Kessel is proving to Maple Leaf doubters that trading away the second overall pick in last season’s draft (Tyler Seguin, who is having a fine season in his own right), wasn’t another chucklehead move by Toronto’s front office. His lead-leading 30 points are giving Leaf’s fans a sense of hope that they actually might make the playoffs, ending a seven-year playoff drought. Although I really haven’t given the Leafs much thought since they dealt Doug Gilmour to the Devils in 1997, it’s good to see an Original Six team being relevant.
The biggest question surrounding Kessel is if he can keep this pace up considering his history of being a streaky player. Personally I doubt it, but considering he’s an American I’ll invoke a false sense of patriotism and root him on.
Runners Up: Claude Giroux – Flyers, Kris Versteeg - Panthers
Once again Weber is showing the league while he’s the league’s best defenseman. He currently leads all defenseman with a plus 16 rating and when he is on the ice with his defensive partner Ryan Suter opponents haven’t scored an even strength goal since October 30th (unfortunately for the Preds when other pairings are on the ice they are combine minus 25).
Currently Weber has 15 points after 21 games putting him on pace to eclipse is career high of 53 points in a season. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Predators trade Weber as they fade from contention. Weber will be a free agent at season’s and will have 29 other teams dying to sign him to a long term deal (granted there’s a chance he will be re-signed, but Suter is also a free agent and it’s unlikely Nashville will be able to sign both of them long term).
Runners Up: Ryan Suter – Predators, Erik Karlsson - Senators
Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year) – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Oilers
As an Oilers fan I was stoked when Edmonton drafted Nugent-Hopkins with the first overall pick this past summer, as he was the most put together prospect since Cindy Crosby. When he made the team out of camp I had reservations if he was NHL-ready (given the fact he’s only 18), and if you listen to any type of sports radio I wasn’t the only one.Well “The Nuge” is proving all skeptics wrong (myself included). He currently leads all rookies in scoring with 24 points (an eight point lead over Luke Adam and Craig Smith), and is the first line center on a young Oilers squad. With young studs like Nuge, Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Jeff Petry paired with seasoned veterans like Shawn Horcoff, Ryan Smyth, and Ales Hemsky, Oilers fans have plenty of reasons to be excited.
Runners Up: Matt Read – Flyers, Adam Larsson - Devils
Vezina Trophy (Best Goalie) – Jimmy Howard – Red Wings
For some reason Jimmy Howard was left off this year’s All-Star ballot (along with Tyler Seguin, and Corey Crawford, but a concussed Crosby made it. What the hell was the NHL thinking?), but that’s not stopping Howard for continuing to be one of the league’s best goalies. Howard currently leads the league in wins with 13, shutouts with 3, while sporting a stingy 1.87 GAA. He is currently on pace to exceed career highs in wins (prior 37), shutouts (prior 3), and GAA (prior 2.26). He’s the main reason while the Red Wings continue to be a force in the Western Conference.
Runners Up: Tim Thomas – Bruins, Nikolai Khabibulin - Oilers
Adams Trophy (Coach of the Year) – Kevin Dineen – Panthers
If you look back in our archives I picked the Florida Panthers to finish dead last in the Eastern Conference. Well we’re a quarter of the way through and the Panthers lead the Southeast Division, and are once again making me looking like an idiot. The biggest reason for this surprise start is Kevin Dineen.Dineen has the upstart Panthers believing that they are actually a good team. He has Kris Versteeg playing like an elite player, Jose Theodore thinking he’s not over the hill, and Mike Weaver thinking he can actually play defense (I wish his last name was Seaver. I’ve been dying to use a Growing Pains reference). While I personally don’t think the Panthers can keep it up, Dineen is doing a fantastic job to date.
Runners Up: Mike Yao – Wild, Tom Renney – Oilers
It wouldn’t be a Riot! piece if we just gave straight forward thought. What are we Yahoo! Sports? Rioters! expect more from us, which is why I’ve come up with our own awards. Allow me to present the TSR! Awards.
Alex Daigle Award (Biggest Disappointment) – Jarome Iginla, Flames
Iginla has had 10 consecutive seasons with at least 30 goals and four of the past five seasons with at least 85 points. This season is a bit askew. Iginla has been an absolute abortion recording 6 goals and 4 assists in 21 games. His -11 and watching him get his ass kicked anytime he tries to fight is just another kick in the balls for the underachieving forward. I’d blame him for the Flames troubles so far this season but Calgary flat out sucks (which makes Lanny McDonald’s moustache angry). Fear not Flames fans. Once Iginla gets traded to a contender he’ll heat up and return to his prior form.Runners Up: Ilya Bryzgalov – Flyers, Alex Ovechkin - Capitals
Shotgun Wedding Award (Biggest Surprise) – Joffrey Lupul, Maple Leafs
I’ve followed Lupul since he was drafted by the Ducks in 2002. He was a seventh overall pick and I thought had the talent to be one of the NHL’s elite. I was wrong. He was nothing but a marginal second line forward (actually better suited on the third line) in Anaheim (twice), Edmonton, and Philadelphia. This year, in his first full season in Toronto, Lupul is living up to his potential. He’s currently third in the league in scoring (27 points), and along with line mate Phil Kessel, they are carrying the first place Leafs. I have my doubts he can keep it up since the most points he scored in a season is 50, but stranger things have happened (like people who thought Adam Sandler’s Jack & Jill was a good movie premise).Runners Up: Kris Versteeg – Panthers, Kyle Wellwood - Jets
Asham took a lot of flak for his actions after this fight. After beating the shit out of Beagle, rendering him unconscious, he motioned to the crowd it was over, and then put his hands to his head like it was bedtime (which it was for Beagle). I disagree. First off, Beagle deserved to get his ass kicked. He’s not a very good player (he actually sucks and has no business being on an NHL roster), he’s nowhere near a fighter (especially to try and take on a guy like Asham), and his last name is the breed of a dog (that just annoys me). Snoopy got what was coming to him. Secondly Asham wasn’t trying to be an asshole; he was just trying to pump up the home crowd. I can completely stand behind that.
Runners Up: Tanner Glass (Wpg) vs. Cody McCormick (Buf), George Parros (Aha) vs. Brian McGrattan (Nsh)
Andy Reid Award (Coach That Should be Fired) – Randy Caryle, Ducks
I don’t care if he led the Ducks to a Stanley Cup Championship in 1997; Caryle needs to be given his walking papers. When you have players like Corey Perry, Bob Ryan, Ryan Getzalf, Teemu Selanne, and Jonas Hiler, there’ no reason your team should be tied with the Islanders with 17 points (only one point ahead of the last-place Blue Jackets). There’s clearly a motivation problem on the Ducks and that stems from Caryle and his inability to motive his team. Fifteen years was a long time ago. Caryle can’t continue to live on prior laurels while his team shits the bed.Runners Up: Jack Capuano – Islanders, Brent Sutter - Flames
I’m all for people being an asshole. Hell, I’m one myself (hence the name of the award), but sometimes people even exceed my asshole threshold and Lucic is clearly one of those assholes. Aside from being one of the many wanna-be tough guys on the Bruins, I still can’t get over his cheap shot on Sabres goalie, Ryan Miller. I understand when a goalie is out of the crease they’re fair game but to blindside a goalie, giving him a concussion, is a total pusscake move; especially on a guy like Miller. I’m willing to bet if it was Ron Hextall or Billy Smith was in goal that shit wouldn’t have happened because Lucic would have gotten the shit beat out of him.
Runners Up: Sean Avery – Rangers, Derek Dorsett – Blue Jackets
Runners Up: Alex Ovechkin – Capitals, Roberto Luongo – Canucks
Well the quarterly awards have been given. Can they keep it up until the midway point? In most cases it’s not likely, but stay tuned as the season progresses and I do my midseason awards. Do you agree with my picks? If you don’t, I could care less. Actually I kid. Hit me up at shatmeself@yahoo.com and let me hear your take. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @TheSportsRiot. It’s more addictive than cigarettes.
No comments:
Post a Comment