Well-established as the top defensive forward in the NHL today, Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk is leaving his mark as one of the best of all-time.

Datsyuk won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league's premier defensive forward for the third consecutive season Wednesday at the NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas.

Datsyuk's streak of four consecutive Lady Byng Trophies for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct was snapped by Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard finished second to Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers in balloting for the Calder Trophy as top rookie.

Only Bob Gainey of the Montreal Canadiens has won the Selke more often than Datsyuk, capturing the award the first four years it was presented (1977-78 to 1980-81). Guy Carbonneau of Montreal and Jere Lehtinen of Dallas also have won the Selke three times.

"This trophy is special for me,'' Datsyuk said in a phone interview. "I'm happy to represent the Red Wings. I hope it's not my last one.''

Datsyuk led the league in takeaways for the third time in the past four seasons with 132, 49 more than Selke runner-up Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks. Datsyuk ranked second on the Red Wings with a plus-17 rating and won a team-best 55 percent of his faceoffs.

"It's very important,'' Datsyuk said of his defensive game. "When I came to the NHL, everybody knew I was skilled guy. Not everybody talk about my defense. But you need to work to be a better (defensive) player.

"(Coaches) Scotty (Bowman), Dave Lewis, Mike Babcock told me you need to be better defensively.''

He credited teammates, past and present, for helping him reach this level.

"(Steve) Yzerman, (Sergei) Fedorov, (Igor) Larionov, I learned every day in practice from those guys,'' Datsyuk said. "I'm happy to disappoint a guy and make him not score on us. I want to score a lot, but I'm happy if they don't score to us.''

Datsyuk, 31, received 37 first-place votes and was named on 99 of 133 ballots for 688 points, edging Kesler (36 first-place votes, 655 points).

While accepting the award, Datsyuk joked, "I want to thank management for paying me -- I wish it to never stop.''

St. Louis won the Lady Byng after finishing as a runner-up the past three seasons, denying Datsyuk a record fifth consecutive trophy.

St. Louis finished with 74 first-place votes and 971 points, easily outdistancing Datsyuk, who was third with 17 first-place votes and 438 points, just behind Brad Richards of Dallas (one first-place vote, 449 points). Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom was fifth with 215 points (10 first-place votes).

"I'm a little bit jealous. I would have liked to make history,'' Datsyuk said. "But I have lots of penalty minutes (only 18). I'm kind of mad I did not win. But I'm happy for St. Louis.''

In the Calder balloting, Myers received 94 of 133 first-place votes, finishing with 1,178 points. Howard had 24 first-place votes and 778 points. Colorado center Matt Duchene was third with 755 points.

Vancouver forward Henrik Sedin won the Hart Trophy as league MVP, snapping the two-year run by Washington's Alex Ovechkin, who took home the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL Players Association MVP.

A pair of former Michigan State standouts took home hardware. Chicago's Duncan Keith won the Norris Trophy as top defenseman, and Buffalo's Ryan Miller captured the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie.

Lidstrom finished fourth in Norris voting, garnering four first-place votes and 303 points.

Phoenix's Dave Tippett won the Jack Adams Award as the top coach. Babcock finished fourth, receiving two first-place votes.

Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby won the Mark Messier Leadership Award, Phoenix's Shane Doan the King Clancy Award (leadership qualities on and off the ice) and Washington goalie Jose Theodore the Masterton Trophy for dedication and perseverance.

Lidstrom was named a second-team All-Star. Howard was named to the NHL's all-rookie team.