s25 - Award Season [WB11]

Well this is a tough one. the season has not been great for the Islander players but we still have some considerations to be listed:

Lady Byng - This should be a shoe in for our very own Rich Peverly. Rich has managed to amass a tremendous 78 games  in a checking role and only managed to acquire 0 penalty minutes. In todays game where if you even breathe on another player you go to the box. Where older , slower players are reduced to clutch and grab, Rich Peverly has stayed clean as could be to date. He has not missed a game this season and has been a strong soldier and leader for the youngsters on the team. "Richy has been a great example of how the game is to be played for the rest of us to follow", says Brayden Schenn.

Selke - Although the captain, Anze Kopitar, has been a perennial favourite in this category the torch may have official been passed to a new leader on this team. Brayden Schenn has managed to amass 78 games played and a plus 10 rating. Although Kopitar is plus 11, he has missed a few games do to slight injuries or exhaustion. Brayden has been going about his business and showing his defensive prowess. "Brayden is a bright light on this team, he works harder than all of us and takes great pride in helping his team keep the puck out his own net", stated Anze Kopitar.

Norris - Our only real candidate here is Paul Mara. Although he has only played 69 for the club this season he has been a rock. With his +17 as a defenseman that plays mainly 3 rd line but also helps out on the penalty Kill and the fourth pairing. The new wave of Norris trophy challengers have been more focused on their offensive output but we here in Long Island really appreciate a true stay at home defenseman that helps out offensively when they can. Paul has only produced 11 assists but as scoring is down in Long Island that is a fair point total to us. "Pauly has shown me and others on the defensive side what it takes to keep the puck out of the net. He has been a fantatic veteran presence on this squad", says Kevin Bieksa.

Vezina - "Well this is a no brainer", states coach Glenn Sather. Jacob Markstrom has been a wall for the New York Islanders this year. He has statrted in 65 games, appeared in 66, played 3915 minutes, has a goals against average of 2.65 and a save percentage of 0.920 while facing 2169 shots. The team went into an immediate funk of losses once Markstrom was given a rest. He has been heard taking and encouraging the team to perform over these last few regular season games. He has apologized to the team for demanding that coach Sather play him all these games instead of taking proper rests through out the season. Markstrom at the age of 25 he has taken this team on his shoulders and has done everything he can to lift them to success. The issue of signing a contract extension has been a blackmark but hopefully a deal can still be struck in arbitration.

Hart - Please the Vezina write up.

WC 549