Mar 04 Carey Price Doesn't Deserve the Vézina...The Hart Will Do

First of all, make sure there aren't any sharp objects or high ledges nearby. Done? Okay, good. Now imagine where the Montreal Canadiens would be right now with an average goaltender instead of Carey Price. Pretend the team has been backstopped all year by a goaltender having a pedestrian season like Craig Anderson or (dare I say?) Jaroslav Halak. If that were the case, it is with an abundance of confidence that I can say the topic lighting up talk radio would be who the Habs should take in the 2011 NHL Draft with their lottery pick. So that being said, Carey Price has earned serious consideration for the Hart trophy. The Vézina trophy, however, not so much...

Can, or should, a goaltender have to win the Vézina award for the league's best goaltender to qualify himself for the Hart trophy, awarded to the league's most valuable player? A lot of those who actually vote for the winners of these trophies will tell you yes. I tell you absolutely not and I point to the literal definition of each award as my reasoning. If the season ends today, Tim Thomas unquestionably wins the Vézina trophy. He leads the league in all statistical categories which hold the most relevance for the awards. He leads in save percentage (.940), goals against average (1.95) and shutouts (7). Price has the same amount of shutouts Thomas has and edges the Bruins' net-minder in wins with 30 to Thomas' 29. However, Thomas has kept up with Price in that category despite having 12 fewer starts.

So seeing as Thomas has the clearer statistical edge over Price in the major stat categories, why don't I think Thomas should win the Hart over Price? It boils down to one simple thing. The Bruins are a better hockey team than the Canadiens and granted it's impossible to say for sure, I don't think they'd be faring much worse with Tuukka Rask in nets full-time over Thomas. The Canadiens would be a complete train-wreck with Alex Auld over Price.

It's an absolute miracle the Canadiens find themselves in sixth place, seven points up on the Rangers for the final playoff spot. It's a miracle considering Andrei Markov and Josh Gorges, the team's two best defensemen, have been out for significant parts of the season and are on the shelf for the rest of it. It's a miracle because Tomas Plekanec, the team's best forward, sits 45th in league scoring. It's a miracle because of how the team has been forced to rely on the rookie movement, notably P.K. Subban, Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais. While other contributors deserve recognition, this team owes the bulk of its success to Carey Price and will go as far as Price is able to take them. The same can't exactly be said about Tim Thomas.

Statistics are useful but don't come close to telling the full story. Take a look at the league's scoring standings. Right now, Daniel Sedin sits on top and will probably receive Hart trophy consideration but Sedin's brother Henrik and Ryan Kesler have been almost as valuable to the success of the Canucks. Jarome Iginla is a much more viable Hart candidate in my eyes but only sits ninth in league scoring. Where would the Flames be without Iginla? The team wasn't even represented at the All-Star Game. They were the butt of jokes league-wide upon the dismissal of general manager Darryl Sutter. Yet somehow they currently sit in a playoff spot, something they owe largely to Iginla.

My wish is that the definition of these awards be taken more literally. The MVP award should be given to the most valuable player. That shouldn't be too much to ask. There are enough trophies to go around for those who deserve them.

About Will Martinez

Will Martinez runs the 'Hey, My Name is Will' blog and is a contributor for TheFranchise.ca. You can follow Will on Twitter @heymynameiswill

Tags: Carey price