37 replies to this topic

[Dark Knight]

The first round of NHL award finalists will be announced Monday.

Monday, April 21: Vezina Trophy (top goaltender)
Tuesday, April 22: James Norris Memorial Trophy (top defenseman)
Wednesday, April 23: Calder Memorial Trophy (top rookie)
Thursday, April 24: Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (skill/sportsmanship)
Friday, April 25: Frank J. Selke Trophy (top defensive forward)
Tuesday, April 29: Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP)
TBD: Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year)

Award winners will be announced in Toronto on Thursday, June 12, as the biggest names in hockey will mingle with stars from the world of entertainment to recognize the top performances from the 2007-08 NHL season at the 2008 NHL Awards Show, airing on CBC and VERSUS.

LINK

[DropThePuck]

Forwards Patrick Kane, Nicklas Backstrom and Jonathan Toews were announced as the finalists for the rookie award Wednesday, the cream of the crop in a season where many fresh faces made a strong case for themselves.

<TSN.ca link>

[DropThePuck]

Lidstrom, Chara, Phaneuf nominated for Norris Trophy

Brodeur, Lundqvist, Nabokov are Vezina finalists

[Poker Face]

<TSN.ca link>

For me, it's Nicklas Backstrom. Yes, Kane won the rookie scoring race but Backstrom played a big part of the Caps turnaround in the second half. As a bonus he scored 4+2 in 7 playoff games with the Caps.

[Dark Knight]

Datsyuk, St. Louis, Pominville for Byng

[LightItUp4126]

Gotta give it to St. Louis. All that losing and still a good sport about it.

[Dark Knight]

Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Madden for Selke

[Duck304]

Eastern bias in full effect so far.

[Sojourn]

Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Madden for Selke

Madden was a given for the Selke, and Datsyuk I can kind of understand, even if I don't agree with it, but Zetterberg? Are they seriously giving two players on the same line a shot at the Selke? What kind of stupid crap is that? If Madden doesn't win it this season, it's a joke. There are much better choices than Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

[ducks4adam98]

Madden was a given for the Selke, and Datsyuk I can kind of understand, even if I don't agree with it, but Zetterberg? Are they seriously giving two players on the same line a shot at the Selke? What kind of stupid crap is that? If Madden doesn't win it this season, it's a joke. There are much better choices than Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

Sometimes I hate the Detroit bandwagon, especially when it spreads to stuff like this. Well I mostly always hate it. This takes credibility and prestige away from these awards honestly.

[Sojourn]

For me, it's Nicklas Backstrom. Yes, Kane won the rookie scoring race but Backstrom played a big part of the Caps turnaround in the second half. As a bonus he scored 4+2 in 7 playoff games with the Caps.

Playoffs play no part at all in the decision. The Calder is already decided, and is a regular season trophy.

Also, consider this... Neither Kane or Toews had a 65 goal scorer on their wing.

I think Kane wins it.

[UltraDavid]

Also, consider this... Neither Kane or Toews had a 65 goal scorer on their wing.

I think Kane wins it.

I'll have you know that Backstrom was mostly paired with Ovechkin for the second half of the season; Nylander was Ovie's center for most of the first half, but then Boudreau started changing things up and then Nylander got injured anyway. Like all the Caps, Backstrom did better in the second half (Boudreau for the Adams), but he was one of the few who did well most of the year, and it's not like only Backstrom's stats went up when he was cemented on the top line, Ovechkin's did too. But yeah, I think Kane wins it anyway. Like all coverage of the Capitals and their players this year, I fully expect people to consider Backstrom mostly a production of The Great 8 who has few merits of his own. Heck, I'm happy he's a finalist, I figured Price would get the nod over him for sure.

[Sojourn]

I'll have you know that Backstrom was mostly paired with Ovechkin for the second half of the season; Nylander was Ovie's center for most of the first half, but then Boudreau started changing things up and then Nylander got injured anyway. Like all the Caps, Backstrom did better in the second half (Boudreau for the Adams), but he was one of the few who did well most of the year, and it's not like only Backstrom's stats went up when he was cemented on the top line, Ovechkin's did too. But yeah, I think Kane wins it anyway. Like all coverage of the Capitals and their players this year, I fully expect people to consider Backstrom mostly a production of The Great 8 who has few merits of his own. Heck, I'm happy he's a finalist, I figured Price would get the nod over him for sure.

I'm well aware of when Backstrom started playing with Ovechkin. I also know Kane was the clearcut #1 in points until Backstrom was put with Ovechkin, at which time Backstrom's points really started taking off.

I'm not trying to take anything away from Backstrom, and I wouldn't be surprised if Backstrom wins it, though if he does I think it will be because of a strong finish, because the voters do tend to get focused on those things. But let's be honest here, does Backstrom do as well as he does without Ovechkin? I doubt it. Well, absolutely, but as well? Probably not.

[UltraDavid]

Boudreau separated Backstrom and Ovechkin starting in Game 4, and Backstrom responded with 2 points that night and a 4-game goal streak to close out the series. That's not taken into account in the Calder voting, I'm just saying... yeah, Backstrom can still produce without Ovechkin on his line.

Edit: And Kane's production fell off when Toews was injured. Excellence in production is usually tied to the caliber of players around you, but in Backstrom's case (and Kane's too) there was production regardless, only varying levels of it. I think all three of the nominated guys should have good shots at winning and I wouldn't be surprised or disappointed with any of them taking it, although I think Kane will probably win out because of his higher point total. I think Backstrom and Toews are both better all around player, and you can see that in their plus/minus, but with Toews' injury and people questioning how good Backstrom was because of his presence on Ovie's line for half the year, I think Kane's the favorite.

[Dark Knight]

Ovechkin, Iginla, Malkin for Hart

[sugarmama]

Ovechkin, Iginla, Malkin for Hart

All good picks IMHO. I gotta go with Ovie. Without him I don't think the Caps would have made the playoffs. The Pens and Flames more than likely would have without Malkin and Shrek, albeit it would have been a rougher road.

[UltraDavid]

I think Ovie should win it easy. I want an investigation if he doesn't heh. Malkin is a great player, and I could see him actually end up better than Ovie or Crosby in the long run, but come on, neither Crosby or Malkin should be able to win the MVP as long as they play together. Ross, Richard, or Pearson? Sure, and I expect 'em to get a few. But you can't point out the most valuable player in the league on a team that has 2 of the best 3-4 players in the league, cause the team would still be ok without one of them. And Iginla is also a great player, but I'd have put a Brodeur or a Nabokov up there ahead of him.

There's a poll on ESPN.com for who should win the Selke, and Zetterberg and Datsyuk are both way ahead of Madden. Do people know what the Selke Trophy is?

[Dark Knight]

Babcock, Bodreau and Carbonneau for Adams

[sugarmama]

Babcock, Bodreau and Carbonneau for Adams

Who's the favorite for y'all? I have no idea on this one. Babs is a great coach but with that team you'd have to be an idiot not to look like a genius. Bodreau had little to work with but made it work, not sure he's the responsible party. Carbonneau I just don't know much about as a coach - see this as a Babs light I guess, when you have a mostly good team it's easy to look good.

[UltraDavid]

It's ridiculous that Babcock is nominated, honestly. Over Trotz, Julien, Tippett, and Quenneville? Guys who had to deal with serious ownership issues, lack of talent, and bigtime injuries, and they still made the playoffs? Come on, geez. I'd have some of those guys in over Carbonneau, even.

Boudreau should dominate the voting. The Caps had the worst record in the league before he was hired and the third best record in the league after he was hired. Simple as that.

[DropThePuck]

On an NHL award related note ...

Iginla, Ovechkin, Malkin named Pearson Award finalists

After being named as the finalists for the NHL's Hart Trophy on Tuesday, the three players were announced by the National Hockey League Players' Association as the finalists for the Lester B. Pearson Award.

[DropThePuck]

Mark Messier and Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals pose with the Art Ross Trophy and the Maurice Richard Trophy during the NHL Awards presentation at the Omni William Penn Hotel on May 28, 2008 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
(Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

[DropThePuck]

"It was a great year for me," said Ovechkin, who also won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 2005-06. "But it wasn't my best year. To win the Stanley Cup – that will be my best year. The biggest Cup is not in my hands."

The NHL also honored Detroit goaltenders Dominik Hasek and Chris Osgood as winners of the William M. Jennings Trophy, awarded to goalkeepers who play more than 25 games for the team that allows the fewest regular-season goals, and Toronto center and captain Mats Sundin as winner of the Mark Messier Leadership Award for his leadership abilities on and off the ice. In addition, Vancouver center Trevor Linden and Tampa Bay center Vincent Lecavalier shared the 10th annual NHL Foundation Player Award for applying hockey's core values to enrich their communities.

<NHL.com link>

[DropThePuck]

Former Calgary Flames Vice President and General Manager Craig Button, now an analyst on the NHL Network, has an interesting idea that might garner a lot of support.

"I'd like to see the NHL create a Gordie Howe Award as they did with the Mark Messier Leadership Award or the Rocket Richard Trophy for leading goal scorer," Button said. "Perhaps it could be an award for the NHL's best power forward because Gordie was certainly that for many, many years. I just think, with Gordie having turned 80, it would be a good time to consider a way to permanently honor one of the greatest players in NHL history.

<link>

[DropThePuck]

The Professional Hockey Writers Association announced today that the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals are the finalists for the Dick Dillman Award, given annually to the team judged to be tops in media relations.
...
"Dick Dillman was a first rate PR guy and a friend to our members for many years, and we are happy to to salute his memory by honoring media relations specialists who do their job the way Dick did his," said PHWA President Kevin Allen.

Dillman's daughter, Lisa, a sportswriter for the Los Angeles Times who covers hockey, will present the awards in Ottawa.

<link>