Well, an update to the Blackhawks roster is that Brian Bickell under went tendon surgey yesterday morning and will be out for 6-8 weeks.
Who do you think has the best Defense in the league? I would vote maybe Detroit... Good defense? Check!!!. Solid goalie? Check.He might not be up for the vezina and I don't think hes anything spectacular but he gets the job done and is consistent which is very important to know what you are getting every night. Experience? Check. good 2 way forwards? Check Other than Detroit I'd say Nashville, Boston, Montreal are pretty good too when you think about the whole team helping out. I'm probably forgetting some teams but those came to the top of my head. Did this without stats as I don't think they tell the whole story and this is more focused for playoffs then a regular season.
If Chicago wins tonight they will get Detoit. How is that for a congratulation lol If they make it to the finals they will go through a real gauntlet.
---------- Post added 2011-04-26 at 09:25 PM ----------
Ok maybe I was being a bit nice there but I would take him over Luongo and hes up for the Vezina? What?
imo all the vezina candidates this year are terribly overrated.. but maybe that's just me.
Think we had this discussion earlier in the thread. In his two years in the league, Howard is a top 10 goalie, possibly even top 6. Every goalie gives up soft goals. This only serves to hurt you though if you play on a poor offensive team. Howard doesn't. His GAA even with his Christmas gift softies is 2.5 over two seasons.
SO who do you guys think wins the following Trophies?
GM of the Year: Going to have to go with Stevie Y. took a team that wasnt in the playoffs to into the playoffs.
Vezina: Thomas, was there ever any doubt?
Rookie of the Year: Couture
Lady Bing: Hoping Lidstrom but i think St Louis locks it up.
Lidstrom Trophy: The name speaks for itself, with Weber as a close second.
---------- Post added 2011-04-26 at 09:46 PM ----------
false. Detroit will not play the Hawks. let me reestablish this.
---------- Post added 2011-04-26 at 09:47 PM ----------
Again, these are your potential matchups for WCSF.
Except for Thomas I agree. Thomas has a record breaking season this year. His GAA and SV% are freaking remarkable in the new NHL. His stats this year broke dead puck era records from the Dominator. Rinne is a decent candidate as he had a great season. How Luongo got on there in place of King Henrik is beyond me though. What the f*ck does Lundqvist have to do to win won of these things? A third of his freaking wins were shut outs. He has to put the Rangers on his back night in and night out as the team is sabotaged by overpaid, under performing free agent signings and a ridiculously porous defense.
Then again, Cam Ward did have incredibly similar stats to Lundqvist except for his higher GAA. Could have had something to do with Cam facing about 400 shots this season. That is basically 15-18 ex games worth of shots. And people wonder why Carolina didn't make the playoffs. Hi, my name is defense.
My award picks that have had candidates announced so far:
Vezina: Tim Thomas, shouldn't even be close in voting
Masterson: Emery
GM Award: Yzerman, and not because I am a Wings fan. Nope not at all.
Lady Byng: Lidstrom. He has been up for the award numerous times and hasn't won it. The most consistent D-man in the league by far. Never handicaps his team with penalties, always plays with class and has for 20 years.
Norris: Lidstrom. If for no other reason that his swan song. His final season, there is no way he doesn't win the award. Weber is certainly a deserving candidate, but he is stuck in a bad spot with Lidstrom likely done after this season. Incredible offensive year, the top QualCom score in the league by about 50%, which by the way is fucking insane.
Calder: I think Couture deserves it. Hell they all deserve it. Grabner plays on the Islanders who are just horrible defensively and he managed a +13 as a forward. Skinner is a pop star in Raleigh and has been a ridiculous source of enthusiasm on and off the ice. If the NHL was smart, their marketing department would jump on his bandwagon right now. They aren't though so expect more Crosby ads, superhero themed campaigns, etc.
Not yet announced:
Selke: Has to be Kesler this season with Datsyuk hurt. Nearly stole it from him last season. Wouldn't doubt he gets his this year.
Adams: My vote would certainly go to Dave Tippett with the constant shitstream he has to deal with in Phoenix with the relocation debacle that Bettman has put them in. Vancouver's coach will probably win though as they had a great season and I think were tops in man games lost.
Clancy: Who knows. I think Lidstrom was the Wings nominee and I really wouldn't be surprised if he got it for dedication to service and the game over two decades.
Messier: Again, totally up in the air as it can be anyone. Another award I wouldn't doubt that Lidstrom wins as he was the team captain, had his best offensive year, and with his off ice work in Detroit.
Last edited by conscript; 2011-04-26 at 10:01 PM.
Caps>all
10 characters
I'm going to be downtown watching the game... So I'll be in the thick of things win or lose.
Go Canucks!
I remember it all too well
Certainly a combination of both. Is it a coincidence that the year Chara won the Norris, Thomas won the Vezina. Almost certainly not. In the respect of who is behind them, Lidstrom certainly has an advantage as the other two are backed by Vezina goalies. In the respect of who is in front and around him, I'm not so sure that Chara and Weber don't have huge advantages. Quick, name another Nashville D-man. The Bruins at least have Kaberla (yes a late season addition) and Boychuck and Ferrence. The Preds have Ryan Suter. The Wings on the other hand have a hall of famer in Rafalski, ridiculous talent in Stuart and Kronwall along with great youth D. They also have two of the top five defensive forwards in the game, and that isn't including Helm so maybe 3 of the top 15.