Mark Streit ignored by Masterton voters

[doniceage]

Two years ago, the Professional Hockey Writers Association announced guidelines for voting for the Masterton Trophy that were intended to emphasize perseverance and dedication to hockey and get away from slotting it as what amounts to the "Comeback Player of the Year" award. The idea was to reward players who not only had an excellent season but who also had overcome career obstacles to achieve success.

Three finalists were named today, and two of them came back from major injuries, suggesting voters are more comfortable with the "comeback criteria." While 47-year-old Detroit defenseman Chris Chelios certainly epitomizes perseverance and dedication to hockey, Nashville forward Steve Sullivan and Florida forward Richard Zednik are in the comeback category. Sullivan missed two years with a back problem before returning on Jan. 10, and Zednik returned to play after his carotid artery was sliced open by a skate blade in that horrific accident two seasons ago.

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/ho...y_mastert.html

[RGM81]

I like Mark Streit and all, but c'mon he was coming off a career season and signed a huge contract in the off-season to go the Island. I realize that a person really must perservere in order to play there, but how many people would honestly pick him over Zednik and Sullivan (who both overcame potentially career-, and in Zeddy's case life-, threatening injuries) and a guy that is timeless in Chris Chelios?

The guy that wrote that is obviously a homer, and even in saying that Streit deserved a nomination, he dedicated a whopping one line to making his case, stating only that he played with a less talented team than he did when he was in Montreal. How exactly does that qualify one for this trophy?

[scottkoz20]

The guy that wrote that is obviously a homer, and even in saying that Streit deserved a nomination, he dedicated a whopping one line to making his case, stating only that he played with a less talented team than he did when he was in Montreal. How exactly does that qualify one for this trophy?

because he had made a horrid decision and had to persevere going through that season with the Islanders. Don't you know that any player that signs as a FA and that team becomes the worse in the NHL is automatically a finalist!