In article <C4zCII.Ftn@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca>, smale@healthy.uwaterloo.ca (Bryan Smale) writes: >  > I was thinking about who on each of the teams were the MVPs, biggest > surprises, and biggest disappointments this year. Now, these are just > my observations and are admittedly lacking because I have not had an > opportunity to see all the teams the same amount. Anyway.... >    > MVP = most valuable player to his team both in terms of points and >       in terms of leadership ("can't win without him") >    > Biggest surprise = the player who rose above expectation -- the player >       that may have raised the level of his game to a new height, even >       if that new level doesn't necessarily warrant an allstar berth >       (includes those players who at the outset of the season, may not >       even have been in the team's plans). >     > Biggest disappointment = the player from whom we expected more (e.g., I >       picked Denis Savard in Montreal because with the new emphasis on >       offence brought by Demers, shouldn't Savard have done better?) >     > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- >    >                         Team           Biggest       Biggest > Team:                   MVP:          Surprise:    Disappointment: > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > Boston Bruins           Oates          D.Sweeney     Wesley > Buffalo Sabres          Lafontaine     Mogilny       Audette (jinx?) > Calgary Flames          Roberts        Reichel       Petit > Chicago Blackhawks      Roenick        Ruuttu        Goulet > Detroit Red Wings       Yzerman        Chaisson      Kozlov > Edmonton Oilers         Manson         Buchberger    Mellanby > Hartford Whalers        Sanderson      Cassells      Corriveau > Los Angeles Kings       Robitaille     Donnelly      Hrudey > Minnesota North Stars   Modano      Tinordi(not expected back)  Broten > Montreal Canadiens      Muller         Lebeau        Savard > New Jersey Devils       Stevens        Semak         MacLean > New York Islanders      Turgeon        King(finally) Marois > New York Rangers        Messier        Kovalev       Bourque > Ottawa Senators         MacIver        Baker         Jelinek > Philadelphia Flyers     Lindros/Recchi Fedyk/Galley  Eklund > Pittsburgh Penguins     Lemieux        Tocchet(even for him)  Jagr > Quebec Nordiques        Sakic/Ricci    Kovalenko     Pearson > San Jose Sharks         Kisio          Gaudreau      Maley > St Louis Blues          Shanahan       C.Joseph      Ron Sutter > Tampa Bay Lightening    Bradley        Bradley       Creighton/Kasper > Toronto Maple Leafs     Gilmour        Potvin        Ellett/Anderson > Vancouver Canucks       Bure           Nedved(finally)    Momesso > Washington Capitals     Hatcher        Bondra/Cote   Elynuik > Winnipeg Jets           Selanne        Selanne       Druce > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >    > As I mentioned up top, these are my *impressions* from where I sit. I > would welcome any opinions from those fans nearer their teams (in other > words, *anywhere* away from a Toronto newspaper!) >     > Bryan