2014-15 NHL Awards

[Crabcake]

I know I'm a little late on this, but this a topic for general discussion about this year's awards. I'll get it started by talking about the Jack Adams award. I completely agree with Bob Hartley (CGY) and Peter Laviolette (NSH) being selected. But the Alain Vigneault (NYR) selection really bothered me. I know the finalists were determined before the playoffs (at least I think so, correct me if I'm wrong), so this current series where the Rangers currently trail 3-1 was not taken into account. And honestly, this award has turned into "the coach that turned a team around the most," whether you like it or not. And by that standard, Barry Trotz (WSH) needed to be nominated. From the other teams, it doesn't seem that special - new coach comes in and leads a perennial playoff participant who missed them last year back into it. But the change has been much more than that. Trotz has completely changed the culture of the Caps. He's gotten the best out of Ovechkin that I've ever seen a Caps coach do (I've been following them since 2010-11). Vigneault has merely taken a team that was second in the division last year and went to the Stanley cup Final to the president's trophy, not that big of a difference. I know the bias factor comes in a little bit here, but I honestly think that Trotz needed to get some love.

And don't even get me started on Nick Backstrom and the Selke.