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Hart Trophy - MVP
2nd Runner Up
Henrik Sedin - Vancouver
Last year's MVP has been great again this season but he's not been the best. If Crosby hadn't got his bell rung he'd probably have won and Henrik wouldn't be in the top 3, but such is the way of hockey.
Runner Up
Corey Perry - Anaheim
This guy is an animal. He's taking the step from great player to elite player this season and has earned his place amongst this season's very best.
Winner
Daniel Sedin - Vancouver
Going to top 105pts and win the Art Ross, +20, 16.9% shooting percent, few penalties, 10 game winners.....he's the best player in the NHL this season.
Vezina Trophy - Goalie of the Year
2nd Runner Up
Roberto Luongo - Vancouver
This category is just stupid silly. There's probably 6-7 goalies that you could not only argue deserve to be nominated, but actually deserve to win. It's a total crapshoot for the voters.
Anyway, I take Luongo barely edging out Rinne for the 3rd spot. I take him over Rinne because he's just been better, but I don't put him any higher because he's got an elite team that plays epic defensive for him as well. He's a world class goalie that I'd want as my #1 for Canada in just about any situation right now, but this trophy race is simply splitting hairs at this point and Louie is not the winner for me.
Runner Up
Tim Thomas - Boston
Thomas has been the stat whore for the majority of the year, with good leads in both GAA and Save%, however he's only played 52 games and has a great defensive team in front of him. Further to that point, he plays in the worst scoring division (Northeast) in the NHL, which means the majority of his games have been vs weak offensive teams. For that reason and a couple others, I give the nod to.....
Winner
Henrik Lundqvist - New York
How the hell does this guy have 11 shutouts on a shit team like New York? Without Hank, these guys aren't a playoff team. He's been brilliant and is the best goalie in the world right now. Has to be him.
Norris Trophy - Defenceman of the Year
2nd Runner Up
Dustin Byfuglien - Atlanta
The new centrepeice of the forever rebuilding Atlanta Thrashers had a pretty solid season as a offensive producing player. He also fared alright defensively, but the shitty play from his team did him no favours. One of the few reasons to go to a game in Atlanta other than to see the Away team.
Runner Up
Niklas Lidstrom - Detroit
Lidstrom is legendary, deservedly in the argument for GOAT at his position...which I think stops him from winning it this year. He's played quite well this season as usual, but he's been better and his numbers show it. He didn't win this award last year but had a better year than this, so I don't give him the win here because someone else deserves it more.
Winner
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Lubomir Visnovsky - Anaheim
Visnovsky is having his career year and while Corey Perry is getting all the attention for Anaheim's great play in 2011, he's just as much the reason for it. He's going to top out all defencemen in scoring and do it while contributing solid play defensively. He takes few penalties, shoots smart and overall has been a force for the Ducks.
I don't think he has any real chance of winning because the hockey world probably doesn't have a clue who he is, or that the Ducks even exist, but he deserves it.
Calder Trophy - Rookie of the Year
2nd Runner Up
Corey Crawford - Chicago
If this season was left up to Marty Turco, Cristobal Huet or some other bum, Chicago would miss the playoffs. Crawford has finally emerged from the AHL and looks to be Chicago's goalie for the duration of this Kane/Toews era.
Runner Up
Jeff Skinner - Carolina
Skinner is fighting hard to win the rookie scoring race and has played exceptionally well for a 18 year old kid. Unfortunately for him, the rules (which I don't really agree with, but whatever) allows for players with more experience to still qualify for this trophy, which is what costs him the win.
It's something special for a 18 year old to put up these points, but to be a complete player (faceoffs, +/-, etc) is another thing that takes time. Unfortunately for Skinner, he wasn't very good outside of putting up points.
Winner
Logan Couture - San Jose
Thanks to 25 (which is the cutoff) previous NHL games, including playoffs, Couture is finally turning into the 1st rounder San Jose acquired a couple years ago. On a team with as much (regular season ;)) talent as San Jose has, he's certainly made his mark with his clutch goals and overall quality play. It would be a crime to see the Eastern biased media rob him of this award, but they will anyways.
Lady Byng - Sportsmanship and Production
2nd Runner Up
Patrick Marleau - San Jose
Not sure if he's ever been nominated before, but he certainly fits the category and did well enough to deserve a nod. While his current 64pts have not matched his career high from last year, he still has 33 goals, 9 of which are game winners. The point race outside of the top 10 has been so close, that if he continues his strong play he'll be just outside of that when all is said and done. Pretty decent for a player who's taken just 6 minors all season.
Runner Up
Loui Eriksson - Dallas
Top 25 point producer, just 8 PIM's and a +10. Eriksson gets little notice by hockey media by playing out in Dallas, but he's a class player that produces at a top end level.
Winner
Martin St. Louis - Tampa Bay
Probably the easiest award to give out. St. Louis won this last year and should easily win this again. Challenging for the Art Ross while spending next to zero time in the box, St. Louis is about as good as it gets in this category.
Selke Trophy - Best Defensive Forward
2nd Runner Up
Pavel Datsyuk - Detroit
Dats has won this thing 5 times in a row, but due to missed time this year he won't be winning it again, although he will be mentioned as it's pretty much impossible for there not to be a Red Wing nominated for this trophy. They've won it just about every season in the past 20.
I still think he's a dirty checking from behind homofag.
Runner Up
Manny Malhotra - Vancouver
Manny is a fucking unreal player that every team in the league should want to have. I think he would have topped his teammate for the award if he could have finished the year, his play as a checking forward is 2nd to none in this league.
Winner
Ryan Kesler - Vancouver
Along with dominating faceoffs, strong +/-, checking and all that other stuff that matters with this award, he's an elite scoring threat too. Impressive how he can be such a force at both ends of the ice.
Jack Adams Trophy - Coach of the Year
2nd Runner Up
Guy Boucher - Tampa Bay
Boucher has a serious shot at winning this until Tampa Bay nosed dived into mediocrity over the past month or two. Still done well enough to earn a nomination.
Runner Up
Dan Blysma - Pittsburgh
Pretty impressive that Pittsburgh is challenging for the #1 seed without their top 2 players for a large portion of the season. It's pretty close between him and the winner, but due to the utter dominance in the elite West conference I had to give the nod to....
Winner
Alain Vigneault - Vancouver
Vancouver has been just a step above any other team in the NHL this year and did so with many injuries across the blueline. This team looks bad just about never.
2nd Runner Up
Henrik Sedin - Vancouver
Last year's MVP has been great again this season but he's not been the best. If Crosby hadn't got his bell rung he'd probably have won and Henrik wouldn't be in the top 3, but such is the way of hockey.
Runner Up
Corey Perry - Anaheim
This guy is an animal. He's taking the step from great player to elite player this season and has earned his place amongst this season's very best.
Winner
Daniel Sedin - Vancouver
Going to top 105pts and win the Art Ross, +20, 16.9% shooting percent, few penalties, 10 game winners.....he's the best player in the NHL this season.
Vezina Trophy - Goalie of the Year
2nd Runner Up
Roberto Luongo - Vancouver
This category is just stupid silly. There's probably 6-7 goalies that you could not only argue deserve to be nominated, but actually deserve to win. It's a total crapshoot for the voters.
Anyway, I take Luongo barely edging out Rinne for the 3rd spot. I take him over Rinne because he's just been better, but I don't put him any higher because he's got an elite team that plays epic defensive for him as well. He's a world class goalie that I'd want as my #1 for Canada in just about any situation right now, but this trophy race is simply splitting hairs at this point and Louie is not the winner for me.
Runner Up
Tim Thomas - Boston
Thomas has been the stat whore for the majority of the year, with good leads in both GAA and Save%, however he's only played 52 games and has a great defensive team in front of him. Further to that point, he plays in the worst scoring division (Northeast) in the NHL, which means the majority of his games have been vs weak offensive teams. For that reason and a couple others, I give the nod to.....
Winner
Henrik Lundqvist - New York
How the hell does this guy have 11 shutouts on a shit team like New York? Without Hank, these guys aren't a playoff team. He's been brilliant and is the best goalie in the world right now. Has to be him.
Norris Trophy - Defenceman of the Year
2nd Runner Up
Dustin Byfuglien - Atlanta
The new centrepeice of the forever rebuilding Atlanta Thrashers had a pretty solid season as a offensive producing player. He also fared alright defensively, but the shitty play from his team did him no favours. One of the few reasons to go to a game in Atlanta other than to see the Away team.
Runner Up
Niklas Lidstrom - Detroit
Lidstrom is legendary, deservedly in the argument for GOAT at his position...which I think stops him from winning it this year. He's played quite well this season as usual, but he's been better and his numbers show it. He didn't win this award last year but had a better year than this, so I don't give him the win here because someone else deserves it more.
Winner
Lubomir Visnovsky - Anaheim
Visnovsky is having his career year and while Corey Perry is getting all the attention for Anaheim's great play in 2011, he's just as much the reason for it. He's going to top out all defencemen in scoring and do it while contributing solid play defensively. He takes few penalties, shoots smart and overall has been a force for the Ducks.
I don't think he has any real chance of winning because the hockey world probably doesn't have a clue who he is, or that the Ducks even exist, but he deserves it.
Calder Trophy - Rookie of the Year
2nd Runner Up
Corey Crawford - Chicago
If this season was left up to Marty Turco, Cristobal Huet or some other bum, Chicago would miss the playoffs. Crawford has finally emerged from the AHL and looks to be Chicago's goalie for the duration of this Kane/Toews era.
Runner Up
Jeff Skinner - Carolina
Skinner is fighting hard to win the rookie scoring race and has played exceptionally well for a 18 year old kid. Unfortunately for him, the rules (which I don't really agree with, but whatever) allows for players with more experience to still qualify for this trophy, which is what costs him the win.
It's something special for a 18 year old to put up these points, but to be a complete player (faceoffs, +/-, etc) is another thing that takes time. Unfortunately for Skinner, he wasn't very good outside of putting up points.
Winner
Logan Couture - San Jose
Thanks to 25 (which is the cutoff) previous NHL games, including playoffs, Couture is finally turning into the 1st rounder San Jose acquired a couple years ago. On a team with as much (regular season ;)) talent as San Jose has, he's certainly made his mark with his clutch goals and overall quality play. It would be a crime to see the Eastern biased media rob him of this award, but they will anyways.
Lady Byng - Sportsmanship and Production
2nd Runner Up
Patrick Marleau - San Jose
Not sure if he's ever been nominated before, but he certainly fits the category and did well enough to deserve a nod. While his current 64pts have not matched his career high from last year, he still has 33 goals, 9 of which are game winners. The point race outside of the top 10 has been so close, that if he continues his strong play he'll be just outside of that when all is said and done. Pretty decent for a player who's taken just 6 minors all season.
Runner Up
Loui Eriksson - Dallas
Top 25 point producer, just 8 PIM's and a +10. Eriksson gets little notice by hockey media by playing out in Dallas, but he's a class player that produces at a top end level.
Winner
Martin St. Louis - Tampa Bay
Probably the easiest award to give out. St. Louis won this last year and should easily win this again. Challenging for the Art Ross while spending next to zero time in the box, St. Louis is about as good as it gets in this category.
Selke Trophy - Best Defensive Forward
2nd Runner Up
Pavel Datsyuk - Detroit
Dats has won this thing 5 times in a row, but due to missed time this year he won't be winning it again, although he will be mentioned as it's pretty much impossible for there not to be a Red Wing nominated for this trophy. They've won it just about every season in the past 20.
I still think he's a dirty checking from behind homofag.
Runner Up
Manny Malhotra - Vancouver
Manny is a fucking unreal player that every team in the league should want to have. I think he would have topped his teammate for the award if he could have finished the year, his play as a checking forward is 2nd to none in this league.
Winner
Ryan Kesler - Vancouver
Along with dominating faceoffs, strong +/-, checking and all that other stuff that matters with this award, he's an elite scoring threat too. Impressive how he can be such a force at both ends of the ice.
Jack Adams Trophy - Coach of the Year
2nd Runner Up
Guy Boucher - Tampa Bay
Boucher has a serious shot at winning this until Tampa Bay nosed dived into mediocrity over the past month or two. Still done well enough to earn a nomination.
Runner Up
Dan Blysma - Pittsburgh
Pretty impressive that Pittsburgh is challenging for the #1 seed without their top 2 players for a large portion of the season. It's pretty close between him and the winner, but due to the utter dominance in the elite West conference I had to give the nod to....
Winner
Alain Vigneault - Vancouver
Vancouver has been just a step above any other team in the NHL this year and did so with many injuries across the blueline. This team looks bad just about never.
) and he leads the team in points. The whole no one knows Vishnovsky thing is funny. Guy fuckin blew last year in Edmonton and he still gets booed when the ducks play the oilers in edmonton.
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