NHL awards tonight

shabbs wrote:Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Dash wrote:Remember, Bettman moved the awards to LV as a possible precursor to them getting a franchise. Rich, passionate Canadians cannot purchase bankrupt teams in poor markets and move them to Canadian cities with fanbase, but uncharted cities in non-traditional markets are okay.

HowieMorenz wrote:Poor Muller lol, is he ever goofing up ... the detroit wed wings ....

davetherave wrote:Here's the latest from ESPN.com and the AP:

OVECHKIN REPEATS AS MVP

LAS VEGAS -- Despite being bounced by the eventual Stanley Cup winners in the second round of the playoffs, Washington star Alex Ovechkin beat Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin for the Hart Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award.


Ovechkin, second to Malkin with 110 points, was presented the Hart by compatriot and Capitals teammate Sergei Fedorov. Ovechkin received 115 first-place votes, Malkin earned 12 and Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk had four.


The Boston Bruins were also big winners at the NHL Awards Thursday night with Zdeno Chara, Tim Thomas and Coach Claude Julien all taking home awards.


Journeyman Thomas was picked overwhelmingly by NHL general managers as the league's top goalie.


Thomas earned 22 first-place votes to take the Vezina Trophy. Columbus' Steve Mason was the next closest finalist with three first-place votes. Minnesota's Niklas Backstrom received one.



Thomas told a crowd at the Palms Casino Resort that winning the Vezina was a dream. He said he was more used to worrying about whether he'd be on a roster than winning awards.


Chara has edged Washington's Mike Green and Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom to win the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman. Green led the NHL with 31 goals.


Chara helped the Bruins' post the lowest goals per game average in the regular season. He ranked 12th in the league in scoring among defensemen with 50 points.


Chara snapped Lidstrom's three-year Norris winning streak. Lidstrom had won the award six of the previous seven seasons.


The Bruins' coach Claude Julien was chosen as the NHL's coach of the year, earning 35 first-place votes from the NHL Broadcasters' Association.


Boston (53-39-10) finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference and the league's second-best offense with 275 goals after ranking 25th in the 2007-08 season.


Datsyuk, considered one of the best two-way forwards in the league, won the Selke Award for the NHL's top defensive forward again.


Datsyuk prevailed over finalists Ryan Kesler of Vancouver and Philadelphia's Mike Richards. Datsyuk edged Richards 945-942 into total votes, but Richards received more first-place ballots.


Datsyuk also won the Lady Byng as hockey's most gentlemanly player for the fourth straight year.


Datsyuk, who was assessed only 22 penalty minutes in 81 games, finished well ahead in voting over fellow Lady Byng finalists Martin St. Louis of Tampa Bay and
New Jersey's Zach Parise. Datsyuk received 64 first-place votes.


Blue Jackets goalie Mason won the Calder Trophy as the NHL rookie of the year.

Mason beat Anaheim's Bobby Ryan and Chicago's Kris Versteeg for the first award handed out Thursday night.


Mason topped the league with 10 shutouts and ranked second with a 2.29 goals-against average, leading Columbus to its first playoff appearance. He was the first rookie to lead the NHL in shutouts since Chicago's Tony Esposito in 1970.


Ryan led rookies with 31 goals, despite playing only 64 games. Versteeg topped first-year players with 31 assists to help the Blackhawks reach the postseason for the first time since 2002.


Steve Sullivan has won the NHL's Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey after returning to the ice after missing nearly two full years.


Sullivan thanked his teammates, coaches and fans for sticking with him after he sustained a back injury in February 2007.


Sullivan topped Detroit's Chris Chelios and Florida's Richard Zednik in voting for the award.

asq2 wrote:My picks are probably Ovechkin (I think Malkin is superior, but he's not going to be more valuable as long as Crosby's there), Thomas (I'm hoping for Mason), Mason, Chara (I'm hoping Lidstrom wins it though), Julien (hoping for Murray).

Selke is the toughest for me to call. I want Datsyuk to win it, but I don't know if they'll give it to him two years in a row.

HowieMorenz wrote:Did i hear correctly or did i just hear ovy say "he'd love to play in Canada, but for now, my team is Washington."

that to me was a red hering that he wants out .... even more, to a candian team no? anyone else?