Note: The following is an assessment of Ryan O'Reilly's recent nomination for an NHL Award. We realize he has no control over being nominated for this award, and it really isn't his fault, so we are just stating why he should not be considered, using past bitterness and disappointment that he isn't on the team anymore for inspiration.
The Masterton Trophy is a prestigious award given to the player in the NHL who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
The Masterton Trophy is a prestigious award given to the player in the NHL who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
This award has been won by several deserving
candidates, both historically and recently: Bobby Clarke (diabetes), Charlie
Simmer (knee injuries), Tim Kerr (injuries), Jose Theodore (death of son + successful
season), Ian Laperriere (forced to retire due to concussions, but still served
the team), Josh Harding (Plays through MS), Dominic Moore (wife died from
cancer), and last but not least, Devan Dubnyk (sucking for a long time before
finally having a good season).
These players are heroes who persevered and showed
dedication to the game they love, and suffered tragedy only to show why they
still belong in the NHL; which is why it is so confusing that the Sabres have
nominated Ryan O’Reilly. (* quick note, the writers who cover the Sabres in the
PHWA chose ROR, not technically the team itself). Every team nominated a player
every year, so there are the usual players that you think have no chance. Some
teams are just lucky enough to have a roster full of players that never have to
persevere, so they nominate the 5th year guy who finally finds a
full time spot with the big club.
To keep this short, out of all the Buffalo Sabres
players, what has O’Reilly possibly done to deserve this prestigious award? We
won’t go into the time he crashed his car into Tim Hortons after getting drunk,
that speaks for itself.
But really, what has O’Reilly persevered through? Not
being named captain of the Avalanche? Yea that must have been rough. Maybe next
time a child doesn’t get a toy in a toy store, we can all pitch in and make
sure he gets reparations.
Or maybe it is because of that terrible, awful,
contract holdout he went through, trying to get an absurd amount of money. Poor
guy, choosing not to play the game he is potentially getting rewarded for being
dedicated to, because he feels he is worth a few more million dollars.
His amount of dedication is something to be admired
though. How hard he works, how he creates drills for his teammates after
practice, how he is the last one off the ice all the time. But it’s not an
award given to people who are dedicated after being paid the amount of money
they think they are worth, after going through a hellish ordeal.
When it’s all said and done, this is a terrible
nomination and O’Reilly is not the most deserving Sabre by far. Seriously. The guy
was so desperate to get his money he almost started playing hockey with the
Calgary Flames! Actually, if he wanted to play hockey that bad, maybe they
should give him the award.
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