First awarded in 2007, the award goes to “the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey.” Ovechkin helped lead Washington to an improbable top spot in the Eastern Conference while breaking the all-time goal-scoring record on the heels of a 44-goal, 73-point campaign. Ovechkin has captained the Caps for the last 16 years and this is his first time winning the award; there has yet to be a repeat winner league-wide thus far.
More from the Metropolitan:
- It appears that Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield will miss another game as Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal relays (Twitter link) that the blueliner is out for tonight’s third game against Florida. This will be the fourth straight game that the 29-year-old will miss due to an undisclosed injury sustained last round against Washington. Chatfield has a goal in nine games so far in the playoffs while averaging over 20 minutes a night. Scott Morrow is expected to once again take his place in the lineup.
- The Blue Jackets have a pair of prospects that they will lose the rights to if not signed by June 1st, wingers Tyler Peddle and Martin Rysavy. It appears they’ll be letting both go as Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that Columbus won’t sign them before the deadline. Peddle was a seventh-round pick in 2023, going 224th overall and had just 29 points in 54 games with QMJHL Saint John this season. Meanwhile, Rysavy was a seventh-rounder two years earlier, going 197th overall. He spent this season in the Czech Extraliga, posting five goals and four assists in 52 games with Liberec.
- While Ian Laperriere will no longer be coaching the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley, his days with the organization aren’t numbered. Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period relays (Twitter link) that the former NHLer will remain in the organization in a different capacity. Laperriere has been with Philadelphia since 2012, spending time in player development while also coaching at the NHL and AHL levels.