It’s been a week since the Red Wings lifted the hardware defeating the Penguins in six games. The offseason is here with NHL Awards on deck. So, what’s floating around my unpredictable mind these days? Let’s find out!

1.Alright. I have to just come out and say it. What exactly are the Maple Leafs doing hiring Ron Wilson as coach? Truthfully, he’s not that bad and did a decent job in San Jose but he’s never proved he can get a team over the hump. The Sharks were plenty talented but always seemed to leave their fans wanting more. Isn’t that Toronto in a nutshell without the direction? They still don’t have a GM yet there’s a new coach. Only the Leafs.

2.Hasan had a nice writeup on the awards which take place in the hockey capital Thursday. I understand the Devil blogger’s allegiance to Martin Brodeur as the future Hall of Fame netminder didn’t have a great D and still performed admirably getting the team as far as they could go without Brian Rafalski (Detroit) and Scott Gomez (Rangers). But I’m also one of those few who believes Evgeni Nabokov should win his first Vezina edging Brodeur. Granted. Nabby played on a better team which boasted a better D. But if you looked at their offense after Joe Thornton, the goal output wasn’t much to speak of forcing the Russian goalie to be at his best in plenty of lowscoring games. Like Brodeur, his backup didn’t play much and that was more out of necessity. Nabokov led the league with 46 wins, accounting for 93.8 percent of San Jose’s 49 wins. By comparison, Brodeur won 44 of the Devs’ 46 for 95.6 percent. If he wins a fourth Vezina, I wouldn’t cry as he would be quite deserving. Where would the franchise be without him? I just have some sentiment that it would be nice to see a Russian win the trophy. Nabokov has had stellar seasons before but had never been recognized as one of the NHL’s best. This is his first nomination for the league’s top goalie. We’ll know in a couple of days who prevailed.

3.As for Henrik Lundqvist’s third consecutive nomination, while it’s true he led the league in shutouts (10), the 26 year-old Swede just wasn’t consistent enough to warrant a first Vezina. Sure. The numbers were again there with 37 wins, a 2.23 GAA and a .912 save percentage but I don’t feel he should beat out either aforementioned goalie. King Henrik’s time shall come.

4.Picking Patrick Kane as the Calder winner isn’t hard as he paced all NHL rookies with 72 points (21-51-72). However, it’s this blogger’s opinion that Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom should win it instead. The playmaking Swedish pivot posted four fewer points but was an integral part of the Caps surprising rise to a Southeast Division crown. Backstrom elevated his game after veteran Michael Nylander went down for the season. I’d have no problem if Kane won on the improved Blackhawks but feel what Backstrom did was more valuable in taking a team which once had the worst record all the way to 43 wins and 94 points edging the Hurricanes for the division.

5.So the Kings axed Marc Crawford. How are they getting better?

6.Speaking of coaching changes, the Avs getting rid of Joel Queeneville and replacing him with Tony Granato is another blah move. While Queeneville didn’t guide Colorado far, he did a solid job despite injuries getting them back to the playoffs. And hasn’t Granato coached the Avs before? Heck. They fired him once demoting the ex-King to assistant to coach on Queeneville’s staff. Talk about a land of confusion.

7.Count me as a supporter of Henrik Zetterberg adding a first Selke to his trophy case which includes the Conn Smythe. He flat out dominated his shifts in every detail. The performance during a two-man disadvantage was one of the best I’ve ever seen. His backcheck robbed Sidney Crosby of a certain tying goal in Game Four. Who knows if that changes the series? The effort was unbelievable.

8.Reading a Glen Sather quote on the Sean Avery situation made me conclude one thing. He won’t be back. Slats is just too cost conservative making the Ranger GM a hypocrite. Cause while he’ll shell out a ton of cash overpaying free agents, he won’t do the same for one of his best acquisitions. It’s no secret that the Blueshirts were always more effective with Avery in the lineup than without. So, watch as he gets his money elsewhere and bolts leaving a gaping hole up front. This isn’t about talent but rather intangibles which are the kind Sean brings to the table. Just ask Brodeur.

9.I’ll say it again. Marian Hossa’s impressive performance with the Pens during the postseason was because the Slovak wasn’t asked to be the man. It’s a lot easier to ride shotgun alongside Crosby and Evgeni Malkin than be called upon to carry a team. Hossa’s a quality star but never could get those past Sens teams over the hump. The Rangers would be better off re-upping Jaromir Jagr for a couple of more years than overpaying for Hossa who will command more years and dollars.

10.Great piece by Brian Sanborn on the weird world of Dominik Hasek who finally retired again after playing second fiddle to a reborn Chris Osgood. While his style was very unorthodox, it worked. Luck had zilch to do with it. What if the Dominator had started his career at the very same age as Brodeur? Would he be on the cusp of shattering Terry Sawchuk’s shutout record? Probably. Oddly enough, Hasek played in 233 less games (735) than Marty (968) who will continue his pursuit of the record next Fall. What a brilliant career the Czech had having plenty of impact on European goalies. Congrats!

11.I was happy for Rafalski who returned home and won a third Cup with Detroit playing stellar D alongside the incomparable Nick Lidstrom but the former Devil should’ve taken the high road about the celebration being better than his last couple in New Jersey.

12.So, who thinks John Tortorella could get a few calls if some teams get out of the gate slowly in 2008-09?