Post by McGahee on Jan 1, 2007 13:31:46 GMT -5
Okay everyone, with the Mid-Season just a week or so away for most of the league (and already there for some teams), it's time to bring back the Reviews and Predictions.
MID-SEASON AWARDS
Hart Memorial: Sidney Crosby
I hate doing this since I've never been a Crosby fan, mainly because at times he's overrated and he's a diver, but he certainly has delivered this year. No player in the league is more valuable to his team than Crosby is to the Pens. Since arriving in the league, the Penguins are winless in games in which Crosby doesn't register a point. With 58 points already, he's on pace for possibly over 125 if he stays healthy, including close to 90 assists. While Malkin has played phenomenally, you have to give a lot of credit to Crosby, who's set him up countless times. He's vastly improved on faceoffs, isn't taking dumb penalties, and instead of forcing shots he's setting up his teammates. The only possible fault you can put on him is that he's had the benefit of playing the Flyers so many times, which he has at least 15% of his points from the four or five times he's played them.
Vezina Trophy: Martin Brodeur
I don't care that Hasek has the better numbers. As we learned with Legace last year (which is unfortunate since Legace IS a good goalie and a real nice guy) the Detroit defense deserves the award more than Hasek does. Brodeur on the other hand has single handedly kept New Jersey atop the division league. His six shutouts lead the league, has the third highest save percentage, second best goals against average, and second most wins (Brodeur is the only goalie in the league to even be Top 5 in all of those categories, and he in fact is Top 3 in all of them). This is all with one of the worst offense in the league, consisting of the dead last scoring defense in the NHL and the under achieving scoring from Parise, Elias, and Gionta. So while Hasek will wind up winning more games and having prettier numbers, his 17 saves per game or whatever it may be is nothing compared to the 30+ Brodeur faces on a regular basis. To be perfectly honest, if New Jersey starts steam-rolling with Brodeur conducting, look for him to have an outside shot at the Hart Memorial as well.
Calder Trophy: Anze Kopitar
Call me a Malkin hater, but Kopitar in my opinion has shown he has what it takes to do something in this league. He has one of the worst supporting casts in the league, while Malkin benefits from playing with one of the greatest young offensive powers in the league. Kopitar's 35 points have gone unnoticed with Malkin Mania and the lack of interest in hockey out west in a dead LA market. So while Malkin will have the better career, and possibly season as well, the unbelievable 19 year old Yugoslavian edges out the 21 year old commie. If Sidney Crosby played for the Kings, Kopitar would easily have 45-50 points already, and this isn't taking anything away from the amazing talents of Evgeni Malkin.
Jack Adams Award: Guy Carbonneau
Call me crazy, but this guy (no pun intended) is coaching probably the 2nd best team in the Eastern Conference right now. In my opinion, he's this year's Lindry Ruff, in that he took a team that looked ready for a downfall (despite making the playoffs, they looked very weak, and are playing in what was thought to be the toughest division in the conference) and turned them, somehow, into a monster. Shelden Souray became a points machine from the blue line, Saku Koive and Michael Ryder are having breakout seasons, while Cristobal Huet and David Aebischer are getting the job done in net. Maybe I just overlooked the Habs, but Carbonneau took this team farther than mostly people would have thought thus far.
STANDINGS PREDICTIONS
East
1. Buffalo
2. Carolina
3. New Jersey
4. Montreal
5. Atlanta
6. Boston
7. Pittsburgh
8. Washington
West
1. Anaheim
2. Nashville
3. Calgary
4. Detroit
5. San Jose
6. Dallas
7. Minnesota
8. Edmonton
PLAYOFFS
Buffalo over Washington in 5
Carolina over Pittsburgh in 4
New Jersey over Boston in 6
Montreal over Atlanta in 6
Anaheim over Edmonton in 5
Nashville over Minnesota in 7
Calgary over Dallas in 7
San Jose over Detroit in 6
Buffalo over Montreal in 6
Carolina over New Jersey in 5
San Jose over Anaheim in 6
Nashville over Calgary in 6
Buffalo over Carolina in 7
San Jose over Nashville in 5
STANLEY CUP FINALS
San Jose over Buffalo in 7
MID-SEASON AWARDS
Hart Memorial: Sidney Crosby
I hate doing this since I've never been a Crosby fan, mainly because at times he's overrated and he's a diver, but he certainly has delivered this year. No player in the league is more valuable to his team than Crosby is to the Pens. Since arriving in the league, the Penguins are winless in games in which Crosby doesn't register a point. With 58 points already, he's on pace for possibly over 125 if he stays healthy, including close to 90 assists. While Malkin has played phenomenally, you have to give a lot of credit to Crosby, who's set him up countless times. He's vastly improved on faceoffs, isn't taking dumb penalties, and instead of forcing shots he's setting up his teammates. The only possible fault you can put on him is that he's had the benefit of playing the Flyers so many times, which he has at least 15% of his points from the four or five times he's played them.
Vezina Trophy: Martin Brodeur
I don't care that Hasek has the better numbers. As we learned with Legace last year (which is unfortunate since Legace IS a good goalie and a real nice guy) the Detroit defense deserves the award more than Hasek does. Brodeur on the other hand has single handedly kept New Jersey atop the division league. His six shutouts lead the league, has the third highest save percentage, second best goals against average, and second most wins (Brodeur is the only goalie in the league to even be Top 5 in all of those categories, and he in fact is Top 3 in all of them). This is all with one of the worst offense in the league, consisting of the dead last scoring defense in the NHL and the under achieving scoring from Parise, Elias, and Gionta. So while Hasek will wind up winning more games and having prettier numbers, his 17 saves per game or whatever it may be is nothing compared to the 30+ Brodeur faces on a regular basis. To be perfectly honest, if New Jersey starts steam-rolling with Brodeur conducting, look for him to have an outside shot at the Hart Memorial as well.
Calder Trophy: Anze Kopitar
Call me a Malkin hater, but Kopitar in my opinion has shown he has what it takes to do something in this league. He has one of the worst supporting casts in the league, while Malkin benefits from playing with one of the greatest young offensive powers in the league. Kopitar's 35 points have gone unnoticed with Malkin Mania and the lack of interest in hockey out west in a dead LA market. So while Malkin will have the better career, and possibly season as well, the unbelievable 19 year old Yugoslavian edges out the 21 year old commie. If Sidney Crosby played for the Kings, Kopitar would easily have 45-50 points already, and this isn't taking anything away from the amazing talents of Evgeni Malkin.
Jack Adams Award: Guy Carbonneau
Call me crazy, but this guy (no pun intended) is coaching probably the 2nd best team in the Eastern Conference right now. In my opinion, he's this year's Lindry Ruff, in that he took a team that looked ready for a downfall (despite making the playoffs, they looked very weak, and are playing in what was thought to be the toughest division in the conference) and turned them, somehow, into a monster. Shelden Souray became a points machine from the blue line, Saku Koive and Michael Ryder are having breakout seasons, while Cristobal Huet and David Aebischer are getting the job done in net. Maybe I just overlooked the Habs, but Carbonneau took this team farther than mostly people would have thought thus far.
STANDINGS PREDICTIONS
East
1. Buffalo
2. Carolina
3. New Jersey
4. Montreal
5. Atlanta
6. Boston
7. Pittsburgh
8. Washington
West
1. Anaheim
2. Nashville
3. Calgary
4. Detroit
5. San Jose
6. Dallas
7. Minnesota
8. Edmonton
PLAYOFFS
Buffalo over Washington in 5
Carolina over Pittsburgh in 4
New Jersey over Boston in 6
Montreal over Atlanta in 6
Anaheim over Edmonton in 5
Nashville over Minnesota in 7
Calgary over Dallas in 7
San Jose over Detroit in 6
Buffalo over Montreal in 6
Carolina over New Jersey in 5
San Jose over Anaheim in 6
Nashville over Calgary in 6
Buffalo over Carolina in 7
San Jose over Nashville in 5
STANLEY CUP FINALS
San Jose over Buffalo in 7
