There are eight awards to analyze and pick. my picks are, again in BOLD.
First, the Calder Memorial Trophy for rookie-of-the-year. The nominees are:
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Next up, the Frank J. Selke Trophy for the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game. The finalists:
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings (first nomination)
John Madden, New Jersey Devils (fourth nomination)
Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings (first nomination)
Next up, THE award, the Hart Memorial Trophy for League MVP:
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames (third nomination)
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins (first nomination)
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (first nomination)
And what is next is the award for the men behind the benches, the Jack Adams Award. The finalists:
Mike Babcock, Detroit Red Wings
Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals
Guy Carbonneau, Montreal Canadiens
And now, the James Norris Memorial Trophy for the NHL's best defensemen. One of the finalists is no surprise:
Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins (second nomination)
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings (ninth nomination within the last ten seasons)
Dion Phaneuf, Calgary Flames (first nomination)
**comment, I don't even think Dion's game is even close to Norris level- I don't even know why he shows up here.
Now, the award for the perfect gentlemen, the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy:
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings (won trophy the last two seasons)
Jason Pominville, Buffalo Sabres (first nomination)
Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning (third nomination)
Next up, the award all the players vote on, the Lester B. Pearson Award for the League's Most Outstanding Player. The nominees are the same as for the Hart:
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames (second nomination)
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins (first nomination)
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (second nomination)
Lastly, the Vezina Trophy for the League's best goalie. The nominees, please:
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils (three-time winner)
Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks (first nomination)
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (third nomination)
these awards have already been handed out:
Art Ross Memorial Trophy: Alexander Ovechkin
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy: Alexander Ovechkin
NHL Plus/Minus Award: Pavel Datsyuk
Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award: Dan Ellis
William M. Jennings Trophy: Dominik Hasek and Chris Osgood
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy also has three finalists, as explained by Wikipedia:
Jason Blake Toronto Maple Leafs (Was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia but still played in all 82 games this season.)
Chris Chelios Detroit Red Wings (Played 24 regular seasons and is the second oldest player in NHL history.)
Fernando Pisani Edmonton Oilers (Missed training camp and the first 26 games of the season because of ulcerative colitis then returned to the Oilers and played the remaining 56 games.)
** I'd pick Chris Chelios as I think it is the proper pick, though, as the NHL 'feels' for their #1 charity 'hockey fights cancer'... I can see it going to Blake- whose Cancer is a controllable form... I think just because the 'C'-word is mentioned, it's going to get the spotlight.
All deserve this award.
Also to be given out are the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for the player who best exemplifies great qualities both on and off the ice, and the Lester Patrick Trophy, for the persons who best made contributions to hockey in the United States.
I don't know too much insider stuff on these 2 awards, so i'll let them be... predict if you will, i'll leave it to you.
First, the Calder Memorial Trophy for rookie-of-the-year. The nominees are:
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Next up, the Frank J. Selke Trophy for the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game. The finalists:
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings (first nomination)
John Madden, New Jersey Devils (fourth nomination)
Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings (first nomination)
Next up, THE award, the Hart Memorial Trophy for League MVP:
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames (third nomination)
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins (first nomination)
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (first nomination)
And what is next is the award for the men behind the benches, the Jack Adams Award. The finalists:
Mike Babcock, Detroit Red Wings
Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals
Guy Carbonneau, Montreal Canadiens
And now, the James Norris Memorial Trophy for the NHL's best defensemen. One of the finalists is no surprise:
Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins (second nomination)
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings (ninth nomination within the last ten seasons)
Dion Phaneuf, Calgary Flames (first nomination)
**comment, I don't even think Dion's game is even close to Norris level- I don't even know why he shows up here.
Now, the award for the perfect gentlemen, the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy:
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings (won trophy the last two seasons)
Jason Pominville, Buffalo Sabres (first nomination)
Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning (third nomination)
Next up, the award all the players vote on, the Lester B. Pearson Award for the League's Most Outstanding Player. The nominees are the same as for the Hart:
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames (second nomination)
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins (first nomination)
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (second nomination)
Lastly, the Vezina Trophy for the League's best goalie. The nominees, please:
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils (three-time winner)
Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks (first nomination)
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (third nomination)
these awards have already been handed out:
Art Ross Memorial Trophy: Alexander Ovechkin
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy: Alexander Ovechkin
NHL Plus/Minus Award: Pavel Datsyuk
Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award: Dan Ellis
William M. Jennings Trophy: Dominik Hasek and Chris Osgood
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy also has three finalists, as explained by Wikipedia:
Jason Blake Toronto Maple Leafs (Was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia but still played in all 82 games this season.)
Chris Chelios Detroit Red Wings (Played 24 regular seasons and is the second oldest player in NHL history.)
Fernando Pisani Edmonton Oilers (Missed training camp and the first 26 games of the season because of ulcerative colitis then returned to the Oilers and played the remaining 56 games.)
** I'd pick Chris Chelios as I think it is the proper pick, though, as the NHL 'feels' for their #1 charity 'hockey fights cancer'... I can see it going to Blake- whose Cancer is a controllable form... I think just because the 'C'-word is mentioned, it's going to get the spotlight.
All deserve this award.
Also to be given out are the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for the player who best exemplifies great qualities both on and off the ice, and the Lester Patrick Trophy, for the persons who best made contributions to hockey in the United States.
I don't know too much insider stuff on these 2 awards, so i'll let them be... predict if you will, i'll leave it to you.
