Savage either must not like the +/- stat as much as he says he does, or maybe he doesn't read this blog enough. If he did, he'd know Bertram would be the far and away unanimous winner of this award and probably up for an NHL roster spot. How is he not even in the top 5?? Apparently there are just too many casual hockey fans with computers who have the ability to vote. I'll admit though, Bert has been playing better and I've noticed him moving much quicker on the ice, fighting or not. I was just surprised not to see him mentioned.
JungleMonkey
Wed, 01/20/2010 - 8:27am
The award should always be called "Offensive Defenseman of the Year".
Katie Stine
Wed, 01/20/2010 - 8:50am
Bertram wasn't among the nominees: http://www.mlive.com/generals/index.ssf/2010/01/poll_first_ihl_readers_choice_3.html
Andrea
Wed, 01/20/2010 - 8:56am
I would agree with JungleMonkey that the award should be renamed...especially after reading the article. I do not necessarily agree with Frozen Water that Bertram is NHL material. I believe he has improved this year and I do like the fact that he is willing to stick up for his teammates when needed.
Now I have a question for the blog: Who do you believe (based on this season and this season alone) is the best goalie; defenseman; and forward playing for the Komets? I asked this question yesterday to some people and everyone gave great reasons for their picks. I'm curious to see what people say. Have a great day and happy blogging!
Frozen Water
Wed, 01/20/2010 - 8:59am
Andrea: Total sarcasm. I know it doesn't translate over a blog, it's just more of a response to the arguments back and forth on here over Bertram all year. He isn't NHL material, agreed.
JungleMonkey
Wed, 01/20/2010 - 11:22am
Haun
Phillips
Chaulk (Thomas get an Honorable Mention)
Will Haun be our best goalie by the end of the season? I doubt it. Boucher is clutch, he's proven it over the last two years, but as for "so far this season" Haun edges him out. There's nobody in this league I'd take over Boucher in a Game 7.
Phillips is so solid. He does what defenseman are supposed to do in my opinion. He defends! He isn't a flashy scorer, but he tough as nails in his own zone.
Chaulk is a lead by example guy that does it all. I also think Leo has played well this season.
Alan
Wed, 01/20/2010 - 11:48am
I'm going to try to answer Andrea's question, but my answer is going to be very "vanilla". First off, when you compare the K's goaltenders, I'm not sure there has been any great difference. They both have been first rate and when injuries or suspensions has thrust either one into a continuous starting role, they both have done fantastic. Secondly, the defenseman. I'm not sure I remember the last time the K's have started the year with so many rookie defensemen. In the beginning of the year they brought terrific energy. The veteran defensemen brought experience. One would think that having so many rookies would bring mistakes and a "learning curve" that would throttle the defensive statistics for the team. Some mistakes happened, sure. They always do. However, the K's have been very consistant in remaining at the top of the league in goals allowed. Plus, every game from now on just brings more experience to the rookie defensemen. I think the veterans have done a pretty good job helping them along. Thirdly, the forwards. The roster at the start of the season was loaded with skilled offensive players. Somehow that didn't translate to the ice as the K's had a real tough time scoring more than two goals a game for quite a while. Syro being called up was a setback for the team offensively but they still should have done better with the talent on this team. Mac's suspension and some injuries didn't help either as the "lines" tended to be reworked all the time and not much consistency or chemistry was developed. Now the team and the roster has settled a bit and we are seeing the Chaulk line and the Thomas line scoring. I am sure that the Chewy line will get started also as there is just too much talent there for it to not to take off. When that occurs this team will be a force. Heck, they might be considered a "force" now as they have gone 8-0-1 in their last nine games. ( I hope I didn't jinx them now ). So those are my reasons to say that this has been a real "team" effort. One goaltender picks up the other goaltender, one defenseman covers up for another defenseman's mistake, and one forward line goes out and takes the pressure off the other lines in different games. My MVP per position is TEAM. Backcheck, forecheck, shoot the puck and crash the net, make that "big" save" per game and you have the recipe for a lot of wins.
Dschebig
Wed, 01/20/2010 - 12:10pm
Andrea--I'll take a chance and say. Best Goaljudge -John Cains but it could be Dan Scheible, Best Penalty Timekeeper-Fred Waltenburg, Best penalty Box attendant- Tie Lynn Braun & Bud Wheeler, Best Time Keeper-Ken Roehrs, Best Scorekeeper Who Else but me. Best statistician there are like 5 guys so it's a tie. I almost forgot best head of Off-Ice officials the one the only Win Rood. Best guy to watch the game with his own rule book Larry the PA Guy. I just don't pick players as I am way to up close and personal.
Burgee
Wed, 01/20/2010 - 2:45pm
I kinda like that muskegon scorekeeper who gives points to people for attending the game or if your just in the vicinity.
gregsand77
Wed, 01/20/2010 - 5:04pm
Alan, Jungle, I agree. Tim Haun has done a tremendous job this season. I think we have a great tandem. Obviously Boucher has had a tough season, missing 30+ days with the finger, and several weeks with other injuries (I think it was thumb first, then the finder, and then just recently leaving the game because of the groin?). Tim has picked up the slack bigtime. Now that Boucher (seems) healthy again, I would expect him to be playing the big games down the stretch (provided he plays well and stays healthy). I think we are more than solid in the pipes heading into the halfway point.
Brendan Savage
Wed, 01/20/2010 - 10:01pm
I noticed Bertram's plus-minus. Maybe I missed the boat on the nominations but I just figured Dupuis and Phillips were Fort Wayne's best defensemen and I didn't want to overload the list with a bunch of guys from the same team. I tried to limit it to no more than two from each team.
Hit Somebody!!!
Wed, 01/20/2010 - 10:10pm
You got the right 2 from Fort Wayne I think. They all have played well. Phillips is one of the best in the league period, he just isn't flashy or a point getter. Guy will put up points as he always does, he is on the PowerPlay. He still plays good hockey. Bert honestly has been good for 2 weeks. That is my opinion, ok. I know people are throwing the idea around once again he is hurt or has personal issues or whatever the annual excuse is, I agree, he is playing well of late and I applaud him for it. We will need his postive play the rest of the year and into the playoffs. But how can the Komets win this league again and have that be a positive. We are supposed to feel guilty as Komet's fans for our team being good. So color me Guilty.
Comments
Savage either must not like the +/- stat as much as he says he does, or maybe he doesn't read this blog enough. If he did, he'd know Bertram would be the far and away unanimous winner of this award and probably up for an NHL roster spot. How is he not even in the top 5?? Apparently there are just too many casual hockey fans with computers who have the ability to vote. I'll admit though, Bert has been playing better and I've noticed him moving much quicker on the ice, fighting or not. I was just surprised not to see him mentioned.
The award should always be called "Offensive Defenseman of the Year".
Bertram wasn't among the nominees: http://www.mlive.com/generals/index.ssf/2010/01/poll_first_ihl_readers_choice_3.html
I would agree with JungleMonkey that the award should be renamed...especially after reading the article. I do not necessarily agree with Frozen Water that Bertram is NHL material. I believe he has improved this year and I do like the fact that he is willing to stick up for his teammates when needed.
Now I have a question for the blog: Who do you believe (based on this season and this season alone) is the best goalie; defenseman; and forward playing for the Komets? I asked this question yesterday to some people and everyone gave great reasons for their picks. I'm curious to see what people say. Have a great day and happy blogging!
Andrea: Total sarcasm. I know it doesn't translate over a blog, it's just more of a response to the arguments back and forth on here over Bertram all year. He isn't NHL material, agreed.
Haun
Phillips
Chaulk (Thomas get an Honorable Mention)
Will Haun be our best goalie by the end of the season? I doubt it. Boucher is clutch, he's proven it over the last two years, but as for "so far this season" Haun edges him out. There's nobody in this league I'd take over Boucher in a Game 7.
Phillips is so solid. He does what defenseman are supposed to do in my opinion. He defends! He isn't a flashy scorer, but he tough as nails in his own zone.
Chaulk is a lead by example guy that does it all. I also think Leo has played well this season.
I'm going to try to answer Andrea's question, but my answer is going to be very "vanilla". First off, when you compare the K's goaltenders, I'm not sure there has been any great difference. They both have been first rate and when injuries or suspensions has thrust either one into a continuous starting role, they both have done fantastic. Secondly, the defenseman. I'm not sure I remember the last time the K's have started the year with so many rookie defensemen. In the beginning of the year they brought terrific energy. The veteran defensemen brought experience. One would think that having so many rookies would bring mistakes and a "learning curve" that would throttle the defensive statistics for the team. Some mistakes happened, sure. They always do. However, the K's have been very consistant in remaining at the top of the league in goals allowed. Plus, every game from now on just brings more experience to the rookie defensemen. I think the veterans have done a pretty good job helping them along. Thirdly, the forwards. The roster at the start of the season was loaded with skilled offensive players. Somehow that didn't translate to the ice as the K's had a real tough time scoring more than two goals a game for quite a while. Syro being called up was a setback for the team offensively but they still should have done better with the talent on this team. Mac's suspension and some injuries didn't help either as the "lines" tended to be reworked all the time and not much consistency or chemistry was developed. Now the team and the roster has settled a bit and we are seeing the Chaulk line and the Thomas line scoring. I am sure that the Chewy line will get started also as there is just too much talent there for it to not to take off. When that occurs this team will be a force. Heck, they might be considered a "force" now as they have gone 8-0-1 in their last nine games. ( I hope I didn't jinx them now ). So those are my reasons to say that this has been a real "team" effort. One goaltender picks up the other goaltender, one defenseman covers up for another defenseman's mistake, and one forward line goes out and takes the pressure off the other lines in different games. My MVP per position is TEAM. Backcheck, forecheck, shoot the puck and crash the net, make that "big" save" per game and you have the recipe for a lot of wins.
Andrea--I'll take a chance and say. Best Goaljudge -John Cains but it could be Dan Scheible, Best Penalty Timekeeper-Fred Waltenburg, Best penalty Box attendant- Tie Lynn Braun & Bud Wheeler, Best Time Keeper-Ken Roehrs, Best Scorekeeper Who Else but me. Best statistician there are like 5 guys so it's a tie. I almost forgot best head of Off-Ice officials the one the only Win Rood. Best guy to watch the game with his own rule book Larry the PA Guy. I just don't pick players as I am way to up close and personal.
I kinda like that muskegon scorekeeper who gives points to people for attending the game or if your just in the vicinity.
Alan, Jungle, I agree. Tim Haun has done a tremendous job this season. I think we have a great tandem. Obviously Boucher has had a tough season, missing 30+ days with the finger, and several weeks with other injuries (I think it was thumb first, then the finder, and then just recently leaving the game because of the groin?). Tim has picked up the slack bigtime. Now that Boucher (seems) healthy again, I would expect him to be playing the big games down the stretch (provided he plays well and stays healthy). I think we are more than solid in the pipes heading into the halfway point.
I noticed Bertram's plus-minus. Maybe I missed the boat on the nominations but I just figured Dupuis and Phillips were Fort Wayne's best defensemen and I didn't want to overload the list with a bunch of guys from the same team. I tried to limit it to no more than two from each team.
You got the right 2 from Fort Wayne I think. They all have played well. Phillips is one of the best in the league period, he just isn't flashy or a point getter. Guy will put up points as he always does, he is on the PowerPlay. He still plays good hockey. Bert honestly has been good for 2 weeks. That is my opinion, ok. I know people are throwing the idea around once again he is hurt or has personal issues or whatever the annual excuse is, I agree, he is playing well of late and I applaud him for it. We will need his postive play the rest of the year and into the playoffs. But how can the Komets win this league again and have that be a positive. We are supposed to feel guilty as Komet's fans for our team being good. So color me Guilty.
"Annual Excuse" .... Classic quote, Hit..