With apologies to the Simpsons, I've decided to do a little preview of the NHL Awards coming up tomorrow night. We'll be doing this in conjunction with The Disabled List, so check it out over there as well. I'll be honest - I probably won't watch the awards show. One, I'm not a big fan of Jay Mohr. I've just never found him to be that funny, and we all remember that old "hockey sucks" comment from a few years ago. Two, I don't like the Goo Goo Dolls. Never have and never will. Maybe I will put some money down on who I think will win; I can guarantee I would care then.
Hart Trophy:
The Finalists:
Sidney Crosby: 51 goals, 58 assists, 109 points, +25
Alexander Ovechkin: 50 goals, 59 assists, 109 points, +45
Henrik Sedin: 29 goals, 83 assists, 112 points, +35
Who Will Win: Sedin
Who Should Win: Sedin
For me, this is about some new blood in this race. Let's face facts: this award is probably going to be between Crosby, Ovechkin, and someone else for a while, much like the Hart used to come down to Gretzky and Lemieux. I want Sedin to win. I'm sick of Crosby and Ovechkin. But, looking at this logically, I can't pick Oveckin because he was suspended twice, and when he was out he hurt his team. So he's out. Basically it comes down to Crosby vs. Sedin, and ask yourself this: who was more valuable to their team? Crosby is surrounded by a ton of talent, and while he is the alpha dog on the team, he's still got guys like Malkin, Guerin, Staal, and Gonchar around him. In Vancouver, it's Henrik and Daniel, then.....Alex Burrows? If you took Crosby off the Pens this year, they still would have been decent. The Canucks without Sedin would have been mediocre at best. I judge this award for what it is: the most valuable player to their team. Sedin wins.
Vezina Trophy:
The Finalists:
Martin Brodeur: 45-25-6, 2.24 GAA, .916 SV%
Ilya Bryzgalov: 42-20-6, 2.29 GAA, .920 SV%
Ryan Miller: 41-18-8, 2.22 GAA, .929 SV%
Who Will Win: Miller
Who Should Win: Miller
This was a close pick for me. I was torn between Miller and Bryzgalov. If you look at their numbers, they are pretty similar, However, closer inspection reveals that Miller's numbers are better, as he finished 2nd in the NHL in both GAA and SV%. Breezy looked good, but let's face it: his entire team over-achieved this year, and he was the biggest one. Miller was the sole reason why the Sabres got to 100 points and won the Northeast, and while this technically won't count for him, his performance in the Olympics will be in the minds of the GMs when they are picking this award. I personally believe that Miller made Tyler Myers look better (see below for details), and he's my choice for the Vezina.
Norris Trophy
The Finalists:
Drew Doughty: 16 goals, 43 assists, 59 points, +20
Mike Green: 19 goals, 57 assists, 76 points, +39
Duncan Keith: 14 goals, 55 assists, 69 points, +21
Who Will Win: Keith
Who Should Win: Keith
There's no question in my mind that Duncan Keith was probably the best defenseman over the course of the entire season. He does everything: he plays against the other team's top players every night, he is one of the best shutdown defensemen in the game, and he can score. Doughty really came on towards the end of the season, but what sets Keith apart from both of these guys is his all around play. Green being included is a travesty to me. I get that he can score; there's no question he's probably the best offensive defenseman in the NHL right now. But does he even bother to check his own end at all? I think Green has a better chance at winning the Selke than he does the Norris. Where was Lidstrom?
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Finalists:
Jimmy Howard: 37-15-10, 2.26 GAA, .924 SV%
Matt Duchene: 24 goals, 31 assists, 55 points, +1
Tyler Myers: 11 goals, 37 assists, 48 points, +13
Who Will Win: Myers
Who Should Win: Howard
There's no question this is a two-horse race between Myers and Howard. Duchene had a very good year, but it was not extraordinary in comparison to past ROYs, and Myers and Howard were both extremely good, not just kind of good. Now, from what I have seen, many people believe that Myers will win because he excelled at a position that is hard at a young age. But, couldn't the same be said of Howard? His numbers as a rookie were better than Mason's were last year when he won, minus the number of shutouts. He was THE reason why the Wings not only made the playoffs, but finished as high as they did. His age will work against him, although to me, a rookie is a rookie. Myers will probably win because he's a 19 year old defenseman who led his team in ice time, played in all situations, and was very good. But, he also happened to have a Vezina-winning goalie playing behind him to bail him out of a lot of rookie mistakes that he undoubtedly made. If Howard goofed up, it usually cost his team a goal.
Lady Byng Trophy
The Finalists:
Pavel Datsyuk: 27 goals, 43 assists, 70 points, +17
Brad Richards: 24 goals, 67 assists, 91 points, -12
Martin St Louis: 29 goals, 65 assists, 94 points, -8
Who Will Win: St Louis
Who Should Win: Datsyuk?
I'll be honest: I don't care about this award. I do not watch hockey to see how "gentlemanly" everyone is out there. I don't want to see guys skating around with their pinkies in the air apologizing for touching someone on the other team. I want to see hitting, trash talking, and fighting. I like seeing guys muck for pucks in the corners, throwing an elbow to get away from a defender, and getting slashed and cross checked to gain 1" of space in front of the net. That being said, I think the award goes to St. Louis because he put up 94 points while not taking a lot of penalties, and since he played on the Lightning, that's a pretty big accomplishment, because if I played for the Lightning, I'd probably take penalties too. I picked Datsyuk because he's a Red Wing, but if I do end up watching, this will probably be my bathroom break.
Frank J Selke Trophy
The Finalists:
Pavel Datsyuk: 27 goals, 43 assists, 70 points, +17
Ryan Kesler: 25 goals, 50 assists, 75 points, +1
Jordan Staal: 21 goals, 28 assists, 49 points, +19
Who Will Win: Kesler
Who Should Win: Datsyuk
This award is very misunderstood. It's not for the best two-way forward: it's for the best defensive forward. A guy does not have to be good offensively to get this; hence the inclusion of Staal. But in my mind, if I'm protecting a lead with a minute to go, the forward I want out there is Datsyuk. Kesler is very good at what he does. But I believe that +/-, while somewhat overrated as a stat, is an indicator of your defensive prowess. Keep in mind that Kesler was on a very good offensive team, and he was only +1, whereas Datsyuk was on an ok scoring team, scored 5 less points than Kesler, and finished +17. With my Red Wing bias shining like a beacon on a foggy night, Datsyuk is my pick.
Jack Adams Award
The Finalists:
Joe Sacco: 43-30-9
Dave Tippett: 50-25-7
Barry Trotz: 47-29-6
Who Will Win: Tippett
Who Should Win: Tippett
This is the easiest award to pick. I would be surprised if this were not a unanimous selection. The Coyotes' issues this season were well documented: the bankruptcy of the previous owners caused the NHL to step in and "own" the team for this season, preventing them from moving. Gretzky resigned as coach just before training camp. Their team had been gutted and was full of kids and cast-offs. Enter Tippett, who turned around the rag-tag group of players and made them a very tough team to play against. The Coyotes have been one of the perennial sad-sack franchises in hockey for a while, but they catapulted up to the 4th best record in the NHL this season, including 50 wins. This one's a no-brainer.
Bill Masterton Award
The Finalists:
Kurtis Foster: 8 goals, 34 assists, 42 points, -5
Jose Theodore: 30-7-7, 2.81 GAA, .911 SV%
Jed Ortmeyer: 8 goals, 11 assists, 19 points
Who Will Win: Theodore/Foster
Who Should Win: Theodore
This award is for perseverence and dedication to hockey, and a case could be made for all 3 guys. Ortmeyer has had to endure a pulmonary embolism and blood clots, and there was talk he may never play again after surgery a couple of years ago. Foster had to overcome a shattered leg that cost him his entire season last year. Foster also has had to deal with the unspeakable tragedy of losing his infant daughter 5 days after she was born. However, as brutal as something like that is to deal with, it happened after the season. For Theodore, he had to spend the entire season coping with the same tragedy, as his young son died a couple of months after being born in the summer. As a father, I can't imagine doing your job under those circumstances, particularly a job that is played at such a high level of physicality, where a lapse in concentration can lead to serious injury. That he was able to play this season is one thing, but he played very well when in the lineup, and for that, he's my winner.
Ted Lindsay Award
The Finalists:
Sidney Crosby: 51 goals, 58 assists, 109 points, +25
Alexander Ovechkin: 50 goals, 59 assists, 109 points, +45
Henrik Sedin: 29 goals, 83 assists, 112 points, +35
Who Will Win: Sedin
Who Should Win: Sedin
This is basically the Hart Trophy, but voted on by the NHLPA, not by the GMs or writers. However, it's rare that the Lindsay (formerly the Pearson) winner didn't win the Hart in the same year. I think the players are going to do what they always do, and pick Sedin as the most outstanding player in the NHL this season.
Well, that's about it. I want to say that I think Sedin was a good choice for the Art Ross, and I have no real problems about Stamkos and Crosby splitting the Rocket Richard Trophy. I am just waiting for the day they create the Bobby Orr Trophy so that Mike Green can finally win something that isn't "Worst Defenseman to be Nominated for the Norris".
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