NHL award nominees

[OMMF]

CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY (outstanding rookie): Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins; Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals; Dion Phaneuf, Calgary Flames.

FRANK J. SELKE TROPHY (outstanding defensive forward): Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes; Mike Fisher, Ottawa Senators; Jere Lehtinen, Dallas Stars.

HART MEMORIAL TROPHY (most valuable player to his team): Jaromir Jagr, New York Rangers; Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames; Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks.

JACK ADAMS AWARD (outstanding coach): Peter Laviolette, Carolina Hurricanes; Tom Renney, New York Rangers; Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres.

JAMES NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY (outstanding defenseman): Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings; Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim Mighty Ducks; Sergei Zubov, Dallas Stars.

LADY BYNG MEMORIAL TROPHY (sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct): Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings; Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks; Brad Richards, Tampa Bay Lightning.

LESTER B. PEARSON AWARD (most outstanding player as voted by fellow members of the NHLPA): Jaromir Jagr, New York Rangers; Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals; Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks.

VEZINA TROPHY (outstanding goaltender): Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils; Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames; Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers.

Something tells me that Lundqvist got a Vezina nod because he was left out of the Calder. Or he was left out of the Calder because he was up for the Vezina. Just a thought.

[ROCHitman]

McCabe not nominated for Norris. YES!

[NJTank]

How weird is it Lundqvist is a Vezina Nominee and not a Calder Nominee?

[Brass]

How weird is it Lundqvist is a Vezina Nominee and not a Calder Nominee?

Who cares? Ovech will win it anyway!

Or at least he should. The only one I think that can challenge him would be Phaneuf.

[NJTank]

I actually agree he should have been nominated for Calder it just demonstrates how deep this rookie class was.

[Fred T. Jane]

No Chara for the Norris? Come on, this is getting silly. I guess Zubov gets the nod over Chara or even McCabe for his shootout success...

[CC97]

How weird is it Lundqvist is a Vezina Nominee and not a Calder Nominee?

One year Theodore won the Vezina Trophy but did not make it as the goaltender on the 1st All-Star Team

[Shane Does Art]

It really grinds my gears that Brodeur always seems to be a nominee after a normal year. It could of been Huet or Gerber was also good.

[zer0dotcom]

Brodeur was more consitent over the season. Huet didn't get a start until the second half of the season.

As for the rookies, it's the three that should be there, and ovech should win it. He had the best season of all rookies.

The Haart nominees are as predicted, it will go to Thorton or Jagr, I think Thorton has the edge from the turnaround we saw this season witht he Sharks. Yes, the Rangers did have a turn around from their last season (whcih Jagr was a part of) joe though turned the Sharks around in far less time than Jagr had with the Rangers and they won a hell of alot of games after getting him.

Vezena is a tough call, Brodeur was pretty solid, Kipper is the only reason that Calgary was anything this year, and Lunquist had a good rookie year. COuld go to anyone of them and it wouldn't be a bad call. I'd like Kipper to win.

Either Ruff or Rainy will win the Adams after the Rangers and Sabres had huge turnarounds.

[NJTank]

Reviewing my picks Im keeping em the same

My NHL Awards

[Stampman]

My thoughts-

CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY

Who I think should win: Ovechkin

Who I think will win: Ovechkin

FRANK J. SELKE TROPHY

Who I think should win: Brind'Amour

Who I think will win: Fisher

HART MEMORIAL TROPHY

Who I think should win: Kiprusoff

Who I think will win: Jagr

JACK ADAMS AWARD

Who I think should win: Sutter, but of the choices-Laviolette

Who I think will win: Ruff

JAMES NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY

Who I think should win: Niedermayer

Who I think will win: Niedermayer

LADY BYNG MEMORIAL TROPHY

Who I think should win: Marleau

Who I think will win: Richards

LESTER B. PEARSON AWARD

Who I think should win: Thornton

Who I think will win: Thornton

VEZINA TROPHY

Who I think should win: Kiprusoff

Who I think will win: Kiprusoff

[HatCityEnforcer]

Might as well give my picks

Calder: Alexander Ovechkin (Caps)

-AO was just unbelieveable this year and outshone the much hyped Sidney Crosby (no dig at Sid The Kid, who had a pretty good year himself). Phaneuf's a nice choice to round out the top 3, but he'll be a very distant 3rd in the voting.

Selke: Rod Brind'Amour (Canes)

-Brindy's always been a defensively responsible player thoroughout his career and this year was no exception. It'll be a close vote between him and Fisher from the Sens. Lehtinen's always a solid choice for this award, but he'll be the 2nd runner up here.

Hart: Jaromir Jagr (Rangers)

-This is a two horse race, IMO. As good as Thornton was, the Sharks still had Marleau and Cheechoo to fall back on. Jagr carried the Rangers all year long..and the playoffs showed how the Blueshirts were without #68 out there. Kippy had another standout season for the Flames and help lead them to a Northwest Division title, but I think Thornton and Jagr will get the lion's share of the votes.

Adams: Tom Renney (Rangers)

-All 3 guys up for this are worthy choices, but I'm going with Renney b/c of the remarkable upswing the Rangers made from his first season behind the bench back in 03-04 (where the Rangers were floating belly up in the East River). Keep in mind, this was a team that NOBODY thought had a chance of contending, yet were in the mix for the Atlantic title until the final day of the season. Laviolette and Ruff did great jobs as well, and I wouldn't be upset if either of them won the award.

Norris: Scott Niedermayer (Ducks)

-Make it two in a row for Niedermayer as he's showing that he's the best D-man in the NHL. Lidstrom & Zubov had their usual high scoring seasons, but I can't see it going to either of them.

Byng: Brad Richards (Lightning)

-Tough choice between these 3 guys as they're the types that play it well and clean. Then again, the Byng Trophy is one of those awards that I usually don't pay attention to

Pearson: Joe Thornton (Sharks)

-This one's up to the whims of the NHLPA rank & file.

Vezina: Miikka Kiprusoff (Flames)

-It's Kippy's to lose, IMO. He was solid all year long. Lundqvist is an intriguing pick and probably would have been the favorite if he hadn't have tailed off after the Olympic Break (ah well, at least Henke's got a gold medal to make up for it ). Brodeur here kinda shocked me, especially in light of his arguably PUTRID first half of play before he and the SwampDenziens turned it around. Personally, I woulda had Martin Gerber of the Canes there instead, but that's just me...then again, the weight of the name does count in your favor some times...

[BCBoy]

My predictions...

HART: Jagr

Although I agree with Stampman that Kipper SHOULD get the Hart.

VEZINA: Brodeur

East side voters get to see a lot more of his wonderful play in goal than Kipper's amazing year in the west.

CALDER: Alexander the GR8

SELKE: Rod Brind 'Amour

NORRIS: Scott Niedermayer

His best year in his pro career was this past year, key reason the Ducks made the playoffs

JACK ADAMS: Tom Renney

LADY BYNG: Patrick Marleau

LESTER B. PEARSON: Joe Thornton

[ZapRowsdower8]

OK, I have to play devil's advocate here. No knock against Ovechkin, but I fail to see the clear advantage he has over Crosby. In the same number of games AO only had 4 more points than Crosby. AO was +2, while Crosby was -1, again very similar stats. Game winning goals, both with 3. Crosby with 3 OT goals, AO with 2. So far I must fail to see the "obvious."

I am trying to look at this objectively, but I do have a bias. (Pens season ticket holder for 11 seasons.) Somebody please enlighten me!

[HatCityEnforcer]

OK, I have to play devil's advocate here. No knock against Ovechkin, but I fail to see the clear advantage he has over Crosby. In the same number of games AO only had 4 more points than Crosby. AO was +2, while Crosby was -1, again very similar stats. Game winning goals, both with 3. Crosby with 3 OT goals, AO with 2. So far I must fail to see the "obvious."

I am trying to look at this objectively, but I do have a bias. (Pens season ticket holder for 11 seasons.) Somebody please enlighten me!

I think the expectations on Crosby going into the season were a lot higher than the ones on AO. At the beginning of the season, many experts (and non-experts) thought that #87 for the Pens would be head & shoulders ahead of everyone else.

However, someone forgot to tell AO that.

[CC97]

OK, I have to play devil's advocate here. No knock against Ovechkin, but I fail to see the clear advantage he has over Crosby. In the same number of games AO only had 4 more points than Crosby. AO was +2, while Crosby was -1, again very similar stats. Game winning goals, both with 3. Crosby with 3 OT goals, AO with 2. So far I must fail to see the "obvious."

I am trying to look at this objectively, but I do have a bias. (Pens season ticket holder for 11 seasons.) Somebody please enlighten me!

I think the expectations on Crosby going into the season were a lot higher than the ones on AO. At the beginning of the season, many experts (and non-experts) thought that #87 for the Pens would be head & shoulders ahead of everyone else.

However, someone forgot to tell AO that.

Crosby also had better players to play with for most of the season

[Roger Clemente]

Lundqvist deserves the Calder more than the other three, but isn't even nominated. How many rookie goaltenders come by and take a team that's sucked for 8 years and helps put them in the playoffs with 30 wins? How far did Crosby and Ovechkin take their teams?

I actually wouldn't be surprised if he snags the upset of the Vezina.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[CC97]

Lundqvist deserves the Calder more than the other three, but isn't even nominated. How many rookie goaltenders come by and take a team that's sucked for 8 years and helps put them in the playoffs with 30 wins? How far did Crosby and Ovechkin take their teams?

I actually wouldn't be surprised if he snags the upset of the Vezina.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

Lundqvist is most valuable rookie, but not rookie of the year

[HatCityEnforcer]

Lundqvist deserves the Calder more than the other three, but isn't even nominated.  How many rookie goaltenders come by and take a team that's sucked for 8 years and helps put them in the playoffs with 30 wins?  How far did Crosby and Ovechkin take their teams?

I actually wouldn't be surprised if he snags the upset of the Vezina.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

Lundqvist is most valuable rookie, but not rookie of the year

Agreed.

Henke was top notch for the Rangers up until after the Olympic Break, there's no debate in that....

However, I have no problems with the three nominees (AO & El Sid were pretty much even points wise among forwards and Phaneuf was by far the best 1st year defenseman in the NHL).

It's a very solid rookie class this year and there was bound to be someone that had a quality first season left off. Unfortunately, it was Lundqvist.

[Nick 1733]

The only thing I would like to add to this is that Marek Svatos was a leading cadidate for the Clader until his season was ended with a seperated shoulder with about a month left in the season. It's unfortunate that Svatos was injured so close to the end of the season where he possibly could have scored 40 goals as a rookie, which is unheard of and possibly gotten the Calder Trophy.