You know, I still think the goal horn is going off in the Staples Center from that June 13th game.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Who Will Win the 2014-2015 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy?
Since 1968, the NHL has annually awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy to the "player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey." The Award is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association and the winner gets $2,500 donated to the Bill Masterton Scholarship Fund in his name.
It's a great honour to win the award and it's made for some of the best narratives in NHL history. Like when Pittsburgh Penguin great Mario Lemieux won the Trophy in 1993 after he overcame Hodgkin's Lymphoma and totaled 160 points in just 60 games.
Saku Koivu of the Montreal Canadiens won in 2002 after he too over came Lymphoma.
Josh Harding won the award two seasons ago after playing through a season in which he was diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis.
It's the feel-good moment of the NHL Awards show every summer.
But before the trophy is given out, there's always that awkward feeling of uncertainty as to which finalist "deserves" the hardware. In 2009, Richard Zednik didn't win in a season when he made his comeback after losing 5 pints of blood (and almost his life) the previous season in an on ice almost-tragedy. But nobody was saying Steve Sullivan didn't deserve the award after coming back from a major back injury that shelved him for two seasons.
Many said Daymond Langkow deserved the award in 2011, the season he came back after his life-threatening neck injury when he was hit in the back of the neck by a teammate's shot. But when Ian Laperriere won for his dedication off the ice (his post-concussion syndrome and eye injury from blocking a shot the season before officially ended his career) nobody could disagree.
So the Masterton is always one of the toughest trophies to predict the winner.
The 2015 season didn't even start yet but we, unfortunately, already have several candidates who seem they can win the Masterson.
It's a great honour to win the award and it's made for some of the best narratives in NHL history. Like when Pittsburgh Penguin great Mario Lemieux won the Trophy in 1993 after he overcame Hodgkin's Lymphoma and totaled 160 points in just 60 games.
Saku Koivu of the Montreal Canadiens won in 2002 after he too over came Lymphoma.
Josh Harding won the award two seasons ago after playing through a season in which he was diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis.
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| Bryan Berard with the Masterton in 2004, receiving it for continuing his career after a tragic eye injury |
It's the feel-good moment of the NHL Awards show every summer.
But before the trophy is given out, there's always that awkward feeling of uncertainty as to which finalist "deserves" the hardware. In 2009, Richard Zednik didn't win in a season when he made his comeback after losing 5 pints of blood (and almost his life) the previous season in an on ice almost-tragedy. But nobody was saying Steve Sullivan didn't deserve the award after coming back from a major back injury that shelved him for two seasons.
Many said Daymond Langkow deserved the award in 2011, the season he came back after his life-threatening neck injury when he was hit in the back of the neck by a teammate's shot. But when Ian Laperriere won for his dedication off the ice (his post-concussion syndrome and eye injury from blocking a shot the season before officially ended his career) nobody could disagree.
So the Masterton is always one of the toughest trophies to predict the winner.
The 2015 season didn't even start yet but we, unfortunately, already have several candidates who seem they can win the Masterson.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Ryan Johansen and the Bridge Contract Debate
The NHL season is rapidly approaching. Fans are printing their team's schedule, others are already scouting for fantasy hockey, and even players are getting ready for the preseason which is just weeks away.
But in Columbus, Ohio, fans are a bit more nervous than most are during this festive time of year.
And that's because the team leader in goals and points from the previous season is still unsigned.
Ryan Johansen reportedly is still in a contract dispute with the Blue Jackets and they haven't been talking the past few weeks, having a distance of about $3 million per year to cover. The team doesn't want to hand over that kind of money so quickly to their young player but he wants the payday he thinks he deserves. It hasn't been pretty between the two camps and with training camp right around the corner, there isn't much time.
But in Columbus, Ohio, fans are a bit more nervous than most are during this festive time of year.
And that's because the team leader in goals and points from the previous season is still unsigned.
Ryan Johansen reportedly is still in a contract dispute with the Blue Jackets and they haven't been talking the past few weeks, having a distance of about $3 million per year to cover. The team doesn't want to hand over that kind of money so quickly to their young player but he wants the payday he thinks he deserves. It hasn't been pretty between the two camps and with training camp right around the corner, there isn't much time.
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