Quote:
Originally Posted by Resolute 14
This is why - beyond his actual play - Ekblad has a real chance. There is such a perception skew because eastern guys like Custance don't see the western teams very often, and voters vote on impressions.
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If there's ever a western-conference candidate who can not only negate the east-coast media bias, but also win because of his own hype, Johnny is it.
Out of all the rookies, he has by far received the most media attention. Profiles and interviews from all the big sports networks and publications, stories in major newspapers like the NY Times, he's got a catchy-nickname that even the most lazy voter remembers, he's a great underdog story because of his size, he is a college legend in most densely populated part of the continent... and he's also been at the top of the rookie chase all year long, so he's consistently been in the spotlight.
Too be honest, I personally haven't heard much mention of Ekblad in the media. He might play in the east, but he also plays in the blackhole of the NHL. Based on his stats and what he has done, I'd give him the award myself...but if Johnny manages to be at the top of the Points/Goals race, I think it's exactly the media attention that will tip the scales in his favor.