Thursday, April 5, 2007
Presentation of the Holik Trophy
The Holik Trophy for Incompetent Arrogance goes to the good player on a good team from the previous season who chooses to play elsewhere, either for greater money or acclaim or both, this season only to see his new team perform much more poorly than his old squad.
While there are a few transcendent stars in ice hockey the best teams are comprised of several solid players whose talents in various facets of the game make them stronger as a group than individuals. Woe to the career second-liner, third defenseman, or role player who happens to have a team that provides the best platform for his abilities without realizing their contributions to his success.
The trophy is named for Bobby "Greedy Republican" Holik who, in 2002, after nine seasons as a vital part of the NJ Devils and two Stanley Cups choose to Benedict Arnold to the venal New York Rangers and 9.5 million of their Dolan war bucks. Despite the "intangibles" that Bobby Ho Ho supposedly brought to the Golden Parachute All Stars the Rag$ continued to miss the playoffs while the Devils won their third championship in 2003.
The 2006-2007 Holik Trophy for Incompetent Arrogance goes to... Zdeno Chara. After four years as a key player on perpetual contender Ottawa, Daddy Long Legs chose to bolt to perpetual loser Boston. The Broons are once again out of the playoffs while the Senators will be making their seasonal appearance in the spring time tournament. Chara's numbers -- with a few games yet to be played this season -- are about the same this year as last (2006: 16 27 43. 2007: 11 32 43.); however he has gone from a +17 to a -21. This shows how important the team is to his overall efficacy. He was a -27 twice with the Gilligan's Islanders of 1997 to 2001.
2006-2007 Holik Trophy Finalists: Jay McKee (STL - Old Team: BUF) Aaron Ward (Rags/Broons - Old Team: CAR)
Past Winners:
2006: Nikolai Khabibulin (CHI - Old Team: TBL)
2004: Bobby Holik (NYR - Old Team: NJD)
2003: Bobby Holik (NYR - Old Team: NJD)
While there are a few transcendent stars in ice hockey the best teams are comprised of several solid players whose talents in various facets of the game make them stronger as a group than individuals. Woe to the career second-liner, third defenseman, or role player who happens to have a team that provides the best platform for his abilities without realizing their contributions to his success.
The trophy is named for Bobby "Greedy Republican" Holik who, in 2002, after nine seasons as a vital part of the NJ Devils and two Stanley Cups choose to Benedict Arnold to the venal New York Rangers and 9.5 million of their Dolan war bucks. Despite the "intangibles" that Bobby Ho Ho supposedly brought to the Golden Parachute All Stars the Rag$ continued to miss the playoffs while the Devils won their third championship in 2003.
The 2006-2007 Holik Trophy for Incompetent Arrogance goes to... Zdeno Chara. After four years as a key player on perpetual contender Ottawa, Daddy Long Legs chose to bolt to perpetual loser Boston. The Broons are once again out of the playoffs while the Senators will be making their seasonal appearance in the spring time tournament. Chara's numbers -- with a few games yet to be played this season -- are about the same this year as last (2006: 16 27 43. 2007: 11 32 43.); however he has gone from a +17 to a -21. This shows how important the team is to his overall efficacy. He was a -27 twice with the Gilligan's Islanders of 1997 to 2001.
2006-2007 Holik Trophy Finalists: Jay McKee (STL - Old Team: BUF) Aaron Ward (Rags/Broons - Old Team: CAR)
Past Winners:
2006: Nikolai Khabibulin (CHI - Old Team: TBL)
2004: Bobby Holik (NYR - Old Team: NJD)
2003: Bobby Holik (NYR - Old Team: NJD)
Labels: Chara, Devils, Holik, Khabibulin, McKenn, rangers, Ward
// posted by Grinder McCarver @ 11:49 PM 
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This sour grapes award you made up is a little bit stupid - but you will have to explain this to me.
Aaron Ward's old team in Carolina missed the playoffs. His new team in New York is sitting in 6th in the east (they< havent clinched yet) but they are doing better than Carolina.
Aaron Ward's old team in Carolina missed the playoffs. His new team in New York is sitting in 6th in the east (they< havent clinched yet) but they are doing better than Carolina.
Wrong. The Rags traded Ward to the Bruins. For whatever reason Ward never worked out in NY, but he was very valuable in Carolina. The change of scenery was not kind for Ward, but in this case his old team also floundered. That is one of the reasons why he was a finalist and not the winner.
This isn't a sour grapes trophy. I could care less about Ward, Chara, McKee and 'Bulin. Holik got his just desserts. Devils won the cup. That's all that matters.
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This isn't a sour grapes trophy. I could care less about Ward, Chara, McKee and 'Bulin. Holik got his just desserts. Devils won the cup. That's all that matters.
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