NHL AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
It was a big night for the Vancouver Canucks.
Almost every award went to this year's breakout team, who went from a narrow Cup Final exit last year to runaway Cup Champs this year as the young players found their footing.
It was a particularly good year for last year's Calder Trophy winner Raimo Vasama! Having already been guaranteed the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Trophy for the league's best save percentage, which was also given at last night's awards ceremony, he also won the Hart, Lindsay, and Vezina Trophies. Let's have a look at this year's winners! (OOC: For statistical winners, refer to this post.)
Frank Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward) - Jordan Staal, Halifax Hurricanes
The voting for this was ridiculously close, but Staal took it, mainly because the Canucks had a few too many good defensive forwards to pick from, and Pasi Lumme and Patrice Bergeron had slightly lower +/- and numbers of takeaways. Staal was also a crucial cog in the Halifax team that gave Montreal a scare before bowing out in seven in the second round.
James Norris Memorial Trophy (Best Defenceman) - Dean Chapman, Vancouver Canucks
He's done it again! Four in a row now for the "Small Town Big Man!" He just keeps getting better offensively while maintaining the hard-nosed defence that makes him such a feared player. In the 2016 half-season he scored 45 points including an NHL rookie record 25 goals, breaking Brian Leetch's record of 23 for a rookie defenceman and was a consensus Calder winner (the first of three in the last five seasons for Vancouver), and this season he was almost the first defenceman in nearly thirty seasons to score 100 points (last done in 91-92), coming up just two short. But he's after bigger things. He wants to be the first NHL defenceman to score 50 goals in a season, and with a shot like that, who can say that he won't? Still, he also cleans up in his own end - he led the league in both hits and blocked shots this season (the latter was a bit closer) and was second to teammate Adam Gaudette in the league in short-handed goals.
Hockey News Best Fanbase Award - Nashville Predators
The league decided to allow The Hockey News to award a trophy to the best fanbase in 2017, and three of the four seasons it's been awarded, it's gone to Nashville (it went to Winnipeg last year). Their fanbase has been an exemplar of the necessary balance between passion and good behaviour, one that many teams' official fanclubs have striven to emulate. Accepting the award were Nashville Predators Fan Club president Joshua Brown and Preds defenceman Arvydas Maklėvičius.
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey) - Zach Hyman, Toronto Maple Leafs
Look up the phrase "work ethic" in the dictionary, and you should find this Leaf's name next to it. The head coaches he's played under always notice his work ethic and commitment to a solid two-way game (although he didn't make the final five for the Selke, he was on the ballot and finished seventh overall), and it seems that both the Hockey Writers' Association and other NHL teams have as well. Early in his college career, it was noticed that he couldn't score, but he just kept working, and taking the advice of the legendary Red Berenson, he changed his game to that of a two-way player. By the time he made his professional debut in the 16-17 season, he was demonstrating his penchant for two-way play, and he has the two Selke nominations (2017 and last year) to show for it. He is also one of the NHL's most notorious fast recoverers simply because he works at getting back into game shape so quickly.
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Most gentlemanly player) - Kurtis Schaeffer, Vancouver Canucks
Everyone loves Kurtis. Or so it seems. Even Vancouver's most bitter archrivals - the likes of the Calgary Flames, the Edmonton Oilers, the Colorado Avalanche, the Boston Bruins, or the Chicago Blackhawks - love this Uralican Mennonite. He has taken half as many penalty minutes in his five seasons in the NHL than Dean Chapman took last season alone, and the bulk of those were in his first two seasons. He now holds the NHL record for the longest period gone without taking a penalty, going back to the middle of the 17-18 season, and yes, he's a repeat Byng winner now, having won the trophy for the third time in a row. Even the other nominees admitted they'd probably lose to him. Off the ice, he's a media darling who is quick with a joke, and he is among the team's biggest charitable contributors both locally and abroad. He's been on the cover of several prominent Christian magazines both in Uralica and in North America. Honestly, what's not to love about Kurtis Schaeffer? He's a consummate gentleman and a hell of a hockey player too! And here's the real clincher. He's actually a decent two-way player. He is being watched as a potential future Selke-Byng double, which would put him amongst such luminaries as Ron Francis (1995), Anže Kopitar (2016), and Ryan O'Reilly (who was nominated for both this season, having won both in 2017), and players who took similar honours in the Robertian Era such as Pavel Datsyuk.
Jack Adams Memorial Trophy (Best Coach) - Travis Green, Vancouver Canucks
One need only have read the article I wrote about the Canucks' surprising success this season to know why Travis won this. And he won by near-consensus as well. His third-line-flex system, encouragement of balanced hockey, and smart use of his star players vaulted the Canucks to their first-ever Stanley Cup. Did we mention the Canucks gave him a big contract extension for it?
Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie Of The Year) - Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
Another close one. Cole Makar and Ryan Suzuki were also very much in the thick of it. But what put Hughes over was his uncanny passing ability. This guy is an offensive defenceman par excellence in the mould of an Erik Karlsson or a Brian Leetch. (Not gonna call him an Orr, a Bourque, or a Coffey just yet ) He has good hockey sense at both ends and is an excellent counter-attacker. Oh, and the fact that he came up just short of Peter Stastny's and Joé Juneau's NHL rookie record for assists helps too!
Jim Gregory Award (Best General Manager) - Pat Lafontaine, Buffalo Sabres
Trevor Linden was up for his fourth Gregory in as many seasons, but had his streak of three in a row snapped by Buffalo's LaFontaine, who took the struggling Sabres out of the hole with some smart deadline and off-season acquisitions such as Wayne Simmonds, and drafted high-touted prospects Rasmus Dahlin and stay-at-home defender Arturas Žurauskas (the latter was Buffalo's ballot entry for the Calder this year).
King Clancy Trophy (Leadership and Community Contribution) - Adam McQuaid, Boston Bruins
There were a lot of deserving nominees this year, but it had to go to McQuaid, who not only leads by example and sticks up for his teammates, but also does a lot of work off the ice for various charities, including those working with children with developmental disabilities or life-threatening illnesses. Dean Chapman once said, "He's harder than titanium on the ice and a big ol' softy off it. I hate playing against him, but I love what he does in his community. He's alright by me!"
Georges Vezina Memorial Trophy (Best Goaltender), Hart Memorial Trophy (League MVP), and Ted Lindsay Memorial Trophy (League MVP as voted by players) - Raimo Vasama, Vancouver Canucks
With teammate JT Miller finishing second in the voting, Vasama still took the lion's share of the first-place votes, as there were many times last season where he put the team on his back and carried them to victory. With a .952 save percentage and a jaw-dropping sixteen shutouts, Vasama's prowess was unmistakably a huge factor in Vancouver's success, and everyone - including Vasama's compatriot and friendly archrival Tuukka Rask - knew it.
NHL ANNOUNCES "TEAM OFFICIALS" FOR NEXT SEASON
It's that time of year again. When the NHL reconvened in 2016, a rule was added that every team must have a captain and at least one alternate captain, up to four. So the teams took stock of their current position and named their team officials.
(New alternates italicised)
Boston Bruins - captain Adam McQuaid (replaces Zdeno Chara, who retired), alternates Patrice Bergeron and David Krejči.
Buffalo Sabres - captain Jack Eichel, alternates Rasmus Dahlin, Jake McCabe, and Wayne Simmonds. (Marcus Johansson removed)
Calgary Flames - captain Mark Giordano, alternates Sean Monahan, Mikael Bäcklund, and Matt Tkachuk. (no change)
Chicago Blackhawks - captain Jonathan Toews, alternates Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook. (no change)
Colorado Avalanche - captain Gabriel Landeskog, alternates Nathan McKinnon, Pierre-Édouard Bellemare, and Erik Johnson.
Dallas Stars - captain Jamie Benn, alternates Tyler Seguin, Corey Perry, and Alex Radulov. (John Klingberg removed)
Detroit Red Wings - captain Eric Staal (replaces Frans Nielsen), alternates Frans Nielsen and Dylan Larkin. (Justin Abdelkader and Luke Glendening removed)
Edmonton Oilers - captain Connor McDavid, alternates Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisatl, Darnell Nurse, and Bronson McMahon. (Adam Larsson removed)
Halifax Hurricanes - captain Sidney Crosby, alternates Jordan Staal, Justin Williams, Jaccob Slavin, and Jordan Martinook. (no change)
Hamilton Bulldogs - captain Ryan Getzlaf, alternates Josh Manson, David Backes, and Jakob Silfverberg. (Ryan Kesler removed)
Hartford Whalers - captain Luther O'Reilly (replaces Nick Foligno), alternates Nick Foligno, Seth Jones, Boone Jenner, and Cam Atkinson.
Indianapolis Racers - captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson, alternates Taylor Hall, Derek Stepan, and Niklas Hjalmarsson. (Phil Kessel removed)
Kansas City Cavalry - captain Cal Clutterbuck, alternates Anders Lee, Leo Komarov, Josh Bailey, and Andrew Ladd.
Los Angeles Kings - captain Anže Kopitar, alternates Jeff Carter and Trevor Lewis (Drew Doughty removed).
Minnesota Wild - captain Mikko Koivu, alternates Ryan Suter, Eric Staal, and Zach Parise. (no change)
Montréal Canadiens - captain Shea Weber, alternates Pasi Lumme, Brendan Gallagher, and Mikko Rantanen.
Nashville Predators - captain Arvydas Maklėvičius (replaces Ryan Johansen), alternates Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg, and Ryan Ellis. (Mattias Ekholm removed)
New Jersey Devils - captain Dion Prince (replaces Travis Zajac), alternates Travis Zajac, Kyle Palmieri, and P.K. Subban. (Nico Hischier removed)
New York Rangers - captain Marc Staal, alternates Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Dmitry Tsyganov. (Jesper Fast removed)
Ottawa Senators - captain Ron Hainsey, alternates Thomas Chabot, Mark Borowiecki, and Vyacheslav Kukarkin.
Philadelphia Flyers - captain Claude Giroux, alternates Jakub Voraček, Justin Braun, and Shayne Gostisbehere. (Kevin Hayes and Sean Couturier removed)
Pittsburgh Penguins - captain Kris Letang, alternates Yevgeni Malkin, Jack Johnson, and Justin Schultz.
Québec Nordiques - captain Alexander Barkov, alternates Jonathan Huberdeau, Aaron Ekblad, and Keith Yandle (no change).
St. Louis Blues - captain Ryan O'Reilly (replaces Alex Pietrangelo), alternates Alex Pietrangelo, Vladimir Tarasenko, Jay Bouwmeester, and Tyler Bozak (Alex Steen removed)
San Jose Sharks - captain Brent Burns (replaces Logan Couture), alternates Logan Couture, Erik Karlsson, and Marc-Édouard Vlasic (Tomáš Hertl removed, Joe Thornton retired).
Saskatchewan Warriors - captain Derek Engelland, alternates Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, and Alec Martinez.
Seattle Kraken - captain Kevin Bieksa (replaces Tomáš Plekanec, who retired), alternates Miro Heiskanen, Matt Dumba, and Adam Lowry.
Tampa Bay Lightning - captain Steven Stamkos, alternates Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, and Kevin Shattenkirk.
Toronto Maple Leafs - captain Jon Tavares, alternates Auston Mathews, Mitch Marner, Jason Spezza, and Zach Hyman. (Morgan Rielly removed)
Vancouver Canucks - captain Bo Horvat, alternates Chris Tanev, Brandon Sutter, Dean Chapman, and Matvey Kolpakov.
Washington Capitals - captain Alex Ovechkin, alternates Nick Bäckström, John Carlson, and TJ Oshie.
Winnipeg Jets - captain Blake Wheeler, alternates Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey, and Mark Letestu.
It was a big night for the Vancouver Canucks.
Almost every award went to this year's breakout team, who went from a narrow Cup Final exit last year to runaway Cup Champs this year as the young players found their footing.
It was a particularly good year for last year's Calder Trophy winner Raimo Vasama! Having already been guaranteed the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Trophy for the league's best save percentage, which was also given at last night's awards ceremony, he also won the Hart, Lindsay, and Vezina Trophies. Let's have a look at this year's winners! (OOC: For statistical winners, refer to this post.)
Frank Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward) - Jordan Staal, Halifax Hurricanes
The voting for this was ridiculously close, but Staal took it, mainly because the Canucks had a few too many good defensive forwards to pick from, and Pasi Lumme and Patrice Bergeron had slightly lower +/- and numbers of takeaways. Staal was also a crucial cog in the Halifax team that gave Montreal a scare before bowing out in seven in the second round.
James Norris Memorial Trophy (Best Defenceman) - Dean Chapman, Vancouver Canucks
He's done it again! Four in a row now for the "Small Town Big Man!" He just keeps getting better offensively while maintaining the hard-nosed defence that makes him such a feared player. In the 2016 half-season he scored 45 points including an NHL rookie record 25 goals, breaking Brian Leetch's record of 23 for a rookie defenceman and was a consensus Calder winner (the first of three in the last five seasons for Vancouver), and this season he was almost the first defenceman in nearly thirty seasons to score 100 points (last done in 91-92), coming up just two short. But he's after bigger things. He wants to be the first NHL defenceman to score 50 goals in a season, and with a shot like that, who can say that he won't? Still, he also cleans up in his own end - he led the league in both hits and blocked shots this season (the latter was a bit closer) and was second to teammate Adam Gaudette in the league in short-handed goals.
Hockey News Best Fanbase Award - Nashville Predators
The league decided to allow The Hockey News to award a trophy to the best fanbase in 2017, and three of the four seasons it's been awarded, it's gone to Nashville (it went to Winnipeg last year). Their fanbase has been an exemplar of the necessary balance between passion and good behaviour, one that many teams' official fanclubs have striven to emulate. Accepting the award were Nashville Predators Fan Club president Joshua Brown and Preds defenceman Arvydas Maklėvičius.
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey) - Zach Hyman, Toronto Maple Leafs
Look up the phrase "work ethic" in the dictionary, and you should find this Leaf's name next to it. The head coaches he's played under always notice his work ethic and commitment to a solid two-way game (although he didn't make the final five for the Selke, he was on the ballot and finished seventh overall), and it seems that both the Hockey Writers' Association and other NHL teams have as well. Early in his college career, it was noticed that he couldn't score, but he just kept working, and taking the advice of the legendary Red Berenson, he changed his game to that of a two-way player. By the time he made his professional debut in the 16-17 season, he was demonstrating his penchant for two-way play, and he has the two Selke nominations (2017 and last year) to show for it. He is also one of the NHL's most notorious fast recoverers simply because he works at getting back into game shape so quickly.
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Most gentlemanly player) - Kurtis Schaeffer, Vancouver Canucks
Everyone loves Kurtis. Or so it seems. Even Vancouver's most bitter archrivals - the likes of the Calgary Flames, the Edmonton Oilers, the Colorado Avalanche, the Boston Bruins, or the Chicago Blackhawks - love this Uralican Mennonite. He has taken half as many penalty minutes in his five seasons in the NHL than Dean Chapman took last season alone, and the bulk of those were in his first two seasons. He now holds the NHL record for the longest period gone without taking a penalty, going back to the middle of the 17-18 season, and yes, he's a repeat Byng winner now, having won the trophy for the third time in a row. Even the other nominees admitted they'd probably lose to him. Off the ice, he's a media darling who is quick with a joke, and he is among the team's biggest charitable contributors both locally and abroad. He's been on the cover of several prominent Christian magazines both in Uralica and in North America. Honestly, what's not to love about Kurtis Schaeffer? He's a consummate gentleman and a hell of a hockey player too! And here's the real clincher. He's actually a decent two-way player. He is being watched as a potential future Selke-Byng double, which would put him amongst such luminaries as Ron Francis (1995), Anže Kopitar (2016), and Ryan O'Reilly (who was nominated for both this season, having won both in 2017), and players who took similar honours in the Robertian Era such as Pavel Datsyuk.
Jack Adams Memorial Trophy (Best Coach) - Travis Green, Vancouver Canucks
One need only have read the article I wrote about the Canucks' surprising success this season to know why Travis won this. And he won by near-consensus as well. His third-line-flex system, encouragement of balanced hockey, and smart use of his star players vaulted the Canucks to their first-ever Stanley Cup. Did we mention the Canucks gave him a big contract extension for it?
Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie Of The Year) - Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
Another close one. Cole Makar and Ryan Suzuki were also very much in the thick of it. But what put Hughes over was his uncanny passing ability. This guy is an offensive defenceman par excellence in the mould of an Erik Karlsson or a Brian Leetch. (Not gonna call him an Orr, a Bourque, or a Coffey just yet ) He has good hockey sense at both ends and is an excellent counter-attacker. Oh, and the fact that he came up just short of Peter Stastny's and Joé Juneau's NHL rookie record for assists helps too!
Jim Gregory Award (Best General Manager) - Pat Lafontaine, Buffalo Sabres
Trevor Linden was up for his fourth Gregory in as many seasons, but had his streak of three in a row snapped by Buffalo's LaFontaine, who took the struggling Sabres out of the hole with some smart deadline and off-season acquisitions such as Wayne Simmonds, and drafted high-touted prospects Rasmus Dahlin and stay-at-home defender Arturas Žurauskas (the latter was Buffalo's ballot entry for the Calder this year).
King Clancy Trophy (Leadership and Community Contribution) - Adam McQuaid, Boston Bruins
There were a lot of deserving nominees this year, but it had to go to McQuaid, who not only leads by example and sticks up for his teammates, but also does a lot of work off the ice for various charities, including those working with children with developmental disabilities or life-threatening illnesses. Dean Chapman once said, "He's harder than titanium on the ice and a big ol' softy off it. I hate playing against him, but I love what he does in his community. He's alright by me!"
Georges Vezina Memorial Trophy (Best Goaltender), Hart Memorial Trophy (League MVP), and Ted Lindsay Memorial Trophy (League MVP as voted by players) - Raimo Vasama, Vancouver Canucks
With teammate JT Miller finishing second in the voting, Vasama still took the lion's share of the first-place votes, as there were many times last season where he put the team on his back and carried them to victory. With a .952 save percentage and a jaw-dropping sixteen shutouts, Vasama's prowess was unmistakably a huge factor in Vancouver's success, and everyone - including Vasama's compatriot and friendly archrival Tuukka Rask - knew it.
NHL ANNOUNCES "TEAM OFFICIALS" FOR NEXT SEASON
It's that time of year again. When the NHL reconvened in 2016, a rule was added that every team must have a captain and at least one alternate captain, up to four. So the teams took stock of their current position and named their team officials.
(New alternates italicised)
Boston Bruins - captain Adam McQuaid (replaces Zdeno Chara, who retired), alternates Patrice Bergeron and David Krejči.
Buffalo Sabres - captain Jack Eichel, alternates Rasmus Dahlin, Jake McCabe, and Wayne Simmonds. (Marcus Johansson removed)
Calgary Flames - captain Mark Giordano, alternates Sean Monahan, Mikael Bäcklund, and Matt Tkachuk. (no change)
Chicago Blackhawks - captain Jonathan Toews, alternates Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook. (no change)
Colorado Avalanche - captain Gabriel Landeskog, alternates Nathan McKinnon, Pierre-Édouard Bellemare, and Erik Johnson.
Dallas Stars - captain Jamie Benn, alternates Tyler Seguin, Corey Perry, and Alex Radulov. (John Klingberg removed)
Detroit Red Wings - captain Eric Staal (replaces Frans Nielsen), alternates Frans Nielsen and Dylan Larkin. (Justin Abdelkader and Luke Glendening removed)
Edmonton Oilers - captain Connor McDavid, alternates Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisatl, Darnell Nurse, and Bronson McMahon. (Adam Larsson removed)
Halifax Hurricanes - captain Sidney Crosby, alternates Jordan Staal, Justin Williams, Jaccob Slavin, and Jordan Martinook. (no change)
Hamilton Bulldogs - captain Ryan Getzlaf, alternates Josh Manson, David Backes, and Jakob Silfverberg. (Ryan Kesler removed)
Hartford Whalers - captain Luther O'Reilly (replaces Nick Foligno), alternates Nick Foligno, Seth Jones, Boone Jenner, and Cam Atkinson.
Indianapolis Racers - captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson, alternates Taylor Hall, Derek Stepan, and Niklas Hjalmarsson. (Phil Kessel removed)
Kansas City Cavalry - captain Cal Clutterbuck, alternates Anders Lee, Leo Komarov, Josh Bailey, and Andrew Ladd.
Los Angeles Kings - captain Anže Kopitar, alternates Jeff Carter and Trevor Lewis (Drew Doughty removed).
Minnesota Wild - captain Mikko Koivu, alternates Ryan Suter, Eric Staal, and Zach Parise. (no change)
Montréal Canadiens - captain Shea Weber, alternates Pasi Lumme, Brendan Gallagher, and Mikko Rantanen.
Nashville Predators - captain Arvydas Maklėvičius (replaces Ryan Johansen), alternates Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg, and Ryan Ellis. (Mattias Ekholm removed)
New Jersey Devils - captain Dion Prince (replaces Travis Zajac), alternates Travis Zajac, Kyle Palmieri, and P.K. Subban. (Nico Hischier removed)
New York Rangers - captain Marc Staal, alternates Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Dmitry Tsyganov. (Jesper Fast removed)
Ottawa Senators - captain Ron Hainsey, alternates Thomas Chabot, Mark Borowiecki, and Vyacheslav Kukarkin.
Philadelphia Flyers - captain Claude Giroux, alternates Jakub Voraček, Justin Braun, and Shayne Gostisbehere. (Kevin Hayes and Sean Couturier removed)
Pittsburgh Penguins - captain Kris Letang, alternates Yevgeni Malkin, Jack Johnson, and Justin Schultz.
Québec Nordiques - captain Alexander Barkov, alternates Jonathan Huberdeau, Aaron Ekblad, and Keith Yandle (no change).
St. Louis Blues - captain Ryan O'Reilly (replaces Alex Pietrangelo), alternates Alex Pietrangelo, Vladimir Tarasenko, Jay Bouwmeester, and Tyler Bozak (Alex Steen removed)
San Jose Sharks - captain Brent Burns (replaces Logan Couture), alternates Logan Couture, Erik Karlsson, and Marc-Édouard Vlasic (Tomáš Hertl removed, Joe Thornton retired).
Saskatchewan Warriors - captain Derek Engelland, alternates Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, and Alec Martinez.
Seattle Kraken - captain Kevin Bieksa (replaces Tomáš Plekanec, who retired), alternates Miro Heiskanen, Matt Dumba, and Adam Lowry.
Tampa Bay Lightning - captain Steven Stamkos, alternates Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, and Kevin Shattenkirk.
Toronto Maple Leafs - captain Jon Tavares, alternates Auston Mathews, Mitch Marner, Jason Spezza, and Zach Hyman. (Morgan Rielly removed)
Vancouver Canucks - captain Bo Horvat, alternates Chris Tanev, Brandon Sutter, Dean Chapman, and Matvey Kolpakov.
Washington Capitals - captain Alex Ovechkin, alternates Nick Bäckström, John Carlson, and TJ Oshie.
Winnipeg Jets - captain Blake Wheeler, alternates Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey, and Mark Letestu.
Spammers Beware! I will destroy you by the POWAH of the JARK SIDE! ALL SPAMMERS WILL BE EXTERMINATED ON SIGHT.
Spammers EXTERMINATED: 120
(06-11-2022, 10:13 PM)Kyng Wrote: I love how [Abacab] has a track with a section named "Lurker", when the album title itself looks like Lurker's attempt to spell "Abacus" or something .
My Items