In a new feature aimed to warm the heart and numb the mind, Buster Gunning presents “Busters Little Heroes”, tales of local amateur athletes who go above and beyond their sport and achieve greatness, if only for one day. This week’s her, Paul Homenock of Dallas, Texas, is fresh off a four-ringer performance at a Dallas pool party last weekend.
Throughout the year we will be ranking who we think the top 5 players are in each position every month. These lists will change and it’s based on what they’ve done thus far in the year.
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By Christopher Reina
Penguins' center Sidney Crosby won the Hart Trophy in his sophomore campaign in the NHL and it is his award to lose this year. Though Joe Thornton, Roberto Luongo, Alexander Ovechkin and six others will certainly form a challenge the 20-year-old.
10. Miikka Kiprusoff, Goaltender, Calgary Flames
Kiprusoff won the 2006 Vezina Trophy and was a runner-up to Roberto Luongo last season when he went 40-24 with a 2.46 goal-against average. While still receiving acclaim, this was a far cry from the 2.07 he averaged the previous year and even further from the 1.69 he averaged in 38 games during the 2003-2004 season, his first after the trade from San Jose.
The Flames finished 3rd in the Northwest Division last season and lost to the Red Wings in the conference quarterfinals, but Mike Keenan is now at the helm.
9. Jaromir Jagr, Right Wing, New York Rangers
Jagr has won the Hart Trophy once (1999) and has been a finalist five other seasons, including 2006. His numbers dipped last season, as he scored just 30 times, compared to 54 in 2005-2006. With newcomers Chris Drury and Chris Gomez at center, Jagr should see far more opportunities and will likely finish with over 100 points for the sixth time in his Hall of Fame career.
8. Marián Hossa, Right Wing, Atlanta Thrashers
Hossa finished the 2006-2007 season with an even 100 points, as he was fifth in the NHL with 46 goals. Behind his scoring punch, the Thrashers finished 1st in the Southeast Division, which allowed them to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
7. Vincent Lecavalier, Center, Tampa Bay Lightning
With 52 goals, Lecavalier won the Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy for the first time in his career. Like many players on this list, Lecavalier is a former first overall pick and while not quite the Michael Jordan of hockey, is certainly one of the league’s best players. Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis form one of the most potent tandems in the NHL.
6. Dany Heatley, Right Wing, Ottawa Senators
The Senators were the Stanley Cup runner-ups last season to the Ducks and Heatley is expected to have another brilliant season. He was second in the NHL in goals (50) and fourth in points (105). Heatley finished the season strong, making up for a slow December where he only scored 4 times in 14 games. Finally, Heatley had the highest +/- (31) of any player on this list. With Daniel Briere and Chris Drury leaving Buffalo this summer, the Senators are the odds-on favorites to lead the Eastern Conference in wins.
5. Martin Brodeur, Goaltender, New Jersey Devils
For the third time in his career, Brodeur won the Vezina Trophy in 2007 and was also a Hart Trophy finalist. He led the NHL in shutouts (12), wins (48, a new NHL record) and games played (78). With Brodeur in net, the Devils always overachieve and with the departures of Scott Gomez and Brian Rafalski, the 35-year-old will have to be as good as he always is.
4. Alexander Ovechkin, Left Wing, Washington Capitals
After finishing with 102 points as a rookie, Ovechkin dipped to 92 on a very bad Capitals team last season. GM George McPhee worked to improve the team by bringing in Michael Nylander and Viktor Kozlov, but flaws remain. With Ovechkin being so good and the team being so bad last season, would the Capitals have even reached 20 wins without their star left wing?
3. Roberto Luongo, Goaltender, Vancouver Canucks
In his first season in Vancouver, Luongo was 47-22 with a 2.29 goals-against average, which made him a finalist for the Hart Trophy. No playoff team other than the Devils scored fewer points than the Canucks, so his record could be even better if the Sedins and Taylor Pyatt can give Luongo more goals to work with.
2. Joe Thornton, Center, San Jose Sharks
Thornton followed up his 2005-2006 Hart Trophy campaign by finishing the season with 114 points and helping guide the Sharks to a 51 win year. The Sharks should be very good again in 2007-2008, so Thornton surely will be a leading candidate, depending on how monstrous the stats are of the first player on the list.
1. Sidney Crosby, Center, Pittsburgh Penguins
Crosby led the NHL in scoring (120) and won his first Hart Trophy, helping the Penguins go from 58 points in his rookie season to 105 last season. With running mate Evgeni Malkin, Crosby could have over 100 assists this season, improving on the 84 he had last year. This is truly his award to lose.
