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CCM Player Joe Thornton Receives Hart Memorial Trophy and Art Ross Trophy Montreal, Quebec (Canada), June 23, 2006 - CCM would like to congratulate Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks on winning two of the most honorable trophies awarded in the National Hockey League: the Hart Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player to his team, and the Art Ross Trophy as the top scorer. Thornton registered (29) goals and a remarkable (96) assists for a total of (125) points during the 2005-06 NHL regular season. He became only the 11th player in NHL history to surpass the (90) assist plateau. Prior to acquiring Joe Thornton from the Boston Bruins, the San Jose Sharks had lost (10) games in a row and their overall record stood at (8) wins, (12) losses, and (4) overtime losses. Following the trade, San Jose won (7) straight games and battled all the way from the cellar of the Western Conference to a playoff berth as the 5th seeded team. They finished the year with a record of (44) wins, (27) losses, and (11) overtime losses. Thornton's assist total (96) was higher than the point total (94) of the 2003-04 Art Ross Trophy winner. It is the first time since the 1929-30 season that a player's assist total surpassed the point total of the previous season's leading scorer. Thornton, who began the season with the Boston Bruins, also set a new NHL record for the most points in a single season for a player that played on two different teams. "Joe Thornton has had an exceptional career in the NHL, which has been highlighted by him winning the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Art Ross Trophy, two of the most distinguished honors awarded by the NHL," said Len Rhodes, Vice President of Global Marketing at CCM Hockey. "We are very proud to have him on our list of CCM elite players who bring passion and spirit not only to the game but also to our brand." About the Hart Memorial Trophy The Hart Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the player judged to be the most valuable to his team. The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association in all NHL cities at the end of the regular season. The Hart Memorial Trophy was presented by the National Hockey League in 1960 after the original Hart Trophy was retired to the Hockey Hall of Fame. The original Hart Trophy was donated to the NHL in 1923 by Dr. David A. Hart, father of Cecil Hart, former manager-coach of the Montreal Canadiens. About the Art Ross Trophy The Art Ross Trophy is an annual award given to the player who leads the League in points at the end of the regular season. Arthur Howie Ross, former manager-coach of the Boston Bruins, presented the trophy to the National Hockey League in 1947. |