Two for the money

Hockey Digest, July-August, 2004 by Chris Dolack

SINCE THE 1983-84 SEASON, HOCKEY DIGEST has honored a player and coach of the year, as well as naming our All-NHL Team. Two years later, we added a top rookie to the list.

Because you, our readers, are highly astute on all things hockey, not all our selections over the years have met your approval. Most recently, the choice of Sergei Fedorov last season was met with downright outrage from many readers who felt Peter Forsberg or Markus Naslund were more befitting of the award.

In naming the Lightning's Martin St. Louis our top player [see page 20], we believe we have the right guy this season. With little fanfare, St. Louis excelled in coach John Tortorella's system, leading the league in scoring and led the Lightning to the top of Eastern Conference, and very nearly to the President's Trophy. In fact, Tortorella has made us believers here at HOCKEY DIGEST. It's not easy to turn around a franchise accustomed to losing. Unlike the Ducks and Wild, the darlings of the 2003 playoffs, the Lightning are built for the long haul, provided the labor situation is resolved and there is a long haul.

One thing HOCKEY DIGEST did not do over the years was officially honor an owner or a general manager. In today's game, those two figures, especially a GM, have as much to do with the success of a team as anyone. So while the major awards can be found in our special section, here are a couple that are equally important:

Owner of the Year. Bill Wirtz gets the nod here. OK, just kidding. For his team's success year after year after year, Detroit's Mike Ilitch, Who has owned the Red Wings since 1982, is our choice in this category. He has allowed his general managers the freedom to acquire players who will make a difference. Look no further than this past trading deadline, when Detroit was able to deal for big-time scorer Robert Lang for the push toward yet another Stanley Cup title. Should the Red Wings win the championship this season, it would be their fourth title since 1997.

General Manager of the Year. Tampa Bay's marked improvement coincides with not only Tortorella's reign, but also GM Jay Feaster's. He is the team's fourth GM since it entered the NHL in 1992, and easily the most successful. In the 2000-01 season, the Lightning earned 59 points and finished fifth in the Southeast Division. This season, the Lightning had 106 points and finished first in the Eastern Conference. It's tough to argue with the success of a guy who has never had any prior experience as an NHL GM.