Calder - tough choice (or maybe not)

RYAN, VERSTEEG, MASON SELECTED AS NOMINEES FOR CALDER TROPHY

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NEW YORK - Anaheim Ducks forward Bobby Ryan, Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason and Chicago Blackhawks forward Kris Versteeg are the finalists for the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year, the league announced Wednesday.

Versteeg, a fifth-round choice (134th overall) of the Boston Bruins in 2004, led all rookies with 31 assists while finishing second to Ryan with 53 points. The 22-year-old from Lethbridge, Alta., added a rookie-best four short-handed goals.

"Bobby Ryan and Mason, those are two pretty special players and to be loaded into a class with those guys, it's a huge compliment for myself," Versteeg said Wednesday from Calgary, where the Blackhawks were facing the Flames in a Western Conference quarter-final series.

"I was a bit surprised. It caught me off guard. This year, I've always known I could help offensively and I was put in some situations to succeed and just tried to do my best with that."

Ryan, the second pick in the 2005 draft, recorded 31 goals and 57 points -- both tops among first-year players -- in just 64 games with the Ducks. The 22-year-old from Cherry Hill, N.J., earned rookie-of-the-month honours in January with 11 goals and five assists in 14 games.

Ryan played junior hockey with the Ontario Hockey League's Owen Sound Attack.

Mason, taken in the third round (69th overall) by the Blue Jackets in 2006, led the NHL with 10 shutouts and ranked second with a 2.29 goals-against average. The 20-year-old from Oakville, Ont., lifted the Blue Jackets to the first playoff appearance in franchise history.

The trophy will be handed out June 18 during the NHL awards ceremony in Las Vegas.

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My hands down choice, Steve Mason, way above the other two in terms of his play.

Slam dunk for Mason IMO.

Pekka Rinne missed the cut. Huh.

Mason. No question.

Steve Mason.

Mason plain and simple.

Mason wins, but there is no way Versteeg had a better year than Doughty. I think Doughty got robber here, big time.

Neely4Life wrote:Mason wins, but there is no way Versteeg had a better year than Doughty. I think Doughty got robber here, big time.

Oh yeah, him as well. Rinne got a little bit of a snub as well.

But at least Versteeg deserves it and isn't a 'mistake'.

504Heater wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:Mason wins, but there is no way Versteeg had a better year than Doughty. I think Doughty got robber here, big time.

Oh yeah, him as well. Rinne got a little bit of a snub as well.

But at least Versteeg deserves it and isn't a 'mistake'.

you might even throw a little bit of consideration towards Blake Wheeler, led the league in +/- for a better part of the season I believe.

How is Rinne or Doughty on this list over Versteeg? Don't matter though, Mason wins in by a landslide.

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:How is Rinne or Doughty on this list over Versteeg? Don't matter though, Mason wins in by a landslide.

Because Rinne put up basically the same numbers as Mason and Doughty is a better player at 18 then Versteeg is at what, 22, 23? Doughty was way more valuable to his team, didnt have a lot of help like Versteeg did.

Again, its all about the numbers when it comes to the media and the voting. Doughty was defently the 3rd best rookie this year, he was phenominal, especially breaking into the league as a D, which is the hardest position to play.

Is Rinne too old? He's 26, but I'm not sure what the cut off date is.

SensFan71 wrote:
you might even throw a little bit of consideration towards Blake Wheeler, led the league in +/- for a better part of the season I believe.

And him too. Good year for rookies.

Who'd a thought Turris and Stamkos wouldn't be here?

Elliott qualifies too, no? Not that he's in contention anyway. But a decent year for rookies to be sure.

For sure Elliott would have had some votes if he had played the full year.

As for Stamkos...if he had been able to play like he did in the second half all year, he'd be there too.