LEAGUE MVP, Part 2,
April 5, 2004

Who is the WCFHL most valuable player this year? The award goes to the player that is the most valuable to his team for the season. Please remember that this is just the way I see it and it’s not an official list, so please don’t be offended if you disagree. Let’s have a look at some of the players that deserve and others that should be mentioned. I have listed 1 player from each team that may make the playoffs and then will rank them in order. Today we look at the Western Conference.

DALLAS

The Stars play a complete team game that they don’t have anyone player that stands out with MVP like numbers. Modano is their top scorer with 67 points, which puts him near the bottom of the league’s top 30 scorers. Tkachuk (61 points) is in the top 10 for left wingers.

 

COLORADO

The Av’s present roster looks very familiar; I wonder where I have seen this roster before? Such as it is, Peter Forsberg (89 points) has to be the player that the team couldn’t be without this season. He is battling Joe Thornton for the lead in scoring leaders, top 10 in assists (2nd), top 10 centers (2nd), and top 10 power play goals (2nd with 10). Sergei Gonchar deserves some mention too, with being 3rd in scoring for defencemen.

 

SAN JOSE

The Sharks probably are one of the fastest skating teams in the league up front at the forward position. They have one of the league’s best lines in Yashin, Bertuzzi and Naslund. How do you pick a player from this group? Yashin (80 points) is on the top 10, with Bertuzzi and Naslund in the top 20. Yashin is in top 10 centers, and top 10(2nd) in plus/minus. Naslund in top 10 left wingers and Bertuzzi in top 10 right wingers. Defenceman Niklas Lidstrom (68 points) is in the top 30. He is also battling MacInnis for the league’s top scoring defenceman. Lidstrom (61 assists) is also in the top 10 for assists (most from a defenceman) and he is also in top 10 for plus/minus (6th). How can I not include goalie Olaf Kolzig, who is in top 10 in 3 star points (10th), has 5 shutouts (3rd in league).

 

DETROIT

The Red Wings have made many changes this season. But Martin Brodeur keeps on ticking. How can there be anyone else from this team except him. He is in top 10 for GAA (7th, 2.37), leads in wins (40), has 5 shutouts, and is in top 10(4th) for the 3 star points.

 

 

 

 

 

ST.LOUIS

The Blues are led by Doug Weight (81 points). He is in the top 10 leaders, top 10 centers, and top 10 assists (5th). Daniel Alfredsson isn’t to far behind as he is in top 20 leaders, top 10 assists (6th) and top 10 right wingers. Goalie Jose Theodore is in the top 5 in wins (35), has 4 shutouts, and is in top 10(6th) for the 3 star points.

 

BLACKHAWKS

The Hawks can be summed up this way, Eric Lindros, Paul Kariya and to an extent Al MacInnis (he came over in a trade halfway through the season). Without these 3 the team would be much lower in the standings. Lindros is 6th in the leaders with 83 points, 4th in top 10 centers, has 10 power play goals and 6 game winning goals. Kariya is in top 20 in leaders, is 2nd in top 10 left wingers, has 5 power play goals and 5 game winning goals. Al MacInnis is leading the league in points by a defeceman (69), has 22 goals (11 of them in a Hawks jersey)

 

KINGS

Donald Audette and Brett Hull lead the Kings. We have to mention Sean Burke but most of his stats are from the Rangers, so we will leave him out. Both Audette and Hull are in the top 30 point’s leaders. Audette is in top 10 right wingers (8th) while Hull is in top 10 left-wingers (4th). Hull also has 8 power play goals and 6 game winning goals.

 

COYOTES

The Dominator leads this team. Hasek has kept Phoenix in the hunt for a playoff spot and they are still there. He has 6 shutouts and is in top 5 in minutes played (5th) and is in top 10 in the 3 star points (7th)

 

PREDATORS

The team is in the hunt, however all the top players on the team were brought over from other teams, so I have not included Nashville.

 

WILD

The Wild gm has officially waved the white flag, so I have not included Minnesota.

 

RANKINGS…

1…Brodeur   DET

2…Forsberg  COL

3…Weight     STL

4…Lindros    CHI

5…Lidstrom   SJ

6…Tkachuk   DAL

7…Hull        LA

8…Hasek      PHX