My 2014 NHL Awards & Miscellaneous

Here are my 2014 NHL Awards

Hart Memorial Trophy: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins: Simply the best player in the game deserves this award this season. He put the Penguins on his back when some of the supporting cast went down with injuries. No one knows where the Penguins would be if it was Crosby that was not healthy. He and his team has shown how valuable he is, when he is healthy. Runner up: Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers.

James Norris Memorial Trophy: Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks: A big contribution defensively for the defending champs not only last season, but has become and elite defenseman this season. If the champs want to repeat, Keith would have to contribute the way he did this season. He has become the best defenseman on the 'Hawks and one of the premiere defenseman in the league. Runner up: Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild.

Vezina Trophy: Semyon Varlamov, Colorado Avalanche: The goal tender that led the league in losses a year ago has turned it around to lead the league in wins. A huge part of that is because of first-year head coach Patrick Roy. It is amazing where the Avs are right now and part of that is because of Varlamov's career year. Runner up: Tuuka Rask, Boston Bruins.

Calder Memorial Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche: By far the best rookie in this class. He is a big part of this Avalanche offense that is great this season with the stats he has posted. MacKinnon is definitely a star in the making and he will show it in the NHL post season. Runner up: Torey Krug, Boston Bruins.

Jack Adams Award: Mike Babcock, Detroit Red Wings: The NHL's best coach gets my honors this season. Mainly because his team has been decimated by injuries all season and he coached this team to the post season yet again. Don't forget he coached the Canadian Olympic team to a gold medal in Sochi. No one knows where the Wings would be without Babcock. Runner up: Patrick Roy, Colorado Avalanche.

Miscellaneous

Biggest disappointment: Washington Capitals: For a team that's been a pre-annual playoff team to miss out is just a failure. Alex Ovechkin won the Rocket trophy once again this year but his supporting cast could not help him. It is interesting to see whether they fire head coach Adam Oates and GM George McPhee. If they hire a new GM, I wonder what the future holds for Ovechkin and the Capitals. Runner(s) up: Ottowa Senators and New York Islanders.

Biggest surprise: Colorado Avalanche: Who in their preseason predictions had the Av's winning the Central division? Nobody. This team is no fluke and certainly up and coming with the best yet to come. I give general manager Greg Sherman and the front office a ton of credit which was a home run hire in head coach Patrick Roy and 2013 number one overall pick Nathan MacKinnon. A bounce-back season for goal tender Semyon Varlamov and the rest of the players such as Paul Stasny and Gabriel Landeskog having an impact as well. I cannot wait to see what they do this Spring. Runner up: Dallas Stars.

Worst in-season collapse: Toronto Maple Leafs: A team that was in contention most of the season fell out of contention with a long losing streak. That is just unacceptable considering what this team looks like on paper. This very well can cost head coach Randy Carlisle his job since there's a new GM in town. Runner up: St. Louis Blues (ended season on a 6-game skid that cost them a division title).

Best in-season turnaround: Philadelphia Flyers: A team that fired former head coach Peter Laviolette 3 games into the season and bring in current head coach Craig Berube and turn a 1-7-0 start into a 42-30-10 season is just fantastic considering the problems occurring with this team. Runner up: New York Rangers.

Best off-season coaching hire: Patrick Roy, Colorado Avalanche: Same reasons listed above in my other miscellaneous and awards. Runner up: Alain Vigneault, New York Rangers.

Worst off-season coaching hire: John Tortorella, Vancouver Canucks: A team that actually got off to a good start that collapsed because of injuries and trades. But, don't forget when Torts tried to do against the Flames that got him suspended. There is a chance he gets fired since there's a new GM in town. Runner up: Dallas Eakins, Edmonton Oilers.