Wow, an Awards Statute! Aw, it's a Lady Byng

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".

Is This It? - Part 2

Due to family stuff, I didn't get to see the game. I will say that it is probably a little inapporpriate to be at a funeral home and yell out "Yes, eat shit motherfuckers!" That is what I did when I (discreetly) was told by my wife what the score was after the first period. Needless to say, I was given a very stern look by many people there. The only part of the game I saw was the second intermission on TSN. I wasn't paying too much attention, but James Duthie made an interesting comment. He said "if Detroit wins Game 5, they win the series." Bold prediction, and I hope he's better at predicting things than Maggie the Monkey.

So, how do you write up a preview of the game when you haven't seen the last one? I don't know, but this seems to be working so far. I have read a lot of the blogs (because the news reports of the game don't tell me what I want to know), and from what I've seen, the pairing of Franzen and Bertuzzi apparently lit a fire under both their asses. That reminds me of Game 4 last year against the Ducks when Babs put Hossa and Mule together and they torched the Ducks. That game carried over to Game 5 which the Wings won big. Here's hoping history repeats itself.

I guess Franzen decided to actually put the puck in the net, eh? 6 points isn't too shabby for one night of work. Let's hope he didn't blow his wad too early and go cold again tonight. Bertuzzi also appeared to have a good game.

I've always been wary of how a team like the Sharks will react after a blowout loss like Thursday night. We saw what happened last year against the Penguins (fuckers). I think I'd rather the Wings had won a hard fought 2-1 OT game. That lets the Sharks know that the Wings are fighting back against the Sharks. I don't know exactly what happened, but from my own experience playing, it was always easier to bounce back after being blown out because you think "we sucked today, but that won't happen tomorrow." Here's hoping that the Wings get another early lead and keep their foot on the gas.

This series should be 2-2, or even 3-1 for the Wings. Should this series end tonight, I will be extremely disappointed, not just because the season is over for the Wings, but because this was a series that feels extremely winnable. I have not been very impressed with the Sharks so far, and that's not just because I am a very sore loser. I think that if they can steal a win tonight, the collars around the Sharks are going to get very tight. The thing to remember is that the Wings no longer have to come back from being down 3-0 - it's now 3-1, and we just witnessed the Canadiens come back against the President's Trophy winners. Anything is possible. Whatever the Wings did in Game 4, they just need to do it again. Shouldn't be that difficult, really. Right?

No movie quotes again today. I can't think of anything that wound sound tired and cliched. The Wings know what this game means. Win and the epic comeback is half complete. Lose and the season is over. I think tonight is where Jimmy Howard shows why he should be ROY. He steals a game the Wings have no business winning, and the Wings stay alive.

WCSF - Game 3 - May the Force Be With You

Ok, so I'm a pretty big Star Wars geek. Not the "dress-up-in-a-stormtrooper-costume-to-see-the-movie-at-the-theatre" kind of geek - I don't have enough money to buy a costume. But like most Star Wars fans, I can recite pretty much all of the original movies, and some of the next set (which were not as good, but don't get me started on that). I've got some action figures lying around the house, and I am not completely ashamed to admit I own a few t-shirts that may or may not have Darth Vader on them. Under normal circumstances, I would watch at least one of the movies today, but there's a hockey game on tonight that is a little important. So, we're going to look forward to that. So, in honour of Star Wars Day (May the Fourth, get it?), we'll do our game preview with a Star Wars theme.

"Never tell me the odds" - Empire Strikes Back, 1980 - The Red Wings are down 2-0, and without doing any actual research, I would bet all $300 I have that the team that is up has won the series about 70-80% of the time. Bad news, right? Well, there are reasons why the Wings should feel confident they can come back. First, how many times did the Wings win the first 2 games of a series, only to see the other team win their home games and tie it up? Off the top of my head, I can think of 5 series where that happened: 2004 against the Predators and Flames, 2007 against the Flames, 2008 against the Predators, and 2009 against the Penguins (fuckers). Of those 5 series, the Wings lost 2 of them. So it's not impossible to come back. Plus, we all remember the Finals last year. I still have nightmares about it. Basically, until the Sharks win 4 games, I will not consider this series to be over.

"I'm Luke Skywalker, I'm here to rescue you" - A New Hope (1977) - With all apologies to Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg is the cog of the Wings' wheel (pun intended). He was awesome against the Coyotes, but against the Sharks he has been a little invisible. It's not that he has played poorly; it's just that he's not doing what we really need him to do, which is score goals and play smothering defense against the other team's top forward. He can't do it alone; Bertuzzi and Filppula have to be better as well. But if the Wings are going to win this series, Hank has to be our Luke Skywalker. This starts in the faceoff circle, where he's been dominated by anyone on the Sharks that has gone against him.

Darth Vader - Not a quote, but it's clear that Joe Pavelski is the Darth Vader to the Red Wings' rebel alliance. In fact, if you pay attention, I'm pretty sure he just scored again. He has been the reason that the Sharks are up in this series. He's got 4 goals out of the 8 the Sharks have scored, and his line has scored 6 of the 8 goals (Greg Louganis (Setoguchi) and Clowe have the other 2). So the message should be simple - stop that line and the Wings win. The Thornton-Heatley-Mitchell line has not been scary - both of their goals came on a busted stick leading to a 3 on 1, and a matchup after an icing on the Wings' 4th line.

Wedge - Remember Wedge? He's one of the rebel X-wing pilots. He's the only guy besides the main characters that is in all 3 of the early movies. He's there, but you don't really notice him as the movie is going on. When the trilogy is over, someone mentions that Wedge was in all 3 movies and you say "huh, I hadn't really noticed that. I guess I will pay attention to that next time." This is Johan Franzen. He's had a point in every game. That's impressive. But have you really noticed him out there? Outside of Game 1 of this series, he's been fairly mediocre. It's time for the Mule to stop being a supporting player and become a main character in this series.

Jabba The Hut - Jabba was an interesting character. He was some sort of mobster, controlling Tatooine, although he never moved. The only thing Jabba was actually good for was getting Princess Leia in to the gold bikini. I guess some would say he was an imposing figure, but as the movie develops, you got the sense he was really just a minor plot point to advance the story that Luke was now a superstar. I mean, for a guy that huge, all 100 lbs of Leia could choke him to death? Really? Anyway, this is how I feel about Evgeni Nabokov. Some people consider him an elite goalie - but does he scare any of you? He let in a softie in Game 2, and I don't think he's been the difference in this series at all. He's made a few nice saves, but I credit the Sharks' defense more for keeping the Wings to the outside and preventing second and third chances. If they get that, they will score a ton.

Babcock needs to pull some Jedi-mind shit on the players today. He needs to convince them that they are the better team, and that they will win tonight. I can just see it:

Team: This Sharks team is pretty good. It's going to be tough to beat them.
Babcock: These aren't the Sharks you're playing.
Team: These aren't the Sharks we're playing.
Babcock: You're playing the Coyotes.
Team: We're playing the Coyotes.
Babcock: It's Game 7 - lose and you're done.
Team: It's Game 7 - lose and we're done.
Babcock: Kick some ass!
Team: Kick some ass!

My prediction for tonight? I can not see the Wings falling behind 3-0 in this series. I think the officiating is going to be very even, because this series is under the microscope. I don't think there will be any make-up calls for Tuesday, nor do I want any. The Wings come out and play like their season is on the line, which it essentially is. I really believe that tonight is the night that Franzen and Zetterberg step up and take this series over. Thornton will continue his streak of being one of the most over-rated players in the NHL, and Pavelski will not have the opportunities that he's had in the first 2 games. The Wings win big, 5-2, and set the stage for a pivotal Game 4 on Thursday.

LGRW - May The Force Be With You!