And The Winner Is...

Well, not so fast....

The NHL Award "Nominees" are out but the winners have already been decided. They were decided back before the playoffs even began.

So let's take a look at the top three vote getters in the categories and attempt to divine who won and who didn't.

Calder Trophy (Top Rookie): Evgeni Lindros-Malkin, Penguin Scum; Jordan Staal, Penguin Scum; and Paul Stastny, Colorado.

How high-larious would it be if Stastny won this? IMHO, Staal out performed the anointed Lindros-Malkin but the possibility of a split vote giving this to Stastny isn't very good.

Selke Trophy (Top Defensive Forward): Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina; Samuel Pahlsson, Thug Ducks; and Jay Pandolfo, New Jersey

I'm surprised that Brind'Amour gets back in this category simply because his team didn't make the playoffs. Pahlsson is likely to win simply because his team had the better record of the top three vote getters.

Hart Trophy (MVP to his team): Martin Brodeur, New Jersey; Secondary Assist Cindy Crosby, Penguin Scum; and Roberto Luongo, Vancouver.

This is likely to be a toss-up here because you can make solid cases for all three players being totally indispensable for his team. Luongo had the bigger reclamation project but after being shut out last year I can't see Cindy not getting any voted upon hardware again this year.

Adams Award (Top Coach): Lindy Ruff, Buffaslugs; Michel Therrien, Penguin Scum; and Alain Vigneault, Vancouver.

If there is any justice in the world this would go to Vigneault but Ruff has to be the shoo-in for this one.

Norris (Top Defeneman {the ability to actually play defense does not apply though}): Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit; Scott Niedermayer, Thug Ducks; and Chris Pronger, Thug Ducks.

The easiest way to figure this one out is to look at who had the most points. Scott Niedermayer.

Lady Byng (Getlemanly conduct): Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit; Joe Sakic, Colorado; and Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay

My gut says this is Joe Sakic's payoff at the end of a long and distinguished career. The stat monkey says Datsyuk had the fewest penalty minutes.

Pearson Award (MVP according to the players): Secondary Assist Cindy Crosby, Penguin Scum; Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay; and Roberto Luongo, Vancouver

I'm surprised to see Cindy in the top three considering how much other teams dislike his on-ice diving and whining. Something tells me though that Luongo will get credit here where he won't for the Hart trophy.

Vezina Trophy (Top goaltender): Martin Brodeur, New Jersey; Mikka Kiprusoff, Calgary; Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers; Roberto Luongo, Vancouver

A tie for third place gives us four "nominees" but I can't see anybody from this group other than Brodeur walking off with this award because nobody else this season did anything to upstage Brodeur.