The Puck Stops Here

Most years around this time hockey fans debate who has been the most valuable player of the year. I would like to debate that this year also, but it is extrememly hard. The best hockey players in the world who played this season were spread throughout several leagues in the world. Many of the players did not play the whole season - they joined European clubs in mid-season. Many of those players joined the team in less than playing shape and took a while to get themselves in top shape. Its not an easy question.

In North America, Jason Spezza was MVP of the AHL and Scott Gomez was MVP of the ECHL, but neither played the calibre of competition that was in some European leagues.

In Europe, I am much more dependant upon statistics to decide who was good - because I haven't been able to watch any European games this year. The Swedish league had the most NHL players. Henrik Zetterberg lead it in scoring ,but it was a close race. In Russia, Maxim Sushinsky (former Minnesota Wild) lead the league in scoring. Many of the NHL players who played in this league were not there for the whole season. The Czech league also had many players join it with the season underway, Michal Mikeska lead it in scoring. The Slovak league was lead in scoring by Pavol Demitra. He was quite dominant. Several NHL players went to play in Switzerland also, but this league has a much less strenuous schedule which cuts into their ability to dominate. In Finland, Steve Kariya lead the league in scoring. Arguably, the remaining European leagues are secondary to these ones.

I am a bit uncertain who to declare has been the best player in hockey in the world this year, largely because the players were spread in so many leagues and I was unable to watch many of them. However, I will make my pick nonetheless. I think because of his dominance in the Slovak league and given a good amount of NHL talent playing there I will go on record that I think Pavol Demitra may have been the best hockey player in the world this season. I expect there should be some discussion on this choice because the circumstances of hockey this year make the choice so hard to make.