Who are your mid-season award finalists?

[awaz]

If Nashville makes the playoffs Rinne has to be in the mix. The Preds have seroious scoring issues.

brings up another good point.. you can throw trotz in the jack adams conversation any time you want.. on paper the preds really aren't a good hockey team. but they're always competitive somehow.

 

[DChero]

brings up another good point.. you can throw trotz in the jack adams conversation any time you want.. on paper the preds really aren't a good hockey team. but they're always competitive somehow.

I don't know that he gets the nod this year. They've had stronger seasons with similar rosters.

 

[MadCaptain]

If only the Devils had one of the top 5 Dmen in the league. They could really use a franchise guy like Mark Fraser. Maybe if they trade Patrik Elias and Adam Larsson for him.

 

[awaz]

i know it's not midseason, and i know it'll never happen given where the flyers are in the standings.. but i wanna throw timonen's name out there for norris.. 4th amongst dmen in points, averaging 22 min/game, and is somehow +3 when 4/6 flyers dmen have either been waiver claims or AHL dmen for the past 3 weeks.

i know it's a stretch and a homer pick, but the dude deserves some props.

 

[forty_three]

Bob
Rov
SKI

And given the success of the Isles, I think we need to be throwing Tavares out there for the Hart.

 

[DChero]

It's interesting that earlier in the thread there was no mention of Ovechkin. Now he's considered the front-runner for a lot of the media crowd. Hmm...

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

He is in it for the Richard for sure. As far as the Hart, well he couldn't find the net his first 15 games but is playing like the best in the world right now. I don't think he will win it though.

 

[awaz]

It's interesting that earlier in the thread there was no mention of Ovechkin. Now he's considered the front-runner for a lot of the media crowd. Hmm...

ovechkin goes on a tear, caps look unstoppable. hard to argue w/ that.. makes him a good candidate for Hart IMO

i like the tavares pick too though

/also, because my post was the last on the page. timonen for norris. because he deserves to get mentioned even if he's not a finalist.

 

[DChero]

He is in it for the Richard for sure. As far as the Hart, well he couldn't find the net his first 15 games but is playing like the best in the world right now. I don't think he will win it though.

I'd be shocked if he didn't get the Richard. He's the only one at the top that's still hot.

I think if this were an 82-game season, he'd should possibly take the Hart because 15 downers are less of an impact than in a 48-game season. My updated list: Sid, Bob, OV (HM to Suter).

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

The problem with the 15 down games is he still played well and lead the team in hits. Doesn't show on the stats sheet though. Milbury isolates one bad game in the end of a back to back and he has dropped off completely. Watching him play, he hasn't really dropped off but went cold on hitting the net.

It is what it is, really.

 

[DChero]

The problem with the 15 down games is he still played well and lead the team in hits. Doesn't show on the stats sheet though. Milbury isolates one bad game in the end of a back to back and he has dropped off completely. Watching him play, he hasn't really dropped off but went cold on hitting the net.

It is what it is, really.

I remember watching when Milbury went off about him being gutless and couldn't believe it. OV's never been a bad or heartless player, he just hasn't lived up to his own expectations recently. I'd give him a mention, but I think even with Crosby missing a stint, his body of work is still better. This is a guy that lead his team to the longest winning streak of the season and without Geno for most of that run. He also turned Kunitz and Dupuis into elite players.

Yes, I'm a homer, but through the first two-thirds of the season Crosby was running away with the Hart and OV wasn't even in most people's top five. Now it's Crosby and OV neck and neck because of an injury. We've seen this play out before.

 

[forty_three]

The problem with the 15 down games is he still played well and lead the team in hits. Doesn't show on the stats sheet though. Milbury isolates one bad game in the end of a back to back and he has dropped off completely. Watching him play, he hasn't really dropped off but went cold on hitting the net.

It is what it is, really.

Unfortunately, Stats are the only thing that matter to the ones with the votes.

When you look at who is most valuable to their team, you have to point at OV, and Tavares. Where are those teams without those guys?

And since only stats matter, Dalton Prout has no shot at Calder, he doesn't score goals. But he keeps other teams from doing it. And he does that incredibly well. He is playing like a ten year veteran. I have to keep reminding myself he's a rookie. +12 in 23 games while averaging 18 minutes against the top opposing lines...

Nah. Go ahead and give it to Yakupov. He's certainly been more impressive what with the scoring and sliding and the wild wacky hairdos and the rock and roll music. Don't forget, every team wants to trade rosters

 

[dash]

Nah. Go ahead and give it to Yakupov. He's certainly been more impressive what with the scoring and sliding and the wild wacky hairdos and the rock and roll music. Don't forget, every team wants to trade rosters

I almost hope Yak wins the Calder and asks for eleventy bajillion dollars when his ELC expires. That would be a bold decision for Mr "I have six Stanley Cup rings" to make.

 

[DChero]

I almost hope Yak wins the Calder and asks for eleventy bajillion dollars when his ELC expires. That would be a bold decision for Mr "I have six Stanley Cup rings" to make.

That guy must know how to win. Seven years is all that it takes!

 

[ritari330]

The problem with the 15 down games is he still played well and lead the team in hits. Doesn't show on the stats sheet though. Milbury isolates one bad game in the end of a back to back and he has dropped off completely. Watching him play, he hasn't really dropped off but went cold on hitting the net.

It is what it is, really.

Well, yes but everyone seemingly is forgetting that the Caps had to learn a new system on the fly and while OV was also learning how to play on the opposite wing, a place where he had never played before. That said, Oates should get some consideration for the Jack Adams award as well.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Hart - Tavares, OV, Toews (Sid jumps into the discussion again if he plays 4 more games)
Vezina - Bobrovsky, Rask, Schneider
Norris - Subban, Suter, Timmonen
Calder - Huberdeau, Gallagher, Saad
Adams - MacLean, Therrien, Quenneville
Selke - Toews, Datsyuk, Bergeron


Not in any order.

 

[Dacks]

When you look at who is most valuable to their team, you have to point at OV, and Tavares. Where are those teams without those guys?

I really wish people would drop that argument. That's one interpretation of what "most valuable" means, but there's no evidence to suggest it's the interpretation that should be used, or more importantly, has been used throughout the history of the award.

OV has definitely put himself into consideration, and might win it depending on how he finishes. But I have to think Crosby is still considered the favourite, considering his offense and two-way play. Not just stats, either. Watching the games, the Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis line was consistently dominating even strength hockey in a way I've never seen.

I also have a hunch that voters (rightly or wrongly) are ready to give Crosby a Hart, as much for his work over the past three seasons as this one itself. As long as he's right there in points at the end, he gets the sympathy vote.

One thing I gotta say, I'm happy to see the OV/Crosby debate reignited! The league is better with both pushing the limits.

 

[Dacks]

My other votes would be Suter, Gallagher, Bobrovsky and Toews, but Subban, Huberdeau, Rask and Dats/Bergeron are right there as well.

 

[IPostedWhat]

I really wish people would drop that argument. That's one interpretation of what "most valuable" means, but there's no evidence to suggest it's the interpretation that should be used, or more importantly, has been used throughout the history of the award.

The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player judged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Hart Memorial Trophy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[dash]

Also, if you're a Montreal based writer and you have no integrity, you'll leave Iginla's name completely off your ballot for Hart voting because you want Jose Theodore to win.

/yes, still bitter.