The 2010 Alternative NHL Awards
by Dirk Hoag on May 13, 2010 5:03 PM EDT
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PrintThe NHL Awards will be handed out next month in Las Vegas, but for the fifth season in a row, it's time to hand out the Alternative NHL Awards, which celebrate hockey's greatest rulebreakers, recognizing the most frequent occupants of the penalty box by their individual specialty.
Take a walk back through history by reviewing the awards from 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2006, or jump right ahead to this year's big winners...
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Boarding
Not only did Blake Comeau lead the league with 5 Boarding penalties this season, but three of them took place in the offensive zone, which must have driven Isles coach Scott Gordon nuts. Atlanta's Christoph Schubert, Dallas forward Steve Ott, and San Jose's Ryan Clowe were next with 4 Boarding calls each.
Charging
Eager and Philadelphia's Ian Laperierre led the way with 3 Charging calls apiece, but Eager did the trick in just 60 games, as opposed to Lappy's 82. This is Eager's 2nd such honor, having also led the league in Charging (while playing just 23 games) in 2007-8. Tone it down, pal!
Cross-Checking
Foster & Pitkanen both notched 6 Cross-Checking penalties in just 71 games, earning them a tie for this title. Nashville's Ryan Suter and Philadelphia's Scott Hartnell also had 6 calls, but played more games.
For Pitkanen, this championship comes after years of hard work. He finished 2nd last year, and 3rd in 2007 before finally making it to the top. See kids, persistence pays off!
Delay of Game - Puck Over Glass
Montreal's Hamrlik sent 5 free pucks into the stands, and went to the penalty box for it. Carolina's Pitkanen and Phoenix defenseman Zybnek Michalek were just behind him with 4.
Diving
Tootoo took 2 Diving calls this year (how appropriate) in just 51 games, edging him ahead in this battle ahead of Jon Sim, who also was whistled twice for Diving, but played more games for the Islanders (77).
At a team level, Washington and Dallas led the way with 3 diving calls each.
Elbowing
The Canucks' SOB was called for Elbowing 3 times this season in 65 games, giving him the award here over Dallas' Steve Ott and Phoenix's Martin Hanzal who played more.
Fighting
This is probably the one penalty that guys actively attempt to rack up, and Konopka's 33 Fighting majors are the most in a single season since before the Great Lockout of 2004-5. Brandon Prust, who split time between the Flames and Rangers, and Ian Laperierre of Philadelphia came next at 25 fights each.
Goaltender Interference
A truly multi-faceted pest, Burrows ran the opposing team's goaltender 6 times this season, just ahead of Scott Hartnell's 5. I don't think Vancouver coaches will complain about those penalties, however, as long as Burrows notches 35 goals as well.
High-Sticking
Pittsburgh's Malkin inched ahead in a very tight race here, with 8 High-Sticking calls in 67 games. Danny Briere and Jason Blake also had 8, but played more games to reach that lofty goal.
Holding
What does a defenseman do when he loses position on an attacker? Hold him up, of course, and Hillen got whistled 9 times for being "all hands". Ryan Whitney, who split time in Anaheim and Edmonton this season, was second with 8 such calls.
Hooking
This was an incredibly close race, basically a six-way tie with 9 Hooking calls each, with Smyth getting the nod based on fewest games played. The other leading Hookers were Henrik Sedin and Alexander Edler of Vancouver, Danny Briere of Philadelphia, Buffalo's Derek Roy and Atlanta's Rich Peverley.
Interference
SOB ekes out another close win, with 9 Interference calls, tied with San Jose's Douglas Murray (who played 79 games to O'Brien's 65).
Roughing
Roughing is one of those penalties that's hard to defend, as it's more the result of undisciplined aggression more than anything else. Downie racked up 30 Roughing calls this season, the most in the post-lockout era, and miles ahead of Scott Hartnell's 20.
Slashing
Sid the Kid whacked opponents with his stick 11 times, and went to the box for his two minutes of shame
Too Many Men
The Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche led the league with 13 Too Many Men calls during the season. Anaheim, by comparison, only got called twice.
Tripping
With 11 Tripping penalties, Kubina successfully defended his 2009 title! Buffalo's Derek Roy came in second with 10 calls, but we'll give him a special demerit for committing 5 of them in the offensive zone. Ouch, those have to hurt!
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BURROWS
is a waaaaaaay better diver than toots
And the Habs are waaaaaaaaaaaaaay better as a team when it comes to diving.
http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nhl/boxscore?gid=2010042610
3 in one game has to be a record all by itself, no?
I am Mikhail Grabovski's smirking revenge.
by kidkawartha on May 14, 2010 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Great research, great post.
Gripping the Stick Too Tight - Pointless rants about the game we love. Because its our game too.
Seconded.
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on May 14, 2010 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Nice job with the post!
Oh silly Eager – we just can’t quite control him.
I went to a fight the other night and a hockey game broke out.
- Rodney Dangerfield
Ethan Moreau can’t even win one of these awards.
by Benjamin Massey on May 13, 2010 6:10 PM EDT reply actions
And to think I wanted to trade for him! Shame on me.
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by Chris Burton on May 13, 2010 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions
This tells me that diving is vastly under-called in the NHL if the two leading teams had 3 go against the entire team on a season. How Burrows didn’t get 5 on his own is beyond me. I’d bet 95% of the dives were evened up too.
I waited all year for this?
by Rob Parker on May 13, 2010 7:58 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I’ve personally seen Burrows dive that many times against Nashville, so I think you’re right.
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by Chris Burton on May 13, 2010 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions
So when Burrows doesn't get called for diving
and your arguments about him being a diver go out the window you go to the “well he dives he just doesn’t get called for it” card? Weak sauce. Refs are looking for Burrows all the time. Focusing on him, mostly that’s his own fault but none the less, to see what he is up to. Yet they miss all of his dives? I doubt it. Probably your judgment of Burrows is tainted because you don’t like him. That seems more likely.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on May 14, 2010 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions
No, I mean that I’ve seen him make dives that I thought should’ve been called. We all know we have incompetent refs.
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by Chris Burton on May 14, 2010 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Dives or embellishes?
Also how much hockey have you played? Just wondering how much I should trust your judgment of what a dive is.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on May 14, 2010 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions
last time I checked
Diving/embellishing were the same thing.
64.1 Diving / Embellishment – Any player or goalkeeper who blatantly dives, embellishes a fall or a reaction, or who feigns an injury shall be penalized with a minor penalty under this rule.
Alex Burrows specifically feigned injury on Jerred Smithson’s boarding penalty and subsequent game misconduct this year. That, in fact, is what got Smithers ejected. Classy, eh?
I was also unaware that you had to have laced up skates at some point in your life to be knowledgeable about hockey. Lets take another sport as an example. Two of the NFL’s most respected journalists, John Clayton and Len Pasquarelli, have never played a down of football in their entire life. They have Hall of Fame votes.
So whats your point?
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by Chris Burton on May 14, 2010 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions
I have an idea
don’t hammer guys from behind and they won’t be able to embellish. Who has less class? The guy trying to end some ones career or the guy making sure the Ref saw it and penalizes him?
Why not answer the question and then I will tell you why it’s relevant.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on May 14, 2010 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions
don’t hammer guys from behind and they won’t be able to embellish
Let me see if I’m tracking here.
1) Jerred Smithson boards Burrows
2) Burrows fakes injury
Number one justifies number two?
The guy trying to end some ones career or the guy making sure the Ref saw it and penalizes him?
I dislike guys who break the rules. Not justifying what Smithson did, at all. But I dislike lying bastards even more. I don’t think I can say that Smithson’s boarding was less classy than Burrows’ playing dairy farm and milking it for all it was worth.
If you must know, I’ve never played hockey. But as far as I can see its pretty immaterial. And besides, I’m from Nashville. Goodness knows, we can’t know anything aboot hockey.
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"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on May 14, 2010 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
So potentially injuring someone...
is classier than playing up a hit to give the guy a longer penalty?
Sorry, Willie Mitchell may never play hockey again because of one of those kinds of hits. Plenty of other players have the same sad story.
Embellishment and diving are poor sportsmanship, hits from behind are criminal.
I don’t think its that simple. I think its a lot more likely, and thus premeditated, if you will, that Burrows said ‘Ooh, I’ve been hit. Lets act like I have an injury to get a 5 minute PP.‘, than it is Smithson going ’I’m skating a long at highspeedohtheresaCanuckletsendhiscareer’.
Basically, there’s more thought that goes into a dirtbag like Burrows’ acts than Smithson making a bad hit in the run of play.
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"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on May 15, 2010 10:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Burrows stayed down and "acted" hurt
according to some. The only one who knows how he felt after the hit was Burrows. I have been hit before where I thought it was bad and then realized 10 seconds later that the pain was going away and I was fine. I have also been hit where I jumped right back up thinking I was fine only to find out I had been unconscious for 5 minutes. You can call what Burrows did whatever names you want. I am not justifying what he did. I am just saying if you don’t hit people from behind then you can’t get penalized, rightly OR wrongly, for hitting guys from behind.
And I wasn’t asking if you played hockey to prove that I know more about the sport than you. Or that you can’t be knowledgeable because you are from the US or anything of that nature. But until you have taken a hard hit from behind, no dirty jokes please, it is hard to know how you would react and how it would feel.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on May 18, 2010 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions
I remember seeing something at Japers Rink that said something like roughly 90% of the time, a dive is also called alongside another penalty. The refs are completely gutless on that one.
More fun than a stick to the face!
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.
Fun Fact
The two-time Tripping Award Winner and the new Champion of Cross-Checks are both UFAs this summer. They could be coming to your city sooner than you think to give your team minors that make your head shake.
Devils in my heart! Devils in my mind! Devils in my eyes! Devils until I die!
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Top guy with only 3 charging?
They need to redefine the rules on that a bit. I’ve seen more than a few charges get racked up by the same player but its hard for the ref to really count how many paces a guy stops moving his feet and easy to base the whole thing off the resulting explosion.
Doesn’t surprise me that Ott is in the running for the two dickest penalties. Boarding and elbowing.
He raged at the world, at his family, at his life. But mostly he just raged.
Just because Jay McClement is the best defensive forward in the NHL doesn't mean he should win the Selke.
…and here I thought Shane O’Brien had a bounce back year from leading all D-men in PIMs last year. Clearly he’s just picking his spots better!
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
Thanks for doing this list. We wouldn’t have known all the penalty leaders otherwise. These stats are very telling. Well, diving isn’t a telling stat. For one thing, the league leaders only got called three times. It’s not really called a lot. I do know where all of the Stars’ diving calls came from though. Two words: Mike Ribeiro.
Here's to all us girls who love hockey...and the men who play it.
by Brad_Richards_Rocks on May 14, 2010 2:52 PM EDT reply actions
Interesting post. There were a lot of surprises.
With Ben Eager of Chicago getting charged for so many charging penalties, we could say he was a little over eager. Or we could say, he had been too eager. A perfect fit name for the guy.
And we could also say that Jordin Tootoo did a little too too much diving here.
And interesting that the Penguins had the leading high sticker (Malkin) and the leading slasher (Crosby).
And contrary to the belief of many Caps fans, Alex Semin was NOT the leading hooker. It’s Ryan Smith of the Kings. (Not a happy hooker, when sent to the Penalty box.
On Konopka, he seems to be a cult hero in Tampa Bay. I discovered that when I attended a game there while on vacation.
Rocking the Red since 1975
tootoo
tootoo dives all the time, but the blackhawks have a whole team of divers.
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