May 10, 2010
2009-10 NHL Awards
Who Should Win?

Puck Prospectus

Every season players and coaches are nominated for their outstanding achievements in different aspects of the game of hockey. Some will be recognized for their offensive skills, others for their defensive contributions, and others for their superb coaching ability. On Wednesday, June 23rd, at the Pearl Concert Theater inside the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas, we will find out the winners for this year's awards.

Definitions

The Puck Prospectus staff has decided to select the most deserving winner for six of the most important awards. These six awards are defined as follows:

• Vezina: The Vezina Trophy is an annual award given to the goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at this position as voted by the general managers of all NHL clubs. Last Winner - Tim Thomas, BOS.
• Selke: The Frank J. Selke Trophy is an annual award given to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game. The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season. Last Winner - Pavel Datsyuk, DET.
• Calder: The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League. The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season. To be eligible for the award, a player cannot have played more than 25 games in any single preceding season nor in six or more games in each of any two preceding seasons in any major professional league. The player must not be older than 26 years before September 15 of the season in which he is eligible. Last Winner - Steve Mason, CBJ.
• Norris: The James Norris Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position. The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season. Last Winner - Zdeno Chara, BOS.
• Jack Adams: The Jack Adams Award is an annual award presented by the National Hockey League Broadcasters' Association to the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success. The winner is selected in a poll among members of the NHL Broadcasters' Association at the end of the regular season. Last Winner - Claude Julien, BOS.
• Hart: The Hart Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the player judged to be the most valuable to his team. The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association in all NHL cities at the end of the regular season. Last Winner - Alexander Ovechkin, WSH.

Nominees

Around the end of the regular season, three players or coaches are nominated for each of these six awards. The nominees are:

Vezina:

1. Martin Brodeur, NJD
2. Ilya Bryzgalov, PHX
3. Ryan Miller, BUF

Selke:

1. Pavel Datsyuk, DET
2. Ryan Kesler, VAN
3. Jordan Staal, PIT

Calder:

1. Matt Duchene, COL
2. Jimmy Howard, DET
3. Tyler Myers, BUF

Norris:

1. Drew Doughty, LAK
2. Mike Green, WSH
3. Duncan Keith, CHI

Jack Adams:

1. Joe Sacco, COL
2. Dave Tippett, PHX
3. Barry Trotz, NSH

Hart:

1. Sidney Crosby, PIT
2. Alexander Ovechkin, WSH
3. Henrik Sedin, VAN

Puck Prospectus Picks

Staff writers could select either one of the three nominees for a particular award or someone outside of the list of nominees, if they believed the most deserving player or coach was not nominated.

Here are the cumulative and individual selections for the 2009-10 NHL awards, made by the staff of Puck Prospectus:

Puck Prospectus Staff:

Vezina:            Ryan Miller, BUF (8)

Selke:             Pavel Datsyuk, DET (4)
                   Jordan Staal, PIT (2)
                   Ryan Kesler, VAN (1)
                   Manny Malhotra, SJS (1)

Calder:            Tyler Myers, BUF (5)
                   Jimmy Howard, DET (3)

Norris:            Duncan Keith, CHI (6)
                   Christian Ehrhoff, VAN (1)
                   Drew Doughty, LAK (1)

Jack Adams:        Dave Tippett, PHX (4)
                   Barry Trotz, NSH (1)
                   Joe Sacco, COL (1)
                   Alain Vigneault, VAN (1)
                   Cory Clouston, OTT (1)

Hart:              Sidney Crosby, PIT (4)
                   Alexander Ovechkin, WSH (2)
                   Ryan Miller, BUF (1)
                   Tuukka Rask, BOS (1)

Individual Selections:

Tom Awad:

Vezina: Ryan Miller, BUF
Selke: Pavel Datsyuk, DET
Calder: Tyler Myers, BUF
Norris: Duncan Keith, CHI
Jack Adams: Alain Vigneault, VAN
Hart: Sidney Crosby, PIT

Timo Seppa:

Vezina: Ryan Miller, BUF
Selke: Manny Malhotra, SJS
Calder: Tyler Myers, BUF
Norris: Christian Ehrhoff, VAN
Jack Adams: Dave Tippett, PHX
Hart: Tuukka Rask, BOS

Robert Vollman:

Vezina: Ryan Miller, BUF
Selke: Jordan Staal, PIT
Calder: Jimmy Howard, DET
Norris: Duncan Keith, CHI
Jack Adams: Dave Tippett, PHX
Hart: Ryan Miller, BUF

Richard Pollock:

Vezina: Ryan Miller, BUF
Selke: Pavel Datsyuk, DET
Calder: Tyler Myers, BUF
Norris: Duncan Keith, CHI
Jack Adams: Cory Clouston, OTT
Hart: Sidney Crosby, PIT

Philip Myrland:

Vezina: Ryan Miller, BUF
Selke: Ryan Kesler, VAN
Calder: Tyler Myers, BUF
Norris: Duncan Keith, CHI
Jack Adams: Dave Tippett, PHX
Hart: Sidney Crosby, PIT

Iain Fyffe:

Vezina: Ryan Miller, BUF
Selke: Pavel Datsyuk, DET
Calder: Tyler Myers, BUF
Norris: Duncan Keith, CHI
Jack Adams: Joe Sacco, COL
Hart: Alexander Ovechkin, WSH

Corey Pronman:

Vezina: Ryan Miller, BUF
Selke: Jordan Staal, PIT
Calder: Jimmy Howard, DET
Norris: Drew Doughty, LAK
Jack Adams: Barry Trotz, NSH
Hart: Sidney Crosby, PIT

Andrew Rothstein:

Vezina: Ryan Miller, BUF
Selke: Pavel Datsyuk, DET
Calder: Jimmy Howard, DET
Norris: Duncan Keith, CHI
Jack Adams: Dave Tippett, PHX
Hart: Alexander Ovechkin, WSH

This column was authored by the staff of Puck Prospectus.