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If I Had An Award Ballot
by PuckStopsHere on 04/13/09 at 12:30 AM ET
Comments (8)
Every year I like to post my NHL award choices at the end of the season (here is last year’s version). My picks are not who I think will win the awards but rather who I would vote for. They are the players I think deserve the awards.
Selke Trophy- 1. Mike Richards Philadelphia Flyers 2. Mikko Koivu Minnesota Wild 3. Eric Staal Carolina Hurricanes
I think it is possible that Pavel Datsyuk may be the winner if it is not Richards. Datsyuk does not play nearly as many minutes in defensive situations as these choices and is therefore a poorer choice. This trophy should go to a player who is used in as many of his team’s defensive situations as possible and Datsyuk doesn’t qualify. Here is why I support Mike Richards.
Masterton Trophy- 1. Teppo Numminen Bufalo Sabres 2. Steve Sullivan Nashville Predators 3. Owen Nolan Minnesota Wild
There is a lot of support for Richard Zednik to win this award, but I don’t buy it. Each one of these players was in a situation where many people would have walked away from the game of hockey. They had already had long NHL careers and nobody would have thought badly of them if they retired. While it is true that Richard Zednik could have died when his neck was cut by a skate without quick medical attention, he got the medical attention. It was clear minutes after the incident that Zednik would be back in the NHL. There was no season or longer lost to rehab. There was no serious reason to ponder retirement. All of these nominees faced that kind of situation. I am aware that Nolan was not chosen as the Minnesota nominee for this award - Kurtis Foster was. While Foster is a solid choice, he has not had the same level of sustained success since the injury that Nolan has had. Nolan has come back to make a bigger impact so far. Foster seems like a better choice for next season, should his comeback continue. Here is why I support Teppo Numminen.
Lady Byng Trophy- 1. Martin St Louis Tampa Bay Lightning 2. Brian Rafalski Detroit Red Wings 3. Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings
Here is why I support Martin St Louis.
Adams Trophy- 1. Andy Murray St Louis Blues 2. Jacques Lemaire Minnesota Wild 3. Ken Hitchcock Columbus Blue Jackets
I strongly disagree with the way the NHL usually picks the coach of the most improved team. I would guess that Brent Sutter of New Jersey might win the award. I think each of these coaches had a far bigger impact on their team. Here is why I support Andy Murray.
Calder Trophy- 1. Steve Mason Columbus Blue Jackets 2. Pekka Rinne Nashville Predators 3. Bobby Ryan Anaheim Ducks
Here is why I support Steve Mason. I think the race between Mason and Rinne is far closer than voting results will indicate. Rinne also had a very good rookie season, but falls short of Mason in part because he had less games played.
Norris Trophy- 1. Mike Green Washington Capitals 2. Nicklas Lidstrom Detroit Red Wings 3. Duncan Keith Chicago Blackhawks
Here is why I support Mike Green. I suspect Zdeno Chara will be a strong challenger for this award, but I don’t think he deserves it. In a lot of ways, Chara is getting support because Boston has a really good season and he is a well known defenceman who has been a Norris nominee in the past, who is a part of that.
Vezina Trophy- 1. Tim Thomas Boston Bruins 2, Tomas Vokoun Florida Panthers 3. Niklas Backstrom Minnesota Wild
Here is why I support Tim Thomas. I suspect the other nominees may be Steve Mason and either Evgeni Nabokov or Miikka Kiprusoff (the latter one chosen in honor of their team’s wins with them in net). They have not had as good seasons as the nominees I have chosen.
Hart Trophy- 1. Alexander Ovechkin Washington Capitals 2. Evgeni Malkin Pittsburgh Penguins 3, Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings
Here is why I support Alexander Ovechkin.
All Star Teams- First - Alexander Ovechkin Washington Capitals, Evgeni Malkin Pittsburgh Penguins, Jarome Iginla Calgary Flames, Mike Green Washington Capitals, Nicklas Lidstrom Detroit Red Wings, Tim Thomas Boston Bruins
Second - Zach Parise New Jersey Devils, Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings, Martin St Louis Tampa Bay Lightning, Duncan Keith Chicago Blackhawks, Mark Streit New York Islanders, Tomas Vokoun Florida Panthers
Third - Ilya Kovalchuk Atlanta Thrashers, Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins, Shane Doan Phoenix Coyotes, Zdeno Chara Boston Bruins, Andrei Markov Montreal Canadiens, Niklas Backstrom Minnesota Wild
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Comments
I would pick Big George Parros for the Masterton
Posted by Shea from Covina on 04/13/09 at 06:41 AM ET
Datsyuk doesnt play as many minutes because the Wings roll 4 lines, but Datsyuk faces the other teams top lines all the time, not sure what games you are / arent watching….
Posted by yzerman19 from Nashville on 04/13/09 at 08:01 AM ET
How does Lemaire make your Adams list, but Julien doesn’t?
Posted by NHLJeff from Pens fan in Chicago, IL on 04/13/09 at 10:23 AM ET
The Norris trophy isn’t supposed to be for the defenseman with the most points, it’s supposed to be for the best defenseman. Period. Poll the players in the league and ask whom they feel is the toughest defender to play against and I would be willing to bet that not one would say Mike Green. Unfortunately it’s voted on by bandwagon media folk who choose whatever defenseman has the most points as an easy choice. There is already a best defensive forward trophy (Selke), make a best offensive defenseman trophy (Coffey Trophy, or whatever) and leave the Norris to what its intended for: the best defender in the league. That said, this trophy should be awarded to Zdeno Chara. Guys hate to play against him and you routinely read about it in pre and post game comments from opposing teams. It’s sad that there are stellar defenders in the league who will never top 30-40 points but who lay it all out night after night and will never get the recognition becuase the trophy always goes to whoever has more points. It’s time to change that and isolate the offensive defenders from the true defenders.
Posted by Johnny I from CT, USA on 04/13/09 at 12:29 PM ET
NHLJeff - completely agree. Boston wasn’t even picked to make the playoffs this season by several “experts”, let alone finish first in the East. And on top of it, you’re hearing about three of their players in the running for awards: Chara for Norris, Thomas for Vezina, and Wheeler for Calder (though that is obviously going to Mason for good reason). Look at the numbers Kessel put up compared to last season, even Krejci. Look at the turnaround Ryder had in Boston compared to last season. He coached this team beyond everyone’s expectations (sans his own) and deserves at least a nod for the Adams.
Posted by Johnny I from CT, USA on 04/13/09 at 12:38 PM ET
1)No mention of Steve Mason in Vezina. He didn’t have the Bruins defense/forwards in front of him, yet he was probably the biggest reason the Jackets are not on the first tee this morning. A clue to this was Manny Fernandez’s numbers were pretty good too the first half before he got hurt.
2) The Selke, Norris, Masterdon awards are so nebulous in what criteria voters use that any of us can have a valid opinion of who should/shouldn’t win.
3)Jacque Lemaire? A postumous award? LOL ; )
Posted by Faux Rumors from Globally- Here, there, Everywhere on 04/13/09 at 01:49 PM ET
The argument that Claude Julien should win the Adams is based on the same kind of thinking that incorrectly gives the coach of the year to the coach of the most improved team - which arguably Boston was this season. At the very least, they were the team most underrated by pundits. Pundits screwed up on their prediction for Boston and that was clear very early in the season.
Boston had a bunch of people exceed expectations. This list includes Tim Thomas, Marc Savard, David Krejci, Blake Wheeler, Phil Kessel, Dennis Wideman, Michael Ryder. It is a large portion of their roster. The fact pundits made a mistake on Boston does not clearly prove Julien was the best coach in the NHL. It shows that the pundits were wrong. When that number of players have far better years than expected, it often makes a coach look good independant of what the coach did. Julien is a pretty good coach who played the most likely lineup this season. He did not have to make any major adjustments and the Bruins did very well. By November it was clear the pundits were wrong. The main reason they were wrong is that they undervalued a large portion of the Bruin roster.
One player who did not exceed expectation is Zdeno Chara. That is not to say he didn’t have a good season, but he didn’t do as well as he did last year. Last year he finished third in the Norris race and this year he is a little further back. That argument is outlined in the Chara link in the article.
Chara may very well be the defenceman that players least like playing against - I would believe that could be the result of such a poll if it was taken. That is not the same thing as being the best defenceman. I imagine the player that people least like to play against is probably Sean Avery. That does not argue in any way that Avery is the best defensive player in hockey (clearly he isn’t). Chara is a big talented physical defenceman. He is a good player. What he didn’t do is gather the most “win shares” for his team. I would argue that among defencemen Mike Green did. He had some outstanding offence and some very good defensive numbers (not against the highest talent in the league - but he didnt duck anyone either). I think he probably won more games for his team (and I readily admit there is no rigorous sabermetric argument to show such things in hockey- but it is the most meaningful way to give out awards).
The fact Boston had osm many award candidates shows they have a good team. It is unnecessary to have to credit the coach for it. I think Jacques Lemaire had a bigger value to his team than Julien had to his. I think there is no probloem asserting such a statement.
Posted by PuckStopsHere on 04/13/09 at 02:04 PM ET
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I was a little annoyed you didn’t nominate any Sharks players but I read your reasoning and you make some good points. The Sharks are very team oriented so I can understand why they weren’t on your list.
I’m glad someone is FINALLY sticking up for Tim Thomas. A lot of people weren’t even picking him for Vezina…The same people who argued last year that save % was the main stat for individual goalies. Mason was pretty good but Thomas saved a lot of games for the Bruins this year. Thomas deserves this!
Only the lady Byng I’m a bit confused about. This is one award where I thought you would have at least nominated a shark in Patrick Marleau. It’s not as if the players you picked were bad but I believe Marleau deserves it more. But hey, it’s our opinions and I just wanted to throw my hat in the ring. Nice article and good points for all your picks, however.
Posted by Matt Fry from Winnipeg on 04/13/09 at 01:36 AM ET