I can get over them not picking the Wings to win the cup but only one of them picked Lidstrom to win the Norris?  Hilarious.

Posted by Heaton on 10/06/08 at 12:32 PM ET

For sure… it appears that there may be legs to the whole “the media is sick of Lidstrom winning” conspiracy theory…

But it’ll be pretty hard for them to not vote for him when he finishes in the top 5 in defense scoring, first in defense +/-, and is near the top in assists (league-wide, not just for d-men), power play points, and ice-time. And how he never puts his team down a man. And those things that aren’t measured like being the captain, never rattling under pressure, always making the safe decision in his own end, always making a perfect first pass…

Put it this way. It’s a joke anyone picked Campbell, especially playing in the west. And not only would Phaneuf have to take a HUGE leap forward this season (assists up by 10+, +/- up by 20+, and for my money, PIMs down by at least a few—you’re not an asset to your team when you’re in the box), but Lidstrom would have to take a significant step back (assists drop by 10+, +/- drop by 20+).

Posted by Nathan on 10/06/08 at 12:47 PM ET

Barry Melrose coach of the year.... Can we PLEASE stop linking to ESPN?

Posted by Kevin from Pittsburgh on 10/06/08 at 12:56 PM ET

They sure love the Canadiens.

Three picks for Zetterberg for the Selke, but no one picked Datsyuk to defend it?

I’m surprised that MacTavish doesn’t get more attention for coaching honors.  He seems to do a solid job each year no matter what kind of team he has.

I’d be okay (well, okay-er) with not picking Lidstrom for the Norris if he won it a few times when the fact that he didn’t hit was always held against him.  That seems to be why everyone is so enamoured of Dion Phaneuf.  And I think he isn’t even necessarily the best defenseman on his own team.  Robyn Regehr is pretty decent.

Typical ESPN.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 10/06/08 at 01:02 PM ET

Picking Melrose to win coach of the year is like calling a retarded person for double dribble; you just don’t do that. Unless someone else does something truly extraordinary, Babs should IMO be a lock for the Adams.

No Norris for Nick is sheer idiocy. I agree with Baroque that he should have won it before the turn of the century.

Z will be a favorite to win the Selke over Dats because the former scores more goals and still plays fantastic D.

MVPs usually go to extraordinary players on mediocre teams that barely make the playoffs.

Idiots! all of them! (except maybe Hradek)

Posted by Osrt on 10/06/08 at 01:13 PM ET

Naaah...let ‘em pick.

They were all against the Wings from the get-go last year and it served us well because they were all WRONG!!!!

Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!

Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 10/06/08 at 01:34 PM ET

Bah, predictions are pointless anyways. Half of them are trying to catch lightning in a bottle by making “out there” predictions like Melrose for coach of the year or Kesler for the Selke.

Then if the impossible happens, they get to say “I told you so”. If it doesn’t, nobody will remember because it was 8 months ago.

And we can only hope Phaneuf doesn’t win the Norris. I’m tired of the media love he gets without having won any sort of hardware.

Posted by Shane from Saskatoon on 10/06/08 at 01:46 PM ET

I can get over them not picking the Wings to win the cup but only one of them picked Lidstrom to win the Norris?  Hilarious.

What he said.  At least Hradek isn’t on the pipe…

Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 10/06/08 at 01:52 PM ET

I’m glad Paul put experts in quotes in the tease.

Posted by Yankee Canuck on 10/06/08 at 02:02 PM ET

Figures that the only one that actually knows anything about hockey, E.J. Hradek made some pretty sensible picks.  Just goes to show that ESPN is the wordwide leader in pandering to idiots.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 10/06/08 at 02:37 PM ET

“ESPN experts”...hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

“Linda Cohn”...hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe!

Please stop, you’re killing me.

Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 10/06/08 at 03:31 PM ET

Thanks for the wake-up Paul,
I did not know ESPN was still around.

Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 10/06/08 at 04:13 PM ET

ESPN’s pick for the Cup last year was the NY Rangers.  And they all but said if not the Rangers, that the Ducks would repeat instead.

Go ahead, let them pick wrong again this year.  Who really cares?

Posted by Primis on 10/06/08 at 07:53 PM ET