Thursday, May 04, 2006

 

NHL Award Finalists Announced

Here they are... (my picks in BOLD)

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.

Comments:
What I don't get about all the predictions (and now the official results) of who would be up for the Jack Adams.. no one has ever mentionned Randy Carlyle in Anaheim.

The guy loses players all season, replaces them with kids from within the system, and they have one of the best records in 2006. Now they win a playoff series against a cup favorite. All in his Rookie season as head coach.

When I look at Renney, I don't see a top coach more than a guy who finally got a good goaltender to make up for his team's mistakes.
 
There are quite a few good candidates for the Jack Adams Award, and it is incredibly subjective because it's very hard to measure a coach (all they have is the standings) and different measure take this award differently. Some thing turning around a poor team is a prime factor while others just look at special teams... I just don't care TOO much about the award, but will say Renney is the weakest of the finalists and I can still remember how bad of a coach he was here.
 
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