Most teams are approaching, at or beyond the 41-games played mark, so the PHT gang will make its choices for the NHL’s trophies at this point in the season. Feel free to call us evil/wrong in the comments. If you missed James’ picks yesterday, fear not, we’ve got your hookup right here.
Hart Trophy - Sidney Crosby
Yeah, really going out on a limb here but Crosby has been, by far, the best player in the NHL . Crosby’s season has been so good to this point he’s made the other Hart candidate, Steve Stamkos, seem average by comparison and that takes serious effort. Crosby’s absence from the Penguins lineup of late and the Penguins lack of success only shows how important he is to them.
Suffice to say, when you’ve got 32 goals and 34 assists through 41 games you’re doing pretty damn well and worthy of the platitudes that are given to you. Love him or hate him, Sid is the real deal and he’s proved it this year. Now if only he can keep his melon safe the rest of the way.
Vezina Trophy - Ondrej Pavelec
Contrary choice I know but let’s discuss things here. Tim Thomas has been great this year and would likely be the #1 choice on anyone’s ballot and rightfully so. That said, whether it’s through pity or looking to reward a guy for putting in “harder” work, I’ve always been more on the side of guys that don’t play behind stifling defensive systems. I was never a Brodeur guy, I was always a Hasek guy.
That said, if the award were to be handed out today I have absolutely zero doubts that Tim Thomas would be a runaway winner and rightfully so. I’m sticking with Ondrej.
Norris Trophy - Nick Lidstrom
How do you not pick Nick Lidstrom? It’s a virtual no-brainer this year. After struggling last season being one of the only Red Wings to not suffer an injury, Lidstrom has bounced back in a huge way this year with 11 goals and 28 assists all while being the Wings’ most dependable guy going the other way. He’s 40 years-old and leads all Red Wings skaters in time on ice playing an average of 23:44 per game.
He plays as much time on the power play as he does shorthanded and he’s the straw that stirs the drink in Detroit. There’s a reason they call him “The Perfect Human” there and it’s always steady play on the blue line that does it. His main competitors this year in Dustin Byfuglien and Chris Pronger are great at what they do and are/were having great seasons by anyone’s standards, Byfuglien in particular, but Lidstrom’s work is on another level. It’s tough being perfect.
Jack Adams Trophy - Craig Ramsay
By far this is going to be the toughest choice this season if things hold up. James and I had an Internet arm wrestling match over who to pick on this one and you can decide on who you think the winner was, but my choice was made easy getting to pick Atlanta’s Craig Ramsay. Ramsay compares well with Tampa’s Guy Boucher, and while both teams were bad last year, with the Thrashers dumping Ilya Kovalchuk confidence was very low in what Ramsay would be able to do there.
Instead, Ramsay has turned the Thrashers into a hard-nosed team with Andrew Ladd leading the way with the forwards with Evander Kane emerging as a star. Ramsay’s noted work with defensemen is paying off in big ways with Dustin Byfuglien as he leads the team in scoring, but also with Tobias Enstrom who is no longer a strictly offensive blue liner and has become the team’s ice time horse averaging over 24 minutes a game. Add in those factors along with Ondrej Pavelec’s great season and you’ve got yourself a guy in Craig Ramsay who’s made something out of nothing overnight with no superstars to speak of.
Calder Trophy - Logan Couture
This one is a tighter race than just about any of them and we’re sure people are going to complain about the prior work Couture got to do last season and in the playoffs but frankly that doesn’t sway me. He’s got 19 goals already this year and has emerged as one of the most reliable Sharks scorers on a team loaded with star power.
Other Calder candidates are still looking very good and some might not get more consideration because of their position. Guys like Carolina’s Jeff Skinner, Colorado’s Kevin Shattenkirk, Philly’s Sergei Bobrovsky, Edmonton’s Jordan Eberle, and Nashville’s Anders Lindback are all seriously in the hunt here but it’s Couture who’s shown the most grace under pressure, something which his superstar teammates should take note of to improve their games.
Selke Trophy - Ryan Kesler
You can put Pavel Datsyuk of Detroit down here as 1B to Kesler’s 1A in the race for this award. You could choose either of these players and not have to hear anything from fans of the other team because both guys are equally as great as defending forwards. Kesler’s game has evolved greatly over the past few seasons to the point where Kesler is getting the call consistently against top forwards. Kesler’s game is also improving in ways that help him finally catch up to the heights Datsyuk has reached over the years in that he’s added the ability to make opponents pay for their mistakes with goals.
If we told you that Kesler had 23 goals already this year, you’d likely think we’re nuts but that’s how it is right now. He’s the forward that averages the most time on ice on the Canucks roster and considering that includes the incredible Sedin twins that’s saying something. Much like with the Vezina race, we’d expect that Datsyuk gets the call to win this award but Kesler is making the decision a lot harder and I’d expect some votes to change this year if Kesler keeps potting goals while shutting down opponents.
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