Cardiac Cane’s Picks For 2013-2014 NHL Awards
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Cardiac Cane is back with our selections for NHL Awards. Staff Writer Brett Finger and Editor Wes Herrmann will be making their selections on a plethora of NHL awards.
We will be selecting our winners for each of the following awards:
- Hart Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player)
- Jame Norris Memorial Trophy (Best Defenseman)
- Vezina Trophy (Best Goalie)
- Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie Of The Year)
- Frank J. Selke Trophy (Most defensively Gifted Forward)
- Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
- GM Of The Year
- Jack Adams Trophy (Coach Of The Year)
Hart Memorial Trophy
The award given to the player judged as most valuable to his team. The award is more commonly known as league MVP.
Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Brett’s Pick: Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers)
Claude Giroux got off to an abysmal start to the 2013-2014 season, and so did the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers started 4-10-1 in their first 15 games of the regular season. During that time, Giroux had just 7 points and was a -10. From that point on, Claude Giroux had 79 points in 67 games, and he was a +17. His team went 38-20-9 in those 67 games, and they are facing off against the New York Rangers in the Playoffs.
Claude Giroux showed this season that he is the true leader of the Flyers. When he does well, his team does well and visa-versa. Clause Giroux was the most valuable player on the Flyers, and in the NHL, this year.
Runner Ups: Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins), Ben Bishop (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Wes’s Pick: Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers)
Most will have Sidney Crosby here due to his statistics, and while he’s not the wrong choice, Giroux did more to will his team into the playoffs. If you watched him and the Flyers play from the Olympic break to the end of the season, you saw some beautiful hockey as the Flyers’ captain played with so much intensity to get his team into the postseason.
Runner Ups: Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins), Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim Ducks)
James Norris Memorial Trophy
The award given to the defenseman who demonstrates the greatest all-round ability at the position.
Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports
Brett’s Pick: Duncan Keith (Chicago Blackhawks)
Duncan Keith showed this season that he can carry the workload for one of the league’s best teams on defense. Not only was he a great leader for the defending Stanley Cup Champions, he ranked second out of all NHL defensemen with 61 points and first in assists with 55. He was also a +22 while playing over 24:30 per night.
And historically, the Norris usually goes to the defenseman with the points and the +/-. Duncan Keith has both of those, and he was a huge part of a great team in Chicago.
Runner Ups: Ryan Suter (Minnesota Wild), Alex Pietrangelo (St. Louis Blues)
Wes’s Pick: Ryan Suter (Minnesota Wild)
It’s time that Ryan Suter is recognized for all he can do.He puts up over 40 points, can play over 25 minutes a night and plays both the power play and penalty kill. He was hidden behind Shea Weber in Nashville, but even in Minnesota people don’t realize how much of an impact the 6-foot-1 defenseman can have in a game.
Runner Ups: Duncan Keith (Chicago Blackhawks), Zdeno Chara (Boston Bruins)
Vezina Trophy
The award given to the goalie who is judged to be the best player at his position.
Mar 19, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop (30) stands for the playing of the anthems before the start of their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. The Lightning beat the Maple Leafs 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Brett’s Pick: Ben Bishop (Tampa Bay Lightning)
I love Ben Bishop, and I probably made that clear when I chose him as a runner up for the Hart Trophy. Ben Bishop came into the year looking for a starting job, but dispute the adversity, led the Tampa Bay Lightning to the playoffs with a young core, and without their star player, Steven Stamkos, for much of the season.
He ended the regular season in the top-5 in games played (63), wins (37), and shutouts (5). He also ranks 7th in the NHL in both goals against average (2.23) and save percentage (.924).
His value to the Lightning is currently being showed. As a higher seed, they are down 3-0 in their series with the Montreal Canadiens without Ben Bishop in the lineup.
Runner Ups: Tuuka Rask (Boston Bruins), Semyon Varlamov (Colorado Avalanche)
Wes’s Pick: Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens)
Most will have Rask and while he had a great season, he did it with the best defensive team in hockey in front of him. Price did it with a weak, constantly changing defense as he helped the Montreal Canadiens to the postseason and earned 34 wins plus a .927 save percentage.
Runner Ups: Tuuka Rask (Boston Bruins), Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers)
Calder Memorial Trophy
The award given to the player with the most outstanding rookie season in the NHL.
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Brett’s Pick: Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)
The Colorado Avalanche shocked the NHL world when they selected Nathan MacKinnon over Seth Jones with the first pick of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, but it appears obvious that they made the right choice.
The 18-year-old forward finished with 63 points in his rookie season with the Avs. He led all rookies in points, and he was the only teenager in the NHL to score more than 40 points in the 2013-2014 season. He has an incredible 7 points in his first 3 NHL playoff games to go on top of his ridiculous rookie season. He is one of those special players that we will be cheering for, or against, for a very long time.
Runner Ups: Andrej Palat (Tampa Bay Lightning), Jacob Trouba (Winnipeg Jets)
Wes’s Pick: Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)
The first overall pick in this year’s draft was a big part of the Colorado Avalanche’s turnaround this season. Without him, the Avs would not have made the playoffs. In 82 games, he had 63 points, good for 34th in the league as a teenager.
Runner Ups: Andrej Palat (Tampa Bay Lightning), Olli Matta (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Frank J. Selke Award
The award given to the forward who demonstrates the most defensive skill.
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Brett’s Pick: Patrice Bergeron (Boston Bruins)
Patrice Bergeron had a marvelous season with the Boston Bruins on the defensive side of the puck. He won 58.6% of his faceoffs, and he was a +38. His corsi improved from last year and stands at 61.2%. His relative Corsi also improved from last year as it was a +9.7%. Statistically, he had a better season than last year, and he won the Selke last year as well.
Runner Ups: Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks), David Backes (St. Louis Blues)
Wes’s Pick: Patrice Bergeron (Boston Bruins)
Besides being a Selke Trophy candidate, Bergeron could be an MVP candidate with the type of season he had. He led the Bruins to the President’s Trophy while playing against other team’s top lines and providing offense. There’s no one better than Bergeron at the job of shutdown forward.
Runner Ups: David Backes (St. Louis Blues), Sean Couturier (Philadelphia Flyers)
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
The award given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Brett’s Pick: Manny Malhotra (Carolina Hurricanes)
I don’t care if I sound like a homer here, but Manny Malhotra has overcome so many obstacles to get to where he is today. After suffering a devastating eye injury in March of 2011, it looked like he would never get back to the NHL level. In fact, Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis even told him he shouldn’t return.
After fighting his way through the minor leagues, Manny Malhotra has finally found his way back at the highest level of the sport he loves. Not only was Malhotra a great example and leader for the Carolina Hurricanes, he even made a positive impact on the ice for his team. He was one of the league’s top faceoff men with a faceoff percentage of 59.4.
Runner Ups: Josh Harding (Minnesota Wild), Dominic Moore (New York Rangers)
Wes’s Pick: Manny Malhotra (Carolina Hurricanes)
Maybe I’m biased, but Malhotra was told by his own GM that he shouldn’t play hockey again, but went ahead and did it anyways. He played in the minors just to compete for a spot in the NHL and signed a cheap contract just to play the sport he loves. And from all accounts, he seems like a great guy.
Runner Ups: Dominic Moore (New York Rangers), Rich Peverley (Dallas Stars)
GM Of The Year
The award given to the General Manager judged as best in the NHL.
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Brett’s Pick: Greg Sherman (Colorado Avalanche)
Greg Sherman was able to get the most out of his signings. He was able to get the most out of the least. The Avalanche ranked 3rd to the bottom on the NHL in cap spent this season with just a bit over $52 million. They were the only team in the bottom-8 in that category to make the playoffs. He was able to make great, cheap signings to get his team to the playoffs this year.
It was also a great choice select Nathan MacKinnon over Seth Jones with the first pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. It looks like that was the right choice for the Avs.
Runner Ups: Doug Armstrong (St. Louis Blues), Jarmo Kekalainen (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Wes’s Pick: Greg Sherman (Colorado Avalanche)
Sherman and the Avalanche management had the confidence to choice Nathan MacKinnon over Seth Jones, which right now stands as the right choice. But he also signed cheap players that turned out to be hits and helped lead the Avalanche back into the playoffs when no one was expecting it.
Runner Ups: Doug Armstrong (St. Louis), Marc Bergevin (Montreal Canadiens)
Jack Adams Trophy
The award given to the NHL Head Coach who contributed most to his team’s success.
Jan 8, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy on his bench in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Brett’s Pick: Patrick Roy (Colorado Avalanche)
Patrick Roy came in after the Avs went 16-25-7 in the 2013 shortened season. They were the second worst team in the entire NHL. Roy’s passion and enthusiasm fueled his young group of players enough to finish 2nd in the Western Conference in his first year as head coach. His team finished ahead of teams like the Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks out West.
For a rookie coach to come in and completely change the attitude and direction of an organization this quickly is completely unheard of. The first year for Patrick Roy was a magical one, and he could keep this going for a very long time with his young group of players in Colorado.
Runner Ups: Jon Cooper (Tampa Bay Lightning), Mike Babcock (Detroit Red Wings)
Wes’s Pick: Jon Cooper (Tampa Bay Lightning)
This was supposed to be a rebuilding season in Tampa Bay, but Cooper led his team to a 101-point season and a second place finish in the Atlantic Division instead. When Steven Stamkos was injured, the Lightning just kept on trucking and the trade of Martin St. Louis didn’t bother the team in the regular season. Cooper also got a ton of production from Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat, two no-name guys a couple of years ago.
Runner Ups: Patrick Roy (Colorado Avalanche), Bruce Boudreau (Anaheim Ducks)