LANDSLIDE FOR LANDESKOG?
Robin Brownlee
March 26 2012 08:45PM
While it's not surprising an overwhelming number of fans of the Edmonton Oilers consider Ryan Nugent-Hopkins the favourite to win the Calder Trophy, most Western Conference coaches think Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog is the top rookie of 2011-2012.
In an informal poll of 11 coaches – Tom Renney of the Oilers and Joe Sacco of Colorado weren't included – done by TSN's Bob McKenzie, nine coaches gave Landeskog the nod while just two went with Nugent-Hopkins. The link to the TSN video is here.
Nugent-Hopkins, who doesn't celebrate his 19th birthday until April 12, leads all rookie scorers with 18-31-49 despite missing 20 of the 76 games the Oilers have played. He's even in plus-minus and has averaged 17:36 of ice time per game.
Landeskog, 19, taken second overall in the 2011 Entry Draft right behind Nugent-Hopkins, is second in rookie scoring with 22-26-48 in 77 games. He's plus-19 and is averaging 18:34 of ice time per game.
DIFFERENT PLAYERS
It could be easily argued that Nugent-Hopkins would be running away with the rookie scoring race if hadn't missed 20 games with shoulder injuries, but the vote – which will be done by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association in all 30 NHL cities – isn't about what-ifs?
Point totals and PPG aside, the prevailing view from behind the bench seems to be that the rugged Landeskog brings more dimensions to the Avalanche than Nugent-Hopkins does to the Oilers. McKenzie puts it this way:
"Some duly noted that if Nugent-Hopkins hadn't lost the 20 games to injuries, perhaps their vote would have been different, but Landeskog's physical presence, his all-around game and the leadership won out over Nugent-Hopkins world-class skill, vision and ability to run one of the top power plays in the NHL."
If the PHWA membership sees it the same way as nine of the 11 coaches TSN polled did when it comes time to vote, the Oilers will have to wait awhile longer before one of their rookies gets his name engraved on the silverware.
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I read an article recently where it was stated that at the draft all the scouts considered Landeskog NHL ready, was the best player in the draft, and was likely to play the way he is playing. Same scouts said RNH should be in Junior hockey because he was not ready for the NHL. Who has had a better season based on expectations?
That is a bunch of bs if you ask me. Oh, so Landeskog is a well rounded player, so even though his ppg sucks compared to Nuge, he should get it? I seem to recall that Kane won it in his year despite never being called well rounded in his life.
Points are basically all that have mattered in that race in the past 65 years. Why start now with the well rounded talk? Horcoff was pretty well rounded when he came in the league, shouldnt he have won it also?
BS.
Phhhhttt...
"well rounded" Horcoff scored 9 goals and 7 assists in his rookie season.
Kane scored 21 goals and 72 points as a rookie.
Hopkins is only 22 points off the pace.
@DSF
Give Nuge those 21 games back and that Gap is a lot smaller
Maybe.
The Calder isn't decided on maybe.
I was listening to Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault being interviewed and they ask him what he thought of Landeskog he replied he is easily the best rookie he is a man already.
It's not that Landeskog is physical.
It's that he's utterly dominant. He's a rookie leading his team in +/-, and it's not even *close*. He's +20. Ryan Wilson plays D and is +12. The next-best forward to have played as many games as Landeskog is Ryan O'Reilly who is +2. And it just goes downhill from there. Matt Duchene is the worst of the name players, -9. Jan Hejda, former Oilers superstar, is an atrocious, team-worst -15.
Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself.
http://avalanche.nhl.com/club/stats.htm?gameType=2&season=20112012&srt=pm
Cam Neely come again. Not that big - only 6'1 205-210 - but unbelievably strong, quite fast and agile, but above all smart and has great reflexes and heart.
And decades hence, Oilers fans will wonder "What if we'd had Seguin and Landeskog?"
That's why I think Landeskog probably wins.
But no, not maybe. Definitely.
This.
And Landeskog has 258 SOG (Hopkins has 140)
If Landeskog works on his shot and can get up to an average 12%, he'll be a 35 goal scorer.
God help us all.
Edmonton Media not promoting RNH enough. You listen to the Avs' play by play , feed, and its all Landeskog. Sometimes I think he;s not on the ice and they are stilll raving about it. Dont hear that from the Oilers Sportsnet pxp crew.
that's the biggest joke I've ever heard.. If they give the Calder to Landeskog that'd be the biggest mistake the NHL has ever made... 20 less games played, on a MUCH worse team. If he would have been healthy, yes maybe Landeskog would have lead in +/- (like I said MUCH worse team, facing MUCH tough opponents) but he would have had 8-12 points more.. And thats NOT A MAYBE 100% GUARENTEE!! And that shows head over heals who's better. Calder Trophies 90% of the time is awarded for points and points alone, and with how many less GP Hopkins has. It's VERY clear who the rookie of the year is!!!!! And I'm an Oil/Avs fan equally!!!
Calder's have NEVER been awarded for +/-, EVER!!!!! Landeskog has the benefit of being on a better team, that's your only arguement? Lol, he wasn't playing Duchene who was playing the other team's first line (Like Hopkins was) Landeskog was facing the other teams second line 75% of the season, that's why his +/- was better, and I'll say it again and again , Calder's aren't awarded for +/-, 90% of the time it's awarded for points DUMMIES! So get over it!!!!
You can say Myers won it for his two way play, but that's only 20% true, he won it because he was playing in his own end (10% the reason he won it) (because he's a D-man!!) AND because he was a D-man, near the rookie lead in POINTS!! (90% the reason he won it)!!!!
I've said it before n I'll say it again, if Hopkins doesn't win, the award should never be given out for points ever again, it should be given out for +/-, defensive play, and physical readiness. Because those are the only stats that Landeskog has over RNH. The award should never be given out for points anymore.