swflyers25
1-05-06, 4:19 PM
Jagr on Hart Trophy pace
Shawn P. Roarke / Special to FOXSports.com
Posted: 7 minutes ago
With some NHL trophies debated from virtually the season's opening faceoff ? this season, the Calder Trophy comes to mind ? it appears that it is never too early to discuss the credentials of those in contention for end-of-the-season hardware.
But, as much fun as it is to debate the merits of Player A against Player B at the end of October, it is not entirely fair. Because, as we have seen, anyone can have a good month.
Yet, the midway point of the season is a much fairer milepost on the season's journey to begin the debate about which players should start thinking about tuxedo styles for the NHL Awards Show in Toronto in late June.
And, that is just what we will do here, highlighting those players that FOXSports.com feels have turned in the type of performance that merits a big shiny piece of hardware, NHL immortality and an acceptance speech. Our winners are those players we feel would win each of the NHL's major awards if the season were to end today. Occasionally, we will also point out other potential candidates who could factor into the race.
Don't be upset if you don't see your favorite candidate walking away with the hardware at the mid-season point because there are still another 40 or so games for those players to make their case. So, digest our picks and get ready for what should be a wild race to the NHL's regular-season finish line.
Art Ross Trophy (top scorer): Jaromir Jagr, New York Rangers. With 61 points in New York's first 40 games, Jagr is in the lead to win his sixth Art Ross Trophy, but his first in four years. Jagr is on pace to score 125 points, his highest total since posting 127 points with the Penguins in 1998-99.
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey): Joe Nieuwendyk, Florida Panthers. The veteran center has fought back from injury after injury to return to the game he loves. This season, he and Gary Roberts, a former Masterton Trophy winner himself, have played an integral part in guiding a young Florida team through some rough patches. Nieuwendyk, however, is more than just a figurehead as he has contributed 16 points in 25 outings and has won more than 55 percent of his faceoffs.
Calder Memorial Trophy (top rookie): Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals. In one of the tightest Calder Trophy races ever, Ovechkin presently holds the slimmest of leads. He has more goals and points than Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, the early favorite to cop this award. Ovechkin has been better on the power play than Crosby and has collected his points despite being surround by less talent than Crosby enjoys. Ranger goalie Henrik Lundqvist, Calgary defenseman Dion Phaneuf and Colorado forward Marek Svatos each have the potential to make this a five-horse race to the season's finish line.
Frank J. Selke Trophy (top defensive forward): Craig Conroy, Los Angeles Kings. Conroy is perhaps the best two-way center in the game today. While averaging better than a point per game for the resurgent Kings, Conroy is also the team's primary stopper. He is a phenomenal plus-20 and also serves as one of the team's core penalty killers
Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP): Jaromir Jagr, New York Rangers. Where exactly would the surprising Rangers be this season if Jagr was not at the top of his game? Who knows, but it is safe to say that they would not be thinking about the playoffs. Need proof? New York has scored 122 goals this season and Jagr has figured in exactly half of them. He is also the focal point of the power play. Plus, he has finally bought into a team system this season, shunning the individualistic ways that defined his play in past seasons. If continued, that commitment will translate into the second Hart Trophy of Jagr's career, joining the one he won in 1999
Jack Adams Award (top coach): Peter Laviolette, Carolina Hurricanes. The competition for this prestigious award for best coach is almost as stiff as that for the Rookie of the Year honors. In the end, though, Laviolette earns the nod for the job he has done in melding the 'Canes into one of the most entertaining, well-rounded teams in the league. Much, however, can change in the season's second half, meaning Tom Renney of the Rangers, Buffalo's Lindy Ruff, Atlanta's Bob Hartley, Nashville's Barry Trotz, Edmonton's Craig MacTavish and Los Angeles' Andy Murray all still have time to win over the voting public.
James Norris Memorial Trophy (top defenseman): Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit. This award remains Lidstrom's to lose. Last year, Scott Niedermayer clearly outplayed the Red Wings defenseman and snapped Lidstrom's three-year hold on the award. But, Lidstrom appears poised to once again seize the title as the game's best defenseman with another stellar season for the top-of-the-charts Detroit team. Ottawa's Wade Redden could put some serious pressure on Lidstrom before it all is said and done, however.
King Clancy Memorial Trophy (leadership): Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes. Doan personifies the leadership and humanitarian aspects that are at the foundation of this award. He has performed countless charitable acts throughout his career, highlighted by his role as co-host of an annual charity golf tournament in Kamloops, British Columbia that has raised significant funds for children in need from that region. He has also matured greatly in his role as the on-ice leader for the Coyotes.
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (gentlemanly play): Jay Pandolfo, New Jersey Devils. Among the best defensive forwards in the game, Pandolfo has no penalty minutes in 40 games this season. That's right, Pandolfo has no ? zero ? penalty minutes despite the fact that he is asked to check the opponent's top line into submission on a nightly basis. With the whistle-happy referees that rule the post-lockout product, Pandolfo's penalty-free performance while leading his team in plus/minus rating might be the most impressive performance of all.
Maurice Richard Trophy (most goals): Simon Gagne, Philadelphia Flyers. Presently, Gagne leads the league in goals with 27 and he is on pace to pot a mind-boggling 62 goals this season. If he continues at that pace, it will be the most goals scored in winning the Maurice Richard Trophy, which was introduced in 1999. The current record is 59 by Pavel Bure, then with Florida in the 2000-01 season.
Vezina Trophy (top goalie): Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames. It appears that Martin Brodeur will relinquish his two-year hold on this trophy as he struggles to find consistency behind a suddenly porous defense. Kiprusoff, one of a bevy of talented Finnish keepers flooding into the league, looks poised to grab the torch. Currently, he leads the league in wins (21) and shutouts (5) while posting an above-average goals-against average (2.34) and a respectable .911 save percentage. He is among the biggest reasons Calgary has been able to erase an uneven start and emerge as a legitimate Cup contender.
William M. Jennings Trophy (fewest goals allowed): Dominik Hasek, Ottawa Senators. Amazingly, if Hasek holds on to this award through the end of the season, it will be just the second Jennings Trophy of his career. He won his first with Buffalo in 1999. There is a chance that Hasek will share this award with his backup, Ray Emery, although, at present, Emery is slightly off the pace necessary to play in the required 25 games.
Questions, and/or comments can be sent to Shawn Roarke at foxhockeyguy@gmail.com.
Fox (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/5224226)
Shawn P. Roarke / Special to FOXSports.com
Posted: 7 minutes ago
With some NHL trophies debated from virtually the season's opening faceoff ? this season, the Calder Trophy comes to mind ? it appears that it is never too early to discuss the credentials of those in contention for end-of-the-season hardware.
But, as much fun as it is to debate the merits of Player A against Player B at the end of October, it is not entirely fair. Because, as we have seen, anyone can have a good month.
Yet, the midway point of the season is a much fairer milepost on the season's journey to begin the debate about which players should start thinking about tuxedo styles for the NHL Awards Show in Toronto in late June.
And, that is just what we will do here, highlighting those players that FOXSports.com feels have turned in the type of performance that merits a big shiny piece of hardware, NHL immortality and an acceptance speech. Our winners are those players we feel would win each of the NHL's major awards if the season were to end today. Occasionally, we will also point out other potential candidates who could factor into the race.
Don't be upset if you don't see your favorite candidate walking away with the hardware at the mid-season point because there are still another 40 or so games for those players to make their case. So, digest our picks and get ready for what should be a wild race to the NHL's regular-season finish line.
Art Ross Trophy (top scorer): Jaromir Jagr, New York Rangers. With 61 points in New York's first 40 games, Jagr is in the lead to win his sixth Art Ross Trophy, but his first in four years. Jagr is on pace to score 125 points, his highest total since posting 127 points with the Penguins in 1998-99.
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey): Joe Nieuwendyk, Florida Panthers. The veteran center has fought back from injury after injury to return to the game he loves. This season, he and Gary Roberts, a former Masterton Trophy winner himself, have played an integral part in guiding a young Florida team through some rough patches. Nieuwendyk, however, is more than just a figurehead as he has contributed 16 points in 25 outings and has won more than 55 percent of his faceoffs.
Calder Memorial Trophy (top rookie): Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals. In one of the tightest Calder Trophy races ever, Ovechkin presently holds the slimmest of leads. He has more goals and points than Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, the early favorite to cop this award. Ovechkin has been better on the power play than Crosby and has collected his points despite being surround by less talent than Crosby enjoys. Ranger goalie Henrik Lundqvist, Calgary defenseman Dion Phaneuf and Colorado forward Marek Svatos each have the potential to make this a five-horse race to the season's finish line.
Frank J. Selke Trophy (top defensive forward): Craig Conroy, Los Angeles Kings. Conroy is perhaps the best two-way center in the game today. While averaging better than a point per game for the resurgent Kings, Conroy is also the team's primary stopper. He is a phenomenal plus-20 and also serves as one of the team's core penalty killers
Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP): Jaromir Jagr, New York Rangers. Where exactly would the surprising Rangers be this season if Jagr was not at the top of his game? Who knows, but it is safe to say that they would not be thinking about the playoffs. Need proof? New York has scored 122 goals this season and Jagr has figured in exactly half of them. He is also the focal point of the power play. Plus, he has finally bought into a team system this season, shunning the individualistic ways that defined his play in past seasons. If continued, that commitment will translate into the second Hart Trophy of Jagr's career, joining the one he won in 1999
Jack Adams Award (top coach): Peter Laviolette, Carolina Hurricanes. The competition for this prestigious award for best coach is almost as stiff as that for the Rookie of the Year honors. In the end, though, Laviolette earns the nod for the job he has done in melding the 'Canes into one of the most entertaining, well-rounded teams in the league. Much, however, can change in the season's second half, meaning Tom Renney of the Rangers, Buffalo's Lindy Ruff, Atlanta's Bob Hartley, Nashville's Barry Trotz, Edmonton's Craig MacTavish and Los Angeles' Andy Murray all still have time to win over the voting public.
James Norris Memorial Trophy (top defenseman): Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit. This award remains Lidstrom's to lose. Last year, Scott Niedermayer clearly outplayed the Red Wings defenseman and snapped Lidstrom's three-year hold on the award. But, Lidstrom appears poised to once again seize the title as the game's best defenseman with another stellar season for the top-of-the-charts Detroit team. Ottawa's Wade Redden could put some serious pressure on Lidstrom before it all is said and done, however.
King Clancy Memorial Trophy (leadership): Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes. Doan personifies the leadership and humanitarian aspects that are at the foundation of this award. He has performed countless charitable acts throughout his career, highlighted by his role as co-host of an annual charity golf tournament in Kamloops, British Columbia that has raised significant funds for children in need from that region. He has also matured greatly in his role as the on-ice leader for the Coyotes.
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (gentlemanly play): Jay Pandolfo, New Jersey Devils. Among the best defensive forwards in the game, Pandolfo has no penalty minutes in 40 games this season. That's right, Pandolfo has no ? zero ? penalty minutes despite the fact that he is asked to check the opponent's top line into submission on a nightly basis. With the whistle-happy referees that rule the post-lockout product, Pandolfo's penalty-free performance while leading his team in plus/minus rating might be the most impressive performance of all.
Maurice Richard Trophy (most goals): Simon Gagne, Philadelphia Flyers. Presently, Gagne leads the league in goals with 27 and he is on pace to pot a mind-boggling 62 goals this season. If he continues at that pace, it will be the most goals scored in winning the Maurice Richard Trophy, which was introduced in 1999. The current record is 59 by Pavel Bure, then with Florida in the 2000-01 season.
Vezina Trophy (top goalie): Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames. It appears that Martin Brodeur will relinquish his two-year hold on this trophy as he struggles to find consistency behind a suddenly porous defense. Kiprusoff, one of a bevy of talented Finnish keepers flooding into the league, looks poised to grab the torch. Currently, he leads the league in wins (21) and shutouts (5) while posting an above-average goals-against average (2.34) and a respectable .911 save percentage. He is among the biggest reasons Calgary has been able to erase an uneven start and emerge as a legitimate Cup contender.
William M. Jennings Trophy (fewest goals allowed): Dominik Hasek, Ottawa Senators. Amazingly, if Hasek holds on to this award through the end of the season, it will be just the second Jennings Trophy of his career. He won his first with Buffalo in 1999. There is a chance that Hasek will share this award with his backup, Ray Emery, although, at present, Emery is slightly off the pace necessary to play in the required 25 games.
Questions, and/or comments can be sent to Shawn Roarke at foxhockeyguy@gmail.com.
Fox (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/5224226)