Hockey Wilderness Awards

With the end of the NHL regular season comes the debate surrounding who should win the NHL's storied awards. Does the Norris automatically go to Lidstrom? Does a young buck step in and take the torch? Who is  the league's best goaltender? Are they really the best, or is it the system they play in? What decides who is the best? Wins? Save %?

Does the Hart trophy go to best player in the league, or does it go to the player who is the most important to their team? Does the Masterson trophy have to go to the comeback player, or can it go to someone who meets the description of the award? Does the Masterson trophy actually matter?

So many questions, very few with a right or wrong answer. NHL awards, from what I can tell, spark a debate not seen in other sports. NBA players have full out campaigns to win the MVP award. In baseball, the winner if often criticized rather than celebrated. The NFL, well, in the NFL the awards are about as important as the Pro Bowl. No one really cares much.

With that, I present to you Hockey Wilderness' picks for each of the NHL awards, and for the Wild team specific awards. We will also present who will actually win it, despite the fact that we may not agree with that selection.

Make the jump.

NHL AWARDS (with official award description):

Hart Memorial Trophy (given to the player judged to be the most valuable to his team):

Nathan: Henrik Sedin

Buddha: Ilya Bryzgalov

Who Actually Wins: Alexander Ovechkin

Vezina Trophy ( given to the goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at this position):

Chosen by: NHL GMs

Nathan: Ryan Miller

Buddha: Ilya Bryzgalov

Who actually wins: Ryan Miller

James Norris Memorial Trophy (given to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position):

Chosen by: PHWA

Nathan: Duncan Keith

Buddha: Duncan Keith

Who actually wins: Mike Green

Calder Memorial Trophy (given to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League):

Chosen by: PHWA

Nathan: Tyler Myers

Buddha: Tyler Myers

Who actually wins: Tyler Myers

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (given to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability):

Chosen by: PHWA

Nathan: Andrew Brunette

Buddha: Andrew Brunette

Who actually wins: Pavel Datsyuk

Frank J. Selke Trophy (given to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game):

Chosen by: PHWA

Nathan: Ryan Kesler

Buddha: (barf) Alex Burrows

Who actually wins: Pavel Datsyuk

Jacks Adams Award ( NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success):

Selected by: NHL Broadcasters' Association

Nathan: Dave Tippett

Buddha: Dave Tippett

Who actually wins: Dave Tippett

Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy (given to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey):

Chosen by: PHWA

Nathan: Kurtis Foster

Buddha: Greg Zanon

Who actually wins: No idea. No one really cares, I don't think.

Lester B Pearson Award ("most outstanding player" in the NHL as voted by fellow members of theNHLPA)

Chosen by: NHLPA members (the players)

Nathan: Ilya Bryzgalov

Buddha: Alex Ovechkin

Who actually wins: Alex Ovechkin

Minnesota Wild Awards:

Hart:

Nathan: Mikko Koivu

Buddha: Mikko Koivu

Vezina:

Nathan: Niklas Backstrom

Buddha: Josh Harding

Norris:

Nathan: Greg Zanon

Buddha: Greg Zanon

Calder:

Nathan: Anton Khudobin

Buddha: Casey Wellman

Lady Byng:

Nathan: Andrew Brunette

Buddha: Andrew Brunette

Selke:

Nathan: Mikko Koivu

Buddha: Mikko Koivu

Jack Adams:

Nathan: Todd Richards

Buddha: Mike Ramsey

Masterson:

Nathan: Guillaume Latendresse

Buddha: Owen Nolan

Pearson:

Nathan: Mikko Koivu

Buddha: Mikko Koivu

Other people's selections:

Russo

SBN Blog Writers

Do you agree? Disagree? Who would you pick?

-Buddha