New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, Penguins center Evgeni Malkin and Lightning center Steven Stamkos were named Friday as the finalists for the 2011-12 NHL Hart Memorial Trophy.
Lundqvist, who led New York to a first place finish in the Easter Conference, becomes the first goalie to finish in the top three in league MVP voting since 2006-07.
The Rangers netminder recorded 39 wins with a .930 save percentage and eight shutouts.
Malkin, a projected favorite to take the award, led the NHL with 109 points this season, scoring 50 goals to go along with 59 assists.
The Penguins center has now been named a finalist for the Hart Trophy three times in his six-year career. He finished second in the voting in 2008 and 2009.
Stamkos, meanwhile, entered the season with a new five-year, $37.5 million deal and earned every penny with a league-leading 60 goals, becoming only the 20th player to reach the mark in NHL history.
The 22-year-old center added 37 assists to finish the season second behind Malkin with 97 points.
Stamkos' stellar effort was not enough to get Tampa Bay into the playoffs, however, as the Lightning finished eight points out of the final spot in the Eastern Conference.
