For one thing, the Blue Jackets rookie goaltender will have his mother, his girlfriend and a slew of family members in his traveling party, not to mention his boss, Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson.

And contrary to the slogan "Whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," Mason is hoping to bring something home.

"It'll be a different kind of fun," Mason said. "But it's going to be a blast, for sure."

Mason is the favorite for the Calder Memorial Trophy, given annually to the NHL's top rookie, at tonight's awards show in the Palms Casino Resort.

It could be a big night for the Blue Jackets.

Mason is also a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, given to the top goaltender, and Jackets captain Rick Nash is a finalist for the NHL's Foundation Award, which recognizes a player's commitment and service to charities in his community.

"It's a great night for our organization," Howson said. "It's our continuing quest to become more legitimate in other people's eyes, and Steve and Rick have given us some of that.

"It's hard to say who's going to win the (Vezina) and Foundation awards. But Mase should win the Calder, in my opinion. He had the biggest impact of any rookie on his club this season."

Mason led the NHL in shutouts (10), was second in goals-against average (2.29), tied for ninth in wins (33) and tied for 11th in save percentage (.916). He's the biggest reason the Blue Jackets qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in their nine seasons in the league.

Anaheim's Bobby Ryan and Chicago's Kris Versteeg are the other Calder finalists, but most people expect Mason to win. Members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote based on regular-season performance.

The Vezina Trophy is almost certain to go to Boston goaltender Tim Thomas. Thomas, 35, led the NHL in goals-against average (2.10) and save percentage (.933) while winning 36 of 54 starts.

The other finalist is Niklas Backstrom of the Minnesota Wild.

"I'm thrilled to be there, obviously," Mason said. "As the season's going along, you don't really want to think about what might happen with awards and that kind of stuff. But now that it's over, it's a thrill to be up for any award, let alone two of them.

"I want to enjoy this. But it's just the beginning. I know I have to get better this summer and keep getting better if I want to come back (to the awards show) again."

Nash is up against Los Angeles' Dustin Brown and Montreal's Alexei Kovalev for the Foundation Award, which is decided by a vote of a panel of NHL executives, including Commissioner Gary Bettman.

Nash, 25, has donated time and money to charities that fight poverty, pediatric cancer, illiteracy and other problems. He donated $100,000 to Ohio State to endow a student-athlete scholarship and was a founding donor ($25,000) of the John H. McConnell Scholarship Fund.

aportzline@dispatch.com