By Stephen London

The brightest stars of the 2012-13 NHL season were in Las Vegas June 24 for the NHL Awards ceremony. The players were not the only stars of the show, with actors such as Tracy Morgan, Matthew Perry and Will Arnett were involved in the entertainment portion of the show. Other celebrities included Kevin Connolly, Vince Vaughn, Erin Andrews, Colin Hanks, Cory Monteith and Kevin Smith.

Arnett impersonated Brendan Shanahan, NHL director of player safety, suspending players that have somehow gotten away with an offense during the season.

In addition to the celebrity appearances, some careers changed last night, as multiple players took home their first trophies. Here's a look at the winners.

Calder Memorial Trophy: Rookie of the Year -- Left wing Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
The Calder Trophy got its name for the work former NHL president Frank Calder did for the league. Since the 1936-37 season, a trophy has been presented to the most outstanding rookie. After Calder passed away in 1943, the name of this trophy changed to the Calder Memorial Trophy.

For the third time in the history of the NHL, a Swede won the Calder Trophy. Left winger Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche won the Calder Trophy for his all-around play, especially on the offensive end. During 82 games played, the 6-foot-1 former second overall pick scored 52 points with a plus/minus of +20. Landeskog was the leading scorer among rookie skaters and second only to the New York Rangers' Carl Hagelin in plus/minus.

James Norris Trophy: Best defenseman -- Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
The James Norris Trophy received its name in honor of the former Detroit Red Wings owner, who controlled the team for 20 years (1932-52). Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins holds the record of eight consecutive Norris trophies during his career.

Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators showed his capabilities this season, leading all defensemen in points with 78 (19 goals, 59 assists). The 22-year-old was drafted during the first round of the 2008 draft. Since then, the Senators have been patiently waiting for Karlsson to be NHL ready.

Frank J. Selke Trophy: Best defensive forward -- Center Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
The Frank J. Selke award has only been around since the 1977-78 NHL season. Named after a former general manager of the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Selke Trophy is awarded to the best defensive forward in the league.

During the 2011-12 season Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins led all forwards in plus/minus, with +36. Bergeron also showcased his faceoff abilities, finishing with a 59.3 percent success rate during the regular season.

Vezina Trophy: Best goaltender -- Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
The Vezina Trophy recognizes the best goaltender in the league as judged by the general managers of the NHL. It is named after Georges Vezina, a former outstanding goaltender who collapsed during a game in 1925 because of tuberculosis, which later caused his death.

The New York Rangers have an outstanding goaltender in Henrik Lundqvist, now a first-time Vezina winner. Lundqvist had a 39-18-5 regular-season record and a .930 save percentage. During the Swede's 62 games played this season, he averaged only 1.97 goals against per game. Although he did not lead any major statistical categories, he had almost double the number of voting points than the runner-up, Jon Quick of the Los Angeles Kings.

Ted Lindsay Trophy: Most Outstanding Player -- Center Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
In honor of Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay and his role in starting the first players' association, the most outstanding player as voted by the players' association is awarded the Ted Lindsay Trophy. Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins surprised the NHL during the regular season, excelling offensively without teammate Sidney Crosby, who missed most of the season due to injuries.

Malkin scored 50 goals and totaled 109 points during the 2011-12 campaign. The only player to beat Malkin in a scoring statistic was Steven Stamkos, who scored 60 goals, but failed to eclipse Malkin's league-leading mark of 109 points.

Hart Trophy: Most Valuable Player -- Center Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
The Hart Memorial Trophy, named after Dr. David A. Hart, is presented to the player that is the most valuable to his team. Wayne Gretzky holds the record for most Hart trophies, with nine (Edmonton 1980-87, Los Angeles '89). Since Gretsky's streak, only Dominik Hasek (Buffalo, 1997-98) and Alex Ovechkin (Washington, 2008-09) have won the Hart Trophy back-to-back years.

Malkin earned 144 of the total 149 first-place votes for the 2011-12 Hart Trophy. The Penguins now have two Hart Trophy winners currently on their roster, Malkin and Sidney Crosby, and two former players that are past winners, Mario Lemieux (retired) and Jaromir Jagr (now with Philadelphia).

Posted June 25, 2012