The Islanders have a Rookie in Micheal Grabner who will get serious consideration for the coveted Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.
The Islanders also have a talented young forward in Frans Nielsen who may get a nomination for the Selke Trophy as the premier defensive forward in the NHL.
Both nominations are very well deserved to be sure.
This should be great news right?
The New York sports writers have voted to abstain 17-3 from voting for this years NHL awards.
They are doing this in protest of Chris Botta being excd from the Islanders for what was perceived as stepping over the line in some capacity.
I am not going to sit here and take sides on that dispute. Whats done is done and there is nothing that can be done about it and quite frankly it doesn't matter what I think.
What matters is now the sports writers in their infinite wisdom have decided to punish Michael Grabner and Frans Nielsen.
I have one question. Why?
Why punish innocents? What stand do you think you are making against the Islanders by doing this?
The Islanders are not going to restore Botta's press credentials because of this ridiculous "stand" by the writers.
Why in the name of King Clancy would the writers punish two players that deserve every accolade they have coming to them, in effect taking away 20 votes that should go their way come ballot box time?
It makes absolutely no sense in the slightest and will turn the Islanders ire towards the writers who cover the team.
I have respect for Botta and he is a talented writer. The Islanders chose to revoke his press credential and what exactly went down has absolutely nothing to do with the players.
The New York sports writers should absolutely one hundred percent reverse this pointless, ridiculous stand they have made against the young players of the Islanders.
No matter what they think they are absolutely in the wrong here and should do what is right and cast their votes for the players they believe deserve the awards they are nominated for whoever they are.
This decision is akin to not voting for president because you don't like the fact that the government has thrown a writer out of the White House.
It is stupid, pointless and childish.
Let the New York sports writers know that what they are doing is wrong and misguided any way you can and get Grabner and Nielsen get the votes they are entitled to.
4 comments:
I respectfully disagree with you. While it hurts Grabs and Frans' chances at hardware, it's less about them and the continued relationship between the NHL and the PHWA. The league disrespects them by not stepping in. The PHWA disrespects the league by not voting. It's a vicious cycle. The PHWA needs to protect it's members and the NHL can't micro-manage their teams either. It's a tough call, but an understandable one from the side of the writers. You say that this is about and against the players. This is not. It's about disrespect for their members and the response to that.
Actually I agree with the author as you wish to punish someone then punish the Islander management or the NHL front office.
If anything when you look at it should this boycott cost an Islander an award then it will be the player who loses not the team.
That is wrong to punish players for something they had no say in at all.
Right or wrong because neither the NHL or the PHWA has come up with a working policy over establishing how credentials are issued or revoked then the Islanders were within their rights to pull Botta's credentials.
The PHWA as a national group choose not to boycott; the Ranger chapter decided they could not agree with the decision.
Though one has to wonder if a Ranger player had been up for an award but lost then how exactly would this boycott been right?
Sorry the boycott only hurts those who had nothing at all to do with the decision to revoke the creds and that is wrong.
This boycott isn't targeting the players. It sadly affects them, but it isn't about them, as the blogger has suggested.
In truth, as good as both players ARE, likely neither of them will win. Grabner had a great half season, and Neilsen was a longshot at best. So in the long run, it doesn't really change anything anyway.
Why not vote, but boycott writing about the playoffs? Oh you have a job to do? I am a teamster and side with the union..always. but these players shouldn't be punished, the NHL should. Just like if you don't cover the NHL some one else will, the Nhl doesn't care if you boycott the vote. The ceremony will go on with or without your vote.
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