NHL announces 2006-07 trophy finalists
NHL.com
May 1, 2007, 1:03 PM EDT
Our choices are within.
NEW YORK -- Goaltender Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils, center Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and goaltender Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks have been voted finalists for the Hart Trophy as League MVP as the NHL announced today the nominees for eight annual awards.Crosby and Luongo each received his first career Hart Trophy nomination, Brodeur his third. All three Hart finalists are nominees for multiple awards; Luongo also is a nominee for the Vezina Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award, Brodeur for the Vezina and Crosby for the Pearson.
For the first time since the inception of the NHL Awards Television Special in 1983, there are more than the traditional three finalists for an NHL trophy. A third-place tie in balloting for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the League's top goaltender as voted by NHL General Managers, has resulted in invitations to four finalists for that honor.Following are the finalists for each trophy, in alphabetical order:
CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY (outstanding rookie): Evgeni Malkin, Penguins; Jordan Staal, Penguins; Paul Stastny, Avalanche.
Our vote is for Malkin
FRANK J. SELKE TROPHY (outstanding defensive forward): Rod Brind'Amour, Hurricanes; Samuel Pahlsson, Ducks; Jay Pandolfo, Devils.
Our vote is for Pahlsson
HART MEMORIAL TROPHY (most valuable player to his team): Martin Brodeur, Devils; Sidney Crosby, Penguins; Roberto Luongo, Canucks.
Our vote is for Luongo
JACK ADAMS AWARD (outstanding coach): Lindy Ruff, Sabres; Michel Therrien, Penguins; Alain Vigneault, Canucks.
Our vote for Ruff
JAMES NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY (outstanding defenseman): Nicklas Lidstrom, Red Wings; Scott Niedermayer, Ducks; Chris Pronger, Ducks.
Our vote is for Lidstrom
LADY BYNG MEMORIAL TROPHY (sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct): Pavel Datsyuk, Red Wings; Joe Sakic, Avalanche; Martin St. Louis, Lightning.
Our vote is for Sakic
LESTER B. PEARSON AWARD (most outstanding player as voted by fellow members of the NHLPA): Sidney Crosby, Penguins; Vincent Lecavalier, Lightning; Roberto Luongo, Canucks.
Our vote is for Luongo
VEZINA TROPHY *** (outstanding goaltender): Martin Brodeur, Devils; Miikka Kiprusoff, Flames; Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers; Roberto Luongo, Canucks.*** tie for third place in balloting; four finalists named
Our vote is for Luongo
All voting is conducted at the conclusion of the regular season. The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association votes for five trophies (Hart, Norris, Selke, Calder and Lady Byng). The NHL General Managers vote for the Vezina Trophy. Members of the National Hockey League Players' Association select the Lester B. Pearson Award winner and the NHL Broadcasters’ Association votes on the Jack Adams Award. Results are tabulated by the accounting firm Ernst & Young.Two other trophies, the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey) and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy (leadership and humanitarian contribution to his community) also will be presented at the Awards ceremony.Sidney Crosby, who captured the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL scoring champion, Tampa Bay Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier (Maurice Richard Trophy, League's top goal-scorer) and Minnesota Wild goaltenders Niklas Backstrom and Manny Fernandez (William Jennings Trophy, goaltenders for the club finishing the regular season with the fewest team goals against) will receive their respective trophies at a media luncheon to be held during the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, date and site to be determined.
Who else has an opinion? Anybody surprised by Staal for the Calder? 2 goalies for the Hart?
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3 comments:
Two Goalies for the Hart...Say it isnt so. I was accepting of it when one goalie stood well above his pears in the league and was a leader on the team but in this day and age when the top goalie of which there are many is a requirement how can one be any more valueable but Kipper, Turco are certainly as important as Broduer and almost if not as important as Luongo. GO SID...
Where is Kopitar for the Calder? I am sorry but as good as J Staal was in the back half of the season. Kopitar had 25 more points and played on a much worse team. Hopefully Staal will steal some votes from Malkin and Stastney will come out on top.
Vezina - Does Kipper really deserve to be there in what most analysts have called an off year for him. Luongo all the way here.
Norris - All three could win in any given year. Lidstrom will win because he is currently the best and the Anahiem votes will split.
Adams - Ruff again? he won last year with the same team by bringing them to the high level. While staying there is a challenge I think bring the rookie crop in Pittsburgh with all the external distractions to the playoffs deservest the nod. Therien.
Lady Bing - Sakic is the man.
Selke - Brindamour gets my vote
Pearson - Going to go with Lecavailler
2 goalies for the Hart makes some sense when you consider;
- both goalies broke the record for wins by a goaltender
- both are by FAR the best players on their teams
That all said, Luongo is a tough call, if only because Brodeur has;
-more wins, better GAA, and better save%.
It doesn't matter though, Crosby will be the winner. That said, I wouldn't be upset if Brodeur snuck an MVP award out of the league before the awards become the Crosby show every year.
I also have to agree with Rob, Kopitar is the clear third choice for ROY. J Staal finished strong which left an impression with the league, but Kopitar was asked to be his teams #1 centre and first scoring option for the entire season, whereas Staal was his teams 3rd line pivot and top penalty killer. To me, Kopitar simply had the more impressive season (especially considering who his linemates are on the PP vs who J Staal gets).
Hart: Crosby - face of the league and winning his first scoring title, at 19, is pretty phenomenal.
Calder: Malkin. Understand Rob's concern re: Kopitar but Staal did so much as an 18 year-old and with such limited ice-time.
Vezina: Luongo. Brodeur is a god but the numbers are almost identical save for the number of PPs that Luongo had to face. Given that, Luongo gets the nod.
Norris: Lidstrom. He's done nothing to show he doesn't deserve to keep it. Had Pronger played the full season, he would be the pick - but he didn't.
Adams: I like Therien as well. What was it? A 48pt improvement? Within a hairsbredth of the division title all with a gaggle of, admittedly sickly talented, kids. Ruff is supposed to do what he did while in Vancouver the only coaching decision that matters is tapping Luongo on the shoulder - I could do that.
Lady Byng: I'm sure it will be Sakic too - seriously, 100pts is freakish at his age.
Selke: I like Phalsson too but think the voters will go with Brind'Amour. Again, when will this guy every slow down?
Pearson: This one will be interesting because I'm not sure that the players are quite ready to give Crosby the nod yet. If they do, watch out for him next season. If they don't then really watch out for him :-) Out of self-interest I'll go with Lecavalier too.
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