By Richard Obrand
Following a riveting and lengthy first-round that saw five of the eight matchups go the distance, the 2011 conference semi-finals are well under way.
If the first two games of each series are any indication of how the rest of the round will play out, then fans are certainly in for another exciting few weeks of NHL playoffs.
However, when the league announced its award finalists last week, pundits across the hockey spectrum found themselves drifting slightly away from the ice and more towards the ballot box.
Just like Canada did yesterday, the voices and talking heads of TSN, NBC, Versus, the CBC, RDS and various newspapers across the community were given the opportunity to vote for who they believe best represents the league in their respective categories.
Here now, is Obrand and Co.’s take.
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sportsmanship plus high standard of play)
Player Team Key Stats
Loui Eriksson Dallas 73 pts, 8 PIM
Nicklas Lidstrom Detroit 62 pts, 20 PIM
Martin St. Louis Tampa Bay 99 pts, 12 PIM
Will win: Martin St. Louis
Should win: Martin St. Louis
There are those who believe that this award belongs to the player who exemplifies the greatest amount of class and respect while playing a game that is quietly become a league with disgustingly low amounts of both. That being said, in the eyes of the purist this award should be divided between the three of them. Nicklas Lidstrom, Martin St. Louis and Loui Eriksson are clearly the class of the league. One can make an argument that Pavel Datsyuk belongs in this category as well. The reason why St. Louis should take home this award is most likely because of the ratio between his point total and penalty minutes. Though he was been caught on camera last game against the Capitals offering his “praises” to the referees following two uncalled high-sticking penalties that may require him to visit Tampa’s team dentist for the second time this month, he shouldn’t be penalized for that.
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General Manager of the year Award
| GM | Team | Key Achievement |
| Mike Gillis | Vancouver | Won Presidents' trophy |
| David Poile | Nashville | Made playoffs with 10th-lowest payroll* |
| Steve Yzerman | Tampa Bay | Made playoffs in 1st year on job |
Will win: Steve Yzerman
Should win: David Poile
In only its second year of existence, this award has quickly become one of the league’s elite. If last year’s winner, Don Maloney, is any indication of where the league may go for this year’s selection, then one has to expect that Nashville GM David Poile will walk away as the victor. However, as fans have become accustomed to, the NHL is known for making unusual decisions both on and off the ice. That being said, don’t be shocked if the league goes for the ‘sexy pick’ in hall-of-famer Steve Yzerman. Everyone loves a good story of a former player who is also able to make things work atop the ice as well as he did while skating on it. Yzerman fits that billing. However, one has to understand that Yzerman has inherited himself a team with a very solid balance of star veterans and young, burgeoning superstars, whereas Poile, who has been with the Predators since their inception into the league in 1998, has seemingly brought the Predators up from an expansion team in a non-traditional hockey market to a winning team with a passionate and rowdy fan base. Let’s call it “The Doing Most with the Least Award”.
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Frank J. Selke Trophy (top defensive forward)
| Player | Team | Key Stat |
| Pavel Datsyuk | Detroit | 54.6% success rate on faceoffs |
| Ryan Kesler | Vancouver | Team-high 65 takeaways |
| Jonathan Toews | Chicago | 95 takeaways |
Will win: Pavel Datsyuk
Should win: Pavel Datsyuk
To hockey fans, nothing makes a jaw drop quite like a Pavel Datsyuk steal, dangle, shot and goal. It’s pure magic that Datsyuk has also turned into an art form. This year, the Russian superstar is aiming for his fourth-straight Selke win and it looks as though he’ll win it. If he does, he’ll become the first player since Bob Gainey, the player whom the award was in fact created for, to win it on four-consecutive occasions. Ryan Kesler and Jonathan Toews are also very worthy recipients. Both have grown into the two-way forward that any coach and general manager in the league would give their right kidney to obtain. However, this video is truly all one would need to argue for Datsyuk.
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Calder Memorial Trophy (top rookie)
| Player | Team | Key Stat |
| Logan Couture | San Jose | 32 goals |
| Michael Grabner | New York Islanders | 34 goals |
| Jeff Skinner | Carolina | 63 points |
| Will win: Jeff Skinner |
Should win: Jeff Skinner
This year’s rookie class is one of the most balanced in recent memory. The league was blessed with a very nice combination of forwards, defencemen and goaltenders, all of whom were very worthy of nomination. Logan Couture fit right in during his first full season with the Sharks, Michael Grabner’s second half was obviously enough to land him a nomination following his musical-chair’s like transition from Florida, Vancouver and the Islanders, while Jeff Skinner was simply put, special. To many, there’s nothing quite like an 18-year old kid true rookie coming in and making serious noise against men. In his first year out of junior hockey, Skinner reached the 30-goal plateau, nothing 63 points in his first year. Because Couture had already enjoyed some experience at the NHL level, Skinner gets the nod.
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Norris Trophy (top defenceman)
| Player | Team | Key Stat |
| Zdeno Chara | Boston | Plus-33 rating |
| Nicklas Lidstrom | Detroit | 62 points |
| Shea Weber | Nashville | Average ice time: 25:19 |
| Will win: Nicklas Lidstrom Should win: Shea Weber |
Last season, it seemed as though the NHL had dawned upon a new era. Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith and Mike Green were leading the way for a new crop of defencemen that had taken the hockey world by storm. Both Keith and Doughty were prominent figures in Canada’s gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics, while Mike Green had turned in a spectacular offensive effort as well. This year, however, with the exception of Shea Weber it looked as though that the young boys were not able to match what the old guys had to offer. That’s not to say Doughty and Keith didn’t have amazing seasons, it just means that Chara and Lidstrom were better. Chara likely won’t be going home with any hardware due to him making the news for all the wrong reasons, while Lidstrom had a very solid ‘bounce-back’ year after a season that some deemed to be less-than-stellar in 2009-10. He also finished the season with a minus-2 rating. Weber, however, has seemingly carried the Predators (alongside Pekka Rinne) all the way to a current 1-1 series tie with the Vancouver Canucks. His leadership characterizes everything that Nashville stands for which is exactly why he should be leaving Vegas with Mr. Norris in his hands. We’re just not sure if that’s enough to sway the old boys club that is the NHL writer’s guild.
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Bill Masterton Trophy (perseverance, sportsmanship, dedication to hockey)
| Player | Team | Key contribution |
| Ray Emery | Anaheim | Played after bone-graft surgery |
| Daymond Langkow | Calgary | Returned from year-plus absence after neck injury |
| Ian Laperriere | Philadelphia | Helping team while recovering from concussion |
This injury usually goes to players who have demonstrated the will to succeed following a very detrimental personal occurrence. Past winners include, Saku Koivu (overcame non-Hodgkin lymphoma), Ken Daneyko (overcame alcoholism) and Jose Theodore, who had his best season following the death of his son. It is safe to say that everyone nominated for this award is absolutely deserving of winning it. This year’s nominees are no different. However, Ray Emery’s story is unique. Not only is he returning from a difficult hip injury, his return to the NHL also marks an absolute personal transformation. Fans remember the rebellious, flashy goaltender who failed to show up for practices, enjoyed fighting opponents and his own teammates alike and was eventually exiled to the Russia to play in the KHL. Though, when fans were reintroduced to Ray Emery this season when he signed a contract with the Anaheim Ducks, they saw a different side to Emery. A candid interview with CBC’s Elliotte Friedman will explain my case.
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Jack Adams Trophy (top coach)
| Player | Team | Key Stat |
| Alain Vigneault | Vancouver | Led Canucks to Presidents' Trophy |
| Barry Trotz | Nashville | Guided young roster to 99-point season |
| Dan Bylsma | Pittsburgh | Pens contended despite missing Crosby and Malkin |
Will win: Dan Bylsma
Should win: Barry Trotz
The Jack Adams Trophy is a rather intriguing category this year. Off the bat, one has to believe that this is a two-horse race, with Dan Bylsma and Barry Trotz each having fantastic seasons with far fewer resources than Alain Vigneault. Byslma was humanized through television. HBO’s 24/7 series provided those outside of the Hockey pundit community with a sense of what it is like to be a NHL coach. Fans discovered that Bylsma is of the ‘new school. He seemed to be a coach that enjoyed interacting with his players and deemed it necessary in the process of the overall success of his team. He pushed and grinded his Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin-less roster all the way to a game seven loss against the Tamp Bay Lightning and did it without a single complaint from his players. In Nashville, Barry Trotz and the Predators are one of the feel good stories of the season. A team that lacked respect from the league, Nashville seems to have finally created an identity for themselves. Trotz has led his club to a fifth place finish in the tough Western Conference and has done it all with limited resources. In all honesty, this seems to be a toss-up. Who do you like?
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Vezina Trophy (top goalie)
| Player | Team | Key Stat |
| Roberto Luongo | Vancouver | 2.11 (GAA) |
| Pekka Rinne | Nashville | 33 (wins) |
| Tim Thomas | Boston | .938 (save percentage) |
Will win: Tim Thomas
Should win: Pekka Rinne
It’s a shame, really, that this award features just three finalists. Along with Pekka Rinne, Tim Thomas and Roberto Luongo, one can make a very sound argument for Carey Price and Henrik Lundqvist to be nominated, as they both enjoyed unbelievable seasons. The three nominees, however, are very deserving. Pekka Rinne is a workhorse. The Nashville tender played more than any other nominee and carried a Nashville team that is clearly below the talent level of Boston and Vancouver. Tim Thomas’ numbers are absolutely spectacular, there is no denying that – any other year I would give him the nod, and I may be slightly biased. That Pekka Rinner has accomplished what he has with the team in front of him is, however, enough for me.
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Hart Trophy (MVP)
| Player | Team | Key Stat |
| Daniel Sedin | Vancouver | Posted NHL-best 104 points |
| Corey Perry | Anaheim | Shared league lead with 11 game-winning goals |
| Martin St. Louis | Tampa Bay | Finished second with 99 points |
Should win: Corey Perry
Will win: Corey Perry
This award is far too wide open for anyone to deem anyone’s choice as invalid. Daniel Sedin had a tremendous season in Vancouver and capped it off with the Art Ross trophy. Martin St. Louis continued to prove that it’s possible to succeed as a small man in a big man’s league, paving the way for players such as Nathan Gerbe, Tyler Ennis and David Desharnais in the process. Corey Perry was the league’s only 50-goal scorer and put Anaheim on his back after goaltender Jonas Hiller went down to injury. In times such as there, where it is far too close to conceive who should win MVP tag, it is usually best to eliminate the said player from their respective roster and try and imagine how they would do without him. In Vancouver, the talent level is enormous. With brother Henrik, Ryan Kesler, Alex Burrows, Roberto Luongo, Kevin Bieksa, Mason Raymond, Alex Edler, Dan Hamhuis and Christian Ehrhoff in the lineup, Vancouver could very well duplicate its end-result. In Tampa Bay, St. Louis’ absence may be a little more damaging to their cause, but having Vincent Lecavalier, Steve Stamkos, Victor Hedman, Ryan Malone, Simon Gagne and Steve Downie in the lineup could allow them to weather the storm. In Anaheim, despite having Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Ryan, Lubomir Visnovsky and Cam Fowler in the lineup, not having your starting goaltender down the stretch is extremely damaging and could have potentially hurt them badly. It’s because of that, that Perry should get the Hart.
