NHL Reflections on the year to date
As I continue to reflect on the year past, I decided I'd take a look at the NHL season to date. Even though the All-Star break is still awhile away, the season is almost half over. Here are my thoughts on awards, surprises and disappointments so far:
MVP
Jarome Iginla-He's got his team in a playoff spot. He scores and creates plays. He bruises it up and eats up minutes. I was never the biggest Iginla fan (a fan, just not insane over him), but right now he is one of the best players in the league.
Other Nominees- Vincent Lecavalier, Henrik Zetterberg
Norris Trophy
Niklas Lidstrom-The guy is just awesome. Lidstrom has 30 points and is +19, on the best team in the NHL.
A close 2nd, Sergei Zubov
other contenders-Dion Phaneuf, Chris Pronger
Vezina
This one is too close to call. The front runners;
Chris Osgood-I know he's splitting time with Hasek, but look at the stats. 15-1-1, 1st in Goals against average, and 2nd in Save Percent. If I had to pick one guy right now it would probably be him, or...
Henrik Lundqvist- 6 Shutouts, and the only reason the Rangers are doing anything.
Evgeni Nabokov, Martin Gerber, Roberto Luongo.
Honorable Mention-Pascal Leclaire. The guy has 6 shutouts, but only 10 total wins, and he's on a team that looks like once again they won't make the playoffs.
Calder
Patrick Kane, and Jonathon Toewes are definitely the class of this years rookies. Nicklas Backstrom, and Carey Price also deserve a mention.
Pleasant Surprises
Paul Ranger, Brian Campbell, Thomas Kaberle 3 guys all on teams that aren't great, but having very respectable seasons.
Mike Richards, Cory Stillman (and really a lot of Hurricanes) Sean Horcoff.
Nik Antropv-Playing on an average (some would say bad) team, Antropov has still managed to put up 35 points, and his career best is 45.
Disappointments (There are a lot of these)
Goalies-Kari Lehtonen, Ray Emery, Marc Andre Fleury. Lehtnonen started the year bad, as did the whole team. Emery hasn't played that much but when he has he's looked shaky and has the stats to show it. Fleury has got to be the most disappointing. A lot of people were expecting big things from the Penguins, and he's the main reason they're where they are right now.
D-Men
Bryan McCabe-12 points, -4
Francois Beauchemin- A young guy that was supposed to be getting better, 12 points, -9
Ryan Whitney- 15 points, -3
Phillipe Boucher- 11 points, -2
Jay Bouwmeester- I keep waiting for this guy to become an elite defenseman. Last year he had 42 points and was +23!!! This year, 10 points, -6
Forwards
Alexander Semin, Todd Bertuzzi, Petr Prucha, Jordan Staal, Jonathon Cheechoo, Andy McDonald, Patrik Elias, Dustin Penner, Jason Blake, Patrick Marleau, Marian Hossa, Thomas Vanek.
New York Ranger Players
Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, and Jaromir Jagr are making a combined $25, 460, 000 this year. They also have a combined 73 points. Their projected season ending total is 181. That works out to $140, 663 per point. Not a good return on your investment.
Most Disappointing Teams
Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Tampa Bay
Most Surprising Teams
Carolina, Boston
MVP
Jarome Iginla-He's got his team in a playoff spot. He scores and creates plays. He bruises it up and eats up minutes. I was never the biggest Iginla fan (a fan, just not insane over him), but right now he is one of the best players in the league.
Other Nominees- Vincent Lecavalier, Henrik Zetterberg
Norris Trophy
Niklas Lidstrom-The guy is just awesome. Lidstrom has 30 points and is +19, on the best team in the NHL.
A close 2nd, Sergei Zubov
other contenders-Dion Phaneuf, Chris Pronger
Vezina
This one is too close to call. The front runners;
Chris Osgood-I know he's splitting time with Hasek, but look at the stats. 15-1-1, 1st in Goals against average, and 2nd in Save Percent. If I had to pick one guy right now it would probably be him, or...
Henrik Lundqvist- 6 Shutouts, and the only reason the Rangers are doing anything.
Evgeni Nabokov, Martin Gerber, Roberto Luongo.
Honorable Mention-Pascal Leclaire. The guy has 6 shutouts, but only 10 total wins, and he's on a team that looks like once again they won't make the playoffs.
Calder
Patrick Kane, and Jonathon Toewes are definitely the class of this years rookies. Nicklas Backstrom, and Carey Price also deserve a mention.
Pleasant Surprises
Paul Ranger, Brian Campbell, Thomas Kaberle 3 guys all on teams that aren't great, but having very respectable seasons.
Mike Richards, Cory Stillman (and really a lot of Hurricanes) Sean Horcoff.
Nik Antropv-Playing on an average (some would say bad) team, Antropov has still managed to put up 35 points, and his career best is 45.
Disappointments (There are a lot of these)
Goalies-Kari Lehtonen, Ray Emery, Marc Andre Fleury. Lehtnonen started the year bad, as did the whole team. Emery hasn't played that much but when he has he's looked shaky and has the stats to show it. Fleury has got to be the most disappointing. A lot of people were expecting big things from the Penguins, and he's the main reason they're where they are right now.
D-Men
Bryan McCabe-12 points, -4
Francois Beauchemin- A young guy that was supposed to be getting better, 12 points, -9
Ryan Whitney- 15 points, -3
Phillipe Boucher- 11 points, -2
Jay Bouwmeester- I keep waiting for this guy to become an elite defenseman. Last year he had 42 points and was +23!!! This year, 10 points, -6
Forwards
Alexander Semin, Todd Bertuzzi, Petr Prucha, Jordan Staal, Jonathon Cheechoo, Andy McDonald, Patrik Elias, Dustin Penner, Jason Blake, Patrick Marleau, Marian Hossa, Thomas Vanek.
New York Ranger Players
Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, and Jaromir Jagr are making a combined $25, 460, 000 this year. They also have a combined 73 points. Their projected season ending total is 181. That works out to $140, 663 per point. Not a good return on your investment.
Most Disappointing Teams
Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Tampa Bay
Most Surprising Teams
Carolina, Boston
posted by Graham at
1:12 PM
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