The StatMan  

The NHL Awards are tonight in Las Vegas, as the NHL tries to glitz up the postseason proceedings.  I think it is a great idea because this week is the soft spot between the end of a rollicking Final and the NHL Draft and the start of Free Agency.  Any chance to talk hockey is great, so long as you are not talking about assaults on ice.

The NHL is starting to get it.  They had their best ratings since 1973 in a Stanley Cup Final series (Montreal-Chicago) and their online presence, NHL.com, is second only to baseball.  June is suddenly becoming an extension of the hockey season until "Hockey Christmas" (a.k.a. the start of NHL Free Agency) on July 1st.

Heather has won the Stanley Cup predictions, but she has taken the offer to go double-or-nothing on picking the NHL Award winners.

Here they are:
Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP): Pavel Datsyuk DET, Evgeni Malkin PIT, Alexander Ovechkin WSH
Georges Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender): Niklas Backstrom MIN, Steve Mason CLB, Tim Thomas BOS
James Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman): Zdeno Chara BOS, Mike Green WSH, Nicklas Lidstrom DET
Calder Memorial Trophy (Best Rookie): Steve Mason CLB, Bobby Ryan ANA, Kris Versteeg CHI
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sportsmanship): Pavel Datsyuk DET, Zach Parise NJD, Martin St. Louis TBY
Frank J. Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward): Pavel Datsyuk DET, Ryan Kesler VAN, Mike Richards PHL
Jack Adams Award (Best Coach): Claude Julien BOS, Todd McLellan SJS, Andy Murray STL
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Perserverance): Chris Chelios DET, Steve Sullivan NSH, Richard Zednik FLA
Lester B. Pearson Trophy (NHLPA MVP): Pavel Datsyuk DET, Evgeni Malkin PIT, Alexander Ovechkin WSH
NHL Foundation Award (contributions to community): Dustin Brown LAK, Alex Kovalev MTL, Rick Nash CLB

StatMan's Predictions:
Hart: Ovechkin
Vezina: Thomas
Norris: Green
Calder: Mason
Byng: Datsyuk
Selke: Richards
Adams: Julien
Masterton: Zednik
Pearson: Ovechkin
NHL Foundation: Kovalev

Heather's Predictions:
Hart: Ovechkin
Vezina: Thomas (Bruin)
Norris: Chara (Bruin)
Calder: Mason
Byng: St. Louis
Selke: Datsyuk
Adams: Julien (Bruin)
Masterton: Zednik
Pearson: Malkin
NHL Foundation: Brown

Well, I think we know who Heather roots for.  Honestly, though, if an Islander would be a finalist in any award, I would probably pick the home team guy, too.

The automatic award winners this season are:
Art Ross Scoring Trophy (Scoring): Malkin (113 points - 35-78-113)
Williams Jennings Trophy (Lowest GAA): Tim Thomas/Manny Fernandez (Boston - 196 GA)
Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP): Malkin (36 points - 14-22-36)
Maurice Richard Trophy (Most Goals): Ovechkin (56 goals)

Good luck to all.  Feel free to comment with your own picks.  Click here to see the write-ups on the awards and finalists and be sure to tune in to Versus tonight (Thursday 6/18) at 7:30pm ET.  Also, make sure you listen to our show (#12) this Saturday night (6/20) at 11pm ET for the results and our NHL Draft Preview.