NHL award nominees

[ZapRowsdower8]

For my 100th post (it only took one and a half years ) I would like to say one more thing in defense of Crosby winning. When this season started he was only 17 years old. I realize that AO was only 20 or 21 (again, I don't want to take anything away from him)but think about what you were like/doing when you were 17....

thats what I thought!!

Imagine the pressure this kid ( and thats what he was, a kid) was under.

Crosby for RotY!!!

[Roger Clemente]

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.

But Ovechkin scored 52, and by that logic, is still much more qualified for the trophy.

For my 100th post (it only took one and a half years toothless.gif ) I would like to say one more thing in defense of Crosby winning. When this season started he was only 17 years old. I realize that AO was only 20 or 21 (again, I don't want to take anything away from him)but think about what you were like/doing when you were 17....

Crosby turned 18 only a week after he was drafted.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[maz]

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

Yeah, but, Crosby did just as well, if not better, at the end of the year when there was nothing but young guys left.

Dont get me wrong, Ovechkin was amazing in his own right, but look at the stats ZapRowsdower8 gave us. To tell the truth i think its a toss up thats slightly in Ovechkin's favor.

[Roger Clemente]

A friend of mine mentioned that Sidney should get the Calder because if Ovechkin does, it means there is more of an emphasis on the importance of goals than assists.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[cappital92]

Ovehkin had 53? assists,so I don't think Crosby will win the Calder.

[93JC]

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!

The clear advantage? Ovechkin is the more complete player. Offensively they're roughly equal, but Ovechkin is more physical and more defensively aware.

Add to that the fact Ovechkin was, statistically, offensively better in the end with less support, and well... there you go.

[maz]

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!

The clear advantage? Ovechkin is the more complete player. Offensively they're roughly equal, but Ovechkin is more physical and more defensively aware.

Add to that the fact Ovechkin was, statistically, offensively better in the end with less support, and well... there you go.

Less support?

Just because the Pens had veterans that were once good doesnt mean Crosby had support. They both had a team that were basically the same. Neither team really built their teams around them yet and they proved they can do well without it. Crosby is a physical player to. He takes hits. He may complain alittle, but he did that less towards the end of the season. He doesnt make hits because he doesnt have to. The pens have enough physical players. And he is smart enough to know he doesnt havce to be physical, and, in turn, protects himself from injury. Besides, you dont have to be defensive to be a great player. Whens the last time you heard of Lemieux or Jagr being defensive?

I know Ovechkin will still probably win, but im still pulling for an upset deep inside. All i know for sure is the NHL is seeing the beginning of a new big rivalry.