Tipped Off
12-06-2006, 01:24 PM
So we are just under halfway through this season and not much has gone wrong so far. We've stayed pretty much injury free. We've won when we haven't played well. We've won when we have played well. We've basically won. The 24-2-0-1 record is next to flawless. That being said, here are my almost halfway awards...
Overall MVP: Leland Irving
Most Tips fans will put Peter Mueller here, but not me. For the Tips great record and accomplishemnts, you can't look past the numbers Irving is putting up. Six shut outs in 21 games played. A microscopic GAA of 1.47. a Save percentage of .941. There is a lot to the fact it is the system. Reekie has astounding numbers since coming over as well. But, in this year of the more sensitive WHL, which means more PP opps, you have to start and end with strong 'tending. Irving gives that to the Tips night in and night out.
Offensive MVP: Peter Mueller
23 games, 43 points, +6, almost 2 points a game on average. That's offense the Tips have never seen before. He makes everyone around him better. Other players are getting more opportunites because of him. I'd still like to see him create more scoring chances for himself rather than the fire it from the point mentality, but it seems to be working as others are putting themselves in position to get those rebounds and stuff them home.
Defensive MVP: Jonathan Harty
Thoring may wear the "C", but Harty is the leader out there on Defense. He's the guy lifting up his team mates. He's the guy jumping in on the guy in front of the goalie. He's in on the PK and he almost never takes stupid penalties. Only Graham Pouter's obscene +12 (which leads the team) is higher than Harty's +6 on defense. He comes to play every night.
Rookie of the Year: Kyle Beach
What cn you say about Kyle Beach. He's got a temper. He gets the other team to take silly penalties (while taking some silly ones himself). He gets under peoples skin on a nightly basis and, oh yeah, he can play this game. He's a 16 YO rookie who leads the #1 team in the CHL in goals (tied with Moises Gutierrez). He's a +10 and has 30 point sin 26 games.
Hard Hat - Offense: Moises Gutierrez
Picked up in a trade with Kamloops to come in and be our 3rd overager, we were wanred about Gutierrez' lack of intensity. We were told he hasn't lived up to expectations and could be a good player if he just came to play every night. Well, I guess he found his niche, because he's fit right in with the Tips offensive plan. He plays on the #1 PP line, take shis normal shifts and plays on the PK. I've never seen a lack of effort out of him. He's playe din all 27 games.
Hard Hat - Defense: Cody Thoring
thoring wears the "C" for a reason. He's the elder statesman on this team. He doesn' tput up the good numbers as the other guys, but he's a physical stay at home defenseman who doesn't seem to be out of position very often.
Biggest Surprise - Good: Moises Gutierrez
Everything I said above on him and add to it 24 points in 27 games and a team lead tieing 16 goals and a +8. He's the perfect comliment to Mueller's long shots. His size gets him in position in front of the net.
Biggest Surprise - Bad: Brady Calla
There are only three players who have played over 20 games on this team with plus/minus on the negative. Only one of those three are forwards. Guess who that is? If you said Brady Calla, give yourself a pat on the back. If you are like most people and patted yourself three times, well, that's how many goals Calla has scored. Last year people said his numbers were down because his role changed. This year he's been yanked from the PP team and is skating with the 3rd and 4th lines consistantly. He has speed & not much else. He's gone from high end prospect to not even mentioned in the discussions in 2 years.
Well, that's it. Feel free to debate the topic at will.
Overall MVP: Leland Irving
Most Tips fans will put Peter Mueller here, but not me. For the Tips great record and accomplishemnts, you can't look past the numbers Irving is putting up. Six shut outs in 21 games played. A microscopic GAA of 1.47. a Save percentage of .941. There is a lot to the fact it is the system. Reekie has astounding numbers since coming over as well. But, in this year of the more sensitive WHL, which means more PP opps, you have to start and end with strong 'tending. Irving gives that to the Tips night in and night out.
Offensive MVP: Peter Mueller
23 games, 43 points, +6, almost 2 points a game on average. That's offense the Tips have never seen before. He makes everyone around him better. Other players are getting more opportunites because of him. I'd still like to see him create more scoring chances for himself rather than the fire it from the point mentality, but it seems to be working as others are putting themselves in position to get those rebounds and stuff them home.
Defensive MVP: Jonathan Harty
Thoring may wear the "C", but Harty is the leader out there on Defense. He's the guy lifting up his team mates. He's the guy jumping in on the guy in front of the goalie. He's in on the PK and he almost never takes stupid penalties. Only Graham Pouter's obscene +12 (which leads the team) is higher than Harty's +6 on defense. He comes to play every night.
Rookie of the Year: Kyle Beach
What cn you say about Kyle Beach. He's got a temper. He gets the other team to take silly penalties (while taking some silly ones himself). He gets under peoples skin on a nightly basis and, oh yeah, he can play this game. He's a 16 YO rookie who leads the #1 team in the CHL in goals (tied with Moises Gutierrez). He's a +10 and has 30 point sin 26 games.
Hard Hat - Offense: Moises Gutierrez
Picked up in a trade with Kamloops to come in and be our 3rd overager, we were wanred about Gutierrez' lack of intensity. We were told he hasn't lived up to expectations and could be a good player if he just came to play every night. Well, I guess he found his niche, because he's fit right in with the Tips offensive plan. He plays on the #1 PP line, take shis normal shifts and plays on the PK. I've never seen a lack of effort out of him. He's playe din all 27 games.
Hard Hat - Defense: Cody Thoring
thoring wears the "C" for a reason. He's the elder statesman on this team. He doesn' tput up the good numbers as the other guys, but he's a physical stay at home defenseman who doesn't seem to be out of position very often.
Biggest Surprise - Good: Moises Gutierrez
Everything I said above on him and add to it 24 points in 27 games and a team lead tieing 16 goals and a +8. He's the perfect comliment to Mueller's long shots. His size gets him in position in front of the net.
Biggest Surprise - Bad: Brady Calla
There are only three players who have played over 20 games on this team with plus/minus on the negative. Only one of those three are forwards. Guess who that is? If you said Brady Calla, give yourself a pat on the back. If you are like most people and patted yourself three times, well, that's how many goals Calla has scored. Last year people said his numbers were down because his role changed. This year he's been yanked from the PP team and is skating with the 3rd and 4th lines consistantly. He has speed & not much else. He's gone from high end prospect to not even mentioned in the discussions in 2 years.
Well, that's it. Feel free to debate the topic at will.