On Monday, the NHL announced the three finalists for the Mark Messier Leadership Award: Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo, Los Angeles forward Dustin Brown, and Washington forward Alexander Ovechkin.
Luongo and Brown are both deserving nominees; Ovechkin, on the other hand, makes a mockery of the core values of the award.
Started in 2006-07, the Messier Leadership Award is presented "to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice during the regular season." Past winners have been Chris Chelios, Mats Sundin, and Jarome Iginla.
Based on this definition, a strong case can be made for both Brown and Luongo. However, simply reading that mission statement, and considering the past winners as potential company, should eliminate Ovechkin.
In 2006, Ovechkin received five boarding majors and a game misconduct for hammering then-Philadelphia forward Daniel Briere. At the World Championships in 2007, Ovechkin was suspended for a game for a hit to the head while representing Russia, not the Washington Capitals. In Game Four of last spring's semifinal series against Pittsbur ...
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Article written by TAB BAMFORD
Alexander Ovechkin’s Nomination Is a Mockery of the Messier Leadership Award
March 22nd, 2010 by TAB BAMFORD Leave a reply »
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