NHL hardware this year
goCanada! is a happy man! said 04/03, 03:43 PM
Obviously Ovechkin gets the Art Ross and the Maurice Richard trophies, which are based on pure stats, but how about the rest of the trophies?
Hart (MVP)- Ovechkin
Norris (Best D-man)- Nicklas Lidstrom
Vezina (Best Goalie)- Evgeni Nabokov
Selke - (Best Defensive Forward) - Henrik Zetterberg
Jennings (fewest goals against) - Detroit - Hasek/Osgood
Lester B. Pearson (best player as voted by players)- Ovechkin
Masterton (perseverance, sportsmanship)- Jason Blake
Calder (Rookie of the Year) - Patrick Kane
Jack Adams (Best Coach) - John Paddock haha, no, Guy Carbonneau
Lady Byng (most gentlemanly) - Pavel Datsyuk
I'll skip the Lester Patrick, given for service to the game in the U.S. because that's not necessarily based on THIS season, so its tough to call who they will honour any given year, and the King Clancy, which is often a crapshoot as well (not knocking the trophy, just the somewhat random means in which they give it out).
Obviously, there are some that can't be argued here, so just name the trophy designate you disagree with, and the player you would put in his place. We'll argue the merits afterward
Foosball said 04/03, 04:46 PM
I'll list the differences... and agrue them in my 2nd and 3rd
Hart ... it's a 2 man race but I'll give a slight edge to Malkin - Pittsburg
Vezina - Brodeur - New Jersey
Calder - Carey Price - Montreal
Selke - Patrick Sharp - Chicago
goCanada! is a happy man! said 04/04, 07:11 AM
Oohh, Patty Sharp eh? Not a bad guess, with all the shorties he has this season. However, Zetterberg has more points, obviously, and is unbelievably dedicated to the defensive side of the game. When you watch Red Wings games when they are on the road, the commentators are always marvelling at his competitiveness and his efforts on both ends of the ice. Alot of times, this award doesn't go to the forward who's the best at the defensive end of the game, but instead goes to the best forward that plays good defense. I realise that's a bit convoluted, but I'm sure you understand what I am saying. So, because Hank is certainly a better player, I think he'll get the award, the way Fedorov did a few years back over guys like Peca and Draper.
I have Ovie for MVP because the only thing working against him is the fact his team may not make the playoffs. I still think, based on his percentage of his team's points, he's the clear cut choice. I wouldn't even have Malkin in 2nd, I'd have Nabokov due to his games played, leading in wins, etc.
Price only played half the season, Kane scored the most points for a rookie. Even as a goalie, you can't only play half the season and win a major awar
Foosball said 04/04, 09:33 AM
Hart - Yes it will probably be Ovechkin...But I'm making a case for Malkin...When Crosby was out for for almost 1/3 of the season Malkin in only his 2nd season, stepped by and lead the Penguins to the #1 spot in the East. Washington may not even make the playoffs. If Ovechkin can't even get the get Washington into the playoffs then he is not the MVP of the league. Besides it was the trade for Huet at the trade deadline that turned the season around for Washington.
Vezina - Here's the case for Brodeur over Nabokov ... Brodeur's Save percentage is better (.920 vs .909) Goals against avg is 2.16 vs 2.15 but here is the stat that matters most... New Jersey Goals for 203, Goals against 192 difference +11 ... San Jose Goals for 220, Goals against 189 difference +31 ...
That says that New Jersey has been in far more close games and when the game is close your most vauable player on the ice is your goalie.
Calder - Carey Price 23 wins 3 shutouts .919 sv% and has led Montreal to 1st place in there division & tied for 1st in the East all while staying cool under the intense media spotlight in Montreal.
I'll put the Selke agruement in #3.
goCanada! is a happy man! said 04/04, 10:04 AM
I honetly believe its going to be a crapshoot between the two for the Vezina, but I think Nabby deserves it more, this year, based on his importance to that team. How many games did he sit this year? 3? Something like that anyway. That's crazy. Prior to the trade deadline, this team was underachieving, in terms of offense, yet Nabokov kept them in the race until all the pistons started firing. He's first in wins, 3rd in GAA and third in shutouts, all ahead of Brodeur. Those are 3 of the Big 4 stats, in terms of naming a Vezina winner, and Nabby has Brodeur in each.
Ovie will likely get the MVP even if they don't make the playoffs, now that he has the rest of the hardware locked up and the Caps are so close. At worst, they will finish 9th, I think and will have missed by just a hair. The team's turnaround didn't happen when Huet came in, it happened when Boudreau took over and changed the system they played in. Hanlon had hampered Ovie's offense with his defensive demands, and Boudreau installed a more run & gun offense that let Ovie thrive, and let him turn the team's fortunes around.
23 wins in what, 30-35 appearances? Good winning + save %, but just not enough games played
Foosball said 04/04, 01:24 PM
Selke-Zetterburg has great +/- stats but he Datsyuk and Lidstrom, have a better #'s and you know why...It's because they all play for Detroit! There the whole tm plays great defensively. I'm making a case for Patrick Sharp of Chicago. Your defensive forward is the guy you send out to kill penalties & play aganist the other teams top line. And not only has he that on a worse team but he has almost the same +/- stats as Zetterburg (21 vs 29) but he also has 7 shorthanded goals which leads the NHL.
Hart-Malkin carried his team on his back while Crosby (the defending MVP in NHL) was out for nearly 30 gms. The Pens then picked up Marian Hossa at the trade deadline and he goes out with knee injury in his 1st game & misses a dozen games. This Team could have put up the White Flag and gave up on the season when Crosby went down but Malkin steped up his game and is currently the 2nd leading scorer in the NHL 6 points behind Ovechkin (106 vs 112). This guy is the MVP!
The knock on Price is that he couldn't handle the pressure of being a #1 guy. Well in his 1st yr in the NHL he has proven that while being under the microscope that is Montreal from both media & the Fans!
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Comments (15)
yeah, fooser! Let's do 'er!
goCanada! is a happy man! | 04/03/08, 04:02 PM
Report Offensive Commentoh - just looked at the clock...my work day is over, I'll have to make my next argument tomorrow morning...sorry
goCanada! is a happy man! | 04/03/08, 04:03 PM
Report Offensive CommentOk guys, let's see what you got! LOL This should be good! :)
ArisDragon | 04/03/08, 04:51 PM
Report Offensive Commentmalkin? MVP?
Tonight....You | 04/03/08, 04:53 PM
Report Offensive Commentwhatever, just give the hart to all the Redwings as a team.
Tonight....You | 04/03/08, 04:53 PM
Report Offensive CommentCould be interesting debate...I will wait for final arguments to decide.
Baun-ded | 04/03/08, 04:56 PM
Report Offensive CommentI'm leaning left, how could Ovech not be MVP? He has single handedly taken Washington Capitals to one point out of the playoffs. But I'll wait for another round of arguments to see.
RHATER is Gone. | 04/03/08, 05:09 PM
Report Offensive CommentRhater> Well the Caps had O.V at the beginning of the year. Boudreau has made an impact, Green is playing fantastic and Huet has won his last 7 starts. Cook has also added to their success.
Malkin, carried the Pens on his back for 30 games while Crosby and others were M.I.A
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goCan- Don't forget the TD challenge I gave you directly on the Hulls. It was your comment that prompted it afterall. Time to speak up.
Baun-ded | 04/03/08, 05:39 PM
Report Offensive Commentran out of space, I'll have to make my Vezina argument next time...guess I got a little long winded
goCanada! is a happy man! | 04/04/08, 07:11 AM
Report Offensive Commentno offense, foos, but I'm looking at the arguments and not understanding how I am behind here...
Gotta finish this up today, I'm gone for the weekend, so I really need to warp up these arguments and leave it in the hands of the voters...
I'm curious as to what the hangup is, in terms of voting going towards foos...is it the Vezina, or the Calder?
goCanada! is a happy man! | 04/04/08, 11:24 AM
Report Offensive CommentI wish I could have one more argument, haha, is it out of line to use it now? I'm gonna anyway, please correct me if this not cool so I know not to do it in future TDs...
Price got sent down to the A at one point this season - he's great, but getting sent to the minors pretty much kills your Calder hopes, in my eyes, and, again, playing half a season (or less) does not qualify ANYONE for a major trophy, short of Mario Lemieux, who took them anyway that year he had cancer.
Sharp's team didn't even make the playoffs, how can he be that effective if he couldn't help his team get to the dance? The Wings finished first in the league and Zetterberg led the whole way with his two-way play. While Sharp was scoring 7 SH goals, he was also contributing to a losing cause
To me, having an MVP on your team the year before, then a potential MVP the next that is a different player shows more about the team's makeup than the player himself. I think Malkin is a sick hockey player, but the fact Sid won last year will hurt him. The league is not huge on naming 2 different MVPs from the same team in consecutive years. It works against him. Ovechkin does not have the tools to play with that Malkin has, and, like you mentioned, he has 6 more points, further strengthening my argument, if you ask me
goCanada! is a happy man! | 04/04/08, 02:20 PM
Report Offensive CommentThe MVP of the league shouldn't always by the leading scorer. And the fact that Sid went down and Malkin picked up the slack is exactly why Malkin should be the MVP of the League.
Foosball | 04/04/08, 03:02 PM
Report Offensive CommentI like Malkin as the MVP, but not Price as the Calder. Both had strong arguments too. However foosball, the knock on Price is that he has only played a limited amount of games, which means there's a good chance he couldnt sustain these stats for a full season like Kane has done. Voting left...
rmustud19 | 04/04/08, 03:11 PM
Report Offensive CommentgoCanada, good point on the Sharp and playoffs. He obviously used that as a crtieria for Ovechkin not to be MVP but then thinks Sharp should win. A little contradictory there. However, Malkin played ridiculously great when Crosby went down and carried the team to the first spot in the Eastern Conference. Not only did he maintain, which is what everyone said the Pens should try to do while he was out, just average a point a game. Malkin shatters that and takes the Pens to the top. He's not going to win the MVP because the media is in love with A.O. but Maklkin should win.
rmustud19 | 04/04/08, 03:17 PM
Report Offensive CommentLook, we KNOW Alex gets the MVP hardware...my point is, where's Bruce Boudreau for Coach of the Year?? HE's the main reason the Caps can clinch a playoff spot tomorrow night...on account of that he changed the culture of losing in the organization.
That's all I need to say.
DC Sports Nut: good Zorning!!! | 04/04/08, 10:45 PM
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