[Devils-list] Ted's postseason award winners - from USAtoday
JM2714@aol.com
JM2714@aol.com
Sat, 31 Mar 2001 10:36:16 EST
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With the playoffs just around the corner, let's take a look at the most=20
likely candidates for postseason trophies:
Most Valuable Player
This one isn't even close: It begins and ends with Colorado's Joe Sakic.=20
Sakic kept the Avs afloat when they were hit by early season injuries, and=20
he's kept up his torrid pace all year long. He's fast, smooth and plays a=20
ton. He's done it all for Colorado, and the results show in the standings.
Runners-up: Pavel Bure, Florida; Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh=20
Top defenseman
This should be the season when Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom finally takes home=
=20
the Norris Trophy, after being the runner-up for three straight years. Sure,=
=20
Lidstrom's chances were helped by the injuries to Al MacInnis and Chris=20
Pronger, but he deserves it on merit anyway. He plays among the most minutes=
=20
in the league, he's never hurt, he's among league leaders in power play=20
points, and he makes very few mistakes. Lidstrom finally takes home the=20
Norris this year.
Runners-up: Brian Leetch, N.Y. Rangers; Rob Blake, Colorado
Top rookie
Evgeni Nabokov of the San Jose Sharks deserves the award, but mostly for the=
=20
first two-thirds of the season. His game faltered during the last part of th=
e=20
schedule, which coincided with the Sharks' alarming tumble in the standings.=
=20
But Nabokov got them to the point where they at least had some breathing roo=
m.
Runners-up: Brad Richards, Tampa Bay; Shane Willis, Carolina
Best defensive forward
I've got to go with New Jersey's John Madden, who on a team that prizes its=20
defensive game, is a start among stars. Madden's been among the league=20
leaders all year in shorthanded goals, and he often gets the tough assignmen=
t=20
to shadow the opponent's best forwards. He's an important cog in the New=20
Jersey machine.
Runners-up: Todd Marchant, Edmonton; Mike Ricci, San Jose
Most gentlemanly player
The top Lady Byng candidate for my money is Ron Francis of Carolina. He's=20
played the same consistent game for so long now =E2=80=93 tenacious but clea=
n =E2=80=93 and=20
he's the epitome of gentlemanliness.
Runners-up: Ziggy Palffy, Los Angeles; Sergei Samsonov, Boston
Top coach
The field is crowded for the Adams Trophy, and you could probably make a=20
convincing argument for any one of seven or eight NHL coaches. But my choice=
=20
is Bill Barber, who took the Flyers at the height of the Eric Lindros turmoi=
l=20
and showed them the way to playing winning hockey and forgetting about the=20
off-ice distractions. He's behind the bench of a genuine Cup-contending team=
=20
now.
Runners-up: Jacques Martin, Ottawa; Barry Trotz, Nashville
=20
=20
=20
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ckey/columns/ted/2001-03-26.htm
<BR>With the playoffs just around the corner, let's take a look at the most=20
<BR>likely candidates for postseason trophies:
<BR>
<BR>Most Valuable Player
<BR>
<BR>This one isn't even close: It begins and ends with Colorado's <B>Joe Sak=
ic</B>.=20
<BR>Sakic kept the Avs afloat when they were hit by early season injuries, a=
nd=20
<BR>he's kept up his torrid pace all year long. He's fast, smooth and plays=20=
a=20
<BR>ton. He's done it all for Colorado, and the results show in the standing=
s.
<BR><B>Runners-up: Pavel Bure</B>, Florida; <B>Jaromir Jagr</B>, Pittsburgh=20
<BR>
<BR>Top defenseman
<BR>
<BR>This should be the season when Detroit's <B>Nicklas Lidstrom </B>finally=
takes home=20
<BR>the Norris Trophy, after being the runner-up for three straight years. S=
ure,=20
<BR>Lidstrom's chances were helped by the injuries to <B>Al MacInnis </B>and=
<B>Chris=20
<BR>Pronger</B>, but he deserves it on merit anyway. He plays among the most=
minutes=20
<BR>in the league, he's never hurt, he's among league leaders in power play=20
<BR>points, and he makes very few mistakes. Lidstrom finally takes home the=20
<BR>Norris this year.
<BR><B>Runners-up: Brian Leetch</B>, N.Y. Rangers; <B>Rob Blake</B>, Colorad=
o
<BR>
<BR>Top rookie
<BR><B>
<BR>Evgeni Nabokov </B>of the San Jose Sharks deserves the award, but mostly=
for the=20
<BR>first two-thirds of the season. His game faltered during the last part o=
f the=20
<BR>schedule, which coincided with the Sharks' alarming tumble in the standi=
ngs.=20
<BR>But Nabokov got them to the point where they at least had some breathing=
room.
<BR><B>Runners-up: </B>Brad Richards, Tampa Bay; Shane Willis, Carolina
<BR>
<BR>Best defensive forward
<BR>
<BR>I've got to go with New Jersey's <B>John Madden</B>, who on a team that=20=
prizes its=20
<BR>defensive game, is a start among stars. Madden's been among the league=20
<BR>leaders all year in shorthanded goals, and he often gets the tough assig=
nment=20
<BR>to shadow the opponent's best forwards. He's an important cog in the New=
=20
<BR>Jersey machine.
<BR><B>Runners-up:</B> <B>Todd Marchant</B>, Edmonton; <B>Mike Ricci</B>, Sa=
n Jose
<BR>
<BR>Most gentlemanly player
<BR>
<BR>The top Lady Byng candidate for my money is <B>Ron Francis </B>of Caroli=
na. He's=20
<BR>played the same consistent game for so long now =E2=80=93 tenacious but=20=
clean =E2=80=93 and=20
<BR>he's the epitome of gentlemanliness.
<BR><B>Runners-up: Ziggy Palffy</B>, Los Angeles; <B>Sergei Samsonov</B>, Bo=
ston
<BR>
<BR>Top coach
<BR>The field is crowded for the Adams Trophy, and you could probably make a=
=20
<BR>convincing argument for any one of seven or eight NHL coaches. But my ch=
oice=20
<BR>is <B>Bill Barber</B>, who took the Flyers at the height of the <B>Eric=20=
Lindros </B>turmoil=20
<BR>and showed them the way to playing winning hockey and forgetting about t=
he=20
<BR>off-ice distractions. He's behind the bench of a genuine Cup-contending=20=
team=20
<BR>now.
<BR><B>Runners-up: Jacques Martin</B>, Ottawa; <B>Barry Trotz</B>, Nashville
<BR> =20
<BR> =20
<BR> =20
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