2009-10 Probert Award: Fighter of the Year
 

The best fighter with the best year. Basically, if you throw out all past history and started over this year, who would have been ranked on top?

Nominees

Derek Boogaard, Minnesota Wild (9 fights)
Key Wins: TKO'd Brian McGrattan, Wade Belak
Key Losses: none (bloodied by D.J. King but probably won the great fight)

Brian McGrattan, Calgary Flames (14 fights)
Key Wins: Knocked down Darcy Hordichuk, beat Steve MacIntyre, Wade Belak x2, Cam Janssen
Key Losses: TKO'd by Derek Boogaard, lost to Colton Orr

Colton Orr, Toronto Maple Leafs (23 fights)
Key Wins: KO & decisive win over Matt Carkner, slight win vs. Eric Godard, win over Brian McGrattan, win vs. Cam Janssen
Key Losses: KO'd by Jody Shelley and knocked down by Matt Carkner, beat by Steve MacIntyre


My Pick

Only 3 nominees this year: everyone else is a cut below. The end of George Laraque and Donald Brashear, plus the fall of Wade Belak and Eric Godard left a power vacuum at the top. Here's the way I dissect this: Its hard to vote for McGrattan when he lost cleanly to the other two. Its hard to vote for Orr with some of those major and decisive losses. It's slightly difficult to vote for Boogaard due to the comparative inactivity. So I'll go on the path of least resistance and vote Derek Boogaard. I'll also say everyone loves a 20-fight fighter who throws 'em with reckless disregard to personal safety so I think Colton Orr will win the popular vote.

Previous Winners

2003-04: Matt Johnson
2005-06: Georges Laraque
2006-07: Derek Boogaard
2007-08: Georges Laraque
2008-09: Wade Belak

I went with Orr. He was dropped quite a few times, but he was able to get revenge for the most part. He held his own against the best of the best and was able to beat quite a few top HWs during the season.

Boogaard for me....

I can't give it to a guy who lost 4 fights clearly last season, including being dropped twice.......

I went with Boogy,IMO the most dominant fighter this year.

Boogaard

Yeah, I have to go with Boogs for the same reasons mentioned here.

.......w L T........
Orr 11 8 4
Mcg 9 2 3 losing to orr and boogey ironicly
Boogey 7 1 1

I give this one to Boogaard for lack of a better option. McGrattan had a great comeback season, but it's really hard to vote for the guy after he lost to the competition. Colton Orr had a great year and was a lot of fun to watch, but as already said, I cannot vote for a guy in this category who not only lost but was cleanly dropped twice by two different opponents. Boogaard may not have accomplished all that much in comparison and wasn't nearly as active, but he just doesn't seem to lose fights.

I give this one to Orr. Orr was wreckless and determined all year, always looking to fight. His wide open style got him dropped more than once, but he also fought more than twice as much as Boogard, and cleanly beat Mcgrattan. I also scored Boogards fight with King a loss, so that was decision maker.

I don't think Boogaard lost the fight to King if anything i would say it was a draw.

Colton Orr for me. It may be a little bias, but hey at least he has a great arguement for me to make. Just look at the mans fight card along with his fighting style.

If these records are right, then Orr barely broke .500.
McGrattan lost to both other guys nominated, but i can't vote for Boogard, so McG gets my vote.

I went with Colton Orr. Orr had a couple bad losses but I cannot fathom voting for a guy who had less than 10 fights.

I'll take activity, destruction and entertainment over a good win percentage any day.

Those are great qualities for Most Exciting Fighter.

...And they aren't bad qualities for Fighter of the Year especially when the other guy only had 9 fights.