Desmith Nominated for Masterton

[Gurglesons]

Returning and Contributing to Penguins "Means the World" to DeSmith

Uhhhhh. Not the best look their Pens.

Click to read more...

 

[Shrimper]

Returning and Contributing to Penguins "Means the World" to DeSmith

Uhhhhh. Not the best look their Pens.

I don't know if he was found guilty but if he served his time his time then that's the most important thing.

The Masterson is a weird trophy as well

 

[HandshakeLine]

The Masterson is such a weird award anyway, but yeah... not great.

 

[Gurglesons]

It was 8 years ago. I don't know if he was found guilty but if he served his time his time then that's the most important thing.

The Masterson is a weird trophy as well

I guess just optically it looks bad in the current environment. Like not necessarily saying DeSmith can't be in the NHL (I'm not a fan of rooting for him). But of all the players to choose on the roster for a meaningless award, like why Desmith?

 

[Shrimper]

I guess just optically it looks bad in the current environment. Like not necessarily saying DeSmith can't be in the NHL (I'm not a fan of rooting for him). But of all the players to choose on the roster for a meaningless award, like why Desmith?

True. I would have chosen Malkin myself. Or Ceci

 

[HandshakeLine]

But of all the players to choose on the roster for a meaningless award, like why Desmith?

Yeah, that's the part I don't get. Someone like Ceci (as @Shrimper mentioned) is a thought, or players like Gaudreau who battled back into the NHL after spending years in the minors come to mind. There's Malkin and Crosby coming back from pretty serious injuries... I dunno. I just don't see it.

 

[SEALBound]

Way too many guys ahead of him to win this to make me lose any amount of sleep over this.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Way too many guys ahead of him to win this to make me lose any amount of sleep over this.

That's okay because clearly the organization put no thought into it either.

 

[SomeDude]

"The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually by the Professional Hockey Writers Association to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey. A player from each team is nominated by the local chapter."

The writers pick the nominees, not the team. I think they're just doing the fanbase a solid since the team clinched the division and they know a percentage has to have their undies in a bunch at all times to be happy.

 

[Fordy]

be mad if you want i guess, he's been grinding in this org for years now. there's no one of note to nominate, every other suggestion are guys who have been on this team for 5, or even less, months, and may never play again for us

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Even if you absolutely ignore everything about DeSmith prior to signing with the Penguins...I'm not really sure if persevering through a bad season in the AHL on year one of a three year one-way contract warrants award nomination. Even from a salvaging a career point of view, I'd look at a couple other Penguins first.

DeSmith played a big role in us doing this well this season, especially when Jarry was struggling early on, but this is a nomination based on the need of every team to have a nominee and not one that's going to actually get any votes. Every team needing a nominee always results in some weird nominees...not a fan of the optics on this one or the inevitable surprise that'll manifest as anger at people still acknowledging that he has a troubled past. I'm not saying DeSmith shouldn't have his job, just that you can't sweep that kind of past under the rug and pretend that it didn't happen anymore.

 

[bathroomSTAAL]

It's a yikes from me

 

[HandshakeLine]

The writers pick the nominees, not the team. I think they're just doing the fanbase a solid since the team clinched the division and they know a percentage has to have their undies in a bunch at all times to be happy.

Well, I think John Lennon's kind of a shithead too, for what it's worth.

I just also don't get how CDS overcame any particular adversity, but then again, I'm not a brain wizard like most of the Pittsburgh sports writers.

 

[ColePens]

I know it's a tough conversation and there is no way to dive deep because this IS a hockey forum, but at some point you have to let the penalty be served and hope the person comes out on the other side in a great way. From what it looks like, that happened. I don't have any further data/info to say this guy has to live in guilt 24/7/365. Hopefully he takes steps every single day to be a better man, serve his community, and be there for his family. That's all we can ask of one another.

So if this shows signs that he is doing that, I support the guy and hope he continues to grow. It will never make the initial situation good or okay, but if time has been served, I have to hope the person has become better and understands how important it is to improve.

 

[Peat]

Even if you absolutely ignore everything about DeSmith prior to signing with the Penguins...I'm not really sure if persevering through a bad season in the AHL on year one of a three year one-way contract warrants award nomination. Even from a salvaging a career point of view, I'd look at a couple other Penguins first.

Who, because I can't think of any. Not that DeSmith deserves the nod either mind, just that we don't really have anyone for once. Take away his past and I think he probably deserves it as much as anyone (I'm not sure whether his past should be ignored by the local writers mind, but also going just on what's on wiki I'm not sure I really know enough about it).

 

[SomeDude]

Well, I think John Lennon's kind of a shithead too, for what it's worth.

I just also don't get how CDS overcame any particular adversity, but then again, I'm not a brain wizard like most of the Pittsburgh sports writers.

It has become the "who suffered the worst personal tragedy/injury so the league can market their story" award. Pens have nobody with a story that moves the needle. I would have picked Gaudreau, but I think I see their reasoning in that CDS went from clearing waivers and having a mediocre season riding the bus in WBS to returning to a solid back-up and pretty big part of the team.

In the end, it really doesn't matter because it's going to Lindblom and the idea of arguing about who is most dedicated to the game just feels strange to me.

 

[Slick Arnold]

Why not let sleeping dogs lie? No need to shine a spotlight on his "story," which is all this does

 

[Gurglesons]

I know it's a tough conversation and there is no way to dive deep because this IS a hockey forum, but at some point you have to let the penalty be served and hope the person comes out on the other side in a great way. From what it looks like, that happened. I don't have any further data/info to say this guy has to live in guilt 24/7/365. Hopefully he takes steps every single day to be a better man, serve his community, and be there for his family. That's all we can ask of one another.

So if this shows signs that he is doing that, I support the guy and hope he continues to grow. It will never make the initial situation good or okay, but if time has been served, I have to hope the person has become better and understands how important it is to improve.

I'm fine with this thought process (Don't agree with it, but this forum isn't really the place to discuss that.), but just seems like a really misjudge to have him elected to this award given the current climate in the organization with the other accusations.

I just think it is a failure by the organization, and Ceci probably deserves it more tbh.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Who, because I can't think of any. Not that DeSmith deserves the nod either mind, just that we don't really have anyone for once. Take away his past and I think he probably deserves it as much as anyone (I'm not sure whether his past should be ignored by the local writers mind, but also going just on what's on wiki I'm not sure I really know enough about it).

Ceci and to a lesser degree Gaudreau both salvaged their careers too. Not saying either deserves a nomination either, just that their nominations would have resulted in nothing more than a blurb and an attaboy.

I'm not a fan of awards that every team has to have a nominee for. Some teams will have multiple deserving candidates, while most will have guys whose adversity can be effectively covered with one paragraph. All of our potential nominees this year would fall in the latter category, regardless of the collective adversity the team overcame.

 

[SomeDude]

I'm fine with this thought process (Don't agree with it, but this forum isn't really the place to discuss that.), but just seems like a really misjudge to have him elected to this award given the current climate in the organization with the other accusations.

I just think it is a failure by the organization, and Ceci probably deserves it more tbh.

Again, the writers pick it. At least know who to be upset at.

 

[Gurglesons]

Again, the writers pick it. At least know who to be upset at.

Yes, because Rossi and Yohe have no connection to the organization.

 

[SomeDude]

Yes, because Rossi and Yohe have no connection to the organization.

There's a lot more than those 2 who are local members of the PWA, and I don't see your point. Of course they are connected to the organization because it is their job to [poorly] cover and write about the team. Do you think the Pens strong-armed them into picking CDS as their nominee or something? I don't think the organization, and most of the players, really give a **** about who gets nominated for the Masterson.

If the team has nobody who had a major illness/injury/personal tragedy then it's just used as a "comeback player of the year" or "old guy who is still around" team award.

 

[ColePens]

I'm fine with this thought process (Don't agree with it, but this forum isn't really the place to discuss that.), but just seems like a really misjudge to have him elected to this award given the current climate in the organization with the other accusations.

I just think it is a failure by the organization, and Ceci probably deserves it more tbh.

I think it comes down to people on the internet who really like watching others live in regret, pain, remorse, or whatever it is. For whatever happened in the past, that's CDS's to live through every single day. Whoever he hurt - same thing. At some point when a person serves their punishment, the next step cannot be simply looking at that person and saying "YOU WILL ALWAYS BE THIS WAY!" We have to hope the next step is finding the right way. Give them a chance to prove it. Be careful, but still give the opportunity.

Now that doesn't mean there aren't scenarios where caution isn't fair or anything like that (i'm trying to tip toe around a deep conversation since it's not for here), but from what we can see CDS has become who he should have been and there is no further data to point otherwise.

I really hate when we all sit here on our throne, but if we were in those shoes we would ask for forgiveness and a chance to prove better. I know I can fall flat on my face saying this, but i would like to hope penalty was served and he's a better person and can do good things for this world moving forward. Maybe i'm dead ass wrong and an idiot.

 

[Fordy]

There's a lot more than those 2 who are local members of the PWA, and I don't see your point. Of course they are connected to the organization because it is their job to [poorly] cover and write about the team. Do you think the Pens strong-armed them into picking CDS as their nominee or something? I don't think the organization, and most of the players, really give a **** about who gets nominated for the Masterson.

If the team has nobody who had a major illness/injury/personal tragedy then it's just used as a "comeback player of the year" or "old guy who is still around" team award.

yeah. i think a bunch of message board users and presumably angry twitterers care a lot more about "the optics" than the org itself does. i doubt they spare a thought. it's like people think they should have some guilty conscience about things that have nothing to do with the people actually doing their job for the team

 

[Gurglesons]

Maybe i'm dead ass wrong and an idiot.

I mean we all know that.