Saturday, April 5, 2008
Presentation of the 2008 Holik Trophy
Each year, the Holik Award for Incompetent Arrogance is awarded to the good player on a good team from the previous season that chooses to jump ship to another squad for greater acclaim or money or both only to see his former team be more successful. The Holik Award is named for Bobby "Greedy Republican" Holik who chose to Benedict Arnold to the NY Hockey Hessians (AKA Ranger$) after the 01-02 season for a briefcase full of cash. The Rag$ never made the playoffs with Holik and the Devils won their third cup without him in 2003. Since that trade Holik has only been to the playoffs once (as a Thrasher swept, coincidentally, by the Rag$).
This year's Holik Award was almost too obvious from the get go. Dustin Penner was a critical cog in the Ducks' Cup conquest in 2007. His ability to cycle, grind and score on the third line wore down opposing defensemen and kept momentum in the Duck's favor while their more established stars took a breather. Of course, Penner was also fortuitous to be behind players like Teemu Selanne who demand the opposition's best checkers and defensemen.
I'll cut Penner a little slack for taking the outrageous money offered to him. This seemed to be the result of a GM pissing contest between Edmonton and Anahiem -- Penner did not agitate for the move. Moreover, any hockey player is only one errant puck, chippy hit, or bad patch of ice away from having their life's work destroyed at any moment, so I can appreciate the need for a big pay day. Still, the facts speak for themselves. Penner put up similar stats this year, but Edmonton fell out of playoff contention long ago and the Ducks, bouyed be the never improbable return of Scott "Vinny" Niedermeyer and Selanne, are back in the tournament and positioned to make a strong run. There were never even any other finalists for this year's Holik Award -- it was always Dustin Penner.
2008 Holik Award
Dustin Penner (EDM. Old Team: ANA)
Past Winners
2007: Zdeno Chara
2006: Nikolai Khabibulin
2004: Bobby Holik
2003: Bobby Holik
This year's Holik Award was almost too obvious from the get go. Dustin Penner was a critical cog in the Ducks' Cup conquest in 2007. His ability to cycle, grind and score on the third line wore down opposing defensemen and kept momentum in the Duck's favor while their more established stars took a breather. Of course, Penner was also fortuitous to be behind players like Teemu Selanne who demand the opposition's best checkers and defensemen.
I'll cut Penner a little slack for taking the outrageous money offered to him. This seemed to be the result of a GM pissing contest between Edmonton and Anahiem -- Penner did not agitate for the move. Moreover, any hockey player is only one errant puck, chippy hit, or bad patch of ice away from having their life's work destroyed at any moment, so I can appreciate the need for a big pay day. Still, the facts speak for themselves. Penner put up similar stats this year, but Edmonton fell out of playoff contention long ago and the Ducks, bouyed be the never improbable return of Scott "Vinny" Niedermeyer and Selanne, are back in the tournament and positioned to make a strong run. There were never even any other finalists for this year's Holik Award -- it was always Dustin Penner.
2008 Holik Award
Dustin Penner (EDM. Old Team: ANA)
Past Winners
2007: Zdeno Chara
2006: Nikolai Khabibulin
2004: Bobby Holik
2003: Bobby Holik
Labels: Bobby Holik, Dustin Penner
// posted by Grinder McCarver @ 4:55 PM 
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"Penner did not agitate for the move."
Not true. His agent contacted the Oilers and solicited the RFA offer.
Not true. His agent contacted the Oilers and solicited the RFA offer.
It only bolsters your point though. He really thought that he was worth that much.
The fact is that older-age UFAs are priced by their recent performance, yes, but a huge factor is perceived reliability of those recent numbers based on the past.
A good example is Jonathan Cheechoo. If he had been UFA after his 50-goal season, he wouldn't have got as much money as Jerome Iginla, who has shown that he can do 30+ goals on a regular basis and scored 50 this year.
Penner had not shown that his production was not a fluke and had not shown that it was not the result of his talented line mates and second or third line role with much less responsibility. That's why he was overpaid.
And that's why your point is spot on. Thomas Vanek was way outta line too, but much, much closer than Penner was.
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The fact is that older-age UFAs are priced by their recent performance, yes, but a huge factor is perceived reliability of those recent numbers based on the past.
A good example is Jonathan Cheechoo. If he had been UFA after his 50-goal season, he wouldn't have got as much money as Jerome Iginla, who has shown that he can do 30+ goals on a regular basis and scored 50 this year.
Penner had not shown that his production was not a fluke and had not shown that it was not the result of his talented line mates and second or third line role with much less responsibility. That's why he was overpaid.
And that's why your point is spot on. Thomas Vanek was way outta line too, but much, much closer than Penner was.
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