For the third time this season, we're able to announce a Fake Award Winner! Winning his second Fake Award of the 09-10 season is....

DEREK MEECH!

Everyone's favorite almost-Red Wing clinched -- for the second year in a row -- the Derek Meech Award (who knew?!) given at the year's end to the Red Wings player that spent the most games in the press box. Meech was a healthy scratch 35 times last season. With thirteen games left in this season, Meech has a big enough lead on any active Red Wing to have clinched the Award again - and could, if he doesn't see the ice again, break his record from a year ago:

2. Brad May (14) -- no longer with the Red Wings
3. Ville Leino (13) -- no longer with the Red Wings
T4. Patrick Eaves (7)
T4. Brett Lebda (7)

Earlier in the week, Casey took a look at Jimmy Howard's numbers compared to the last five Calder-winning goaltenders. It was a great read, so give it a look, but it got me thinking...how do his numbers stack up against other Red Wings starting goaltenders (can we all agree yet that he is, in fact, the starting goaltender?) from the last 25 years? I compared his current numbers (wins, goals against average, and save percentage) to the goaltender that played the most games in each of the last 25 seasons. If it was split nearly down the middle, I took the single 'tender that played the most minutes. Obviously, there's no guarantee that Howard's numbers stay the same -- they could fluctuate up or down (except wins, of course, which is ONLY GOING UP BABY!), but that's why they call them "averages," they are a pretty good meter of your level of play throughout a season or a career

SINGLE SEASON WINS
1 :: 01-02 :: Hasek :: 41
2 :: 95-96 :: Osgood :: 39
T3 :: 06-07 :: Hasek :: 38
T3 :: 91-92 :: Cheveldae :: 38
5 :: 05-06 :: Legace :: 37
T6 :: 02-03 :: Joseph :: 34
T6 :: 98-99 :: Osgood :: 34
T6 :: 92-93 :: Cheveldae :: 34
9 :: 97-98 :: Osgood :: 33
T10 :: 99-00 :: Osgood :: 30
T10 :: 90-91 :: Cheveldae :: 30
T12 :: 09-10 :: Howard :: 27
T12 :: 07-08 :: Osgood :: 27
14 :: 08-09 :: Osgood :: 26
15 :: 00-01 :: Osgood :: 25
For the record, the least amount of wins for a Red Wings starter the last quarter century is Greg Stefan in 1985-86 with 10. TEN! Thus the award named after him below...

SINGLE SEASON GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE 
1 :: 06-07 :: Hasek :: 2.05
2 :: 07-08 :: Osgood :: 2.09
3 :: 03-04 :: Legace :: 2.12
T4 :: 01-02 :: Hasek :: 2.17
T4 :: 95-96 :: Osgood :: 2.17
6 :: 05-06 :: Legace :: 2.19
7 :: 97-98 :: Osgood :: 2.21
8 :: 96-97 :: Osgood :: 2.30
9 :: 09-10 :: Howard :: 2.32
10 :: 99-00 :: Osgood :: 2.40
The worst goals against the last twenty-five years belongs to... YUP! You guessed it. Greg Stefan in 85-86, 4.50.

SINGLE SEASON SAVE PERCENTAGE
1 :: 09-10 :: Howard :: .924
2 :: 03-04 :: Legace :: .920
T3 :: 01-02 :: Hasek :: .915
T3 :: 05-06 :: Legace :: .915
5 :: 07-08 :: Osgood :: .914
T6 :: 06-07 :: Hasek :: .913
T6 :: 97-98 :: Osgood :: .913
8 :: 02-03 :: Joseph :: .912
9 :: 95-96 :: Osgood :: .911
T10 :: 96-97 :: Osgood :: .910
T10 :: 98-99 :: Osgood :: .910
The worst save percentage of this sample group is -- well I'll be damned -- Greg Stefan in 1985-86, at .856. Interestingly, the worst save percentage for a starting goalie in the last 15 years was Chris Osgood from last season, .887.

RED WINGS STATISTICAL LEADERS :: March 19, 2010

Games Played :: Todd Bertuzzi, Nicklas Lidstrom, Brad Stuart (69 - that's all of them)
Goals :: Pavel Datsyuk (22) 
Assists :: Henrik Zetterberg (38) 
Points :: Pavel Datsyuk (58) 
+/- :: Nicklas Lidstrom (+17) 
PIM :: Todd Bertuzzi (72) 
Power Play Goals :: Tomas Holmstrom (10) 
Shorthanded Goals :: Darren Helm (3) 
Game Winning Goals :: Tomas Holmstrom (5) 
Shots :: Henrik Zetterberg (241) 
Shooting % :: Tomas Holmstrom (19.0%) 
Time on Ice Average :: Nicklas Lidstrom (25:31) 
Shifts Per Game :: Nicklas Lidstrom and Brad Stuart (29.3)
Faceoff % :: Pavel Datsyuk (55.4) 
Faceoffs Taken :: Henrik Zetterberg (876) 
Hits :: Brad Stuart (175)
Giveaways :: Pavel Datsyuk (64) 
Takeaways :: Pavel Datsyuk (106) [1st in the NHL]

CHRIS CHELIOS AWARD Update
*Given at the year's end to the Red Wings defenseman with the fewest goals scored in the most games played. The player must have played in at least 3/4 of the team's games. The award is named for Chris Chelios, who scored 23 goals in his EXACTLY 600 games as a Red Wing.*
1. Brett Lebda (1 goal, 62 games)
2. Brad Stuart (2 goals, 69 games)
3. Brian Rafalski (6 goals, 65 games)
4. Nicklas Lidstrom (8 goals, 69 games)

DANNY CLEARY "SACRAFICE YOUR FACE" AWARD Update
*Given at the year's end to the Red Wings forward with the most blocked shots. Award is named for Dan Cleary, who is used to becoming synonymous with "black eye" and/or "broken jaw."*
1. Darren Helm (43) 
2. Patrick Eaves (39)
3. Drew Miller (35)
4. Henrik Zetterberg (30)
T5. Kirk Maltby (25)
T5. Dan Cleary (25)
T5. Pavel Datsyuk (25)

GREG STEFAN AWARD Update
*Given at the year's end to the Red Wings goaltender that makes you question how they're in the NHL and you aren't. Award is named for Greg Stefan, who played nine seasons for the Red Wings, but only had three seasons with goals against average under 4.*
1. Chris Osgood (7-8-4, 2.97, .890)        
2. Jimmy Howard (27-15-8, 2.32, .924) 

MIKAEL SAMUELSSON AWARD Update
*Given at the year's end to the Red Wings forward with the most shots to miss the net. Award is named for Mikael Samuelsson, who literally must have been aiming for the 11th row.*
1. Henrik Zetterberg (97) 
2. Todd Bertuzzi (66)
3. Pavel Datsyuk (59)
4. Darren Helm (49)
5. Tomas Holmstrom (47)

PAST WINNERS
The GoodFellas Award (final Red Wing to be penalized) :: Patrick Eaves
The Derek Meech Award (most games as healthy scratch) :: Derek Meech
The Aaron Downey Award (final Red Wing to score a goal) :: Derek Meech