The Unofficial Jaromir Jagr site, Mark Chorney on TUJJS

As I watched the Edmonton oilers totally destroy and dominate the Los Angeles Kings on last week's I got to thinking a little bit more about something. What was i thinking about? Well, it was about who will or is going to win the NHL hardware this season.

In some cases there are virtual locks for some trophy's. Example Brad Richards from Tampa Bay should get the Calder (Rookie of the year). This would go to Roman Cechemanek from Philadelphia, but because he is 29 years of age he is inelligble. They changed that rule when there was a big uprising when Sergei Makarov won it in Calgary in 1990. Brian Leetch should win the Norris (best defenceman).

But there are some arguable choices among the ranks. A coupel fo those are who should win the Jack Adams award (caoch of the year)? Some people are saying that the coach of the Colorado Avalanche should get it. Why? Sure they have an impressive record and are dominating most opponents. But let us look at that team, Forberg, Tanguay, Hejduk, Sakic, Drury, Bourque, Blake, Roy are just to name a few palyers. Of course they are going to have that kind of record. Another one is who should win the Hart (player judged to be the most valuable to his team)? There are really only to players that are competing for this prize, Joe Sakic, and Jaromir Jagr. To further explain that race, just look at the scoring race. As of today Joe has three points less than Jagr 109-112.

salo1.jpg (11733 bytes)

However to me the biggest and most pleasent suprise has been the play of one player that I can watch pretty closely. He was just named to the Olympic team for Sweden in Utah in 2002. He is none other than Tommy Salo. In my personal (not just mine, others as well) opinion he is and will be the Vezina trophy winner this year. He has quietly taken his team to the verge of going to the palyoffs. They currently sit in 6th place in the Wetsern confrence and are bottling to finish 5th. This would be the first year in 4 that the Edmonton Oilers would finish the regular season higher than eigth place. Not just that fact, but also the fact that it would be the first in 4 years that they are not fighting to the bitter end finish in 8th palce and just make the
playoffs.

Therer are other reasons why Salo should get the Vezina. He has done so much this year. He is currently tied for second in Shutouts with 8. He is only 1 behid the league lead, which is shared by Hasek and Cechemanek at 9. He has a Goals Against Average of 2.38 while palying in 65 games. While doing this he has compiled a 33-22-10 record. Tommy is 4th in wins behind Broduer (38), Roy (37), Kolzig (34). Tommy Salo is also 2nd in minutes played . Broduer has played 10 minutes and 44 seconds more than Salo. Pretty impressive season, totals and company to be mentioned!

Tommy Salo has done so much more in and around Edmonton off the ice but that is another award completly. But what he has done for this city so far this season is gotten the Oiler faithfull a little more excited about them this time fo year than the pats few years. I know acouple fo people that are talking that they could go a lot furhter than the first or second round of the playoffs this year. And I do not blame them one little bit. With the way that Salo and the rest of the team is playing why not? Maybe they could be the team to get hier names engraved on the Holy Grail? Why not?

But I do know one thing, I expect to see an acceptance speech from Salo sometime in June.