As tonight's NHL Awards show draws near (6pm on VS), two things are certain: bad comedians hosting, and horrible rock bands most Americans outside of Buffalo, Minnesota, Michigan and Washington haven't heard of.
One thing is certain though, Alexander Ovechkin has already won two awards, and those shiny trophies will be on display at the Kettler Capital Iceplex on Friday during your lunch break. As far as the other trophies, well, here's my predictions.
Hart Trophy (Most Valuable Player, as voted on by the writers)
Nominees:
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Jaromie Iginla, Calgary Flames
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
My prediction: Ovechkin
Who should win: Ovechkin
Really isn't a question. Malkin was great for a few months when the team needed him, but the MVP of that team was Conklin, not Malkin. Iginla doesn't feel like an MVP candidate, more like a token Western Conference guy.
Vezina Trophy (Best goaltender)
Nominees:
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
My prediction: Nabokov
Who should win: Brodeur
Brodeur is the best goalie in league history. Even if he doesn't win the Vezina, he should win a special award for playing so well behind a defense that had Johnny Oduya seeing top pair minutes. Unfortunately, the Vezina is a tricky trophy to predict since it is the only award voted on by the GMs. My gut just tells me that Nabokov finally wins it this year.
Norris Trophy (best defenseman)
Nominees:
Nick Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings
Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins
Dion Phaneuf, Calgary Flames
My prediction: Nick Lidstrom
Who should win: Lidstrom
Lidstrom is a living legend on the blue line. He may not have had the most goals, but he had the most points and was an amazing shut down defenseman at the same time. Simply look no further than the skid Detroit hit with him out of the lineup for further proof. He probably should have been a finalist for the Hart Trophy as well.
Calder Memorial Trophy (rookie of the year)
Nominees:
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Johnathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals
My prediction: Patrick Kane
Who should win: Patrick Kane
Toews was in the hunt for winning until he missed time with an injury. In a year with no standout, the guy that didn't get points playing on a line with Alexander Ovechkin is going to be win the award.
Lady Bing Award (most gentlemanly/best sportsmanship)
Nominees:
Jason Pominvile, Buffalo Sabres
Pavel Datsuyk, Detroit Red Wings
Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lighting
My prediction: Martin St. Louis
Who should win: Jason Pominville
I don't really understand why St. Louis is up for this. He's just as whiny as any of a number of players in the league. Datsuyk certainly is a class act, but it's easier to show class when you win every game. Things weren't so easy for Jason Pominville this year, missing out on the playoffs after his team made consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference finals. This award is extremely difficult to predict.
Jack Adams Trophy (best Coach)
Nominees:
Mike Babcock, Detroit Red Wings
Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals
Guy Carbonneau, Montreal Canadiens
Who will win: Mike Babcock
Who should win: Bruce Boudreau
The word going around is that Mike Babcock is walking away with it. And if it wasn't for that stretch when they went 1-8-2, I'd agree with you. But when you take a team from last place in the league at Thanksgiving, and steer them to the division title, well that to me is how you say "Jack Adams."
Bill Masterton Trophy (perseverance, dedication to hockey)
Nominees:
Chris Chelios, Detroit Red Wings
Jason Blake, Toronto Maple Leafs
Fernando Pisani, Edmonton Oilers
Who should win: Fernando Pisani
Who will win: Jason Blake
Without taking anything away from the gentlemen who are up for the award, there are 3 easy ways to get nominated for this award: get cancer, get a weird disease that no one has heard of, get old. And all three are demonstrated this year.
Lester B. Pearson Award (best player as voted on by the NHLPA),
Nominees:
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Who should win: Ovechkin
Who will win: Ovechkin
See the arguments above for Hart.
Tomorrow we'll talk about how my predictions are. If I guess correctly on every trophy except the Lady Bing, I'll consider that a win.
Showing posts with label NHL Awards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NHL Awards. Show all posts
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Thursday, April 19, 2007
2007 Award Winners
Alright loyal readers, it's time for BHH's 2007 award winners. I tend to try to avoid the obvious winners, so here's who I think should bring home the hardware, not who obviously is. Well, there may be exceptions here and there. On with the awards!
King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Leadership and Humanitarian Contribution), Graham and LuAnn Snyder. For their quest to each NHL city in the U. S., the parents of the late Daniel Snyder deserve the King Clancy trophy for their efforts to raise money in each city for the Daniel Snyder Memorial Fund.
Frank J. Selke Trophy (best defensive forward), Mike Fisher, Ottawa Senators. The gritty center for Ottawa played against teams best lines almost every night and hung in there tough enough to help push the Senators into the playoffs. He also managed to knock in 22 goals of his own.
Lester Patrick Trophy (outstanding service to hockey in the United States), Mike Modano, Dallas Stars. He showed a ton of class after accidentally slicing open Jamie Heward in November, and he showed a complete lack of class after Jordin Tootoo rocked him with a clean hit in March. Either way, Modano became the all-time leading point getter among Americans this year, and this trophy is his reward.
Jack Adams Award (coach of the year), Randy Carlyle, Anaheim Ducks. They soared out to a quick start with a lot of young talent, started to slow down, then got things righted again. This trophy probably belongs more to GM Brian Burke than it does to Carlyle, but there isn’t a trophy for “Best Front Office Blowhard.” A close runner up was Lou Lamoriello who was perfect in regulation this season.
Lady Bing Memorial Trophy (most gentlemanly conduct), Kyle Wellwood, Toronto Maple Leafs. 48 games, zero penalty minutes. That’s not bad, especially for a youngster, the type of players referees love to heap penalties on. Not to mention he also chipped in 12 goals and 30 assists, so it’s not like the officials couldn’t see him because he was invisible.
Calder Memorial Trophy (best rookie), Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings. Malkin and Staal had Crosby. Wolski and Stastny had Sakic. Who did Anze Kopitar have to help him to 20 goals and 61 points? Mike Cammalleri and Alexander Frolov. That’s why he gets the Calder.
James Norris Memorial Trophy (best defenseman), Dan Boyle, Tampa Bay Lightning. Unlike in the past, there’s really 5 d-men that could have won it this year. Nicklas Lidstrom has won it too many times in the past, so he’s out. Scott Neidermeyer had help from Pronger almost all year, so he’s out. Sergei Gonchar is still Sergei Gonchar, so he’s out. That leaves us with Sheldon Souray (a -28 on the year) and Dan Boyle (a -5 on the year). Dan Boyle may have had a quiet year, but the numbers he’s put up in the City of Tampa look like Norris numbers to me.
Vezina Trophy (best goaltender), Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils. He’s not the sexy pick that Roberto Luongo seems to be, he’s simply the man that won more games, and stopped more shots than any other goaltender in the league. That sounds like the best in my book.
Hart Memorial Trophy (most valuable player), Joe Thorton, San Jose Sharks. Crosby may have had more points, but Thorton was the most complete player in the league this year. Jonathan Cheechoo struggling? No problem, here’s a couple of other guys no one has ever heard of before in Ryan Clowe and Milan Michalek to help knock the pucks in. The ability to make somebody out nobodys helps put Thorton over the top.
King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Leadership and Humanitarian Contribution), Graham and LuAnn Snyder. For their quest to each NHL city in the U. S., the parents of the late Daniel Snyder deserve the King Clancy trophy for their efforts to raise money in each city for the Daniel Snyder Memorial Fund.
Frank J. Selke Trophy (best defensive forward), Mike Fisher, Ottawa Senators. The gritty center for Ottawa played against teams best lines almost every night and hung in there tough enough to help push the Senators into the playoffs. He also managed to knock in 22 goals of his own.
Lester Patrick Trophy (outstanding service to hockey in the United States), Mike Modano, Dallas Stars. He showed a ton of class after accidentally slicing open Jamie Heward in November, and he showed a complete lack of class after Jordin Tootoo rocked him with a clean hit in March. Either way, Modano became the all-time leading point getter among Americans this year, and this trophy is his reward.
Jack Adams Award (coach of the year), Randy Carlyle, Anaheim Ducks. They soared out to a quick start with a lot of young talent, started to slow down, then got things righted again. This trophy probably belongs more to GM Brian Burke than it does to Carlyle, but there isn’t a trophy for “Best Front Office Blowhard.” A close runner up was Lou Lamoriello who was perfect in regulation this season.
Lady Bing Memorial Trophy (most gentlemanly conduct), Kyle Wellwood, Toronto Maple Leafs. 48 games, zero penalty minutes. That’s not bad, especially for a youngster, the type of players referees love to heap penalties on. Not to mention he also chipped in 12 goals and 30 assists, so it’s not like the officials couldn’t see him because he was invisible.
Calder Memorial Trophy (best rookie), Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings. Malkin and Staal had Crosby. Wolski and Stastny had Sakic. Who did Anze Kopitar have to help him to 20 goals and 61 points? Mike Cammalleri and Alexander Frolov. That’s why he gets the Calder.
James Norris Memorial Trophy (best defenseman), Dan Boyle, Tampa Bay Lightning. Unlike in the past, there’s really 5 d-men that could have won it this year. Nicklas Lidstrom has won it too many times in the past, so he’s out. Scott Neidermeyer had help from Pronger almost all year, so he’s out. Sergei Gonchar is still Sergei Gonchar, so he’s out. That leaves us with Sheldon Souray (a -28 on the year) and Dan Boyle (a -5 on the year). Dan Boyle may have had a quiet year, but the numbers he’s put up in the City of Tampa look like Norris numbers to me.
Vezina Trophy (best goaltender), Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils. He’s not the sexy pick that Roberto Luongo seems to be, he’s simply the man that won more games, and stopped more shots than any other goaltender in the league. That sounds like the best in my book.
Hart Memorial Trophy (most valuable player), Joe Thorton, San Jose Sharks. Crosby may have had more points, but Thorton was the most complete player in the league this year. Jonathan Cheechoo struggling? No problem, here’s a couple of other guys no one has ever heard of before in Ryan Clowe and Milan Michalek to help knock the pucks in. The ability to make somebody out nobodys helps put Thorton over the top.
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