Lester B. Pearson Award -> Ted Lindsay Award

[TheHockeyFile]

All of you are missing my point. This is not about Ted Lindsay or Lester B. Pearson- my point all along is, if we change the name of this trophy, does this open the door to changing the names of the other trophies? That's something I will not stand for.

 

[Heat McManus]

All of you are missing my point. This is not about Ted Lindsay or Lester B. Pearson- my point all along is, if we change the name of this trophy, does this open the door to changing the names of the other trophies? That's something I will not stand for.

The door for that has always been open.

If the NHL feels that changing the names from classic (yet obscure and archaic) namesakes to ones more familiar with today's audience is better for business then they'll probably do it. I hope they don't, but it's always been a possibility. Not that this is right or fair, but that's business. I don't think they won any fans by renaming the Conferences, but it didn't stop them from keeping it that way

Except for the Cup, which I don't believe is owned by the NHL. And the name is already well ingrained into the popular culture that it wouldn't make much sense.

For me, it's always been great having a bit of hockey preserved in the trophies. I don't want to see them changed. If they do rename them then it's a loss, but I'll still watch because it's not going to have much effect on the drive of the individuals who are competing for them. That's the main reason I watch the NHL. Everything else is a fringe benefit. When this game becomes overrun with players happy with a paycheck and willing to accept defeat, then I'll stop watching.

Glad to know you won't stand for it. Whatever that means

 

[TheHockeyFile]

The door for that has always been open.

If the NHL feels that changing the names from classic (yet obscure and archaic) namesakes to ones more familiar with today's audience is better for business then they'll probably do it. I hope they don't, but it's always been a possibility. Not that this is right or fair, but that's business. I don't think they won any fans by renaming the Conferences, but it didn't stop them from keeping it that way

Except for the Cup, which I don't believe is owned by the NHL. And the name is already well ingrained into the popular culture that it wouldn't make much sense.

For me, it's always been great having a bit of hockey preserved in the trophies. I don't want to see them changed. If they do rename them then it's a loss, but I'll still watch because it's not going to have much effect on the drive of the individuals who are competing for them. That's the main reason I watch the NHL. Everything else is a fringe benefit. When this game becomes overrun with players happy with a paycheck and willing to accept defeat, then I'll stop watching.

Why are we willing to accept this name change and not the others?

Glad to know you won't stand for it. Whatever that means

If I don't raise the issue, how will anyone know it exists?

I don't want to sit here and watch the things I love about the game- even if they're not overtly meaningful- get tossed to the wayside.

 

[Heat McManus]

Why are we willing to accept this name change and not the others?

because it's pertinent to the award and voted to be changed by the men who vote on the actual award the men in the actual National Hockey League Players Association. If you're not a member you don't have a say. I have a hard time lecturing the NHLPA on the tradition of hockey. To us this is a passion and a love. It's their livelihood, career, and life.

If I don't raise the issue, how will anyone know it exists?

TSN, NHL.com, Sportsnet, the main board, etc. You're hardly the town crier.

I wish the internet was around 100 years ago to find a post about some guy lamenting the loss of the rover, *****ing about how they might start letting goalies fall down, and worrying whether expansion to a non-traditional market like New York is the right move.

 

[Reds4Life]

Incredibly stupid thing to do imho.

 

[seventieslord]

I get that Lindsay was a hockey player and Pearson a politician, but my love for continuity overrides that.

Don't change the names of awards! Even the ones named after old school greedy ******* NHL owners!

 

[tp71]

I wish the internet was around 100 years ago to find a post about some guy lamenting the loss of the rover, *****ing about how they might start letting goalies fall down, and worrying whether expansion to a non-traditional market like New York is the right move.

Yes, those things changed in the 1920s. How many things have changed since then? Like how many major changes have taken place like taking a position out of the game?

Tradition is important. History is important, and if certain things change, people have the right to be pissed off.

 

[Heat McManus]

Yes, those things changed in the 1920s. How many things have changed since then? Like how many major changes have taken place like taking a position out of the game?

Tradition is important. History is important, and if certain things change, people have the right to be pissed off.

Helmets, one-piece sticks, expansion, Europeans, trapezoid, shootout, playoffs formats, the shape of the crease, shape of the nets, aspects of penalties, uniform fabrics, draft lottery, Draft at all, instigator, head shots, free agency....

A group of people changing the name of a trophy THEY hand out is not a major change. You know why we have no say in this? We're not in the NHL.

 

[TheHockeyFile]

because it's pertinent to the award and voted to be changed by the men who vote on the actual award the men in the actual National Hockey League Players Association. If you're not a member you don't have a say. I have a hard time lecturing the NHLPA on the tradition of hockey. To us this is a passion and a love. It's their livelihood, career, and life.

This isn't about Lindsay. It's voicing my displeasure at changing the names of the awards in general.

TSN, NHL.com, Sportsnet, the main board, etc. You're hardly the town crier.

I wish the internet was around 100 years ago to find a post about some guy lamenting the loss of the rover, *****ing about how they might start letting goalies fall down, and worrying whether expansion to a non-traditional market like New York is the right move.

So if I've got a problem with the NHL I shouldn't bring it up then, because it's worthless? That is, frankly, a little silly.

 

[tp71]

Helmets, one-piece sticks, expansion, Europeans, trapezoid, shootout, playoffs formats, the shape of the crease, shape of the nets, aspects of penalties, uniform fabrics, draft lottery, Draft at all, instigator, head shots, free agency....

A group of people changing the name of a trophy THEY hand out is not a major change. You know why we have no say in this? We're not in the NHL.

Most of those are natural evolutions of the game, and not necessarily major changes like removing a position and allowing a goalie to go to their knees. The guy you seem to have it out for made a good point. But then again, I don't think tradition means anything to you.

 

[MS]

This is a product of NHLPA politics and their attempt to forge a new identity and solidarity after the mess internally of the past couple years.

Changing award names is just ... dumb. Once history gets attached to something, you leave it.

I'm thinking of Lester Pearson, a few months before his death, proudly presenting the trophy in his name to Jean Ratelle just before the 1972 Summit Series and feel kind of sad.

 

[norrisnick]

It's the same concept. You're taking something that already has meaning and has been well established and throwing it all away. All because the "new fans" the NHL wants has no idea who Lester Bowles Pearson is.

I might give the players a pass because the Pearson is a relatively minor award and it's the players' award, but if this continues on with the Norris, the Adams, the Ross, etc. that'll really make me upset.

You think those fans have any idea who 84 year-old Ted Lindsay is? This is one of those rare moments were a name change just makes sense. '71 was too close to Lindsay's playing days to have the award named after him at that point, but now? Perfect fit.

 

[BSHH]

(...) I don't want to sit here and watch the things I love about the game- even if they're not overtly meaningful- get tossed to the wayside.

This decision of the NHLPA can hardly be considered to be any part of such a development you fearfully decribe. The NHL has changed the names of the divisions and conferences (which you mentioned), after the realigned them geographically. Other than that, none of the changes you fear can seriously be expected - although Bettman's reign has long begun.

Lindsay was paramount in founding a players' association. If the NHLPA looks for a deserving person in order to name an award, his name should come to mind first. A change in tradition is not a good thing per se, but this one seems justified.

Gruß,
BSHH

 

[Heat McManus]

But then again, I don't think tradition means anything to you.

And that's where you're wrong. You really know nothing about me. Tradition means a hell of a lot, but I also realize that this change does not impact the game much. And it's also the NHLPA choosing to honor the man that is largely responsible for their existence. I can hardly fault them there. This isn't a marketing ploy, it's not a concession to Bettman, or the fabled "New NHL" fans. I'm not going to get on a high-horse and tell the players how to run their union. If you'd like to tell them what a huge mistake their making and how they have no respect for the tradition of the game I'm sure they can be contacted. Have at it.

Also, try reading the thread:

Orignally posted by Heat McManus
For me, it's always been great having a bit of hockey preserved in the trophies. I don't want to see them changed. If they do rename them then it's a loss, but I'll still watch because it's not going to have much effect on the drive of the individuals who are competing for them. That's the main reason I watch the NHL. Everything else is a fringe benefit. When this game becomes overrun with players happy with a paycheck and willing to accept defeat, then I'll stop watching.

I don't want them to rename the awards, but the game will go on. I honestly don't see renaming the "MVP as voted for by NHLPA" to honor the HHOFer who was instrumental in its founding as some sort of gateway to the the Hart Trophy becoming the "Viagra MVP Award"

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

All of you are missing my point. This is not about Ted Lindsay or Lester B. Pearson- my point all along is, if we change the name of this trophy, does this open the door to changing the names of the other trophies? That's something I will not stand for.

Yeah, everyone says that the Pearson Award is a harmless trophy, but the truth is that it's a gateway trophy name change. Before you know it, the players will be experimenting with changing the names of harder, chemical trophies.

 

[Heat McManus]

Yeah, everyone says that the Pearson Award is a harmless trophy, but the truth is that it's a gateway trophy name change. Before you know it, the players will be experimenting with changing the names of harder, chemical trophies.

sounds like Ted Lindsay was nothing more than a Commie drug dealer!

 

[JackSlater]

This is the only case in which changing the name of a hockey related trophy makes sense. The Pearson lacks the both the historical significance of most of the NHL awarded trophies, as it is preceeded by many of them by over 40 years. It is also a somewhat redundant trophy, as most people take the Hart trophy to signify the same accomplishment.
The naming of the trophy is also somewhat mystifying. Pearson is arguably Canada's greatest Prime Minister but he had very little to do with hockey, not to mention having no relevance to any non Canadian NHL fans. Lindsay on the other hand was the most significant player in the formation of the NHLPA, the people giving out the award, in addition to being a great player. All other individual NHL related trophies of significance, with the exclusion of the plus minus trophy, are named after either someone very influential in hockey history or the person who in fact donated the original trophy. The justification for naming the award after Pearson is much weaker. As such, if there is any trophy that is fitting to have its name changed, this would be the one.
As far as this name change opening the door for further trophy name changes, ultimately the NHL always had the ability to change the names. This trophy is awarded by the NHLPA, a separate entity from the NHL. There is little evidence that what one does with their trophy will affect the other; if that was the case, the Pearson may have instead been called the Eddie Shore award, or the Mark Messier Leadership award may have been named for Pierre Trudeau instead.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

sounds like Ted Lindsay was nothing more than a Commie drug dealer!

Ted Lindsay was not a communist! He was a lot of things - he was a jerk, an idiot, a communist ... but he was NOT a porn star!

 

[lextune]

Ted Lindsay was not a communist! He was a lot of things - he was a jerk, an idiot, a communist ... but he was NOT a porn star!

2 points for the Simpson reference, lol!

So many ways we can refer to this award now.

The Ted Lindsay Award goes to:
The Lindsay Award goes to:
The Terrible Ted Award goes to:
Or just; "this year's Mr. Terrible; Sidney Crosby."
LOL.

 

[tp71]

And that's where you're wrong. You really know nothing about me. Tradition means a hell of a lot, but I also realize that this change does not impact the game much. And it's also the NHLPA choosing to honor the man that is largely responsible for their existence. I can hardly fault them there. This isn't a marketing ploy, it's not a concession to Bettman, or the fabled "New NHL" fans. I'm not going to get on a high-horse and tell the players how to run their union. If you'd like to tell them what a huge mistake their making and how they have no respect for the tradition of the game I'm sure they can be contacted. Have at it.

Also, try reading the thread:



I don't want them to rename the awards, but the game will go on. I honestly don't see renaming the "MVP as voted for by NHLPA" to honor the HHOFer who was instrumental in its founding as some sort of gateway to the the Hart Trophy becoming the "Viagra MVP Award"

Well, then I'm sorry about making that accusation, I must have missed that post. I think the better way to go about this though would have been to retire the pearson and just donate a new trophy in his honour.

 

[Heat McManus]

Well, then I'm sorry about making that accusation, I must have missed that post. I think the better way to go about this though would have been to retire the pearson and just donate a new trophy in his honour.

In all honesty, I guess that gives it a bit more respect, but it's pretty much the same thing. People would still be upset and at the end of the day to me it still comes down to the players deciding this.

 

[Heat McManus]

Ted Lindsay was not a communist! He was a lot of things - he was a jerk, an idiot, a communist ... but he was NOT a porn star!

+20 Abe Simpson points.

 

[tp71]

In all honesty, I guess that gives it a bit more respect, but it's pretty much the same thing. People would still be upset and at the end of the day to me it still comes down to the players deciding this.

Oh i know people would. But I think it would be easier to take at least. Its not like trophies havent been retired before, I've just never heard of one, in the NHL at least, being renamed like this.

 

[Heat McManus]

Oh i know people would. But I think it would be easier to take at least. Its not like trophies havent been retired before, I've just never heard of one, in the NHL at least, being renamed like this.

Bud Light +/- Award?

 

[Brodie]

Ted Lindsay was not a communist! He was a lot of things - he was a jerk, an idiot, a communist ... but he was NOT a porn star!

Ted wore an onion on his belt... which was the style at the time.