Monday, November 13, 2006
Monthly Moose Award
I was still thinking about how Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla grabbed the Flames by their collective throats and led them to a 3-2 come from behind win over the Canucks on Saturday night when the NHL announced their new monthly Mark Messier Leadership Award:
That said, I find it funny that the NHL would name an award after someone who retired only a season ago. Even Wayne Gretzky, who owns 61 league records, doesn't have an award named after him; neither does Mario Lemieux or Gordie Howe. What gives?
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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Mark+Messier, NHL+Leadership+Award
NEW YORK (CP) - The NHL has established a new monthly leadership award in honour of Mark Messier.I'm sure a few Canucks fans who were around for Messier's tenure here in Vancouver will scoff at the league's press release. However, there's no denying the leadership Messier provided in Edmonton and with the Rangers, just like the leadership Iginla provided on Saturday. I blame what happened in Vancouver more to some front-office bumbling more than what the Moose did in the locker room. After all, it wasn't Messier that berated Trevor Linden during a game and divided the locker room, and it wasn't Messier that forced Pavel Bure to request a trade. Markus Naslund, himself, credits Messier with his development as a player and a leader.
Many consider Messier to be the greatest captain in hockey history. The six-time Stanley Cup winner wore the C for Edmonton and the New York Rangers to become the only player in history to captain two teams to an NHL championship. He is also a former captain of the Vancouver Canucks.
Messier will be at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday to present the first winner with the award.
Messier, with input from the league, will select a player in each month who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice.
There will also be a leader of the year award given at the end of the regular season.
That said, I find it funny that the NHL would name an award after someone who retired only a season ago. Even Wayne Gretzky, who owns 61 league records, doesn't have an award named after him; neither does Mario Lemieux or Gordie Howe. What gives?
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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Mark+Messier, NHL+Leadership+Award
2 Comments:
JJ: here's what gives.
http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/A2Y/comments/corporate_leadership/
I'm not surprised that this is all a marketing ploy, though I agree with you that using something as sacred as the "C" is just tacky. One thing to promote the leaders of the team, but another to do so under the pretext of a corporate-sponsored "award".
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