Should the missing Labatte Trophy winners be reinstated?

[Victor 10,940]

This season we have corrected a major fuck-up, restoring the Labatte to its previous glory after a 4-season absence and introducing the Valiq. However, given the Labatte for 4 seasons was effectively the Valiq, the winners of 1 award were moved to another and its place?... Nothing. A void in the history books.

 

The idea of going back and deciding on the 4 missing Labatte winners surfaced in the BOG discussions, but was shut down for some reason I can't remember and was not particularly bothered to argue. However, looking at the league's best defencemen over VHL's history recently while I'm putting together my all-time top 10 lists has made me realise two things:

 

1. It's a very easy task to do. Firstly, the most recent winner, in S62, would be very straightforward given I know for a fact that everyone in the award committee agreed that Johnsson was the best dman in the league but had to take just the Wylde because Kovalchuk had too many points. Secondly, the other 3 winners are Ay Ay Ron. On the basis that the Labatte is effectively a direct battle between the Valiq and Wylde winners (this won't always be the case but definitely would have been in S59 to S61), Ron - who won 2 Valiqs and a Wylde in those three seasons - was definitely the outstanding candidate. He was more well-rounded in the respective seasons than all of Jokinen, Johnsson, and especially Dexter Lane.

 

2. For Ay Ay Ron, 3 Labattes would give him a much more legitimate shot at the HOF (which I think is a lock anyway regardless of the last two seasons). Very few defencemen won 3 Labattes and it would better reward his legacy in context.

 

Anyway, I don't see the harm. Thoughts?

[BOOM 8,745]

I will concede the Labatte to these other worthy players. After all, I have the mighty "Bommchenko" award named in my honor! 

Edited December 14, 2018 by BOOM™