NHL's Calder Trophy finalists announced
by Donny Rivette on Apr 20, 2011 12:19 PM EDT
in NHL & General Hockey
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PrintQuick rundown of the three nominees for this year's Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year), announced on Tuesday:
- Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks (22 years old) - 79gp 32g-24a 56p +18 8gwg
- Michael Grabner, New York Islanders (23 years old) - 76gp 34g-18a 52p +13 3gwg
- Jeff Skinner, Carolina Hurricanes (18 years old) - 82gp 31g-32a 63p +3 2gwg
This will undoubtedly be - surprise, surprise - a contentious debate among fans of the Florida Panthers, given the club's extraordinarily short history with one of the finalists.
Had I a vote to cast, it would go Skinner's way; a far lower age and higher point total on a ho-hum Canes squad skew it in his favor.
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Grabner Grabner Grabner
Talk about a support group for the other two candidates…
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Trying out this whole Twitter thang...@RhyminChrisR
by Chris S Roberts on Apr 20, 2011 3:02 PM EDT reply actions
Here’s one avenue of explanation…
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by Donny Rivette on Apr 20, 2011 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions
I’d vote for Skinner.
However, Couture is doing well in the postseason. By well I mean the energy of a rookie, with the poise of a veteran.
Grabner, eh.
by IceCat69 on Apr 20, 2011 3:18 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
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. – NHL
I guess this means Couture still has time to garner support.
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by Donny Rivette on Apr 20, 2011 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Rookie rules are kinda screwwy, Couture was in the playoffs last year too. Grabner is hardly a rookie. Skinner is the only ‘true’ rookie (but that doesnt mean he should win)
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Trying out this whole Twitter thang...@RhyminChrisR
by Chris S Roberts on Apr 20, 2011 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions
This is a really deep rookie class (there’s like 10 guys who could have been a nominee in any other year) and I’d hate to have to decide who could win.
Couture might get it for the big role he had on a playoff calibre team (those GWG’s are huge), Skinner did a lot for his age, and Grabner had a prolific second half. I think it’s probably Couture’s to lose but it could go either way.
Lets just hope next years calder trophy race is a little more close to home for us Panthers fans.
8 GWGs are huge, especially in the Western Conference.
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Trying out this whole Twitter thang...@RhyminChrisR
by Chris S Roberts on Apr 20, 2011 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree, but to me Skinner’s the guy due to his age and the team surrounding him. It’s still a shame Grabner played like crap in camp. We REALLY could have used him.
I'm not going to say "I told you so.."
But if any of you paid any attention to some things I’ve said in the past, you would know my love for Grabner. Before the season started I was happy as could be that we acquired him, and I had even predicted we would get 25 goals out of him. I gotta say I was actually surprised to see him soar up past 30.. But the stat here some of us may be overlooking isn’t just the point totals and age etc.. Check out the +/- rating, sure Couture has a higher one but he’s also playing on a stacked Sharks squad.. To finish with a +13 on a team that was definately not expected to make the playoffs and didn’t exactly have reliable scoring I’d say is a nice feat.
Let’s not forget also that he did this after not only being traded once, but picked up AFTER training camp, having to relocate not once but twice. I don’t know about you guys, but having to move is a task on top of worrying about a new hockey system and everything else, and (at the time) his first baby on the way with his girlfriend. I’d say for being young and finally getting through your first full year in the league that’s a lot to handle for anyone.. Oh and let’s not forget that he’s the NHL’s “fastest skater”.
by Rob PKane McMahon on Apr 21, 2011 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions
PDB
Grabner was a DeBoer cut, primarily. So was Ellerby, almost. PDB is a hard core motivator. He is not a fan of underachieving up and comers. Perhaps this is a major reason he’s gone. The loss of Grabner is big for us. We will make it up no doubt. But with a plethera of young immature prospects, it is no surprise PDB is looking for a new head position.
CFS93
by chesterbardo on Apr 22, 2011 12:15 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Grabner himself admitted his struggles in training camp and even said that he probably deserved to get cut. It is what gave him the motivation to be the 30 goal scorer that he was. If we hadn’t sent him down, he would have been riding our fourth line with hordichuk with maybe 10 goals at the end of the season and minimal ice time.
by milhouse on Apr 22, 2011 1:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
This is true, but keep in mind he rode the 4th line (he was also in the pressbox for the first number of games) with the Islanders—and gradually earned more trust as the season went forward. He probably could have done the same here. I don’t think the offensive system or weapons are here for him to post the kind of numbers he had in Long Island (his second half is unreal) but he would have still been a integral part of the Panthers offense.
Would have loved if he wasn’t a sacrifical lamb but Got to move forward some time.
by Craig Fischer on Apr 22, 2011 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions
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