The Lebow Awards
I am an honourable man. I always like to give something back. In the conclusion of my first season writing for this website, I give you all the Lebow Awards, a collection of some things that may or may not have caught your attention during the past season or off-season, good bad and ugly. Enjoy.
I’ll start things with a bang. BRAWL OF THE YEAR: There is no doubt about this one, Calgary-Anaheim. The last 5 minutes of that game was the best exhibition of how tough nearly all hockey players are. There is nothing better than seeing a 52-goal scorer in Jarome Iginla tee off with Denny Lambert and score a draw in one of the more entertaining match-ups that game.
In a completely unrelated note we have the GOALIE FIGHT OF THE YEAR: Felix Potvin and Jami Hurme share this award, although they’d rather fight for it. Potvin, who has had his contract renewed by the Los Angeles Kings, would have won that fight against the young Senators Goaltender, but he had already been tangled up with Andre Roy and might have been tired. Then again, perhaps I’m biased because of the beating Potvin laid on Ron Hextall a few years back when Potvin was with the Leafs.
PLAYOFF SERIES WE’D LIKE TO SEE AGAIN NEXT YEAR: There are a couple here that gave us all a great couple weeks of hockey to watch, my pick for the best in the Eastern Conference has to go towards Toronto-New York Islanders series, even including the feces-disturbing tendencies of Jason Blake and Darcy Tucker. This (hopefully) is the birth of a new rivalry that could last for years. The top series in the Western Conference has to be the conference finals between Detroit and Colorado; those two seem to bring out the best in each other and it’s great to see them play each other almost every year.
TEAM THAT SHOULD HAVE MADE THE PLAYOFFS: Short and sweet for this one, Edmonton. A team that skates fast and plays hard, the Oilers should automatically receive a spot every year, if only because the Skyreach Centre is known for having the best ice surface, as opposed to the sludge that bogged down players in Toronto, Carolina and San Jose.
BIGGEST WHINER OF THE YEAR: I thought of naming this the Theo Fleury award, but right now, Curtis Joseph may very well turn down an offer that would make him the highest paid goalie in the NHL. Sorry Curtis, but you’re not the best, and if someone gives you that kind of money, take it. Dom Hasek took a pay cut of one million dollars just to play for Detroit.
WORST MOVE BY A GENERAL MANAGER: Next year, this will be named the Bobby Clarke award. His move to acquire Adam Oates was a poorly timed, terribly executed gamble. That trade not only cost the Flyers a 1rst, 2nd and 3rd round pick, it also costs them a 1st round pick next year, in what is expected to be a ‘boom’ draft, and young talented prospect Maxime Ouellete. Washington Capitals GM Mike McPhee must be laughing all the way to the draft this past weekend.
TOP PROSPECT IN THIS YEARS DRAFT: Jay Bouwmeester was expected to go 1st overall, he didn’t, but could have. Watching him in the past three World Junior Championships, it’s easy to see just how head-and-shoulders he is above most of his peers. A terrific passer with incredible vision and an accurate point shot, he should jump right into the NHL next season.
WORST BROTHER ACT: The Bure’s. Not since Brent Greztky (the brother of you-know-who) has a family name been so sullied after being held in high regard, although Pavel does deserve credit for putting things back on track after his move to Broadway.
WORST WASTE OF A PAYROLL: Everyone thought that Glen Sather would bring some sort of fiscal consciousness to the New York Rangers. Instead, he found out the hard way that money doesn’t solve personnel problems. The last part of the season saw a small surge, but it was not enough to vault the Rangers into a playoffs spot, although with their roster, they should be contenders to do so this coming season
MOST UNSHELFISH PLAYER: I can remember many times yelling at Tomas Kaberle through the TV “Shoot the thing already!” Some other comments about Kaberle’s preference to pass at almost all times include “I’d take him duck hunting, but he wouldn’t shoot at anything” and “The guy must have a no-shot clause in his contract.” Hopefully, this young Leafs defenseman will learn to shoot, he does have a good one when he uses it.
BIGGEST CASE OF IRONY IN THE REGULAR SEASON: Scoring the 10,000th goal on home ice for the Montreal Canadiens was Sergei Berezin, drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Assisting were Yanic Perreault, also drafted by the Leafs, and Doug Gilmour, who cemented his reputation as a killer when he lead the Leafs to the conference finals two years in a row.
WORST PLAYERS: This is a team award, and it goes to the Philadelphia Flyers. First, they manage to implode on themselves in a series against a beatable Ottawa opponent. Then, they have the audacity to badmouth Bill Barber after the man was already fired. It looks like this team is starting to resemble its’ General Manager, and it is not a pretty sight.
PROOF THAT EVERYTHING IS RIGHT IN THE NHL: Fighting is up, and Roger Nielsen is in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
