TIGERS NHL AWARD WINNERS

Medicine Hat, AB — Wednesday night the NHL will embark on their annual Awards night, handing out their hardware to the league’s best players. All nominees are in attendance as the awards ceremony is usually held in Las Vegas. This year the awards bring a lot of excitement. Attached to the awards night is the Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft.

NHL Awards are very difficult to win as usually the same players pile up the accolades (see Wayne Gretzky), but no matter what kind of season unfolded, any one of the three nominees has a chance at putting their name on a trophy.

Over the years many former Tigers have suited up in the NHL, some for a few games, others for a few hundred. In our history a former Tiger has won an NHL award 7 times dating back to 1982. In this feature we break down our award winners…..

Vezina Trophy

Awarded to the goalkeeper judged to be the best at his position.

Pete Peeters – Boston Bruins – 1982-83

The Tigers first and only winner of the Vezina trophy, Peeters played 2 seasons in Medicine Hat recording a 26 win season in 1976-77. That summer Pete was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 8th Round of the NHL Draft and made the jump to professional hockey the next season. Peeters made his NHL debut during the 1978-79 season with the Flyers appearing in 5 games before becoming a regular in 1979-80. The 1979-80 Flyers team was a record setting club as Peeters was apart of the 35 consecutive victory team, going 22-0-5 before suffering a loss to start the season. That year he finished 29-5-5 and led the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the New York Islanders.

Pete would play 2 more seasons with Philadelphia before being traded to the Boston Bruins in 1982. That season Peeters played in a career best 62 games and at one point went 31 games without suffering a loss. Pete would record a phenomenal 40-11-9 record and 2.36 GAA leading the Bruins to the best record in the NHL. The Bruins were bounced by the New York Islanders (eventual winners) in the 3rd round of the playoffs.

Later in the summer Peeters was awarded the Vezina trophy and also finished 2nd in voting for the Hart Trophy (League MVP) behind Wayne Gretzky.

 

Bill Masterton Trophy

Awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

Lanny McDonald – Calgary Flames – 1982-83

One of the most iconic players to ever play in the NHL and for the Tigers, Lanny suited up for the orange and black for 2 seasons before heading to the NHL full time as a rookie in 1973-74 with the team that drafted him 4th overall the Toronto Maple Leafs. McDonald had some great seasons for the Leafs posting three straight 40+ goal seasons before being traded to the Colorado Rockies, an expansion franchise. The Rockies didn’t have very much success in Colorado and McDonald only played 1 full season before being traded again to the Calgary Flames.

It was McDonald’s second season with the Flames that earned him the Masterton trophy. McDonald was neck and neck with Wayne Gretzky for the NHL league lead in goals scored and eclipsed his career high 47 goals at the All-Star break. McDonald would finish with 66 goals, five shy of Gretzky’s 71. Only three other players in NHL history had ever scored more than 66 goals before that date, which included Gretzky, Phil Esposito and Mike Bossy.

Lanny has always been dedicated to the game of hockey, even from his playing days in Medicine Hat and in 1983 he was recognized by the NHL with the Masterton Trophy.

Mark Fitzpatrick – New York Islanders – 1991-92

Fitzpatrick was an integral part of the Championship winning Tigers teams that captured the Memorial Cup in back to back seasons. Mark played 3 full seasons with the Tigers winning 2 WHL Championships and back to back Memorial Cups before turning pro in 1988-89. The Los Angeles Kings made him their 2nd round draft pick after the 1987 season and Fitzpatrick made his NHL debut in 1988-89 appearing in 17 games for the Kings. That same season he and fellow Tigers teammate Wayne McBean were packaged to the New York Islanders for another former Tiger in Kelly Hrudey.

In New York Fitzpatrick played his first full season in 1989-90 appearing in 47 games. During the next season Fitzpatrick contracted Eosinophilia–myalgia syndrome, a potentially fatal neurological disease, which cost him nearly all of the 1990-91 season. He recovered and returned to the ice in February 1992.

That year he played in 44 games (30 in the NHL) and was awarded the Masterton trophy for his perseverance to the game of hockey after his illness. Fitzpatrick would play 8 more NHL seasons after his award winning year.

 

King Clancy Trophy 

Awarded to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community.

Lanny McDonald – Calgary Flames – 1987-88

With his career winding down and injuries starting to creep into his game McDonald was still an active member within the Calgary community. A major contributor to many local charities at the time, McDonald was awarded the King Clancy trophy for his humanitarian contribution, mostly stemming from his support for the Special Olympics, with whom he continues to have a strong association with.

The following season McDonald would win the Stanley Cup with the Flames after 16 seasons in the NHL. After the Cup win, McDonald retired from the game of hockey.

Trevor Linden – Vancouver Canucks – 1996-97

Linden is most notably one of the best hockey players born and raised in Medicine Hat. Trevor played for his hometown Tigers for two full seasons and was part of the back to back winning WHL and Memorial Cup Championships. Trevor’s last season with the Tigers he recorded 110 points in 67 games and added 25 points in 16 playoff games. That summer Linden was selected 2nd overall in the NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. The following season Linden would make his pro debut at the tender age of 18 and recorded a 30 goal campaign. By the age of 21 Linden was named the Canucks captain.

Linden’s NHL career spanned 19 seasons with stops in Vancouver, Montreal, Washington and New York (Islanders) along the way. As a respected leader on and off the ice Linden was awarded the King Clancy trophy in 1996-97 for his large contributions to the Vancouver community.

As a side note, during Linden’s rookie season he came second in voting for the Calder trophy behind Brian Leetch.

In 2007-08 Linden would win the NHL Foundation Player Award with Vincent Lecavalier. Awarded annually to the National Hockey League player “who applies the core values of hockey—commitment, perseverance and teamwork—to enrich the lives of people in his community”. The winner is given a grant of US$ 25,000 to help causes that the winner supports. Many players have been awarded as a result of large charitable contributions to their community.

 

William M. Jennings Trophy 

Awarded to the goalkeeper(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it.

Chris Osgood – Detroit Red Wings – 1995-96, 2007-08

Osgood played 2 and a half full seasons with the Tigers recording back to back 20 win seasons. Osgood was the first goaltender to score a goal in Tigers franchise history in a game against the Swift Current Broncos. Osgood was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 3rd round in 1991 and would turn pro after his final WHL season in 1992. Chris’ NHL debut came during the 1993-94 season where he appeared in 41 games, compiling a 23-8-5 record.

During the 1995-96 season the Red Wings were led by Osgood, Sergei Fedorov, Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom as they recorded a remarkable 62 victories out of the 82 game schedule for a staggering 131 points and the President’s trophy. Osgood alongside fellow goaltender Mike Vernon would split the Jennings trophy as the Wings would only allow 181 goals on the season (2.21 goals per game),

Osgood would win his second Jennings trophy during the 2007-08 season. The Wings were propelled by a great goaltending duo of Osgood and Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek. The duo combined to help the Wings to the best record in the NHL sporting a 54-21-2-5 record for 115 points. That season Osgood and Hasek split the Jennings trophy having only allowed 184 goals in 82 games (2.24 goals per game). That season the Wings won the Stanley Cup, the 3rd Cup for Osgood.

Osgood became the 7th goaltender since the Jennings trophy was first awarded during the 1981-82 season to have won multiple times.

 

Make sure to tune into the NHL Awards Wednesday night and see which players will win this year’s trophies.