UPDATE: I guess I officially need to warn everyone who didn't see the awards that this contains SPOILERS since I correctly predicted fucking four out of the five major awards. If anyone needs me i'll be waiting by my mailbox for NBC to send me a contract.
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So obviously there's no NHL hockey til preseason starts in September, but the NHL Awards provide avid fans like myself an opportunity to watch 2 hours of hockey players that speak little to no English making speeches that are way out of their league (lookin at you Geno). The ceremony is kind of unnecessary and rediculous when you think about it. But if i'm being honest, it's a nice little wrap up to the season. Especially since it ended the way it did. With that in mind, let's try and predict some of these things, eh?
Calder Trophy, Top Rookie
Finalists: Tyler Johnson (TBL), Nathan MacKinnon (COL), Ondrej Palat (TBL)
Winner: Nathan Mackinnon
Are you kidding me? Obviously it's MacKinnon. If you didn't already know i'm sorry that you're stupid. Sorry Tampa, the highlight of your season will still be getting swept out of the playoffs in the first round.
Norris Trophy, Best Defenseman
Finalists: Zdeno Chara (BOS), Duncan Keith (CHI), Shae Weber (NSH)
Winnder: Duncan Keith
Tough one here because Drew Doughty isn't nominated. He was a force in the playoffs so it's a shame he won't be considered. Gotta give it to Keith because he was stellar all season both offensively and as a shut down d-man. Weber will never win because he plays for a small market team and not enough people see him play day in and day out to realize that he's actually pretty solid, but i guess he is getting recognized because he's nominated. Not even gonna talk about Chara here because I think he is the most overrated defenseman in the league. Probably a liability 95% of the time if he didn't have the benefit of a stick twice the length of anyone in the league.
Vezina Trophy, Best Goaltender
Finalists: Ben Bishop (TBL), Tuukka Rask (BOS), Semyon Varlamov (CBJ)
Winner: Tuukka Rask
This is another one that's kinda tricky. We just spent the last few weeks watching Henrik Lundqvist and Johnathan Quick battle their way to the Stanley Cup Final, where they went head to head in 3 of the most intense OT and Double OT games in recent memory. Clearly two of the best in the league. Neither is up for this award. Fair is fair, the award is for the regular season. Those guys are just fresher in our minds, that's all. But I think Rask takes it. He has been so important to Boston's success in the years after Tim Thomas. With that said, I could just as easily see it going to Valamov. So what if the guy kidnapped or beat his wife or girlfriend? Dude stood on his head all year and was even more important to Columbus making the playoffs than Rask was for Boston.
Hart Memorial Trophy, League MVP
Finalists: Claude Giroux, Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf
Winner: Claude Giroux
Hate to say it but it has to be. Giroux is probably the only person in the world who actually believed the Flyers could make the playoffs after the start they had. Even though they went out early, you can't deny how impressive their turnaround was, and there's only one guy Philly fans have to thank. Crosby and Getzlaf are probably both better players, but that's just not what were talking about here. We're talking about value to your team. As valuable as Sid and Getzlaf are, they are surrounded by superstar caliber teammates. That's not the case in Philly. Claude takes the Hart.
Ted Lindsay Aaward, Most Outstanding Player (as voted by players)
Finalists: Claude Giroux, Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf
Winner: Sidney Crosby
This is the big one for sure. Obviously the Hart is huge. But any award voted on by your peers has to be the most important to any player. It goes to Sid because he is the most impressive player to watch, day in and day out, to anyone with a knowledge of the game. The things he does on the ice are almost incomprehensible. These are three of the most talented players in the league today. Getzlaf and Giroux can do things with the puck that I would give my left pinky to be able to do. But Sid is Sid and he will win because hockey players appreciate hockey. And there's no one better at hockey than Sid.
Those are just the bullet points. I'm also really looking forward to seeing if either of the Ranger nominees (St. Louis for the Lady Byng, and Dominic Moor for the Masterton) go home with hardware. Certainly wouldn't be a stretch for either one of those guys. With everything that has gone on in their personal lives recently, you'd have to be dead inside to not be rooting for them.
BONUS: NHL15 COVER VOTE
Finalists: Patrice Bergeron (BOS), P.K. Subban (MTL)
Winner: Patrice Bergeron
As if that playoff series weren't enough, we get a little more Boston v. Montreal action to see who will grace the cover of the new EA Sports NHL video game. Stakes literally could not be higher for either team considering they were both knocked out of the playoffs shy of the Stanley Cup Final. Gotta believe the Boston fans want it more though. You know what they say, revenge is best served on the cover of a video game. Either way I think EA Sports puts Bergy on the cover just because of the sales they'd lose in Boston if they put a black guy on the cover.
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