Tuesday, May 01, 2007

And the Nominees are...


The NHL announced its nominees for the post season awards celebration June 14th in Toronto. And this year there is a rather unusual situation brewing for the Vezina trophy, for the first time since the league began broadcasting the awards on television there are four nominees for the award for best goaltender as two of the four nominees tied for the third and final nomination.

The list of nominees includes:

CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY
(outstanding rookie):

Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins;
Jordan Staal, Pittsburgh Penguins
Paul Stastny, Colorado Avalanche.

FRANK J. SELKE TROPHY
(outstanding defensive forward):


Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes
Samuel Pahlsson, Anaheim Ducks
Jay Pandolfo, New Jersey Devils.

HART MEMORIAL TROPHY
(most valuable player to his team):


Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks.

JACK ADAMS AWARD
(outstanding coach):


Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres
Michel Therrien, Pittsburgh Penguins
Alain Vigneault, Vancouver Canucks.

JAMES NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY
(outstanding defenseman):

Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings
Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim Ducks
Chris Pronger, Anaheim Ducks.

LADY BYNG MEMORIAL TROPHY
(sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct):


Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning.

LESTER B. PEARSON AWARD
(most outstanding player as voted by fellow members of the NHLPA):


Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks

VEZINA TROPHY ***
(outstanding goaltender):

Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks.

*** tie for third place in balloting; four finalists named

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey) and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy (leadership and humanitarian contribution to his community) also will be presented at the Awards ceremony.

The NHL Website provided some thumbnail sketches of each of the nominees, which you can access by clicking on the names above and for full NHL information on the awards click here.

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