I swear we didn’t plan this. The order for the release of the tUB Award winners was set before we even started, before we had any idea of when the Vezina nominees would be announced. But here we are, as today this happened:
So now the Jackets have a Vezina nominee, and probably even a Vezina frontrunner. As any Blue Jacket fan is probably aware, the Vezina is handed out to the NHL’s top goaltender. I’m sure you are all sitting on pins and needles waiting to find out who the CBJ’s top goalie is. Well wait no more, as the tUB Vezina Trophy goes to……
BOBROVSKY! No seriously. BOB. BOOOOOOOB. Bob Bob Bob. The undrafted netminder so very obviously ran away with this award that there is no point in even running other nominees. So without further ado, here is the tUB teams “Ode to Bob”.
AlisonL: “It’s funny to think back to this summer when people were still wondering if Bobrovsky just might be the answer to our problems. Fast forward past a “battle for #1 goalie”, all the NHL star honors, the accolades and the smiles and we can see that Bob not only demonstrated outstanding goal tending, but he ignited the entire Blue Jackets team to over achieve. For years we’ve hypothesized on how the team played “in front of Mason”. Certainly the roster has changed, but it seemed, with Bob, that finally players were free to take chances and play true to their position without worrying about playing backup goaltender. It’s also fair to consider his impact in the dressing room as his work ethic was everything we’d heard it would be and more. When the dust settled, we had our #1 Goalie who brought us play in all but 10 games, and a .932 save percentage second only to Ottawa’s Craig Anderson in regular season play this year.”
Canadan: “Sergei Bobrovsky is not only the obvious candidate for a Columbus Vezina, he may very well be the obvious choice league wide for Vezina honours this year. His impact on Columbus this year was palpable, changing the mentality from being “Masoned” to getting “Bobbed” repeatedly. Stunning Columbus fans with unexplainable saves and turning inevitable losses into grinding wins and OT thrillers. In short, he was largely the reason for Columbus’ success this year with their limited offensive output, and deserves this award with a secondary nod for the Hart.”
CBJProspects: “SERGEI BOBROVSKY!!!! Bob for short. Like I said in a previous award, Bob is the only Jacket I ever remember to acknowledge the fans when selected as a star. As for his play, well all I wanna say is how many other goalies have their own top 10 saves on NHL Network? None that’s how many. Bob should already have the Vezina in his trophy case and wish I could say at least a chance at the Hart (but I doubt it).”
Derdrache: “o/` Save of the game, and you’re too blame! You give shooters a bad name o/`
Bob, Bob, Bob. What is there to say that hasn’t been said already? When acquired in the off season he became an immediate fan favorite for three reasons:
- He isn’t Steve Mason.
- He is a goalie.
- Jay Onrait’s hilarious Bobrovsky antics. Seen here if you’ve been in a cave this whole season.
The beginning of Bob’s season was rather unassuming but his presence in the net did seem to have a calming effect, even early. His latter half of the season was absolutely the stuff that legends and hometown heroes are made of. With Bob in net the fans knew that if the skaters could muster 3 goals, we’d pretty much automatically go home with a win. On a good night, 1 or 2 goals would do the trick. Bob further endeared himself to the fans by embracing the role of #1 goaltender and reciprocating the love they gave him for each monumental save he made by saluting them after the game, whether he was one of the three stars or not. Coupling JD’s philosophy of building the organization brick by brick and from the net out, Bobrovsky seems to be a solid cornerstone for the CBJ for years to come once a new deal is struck.”
The Coach: “Bobrovsky was amazing this season. However, I really feel like this level of play or something close to it is what his true talent level is. The rap on Bob before was that when his confidence got down, he would shrink in the net, his shoulders would slump, and he could easily get beat high. His first year was a very solid year for a rookie goalie playing on the North American ice. Then the Flyers crapped all over him in the playoffs, made him the scapegoat of their season, and forced him into a backup role. Confidence shot, he physically shrunk in the crease and was terrible. But that is not something that is going to happen here. He is the man in Columbus. A shaky start or two won’t change that. And further, there is now a former NHL goaltender upstairs. If anyone in the NHL knows how to handle a goalie, it’s John Davidson. I have faith that JD will be able to nurture this kind of incredible play from Bob moving forward.”
Give your praise, thanks, or what have you for BOB in the comments, and stay tuned, as later this week we will award the Masterton Trophy, given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
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