TBN: Hecht a finalist for Masterton Trophy

[Rivet52]

http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130423/SPORTS/130429611/1004

Hecht was chosen as the Sabres’ candidate by the Buffalo chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.

As soon as I thought about our Masterton nominee, Enroth came to mind but then I realized I forgot about Hecht and knew for sure it'd be him and sure enough, he got the nod.

He won't win but as much as I'd like him to retire this offseason, as he's clearly close to retirement now anyway, I think it's deserving. Stayed around even after a lockout and decided to keep playing despite numerous concussions in the last couple seasons and hasn't missed one game due to injury all season long. He's old and pretty much done now but definitely a guy I respect for all he's done here and for the will to keep on going when he could have risked more injury and maybe permanent damage to keep playing the sport he loves at age 35. Didn't realize he leads the team with a +7 either.

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[slovakia18]

why don't vanek???
Vanek need a big Trophy/Award!!!!

 

[Corto]

Good for Jochen.

For all the smack talk he's gotten on these boards, 5 g, 14 p and a team-leading +7 for 1 million is really quite good.

 

[Afino]

HE SHOULDN'T EVEN BE PLAYING

/Harrington

 

[Chainshot]

So clearly it wasn't Harrington who voted for him to be the Sabres nominee.

 

[JThorne]

why don't vanek???
Vanek need a big Trophy/Award!!!!

Do you understand what the Masterson is about?

 

[Dixon Ward]

Do you understand what the Masterson is about?

if you're going to be snarky you should probably get the name of the award right.

 

[SabreBlood]

Jochen Hecht has been playing extremely well for the last month or more. He is another player that has markedly improved since the coaching change. Yes, Hecht has been a better player since Rolston began to put his stamp on this team. I'll take some salt and pepper with my plate of crow on Jochen. I've actually enjoyed his shifts for the last month plus, and have felt good about our chances while he's been on the ice. That's 180 degrees different than I felt until about the mid point of this shortened season. I really didn't think he had it in him, but he's turned it around.

 

[BowieSabresFan]

he shouldn't even be playing

/harrington

Were you there?

 

[RazielMoshman]

Good for Jochen.

For all the smack talk he's gotten on these boards, 5 g, 14 p and a team-leading +7 for 1 million is really quite good.

Agree with this, Good for him. I hope he retires after this season though.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

The Masterton is almost always a "who had the worst injury" contest.

I fully expect Josh Harding to win this going away.

HE SHOULDN'T EVEN BE PLAYING

/Harrington

I don't see your journalism degree anywhere.

 

[SabreBlood]

Agree with this, Good for him. I hope he retires after this season though.

Also agree with this.

 

[ZZamboni]

Agree with this, Good for him. I hope he retires after this season though.

So it would really bother you if another NHL team picked him up or he went to Europe?

I hope if he still wants to play he finds a team

 

[RazielMoshman]

So it would really bother you if another NHL team picked him up or he went to Europe?

I hope if he still wants to play he finds a team

Fair enough, I wasn't thinking that hard. I just don't think he has anything to offer the the Sabres next season.

 

[Sabretip]

Good for Jochen.

For all the smack talk he's gotten on these boards, 5 g, 14 p and a team-leading +7 for 1 million is really quite good.

I agree - for the contract he signed and the point in his career where he's at, he's met all expectations I had for him this year - he was never an offensive catalyst nor a face-off ace. It's not his fault that the organization gave him that huge contract in 2008 or that Ruff kept using him in the top 6 well after Briere left. When he was being paid over $3M, people ripped on Hecht for not delivering enough offense. It was downright comical this season to now hear how many complained that he wasn't contributing enough for the minimal $1M salary. He remained one of the Sabres' better penalty-killers and was obviously a helpful mentor to Grigorenko during his time in the NHL.

So clearly it wasn't Harrington who voted for him to be the Sabres nominee.

My thoughts exactly when I read the announcement this morning - in fact, if the Buffalo media were the only ones voting, I'd have to assume that Vogl, as the president of the PHWA in Buffalo, was the one who voted. Harrington, Sullivan, Gleason and Hamilton (albeit not a writer) have all been on the "bash Hecht" bandwagon ever since he signed that 4 year extension in 2008.

Jochen Hecht has been playing extremely well for the last month or more. He is another player that has markedly improved since the coaching change.

For all the criticism that the media and fans have leveled against Hecht in the past as lacking leadership and guts, the fact that he bounced back with improved play after being a healthy scratch by Rolston (which clearly embarrassed Hecht) speaks volumes to the contrary of exactly what kind of character and professional work ethic Hecht has always carried for himself.

 

[JThorne]

if you're going to be snarky you should probably get the name of the award right.

Tell my phone to not autocorrect then.