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NHL Midseason Awards: Norris and Jack Adams

Jan 12

Posted by Eddie in Round Table | 2 Comments

With the midway point of the NHL season here, we decided to award the top NHL awards to players and coaches if the season were to end at the 41-game mark. Today we feature the Norris Trophy for Best Defenseman and the Jack Adams Award for Most Outstanding Coach.

With a +23 rating, Anaheim defenseman Toni Lydman is second in the league in +/- among defensemen.

Norris Trophy

EB – To be a top defender requires a well balance of offensive capability andof course defensive dominance. Defense though is not simply a +/- rating, but also doing the dirty work needed, such as blocking shots, to keep the puck out of your own net. I have to recommend Anaheim Duck’s defenseman Toni Lydman. Lydman is having a career high of +23 rating. Factor in over 20 minutes of play each night, 17 points, only one of them from the power-play, and 106 blocked shots, Lydman is doing what it takes to give his team a chance to win every night.

Chris – My nomination for this award goes to Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Letang has really stepped up his game this season and is getting the job done at both ends of the ice. Not only does he have 36 points so far on the season,  already beating his previous career-best of 33, but he also sports a healthy plus-21, which is good for third best in the NHL for defenseman. But what’s really amazing is that only one-third of his points have come on the power play, which means Letang is doing a lot of damage during 5-on-5 play. Letang is a big reason for Pittsburgh’s success and is well on his way to a career year. If he can keep up this pace, Letang could be a serious contender for the Norris next summer.

Eddie- It honestly took me a while to decide who should win this award. Letang is solid, Lydman is good, and Detroit Red Wings fans don’t call him Nick Norris for nothing. Nick Lidstrom is my pick for the Norris because at the age of 40, he’s playing better than ever. He tallied his first-career hat trick this season, as well as having a career-best 11-game point streak. He’s one Norris Trophy short of tying Doug Harvey for second-most all-time. Only legend Bobby Orr has had more. Many Red Wings fans think this might be his last season, but with the way he’s playing he could easily play another two seasons.

Matt- At the midway point, Nicklas Lidstrom is the Norris Trophy winner. At 40 years old, Lidstrom is proving night in andnight out that he’s still got it. Currently, he’s tied with Dustin Byfuglien for the league lead among defensemen with 41 points. Lately, he’s been showing his offensive skills as well as defensive. But regardless of how well the other defenseman in the league may be playing, there’s no other player I would want leading my defensive corps besides Nick Lidstrom.

Jack Adams Award

EB – Dan Bylsma of the Pittsburgh Penguins wins hand down. The team rode a 12 game winning streak at one point in time, and has an overall record of 26-12-4 in a tough Atlantic division. The team recently followed in HBO’s 24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic, shedded light into the coaching style of Bylsma. A poised, positive coach with a determination to not only win every game, but treating his players with respect.

Chris -When the season started, everyone believed the Lightning would be better after some of the additions made to the team, but I’m not sure anyone thought the team would be 2nd in the East at the halfway point of the season, which is why my vote goes to Guy Boucher. The Lightning have the fourth best power play in the NHL and the eighth best penalty kill despite having lackluster defense and sub par goaltending. Go ahead, take a look at Dan Ellis’s numbers, especially his fantastic 3.02 goals against average. Regardless, Boucher has this team winning games and staying competitive in a division normally dominated by the Washington Capitals.

Eddie- One of the teams usand many other hockey publications predicted to finish down the Western standings and out of the playoff race was Dallas. But at this point in the season, they have a 25-13-5 record and are leading the Pacific division. Without long time Stars Mike Modano and Marty Turco, they chose not to rebuild but rather change on the fly and reload. Marc Crawford is my pick for the Jack Adams Award. They currently ride a seven-game road winning streak and they have 13 road wins. The only teams with more wins away from home ice are the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings.

Matt- It’s hard to argue with what Chris has stated, and even harder to argue with what Boucher has done in Tampa Bay. He doesn’t have the absolute best talent to fill the ice, but he is getting the most of what he does have. It becomes even more ridiculous when you see that the Lightning have fewer goals for than goals against. Boucher is getting the job done, something that hasn’t been done in Tampa Bay since 2004 with John Tortorella.

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NHL Midseason Awards: Hart and Calder

Jan 11

Posted by Eddie in Round Table | 2 Comments

With the midway point of the NHL season here, we decided to award the top NHL awards to players and coaches if the season were to end at the 41-game mark. Today we feature the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP and the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year. Check back Wednesday when we reveal our selections for the Jack Adams and Norris tophies.

Hart Trophy

EB – Sid the Kid is by far the best player in the NHL right now. His ability to blend in and find open ice when needed mixed with his drive and determination, has been nothing but a success story this season. Currently the top point getter in the NHL with a good margin, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins will be the winner of the Hart Trophy this year.

Chris – When I think of the Hart Trophy, I think of the guy whose team would be nowhere near where they are without his efforts night in and night out. Love him or hate him, Sidney Crosby is that guy. With 32 goals on the season, Crosby accounts for nearly a quarter of all of the goals the Penguins have scored this year. He is one of the most lethal players in the NHL and he does so with little help on his wings. At least the Sedin twins have each other to pass the puck around. In terms of the player most valuable to his team, Sidney Crosby is that player.

Eddie- Right now at this point of the season, there’s no other player that has been most valuable to his team than Sidney Crosby. The way he led his team on the ice throughout his point streak and the Penguins long winning streak last month was pretty amazing to watch. Sure, he may be a pest to opposing players and fans. That’s what great players do. They find way to physically, mentally, and emotionally get into the heads of the opponent. But if he was on our hometown team we would love him just like the fans in Pittsburgh do.

Matt – I think it’s easy to say that Sidney Crosby is the player most valuable to his team so far this season. He already has 32 goals and 34 assists for 66 points at the midway point of the season. Without a doubt, the Penguins would not be the same without Crosby leading the team. No other single player has made that big of an impact for their team this season, and that’s why Crosby gets the Hart.

Rookie forward Jeff Skinner has garnered serious contention for rookie of the year.

Calder Trophy

EB – The San Jose Sharks are a deep roster team with veterans such as Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton. It is a surprise to think though that the team’s top goal scorer is rookie Logan Couture. Couture has 27 points in 41 games played with 6 of them playing a pivotal player on the power-play. The second half is always the toughest with rookies, but expect Couture to continue his pace to reach the mid 50 point mark.

Chris – After winning the Stanley Cup last summer, the Chicago Blackhawks were forced to shed a lot of salary and a lot of key talent in order to become cap compliant and retain the services of their core group of skilled young stars. This also meant that Chicago didn’t have much money to spent on replacement parts, meaning that several rookies would get a shot with the big club. Bryan Bickell has been one such talent. Bickell currently sits 2nd overall in rookie scoring despite receiving less ice time on average per game than some of the other rookie scoring leaders. Bickell has 11 goals and 12 assists with a plus-8 rating and has been a steady contributor for the Blackhawks this year when they needed their young talent to step up to the plate and show that they belong in the NHL. Bickell has done just that this season.

Eddie- There are plenty of solid rookies in the league this year. It was hard to pick one specific player because how much a rookie produces depends on the team around him. You have the three rookies in Edmonton that are trying to revive a bad team. Those guys as a collection are solid and will be good for years to come, but don’t expect them to be a finalist unless one makes a surge in the second half. My Calder pick is someone I never heard of at the beginning of the season. He, like Jimmy Howard last season, stepped in goal for a good team and did nothing but make them better. Philadelphia’s Sergei Bobrovsky has a 15-6-3 record, with a 2.57 GAA and a .915 save percentage. He played so well for the Flyers, when Michael Leighton returned from injury, they chose the rookie over the goalie who led the Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals last season.

Matt- My Calder Trophy vote at the midway point of the season goes to Jeff Skinner of the Carolina Hurricanes. At only 18 years of age, the kid is making a pretty big impact for the Carolina Hurricanes. At times this season, he’s even seen playing time alongside Eric Staal. The fact is, while playing for a team that was projected to be mediocre this season, young Jeff Skinner is helping them battle for a playoff spot in the East.

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NHL Midseason Awards: Vezina

Jan 9

Posted by Eddie in Round Table | No Comments

With the midway point of the NHL season here, we decided to award the top NHL awards to players and coaches if the season were to end at the 41-game mark. Today we feature the Vezina Trophy for Top Goaltender. Check back Tuesday when we reveal our selections for the Hart and Calder Trophies.

Tim Thomas already has one Vezina Trophy to his name. The stats this season prove he's on his way to another.

Vezina Trophy

EB – Although I pride myself in being different, I too have to agree the Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas is indeed the top goaltender in the NHL. After having hip surgery in the off-season to repair a torn labrum in his left hip, Thomas did not have the luxury to prepare for the current season. One would think it would be a shaky start, but 7 wins in a row on 7 starts, is simply amazing. Factor in 3 of them being shutouts… wow. His dominance has continued, making Boston a threat come playoff time.

Chris – It’s hard not to notice a goaltenders whose goals against average is below 2.00, yet Tim Thomas, with 27 starts for the Bruins this season, sports an incredibly impressive 1.80 goals against average thus far. Thomas is on pace to put up the best numbers of his career despite being 36 years of age. If Thomas stays on pace, there is no competition for the Vezina. The trophy belongs to Thomas.

Eddie- It looks like everyone is going with Tim Thomas. Statistically, he’s the baddest and best backstopper in the league. But for the sake of a round table debate (It wouldn’t be a debate if everyone agreed on the same thing), the person who I think could be a finalist for the Vezina is Detroit’s Jimmy Howard. He currently leads the league in victories with 21. The last goalie to lead the league in victories and win the Vezina the same season was Martin Brodeur in 2006-07. What could keep him out of being a finalist is his high GAA (2.74) and save percentage (.907). He is in his second season full-time in the league, so it could be possible for coach Mike Babcock to slow Howard’s starts and minutes later on in the season to give him proper rest heading into the playoffs. In a city where Red Wings goalie is the second most criticized position in sports (Detroit Lions quarterback is first), Howard has done nothing but win fans over and will prove to be solid in the cage for the Red Wings in years to come.

Matt- My vote for the mid-season Vezina goes to Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins. Thomas, who lost his starting role last year to the young Tuukka Rask, has rebounded and had an incredible start to the 2010-11 season. Because of his outstanding play, the Bruins are leading the Northeast division, and have the fewest goals against in the NHL. In addition, Thomas is currently atop the NHL in both goals against average, save percentage, and is tied for the league lead with five shutouts. At the midway point this season, there’s no doubt about it, Tim Thomas is the Vezina Award winner.

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NHL Award Finalists and Picks Part 3

May 11

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

Part one can be found here, while part two can be found here.

Vezina Trophy: Best Goaltender

Finalists:

  • Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
  • Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres
  • Ilya Bryzgalov, Phoenix Coyotes

Interesting how the three finalists for the most outstanding goaltender went one-and-done in the playoffs. All three goalies are outstanding in their own way. All three competed for their native countries in the Olympics, despite Brodeur getting benched after the first matchup against Miller and the United States. Brodeur was the workhorse of NHL goalies as he led all goaltenders in games played (77) , wins (45) , and shoutouts (9). Miller kept his hot streak going after the United States Olympic run as he posted a 9-2-1 record after the Vancouver games. He also posted a .929 save percentage while winning 41 games. Bryzgalov was the one of the trio who had more of a breakout season. He posted career-high’s in games played (69), wins (42), and shutouts (eight). His season also led to the Coyotes posting franchise best marks in wins and points in a season.

My Pick: Bryzgalov

GM of the Year

Finalists:

  • George McPhee, Washington Capitals
  • Don Maloney, Phoenix Coyotes
  • David Poile, Nashville Predators

The work of a general manager is like walking a fine line. If the team has a successful season, the GM is given credit for assembling a fantastic roster. If they start to lose games, the finger is pointed at them. The three finalists this season has either seen the fruits of their labor some to fruition or has kept their team competitive in the salary cap era of the NHL. McPhee and Poile didn’t have to tinker with their teams as much as Maloney had to, but they did enough to have their team keep improving over the course of the season. McPhee signed Mike Knuble to help Alex Ovechkin and Niklas Backstrom form one of the most powerful lines in the NHL. Poile was patient in Nashville, as the team was struggling early in the season. Instead of blowing it up right there, he let coach Barry Trotz work it out before making moves at the deadline to push Nashville into the seventh seed in the playoffs. Maloney had a tough situation last off season as he couldn’t make any moves due to the team being in bankruptcy court and not knowing his operating budget. He did what he could, and fielded a young, competitive team to  make the playoffs and bring fans back to the arena.

My Pick: Maloney

Washington defenseman Mike Green is a finalist for the Norris Trophy. Last season he finished second behind Boston's Zdeno Chara.

Washington defenseman Mike Green is a finalist for the Norris Trophy. Last season he finished second behind Boston's Zdeno Chara.

Norris Trophy: Most Outstanding Defenseman

Finalists:

  • Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
  • Mike Green, Washington Capitals
  • Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks

It’s weird to see a Norris Trophy finalist list without seeing Nicklas Lidstrom. Could it be the end of an era of one of the best defensemen in league history? The three finalists up for the award this season is part of the youth movement the league is going for. Mike Green has both the offensive and defensive capabilities that’s needed for a top notch blueliner. Green finished runner-up to Zdeno Chara last season, and lead all defensemen this season in goals, assists, points, and power play goals. Doughty would be the second-youngest winner, behind Bobby Orr. Keith posted career high’s in goals, assists and points while finishing second behind Green in assists and points.

My Pick: Green

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More NHL Award Finalists Announced

May 7

Posted by Eddie in News | 2 Comments

Two weeks ago I wrote about the first few finalists that were announced for various NHL Awards. Since then, some more finalists have been announced. The NHL Awards Show will be June 23 in Las Vegas. Here’s a preview of the award finalists as well as my picks for who could take home the hardwood. Part three will feature the Vezina, GM of the Year, and other awards.

Hart Trophy: Most Valuable Player (voted by Professional Hockey Writers Association)

Ted Lindsay Award: Most Outstanding Player (voted by NHL Players Association)

Finalists:

  • Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
  • Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
  • Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks

I get to hit two birds with one stone on this award because both the NHLPA and the PHWA agree on who the finalists for Most Valuable Player should be. All three players have cases for why they should win the award. Ovechkin and Crosby tied for second in points with 109 points. Crosby also led the league in shootout goals with 8, as well as posting a 80 percent success rate in shootouts. Sedin has already won hardware this season as he won the Art Ross Trophy with a league-leading 112 points. Crosby has one Hart Trophy has he won in 2007. Ovechkin has won it each of the last two seasons and is looking for his third in a row. Each of the last three seasons the same player has won both awards. Don’t expect that to happen this season.

My Heart Trophy Pick: Ovechkin

My Ted Lindsay Award Pick: Sedin

Jack Adams Award: Coach of the Year

Finalists:

  • Joe Sacco, Colorado Avlanche
  • Dave Tippett, Phoenix Coyotes
  • Barry Trotz, Nashville Predators

With awards like this, it usually doesn’t go to a coach who wins the Stanley Cup or even the Presidents Trophy. The last Stanley Cup winning coach who won the Jack Adams Award in the same season was JohnTortorella in 2004. It’ll usually go to someone who overachieves or leads his team to the playoffs when they weren’t expected to at the beginning of the season. These coaches are deserving of the award in their own way. Tippett took over the team from Wayne Gretzky a week before the season began and took a team that finished 25th in the league last season to fourth place in the Western Conference this season before losing to Detroit in game seven of the first round. Trotz is the only bench boss Nashville has ever had and has led the Preds to the playoffs in five of the last six seasons. Not bad for a team who has to compete with conference powers Detroit and Chicago more than most other teams. Sacco was a rookie coach who came out on fire in October. His 10-1-2 start was the second-best 13 game start for a coach in NHL history. He also led the Av’s to a second place finish in the Northwest Division.

My Pick: Tippett

Washington goalie Jose Theodore is a finalist for the Bill Masterton Trophy.

Washington goalie Jose Theodore is a finalist for the Bill Masterton Trophy.

Bill Masterton Trophy: Perseverance, Sportsmanship and Dedication to Hockey

Finalists:

  • Kurtis Foster, Tampa Bay
  • Jed Ortmeyer, San Jose
  • Jose Theodore, Washington

This award is presented to someone who had to overcome some type of hardship, injury, or situation to perform at the level that is needed in the NHL. Each player has a unique story which made them a finalist. Foster overcame a severely broken leg suffered two seasons ago. After his surgery, he realized he was lucky to even walk again. He missed nearly a calendar-year of hockey before returning to practice in Febrary 2009. After rehab stints in the AHL he made his return in March 2009 when he was with Minnesota. Signed as a free-agent with Tampa over the summer, he recorded career-high’s of 34 assists and 42 points this season from the blue line. He also blocked 70 shots.

Ortmeyer’s situation is a little different. At some point each day, Ortmeyer must use a needle to inject a blood thinner directly into his stomach to combat a hereditary blood-clotting disorder that has threatened not only his hockey career, but also his life. The process is tricky and the timing must be precise. The blood thinner, Lovenox, needs to be in his system during the down time when he’s not on the ice and it needs to be out of his system when he plays or practices so that a hard check or a high stick does not cause fatal bleeding. He’s suffered blood-clotting twice in his career and almost walked away from the game. This season, he set career high’s in goals, assists and points. Theodore’s situation is more heart breaking. Losing his starting goal position is nothing compared to when he lost his son over the summer. His son, Chace, passed away two months after birth with respiratory complications related to his premature birth. He bounced back this season to have his best year since winning the Heart and Vezina Trophies in 2002 with a 30-7-7 record and a .911 save percentage.

My Pick: Theodore

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NHL Award Finalists Revealed

Apr 22

Posted by Eddie in News | 3 Comments

Starting this week and throughout the next week, the National Hockey League is revealing finalists for the year-end awards. The NHL Awards Show will be June 23 in Las Vegas. Here’s a preview of the award finalists already announced as well as my picks for who could take home the hardwood. More previews will hit Hockey World Blog as they are announced.

Tampa's Martin St. Louis joins Pavel Datsyuk and Brad Richards as finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy

Tampa's Martin St. Louis joins Pavel Datsyuk and Brad Richards as finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy

Lady Byng Trophy: Most Gentlemanly Player

Finalists:

  • Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit
  • Brad Richards, Dallas
  • Martin St. Louis, Tampa

Datsyuk is the only player to have won the award in the post-lockout era. He has edged St. Louis each of the past three seasons. Datsyuk is near the opposite of his Russian counterpart Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin likes to play it rough and get his nose dirty while Datsyuk is more quiet, reserved and gets job done. Could this be the year Richards and St. Louis put their name on the hardware? Richards has won the award previously, in 2004.

My Pick: Richards

Frank Selke Trophy: Best Defensive Forward

  • Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit
  • Ryan Kesler, Vancouver
  • Jordan Staal, Pittsburgh

Each one of these players is very deserving of the award. Datsyuk led the league in takeaways with 132 and finished with a plus-17 rating. Kesler’s career-high 19:32 averaged playing time helped play a role in the Canucks finished fourth this season in home penalty-killing. Stall finished second in the league in short-handed penalty minutes.

My Pick: Datsyuk

Calder Trophy: Rookie of the Year

  • Matt Duchene, Colorado
  • Tyler Myers, Buffalo
  • Jimmy Howard, Detroit
Jimmy Howard joins Matt Dunchene and Tyler Myers as finalists for the Calder Trophy

Jimmy Howard joins Matt Dunchene and Tyler Myers as finalists for the Calder Trophy

This is a solid group of candiates for the Calder Trophy. At the beginning of the season, you would expect someone like John Tavares to be in this position and not Jimmy Howard. Howard has stepped into the Detroit net and embraced it. He hopes to become the first Red Wing to win the Calder since Roger Crozier in 1965. Howard’s 2.26 GAA and a .924 SV% placed him in the top-five in the NHL in each category. Myers was one of four players to play in all 82 games and the only defenseman rookie to do so. He was very effective when his name was on the scoresheet, as Buffalo was 8-1-1 when he scored a goal and 29-7-1 when he recorded a point. Duchene had a  breakout season in Colorado. He played a role in the Avalanche qualifying for the playoffs, when he scored 24 goals and 31 assists this season. His 55 points was the second-highest total in Av’s history, only behind teammate Paul Stasny’s 78 in 2007. He also led all rookies in points and tied for first in goals with Tavares.

My Pick: Duchene

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