I like the award. Does it have the value that helps boost a HHOF career? No, not really. It is a bit of a cherry on top, that's it. Ron Francis isn't a HHOFer because he won three of them. He's in even if he never won.
Lots of players you assume could have won, didn't. Beliveau, Stastny, Lidstrom, Oates, etc. They never won. I have no idea why more defensemen don't win it. Red Kelly won it and then no defenseman until Brian Campbell. That's crazy.
But keep in mind, only a good player can win this award. You have to have had a great year to win this. And let's face it, bad reputation all you want let's look at the names of the "wimps" that have won it: Hull, Mikita, Bucyk.........guys like Goring and Keon were very much involved and would be considered tenacious yet barely got a penalty. Yeah, I think it is a lost art at times. Keon had 7 more PIM in his career than Crosby in his first season.
The name doesn't help, but that's who it is named after. They can't change the name to the Chuck Norris award. Well, I guess they could, but it wouldn't make sense. But this award is good when you look at the context of things. Datsyuk was winning this when he was winning Selkes, so basically the league thinks you are the best defensive forward but also the most gentlemanly. Gretzky was winning scoring titles while he did this. Bucyk was still hitting people with pretty good body checks when he won his. Bossy was taking abuse in front of the net while scoring 60 goals and winning this. Mikita changed his playing style to the point where he won one of these..........while leading the NHL in points. It is only an embarrassing award because the odd player treats is like a stray cat. But this award is not unmanly.