Ted Lindsay Award finalists unveiled

Defenseman Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks, center Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and center Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers are the finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, presented annually to the most outstanding player in the NHL, as voted by fellow members of the NHL Players' Association.
The winner will be announced at the 2017 NHL Awards at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on June 21 (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN).

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Burns, 32, led all defensemen with 29 goals and 76 points in 82 games this season. His 320 shots on goal led the League, the first time a player at his position has done so since Ray Bourque of the Boston Bruins in 1994-95. Burns also is a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the League's best defenseman, and is the first defenseman to be a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award since Chris Pronger in 2000. Bobby Orr is the only defenseman to win it, in 1975.

Crosby, 29, is a three-time winner of the Ted Lindsay Award; only Mario Lemieux (four) and Wayne Gretzky (five) have won it more times. Crosby previously won it in 2007, 2013 and 2014. He led the NHL with 44 goals this season, and his 89 points were tied for second with Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks. Crosby also is a finalist for the Hart Trophy as League MVP.

McDavid, 20, led the NHL with 100 points (30 goals, 70 assists) in 2016-17, his second NHL season, and helped the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2006. He also was a plus-27 and averaged 21:07 of ice time per game, fourth among NHL forwards. McDavid would join Gretzky (1982-85, 1987) and Mark Messier (1990) as Oilers to win the award.