The real NHL awards will be handed out Thursday night in Las Vegas, so FanHouse decided to hand out its own special awards for the 2008-09 season. During the 2007-08 season, Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala made blooper reels across the NHL for allowing a goal against the New York Islanders from 190 feet away. Hey, it happens to the best of them, and just to prove it, we introduce you to the 2008-09 nominees for the Vesa Toskala Award, celebrating the worst goal allowed of the year.
Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes; Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins: Carolina goalie Cam Ward has accomplished more before his 26th birthday (Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe Award) than most goalies will accomplish in their entire career. He was a huge part of the Hurricanes' surprising run to the Eastern Conference finals, and he's one of the best up-and-coming netminders in the NHL. That said, it was a bad sign for the Hurricanes in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals when Max Talbot's innocent looking floater beat him late in the first period of Pittsburgh's 4-1 win.
Video: Ward lets in Talbot floater
Same thing can be said about Pittsburgh's Marc-Andre Fleury. At the age of 25, he's already played in the Stanley Cup finals twice, winning hockey's ultimate prize this season against the Detroit Red Wings. While he made more than his fair share of highlight reel, game-saving stops at clutch times, he also surrendered a goal very similar to Ward's when Justin Abdelkader threw an innocent-looking shot at the net in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Video: Abdelkader scores 1-on-2
Chris Osgood, Detroit Red Wings: You can make a strong Hall of Fame case for Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood. In his 15-year career he's played in the Stanley Cup final four times, winning three, and compiled a 389-204-89 record. His 389 wins currently place him 10th in league history. Of the goalies ahead of him on the all-time list, six of them are already in the Hall of Fame, while two of them (Martin Brodeur and Curtis Joseph) are still active in the NHL. Will he get in? Frankly, I don't know. What I do know is this: the goal he surrendered to Columbus' Fedor Tyutin back in November won't be on his career highlight film.
Video: Osgood lets one in from center ice
Video: Biron gets a little too aggressive
And the winner is ...
Brian Boucher, San Jose Sharks:
