The Montreal Canadiens have some hardware to show for a breakthrough season.
Captain Nick Suzuki was named the Selke Trophy winner while leading goal-scorer Cole Caufield was awarded the Lady Byng Trophy, the NHL announced on Friday.
The Selke goes to the league’s best defensive forward while the Lady Byng honours sportsmanship.
The Canadiens teammates surprised each other with the trophies in a video posted by the NHL.
Suzuki, a first-time finalist for the award, finished the season with 29 goals and 101 points — a career high — while also taking nearly a third of Montreal’s faceoffs at a 50.4 per cent success rate. He led all Canadiens forwards in ice time and was utilized on both the PK and defending at 6 on 5.
TWICE AS NICE ???????? #NHLAwardsNick Suzuki surprised Cole Caufield with the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy before Caufield surprised Suzuki with the Frank J. Selke Trophy. ????The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is awarded for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct and the Frank J.Selke… pic.twitter.com/3NY5pp2sRh
He becomes the first Canadian to win the Selke since Guy Carbonneau in 1992.
Colorado Avalanche forward Brock Nelson and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli were the other finalists.
Caufield led the Canadiens with 51 goals, becoming Montreal’s first 50-goal scorer in 36 years, while taking just 14 penalty minutes.
He beat out three-time winner Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings as well as Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson for the honour.
It’s Caufield’s first time winning the Lady Byng.
Together, Suzuki and Caufield led the Canadiens to the East final, including seven-game series wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres, before being eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes.
Both awards were voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the end of the regular season.
