I'm sick of seeing so many forwards win awards at the annual NHL Awards Ceremony. We've got 13 trophies that should be considered "individual" ones, and only one of those is earmarked for defencemen, the Norris Trophy. We've got an award for defensive forwards (the Selke), so why not award one for offensive defencemen?
This whole rant was prompted by an article by Don Brennan on Canoe that said Anton Volchenkov should have received a nomination for the Norris. Given the company he would keep with that nomination (Scott Niedermayer, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Chris Pronger were the three nominees), I'm not sure I'd rank him in that category. But if there were a Bobby Orr Trophy for best offensive defenceman in the NHL, I'd say Neidermayer would drop out of Norris nomination and Anton Volchenkov would definitely deserve a nod for best defensive defenceman in the NHL.
Other benefits of the Bobby Orr Trophy would be giving recognition to offensively gifted defenceman, such as Joe Corvo. I'm not sure Corvo is one of the three best offensive d-men in the league, but he's pretty damned good.
Plus, let's be realistic; goalies or forwards usually get the Hart, Pearson, and Conn Smyth, the last defenceman to win the Lady Byng was Edgar Laprade waaaaay back in 1950, and unless Bobby Orr himself is reborn we won't be seeing an Art Ross- or Rocket Richard-winning defenceman in the near future. The Bud Light Plus/Minus Award doesn't count as a real one. The Vezina, Jennings, Adams, and Selke are all for other positions.
That leaves defenceman to vie for one of the following:
Masterton: Berard and Daneyko are the only defencemen to win in the last 10 years
Calder: You can only win it once, and defencemen don't often get it.
King Clancy and Lester Patrick: Largely off-ice contributions.
So let's give Anton Volchenkov and his fellow awesome defensive defencemen their proper recognition and make the Norris a defensive award, with the new Orr award for offensive defencemen.
Ray Emery is alright
Apparently Ray Emery got in a car accident on the Queensway, but word on the street is that he's fine. No injuries, and if he missed the plane he'll get to Jersey even if Eugene Melnyk has to take his private jet and fly him there himself.
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