Who Should win the Calder?

[Minstrel]

This I fear, is an entirely different question than who WILL win as I don't expect this to be a "merit based" award when the votes come in... currently Ovechkin and Crosby are close enough in points for hype and pro-North American bias to be the difference maker. Who votes?

The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season.

I highly doubt many, if any, of said writers are Russian, but what are the chances 95% plus of them are North American? Most of these writers have probably done at least one "Crosby is The Next One" piece over the past three years or so and it will be a collective "See, told you we were right" kind of thing to say "He got over a hundred points so why not continue to believe what we've said all along about the kid? You can't say he doesn't deserve it..."

Given his stats of course Crosby is deserving of the trophy for the year he has had. For me that is the problem though, a guy who scores 50 goals and is only the second rookie ever to do so is also deserving of the trophy and I'd say Ovechkin has proven to be the more dynamic, more dangerous player and to me he's more deserving of the trophy.

Stats are as of April 14.

[inSTAALed]

Ovechkin should get it, no question.

If he doesn't, I won't be surprised.

[Systemfel]

No way someone other than Ovechkin wins it. I think Lundqvist's the second best.

[E5150_ca]

Ovechkin gets it, anything else will be a disgrace to the sport.

[timmy_t]

I voted for Ovechkin as well.

(those Crosby stats don't add up? 38g + 29a = 97p)

[flea]

Well, I would say Ovechkin, but not as clearly as u guys see it.

Crosby has been amazing lately and has now only about 5 points less than Ovechkin. I really think they should give them both the Calder, like years ago in the NBA when Kidd and Grant Hill shared the Rookie of the year award.

Right now they are so close in points that I dont think one has been better than the other. Ok, Ovechkin has more goals than Crosby, but as Center Crosby first has to pass and then to shoot meanwhile Ovechkin is more a sniper but still had lots of assists. The differencemaker for me would be the position of their teams, but they both stinked during the whole season, so no clue there.

I think both deserve it.

What is sure is that this two guys can dominate the NHL in years to come just like Larry and Magic did in the NBA years ago.

[Devils88]

It's a difficult decision:
Ovechkin is older but has his first season in North America. Plays on a naff Team and lights up the Scoreboard. But what impresses me the most. He's a Russian - but don't play like one. Hitting, Checking, Scratching, Shouting. Awesome.
Crosby is only 18, has nearly 100 points on another naff Team (most of the Time, there's nothing great if you're ending up playing on a line with Armstrong and Hilbert ).
But everyone expects this point total from him. Ovechkin is pretty surprising.
So my choice would be Ovechkin. Sorry Pens Fans

PS: Looking for Malkin to lift the Calder next Season......

[Minstrel]

Flea I disagree with you on the 'he's a center' argument as to goal scoring and Crosby. There are a lot of sniper/high goal scoring centers. Take Sakic and Iginla for example.

To me it comes down to consistency; Overchkin has been basically amazing in every game start to finish while Crosby even when the Penguins were healthy and had tons of talent in the lineup went games without having much of an impact. You could watch a Pens game and forget that Crosby was even with the team. It's impossible to watch a Washington game without instantly noticing Ovechkin. Yeah, the points are ending up closer and Crosby has been hot lately but his team has been out of it for months. When the pressure was on he did little to nothing to help his team, Ovechkin has singlhandledly kept the Caps in pretty much any game they played.

In my mind no contest. I would actually place him 4th: Ovechikin, Lundqvist, Phaneuf, Crosby.

[Systemfel]

Isn't Iginla primarly a right winger?

[flea]

Well, I see your point Minstrel and I respect it, but I still cant see it that clear.

Its true that Crosby has had a bad start or bad two months, imagine how many points he would have right now without this two months, lol.
The Pengs had a good team on the paper, but on the ice it was naff all the way, bad defense, bad goaltending, no chemistry. I would say that Ovechkin had all in all more help from his teammates than Crosby and hes playing with Zubrus...Crosby with Colby Armstrong...

I still agree that Ovechkin has to win the Calder, but I really dont see that big difference that u guys see.

It seems that all the people forget that Crosby is only 18 years old.

[Alessandro]

First of all the trophy is about the best season and not about the younger/older age.
Second, if Ovechkin won't win this title the NHL is a joke