Kopitar won his second Selke award, for best defensive forward, at the NHL Awards show Wednesday. He finished third in voting for the Hart Trophy for most valuable player and the margin was not as close as expected.
But Kopitar, like his fellow nominees, was overwhelmed by an emotional video tribute and appearance by the Humboldt Broncos.
Darcy Haugan, the late coach of the junior hockey team, received the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award for positive impact on the community right before the Hart was announced.
“I was nervous, if I was going to get it, what was I going to say,” Kopitar said.