PIM totals of the last winners:
2013: St. Louis, 14 PIM 48 GP
2012: Campbell, 6 PIM 82 GP
2011: St. Louis, 12 PIM 77 GP
2010: St. Louis, 12 PIM 82 GP
2009: Datsyuk, 22 PIM 81 GP
2008: Datsyuk, 20 PIM 82 GP
2007: Datsyuk, 20 PIM 79 GP
2006: Datsyuk, 22 PIM 75 GP
Now O'Reilly's low PIMs will probably be enough of a headline grabber to help him get votes if he does eventually win it, but it's not the be all end all of why the award is awarded.
Yea but look at the runners up. Kane had lower last year, but also probably suffered the same issue Seguin will in that his off ice antics are kind of counter intuitive to acting like a gentleman. Even though it's mainly on ice, off ice controversies have to factor in somehow.
Aside from that all the runners up had more PIMS except St Louis in 09 when he had 14 to Datsyuk's 22.
2013 - Kane - 8 PIMS
2012 - Eberle - 11 PIMS
2011 - Lidstrom -20 PIMS
2010 - Richards - 14 PIMS
2009 - St Louis - 14 PIMS
2008 - St Louis - 26 PIMS
2007 - St Louis - 28 PIMS
2006 - Richards - 32 PIMS
In 2007 St Louis had 102 points and 28 PIMS to Datsyuk who won with 87 points and 20 PIMS.
Same in 2006, Richards had 91 points and 32 PIMS to Datsyuk's 87 points and 22 PIMS, and Datsyuk won.
PIMS is the only real stat to go off for acting like a gentleman on the ice. The other part is reputation, and Seguin's can't be better than O'Reilly's.
Putting up offense and playing at a high level should just qualify you for the award, it shouldn't be the deciding factor since offense isn't the point of the award. I don't know what it was for, but Seguin getting a 10 minute misconduct penalty should all but eliminate him from the conversation. Not to mention he still has three more minors than Ryan's flukey broken stick penalty. I just don't see it as being close at all.
