Trophy picks

It's high time I give you my picks for the NHL individual trophy winners this year, if only so that I can look back on how well my predictions went... I'm skipping the Conn Smythe, as predicting that is pointless, and the Masterton and humanitarian awards.

Hart Trophy: Surprisingly, this one is a little tough to call. Most of the great success stories of the year are team efforts: Detroit, San José, Boston, New Jersey... It's hard to pinpoint a team where one player really has such a decisive influence on the team. Every year a certain Canadian lobby wants the Hart to go to Iginla, but frankly, the idea of Calgary being a playoff contender with a mediocre goaltender is laughable. Iginla would be nowhere witohut Kiprusoff and Phaneuf.

I'm going to have to say Alex Ovechkin, WSH. This is probably going to be the year he finally establishes himself as the best player in the NHL, overshadowing the overhyped Crosby. With Sidney and Malkin playing golf while Ovechkin's Caps make a deep playoff run, that question should begin to resolve itself.

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: I wonder if they'll give it to Datsyuk for a fourth time. As it is, there's not really any reason not to. I'm going to go out on a limb and pick Zach Parise, NJ, instead, just for variety.

Vezina Trophy: Tim Thomas, BOS. This one shouldn't be up for discussion. There is, this season, simply no question who the NHL's best goaltender has been.

Calder Memorial Trophy: Steve Mason, CBJ. Sorry, Kris Versteeg and Bobby Ryan, but unless something miraculous/horrible happens, the standout rookie of the year is Steve Mason. For a rookie goalie to come into the NHL and play like he has is nothing short of amazing.

Art Ross Trophy: Evgeni Malkin, PIT. If new Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma is really going to stop the trap and bring the Pens back to aggressive hockey like he said, Malkin should be a lock for the Art Ross.

I wonder how the Golden Boy likes being second-best on his team.

James Norris Memorial Trophy: Mike Green, WSH. As I write this, Green is (shared) second in plus/minus among all defensemen with +28, but leads them all with 22+29 points. His offensive play is complemented by strong defensive ability, and he is simply the most outstanding puck-moving defenseman in the league.

For what it's worth, I believe there should be a separate trophy for best offensive defenseman, just like there's a trophy for best defensive forward. You could name it after, I don't know, maybe a legendary offensive defenseman from the Bruins. But as there isn't one, I don't see the Norris going to anyone other than Green. Strong runners-up will be Zdeno Chara and The Hockey News' pick for best defenseman of the first half, Shea Weber, as wlel as Nick Lidström and possibly Dan Boyle.

Jack Adams Award: Apparently it isn't going to be Michel Therien after all. Of course, I only said that because giving it to Therien would have been a monumental joke similar to, say, giving the Jack Adams to Alain Vigneault for having the razor-sharp tactical acumen to put his number-one goalie in net, in a year when Randy Carlyle was hands down the best coach in the league.

But never mind that. This year it has to be Claude Julien, BOS. The way he's brought the Bruins from the basement of the Northeast to a potential Presidents' Trophy winner is amazing, and the style and level of their play are unmatched in the East.

Frank J. Selke Trophy: You know, one of these days Ovechkin will win the Selke. His defensive play is actually getting quite good. However, despite the fact that my picks are becoming very Eastern Conference-oriented, I have to say Mike Richards, PHI.

William M. Jennings Trophy: Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez, BOS.

NHL Plus-Minus Award: The most clunkily named trophy of them all. If trends continue, it'll be Blake Wheeler, BOS. Whoda thunk it?

Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy: As much as I am a Thomas Vanek fan, it's going to be Alex Ovechkin, WSH. How aboot that Jeff Carter, though, eh?

Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award: Tim Thomas, BOS.

**

Apparently on the whole, my picks are heavily weighted toward the East, and Boston and Washington in particular. I made each pick on its own and didn't really think about the overall trend. As it is, I don't see how Boston could drop the goaltending categories, and Washington's players deserve those awards.

It'll be interesting to see if I got any right. I never quite understood how the people doing the voting vote. That's also why I left out the Lester B. Pearson award, as that's voted for by the players. If I had to guess I'd guess Ovechkin.

Overall it's been a great year so far. I'm really looking forward to the playoffs! The only playoff picks I'll make is conference final matchups: Boston-Washington and San Jose-Detroit. I'm leaning toward a Boston-Detroit final with Detroit repeating, but I wouldn't put money on it. It should be a hell of a playoffs.