End of the Season Hardware

As the end of the regular season if coming to an end and the Canucks are 2 points and one game behind a playoff spot things are heating up. Before focusing on the post season and all it's excitement (I'm interested to see how the refs will call it, will things be let go, as the hockey moniker 'no penalties are called in the playoffs' indicates?)

My picks for the end of the season hardware goes as follows:

Hart Trophy (MVP):

This is a very tight race between Jaromir Jagr and Mikka Kiprusoff. Head-to-Head statistics are hard to judge because of the variance in each position. Looking at how important they are to each others teams here's my analysis:

Jagr is the first, second, and third option of scoring on the Rangers. Nobody else up front does the amount of damage that Jagr can do by himself, and anyone who does score is a mere benefactor of a Jagr play. He is involved in 1/2 of the teams goals (115 points, on NYR's 237 goals), and is one goal away from stealing Adam Graves' team record of most goals in a season with 53. Jagr hasn't been the 0nly X-factor for the Rangers who are making the playoffs for the first time in years. The stellar play of Henrik Lundquist has overshadowed a lot of Jagr's success. Jagr is the team glue, he makes everything happen up front and is the most dangerous weapon the Rangers have. At the end of the season barring he wins the points race against Joe Thornton he will have tied Mario Lemieux with six scoring titles. Impressive.

Three years ago the name Mikka Kiprusoff would have sounded unfamiliar to the ears of the average hockey enthusiast. A number of San Jose Sharks fans might have looked at a roster sheet to identify Kiprusoff as the second string goaltender behind Evgeni Nabokov. Now Kiprusoff is a name that annoys opponents at the sound of the third period buzzer. A name associated with a league leading 8 shutouts and a Calgary Flames record in Goaltender Wins. 'Kipper' has been so dominant this year, and interestingly still unidentifiable to most, who just assume that the Flames are atop the standings in the Central Division because of their Team Tenacity. Yet, barring the Flames success this season the offense has remained to be seen. Leading goal scorer Jarome Iginla is having a subpar season with 33 goals and 62 points, and their third leading scorer is a rookie defensemen (Dion Phaneuf). Calgary is fifth worst in the league for goals for, and without Kiprusoff backstopping the Flames to a league low 188 goals Calgary would be lucky to even make the playoffs.

Winner:

Choosing the Hart Trophy is always the most subjective, as their is really not a clear statistical analysis involved in deciding a winner. Winners are usually regarded as the best player on a good team that wouldn't be a good team without this player. The disparity between the best player on a good team versus the second best player on a good team usually decides it. In this case the gap between Mikka Kiprusoff's play and the second best player on the team (which I cannot decide between Iginla and Phaneuf but I'll give to the feisty Captain) Iginla, is much wider than Jagr and Lundqvist. The Flames are in many ways the best team in the West right now, and the Rangers although they look good are shadowed by teams like Philadelphia, Ottawa, and New Jersey who have depth and a lot more playoff experience. Kiprusoff, A goaltender like Hasek in the 90's that can win games by himself, has truly earned his valor for league MVP.


James (Chuck) Norris Trophy (Defensemen):

Winner:

The official description for the Norris trophy is " Outstanding All-Around Defensemen ", and based on this title Niklas Lidstrom wins hands down. There has been no other defensemen in the last 10 years that has delivered such consistency on the blueline. This guy never makes a mistake. The epitome of an all around defensemen. He reminds me of a Paul Coffey but with better d-zone coverage.

Considerable Candidates:

Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim - The Ducks wouldn't be going to the post-season without this guy; Sergei Zubov, Dallas - Outstanding season for the veteran blueliner. Again maintains the defensive zone consistency with Bobby Orr-like playmaking abilities that Lidstrom possesses. Andrej Mezjoras - A huge surprise pick of course, especially considering that this guy is a rookie and has no chance at winning the Calder. But look at the season he's having: A league best + 36, along with 37 points while averaging only 17.5 minutes a game. Lately he's been getting even more minutes than Wade Redden on the Senators blueline, impressive.

Calder Trophy (Rookie):

Winner:

Alexander Ovechkin, Washington - He secured it for me after that inhumanly insane
diving goal against Phoenix. Ovechkin at 20, could be the best hockey player in the world. His speed is almost at a Pavel Buresque level, and his puck handling abilities and offensive zone creativity mimic Sergei Federov, not to mention his gritty Forsberg-like style. Ovechkin the "Uber-Mensch " ! Aren't they having a fan contest to decide what his nickname should be?

Considerable Contenders:

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh - The teen-phenom played up to lofty expectations this year. Nothing seems to phase this kid which impresses me the most. He has the skills to be one of the greats, but his only kryptonite might be his temper. He's already lost a lot of respect from some players and the referees. Let's hope it's just teen angst. Remember Crosby: the 'Great One' didn't win this piece of hardware either.

Henrik Lundqvist - Won the starting position in New York and has one of the best Save Percentages in the league.

Dion Phaneuf, Calgary - Logging time on the Calgary blueline like a Vet. If he keeps it up he'll have a Scott Stevens-like career.

Andrej Mezjaros, Ottawa - See above!


Frank J. Selke Trophy (2 way forward):

Winner:

Jere Lehtinen, Dallas - Has stepped up his offensive numbers considerably this year. Like Lidstrom this guy is the epitome of a two-way hockey player. A rarity in a game where scoring thrives on the absence of backcheckers. A concept so simple, yet so often overlooked by coaches.
Considerable Considerations:

Kris Draper Detroit - Looks impressive as a Red Wing, looked terrible as a Team Canada Olympian.

John Madden, New Jersey - Has had to focus a little more in the defensive end with the absence of Stevens and Neidermayer.


Lady Byng Trophy (most sportsmanslike):

The Lady Byng is given to the "All-star" player with the least amount of penalty minutes. Since history proves it to be the case, the trophy should be awarded to a League "top 30" point getter with the least amount of penalty minutes.

Woudn't this make sense considering it was Gretzky's gimme trophy ?

Winner:

Pavel Datsyuk beats out Patrick Marleau with his 22 pmins, 1 penalty under Marleau's 24.

I wonder if he'll be a no show at the Award Ceremonies like Mogilny who felt insulted after winning such a trivial award. I wouldn't blame him for skipping out, but the catering must be amazing at those events, + the open bar! All the Vodka a Russian can drink!


Vezina Trophy (Goalie):

Toughest one to give out this year after every tenders' numbers went up in the "new" NHL (i hate when people call it 'new', a few rule changes does not signify a whole NHL makeover, it's merely spring cleaning done to an otherwise messy league).

Winner:

Mikka Kiprusoff, Calgary - He's posting an outstanding 920. save percentage along with a league leading 8 shutouts and second to Marty Turco with 38 wins. + Calgary's ultimate X-factor in the playoffs.

Considerable Considerations:

Thomas Vokoun, Nashville - My brother's pick, would have convinced me but his numbers have been sliding since his marginal play in the Olympics.

Hendrick Lundqvist - Any other year he would have had a chance to pull of both Calder and Vezina....hey does anybody remember a guy by the name of Jim Carey?

Roberto Luongo - My favorite tender. He has a 915. save percentage after watching 2, 347 rubbers, and counting, rocket in his direction. I really really wish Nonis pulled that Bertuzzi, Jovanoski trade for him ( i think i've mentioned that in my blog at least twice already). Would have looked good now eh Crawford?


Jack Adams Trophy (Coach):

Winner:

Lindy Ruff- Buffalo. He's done everything he can to take a team, projected to be one of the worst this year, into the playoffs. I agree with him about what happened the other night against Toronto. Darcy Tucker was going for head shot in his knee on knee with Jochen Hecht. Regardless of the fact that the his intent was unssuccessful, his intent to injure with the knee on knee prevailed and the Sabres are now without one of their best snipers going into the playoffs. The NHL does not punish for intent to injure, or even the severity of the infraction of the offender , rather it focuses solely on the outcome of the victim. Think about if Donald Brashear and Steve Moore hadn't sustained such ill-effects affects after their altercations. It would have been just another day in the life of a 'tough' NHL.

Cosiderable Contenders:

Mike Babcock, Detroit Red Wings. Coaching his team to a league best record 52-15-8. The Red Wings are consistently excellent, year in year out.

Randy Carlyle, Anaheim Ducks. Somehow found a way to ignite the old Teemu Selanne and pushed Andy Mcdonald to playing like an All-Star. The rookies have stepped up their play of late as well. Ryan Getzlaf since coming up from the AHL, and Chris Kunitz are now just hitting their stride. Hey, where's Corey Perry?

Tom Renney, New York Rangers. Again finding a way for his team to win without huge depth on foreward and defense. I looked at their roster last night and this is who I found on forward:

Marcel Hossa, Blair Betts, Colton Orr, Petr Sykora ( the good one), Jason Ward, and Dominic Moore, and Jed Ortmeyer. Besides the aging Ward and the underachieving Sykora the rest of the 3rd and 4th lines are comprised of 1st or second year players. New York, not forgetting the stellar rook Petr Prucha, might have the best young group of guys up front right now.