2011 NHL Awards: Carolina Hurricanes' Jeff Skinner wins Calder Trophy, misses out on Vegas fun
Jeff Skinner might have won what all rookies who enter the National Hockey League (NHL) dream about winning one day, the Calder Trophy for the top rookie of the year, but since he is only 19, he missed out everything the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas,
Nevada, USA, has to offer.
The event was held at one of the most exciting and lively places on Earth, Las Vegas, and unfortunately for the 19-year-old rookie, he could not even walk on the casino floor in the hotel.
Nevertheless, Skinner was up against some of the finest rookies the league has seen at the 2011 NHL Awards and emerged victorious in the race for rookie MVP.
Logan Couture of San Jose Sharks and Michael Grabner of New York Islanders did not win the award, but their stay at the hotel will not be as boring as Skinner's since they are 22 and 23, respectively.
Skinner, who became the youngest player NHL's history to have won the award, was especially grateful of his teammates after winning it.
"The guys helped me so much to step up to their level", Skinner said of his Carolina teammates. "I learned it was important not to overthink what I was doing on the ice".
Jeff Skinner was one of the top prospects of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and was selected as the seventh overall pick during the first round by Carolina Hurricanes.
He played all 82 regular season games and registered an impressive 63 points including 31 goals and 32 assists, but he is focused on getting even better, and by the looks of it, he has all the time in the world to do so.
"I have a ton to improve on", Skinner said, speaking more professionally than his normal teenage style. "I plan to get stronger and faster for next season. I want to help our team get better".
He along with Carolina Hurricanes were close to making the playoffs this time around but remained ousted near the end by only a few points behind the eighth place New York Rangers.
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