Because there are no NHL playoff games tonight, we asked Lee Diekemper, our venerable hockey scribe, to put together his collection of awards for this hockey season. They aren’t your traditional awards. They’re better. Which is why Mike Comrie isn’t mentioned, but he gets a photo, alongside his actress, short-shorts-loving girlfriend, Hilary Duff.

Favorite goalie: He may be talented and he may be crazy, but there’s no goalie more fun to write about than former Sens net-minder Ray Emery. His team had to talk him out of wearing a mask with Mike Tyson’s likeness on it (he later wore a Muhammad Ali mask). He is often late for practices (“I’ve never been a guy that’s on time all the time”) and likes to fight, including opponents, teammates and old men in road rage incidents. No wonder he admires Tyson.

Media MVP: Is there an NHL player who has provided more internet content than Sean Avery? A tough guy on the ice – and one with talent – Avery nearly makes as many headlines off the ice: From dating Rachel Hunter and Elisha Cuthbert to getting exposed for using the same madam as former New York governor Eliot Spitzer. His feud with Islanders Devils goalie Marty Brodeur grew so hilarious in the playoffs it resulted in Brodeur refusing to shake his hand. While waiting to begin his internship at Vogue magazine, he suffered a lacerated spleen in the playoffs against the Pens and was inaccurately reported by The Daily News as being under cardiac arrest.

Chick Magnet: You are arguably the best player of your sport. You signed a $124 million contract. You likely could just walk outside your pad, whistle, and have nubile young women throw themselves at your feet. So how do you pick up chicks? You surf the internet for Russian e-mail babes! What kind of a cut is the Russian mob getting out of Alexander Ovechkin’s deal?

Native American Honors: When Blackhawks coach Denis Savard was trying to motivate his team in a postgame rant, he noted how the players had to “Commit to the Indian,” referring to the Blackhawk head on the iconic Chicago jersey. The phrase immediately struck a chord with fans as T-shirts and blogs using that phrase popped up right away, although moralists were outraged.

MVP: There are a lot of players who could have nabbed this award, including Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Ovechkin. But it is likely Crosby’s teammate who was more important to his team than any other NHL player. Crosby had a high ankle sprain just when it appeared the Pens were shifting into overdrive. A lot of times when a team losses its (alleged) best player in the heart of the season, it folds. But Evgeni Malkin didn’t let that happen. In January and February, Malkin had 27 goals, 31 assists and 58 points. With Crosby out 29 games, Malkin rose up to aptly fill Crosby’s shoes. The 21-year-old Malkin accumulated 47 goals, 59 assists and 106 points to finish second in the NHL scoring race and is currently second in postseason points this spring.