2009 NHL Awards Preview and Predictions
by Hooks Orpik on Jun 18, 2009 11:00 AM EDT
in News
15 comments
Even though Sidney Crosby claimed the only award that matters last Friday night, the NHL is going to gather in Las Vegas to honor individuals for their great seasons. Pittsburgh Penguins players don't figure to factor into the show as much as they have over the past couple of years, but Evgeni Malkin still will be in the running for a couple of awards.
Here's the run-down of the finalists, as well as the results of the vote taken by the Pensburgh writers. Feel free to share your picks in the comments! Also, a description of the award (since some are for "value", others for "proficiency") is also included...The devil is in the details!
After the jump, the Pensburgh award ceremony!
First of all, congratulations to two winners already decided.
Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophy -- awarded to the NHL's leading goal scorer.
Ovechkin wins his second Richard trophy in a row, with 56 goals this season. The next closest goal scorer only had 46 (Philly's Jeff Carter). Ovechkin had a sick year and filled the net at a crazy pace; he's dangerous every time he touches the puck and with his flair on and off the ice, Ovechkin is a fitting recipient of an award the bears Maurice Richard's name.
Art Ross Trophy: awarded to the NHL's leading scorer
With 35 goals and 78 assists, Malkin becomes the 4th different Penguin to win the Art Ross, bringing the award to Pittsburgh for the 13th time in the past 21 seasons, an amazing stretch of dominance. Malkin was the league's leading scorer since about Game 5, so he basically led the way from pole to pole. And he did it with even strength linemates Petr Sykora and Ruslan Fedotenko -- two players that struggled at different points of the season and only combined for 85 points themselves. In three seasons in the NHL, Geno has improved his assist and point total every season and with his 23rd birthday this summer, he should be in line to compete for this award for the forseeable future.
Calder Trophy: to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League"
Finalists: Bobby Ryan (Anaheim), Kris Versteeg (Chicago), Steve Mason (Columbus)
Pensburgh winner:
Mason, in a word, was awesome in his rookie campaign. 33-20-7 with a 2.29 goals against average (second in the league), a .916 save percentage and a league leading 10 shutouts. Mason was a huge reason that Columbus made their first ever appearance in the playoffs. Mason was a 3rd round pick in 2006 for the Blue Jackets and has proven to be a big time goalie, leading Team Canada to the gold medal in the 2008 U-20 World Championships. He seems poised to be one of the top goaltenders in the league for the next decade.
Norris Trophy: "to the defense playe who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position"
Finalists: Zdeno Chara (Boston), Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit), Mike Green (Washington)
Pensburgh winner:
Offensively Green had a season for the ages. He led all defensemen in goals (31), points (73) and power-play goals (18). He's the first defenseman to score 30 goals since 1992-93 and set the record for consecutive games with a goal (8) by a defenseman. And he missed 14 games due to illness/injury! Defensively Green is better than you might think too, maybe it's because he plays in the other zone and his team controls the puck a lot but he was best n the league amongst defensemen in Goals +/- at even strength. Green was second on his team in blocked shots and the best defenseman in takeaways, so he's no slouch there either. Simply put his wizardly was enough to unseat perennial winner Nick Lidstrom and the mountainous Zdeno Chara.
Lady Byng Trophy: "to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability."
Finalists: Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit), Zach Parise (New Jersey), Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay)
Pensburgh winner:
Parise scored 45 goals, 49 assists and had a great year for New Jersey, even if it went a little under the radar. He also recorded just 24 penalty minutes in a full 82 games. Most players might get a little trash talked to them for winning this award, but Parise plays the game hard and clean, the way it's meant to be played. He breaks a three year streak for Datsyuk.
Vezina Trophy: to the goaltender "adjudged to be the best at this position"
Finalists: Tim Thomas (Boston), Steve Mason (Columbus), Nicklas Backstrom (Minnesota)
Pensburgh winner:
Tim Thomas' stellar play in net catapulted a team that most observers didn't have in the playoffs to be the East's top regular season team. 36-11-7 record with a league best 2.10 GAA and league best .933 save % and threw in five shutouts. So he stopped the most pucks and kept the score down the most, sounds purely like the best goalie.
Selke Trophy: awarded to the forward who "demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game".
Finalists: Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit), Mike Richards (Philadelphia), Ryan Kesler (Vancouver)
Pensburgh winner:
Richards can thank one gaudy number for this award: short-handed goals. The Flyers captain netted a league high seven shorties. Richards also played 3:12 short-handed, leading his team in that standards. Richards also won 43% of his face-offs while short-handed, which while it doesn't sound too impressive is still something considering a lot of those draws come in the defensive zone with the opponents having two forwards to help dig out 50/50 draws.
Masterton Trophy: awarded to "the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey"
Finalists: Chris Chelios (Detroit), Richard Zednik (Florida), Steve Sullivan (Nashville)
Pensburgh winner:
Zednik suffered a horribly gruesome injury that almost took his life in February 2008 but he came back with a vengeance in 2008-09 with scoring 17 goals (his most in four years) and 16 assists in 70 games. On top of all that, Zednik also scored a beauty of a goal of the year candidate. Well deserving of an award for perseverance to hockey.
Jack Adams Award: awarded to the coach "adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success"
Finalists: Claude Julien (Boston), Andy Murray (St. Louis), Todd McLellan (San Jose)
Pensburgh winner: Andy Murray
While Julien did a great job getting Boston to the top of the Eastern Conference ledger, Murray had a lot less talent to work with and got the Blues from last place at the All-Star break into the playoffs after a 25-9-7 run. For that (and because Dan Bylsma didn't get nominated) Murray gets the nod here for a job well done.
Hart Trophy: awarded to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team"
Finalists: Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit), Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh), Alex Ovechkin (Washington)
Pensburgh winner:
A hometown vote? Perhaps. Ovechkin seems to be the odds on favorite. But Malkin, who bucked up and muscled the Pens into the playoffs is a worthy contender to the MVP throne. One moment, in particular stands out: February 4th. While it wasn't the turnaround to the Pens season, it was a statement made by the man they call Geno. Going into the 3rd period against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh was down 3-0. Malkin absolutely took over, scoring two goals, grabbing a primary assist and leading the Pens to a 4-3 over-time win.
The game wasn't against a good team, but that's not the point. Malkin's value singlehandly got Pittsburgh the win that night, he was dominant and proved his value. While there's no doubt Ovechkin did the same (and Datsyuk too), Malkin won the scoring title and carried his stellar play onto the post-season where he was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy for playoff MVP.
0 recs |
15 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
i just don't see Malkin winning it
The “Media” is in love with Ovechkin, plus the voting was done before the playoffs started if I remember correctly. Heck, even if it was done after the playoffs, Ovechkin didn’t really give any reason to not vote for him, he was awesome against the Pens.
Obviously I’d like to see Malkin win it, but it won’t happen. I’m interested in seeing which of the two will win the Pearson. To me, that’s the award you really want as a player…since it’s voted on by your peers.
by AronV on Jun 18, 2009 12:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think Ovechkin will win the Hart and the Pearson….That was just our votes on the matter, so it’s really not that great of a prediction.
by Hooks Orpik on Jun 18, 2009 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
First Post
I don’t think I watched one hockey game between December 2000 and April 2008. But, SId, Geno, Staal and Fleury ensured over the past 14 months that I will be following the Pens very closely for the next decade or so. I was only a kid when Mario brought two Cups to the Burgh…can’t wait to see how many the Big Four bring home!!!
Why should I change my name? He's the one that sucks!
by NoCal-SteelCity on Jun 18, 2009 12:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Welcome to Pensburgh and a +1 for the Office Space reference in your sig.
by Hooks Orpik on Jun 18, 2009 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Welcome. You missed out on some great hockey earlier in the year, but I’m sure you’ll see some amazing stuff in the years to come as well.
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
by FrankD on Jun 18, 2009 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
nice writeup
I agree with most of these. Mason is a no-brainer for the Calder; anytime you’re a Vezina nominee in your rookie year, your chances at the first trophy are looking strong. Thomas is just about a sure thing for the Vezina. Zednik for the Masterson and Parise for the Byng are also pretty likely choices.
I differ with you on the Adams and the Norris; I think both of those are heading to Boston. While I would also give the Selke nod to Richards, my guess is it’ll be the consolation prize for Datsyuk.
As far as the Hart, I would love to see Geno take it home. I think he was the most complete player in the sport this season (he certainly has a more complete game than Ovechkin), and I think the Penguins would be completely screwed if he suffered any significant injury. He was our leading scorer from start to finish, and led the team as they clawed their way back into the playoffs after an ugly winter. Though the Capitals finished with a better record, they played in a weaker division than the Penguins. The only argument that I’ve heard in favor of Ovechkin is that Malkin has Crosby on his team. Interesting how no one applied the same logic in favor of Lemieux over Gretzky back when Gretzky’s Oiler teams were dominant and the Pens were a one-man show. But whatever. Ovechkin is a great player and I have no problem with him being recognized as such.
P is for Latrobe.
by holiday park on Jun 18, 2009 12:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Now for what will actually happen...
Hart & Pearson – Ovechkin – media loves goal scoring and the players watch too many highlight shows, with Malkin winning playoff MVP I think he has a better shot at winning the Hart next year though
Adams – Murray
Masterson – Chelios – sentimental vote to send him onto retirement
Selke – Datsyuk – media is so far up Detroit’s ass, especially before the playoffs
Vezina – Thomas – not even debatable
Bing – Datsyuk – don’t think the media is going to get creative with their votes
Norris – Green – I think voters are tired of Lidstrom winning the award and were waiting for someone to have a performance worthy of taking the award away and Green had that type of performance during the year, though he’s lucky the votes were cast before the playoffs
Calder – Mason – again not debatable
by catesinator on Jun 18, 2009 1:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I didn’t vote for Datsyuk because it seems so ridiculous that a guy can keep winning a sportsmanship award. Is that to say there aren’t other applicable players throughout the league so you have to keep awarding the same guy? I dunno. I don’t think Datsyuk is undeserving of the award, it just irks me is all.
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
by FrankD on Jun 18, 2009 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Curious, Hooks, Frank (as above comment makes it seem like an editors’ vote), if your picks might have gone a different way if you’d locked them in before the playoffs (ie, before the Pens and Wings tussled for 7 games)?
I think Datsyuk is still taking down the Selke…Lady Byng to Parise is fine in my book…if giving the masterson to Chelios would indeed send him to retirement (as per catesinator’s comment above), I’m all for it, but Zednik’s got a better story, good claim.
The Norris trophy…voters may well be tired of Lidstrom winning it…doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve it. Still say he’s the best Defenseman this game has to offer.
I’d vote for Malkin for Hart, the pure goal scorer doesn’t impress me, never has, though you get into a gray area when you think about in terms of who’s most valuable to his team. Take Geno or Datsyuk away from the Pens and Wings, and you’ve still got a good team. Take Ovie away from the Caps, and there are ingredients for trouble in that recipe.
by ahtrap on Jun 18, 2009 2:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Curious, Hooks, Frank (as above comment makes it seem like an editors’ vote), if your picks might have gone a different way if you’d locked them in before the playoffs (ie, before the Pens and Wings tussled for 7 games)?
Only the regular season was considered, or at least that was the ground rules we laid down. Personally, I voted Datsyuk for the Selke but was out-voted by my counterparts here.
I don’t think we purposely voted against Wings so much as other players (like Green or Malkin) just had superior seasons.
by Hooks Orpik on Jun 18, 2009 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
seeing the comment in the highlight makes it seem more like an accusation than the gentle query it was meant to be…
and on second thought, just based on the regular season, it’s kind of hard to deny Green’s numbers, especially because I don’t think he gets enough credit on the defensive end (no matter how badly Sid torched the Caps in the second round).
by ahtrap on Jun 18, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh no worries, I didn’t take it as harsh or anything, just didn’t want to quote the whole thing to keep my response concise….My responses are usually wordy enough :)
30 goals for the first time since 1993 for a defensemen is impressive, especially given the amount of games Green missed. He’s the one man breakout. Great reg. season, why I voted for him. It’ll be interesting, Green’s got buzz and it seems like Chara does too. Lidstrom is kind of like the “old hat” and his steady dominance doesn’t seem as impressive, even though it really is.
The Norris is the only award that I wouldn’t be surprised (or that upset) if any of the three nominees walked away with the award. They all have strong cases
by Hooks Orpik on Jun 18, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t think we were really going for accuracy with regards to the actual results. I think Hooks was just looking to get our “here’s who we think deserves it” sort of post together.
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
by FrankD on Jun 20, 2009 2:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Was Malkin more valuable to his team (in the regular season) than Ovechkin? It’s hard to make that case. First, Ovechkin faces the best defensive pair and the best checking line the opponent has to offer every single night. Malkin does not (unless he’s on a line with Sidney Crosby). Then there is the matter of scoring. Ovechkin led Malkin in per game scoring (1.39 to 1.38 — frankly, an insignificant difference), but Ovechkin had more game-winning goals than Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, combined. A lot of that is the prolific quality of Ovechkin’s shooting, but absent his presence, where do those game-winning goals come from.
Much is made about the fact that Ovechkin had so many move giveaways than did Malkin, which is in fact true and does detract from the argument for Ovechkin.
But taking the Hart citation literally, was Malkin the most valuable player on his team? His production in wins was almost indistinguishable from that of Sidney Crosby (on a per-win basis, Malkin was 0.56-1.20-1.76, +0.78; Crosby was 0.63-1.20-1.83, +0.80…by way of compariosn, Ovechkin was 0.94-0.76-1.70, +0.61, and while Alexander Semin was 0.54-0.90-1.44, +0.56, he missed ten wins, too).
I think a case could be made for Malkin winning the Pearson as “outstanding player,” which is more of a performance award, but not for the Hart, which is a matter of value.
But for the record, I would have picked Steve Mason for the Hart.
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Jun 20, 2009 2:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
