Mulling over the TBRW Awards

Well, excitement over the season has reached a high point as we head into the final RS weekend. We've had a chance to see the players develop and perform. Although the management of TBRW? reserves the final right of bestowing our awards (http://www.members.cox.net/tbrwmisc/tbrwAwards/tbrwAwards.html ) I'm always interested in hearing what people -- especially people who have seen the team play 12+ games -- have to say.

So, by all means, have at it. These are not formal nominations, but make your case for the "best fit" for the awards (and for the ever popular dark horse candidates).

Subjective Awards:

+ Peter Natyshak Award, Career Improvement. This award is open to seniors or in the very rare case when no senior has demonstrated above average career improvement, juniors. The award measures how well the player has improved since starting at Cornell.

+ Randy MacFarlane Award, Transcendent Beauty and Skating Prowess. Title says it all. Anne's favorite award.

+ Dave Shippel Award, Scrappiness and Effort. This award, which is associated with the longest-running typo in TBRW? history ("scappiness", generally goes to a player who plays bigger than his size or "better than his talent."

+ Terry Gage Award, Determination in a Supporting Role. This award generally goes to an athlete whose contributions do not show up in the box score. It often goes to an unexpected player who comes out of the pack to really contribute a particular skill as a role player.

+ Mike Schafer Award, Leadership and Passion. This award needs no explanation.

+ Pierre Belanger Award, Most Loathed Referee. Nor does this one.

+ John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent. This award generally goes to an opposing player who has both ferociously skewered Cornell and who we would take in a heartbeat for one of our own. It is based on his performance against us only in games this year.

+ Kevan Melrose Award, Least Respected Opponent. This award goes to the guys who, when you scream "Sucks!" you really mean it. The bad and the ugly. The goon, the cheap shot artist, the whiner, the showboat. The asshole.

+ Doug Dadswell Award, Most Valuable Freshman. Define it however you want. Open only to freshman, not transfers.

+ Joe Nieuwendyk Award, Most Valuable Player. Again, define it however you want, as long as you consider only this year's performance.



Post Edited (02-27-04 12:27)

I've got to drive to Ithaca soon so I'll do the easy ones now...

+ Kevan Melrose Award, Least Respected Opponent:
Hugh Jessiman. He's a head case and showed a lot of class by flicking us off. Good luck in the Garden.

+ Doug Dadswell Award, Most Valuable Freshman:
David McKee. He wasn't supposed to be at Cornell this year and he wasn't supposed to start. In the beginning he showed a lot of nervous energy--flipping the puck out of his glove asap, not skating around, etc--but has started every single game for us and leads the conference in GAA.

+ Joe Nieuwendyk Award, Most Valuable Player:
Ryan Vesce. He hasn't scored as much as Moulson and he hasn't played every single game but he does it all for us. He wins countless faceoffs, he takes the puck out of the defensive zone, he is the leader. When he was out of the lineup there were glaring holes in the teams game. I would never feel comfortable with him out of the lineup while I feel we could replace everyone else, even McKee now that Marr is able to dress.

After seeing, in person or on TV, 20 of our 27 games this season....

+ Peter Natyshak Award, Career Improvement: I've only been watching Cornell hockey games since the current junior class were freshmen, and so I'd give this to Mike Iggulden, despite the fact that he isn't a senior. He's worked his way back into the lineup following injury and is one of the best penalty-killers on our team. (Second choice: Hornby, for maintaining his level of intensity, while also cutting down his penalty minutes).

+ Randy MacFarlane Award, Transcendent Beauty and Skating Prowess. It's a tie: Charlie Cook & Ryan Vesce (Maybe Mark McCutcheon in the future)

+ Dave Shippel Award, Scrappiness and Effort. Easy - Hornby.

+ Terry Gage Award, Determination in a Supporting Role. Are there allowed to be ties? I suppose, if not, I can edit this later, but I'd give this to Pajerski and Marr. Pajerski, after not playing a minute for the past 2 and a half seasons, came in and played in 4 games. The only two I remember him getting decent ice time in were the games @ Colgate and @ Union, during both of which, he was on the penalty kill and did a great job. Marr deserves it too though. He made some really big saves @ Dartmouth to help us keep a 4-2 lead late in the third, and proved that he's ready to play if McKee isn't.

+ Mike Schafer Award, Leadership and Passion: [/BRyan Vesce[/B]. He's the captain, and he means everything to this team.

+ Pierre Belanger Award, Most Loathed Referee. There are 3 candidates here: Jack Dunn, for not seeing Moulson's goal @ Union , Scott Hansen, for his awful calls in both games of the Colgate series (especially the game DQ to Moulson. The other guy was perpendicular to the boards when he was hit!!), and Joel Dupree, for blatant missed calls in the RPI game at Lynah. That said, I'm going with Dupree. Plenty of early whistles around the RPI net nullified scoring chances for us. And as Schafer said, "We've got an official who calls 'obstruction interference' when one of our best players, our leading scorer, gets hit head first into the boards. What the fuck is obstruction interference when a guy is hit head first into the boards? That's not obstruction interference, it's a damn hit from behind."


+ John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent. A couple candidates include opportunistic Adam Mitchell from Colgate, who scored 2 of the 4 goals against Cornell this season, and Kris Mayotte, who played brilliantly at Lynah and then shut us out at Achilles Rink last week. But we all know we actually did score on Mayotte @ Union, so he's not getting this award. Instead, dark-horse choice Jordan Sigalet from Bowling Green, despite only playing us once, had an unbelieveable performance in goal to earn a 1-1 tie at Lynah early this season. 36 saves, many of them amazing.or one of our own.

+ Kevan Melrose Award, Least Respected Opponent. Hugh "" Jessiman. Cheap shots during both games against Dartmouth this season, and the most amazing display of classlessness (is that a word?) I've ever seen from an opposing player. It's one thing to shush the crowd or to wink at them after you've won at Lynah. It's gut-wrenching, but fine. But for the most overrated player in the ECAC to lower himself to that was just embarassing for the entire Dartmouth team.

+ Doug Dadswell Award, Most Valuable Freshman. David McKee has been incredible in goal. Who would have thought, in a league with Danis, Grumet-Morris, Silverthorn, Marsters, etc., that we'd have the number 1 statistical goalie in conference play. AND he's from Texas. Come on!

+ Joe Nieuwendyk Award, Most Valuable Player. Adam said it; Ryan Vesce adds so much to the team when he's in the lineup, not just in the form of scoring. He's the team leader, he wins faceoffs, and he has just as much energy as the members of the AHA line do. McKee is going to win this award in the future.



Post Edited (02-27-04 13:42)

I've seen all but four (@Princeton, @Yale, and Everblades) Cornell games this season, so I think I should chime in on what I think.

+ Peter Natyshak Award, Career Improvement - With only four seniors, including one who came in a transfer, this category is made much simpler. I think it goes to Greg Hornby, who in my mind has beaten the untrue "goon" rap to become the heart and soul of this great team, not to mention a key forward in creating scoring chances. Honorable mention: Ben Wallace (for improving his defensive play over the years).

+ Randy MacFarlane Award, Transcendent Beauty and Skating Prowess - Charlie Cook, when he's healthy, has always been a great skater in my mind. I'm frequently impressed by him. Honorable mention: Ryan Vesce (always a great center).

+ Dave Shippel Award, Scrappiness and Effort - Greg Hornby, hands down. When everyone else is tiring out, he's still out there, putting everything on the line for the team. Honorable mention: Mike Iggulden (who has improved over the season to become a key part of the penalty kill and is a great choice to usually center the third line).

+ Terry Gage Award, Determination in a Supporting Role - Jeremy Downs is a key reason why Cornell's defense is as great as it is. He should be ECAC (Co-?)Defensive Defenseman of the Year, IMHO. Honorable mentions: Jon Gleed (for improving his defense immensely), Mike Iggulden (for being awesome on the penalty kill).

+ Mike Schafer Award, Leadership and Passion - I'm not quite sure what happens off of the ice, but it would seem to me this is Ryan Vesce's award alone. One would think this award would always go to the captain (or one of the captains if there are more than one). Honorable mentions: Ben Wallace (for doing the same job when Vesce was injured), Greg Hornby (for the 'passion' part of the award).

+ Pierre Belanger Award, Most Loathed Referee - Joel Dupree, hands down. In a season full of officiating ranging from mediocre to horrible, this guy takes the cake. Honorable mention: Jack Dunn (for a few bad calls or lack thereof in the @Union game, though he didn't do as poorly in other games I've seen him ref).

+ John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent - Adam Mitchell of Colgate, for scoring two important goals against Cornell in our worst weekend. Honorable mentions: Brian Ihnacak of Brown (for being too good of a forward), Nathan Marsters of RPI (for shutting us out at Lynah for the first time in a while), Steve Silverthorn of Colgate (for effectively shutting us out at Lynah, even though he didn't get credit for it ). I think I could be easily talked into putting Ihnacak in for the award instead.

+ Kevan Melrose Award, Least Respected Opponent - Hugh Jessiman of Dartmouth. The epitome of the word "frustrated"--get off of our guys! Honorable mentions: Kris Mayotte of Union (he knows it was a goal), Yann Danis of Brown (you don't deserve your own web site!).

+ Doug Dadswell Award, Most Valuable Freshman - Seriously, could this award really go to someone who isn't Dave McKee? Honorable mention: Byron Bitz (for playing--and scoring--like a sophomore).

+ Joe Nieuwendyk Award, Most Valuable Player - Dave McKee, who kept us in every single game for the entire game. Honorable mentions: Matt Moulson (obviously for offense, with 1.15 points per game thus far), Jeremy Downs (for being a damn good defenseman).

Perhaps some of these are the "obvious" choices, but I think they are still deserving.



Post Edited (02-27-04 13:45)

Did I misinterpret what the Terry Gage award is supposed to honor? Maybe I misread the description; if it's supposed to be as Avash tells it, then I would switch my vote to Jan Pajerski as well.

Natyshak's kind of tough this year. Wallace has improved a bit, but he's always been a dependable defensive defenseman. Hornby's become more responsible while retaining his impact (pun intended). In light of that, I'd actually be inclined to give it to Vesce. Improvement can be good to great, not just mediocre to good, right? Ryan's become our best faceoff guy, obvious leader, and had significant point and goal improvement every year (except this year, where injuries hampered production). Adam mentioned Iggy, which I don't think is really fair. He started great his freshman year until he broke his wrist at Princeton. If anything, I'd say he's just getting back to his original form.

I guess I don't see Vesce as a possible Natyshak winner. He was already the team's best forward as a junior and one of the 2 or 3 best since he arrived on campus. Although his scoring increased over time, so did the team's offense, perhaps reflecting an opening up of the offense as better supporting players blossomed. I thought of him as a dominant player even as a sophomore -- I'm not sure how much more dominant he is today.

The Gage is intended for guys who play regularly in unglamorous roles but work hard and get it done. Downs is (IMHO) a good example. Sometimes I think *everybody* on this year's team is a good example. Often, they sacrifice personal numbers to fulfill a defensive role. Neither Marr nor Pajerski have really played enough to qualify for the Gage, although arguably there is no more unglamorous role on the team than the guy who makes practice every day, never complains, but almost never sees the ice.

Improvement can indeed be good to great, as past Natyshaks to Derraugh, Chad Wilson and Sammy attest. That said, Vesce started out pretty damn good.

Players' scoring histories can be obtained here: [www.members.cox.net]



Post Edited (02-27-04 14:59)

+ Peter Natyshak Award, Career Improvement.
Ben Wallace

+ Randy MacFarlane Award, Transcendent Beauty and Skating Prowess.
Charlie Cook

+ Dave Shippel Award, Scrappiness and Effort.
Cam Abbott

+ Terry Gage Award, Determination in a Supporting Role.
Mike Iggulden (slightly edging Hornby)

+ Mike Schafer Award, Leadership and Passion.
Ryan Vesce

+ Pierre Belanger Award, Most Loathed Referee.
They all suck for all the same reasons.

+ John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent.
Travis Russell

+ Kevan Melrose Award, Least Respected Opponent.
Noah Welch

+ Doug Dadswell Award, Most Valuable Freshman.
David McKee (without question)

+ Joe Nieuwendyk Award, Most Valuable Player
Jeremy Downs (only other player even worthy is Ben Wallace)

I agree with almost all posts so far with one exception: for the John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent - I like #24 Seney, Scott, (C, So 6-3 220) from Union... He won the big faceoffs for them even against Rayn a fair amount. He was tough, he skated well, he checked hard and he scored. Given a choice I'd like to see him centering for us! Although Mayotte would be a close second.

Downs has been the team's best defenseman and likely leads the team in ice time. Wouldn't say he has supporting role.

I'm gonna disagree on Wallace. He was absolutely brutal his freshman year. Guys would go around him with ease off the rush. I couldn't bare to see him out there. Although the common conception is that he only played six games his sophomore year because of injuries, the reality is that he wasn't good enough. He improved a lot last year and is one of the top five defensive defenseman of the ECAC this year. But again, he was not at all dependable his first two seasons.

calgARI '07 wrote:

Downs has been the team's best defenseman and likely leads the team in ice time. Wouldn't say he has supporting role.

The reason I chose Downs is because he is a great defensive defenseman, and a person who hasn't seen any games and only looks at the box scores from USCHO or CHS won't necessarily know that. The box scores seem to only indicate three big things--scoring, goaltending, and penalties. Defense is just as important as any of those things, if not moreso, but it's a less tangible, less enumerable part of the game, and is hard to judge good individual defensive efforts (except perhaps with the ice time statistic as you said, if one has access to that). Individual defense is somewhat subjective and really requires watching the game in order to judge.

As you can see, I'm really interpreting the wording of the Gage award literally. I will say, however, that Downs isn't "an unexpected player who comes out of the pack to really contribute a particular skill as a role player", since we all knew Downs was a fairly good defenseman last year.

And to that end, I suggest you look at +/- numbers here

[db.elynah.com]

While I think the world of Jeremy, he's middle-of-the-pack at +4, while Cook is head-and-shoulders above everyone else at +18

Without even having to think about it, Downs is my MVP.

There is more to it than that. Downs plays against opposition's best players every night, whereas Cook plays when one of the opposition's weaker lines is out.

Peter Natyshak Award, Career Improvement - Cook

Randy MacFarlane Award, Transcendent Beauty and Skating Prowess - Vesce

Dave Shippel Award, Scrappiness and Effort - Hornby

Terry Gage Award, Determination in a Supporting Role - Cam Abbott

Mike Schafer Award, Leadership and Passion - Vesce

Pierre Belanger Award, Most Loathed Referee - DuPree

John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent - Danis

Kevan Melrose Award, Least Respected Opponent - Jessiman

Doug Dadswell Award, Most Valuable Freshman - McKee

Joe Nieuwendyk Award, Most Valuable Player - McKee

Peter Natyshak Award, Career Improvement - Hornby
(My first year with season tickets (3 years ago), I was under the impression that Hornby was on the team solely for his hitting ability--not puck handling or scoring--I think he's improved a tremendous amount in the later areas these last few years.)

Randy MacFarlane Award, Transcendent Beauty and Skating Prowess - Vesce

Dave Shippel Award, Scrappiness and Effort - Cam Abbott

Terry Gage Award, Determination in a Supporting Role - Iggluden

Mike Schafer Award, Leadership and Passion - Vesce

Pierre Belanger Award, Most Loathed Referee - DuPree

John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent - Silverthorn (this year!)

Kevan Melrose Award, Least Respected Opponent - Jessiman

Doug Dadswell Award, Most Valuable Freshman - McKee

Joe Nieuwendyk Award, Most Valuable Player - Vesce

Peter Natyshak Award, Career Improvement - Wallace

Randy MacFarlane Award, Transcendent Beauty and Skating Prowess - Cook

Dave Shippel Award, Scrappiness and Effort - Hynes. When he's been healthy, he's been a beast. First guy to the puck, winning battles along the boards...

Terry Gage Award, Determination in a Supporting Role - Iggulden

Mike Schafer Award, Leadership and Passion - Hornby

Pierre Belanger Award, Most Loathed Referee - Murphy (only problem is I forgot the first initial of the one I hate more....)

John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent - I'm going to have to go with Avash on this one and say Sigalet from Bowling Green. He played balls out in that game.

Kevan Melrose Award, Least Respected Opponent - Jessiman

Doug Dadswell Award, Most Valuable Freshman - McKee

Joe Nieuwendyk Award, Most Valuable Player - I'm still up in the air on this one. Going to need these last couple of games before this one clears itself up. Either McKee or Vesce. Unless they're not worthy.

+ Dave Shippel Award, Scrappiness and Effort: Greg Hornby

+ John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent: Even if he only had a single assist against us this season, I have go for Ty Kolarik for this award. Not only did he scare the hell out of me everytime he touched the puck at Bright, but I think he fits the 2nd part of award quite well as I'd love to see him wearing a Pantone 186 sweater.

+ Kevan Melrose Award, Least Respected Opponent. Aaron Kim. Oh wait. You mean he is finally gone? Oh well, I guess it should go to that guy from DC.

+ Doug Dadswell Award, Most Valuable Freshman. McKee.

+ Joe Nieuwendyk Award, Most Valuable Player. Vesce.

calgARI '07 wrote:

Without even having to think about it, Downs is my MVP.

Man-crush?

Greg Berge '85 wrote:

The Gage is intended for guys who play regularly in unglamorous roles but work hard and get it done. Downs is (IMHO) a good example. Sometimes I think *everybody* on this year's team is a good example. Often, they sacrifice personal numbers to fulfill a defensive role. Neither Marr nor Pajerski have really played enough to qualify for the Gage, although arguably there is no more unglamorous role on the team than the guy who makes practice every day, never complains, but almost never sees the ice.

Well, Todd does a great job on the door... isn't that a supporting role?

Seriously, I think Todd gets the Gage Award as sort of a lifetime achievement award. Career backup to the 2nd coming of Dryden, only to soldier on in the house of David as a senior.

Jeff Hopkins '82 wrote:



John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent - Danis

I always get stuck on the second part of this award. I respect Danis incredibly. However, by picking Danis for the Carter, aren't you effectively saying you'd rather have him in goal than McKee?

I didn't think of it that way. My basic attitude is although we dump on Danis, he really is one hell of a goalie (the last few games notwithstanding). Besides, I couldn't think of a scorer who's head and shoulders above the rest.

JH

I do agree that Marr should get the Gage... he's certainly stepped up when we've needed him to (despite the fact that he was out for basically the first half of the season), and there's no doubt in my mind that he's an integral part of the team during practice.

John E Hayes '98 '00 wrote:

+ Dave Shippel Award, Scrappiness and Effort: Greg Hornby

+ John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent: Even if he only had a single assist against us this season, I have go for Ty Kolarik for this award. Not only did he scare the hell out of me everytime he touched the puck at Bright, but I think he fits the 2nd part of award quite well as I'd love to see him wearing a Pantone 186 sweater.

+ Doug Dadswell Award, Most Valuable Freshman. McKee.

For the awards that I feel I can actually answer, I agree with John on almost all.

I can't see giving the MVP to a forward this year, though. It has to be a blueliner, and a top-line blueliner at that - so I go with Downs.

I've been thinking about changing my MVP pick from Vesce to McKee. Haven't decided yet; there's a good argument either way. Starting to lean towards McKee though....let's see what happens tonight, in the biggest game of the season....


(does only the regular season count for these awards?...I'm assuming the playoffs should be considered too, right?)

All games count for the awards, which won't be given until the season ends. But speculation is fun.

Subjective Awards:

+ Peter Natyshak Award, Career Improvement. --> Hornby

+ Randy MacFarlane Award, Transcendent Beauty and Skating Prowess --> Mike Knoepfli

+ Dave Shippel Award, Scrappiness and Effort. This award, which is associated with the longest-running typo in TBRW? history ("scappiness", generally goes to a player who plays bigger than his size or "better than his talent." --> Cam Abbott

+ Terry Gage Award, Determination in a Supporting Role. This award generally goes to an athlete whose contributions do not show up in the box score. It often goes to an unexpected player who comes out of the pack to really contribute a particular skill as a role player. --> Jeremy Downs

+ Mike Schafer Award, Leadership and Passion. This award needs no explanation. --> Vesce

+ Pierre Belanger Award, Most Loathed Referee. Nor does this one. --> Do I need to specify which Murphy?

+ John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent. This award generally goes to an opposing player who has both ferociously skewered Cornell and who we would take in a heartbeat for one of our own. It is based on his performance against us only in games this year. --> Dave Steckel from Ohio State. His entire line played fantastic in that game at Lynah.

+ Kevan Melrose Award, Least Respected Opponent. This award goes to the guys who, when you scream "Sucks!" you really mean it. The bad and the ugly. The goon, the cheap shot artist, the whiner, the showboat. The asshole. -->Dave Thomas of Colgate

+ Doug Dadswell Award, Most Valuable Freshman. Define it however you want. Open only to freshman, not transfers. --> Have to go with McKee, but the entire group has really been terrific as the season has moved on.

+ Joe Nieuwendyk Award, Most Valuable Player. Again, define it however you want, as long as you consider only this year's performance. --> Moulson has been our most reliable and most consistent player. His snap-shot and wrist shot have been deadly.

[q]I respect Danis incredibly. However, by picking Danis for the Carter, aren't you effectively saying you'd rather have him in goal than McKee?[/q]

Not at all. All the Carter is is a guy who you respect and would love on the team.



Post Edited (02-29-04 12:09)

I'd like to add another Honorable Mention for the Belanger to Dan Murphy. As I already said in my notes on the game, this guy just wouldn't call Hitting from Behind or Roughing for either team, when it was plainly obvious to everyone else what was going on.

Sammy Paolini, good to great? How about not good to great? If he were a football player, he would have been redshirted his freshman year since he barely knew how to skate but then again, I don't think many football players are good skaters...



Post Edited (02-29-04 21:40)

I'm going by my finest "I told you so" moment, which is that I feverishly argued with everybody all through his freshman year that he had an excellent upside if he could only earn the ice. Nya, nya, I knew more than anybody.

(OK, I also said the same thing the very first shift I saw Joe, but so did half the people in the building. )

+ Peter Natyshak Award, Career Improvement - Tough award. I'm going to say Greg Hornby just from his transition from being an "unguided missle" his freshman year to being a "guided missle." His relentless hitting added an entertaining dimension to this team early in his career, but he developed into someone we can trust handling the puck, and someone we can count on for all-out hustle. Half of his '02-'03 goals were GWG. Consider he has less PIM this year (30 in 29 games) than he did in his freshman year (38 in 5 ECAC games); he has become a very disciplined, efficient, and valuable enforcer.

+ Randy MacFarlane Award, Transcendent Beauty and Skating Prowess - Seeing that Cook and Vesce rightly have enough support here, I'm going to throw out Cam Abbott's name. How many really expected this guy to have several breakaways? A tough guy who can skate and split defenses? I think that's a beautiful thing.

+ Dave Shippel Award, Scrappiness and Effort - I've flip-flopped often on this. As time was winding down vs. Clarkson, I saw Greg Hornby dive to get the puck out of the zone. He never can be criticized for lack of effort. However, I'm going to cast my vote for Mike Knoepfli. He gets absolutely pounded in the corners every game, and stands up to the abuse as well as he takes it. Be it holding the puck on the PK for as long as it takes, or being a human target on the low-cycle, I get the feeling he'll do whatever it takes for betterment of the team.

+ Terry Gage Award, Determination in a Supporting Role - Jon Gleed. With the defensive losses, CU needed someone to fill some huge skates. Gleed did just that, despite suffering a big injury.

+ Mike Schafer Award, Leadership and Passion - Vesce and Wallace. There's a reason the rest of the team gave them those letters.

+ Pierre Belanger Award, Most Loathed Referee - Whether the rest of the league saw it as whining or not, Schafer had a point about Joel Dupree in January. Looking from an unbiased perspective, Scott Hansen's answer in the Colgate game was pretty interesting. I'm in the minority of thinking the overall reffing wasn't too horrible this year. Really, I want to give it to whomever decreed that there must be at least 1 "contact to the head" modifier-penalty called every game. Even though it doesn't mean anything significant, it annoys me. It's right up there with the overuse of the "obstruction" qualifier the first year that existed. (And I still think "obstruction interference" is redundant)

+ John Carter Award, Most Respected Opponent - No question. Dave Steckel, Ohio State. He was terrific in all aspects of his play at Lynah: faceoffs, defense, offense. 3 points, including the game-winner with under 1 minute left. Oy. I was thrilled he didn't play in the Everblades Final. Thrilled. (in-league, I'll give a surprise nod to Yale's Christian Jensen, who really impressed me at Lynah)

+ Kevan Melrose Award, Least Respected Opponent - I almost abstained from this. I'd like to give it to every media member/coach who continues to perpetuate the myth that "all Cornell does is clutch-and-grab." I'll give it to the two Bowling Green players who couldn't even dive without getting penalized for it. I mean, you really have to be a bad actor to get called for diving at this level. So Brett Pilkington and Kevin Bieksa, BGSU, this one is for you. (In-league vote: Steve Silverthorn, Colgate. A goaltender jumping into a fight is some good theater, and we appreciate you taking the DQ, but that didn't win any sportsmanship points. Of course, I still think Noah Welch is an overrated putz.)

+ Doug Dadswell Award, Most Valuable Freshman - Dave McKee. Talk about big skates to fill. Byron Bitz plays like a sophomore, but you can't not give this award to McKee. 7 straight down the stretch allowing 1 or fewer goals more than made up for the offensive woes.

+ Joe Nieuwendyk Award, Most Valuable Player - Ryan Vesce. The face-off skills alone are worth more to me than repeating his '03 offensive numbers. Played through injury, and I'll never forget the game he played in New Jersey this season. Defensively underrated. Always one of the first forwards back to play defense as well. Great player to watch play, and a very worthy Captain. Honorable mention: Matt Moulson, who seemed to be in the middle of many huge plays this year, including 4 GWG and 2 GTG. Mr. Clutch.