LAS VEGAS -- Several people wanted to know what Sidney Crosby thought on his initial trip to this flashy Sin City.

"First impressions? Hot. Really hot," Crosby said Tuesday at a gathering of NHL award nominees and reporters at the Palms Casino Resort, site of the league gala Wednesday night.

The Penguins' star center meant the temperature, of course, which hovered around the triple-digit mark, not the sizzling nightlife. When it is time for the NHL season's-end trophies to be dished out, nominees check their competitive juices at the door. No one goes near the area of self-promotion.

Crosby is a finalist for the Hart Trophy as league MVP, the Ted Lindsay Award as the players' choice for top player and the Mark Messier Leadership Award. He also could be named to a postseason all-star team, and will accept the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the top goal-scorer for 2010-11 -- something he shares with the Tampa Bay Lightning's Steven Stamkos after each netted 51 goals.

Told that fellow Hart and Lindsay finalist Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks said he did not stand a chance against Crosby and the Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin, Crosby fell in line.

"I would say the same thing he said -- I don't think I have a shot," Crosby said. "At the end of the day, just to be mentioned with those guys, to be in that group, says a lot about your year. That's three pretty good seasons."

Sedin won the scoring title with 112 points. Crosby and Ovechkin tied for second with 109 each.

"It's a big honor, but you never know who's going to win," said Ovechkin, who could become the first to win three Harts in a row since Wayne Gretzky's string of eight in the 1980s.

Also going for a hat trick is the Detroit Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk, who has won the Selke Trophy as top defensive forward the past two years. He is up against first-time finalist Jordan Staal of the Penguins and the Vancouver Canucks' Ryan Kesler.

"Everybody has the same chance, and everybody played, hard, the same as I do," Datsyuk insisted.

"I'm just excited to be here and be part of the situation," said Staal, who showed up on crutches and with a walking boot on his right foot after having a second operation three weeks ago for a lacerated tendon.

"I just had a minor procedure just to kind of help it move along quicker and heal faster," said Staal, who missed just two games in the second round of the playoffs after the top of his foot was cut by the skate of Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban.

He expects to be at full health before training camp.

Stamkos was one of the few players willing to talk much about an award -- and he already won equal rights to it.

"I couldn't have picked a better guy to have to share a trophy with," he said of Crosby and the Richard Trophy. "He's arguably the best player in the game. You always want to win it on your own, but I guess if you had to share it that's not a bad guy to share it with."

This is the second year of three in a row the NHL has planned to hold its awards show (7 p.m. Eastern on Versus) in Las Vegas, and the players were hoping to enjoy some of the city's attractions.

"I have right now $500 in my pocket in chips," said Ovechkin, who likes to play poker.

Those who are Vegas rookies were a little more reserved.

"It will be interesting," Crosby said. "I'm excited to see what it's like. I'm here for two days. I'm pretty sure that will be enough."

Sedin, from Sweden, had just arrived and got an eyeful of the Strip on his way to the resort.

"We've got nothing like this in Sweden, I'll tell you," he said.

There has been talk off and on about the NHL expanding here, or the city luring a struggling team -- there was a brief time when the Penguins were linked to Las Vegas before they were assured they would be getting a new arena.

That would have made for interesting road trips given the potential distractions, the players agreed.

"That would be a huge advantage," Crosby said.

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