GM of the Year:
Vancouver Canucks - Mike Gillis
Nashville Predators - David Poile
Tampa Bay Lightning - Steve Yzerman
Prediction:
I don't know too much about the greatness of these GM's. What I do know is how well each team has played this year. Vancouver dominated everyone this year and won the presidents trophy. Nashville has a strong team and it seems that they'll have a playoff team for years to come. Tampa turned around a bad season and was impressive in their run. Based on the teams I think that Poile is going to win for how solid Nashville is throughout their lineup. However, based on the type of person he is, my prediction is that Yzerman is going to win. In his first year as a GM, the hall of famer turned around the Lightning and created a great atmosphere for the team. I know at one point this year, they had a goalie carousel with Mike Smith, Dan Ellis, and now settling with acquired Dwayne Roloson.
Calder Trophy (rookie of the year):
San Jose' Sharks - Logan Couture (C)
Carolina Hurricanes - Jeff Skinner (C)
New York Islanders - Michael Grabner (RW)
Prediction:
It's Skinnermania in Carolina and I think the youngest player in the NHL will win the Calder this year. Grabner lead all rookies in goals with 34 (and Couture had 32) but Skinner (31) caught up by the end of the season during the Hurricanes run for the playoffs. I think it's going to go down to who was best for his team. Couture is on one of the best teams in the league and is surrounded by goal scorers. Skinner, on the other hand, is on a Carolina team that isn't exactly known for putting the puck in the net so they had to rely on guys like Skinner to get the job done. And Jeff Skinner answered the call.
Lady Byng Trophy (good sportsmanship with a high level of playing):
Dallas Stars - Loui Eriksson (LW)
Detroit Red Wings - Nicklas Lidstrom (D)
Tampa Bay Lightning - Martin St. Louis (RW)
This is a hard category to predict but I think St. Louis will repeat. After winning last year, St. Louis played great and clean. He only had 12 penalty minutes and lead his Lightning into the playoffs. Eriksson has the least of the 3 in terms of penalty minutes but I think St. Louis isn't only better, but he's more important to his team.
Vezina Trophy (best goalie)
Boston Bruins - Tim Thomas
Vancouver Canucks - Roberto Luongo
Nashville Predators - Pekka Rinne
Wait..Luongo? You mean the guy that has given up 10 goals in 2 games and was pulled from both of them just prior to the announcement? Yup! So bad news for Price/Lundqvist who didn't qualify to be finalists. I'm not gonna waste any time with this. Tim Thomas will win the Vezina again. He was super-duper this year and won back his job with ease. He was focussed and played excellently for the 3rd ranked Bruins. Thomas set the NHL record in save percentage (since this stat started) with .938. Rinne came close AGAIN but no cigar for him.
Norris Trophy (best defenseman)
Boston Bruins - Zdeno Chara
Detroit Red Wings - Nicklas Lidstrom
Nashville Predators - Shea Weber
No Question in my mind it will be Nick Lidstrom. The 40 year old had yet another fantastic season. He's been the best in the league for several seasons now and he will win the top honours yet again.
Bill Masterton Trophy (perseverance and dedication towards hockey)
Anaheim Ducks - Ray Emery (G)
Philadelphia Flyers - Ian Laperriere (RW)
Calgary Flames - Daymond Langkow (C)
This is always a tough trophy to predict. We'll dissect each candidate piece by piece.
Emery: plagued with injuries throughout his career, he underwent a grueling hip surgery and most people felt he wouldn't be able to play this season. However, Anaheim needed a goalie for their playoff run and took a chance on Emery who played very well for them. He went 7-2 during the regular season and played in the playoffs for them and did a pretty good job. If this was based solely on performance after an injury then he would win it for sure. But it isn't. So he won't.
Laperriere: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqDvaA7onaU He knew what he was doing. He had to get in front of the shot. That shot caused a major injury for Laperriere who was hit in the face earlier last season as well. Many thought the injuries were too much for him and he would call it quits. But he made a truly emotional return for Philly http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kE20QvCe1TM in a couple of weeks. While he didn't play a minute this year, his inspiration for recovery has given the Philly team and their fans hope throughout the year. So he may win because of the inspirational factor.
Langkow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK7X8w8216E a now infamous injury. Watching it just makes someone cringe. Many feared at the time that the puck that hit Langkow squarely on the back of the neck, had paralyzed him. People felt he'd be lucky to be able to walk again. But he's a hockey player. Langkow, who's been a more-than-reliable secondary scorer throughout his career, made his return to the NHL almost a year after the incident. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y0h8dLV4dU This was the result in his first game back. A secondary assist (happens right at the beginning of the video). In my extremely biased opinion (I LOVE DAYMOND LANGKOW) Langkow deserves this one.
Selke Trophy (best offensive defenseman)
Detroit Red Wings - Pavel Datsyuk
Vancouver Canucks - Ryan Kesler
Chicago Blackhawks - Jonathan Toews
Most people (including me) felt at the beginning of the year that Datsyuk would repeat yet again and win the Selke. Why? Because of plays like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhZrAm-nVs8 which he pulls almost every year. But over the year I had a change of heart. Ryan Kesler is one of the most unappreciated players in the league. He has a fantastic scorers touch and is fearless in terms of forechecking. He also has a nice goal forechecking. From when? Did you watch the Olympics? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAlrt9JSSu8&feature=related So after watching him play several times this year, I think this type of grit and determination will win him the Selke and break Datsyuk's streak.
Hart Trophy (most valuable player)
Vancouver Canucks - Daniel Sedin
Anaheim Ducks - Corey Perry
Tampa Bay Lightning - Martin St. Louis
The criticism for Perry is that he played on the best line in hockey. The highest goal scorer in the league lines with Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan who are both stars in the NHL. I think, however, that people overlook the fact that when Getzlaf missed a couple of weeks due to injury, it was Perry who stepped up for the Ducks offensively. He was there for his team consistently throughout the year. Also, the same argument can be made for Daniel Sedin. He plays on a line with his brother super star Henrik and other great forward in Mikael Sammuelson. If I lined with these guys, I'd be a Hart Trophy candidate as well. But at the end of the day I think it's going to go to Perry.
Jack Adams Award (best coach)
Pittsburgh Penguins - Dan Bylsma
Nashville Predators - Barry Trotz
Vancouver Canucks - Alain Vigneault
I think Trotz is gonna win it. With him as the coach, Nashville overachieved yet again. The seemingly weak team can beat you in many ways and Trotz is the mastermind behind it all. You might think Vigneault would win because Vancouver had the best team. But I'd be a Jack Adams candidate if I coached the Canucks also. There was a major discussion on a Puck Daddy blog about Bylsma. People were saying how the shootout wins (10 which is most in the league) helped him get the nomination. They said that since the coach picks the players for the shootout, he plays a major part in it. My argument against that is, it's not rocket science. How many times have you watched a hockey game in a shootout and say, "I think it's going to be Parise, Kovalchuk, and Elias going for the Devils" and then bam! Parise, Kovalchuk, and Elias are in the shootout. Especially with the Penguins who are not short on superstars, it shouldn't be too difficult to pick the shootout lineup.
Foundation Award (using the core values of hockey to enrich your community)
Vancouver Canucks - Daniel Sedin
Vancouver Canucks - Henrik Sedin
Los Angeles Kings - Dustin Brown
Washington Capitals - Mike Green
Living in New Jersey, I honestly have no idea what goes on in places like Vancouver, Los Angeles or even Washington. I'm just going to say Henrik Sedin wins it on account of being a nice guy.
Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player)
Anaheim Ducks - Corey Perry (RW)
Vancouver Canucks - Daniel Sedin (LW)
Tampa Bay Lightning - Steven Stamkos (C)
Often synonymous with the Hart Trophy for season MVP, ever since they started handing out the Ted Lindsay award (formerly Lester B. Pearson Award) in 1971, there have been 24 players who received both the Lindsay award for most outstanding player and the Hart Trophy for league MVP. I predicted Perry to win the Hart but I feel Daniel Sedin will take this years Lindsay. Daniel had a great year. His 41 goals were the third most in the league while he was 1st overall in points in the NHL with his 104 (he was also the only player in the league with over 100 points). But what I think is most impressive is that he has a +30 rating which wasn't only 5th in the league but he was 2nd among all forwards which is something to brag about. So I think Daniel's gonna get this one. At least Ovechkin's streak of 3 years straight winning this award will be obsolete.
Mark Messier Leadership Award (great leadership as a captain)
Out of all the captains in the league, I think it's a no-brainer who's gonna win this one. Henrik Sedin stepped up big time in his first season of being the captain of the Vancouver Canucks. Former captain was Roberto Luongo and they had to take the pressure off of their all star goalie and they gave it to the right guy. Now I can't say I was in the locker when he gave a great speech to his team of when he helped a younger player out with his game during a practice. But you can tell by the way he plays on the ice that he wants his teammates to succeed. It already happened once this year in the playoffs that he was on a 2-1 and he gave up his clear shot just to give the other player his chance (the broadcasters went on to criticize Henrik for this because he had the open shot). So ya. Henrik Sedin
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