NHL Midseason Awards

Already halfway through the 2007-08 campaign, and there have been plenty of headlines in the National Hockey League. From headshots to a new league starting up in Europe, there has been plenty of controversy these past 4 months. That being said, let’s have some fun and hand out some hardware to the NHL’s best.

Art Ross Trophy (top point scorer in the NHL)

Nominees: Vincent Lecavalier (leads league with 62 points)

And the winner is.... Vincent Lecavalier

Lecavalier took the point-scoring race by the horns and leads the league with 62 points in only 42 games, on pace to crack the 50 goal and 120 point mark. If only he could get his team out of the basement of the Eastern conference standings and into playoff contention, we would be linking him to the Hart Memorial trophy as well.

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (qualities of perseverance and sportsmanship)

Nominees: Jason Blake (Tor), Chris Chelios (Det), Scott Neidermayer (Ana)

And the winner is.... Jason Blake (Tor)

After being diagnosed with a rare form cancer (Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia), Jason Blake insisted he be treated still as one of the boys and never let his cancer become a distraction to the team. Although Blake went through a long scoring slump early in the year, he seems to be back on track to what the Leafs expect of him. His perseverance and sportsmanship for the game however has been there since the start of the season.

Calder Memorial Trophy (rookie of the year)

Nominees: Tobias Enstrom (Atl), Patrick Kane (Chi), Jonathan Toews (Chi)

And the winner is.... Patrick Kane

With high expectations for their new, young and
fast team, the Blackhawks got what they bargained
for as their top two rookies have had exceptional starts
to the year. That being said, Kane leads all rookies with
points, assists, and shots on goal.


Frank J. Selke Trophy (top defensive forward in the NHL)

Nominees: Rod Brind'Amour (Car), Kris Draper (Det), Jay Pandolfo (NJ)

And the winner is.... Rod Brind'Amour

This will be Rod Brind'Amour's third straight Selke win, and he deserves it. With 36 points and 30 penalty minutes, Brind'Amour, now 37, shows no signs of slowing down. Sixth in the league among forwards in ice time and third in faceoffs, Brind'Amour has proven his worth once again as the league's top defensive forward in the NHL.

Hart Memorial Trophy (NHL most valuable player)

Nominees: Ilya Kovalchuk (Atl), Jarome Iginla (Cal), Sidney Crosby (Pit)

And the winner is.... Jarome Iginla (Cal)

Jarome Iginla is having another career year with the Calgary Flames. Leading his team with an exceptional December where he notched 14 goals and 19 points in 14 games, Calgary now sits a top the Northwest division with 51 points. Second in the league in goals, points and powerplay goals, while first in the league with 6 game winners is no easy feat, especially when playing on a team who was struggling to find their identity for most of the season.

Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year)

Nominees:Mike Babcock (Det), John Paddock (Ott), Don Waddell (Atl)

And the winner is....Mike Babcock (Det)

No surprise here. Babcock coaches the league's best defensive team in the league, which also turns out to be the league's best overall team in the Detroit Red Wings. Although Detroit is loaded with plenty of talent, Babcock has done a wonderful job finding the team's best line combinations and putting in place a solid style of hockey involving a strong forecheck, backcheck, and counterattack. Detroit also has the second best powerplay in the league behind Montreal, which can also be attributed to not only the players but the coaching staff as well. Did I mention that Detroit is also the best faceoff team in the league as well? Perhaps a tad to early to say, but the Wings look like a favorite to raise Lord Stanley this coming season.

James Norris Memorial Trophy (top defenceman in the NHL)

Nominees: Nicklas Lidstrom (Det), Chris Pronger (Ana), Brian Rafalski (Det)

And the winner is.... Nicklas Lidstrom

Having the best coach and defenceman must be wonderful... just ask the Detroit Red Wings. Lidstrom has been a rock on the blueline for the Wings, leading all defenceman with 36 assists, 40 points and in plus/minus. Lidstrom has already won 5 other Norris trophies, making it 6 this year in the past 7 seasons. 'Mr. Consistency' is right.

Maurice Richard Trophy (top goal scorer in the NHL)

Nominees: Ilya Kovalchuk (Atl); leads league with 34 goals

And the winner is....Ilya Kovalchuk



Kovalchuk leads the league with 34 goals, has a hard shot and the best release in hockey. Just think if he was on a line with Ovechkin centered by Sidney Crosby. I guess I can only dream.



Vezina Trophy (top goalie in the NHL)

Nominees: Chris Osgood (Det), Roberto Luongo (Van), Evgeni Nabakov (SJ)

And the winner is....Roberto Luongo (Van)

Although Osgood only has two losses on the year and great numbers, he has a very different team in front of him than Roberto Luongo. Osgood has only played 23 games compared to Luongo's 34, and hasn't faced nearly as many shots as the Vancouver netminder. Nabakov leads the league in wins with 23, but Luongo's numbers are exceptional. It's a toss up, but with a .930 save percentage and a 1.97 GAA, Luongo will take his first Vezina trophy.

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (player who displays gentlemanly conduct)

Nominees: Brian Campbell (Buf), Pavel Datsyuk (Det), Martin St. Louis (TB)

And the winner is....Pavel Datsyuk


Pavel Datsyuk will win his third consecutive Lady Byng Trophy for combining sportsmanship with a high standard of play. Leading his team with 52 points in 43 games with only 6 penalty minutes, Datsyuk is coming into his own as one of the league's least penalized players while making plays that leave fans in awe.

Time will only tell if these players can continue their strong play and come home with the hardware they have earned through 41 games. Until then, we'll be glued to the tube watching the second half of what has been an exciting 2008-09 season.

To reach Christos, send an email to christos10@gmail.com