Loving the NHL

[MattPlay 0]

I watched the NHL awards tonight and I tell you it was very cool. Seeing the human/off-ice side of so many players together, from legends to rising stars, was very interesting.

It's so easy for me to get caught up in the grind of the season and especially the playoffs, growing to hate so many players in the league. However if any of these players were Wings, we would probably be all about them... whether we want to admit it or not (except for Pronger:)

Once the dust settles and they all gather to receive recognition for the achievements, it seemed they all were very humble and extremely excited. They also seemed to have a great respect for one another.

It was so great to see Dats accept the Selke & Lady Byng... But I gotta admit, I also felt proud for even Malkin.

All these players come from different walks of life striving for the same goal. A roster spot in the NHL. Some of them mentioned down times in their pursuit after being cut by teams in the past... Yet they fight on and make their dreams come true. Now they are completely flattered to get their names forever engraved on trophies along with legends they have always looked up to.

Any type of extra individual excitement any player can bring is good for the game. It develops drama throughout the league making it more interesting and improving ratings... So the NHL can continue to grow. I mean also as much as I HATE that the Wings didn't win the cup, the Pens winning was probably a more interesting story for the rest of the NHL. I have to admit, in most situations, if my dog isn't in the fight, I'm pulling for the underdog... The miracle story... Just this time our dog was in the fight and we almost won it!! I'm still proud!!

We all have our on-ice grudges and that is good. Yet, at times like this, it is nice to step back and respect every player for who they are and what they do for the NHL... The sport we all love!

I have found that I have a very high level of respect for nearly all the players in the league... Even the ones I love to hate!

How sweet it would have been to be in Vegas tonigh and find the the bar/club all the players went to after the show! I might go to Vegas this time next year!

Cheers to the NHL! I cant imagine life without it!!

Edited June 19, 2009 by MattPlay

[Lidstromrules16 7]

while i agree, thats its nice to see, the whole award thing doesnt do it for me. Its too "Hollywood". These guys are professional athletes who work their asses off every night on the ice, and for the most part, respect each other off the ice. I dont need to see them dressed all fancy at a lousy awards ceremony to recognize how talented all of these guys are.

needless to say, i still watched the event

[VM1138 1,921]

Once the Cup finals are over, I remember how I actually like most of the hockey players. We get so caught up hating the teams or players we face in the playoffs, it can be easy to forget that there are really great players out there. I even like Malkin a bit. Sure, he loses his cool too much, but he never whines and he always gives 200%, unlike his captain.

[corvette80 1]

This was the first time I watched it and it wasn't to bad, except the back ground music sounded like they pulled it out of some 70's porn. Really cool to see Ovie stand up just to shack Datsyuk's hand after he won the Selke. You can see that Ovie, Malkin and Dats are pretty good buddies.

[hooon 1,089]

to be honest, that was the most poorly produced awards show ive ever seen. It looked as though it was put together by a bunch of 8th graders who got together that morning to begin planning. Then they tried to make it appealing to the masses by getting a bunch of HORRENDOUS singers and 'talent', which i had never even heard of, to fill in the extra hour+ of time needed.

Roenick seemed drunk during the thing, and i know these guys are hockey players but.... was there something wrong with telepromper cause there was honestly not ONE single person who read their little forced statement properly.

I love seeing the personality side of players, and the behind the scenes stuff. But the awards show was far from 'natural' behavior. I have never seen hockey players look more awkward and out of their element.

[scotzman 29]

I had a completely different take on it... it sucked.

[T.Low 1,011]

Good thread. Thanks for the OP.

Datsyuk very impressive; Selke & Lady Bing, Hart finalist, and 3rd (or did he finish 4rth?) in scoring. Wow.

[blackbarbie11 0]

Congradulations to all of the nominees and winners last night at the NHL Awards. And a special congrads to my Nashville Predator Steve Sullivan for winning the Masterton Award, all of his hard work and dedication to the game of hockey paid off. Oh and I think Malkin has the cutest accent. I enjoyed the show very much.

[T.Low 1,011]

I had a completely different take on it... it sucked.

I like Mattplay's positve post focusing on the players and the side of them we don't normally get to see, rather than yet another post about the obvious stupid things the NHL does.

[wingfan4ever 0]

I just want to know what Chaka Khan is doing at a hockey award show.

But besides little things like that, I did enjoy watching it.

Edited June 19, 2009 by wingfan4ever

[Wingfan24 0]

I enjoyed it, Datsyuk is such a funny guy even if his english isn't 100% it was nice to see him take home the selke and byng again.Also nice to see how classy Ovechkin is when he got up and shook datsyuks hand after winning the selke.

[Slayergirl78 0]

I just want to know what Chaka Khan is doing at a hockey award show.

THIS!! At one point I just had to mute the tv because I couldn't take the horrible singing. How did she ever have a career? And those outfits *cringe*? Just no.

[wingfan4ever 0]

Also nice to see how classy Ovechkin is when he got up and shook datsyuks hand after winning the selke.

I liked seeing that too

Edited June 19, 2009 by wingfan4ever

[Valas19 50]

It was some of the worst televison I've every seen...EVER. The only people who didn't sound completely lost were the few actual actors who KNEW how to read off a teleprompter.

To me, the whole production was an embarrassment. Do some rehearsal work for gosh sakes.

Move it back to Toronto and let Ron McLean handle it.

[mjlegend 155]

I just want to know what Chaka Khan is doing at a hockey award show.

But besides little things like that, I did enjoy watching it.

Chaka Chaka Chaka Chaka Khan?

Chaka Khan? Chaka Khan? Chaka Khan?

Chaka Khan, let me rock you

Let me rock you, Chaka Khan

Let me rock you, that's all I wanna do

Chaka Khan, let me rock you

Let me rock you, Chaka Khan

Let me rock you, let me feel for you...

I think she was only there to sing Crosby's theme song, "I'm Every Woman".

[dat's sick 1,002]

It was some of the worst televison I've every seen...EVER. The only people who didn't sound completely lost were the few actual actors who KNEW how to read off a teleprompter.

To me, the whole production was an embarrassment. Do some rehearsal work for gosh sakes.

Move it back to Toronto and let Ron McLean handle it.

I agree, it seemed thrown together in about 15 minutes without any rehearsals. It was still worth watching for the Datsyuk/Ovie humour, and Thomas had a good speech, but I had to turn off the sound at times because it was so awkward watching.

[MattPlay 0]

I agree that the music wasn't very well suited for todays NHL players & fans. Yet I don't expect hockey players who's first language isn't English to read TelePrompTers as perfectly as professional actors would at the Emmy Awards. They probably ran through one rehearsal so everyone had an understanding of it and went with that. I see it as a time for the players to be recognized for their dedication and achievements, not as a time where they need to display politician quality public speaking skills.

It was very refreshing to me to see all the on-ice enemies together to celebrate the one thing they all had in common. I hated to see Lidstrom not win the Smythe but it was nice to se Chara mention, first thing, congrats to the other nominees that they also had excellent years. I could see that this "enemy" was actually a very humble guy who was very flattered to be recognized on this level. I noticed that off the ice they all had great respect for one another and wanted to enjoy eachothers company for a change. Everyone seemed really humble and proud to be a part of the same thing... For once everyone was on the same team, the NHL.

I use to get bitter and take losses badly... Yet lately I have tried to take things a little less seriously. It's a game, full of great players who all want to play and win. I've noticed that instead of getting mad about a loss, that respecting and congadulating the other team is much more fun. I find it even easier to be this way when I see that the players also feel the same way. We all want to win but we can't always win.

This philosophy translates very well for being a Lions fan

Edited June 19, 2009 by MattPlay

[dat's sick 1,002]

I agree that the music wasn't very well suited for todays NHL players & fans. Yet I don't expect hockey players who's first language isn't English to read TelePrompTers as perfectly as professional actors would at the Emmy Awards. They probably ran through one rehearsal so everyone had an understanding of it and went with that. I see it as a time for the players to be recognized for their dedication and achievements, not as a time where they need to display politician quality public speaking skills.

What's Jeremy Roenick's first language?

No, I agree with you that's it about celebrating players and their achievements, but it's not like they can't do that as well as make the actual thing watchable. Like getting some presenters that know how to talk.

And there's so much they could do to make the event more fun. They had some montages of goals and saves, but why not have some kind of voting for the top 10 goals/saves/hits leading up to the event and then reveal the results one by one throughout the night?

It'd be sweet if they could get some comedy in there too. You know, someone that comes in and makes bad jokes about Sean Avery and Dion Phaneuf, just something to mix it up a bit.

And of course I can't say it enough that the choice of music was beyond terrible.

Seemed like an amateurish event to me. Not befitting a league that wants to be taken seriously and contend with the other major sports.

It was very refreshing to me to see all the on-ice enemies together to celebrate the one thing they all had in common. I hated to see Lidstrom not win the Smythe but it was nice to se Chara mention, first thing, congrats to the other nominees that they also had excellent years. I could see that this "enemy" was actually a very humble guy who was very flattered to be recognized on this level. I noticed that off the ice they all had great respect for one another and wanted to enjoy eachothers company for a change. Everyone seemed really humble and proud to be a part of the same thing... For once everyone was on the same team, the NHL.

There's an interview with Chara on TSN after he won the award, and he says some really nice thing about Lids. Like how he looks up to him and stuff. I haven't really liked him before but he seems like a really humble and nice guy.

[j.hoop 64]

I enjoyed it, Datsyuk is such a funny guy even if his english isn't 100% it was nice to see him take home the selke and byng again.Also nice to see how classy Ovechkin is when he got up and shook datsyuks hand after winning the selke.

alexander the gr8 was hoping some off datsyuks magic would rub off on him.