A Look Back at The NHL Awards

I'll begin with an introduction I'm Linzi, wife of lifelong Islanders fan and supporter Bill Strong the owner of NYIForLife.com, editor of my own website www.thisisct.net, hockey fan by osmosis, and I'm live-blgging the NHL Award Show tonight on Versus.

The last time I watched this show was memorable. Jose Theodore was waiting to accept an award, and the host looked over at him and said something to the effect of "There's Jose Theodore and his lovely wife..." Poor Jose was NOT married at that time, and he looked like he was about to faint when he heard those words. She was beaming.

I come from a completely different perspective than Bill. I'm not going to pretend I know everything about hockey, what's going on, or why so-and-so deserves the award. What I will bring to this blg, for a one-time only purchase, is my own unique insight in reviewing this annual hockey tradition of post-season dressups, red carpets and back-slapping.

I hope Hillary Duff is there!

First off it's 7 O'clock (or 7:00 pm Eastern Time) and I am watching Versus. Dear People at Versus: Hmmm, sorry Hockey Season is over now, and there's a long Summer ahead of you fishing... boxing... what else is on Versus? Dogs catching Frisbees? Tour-de-France? Oh at least it's not golf. I hope you manage to find other things to put on your channel other than Ladies Boxing that's on right now. Is there anything more attractive than a woman with an orange shoved in her mouth kicking the bejeezus out of another woman? I think not.

On to the show....

OMG! The show opens with the theme to Coronation Street, a long running English Soap Opera. Must be shown on CBC eh?

Ok, we're on now.

Or maybe not. Is Versus trying to mess with me? NHL on TSN is presenting the Draft Lottery. This was previously presented weeks ago and we already know that the pale-faced noob Steven Stamkos is going to the team everyone knew, including Mr.Stamkos, he would be going to: the Tampa Bay Lightning.

And... now we're on really! Good job Versus. Six minutes in. Way to hit the switch at the right time. I hope I didn't miss any red-carpet dress time with the Hockey WAGS.

Ron MacLean is dapper in his tuxedo and unencumbered by the outrageous attire of Don Cherry. The NHL Awards Show is held in Toronto's Elgin theatre. He's like a kid who's been left alone at home for the first time. We missed his introductory statement, but I bet it was funny, witty, and inspirational and the crowd was enthralled, hanging on to his ever word. "Well Done to Detroit" he says. Then, The moment of the playoffs, Game 5, triple overtime, Petr Sykora (maybe Vanna can spare the man an extra vowel, I bet he can afford it) slides one by Chris Osgood to force a Game 6. (Did I sound like I knew what I was talking about there?) How did Petr find the energy to get that goal? Domino's Pizza. Not Little Caesar's.

Now a nod to the outdoor game held in a snowy Buffalo back in January. Somehow Ron MacLean links this back to Gene Kelly and Singing in the rain. It's a stretch babe.

I like Ron MacLean. I get the feeling if he was a little drunker this would be funnier. He introduces the first host Martin St. Louis of Tampa with a flourish.

Former winner Martin St. Louis is handing out the Pearson award for Most Outstanding Player voted by the NHL committee. And the nominees are: Alex Ovechkin, Jerome Iginla, and Evgeni Malkin. As expected the winner of the Lester B. Pearson award is Alex Ovechkin. Alex is humble and thanks everyone at the Capitals, the fans and his family for their support.

Side note: Evgeni Malkin gets an award from me for looking like George from Grey's Anatomy.

It's good to finally see some clean faces people! The players finally look like themselves again after that playoff beard period where they all look like burly lumberjacks - except Sidney Crosby whose face was barely trying. Better luck next year Sid.

Back from the first break Ron MacLean bows down as he announces the arrival of "The Dominator" Dominik Hasek. "And I'm Ronaldo MacLean" he makes a reference to the Euro 2008 tournament. All the European hockey players are watching.

Dominik is accepting the William M. Jennings trophy - a mere 183 goals allowed this year by Detroit, the fewest in the NHL. Future Hall-Of-Famer Chris Osgood couldn't make it tonight? Why? Watch Carson Daly yourself tonight and find out!

Hasek looks like wiry Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. I don't think I've ever seen him without his hockey gear. Despite the announcement of his retirement from hockey earlier this week there is little fanfare for him.

Craig Simpson from HNIC introduces a clip-package of Hockey's "Fresh Faced Phenoms" (try saying that 10 times fast) that shows the impact of the young guns on the game. He introduces the minor-league youngsters who are giving out the awards tonight. A nice touch.

The Frank J. Selke trophy is presented by Canadiens' Coach Guy Carboneau who says any team would be lucky to have these nominees: Henrik Zetterburg, Pavel Datsyuk, John Madden. The clip package features young hockey players saying what makes the nominees great. A blow-dried looking Pavel Datsyuk wins the award, he has brought with him a prepared statement. He thanks everyone in his broken English. Cut to the audience Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock looks on, and to his right, his family, his son looks a lot like him, but he also looks like he'd rather be anywhere else on the planet than right there.

Back after the break MacLean talks about the horrific slash to the throat that Panthers player Richard Zednik received back in February. That was the clip shown round the world. He's referencing that not all hockey heroes are players on the ice. The audience applauds the grace under pressure of Panthers' Trainer David Zenobe (SP?) for his life saving actions.

Adam Graves and Cassie Campbell award the King Clancy Memorial Trophy to Vincent Lecavillier. Vinny approaches the podium while a kid wearing his jersey holding the trophy wavers nervously forward... luckily Vinny looks back and sees him, shaking the little boy's hand as he receives his award for his charitable efforts. He thanks them in English and French.

The Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy goes to players who have overcome an adversity to keep playing in the NHL. And the nominees are: Jason Blake (Toronto), Chris Chelios (Detroit), and Fernando Pisani (Edmonton). I have a feeling it's going to battler Jason Blake, a former Islander, who had cancer last year. And it does. Jason thanks the Leafs, his family, his doctor and hospital for their support.

Hall of famer and four-time Lady Byng award winner Red Kelly takes to the stage to award the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. "To win this award," he says, "You must show respect to your opponent... to the code." "The three players nominated represent that code game in and game out." The nominees are Jason Pominville, Martin St. Louis, and Pavel Datsyuk. Pavel takes to the stage for his second award of the evening. "Hello again," he doesn't have the list with him this time, and he makes the audience laugh as he says thank you for the award.

Ron MacLean is sitting among the "wide-eyed" children like a folk singer as he introduces a clip package of "Faces of the Game". "Their scars are a map to a place called hockey," is the cheesiest line I've heard for a while. And I like cheese!

112 points, 65 goals, Alex Ovechkin impartially says he got his goal scoring prowess from both his parents. A rumpled Ov looks as uncomfortable dressed up as anyone.

Scotty Bowman and Cammi Granato present the Jack Adams Award for most outstanding coach in the NHL. The nominees are: Mike Babcock, Guy Carbonneau and Bruce Boudreau. The surprise winner is Bruce Boudreau of Washington. He hasn't prepared anything, but he's charming, the crowd likes him, and he remembers to thank his wife for supporting him throughout all their moves.

Ron MacLean answers his cell phone in a little skit. "Hello hockey fans, Canada, United States and Newfoundland.".... says he doesn't need help with that other matter, hangs up and says it was Sean Avery.

After the break:

Where is Sidney Crosby? Haven't seen him. Isn't Sid The Kid the Face of Hockey?

Islanders legend Mike Bossy and Wendel Clark are here to present the Calder Memorial Trophy. The nominees are: Patrick Kane (at 11 years old, he's the youngest nominee of the evening), Nicklas Backstrom and Jonathan Toews. The winner is little Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks who steps up to the stage like a big boy in his suit to accept his award. For someone who has not yet picked up a Gillette he is quite composed and charming. And I think he was sort of warning the team to keep away from his three sisters, who attended the awards with him.

There's a new award in town this year, and Ron MacLean calls out commish Gary Bettman for the inaugural NHL Lifetime Achievement Award. As GB continues talking about the person who will receive the award, I find myself trying to guess who the recipient will be. And the winner of the NHL Lifetime Achievement Award is ...da da dah.... the man they call Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe. Following a "Dear Gordie" clip package HNIC's Brian McFarlane gives him the award. Gordie is excited and a little nervous to receive this lifetime achievement award.

Paul Coffey and Graham Abby present The Norris Trophy for best defenseman. The nominees are: Nicklas Lidstrom, Dion Phaneuf, Zdeno Chara. And the winner is five- time winner Nick Lidstrom. Perhaps they should just rename this one The Nicklas Lidstrom Trophy and be done with it.

Islander Billy Smith and Alan Doyle present the Vezina Trophy to the top goalie in the league. I will be really surprised if it doesn't go to Hasek. Nominees are: as they say on our local sports channel Yev-geni Nabokov (Sharks), the man with the widest stance in the league Mr. Henrik Lundqvist (Rangers), the man, the myth, the legend Martin Brodeur (Devils). And the winner was perennial favorite Martin Brodeur! He thanks his parents, family and friends en Francais.

The ultimate award of the evening, the Hart Memorial Trophy for NHL MVP is presented by Bob Gainey. Nominees are: Alexander Ovechkin (Washington), Jarome Iginla (Calgary), and Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh). And the winner of the Hart trophy is Alex Ovechkin for his second of the night. "I score the goals."

Congratulations to all the winners.

So this was my first review, and the first time I've watched it all the way through. It's just like a lot of award shows, though hockey players are a lot less drama-queens than you get at the Oscars. I've always liked Ron MacLean and when he's out from under Don Cherry's shadow he gets his chance to shine. His love for the game and excitement to converse with the players shows. Craig Simpson was a great host too, and his son did a good introduction to the Vezina trophy nominees.

Throughout the show the use of young players in pee-wee leagues was a nod to the future of the game, and that was really cool. They must have had a great time being there among all the great players. One thing I thought, and maybe there's a reason for this that I'm not aware of, is that there should be more than three nominees in each category. At least four. There are certainly enough people who could qualify.

Until next year...

Around the League

Well, as we all get ready for the really big show of the summer--The NHL Awards Show--it almost seems like nothing is going on in the NHL. And that is true--except that Speculation Time is afoot and we all know how fun, important, and time-consuming speculation can be. But, you know, what else are we going to do?

The Entry Draft is coming up and so far, from what I have seen around the web, the Islanders are planning on taking everyone but Steven Stamkos with the #5 pick. A lot of people seem to want (are begging?) the Isles to draft the dynamic Russian Nikita Filatov on the 20th. He starred for the Russian entry in the WJC this past December and is the #1 ranked European player on the final CSS ranking. Will he be there at #5 a week from Friday? He may be. After Tampa picks Stamkos, many believe that there will be a run on puck-moving defensemen, assuming that no team, trades up to snag Filatov.

I'm still not sold that Filatov is going to be The Guy. I think the Entry Draft has got to be more about picking the best athlete and getting him into the system than anything else. You can't exactly go with need (scoring, in this case) if you aren't picking first overall and Stamkos is sitting there in his tuxedo waiting to go to the prom. This isn’t the NFL where you're all of a sudden committing all sorts of cap dollars to a player who is 22 or 23. The Entry Draft is all about choosing kids who are still, for the most part, still growing into the players and adults they'll become.

Plus, let's not forget the fact that there is no transfer deal between the NHL and the Russians that makes any contract in North America binding throughout the hockey world. Also, with the new Russian KHL starting up, the oil barons who own the teams in the "super league" are not going to think twice about trying to keep and/or lure Russian players home with all sorts of crazy money contracts. It's the Wild West for them.

In other news, Toronto has hired Ron Wilson to coach the Bad News Leafs today. Wilson was fired by San Jose last month. So, let's see. The Leafs--who are completely too screwed up to be called dysfunctional, have hired a so-called name coach who is a known task master and yet, they have not hired a new general manager yet. Hmm. Brian Burke has been refused a chance by the owners of the Ducks to talk to the Leafs brass but in the surprise of all surprises, is very good friends with said Ron Wilson. Burke has one more year on his deal as GM of Anaheim and Toronto has a guy as old as the hills named Cliff Fletcher working as a placeholder until the Leafs GM Search Committee can agree on giving someone the job. I mean, Fletcher couldn't be more of a Caretaker if he was making prison wine in his toilet.

Is it sad to root for another team to lose? I say, no. Been doing that with the Rangers for a long time now. I also get a strange satisfaction with seeing the Leafs constantly mess up because the media in Toronto really enjoyed sticking it to the Islanders during the lean years. Plus, it is going to be fun to watch the Burke Charade as it continues and Wilson is ripping his players in the press. Ron Wilson can talk all he wants about having a Canadian passport (as he did in the Star) and having played for the Leafs but Toronto is not Anaheim or DC or San Jose. It is a totally different animal and that animal is going to hang on his every word and his every lineup change.

I love all of this Brooks-Orpik-to-the-Rangers-talk. Um, does anyone remember when he was playing the wing in December because he wasn't being aware enough defensively? Does anyone really think that the continued employment of Mike Therien as Pittsburgh's head coach is going to drive Brooks Orpik away from the Penguins? The guy is a free agent and man, someone is seriously going to over-pay him. He's sort of like in the seat Adrian Aucoin was in with the Isles. Everybody (including myself) were falling over themselves to pat the guy on the back and after getting a 4 year/16m dollar deal with the Blackhawks, we all know that Kenny Jonsson was doing the real heavy lifting for the tandem back in the day. I'm not dissing Aucoin or saying anything bad about him at all. I am just pointing out that at no time in his career did he enjoy the kind of league-wide success that he had when he was an Islander...and that he partnered with Jonsson the overwhelming majority of the time.

Orpik is going to strike it big all because of that one shift where he flattened half of Detroit (the city, not the team) in spectacular fashion. Good for him. I just hope it isn't with our boys. We need puck movers. Let the Rangers overpay for another guy who gets skated around more often than he makes the play.

I guess that's it for today. We'll try to have something live for the NHL Awards show and some updates as we feel the need. Thanks to everyone who wrote in about the RLB of the WHA vs. USSR game. It was a fun one to do.

Here are all of the Islanders' draft picks for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft:
1st Round: #5
2nd Round: #36, #53 (Ana to Edm to NYI)
3rd Round: #66, #73 (Edm to NYI to Edm to Ana to NYI)
4th Round: #96
5th Round: #126, #148 (Phi to NYI)
6th Round: #156, #175 (Min to NYI)
7th Round: None

And last, you're probably wondering why Ken Stabler's mug shot is included in this post. Well, it is simply because he has one of the most hilarious quotes of all-time. I lifted this straight from the AP story that is everywhere: ...Stabler has long been a notorious drinker. Once when asked about his divorces he reasoned, "All I wanna do is drive around in my truck and drink Jack Daniels... and they just don't understand." Now that, my friends, should be the real Raiders motto. But doesn't he look like a well-meaning-but-hammered Mall Santa in that picture?

2008 NHL Awards Nominees

Here's the list of nominees in each category and my pick on who is going to win. Well, they may not actually win, but I'll pick who I think should win...but you knew that going into this. The awards will be presented from Toronto's Elgin Theatre (the same place Conan O'Brien did a week's worth of shows a few years back) on Thursday, June 12, 2008. This year seems to have more clear-cut favorites than there has been in seasons past. Oh, man, I can't wait for those just effing terrible Ron MacLean jokes! Good--no GREAT--times!!


ADAMS TROPHY (Best Coach):
Mike Babcock, Detroit Red Wings;
Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals;
Guy Carbonneau, Montreal Canadiens

NYIFORLIFE.com picks... Mike Babcock. Anybody who can lead a team like the Red Wings to that many points year after year needs to be recognized for that kind of stability of excellence. Bruce Boudreau is the sentimental pick because he took over the Capitals when they were just completely horrible at Christmas and got them to rally around Ovechkin and play for each other. Plus, the career minor leaguer who finally makes good is a great story. We'd love it if he won, but it really should be Babcock.


CALDER TROPHY (Top Rookie):
Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals;
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks;
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks.

NYIFORLIFE.com picks... The undersized Patrick Kane, who is primed to become one fo the guys (along with his teammate, Toews) who will lead the Blackhawks back from the brink of apathy in Chicago, once a great hockey town. He also, you know, led all rookies in goals and points. Really, if you think about it, this would be a closer race if Toews hadn't missed time with injuries and in Washington, Backstrom looked like a kid with a lot of composure and skill. It really is an exciting time in the NHL with all of the young, qulaity players out there.


HART TROPHY (League MVP):
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames;
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins;
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals.

NYIFORLIFE.com picks... Alex Ovechkin. Not only did he lead the NHL in points and score over 60 goals in a season but for that last month of the season, he put the Capitals on his back and literally carried them to the playoffs and an exciting first round series against Philadelphia. Iginla is one of those dudes who is always up for this award as well he should be. Malkin's season cannot be over-looked. In fact, if the Caps had missed the playoffs, you'd have a legitimate, spirited debate that Malkin should be the Hart winner.


LADY BYNG (Sportsmanship...ahem, "Gentlemenly Play"):
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings;
Jason Pominville, Buffalo Sabres;
Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning.

NYIFORLIFE.com picks... Pavel Datsyuk. He finished fourth in the league in points and seems to never be penalized. Also, we bet he doesn't show up to accept the award. He has, um, a bit of a history of skipping the awards ceremony. I guess the guy figures a trophy with the first name of "Lady" in it isn't too cool. Still, it almost always goes to a super-scorer (like, say, Mike Bossy) who racks up the points and stays out of the sin bin. (And yes, that's the first time I have used the words "sin bin" in the history of this website.)


NORRIS TROPHY (Top Defenseman):
Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins;
icklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings;
Dion Phaneuf, Calgary Flames.

NYIFORLIFE.com picks... Nicklas Lidstrom. I never thought I would think that I had seen better defensemen than Denis Potvin and Raymond Bourque, but Lidstrom is a certified genius. (People who know me understand that when I call someone a genius that I hold them in the highest esteem.) Lidstrom is amazing and man, I still get a kick out of watching him play. And again, the guy may already have more Norris Trophies than the Norris freaking family but that shouldn't stop him from adding another.



SELKE TROPHY (Top Defensive Forward):
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings;
John Madden, New Jersey Devils;
Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings.

NYIFORLIFE.com picks... Pavel Datsyuk. You wonder if Madden can sneak one in there since Zetterberg and Datsyuk may split the Detroit votes but I think that as a scorer who can play defense, Datsyuk is ahead of the league as an honest-to-goodness two-way player. Madden's game is darn-near strictly defense and while he is very, very good, he does not have the dangerous offensive spark that the other two possess. I think Pavel wins by a nod. Plus, if he is winning two trophies, he's gonna HAVE to show up.


VEZINA TROPHY (Top Goaltender):
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils;
Henrik Lundqvist, NY Rangers;
Evgeny Nabokov, San Jose Sharks.

NYIFORLIFE.com picks: Brodeur. He played 77 out of 82 games (as didNabokov), had 44 wins and a 2.17 average. Nabokov had more wins but Brodeur had a higher save percentage. Plus, let's face it, the guy is Martin Brodeur! I know that we aren't supposed to let the playoffs cloud our voting but it is impossible not to think about yet another Sharks collapse in a series where the goalie needed to step up and steal a game or two. As far as Lundqvist goes, we all know he is over-rated because we see more of him in this area than the national media does.

The NHL Awards Show

Yes, it is that time again. Time for one of the more cringe-inducing shows on TV: The NHL Awards Show.

Every year I tell myself that I am not going to watch it and yet, every year, I end up doing it. The show is a lot like the NFL Draft in that way. Invariably, I end up seeing some of that nightmare even when I don't want to. (Ahem, he is going to Tivo it tonight - The Wife.)

Yes, it's true. Hockey Night in Canada host and NHL Awards MC Ron MacLean is going to get more groans than laughs with his jokes. And he is also going to make that silly Johnny Carson grin afterward. He's probably going to be even more self-satisfied than the previous year.

There will be uncomfortable silences aplenty and there will also be speeches that go on a little too long for no good reason. You might even see minor American TV celebrities on the telecast like Angel from the Buffy show (more on him later) and the dude who played Vaughn on Alias (Michael Vartan). There will be some bands you probably don't like (hellooooo, Nickelback) and probably some other performers you might not have ever heard of. People in the cheap seats will boo the commissioner and lots of players will look uncomfortable as they are decked out in clothing that doesn't have the letters CCM anywhere across the chest.

And we wouldn't have it any other way.

So, in the grand tradition of train-wreck TV watching, here is a completely random list of my favorite moments from NHL Award Shows past:

2002 Michael Peca limps up the stairs to get his well-deserved Selke Trophy after being cheapshotted by future golfing buddy Darcy Tucker in the playoffs. I think we all thought that something was going to build from that series with the Maple Leafs...and maybe it has; just a few years later than we'd have thought. I will just never forget hoping that he was going to be okay for the next season so that we (they) could avenge this travesty. I was in the house on December 6, 2002, for the return of the Maple Leafs to the Coliseum. Old-fashioned, visceral hostility was in the air. Good times.

Also 2002--So the guy from Angel (David Boreanez) is on stage and he is handing off the Hart Trophy to Jose Theodore and Jose is there with a woman. That in itself is probably not news. What is news is when Angel adlibs off the script and mentions that Jose is in the crowd with "his lovely wife". Theodore's date lights up like Christmas morning when she is identified as his wife because clearly, she is not. Jose slinks down in his chair and makes a face that I have seen before; often when people are reheating fish in one of the cafeteria microwaves in the building I work in. If we could break that face down scientifically, I think we'd see equal parts of fear; disgust; and disbelief. Now I am not disparaging the woman at all. I'm sure she is/was a wonderful person who may or may not have been bought and paid for. I'm just saying that Theodore came off as a guy who hadn't planned the relationship much further than dinner and cocktails; maybe a movie. That's all I am saying.

Stop me if you heard this before, but this one is also from 2002--First off, it bears mentioning that 2002 might have been the gold standard of NHL Awards Shows if you're only basing it on unintended comedy and/or uncomfortable moments...and no list would be complete without the New York Post's Larry Brooks trying to blink an SOS over international television when he was on stage. LB might have been the only one more afraid to be on TV than Jose Theodore that night.

1995--Eric Lindros whimpers to the fans of the Philadelphia Flyers. They hand the guy the Hart Trophy and he magically turns into a 13 year-old girl. Philly is a tough town--we all know that--but why do their big celebrities blubber so embarrassingly so at big moments? Here I am thinking of former Phillie Mike Schmidt when he retired; which may have been around the time that Eric picked up his MVP. Anyway, the big guy was reduced to tears as he told the Flyer fans that "we're gonna do it!" and win The Cup in the future. Check your watch. It is twelve years later. Flyer fans are still waiting on that promise and Lindros is in Dallas trying to avoid concussion fairies. Again, that bears mentioning.

2001--Joe Sakic looking like he'd rather be anywhere than accepting the Lady Byng Trophy. Seriously, I know the name of the thing isn't too manly and that hockey is a truly rugged pursuit, but lots of great players have taken it home in the past. The Byng used to pretty much go to the most dynamic offensive player who was not going to win the MVP. Names like Gretzky (5); Bossy (3); Ron Francis; and Marcel Dionne have all been Lady Byng winners and it didn't seem to bother them. Last year, Pavel Datsyuk of the Red Wings didn't even show up to collect it. Pavel Datsyuk!

1991--Ray Bourque won his fourth Norris Trophy. The following year, he had one of the coolest hockey cards with him standing behind the trophy holding up four fingers. I just thought it was cool.

So, what will tonight bring? Well, I'm guessing more of the same. A possible coronation for Sidney Crosby is all but assured. Don't forget, the party starts tonight at 7PM on Versus, if you can find it! (Memo to naysayers: I was being facetious. That's a fancy word for wise-ass. We all know where Versus is.)

Related link:

Complete list of past NHL Award winners