(Last) Week In Review: Awards and the Draft

Even though these events were last week, free agency is tomorrow and damn if I fall this behind.

Awards

Hart Trophy
Winner: Evgeni Malkin
Finalist: Henrik Lundqvist, Steven Stamkos
Analysis: Not much surprise here. The only thing I don't like is the "player has to make playoffs" arguemnet that went against Stamkos. Hockey isn't like Basketball were one player can carry a team.

Vezina Trophy
Winner: Henrik Lundqvist
Finalist: Jonathan Quick, Pekka Rinne
Analysis: Again, no surprise as Lundqvist wins. He was also nominated for the Hart so there was a good chance he wasn't going to f***ing lose it.

Calder Trophy
Winner: Gabriel Landeskog
Finalist: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Adam Henrique
Analysis: While this was suppose to be the Year of the RNH (and it basically was), Landeskog was a better all around play, which definitely gave him a few extra votes. If voting was done after the players then it would be interesting to see how many extra Henrique would have gotten.

James Norris Trophy
Winner: Erik Karlsson
Finalist: Zdeno Chara, Shea Weber
Analysis:After the offensive season Karlsson had, it would be hard not to see him awarded the Norris.

Bill Masterton Trophy
Winner: Max Pacioretty
Finalist: Daniel Alfredsson, Joffrey Lupul
Analysis: After the Chara incident, Max Pacioretty was the right choice for this award. Not knocking Lupul, as what he went through was scary, I just think his nomination should have been last year (when he came back).

Ted Lindsay Award
Winner: Evgeni Malkin
Finalist: Henrik Lundqvist, Steven Stamkos
Analysis: Usually the Hart winner also gets this award too. No surprises here.

Jack Adams Award
Winner: Ken Hitchcock
Finalist: Paul MacLean, John Tortorella
Analysis: I can't believe that this is Hitch's first Jack Adams. He definitelty deserves it though. Also, credit to MacLean for taking the Sens from projected cellar-dwellers to a game within the second round of the playoffs.

Frank J. Selke Trophy
Winner: Patrice Bergeron
Finalist: Pavel Datsyuk, David Backes
Analysis: Datsyuk didn't win? Then this isn't a real award then. Joking, joking. Bergeron deserves this trophy.

GM of the Year Award
Winner: Dave Armstrong
Finalist: Dale Tallon, David Poile
Analysis: St. Louis did have a good year, but this award should have gone to Tallon. The amount of turnover in Florida (and to make the playoffs) was remarkable.

Lady Byng Trophy
Winner: Brian Campbell
Finalist: Jordan Eberle, Matt Moulson
Analysis: I think it's awesome that a defensemane finally won this award for the first time since 1954. Congrats Campbell.

Draft

Because I don't have all day to disect each selection, here is the first round recapped with thoughts on that and the second day (rounds 2-7)

1. Nail Yakupov (Edmonton)
2. Ryan Murray (Columbus)
3. Alex Galchenyuk (Montreal)
4. Griffin Reinhart (New York I)
5. Morgan Rielly (Toronto)
6. Hampus Lundholm (Anaheim)
7. Mathew Dumba (Minnesota)
8. Derrick Pouliot (Pittsburgh)
9. Jacob Trouba (Winnipeg)
10. Slater Koekkoek (Tampa Bay)
11. Filip Forsberg (Washington)
12. Mikhail Grigorenko (Buffalo)
13. Radek Faksa (Dallas)
14. Zemgus Girgensons (Buffalo)
15.Cody Ceci (Ottawa)
16. Tom Wilson (Washington)
17. Tomas Hertl (San Jose)
18. Teuvo Teravainen (Chicago)
19. Andrei Vasilevski (Tampa Bay)
20. Scott Laughton (Philadelphia)
21. Mark Jankowski (Calgary)
22. Olli Maatta (Pittsburgh)
23. Mike Matheson (Florida)
24. Malcolm Subban (Boston)
25. Jordan Schmaltz (St. Louis)
26. Brendan Gaunce (Vancouver)
27. Henrik Samuelsson (Phoenix)
28. Brady Skjei (New York R)
29. Stefan Matteau (New Jersey)
30. Tanner Pearson (Los Angeles)

First Round Thoughts

• Edmonton did the sensible thing and took the #1 ranked guy. Even though everyone was scared s***-less about him going to the KHL (more on that later).
• Columbus with a great pick in Murray, should be the cornerstone defenseman the Blue Jackets need for years to come.
• I was skeptical of the Habs picking Galchenyuk (espically with the knee injury that kept him out almost all season), but the more I hear about him the more I'm easing off the skepticism...for now. 
• Burke picking a Canadian is amazing. Burke calling him the #1 prospect of the draft is unbelievable.
• The number of defensemen taken in the top 10 was a record. The number of defenseman taken in the first round was remarkable.
• How far both Filip Forsberg and Olli Maatta fell isn't right, these two should have been drafted top 10.
• Speaking of top 10 talent, Grigorenko fell off in the rankings. Wonder how much that has to do with the rumours that he was 20. 
• The Flames trading down didn't make much sense. The fact that they drafted a guy who they could have got in the second round is (again) unbelievable. Fester is really "Going For It" (It = not playoffs/rebuild).
• The Bruins are bastards for picking P.K.'s little brother.
• The Devils are...well...devils for picking "Matteau, Matteau, Matteau" junior.

Other Draft Thoughts

• The Habs with two interesting picks in the later rounds. First off was Dalton Thrower (a great name for hockey) in the second round, then Tim Bozon (son of Philippe Bozon - a French-born [as in France, not Quebec] player) in the third round.
• I get it's easy to make Brian Burke-American player jokes, but for him to only pick one U.S.-born player in this draft is surprising.
• Martin Frk (who plays for the Halifax Mooseheads) got drafted in the second round by the Red Wings. He'll likely be sent back this year, meaning for Frk-ken jokes for me.
• Minnesota picking Louis Nanne was a no-brainer. Why wouldn't they?
• Only one player from my home province (Nova Scotia) was picked. Brandon Whitney, 191st overall (7th round) to the Blackhawks.
• The only time the ""KHL Factor" should be considered during the draft is if the player is already playing (re: under contract) over there. If a Russian is playing over in North America, then there should be no worry about him going back (for a few years).