Ryan O`Byrne is about to become a You Tube favourite for all the wrong reasons...
Hopefully for OByrne it will be one of the few and perhaps the only "Oh Oh moment" in his career, Monday night the Canadiens defenceman committed perhaps the most embarrassing sin that an NHLer could have, he scored on his own net.
With time winding down in the third period, O'Byrne tossed a puck back into his own end of the rink, a play that headed directly for the recently vacated Canadiens net (a delayed penalty had just been called) and into the back of the right hand side.
It was a costly miscue, sending the game into overtime and then a shoot out which ended badly for Montreal with the Islanders taking home a 4-3 victory, solidifying O'Byrne's hands on the goat horns in Montreal for the foreseeable future.
It's a move that every player dreads and really shouldn't happen in this fashion you would think.
If O'Byrne is looking for sliver linings in dark clouds, he can at least console himself that it didn't happen in the playoffs and didn't cost the Canadiens a Stanley Cup. A November own goal, as depressing for the fans as it may be, is still a fair bit aways from a self scored marker in a game seven of the Stanley Cup final.
Time may soothe the Habitants faithful, who were more than willing to share their feelings on Monday night. Should the Canadiens travel far along the playoff path in the Spring of 2009 then few wll remember the events of November 24th at the Bell Centre (though we are sure that hockey fans will be replaying the YouTube clip above over and over from now on).
At least, that's what O'Byrne must be hoping as he dedicates his play to the goal of looking where he's passing/shooting from now on.
The Gazette-- O'Byrne's brain cramp caps bizarre home-ice loss
The Hockey News-- O’Byrne’s own-goal far from the worst puck blunder in recent memory
TSN-- O'BYRNE JOINS DISTINGUISHED LIST OF 'OWN GOAL' SCORERS
New York Times-- Oops, Immortalized
CBC-- Fluke goal costs Habs a win
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Trading Post 2008-09
One quick way to change a team's dynamic is through a trade, whether with one of the earth shattering multi player deals that we will talk about for years, or just a simple tweaking of a line up, bringing in that one missing ingredient that can change a season.
Through the year, we will track the deals that the various General Managers make, all in a bid to make their teams better and in some cases save a career or two.
The wheeling and dealing will ebb and flow through the year, leading up to the annual festival of movement known as the Trading deadline, this year set for March 4th, a day which will see Canada's sports networks provide such on air content that it would seem to redefine the kind of planning that sent massive armies into the Great Wars of the last century.
November 24-- Toronto and St. Louis
The Maple Leafs send Carlo Colaiacovo and forward Alexander Steen to the St. Louis Blues for winger Lee Stempniak. An interesting move by Cliff Fletcher, guardian of the telephones while the Leafs seek out their next General Manager. The Leafs pick up experience by giving up on two young talents, who occassionally showed some flashes of talent, but not enough consistency for the liking of Fletcher and the head coach Ron Wilson.
November 16-- Dallas and Pittsburgh
Darryl Sydor heads south, Texas bound as the Stars swing a deal with the Penguins, sending Philippe Boucher to Pittsburgh.
November 7-- Philadelphia and Tampa Bay
The Flyers and Lightning pick up the phone and move some players, with the Flyers picking up Matt Carle and a third round pick in the 2009 draft in exchange for Steve Eminger, Steve Downie and 2009 4th Round Pick.
November 3-- Ottawa and Phoenix
They both share the lower reaches of the standings and at the start of November they exchanged players, with Drew Fata off to Ottawa and Alexander Nikulin Phoenix bound.
October 30-- Philadelphia and Nashville
The Predators continue to move the inventory, sending Josh Gratton to Philadelphia in exchange for Tim Ramholt.
October 30-- Nashville and New York Rangers
Nashville returns to the trading table picking up Hugh Jessiman from the Rangers giving up future considerations in return.
October 13-- Philadelphia and Boston
The Bruins send Andrew Alberts off to Philly in exchange they receive Ned Lukacevic.
October 9-- Pittsburgh and Phoenix
The Penguins pick up Mike Zigomanis from the Coyotes in exchange for future considerations.
October 6-- Vancouver and Tampa Bay
The Lightning continue to make phone calls seeking out tweaks to their line up, this time picking up Lukas Krajicek and Juraj Simek from Vancouver in exchange for Shane O'Brien and Michel Ouellet.
September 30-- Los Angeles and Anaheim
The Good news for Sean O'Donnell is he dosen't have to move, just change uniforms. O'Donnel was picked up by the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a conditional draft pick.
September 29-- Nashville and Tampa Bay
The Predators give up a future pick, a conditional one in the 2009 draft for forward Nick Tarnasky.
September 26-- Atlanta and Anaheim
Defenseman Mathieu Schneider heads for Dixie as the Ducks move him east, picking up Ken Klee, Brad Larsen and Chad Painchaud in return.
The Quest for Hockeyville is underway
From Newfoundland to British Columbia and to the farthest reaches of the North, communities across Canada are putting together their bids to be the next Canadian community selected as Kraft's Hockeyville.
The 2009 competition got underway on November 1st, and the deadline for submissions is fast approaching with December 6th as the last day for Canadians to offer up their community as a worthy candidate for Hockeyville.
The successful community will host an NHL Pre-Season Game in their arena, a visit from CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada and the prize that all communities are seeking $100 000 from Kraft to upgrade their local arena!
You can check to see if your community has been posted on line as a potential Hockeyville, and if so the rest is up to you, posting your thoughts on how hockey is important to you and your community.
The Kraft Hockeyville website has full details on how to get involved, as well some background on what the competition is all about. You can also follow the progress of the competition from the Hockeyville facebook site.
The successful communities so far have been Salmon River, Nova Scotia in 2006, North Bay, Ontario in 2007 and last years successful town Roberval, Quebec, simple geography suggests that a Western or Northern community is destined to be the next selection.
Check out the websites and get involved for your community, you never know, you're story and community spirit may be just what they are looking for.
The 2009 competition got underway on November 1st, and the deadline for submissions is fast approaching with December 6th as the last day for Canadians to offer up their community as a worthy candidate for Hockeyville.
The successful community will host an NHL Pre-Season Game in their arena, a visit from CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada and the prize that all communities are seeking $100 000 from Kraft to upgrade their local arena!
You can check to see if your community has been posted on line as a potential Hockeyville, and if so the rest is up to you, posting your thoughts on how hockey is important to you and your community.
The Kraft Hockeyville website has full details on how to get involved, as well some background on what the competition is all about. You can also follow the progress of the competition from the Hockeyville facebook site.
The successful communities so far have been Salmon River, Nova Scotia in 2006, North Bay, Ontario in 2007 and last years successful town Roberval, Quebec, simple geography suggests that a Western or Northern community is destined to be the next selection.
Check out the websites and get involved for your community, you never know, you're story and community spirit may be just what they are looking for.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Everyone has an opinion when it comes to the Sens
To give you an idea as to just how concerned hockey fans in the Nations capital are these days, the plight of the local hockey team has moved from the usual scribbling and pecking of the sports department, to the word processing wordcraft of the Globe and Mail's Jeffrey Simpson.
Simpson, an award winning National Affairs journalist with the Globe, is normally tasked with the responsibility to help us make sense of the machinations of our Federal government, our never ending national debate on unity and a wider global perspective on the nation's place in the world of nations.
When he's not writing for the national paper, he enters the halls of academia to offer up history and opinion to those thirsting for knowledge at the nation's universities.
So, things are apparently so off the charts in Ottawa now, that Professor Simpson has been forced to enter the debate, providing worrisome background, a few helpful suggestions and a bit of the work of Nostradamus to divine the future for what was once the NHL's most highly regarded franchise.
In Tuesday's Globe, Simpson provides a two page essay on the state of the Sens, a most disturbing portrait of what seems to becoming one of the more dysfunctional teams of recent years.
Pointing the finger at poor management decisions, resulting in poor draft picks, worse trades and a confusing on ice presence, Simpson suggests that the Sens, like their cousins to the south in Toronto, need to blow the whole thing up and start over.
But before they do that, he provides the theory that yet another change in the front offices is required with Bryan Murray to be parted from his duties and a new name, with new ideas and a better plan brought in to guide the rebuilding job that Simpson suggests is needed.
High on his list for a new GM is Steve Yzerman, a local hero from his days in Nepean, an Ottawa suburb and of course a life long Detroit Red Wing, having basked in the success of the NHL's template for excellent management. Having had a front bench seat into how a dynasty of the NHL operates and what it takes to claim Lord Stanley's Cup.
Just a few years removed from their Stanley Cup final appearance, the atrocious start this season and unfamiliar location of the Senators in the bottom regions of the East Division standings has caught many by surprise and added to a palpable sense of panic across Eastern Ontario.
There's a good number of those fans who will be reading Mr. Simpson's column on Tuesday and nodding their head in agreement, providing they're not too shell shocked from the remarkable reversal of fortunes of their local heroes.
A capital collapse
With the Senators swooning, can major changes and a new GM such as Yzerman be far behind?
JEFFREY SIMPSON
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
November 24, 2008 at 10:22 PM EST
OTTAWA — What's happened to the Ottawa Senators? Canada's best NHL team a year ago is now the worst, with bleak prospects.
After 20 games last year, the Senators were 16-4, the best team in the Eastern Conference. After 20 games this year, the Senators are 7-9-4, down with the bottom feeders in the conference, a long shot to make the playoffs.
In the 2006-07 season, the Senators were Stanley Cup finalists. Their collapse is the biggest untold story in Canadian hockey. It's the culmination of a series of dubious or bad management decisions, not one of which caused the plunge but, taken together, rotted the team.
Ottawa fans have watched the slide to mediocrity with incredulity. Unlike Toronto Maple Leafs fans, Sens supporters expect their team to be in the playoffs. (What the Senators did once in the playoffs was another matter.)
After last year's early spurt, the Senators played below .500 for the rest of the season, barely made the playoffs, were swept in four games by the Pittsburgh Penguins, and again this year are below .500.
They have burned through two coaches — John Paddock and Bryan Murray — and are not responding for the third, Craig Hartsburg. He whips them like a mule, but a mule is a mule. It can speed up a little under the whipping, but it remains a mule.
The Senators won Saturday 4-1 against the New York Rangers, offering a spirited effort. They won the only way they can, given a limited amount of talent, playing a chip-and-chase game and outworking their opponents.
The days of a fast, skilled Senators team are over. Apart from the trio of Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley, they have nothing but pluggers up front.
Their Saturday victory broke a six-game winless skid in which they scored only seven goals. During that skid, they were booed off the ice in Ottawa after losing 3-1 to the lowly New York Islanders, held players-only meetings, and were tongue-lashed by Murray, now the general manager.
Senators fans are smart. They can see the team for what it is, a shadow of yesteryear's dynamic units, crippled by a long series of management errors under general managers John Muckler and Murray that have finally caught up to the franchise.
It's a team with only three bona fide scorers, two backup goalies, four sixth defencemen, no speed on the back end, little secondary scoring, not much size and, chillingly, little help on the farm.
The team's options, broadly defined, are clear. The first — the one likely to be chosen — is to patch and paste through trades in a desperate attempt to stumble into the playoffs again in order to sell seats in the Canadian market with the smallest season-ticket base.
The second is to blow up the team, as the Maple Leafs are doing, in the knowledge that this Senators team, even an improved version of it, will never again threaten for the Stanley Cup. That window for this group is shut, and every honest fan knows it.
The start-again strategy would require a new general manager. One intriguing choice would be Steve Yzerman, who played some hockey before turning professional in Ottawa and is popular in the city.
Yzerman played for the best coach of the modern era, Scotty Bowman, has been learning the general manager's craft under the league's best, Ken Holland of Detroit, and has been named supremo of Canada's 2010 Olympic team.
A longer shot would be Pierre McGuire, once an assistant coach at Ottawa and now a TSN analyst. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things hockey, knows the team inside out and understands the Ottawa market.
The decision about which way to go, and who should execute the strategy, lies with owner Eugene Melnyk, who, if newspaper reports are correct, has been wooing Mats Sundin, an indication he favours the patch-and-paste strategy. Melnyk put Bryan Murray into the general manager's chair, but Melnyk is not known for patience when a product has deteriorated so badly.
What frightens Sens fans is that the patch-and-paste strategy would be executed by Murray, who has presided over the final phases of the Senators' slump.
Last year, he shipped defenceman Joe Corvo and serviceable winger Patrick Eaves to the Carolina Hurricanes for Mike Commodore, perhaps the slowest defenceman in the league, and winger Cory Stillman. Both were free agents, and both departed at season's end, leaving two more holes in an already shaky Sens lineup.
This year, when faced with exorbitant salary demands from defenceman Andrej Meszaros, Murray sent him to the Tampa Bay Lightning for two sixth defencemen, Filip Kuba and Alexandre Picard, and a late first-round draft pick.
But the rot that has eaten away at the Senators started before Murray won a power struggle against Muckler to become general manager.
Muckler had inherited a brilliant team and proceeded to erode its foundations. Sami Salo, still a top-four defenceman for Vancouver, was traded for Peter Schaefer, who is no longer in the league. He blew the draft after the lockout, in which the Senators got a huge break by picking ninth. He selected Brian Lee, who remains in the minor leagues, while passing on other players such as Marc Staal and Anze Kopitar, now young stars.
Always trying to get a player for the playoffs who might round out the team, Muckler traded three No. 2 draft picks and got almost nothing serviceable in return: Peter Bondra, Greg de Vries, Vaclav Varada, Tyler Arnason.
Under Muckler, a team that used to surprise other teams and delight their fans with brilliant late-round draft picks, lost some of its best scouts and player-development personnel. The result was a dreadful American Hockey League team in Binghamton.
The Senators might have survived these Muckler moves. But they could not remain strong after losing Zdeno Chara to free agency, Martin Havlat to a terrible trade, and, before this season, Wade Redden to free agency.
The team had to choose for cap reasons between Chara and Redden after the 2005-06 season. Chara had looked a little shaky in the 2006 playoffs, in which Ottawa, favoured perhaps to win the Cup, choked in losing to the upstart Buffalo Sabres, plagued again by inconsistent goaltending that has always been the franchise's curse.
Management therefore chose to keep Redden over Chara, a franchise-crippling move, since Chara remains an all-star defenceman whereas Redden's game began to deteriorate so sharply that by last season he had played himself off the first power-play unit and had his ice time restricted. Why the Rangers signed him to a long-term, $6-million-a-year (U.S.) contract was the league's biggest off-season mystery.
Senator insiders claim that a deal for Chara had already been cooked up by Peter Chiarelli, the Sens' former assistant general manager who went to Boston as general manager, to lure Chara to Boston. Who knows, as an outsider, what machinations occurred? But the Sens seem to have decided they could not afford Chara, and/or did not want him compared to Redden.
That bad choice was made on Muckler's watch. Having lost Chara, Muckler then panicked by trading the gifted, although oft-injured Havlat, who had said he would test the market as an unrestricted free agent the following summer, to the Chicago Blackhawks in a three-way trade that netted Ottawa two career minor-leaguers and Tom Preissing, a sixth defenceman who played one season in Ottawa and then opted for free agency.
Chara, Redden, Havlat, Corvo, Eaves. For these players, the Senators have nothing to show today. No team so mismanaged can remain competitive. Coming up empty for these five, coupled with indifferent draft picks, plus those end-of-season Muckler trades, meant that past mistakes suddenly caught up with the Senators.
So did the demise of Ray Emery, the goalie who showed promise of evolving perhaps into a solid No. 1, only to play himself out of the league through what are euphemistically called "off-ice" distractions. He is now playing in Russia.
It's one thing to have a weak team; it's worse to have a weak and expensive one, which is what Ottawa has. The team plunked down huge contracts for Spezza, Heatley and Alfredsson, and large sums for Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov. Murray then far overspent for forwards Mike Fisher (a third line-centre forced to play second-line centre), two goals; Antoine Vermette, two goals; Chris Kelly, one goal. The result is that the Senators, supposedly a small-market team, are only about $3-million under the league salary cap.
Murray brought in what he called "character" players last year and this year, the knock on the Senators having been that they had lacked intestinal fortitude.
Alas, these "character" players such as 39-year-old Luke Richardson, defenceman Jason Smith, forward Jarkko Ruutu and forward Shean Donovan were either past their prime, or never had much of a prime, except for Smith some years ago with Edmonton.
One arrival, career backup goalie Alex Auld, has made a positive difference. He has played solidly, and bumped Martin Gerber from the No. 1 position, a place Gerber should never had had, but for the inexplicable and costly decision before the 2006-2007 season to sign him to a three-year, $11-million contract that, combined with his B-class abilities, had made him untradeable.
Gerber had played for Anaheim when Murray ran that organization. Apparently, he liked Gerber and argued for signing him to the albatross contract.
Scouts from opposing teams these days are following Senators games like seagulls behind a boat, expecting trade offers from the beleaguered franchise. Either by patching-and-pasting, or blowing up the team, the Senators' organization cannot stand still.
The team will not make the playoffs with the current mess, so existing or new management either has to make short-term trades to try for rapid, if ephemeral, improvement; or clean house, fall further to the bottom, and try to put together in three-to-five years the kind of team that not so long ago was the envy of the league.
The negotiators
This may finally be the week that we hear the end of the Brian Burke is coming to Toronto stories, and depending on how the timbre of the negotiations takes place it will either be with Burke signing on the dotted line of a Maple Leaf contract, or heading out on the road seeking out fame and fortune with any number of other potential suitors.
All the odds suggest that it will be a fairly quick resolution to the question of when he signs a contract, apparently the only item on the table that may be a sticking point is how much power the Leafs are willing to put in the hands of Burke and whether that power would provide with the ability to change the Leafs culture.
All the odds suggest that it will be a fairly quick resolution to the question of when he signs a contract, apparently the only item on the table that may be a sticking point is how much power the Leafs are willing to put in the hands of Burke and whether that power would provide with the ability to change the Leafs culture.
It would mark a fairly significant change of direction for the Leafs high office dwellers, who in the past have seemed to relish in their ability to intercede into operations at the most inopportune times.
Burke who is clearly well schooled in the art of contract negotiations is set to negotiate for himself, while Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment President Richard Peddie and Toronto Sports lawyer Gord Kirke will work on cobbling together a satisfactory conclusion to the long running soap opera of Toronto management moves.
The idea of Burke joining the Leafs has been one of those simmering soups on the back burner for a while now, his recent exodus from Anaheim marking just another notch upwards on the temperature setting to bring the soup to a boil.
Monday, the Leafs will see if they can finish cooking up their deal, considering the amount of time and press coverage invested in the plan so far, it seems rather unlikely that they would let Burke get away or let the negotiations get too far off track.
Getting Brian Burke to sign on to a Maple Leaf contract has become almost an expected event, all that remains is for the actual event to take the place of the speculation. That could very well happen before the end of the week.
Burke who is clearly well schooled in the art of contract negotiations is set to negotiate for himself, while Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment President Richard Peddie and Toronto Sports lawyer Gord Kirke will work on cobbling together a satisfactory conclusion to the long running soap opera of Toronto management moves.
The idea of Burke joining the Leafs has been one of those simmering soups on the back burner for a while now, his recent exodus from Anaheim marking just another notch upwards on the temperature setting to bring the soup to a boil.
Monday, the Leafs will see if they can finish cooking up their deal, considering the amount of time and press coverage invested in the plan so far, it seems rather unlikely that they would let Burke get away or let the negotiations get too far off track.
Getting Brian Burke to sign on to a Maple Leaf contract has become almost an expected event, all that remains is for the actual event to take the place of the speculation. That could very well happen before the end of the week.
Globe and Mail-- Burke, Leafs set to talk
Toronto Star-- MLSE power play could leave Burke shorthanded
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Vancouver’s worst nightmare is but an MRI away, yet panic is being held at bay
He’s one of the best goaltenders in hockey, the captain of their team and depending on the results of an MRI on Monday; Roberto Luongo may be on a rather extended vacation.
Five minutes into the first period, the Canuck captain suffered what appears to have been a serious groin injury on Saturday afternoon, after a shot he was about to handle unexpectedly changed direction requiring him to shift his body and then fall to the ice in obvious pain.
With Luongo, down and out, Curtis Sanford entered the game and picked up where he left off a few nights before, providing another solid performance in the Canuck net when it was needed the most.
With the Canucks picking up their play to render assistance to the suddenly popular Sanford, they held on to a 3- 1 victory and kept the high flying Penguins to but 19 shots on goal for the day.
While they celebrated a rather impressive road streak, reality was quick to cloud their thoughts again with the prospect of losing Luongo for a lengthy period of time. Groin injuries are particularly troublesome for goaltenders, providing for some a long recovery period.
Its unknown as to the severity of the Luongo injury yet, that will be determined in the days to come, but time and the schedule won’t stop for the Canucks just because he’s not around.
For now it’s the Sanford show, providing the backup some lengthy on ice time in the centre of the spotlight. His fellow team mates were saying all the right things about him on Sunday, expressing complete confidence in his skills and explaining they were more than ready to pick up their game to keep the positive vibes moving along.
The first test of the Luongo intermission will be Monday night and a visit from the Detroit Red Wings, a bit of schedule timing that doesn’t exactly ease Sanford into his new starting role.
Much of the start of the Canuck season so far has been a pleasant surprise for Canuck fans, the team off to a good start, the new names meshing well with those that survived the recent changes.
Now the folks at GM Place and watching along Sportsnet Pacific and TSN will see if the Canucks can handle adversity when it comes calling.
The knock on that door came on Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh; the length of the visit is to be determined later this week.
Vancouver Sun-- Canucks face mixed emotions
Vancouver Province-- Canucks beat Pens 3-1 but lose Luongo
National Post-- Canucks dump Pens, but lose Luongo
CBC Sports-- Canucks beat Pens, lose Luongo to injury
Five minutes into the first period, the Canuck captain suffered what appears to have been a serious groin injury on Saturday afternoon, after a shot he was about to handle unexpectedly changed direction requiring him to shift his body and then fall to the ice in obvious pain.
With Luongo, down and out, Curtis Sanford entered the game and picked up where he left off a few nights before, providing another solid performance in the Canuck net when it was needed the most.
With the Canucks picking up their play to render assistance to the suddenly popular Sanford, they held on to a 3- 1 victory and kept the high flying Penguins to but 19 shots on goal for the day.
While they celebrated a rather impressive road streak, reality was quick to cloud their thoughts again with the prospect of losing Luongo for a lengthy period of time. Groin injuries are particularly troublesome for goaltenders, providing for some a long recovery period.
Its unknown as to the severity of the Luongo injury yet, that will be determined in the days to come, but time and the schedule won’t stop for the Canucks just because he’s not around.
For now it’s the Sanford show, providing the backup some lengthy on ice time in the centre of the spotlight. His fellow team mates were saying all the right things about him on Sunday, expressing complete confidence in his skills and explaining they were more than ready to pick up their game to keep the positive vibes moving along.
The first test of the Luongo intermission will be Monday night and a visit from the Detroit Red Wings, a bit of schedule timing that doesn’t exactly ease Sanford into his new starting role.
Much of the start of the Canuck season so far has been a pleasant surprise for Canuck fans, the team off to a good start, the new names meshing well with those that survived the recent changes.
Now the folks at GM Place and watching along Sportsnet Pacific and TSN will see if the Canucks can handle adversity when it comes calling.
The knock on that door came on Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh; the length of the visit is to be determined later this week.
Vancouver Sun-- Canucks face mixed emotions
Vancouver Province-- Canucks beat Pens 3-1 but lose Luongo
National Post-- Canucks dump Pens, but lose Luongo
CBC Sports-- Canucks beat Pens, lose Luongo to injury
Sporting new sweaters the Sens snap their skid
The Ottawa Senators introduced their third jersey on Saturday, a solid black fashion statement with Sens emblazoned across the front. A not particularly impressive piece of clothing as the Ottawa Citizen puts it, but if it means a few W’s in the proper place in the standings then by all means don’t go changing.
The Sens found Saturday afternoon hockey to their liking, as they handled the New York Rangers quite handily on the way to a 4 - 1 victory at Scotiabank Place. The early game in Hockey Night in Canada’s much discussed Original Six night found the Rangers struggling while the Senators returned to the form that many had been hoping for when the season started.
The Senators main line of Spezza, Heatley and Alfredsson had possibly their best game as a unit this season, completely in control of the puck whenever they were on the ice. Between the three of them, the first line Senators fired off sixteen of the thirty six shots taken at New York goaltender Stephen Valiquette. The Rangers as an entire team could only manage nineteen shots of their own at Alex Auld, who once again played well in the Ottawa end of the rink, this time rewarded for his hard work with a Win from his team mates.
Overall, the win was a team affair for the Senators, with all of the lines providing for input into the win, in particular Jarko Ruutu who used his aggravating style to perfection, managing to get the Rangers completely off their game and spending far too much time showing him with attention that might have been better spent elsewhere.
Superstition is a key element for many NHL players, considering the Senators struggles so far this year and the rumblings of discontent among the fan base in the nation’s capital, one wonders that with Saturday’s breaking of the skid, that those third jersey’s will be used a little more frequently than originally planned.
The Sens found Saturday afternoon hockey to their liking, as they handled the New York Rangers quite handily on the way to a 4 - 1 victory at Scotiabank Place. The early game in Hockey Night in Canada’s much discussed Original Six night found the Rangers struggling while the Senators returned to the form that many had been hoping for when the season started.
The Senators main line of Spezza, Heatley and Alfredsson had possibly their best game as a unit this season, completely in control of the puck whenever they were on the ice. Between the three of them, the first line Senators fired off sixteen of the thirty six shots taken at New York goaltender Stephen Valiquette. The Rangers as an entire team could only manage nineteen shots of their own at Alex Auld, who once again played well in the Ottawa end of the rink, this time rewarded for his hard work with a Win from his team mates.
Overall, the win was a team affair for the Senators, with all of the lines providing for input into the win, in particular Jarko Ruutu who used his aggravating style to perfection, managing to get the Rangers completely off their game and spending far too much time showing him with attention that might have been better spent elsewhere.
Superstition is a key element for many NHL players, considering the Senators struggles so far this year and the rumblings of discontent among the fan base in the nation’s capital, one wonders that with Saturday’s breaking of the skid, that those third jersey’s will be used a little more frequently than originally planned.
.
Plan B, for Mr. B
Undeterred by the rather lukewarm reception that he has received from the NHL head office thus far, Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie is formulating a new approach to his long cherished dream of NHL ownership.
According to the National Post of Friday, Mr. Balsillie is apparently in the process of considering the final terms of the purchase of 27 per cent of the Nashville Predators, the second attempt for the Nashville based team and Balsillie’s third attempt at joining the club of owners.
If he decides to go ahead with the deal; that 27 per cent stake in the Predators could be the stepping stone to his goal of complete ownership of an NHL franchise. A cause he has been working hard on for the last few years, with little to show for it so far.
In the short term it will give him access to the Board of Governors, where it’s thought he could present his plans for repatriating an NHL team to Canada.
That has been a personal project that so far has not been particularly welcomed by the NHL brass in New York, though once in the club he may have a better chance of building alliances ready to see the wisdom of his plans.
Should he go ahead and write the cheque for the 27 per cent, he would suddenly be the second largest investor in the Nashville franchise and it is a share that could provide him with the starting point to perhaps become sole owner should the situation evolve his way.
A process that will be watched with great interest not only in the NHL head offices in New York, but across Canada where Balsillie is becoming a bit of a folk hero for his dogged determination to bring one more team back across the 49th parallel.
Theresa Tedesco of the National Post outlines the latest steps in the ongoing drama and reviews Mr. Balsillie’s past attempts and disappointments to achieve his long time goal.
According to the National Post of Friday, Mr. Balsillie is apparently in the process of considering the final terms of the purchase of 27 per cent of the Nashville Predators, the second attempt for the Nashville based team and Balsillie’s third attempt at joining the club of owners.
If he decides to go ahead with the deal; that 27 per cent stake in the Predators could be the stepping stone to his goal of complete ownership of an NHL franchise. A cause he has been working hard on for the last few years, with little to show for it so far.
In the short term it will give him access to the Board of Governors, where it’s thought he could present his plans for repatriating an NHL team to Canada.
That has been a personal project that so far has not been particularly welcomed by the NHL brass in New York, though once in the club he may have a better chance of building alliances ready to see the wisdom of his plans.
Should he go ahead and write the cheque for the 27 per cent, he would suddenly be the second largest investor in the Nashville franchise and it is a share that could provide him with the starting point to perhaps become sole owner should the situation evolve his way.
A process that will be watched with great interest not only in the NHL head offices in New York, but across Canada where Balsillie is becoming a bit of a folk hero for his dogged determination to bring one more team back across the 49th parallel.
Theresa Tedesco of the National Post outlines the latest steps in the ongoing drama and reviews Mr. Balsillie’s past attempts and disappointments to achieve his long time goal.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Reconciliation night for Patrick Roy
Saturday night marks the final turning of the page on the last outstanding twist of the Patrick Roy saga.
Roy the one time King of the Forum, will be feted on Saturday night as the Montreal Canadiens honour his legacy (mainly the good points we suspect) in what is sure to be one of the more emotional of ceremonies that the Habs have put on over the years.
As Montreal prepares to launch its year of celebration marking the centennial of the storied franchise, a bit of fence mending was required on one of the last unresolved issues of the last 100 years.
The Roy story is now part of the legendary fabric of Les Canadiens, the young man from the Quebec City area, who like many before him travelled down the road to the centre of Quebecois culture, rose to near mythical standards during his time with the Canadiens.
From his first Stanley Cup victory of 1986 and a second one in 1993 (the last one the Habs would claim), to the now infamous departure scene of December 2, 1995, Roy has always been on the minds of Habs fans.
His parting with the Canadiens following an embarrassing shelling at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings, when he gave up nine goals and fumed at then head coach Mario Tremblay, stopping by the perch of Candiens President Ronald Corey (who at the time sat directly behind the Canadiens bench) and advising him that he would never play for the Habs again.
While some thought that the bluster and emotion would pass, the shockwaves would soon radiate around Quebec when Roy was quickly traded to the Colorado Avalanche, a team which in a fascinating twist of fate had recently relocated from Roy’s hometown of Quebec City.
The acquisition of Roy would be the final piece of a Stanley Cup puzzle and the assembly of one of the most dominating of teams of that era in Colorado and would also coincide with the slide of the Habs a onetime dynasty, suddenly mortal and part of the pack of also rans for the most part.
Interestingly enough in the end as Roy returns to Montreal to receive his accolades much has changed for the fable franchise. They have long since moved out of the Forum, where the ghosts of December 5 will forever haunt the hallways of the multiplex that it became. Ronald Corey and Mario Tremblay are no longer part of the fabric of the Canadiens and the new ownership of George Gillett, is set to bring to an end the longest unfinished chapter in the Canadiens lengthy history.
There were a few unresolved issues to deal with before the planning could begin, last springs ugly junior hockey brawl which featured Roy seeming to urge his goaltender son to head down the ice to pummel the opposition number once again highlighted his mercurial temper.
Mindful of imagery, some suggested that honouring the former goaltender after such an incident was not right, it was counsel that in the end was not accepted and once the dust had settled and the fines had been paid, the planning for Roy’s return was underway.
The Bell Centre will welcome the prodigal son back to the family on Saturday night , there may be a few who hold a grudge over what some perceive as Roy’s abandonment of the home side, but we suspect they will be a minority voice probably not heard from much.
Time they say heals all wounds, much time has passed since Roy took that final skate on Montreal ice, a not so slow burn the led into the tantrum that shook a franchise,
It will be but a footnote to Saturday’s celebration, instead it will be the Stanley Cups, the Conn Smythe trophy success, the all star nominations and the final beatification of St. Patrick.
Saturday marks an Exorcism and naming of the saints all in one night, it’s not a surprise that it’s one of the hardest of tickets to come by and has been since the celebration was announced.
As the Habs prepare to celebrate that 100 years of history and embark on a new century of excellence, they bury the last of the ghost of thirteen years ago. The time seems right for rapprochement, and Saturday night will finally return a long lost icon to the long list of legends that make up hockey’s most storied franchise.
With Saturday’s celebration but hours away, here are a few of the features that review a most remarkable career.
Boston Globe-- He changed game on the fly
CBC Sports-- Patrick Roy nearly left Montreal in a much different way
CBC Sports-- Reflections on Roy
Globe and Mail-- Two routes to the rafters
Globe and Mail-- Roy comes full circle
National Post-- Roy preparing for emotional night
New York Times-- No. 33’s Top 10 Moments: A Look Back at Patrick Roy’s Colorful Career
ESPN Hockey Blog-- A CliffsNotes run through his career (yes, there are pictures!)
ESPN-- As Roy finally comes home to Montreal, that 'one night' will be forgotten
Thursday, November 20, 2008
No backing down for Hockey Canada
They aren't exactly dropping the gloves, but they certainly aren't backing down either, as Hockey Canada continues to take the offensive in the bid to keep the Maple Leaf crest on the front of the International hockey jerseys.
And while much has been made of image and patriotism and part they play in this controversy, it's really cash that is the underlying issue at stake. A potential 10 million dollar infusion of cash for the nation's hockey programs that Hockey Canada reaps from those Maple Leaf jerseys every time a Canadian team takes to an international tournament. Funding they fear may decline quite a bit without that iconic national symbol adorning the front of the uniforms.
The hockey body has pulled out some big guns for their battle with the International Olympic Committee, which has been cracking down on image of late, most recently at the Beijing Games. To back up their case for keeping the uniforms as they are, Hockey Canada has called on IIHF President Rene Fasel who it is said is willing to put forward a Hockey Canada proposal for uniforms.
They are also seeking out other member hockey federations who may likewise find that the marketing abilities become limited under the IOC guidelines.
While it's still early in the game as they say, Hockey Canada has shown that they're not afraid to take the play to the IOC end of the rink.
So far they've only been gently nudging the IOC towards their position, but don't bet against them making a few body checks of note before this tempest resolves itself.
Canucks take Manhattan
When the season was just getting underway, the Vancouver Canucks were one of the great unknowns of the NHL. The names today may still be unfamiliar, but its safe to say that the league is taking notice.
With a new GM in Mike Gillis, who in his previous life as a player agent had made more than a few GM’s disgruntled many hockey observers wondered if he would find anyone to work with in the closed shop of NHL executives.
The lack of movement on draft picks seemed to suggest that he was being frozen out, the long running saga of the twenty million dollar Sundin incentive yet to be picked up, gave the aura of a sideshow on the Pacific coast, yet as the season has progressed the Canucks have become one of the more surprising of teams so far.
The need for cooperation from his lodge brothers so far not needed, but the movement of his team something that may provide for some interest as the trading deadline comes around in 2009. Those phones that did not ring in June may be a little bit busier as the deadline nears.
Wednesday night the Canucks took their show into New York City in what was supposed to be a showdown of sorts between two of the league’s top goaltenders, but as fate would have it the home sides’ defender of the nets wouldn’t put on much of a show. In fact, Henrik Lundqvist was but a score sheet memory by the first five minutes of the second period, after a relentless attack by the Canucks provided for five goals and chased him from the nets.
Vancouver for two periods had complete control of the game; from checking to scoring and goaltending they gave no opportunity for New York to make any inroads in the Vancouver end. The Rangers play was lethargic at times, incapable of freeing up the necessary ice to make a serious dent on the Canuck blue line or gain repeated access to Roberto Luongo.
That’s not to say that the Vancouver goaltender had nothing to do, those occasions when the Rangers regained some of their form he was called upon to make some rather spectacular saves, but for the most part the Canucks were firmly in charge of the agenda for most of the night.
The Third period provided for a bit of a comeback for the Broadway crew who outshot the Canucks 17-5, but that was when Luongo would play his best, allowing a couple of late game goals but shutting down the majority of the dangerous moments with little hassle.
The 6-3 win continues on with the Canucks hot streak now at five wins in seven games, a string of victories which has propelled them to first in their division, and third overall in the conference.
With a new GM in Mike Gillis, who in his previous life as a player agent had made more than a few GM’s disgruntled many hockey observers wondered if he would find anyone to work with in the closed shop of NHL executives.
The lack of movement on draft picks seemed to suggest that he was being frozen out, the long running saga of the twenty million dollar Sundin incentive yet to be picked up, gave the aura of a sideshow on the Pacific coast, yet as the season has progressed the Canucks have become one of the more surprising of teams so far.
The need for cooperation from his lodge brothers so far not needed, but the movement of his team something that may provide for some interest as the trading deadline comes around in 2009. Those phones that did not ring in June may be a little bit busier as the deadline nears.
Wednesday night the Canucks took their show into New York City in what was supposed to be a showdown of sorts between two of the league’s top goaltenders, but as fate would have it the home sides’ defender of the nets wouldn’t put on much of a show. In fact, Henrik Lundqvist was but a score sheet memory by the first five minutes of the second period, after a relentless attack by the Canucks provided for five goals and chased him from the nets.
Vancouver for two periods had complete control of the game; from checking to scoring and goaltending they gave no opportunity for New York to make any inroads in the Vancouver end. The Rangers play was lethargic at times, incapable of freeing up the necessary ice to make a serious dent on the Canuck blue line or gain repeated access to Roberto Luongo.
That’s not to say that the Vancouver goaltender had nothing to do, those occasions when the Rangers regained some of their form he was called upon to make some rather spectacular saves, but for the most part the Canucks were firmly in charge of the agenda for most of the night.
The Third period provided for a bit of a comeback for the Broadway crew who outshot the Canucks 17-5, but that was when Luongo would play his best, allowing a couple of late game goals but shutting down the majority of the dangerous moments with little hassle.
The 6-3 win continues on with the Canucks hot streak now at five wins in seven games, a string of victories which has propelled them to first in their division, and third overall in the conference.
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It’s a spot few would have pencilled them in for at the start of the season, and one where they may not finish at its end, but for the moment, the new look Canucks with their unfamiliar names are doing just fine and that’s sitting pretty good with the fans in Vancouver these days.
It’s a spot few would have pencilled them in for at the start of the season, and one where they may not finish at its end, but for the moment, the new look Canucks with their unfamiliar names are doing just fine and that’s sitting pretty good with the fans in Vancouver these days.
Photo above from the Globe and Mail website
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Let the negotiations begin
The dominoes are beginning to fall in Toronto, as the expected arrival of Brian Burke as the next General Manager at least and perhaps much more, appears set to realize its destiny.
The Globe and Mail is reporting that negotiations are set to begin between Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and their apparent first and only choice to take charge of one of the NHL's flagship franchises. And with that report, the official Burke watch is now official, no longer just the speculative gossip of the radio and television talk shows, but something that involves lawyers and accountants.
The Maple Leaf search party of Gord Kirke and Richard Petty who have been in a form of semi-retirement since the halt to searching was made, have apparently fired up the blackberries and topped up their cel phone cards as the real money talks now get underway.
Burke's agent is the Vancouver based Peter Gall and he received the inquisitive phone call about his client last week by the Maple Leafs, who called to touch base upon Burke's resignation from the Anaheim Ducks last week, a not unexpected announcement and one that has stoked the fires of speculation ever since.
Now it seems that there is a little flame to go with all of that smoke..
The Globe and Mail is reporting that negotiations are set to begin between Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and their apparent first and only choice to take charge of one of the NHL's flagship franchises. And with that report, the official Burke watch is now official, no longer just the speculative gossip of the radio and television talk shows, but something that involves lawyers and accountants.
The Maple Leaf search party of Gord Kirke and Richard Petty who have been in a form of semi-retirement since the halt to searching was made, have apparently fired up the blackberries and topped up their cel phone cards as the real money talks now get underway.
Burke's agent is the Vancouver based Peter Gall and he received the inquisitive phone call about his client last week by the Maple Leafs, who called to touch base upon Burke's resignation from the Anaheim Ducks last week, a not unexpected announcement and one that has stoked the fires of speculation ever since.
Now it seems that there is a little flame to go with all of that smoke..
Sunday, November 16, 2008
A not so sweet Sixteen
"I was Frank Sinatra ... I did it my way,"-- now former Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Barry Melrose, offering up a synopsis of his short stay in Florida.
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Barry Melrose lasted but sixteen games in his return behind the bench in the NHL.
The odds on favourite one month ago to be the next to follow Denis Savard onto the unemployment lines, hit the mark almost one month to the day that Savard was fired from his job in Chicago.
Melrose becomes the second coach so far to be jettisoned over the side from a non-performing squad. He had left the relative comfort of an ESPN studio to make a return to the coaching ranks, but as the first month of the season morphed into the second, it seemed that his players were inclined to change the channel.
General Manager Brian Lawton said all the usual things at a time such as this, disappointed, players need to take responsibility and all the other clichés that come to pass when a coach is let go. But perhaps the seeds of this dismissal were planted months before the season started.
The Lightning have been a rather confused operation in the last few months, ownership concerns played on through the summer finally resolved to a fashion prior to the start of the season.
The actual hiring of Melrose was questioned at the time, with many observers wondering why the Lightning were reaching into the TV studios and taking on a coach who had last been behind a bench after a thirteen year absence.
His replacement of John Tortorella (who has pulled up in a TV studio for the short term) wasn’t particularly well received in Tampa, or at least by those in Tampa that follow hockey and apparently did not resonate too well in the Lightning dressing room as exhibited by the results, or lack of on the ice.
Also causing confusion no doubt are the still circulating rumours of the owners moving into the dressing room at times to offer “advice” to the players on how to approach the game. That is a tale which if true wouldn’t do much to build up Melrose’s rapport with the players, nor have been proven to be particularly useful to the end result.
The Lightning with a record of 5-7-5, are currently among the worst teams in the NHL, but two points away from holding the bottom end of the NHL standings. The record so far is a litany of woe, that doesn’t particularly bode well for Rich Tocchet’s new task of turning things around as interim head coach.
It all makes for a situation that usually results in the firing of a coach, it’s also a record that means a few folks need to look in a mirror, players and management, all it seems are the authors of the mess that has become Tampa Bay.
The odds on favourite one month ago to be the next to follow Denis Savard onto the unemployment lines, hit the mark almost one month to the day that Savard was fired from his job in Chicago.
Melrose becomes the second coach so far to be jettisoned over the side from a non-performing squad. He had left the relative comfort of an ESPN studio to make a return to the coaching ranks, but as the first month of the season morphed into the second, it seemed that his players were inclined to change the channel.
General Manager Brian Lawton said all the usual things at a time such as this, disappointed, players need to take responsibility and all the other clichés that come to pass when a coach is let go. But perhaps the seeds of this dismissal were planted months before the season started.
The Lightning have been a rather confused operation in the last few months, ownership concerns played on through the summer finally resolved to a fashion prior to the start of the season.
The actual hiring of Melrose was questioned at the time, with many observers wondering why the Lightning were reaching into the TV studios and taking on a coach who had last been behind a bench after a thirteen year absence.
His replacement of John Tortorella (who has pulled up in a TV studio for the short term) wasn’t particularly well received in Tampa, or at least by those in Tampa that follow hockey and apparently did not resonate too well in the Lightning dressing room as exhibited by the results, or lack of on the ice.
Also causing confusion no doubt are the still circulating rumours of the owners moving into the dressing room at times to offer “advice” to the players on how to approach the game. That is a tale which if true wouldn’t do much to build up Melrose’s rapport with the players, nor have been proven to be particularly useful to the end result.
The Lightning with a record of 5-7-5, are currently among the worst teams in the NHL, but two points away from holding the bottom end of the NHL standings. The record so far is a litany of woe, that doesn’t particularly bode well for Rich Tocchet’s new task of turning things around as interim head coach.
It all makes for a situation that usually results in the firing of a coach, it’s also a record that means a few folks need to look in a mirror, players and management, all it seems are the authors of the mess that has become Tampa Bay.
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For Melrose, Sinatra fan that he is, as he exits stage left, perhaps another of Francis Albert's musical interludes would fit nicely here, from September song:
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Oh, the days dwindle down to a precious few
September, november
And these few precious days I’ll spend with you
These precious days I’ll spend with you
Globe and Mail-- Lightning fire Melrose
New York Times-- The Morning Skate: Was 16 Games Enough for Barry Melrose?
CBC Sports-- Melrose knew his days in Tampa Bay were numbered
Tampabay.com-- Fired Tampa Bay Lightning coach Barry Melrose says players didn't want to play for him
Winnipeg Sun-- Lightning owners 'capable of anything'
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Daly turns aside queries over NHL's financial prognosis
We join today's play by play in progress...
Daly deftly turns aside McCown's shot from the point, neatly deflecting away Brunt's slap at the rebound, yet another a stellar performance by the Deputy Commissioner as he survives the entire sixty minutes of play with nary a shot behind him...
That in a nutshell could sum up the appearance of Bill Daly, Gary Bettman's right hand guy on Prime Time Sports on Wednesday, as the Deputy Commissioner faced off against hosts Bob McCown and Stpehen Brunt over a number of NHL issues, the bulk of which revolved around the current economic situation and the NHL's place in it.
The topic of the NHL and unravelling of the business plans of some of the southern teams, combined with the economic meltdown currently underway has been of some interest to the hosts of Prime Time sports for a number of weeks if not months.
Perhaps Daly had a primer of what to expect if he had picked up the Globe and Mail on Tuesday and had a look at the article that Stephen Brunt put together for the paper and its website. It was a finely crafted examination of the state of the NHL at this moment in time, one that traced many of the NHL's current problem areas, comparing Gary Bettman's stand that all is well to that of the Larry Smith era of the desperate days of the CFL. A time when American expansion marked the darkest days for the iconic Canadian league, a desperate bid to stay afloat and one that almost wrote the league's obituary.
Through his article Tuesday, Brunt outlined the state of hockey in the sunbelt which it seems is facing the same kind of problems that Mr. Smith's CFL did when it invaded the south, a certain lack of interest in the product, that is leading to an even larger problem of a lack of cash flow.
Wednesday, he and McCown tried to pry some details from the smooth deflections of Daly, without much success. Try as they might, there was no admission that the Bettman strategy of the southern footprint hasn't been a success and in fact it would appear that the plan is to try and keep those franchises in place come whatever may be on the horizon.
That could however soon be subject to change as the economic gyrations yet to come, change the financial landscape far beyond hockey. As Brunt points out in his article for the Globe, a day of reckoning could be nigh for the NHL.
But judging by Wednesdays appearance on Prime Time Sports, we had best not expect any signs of public worry from the NHL head office, they may be thinking differently in private back in the New York highrise offices, but in a Toronto radio studio on Wednesday it was full steam ahead.
Which sounds rather familiar of a day when the unsinkable Titanic chugged ahead no matter what, damn those icebergs anyways...
You can listen along through the Fan's podcast, as First Mate Daly keeps the engines moving full steam ahead, part of the final hour of Wednesday's Prime Time sports.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The Burkes are now accepting offers and quotes
It would seem that he's just not an OC kind of guy!
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NHL team owners and Southern California moving companies both have something in common today, they both will be preparing financial information sheets for Brian and Jeniffer Burke.
The Anaheim Ducks revealed today that Brian Burke has tendered his resignation as General Manager NHL team, a not unexpected announcement considering his reticence to sign on to the contract extension that has been sitting on his desk for months now.
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Having thought over his options, it is said that Burke decided that family comes first and last week advised the Ducks that he was not inclined to sign on for the extension and from there the Ducks began to contemplate their next move.
A decision that they revealed during a noon hour press conference in Southern California.
Replacing Burke as King of Duckburg will be Bob Murray the one time GM of the Chicago Black Hawks and then as a scout for Burke during the Vancouver days, Murray joined the Ducks in 2005 working for Burke and now moves up to the main job.
With Burke stepping down and apparently receiving the blessing of Anaheim ownership to seek out his future as he wishes, the never ending rumours of the Burke's relocation to Toronto move will now go into overdrive.
Such was the breath taking nature of the decision that the Toronto sports station The Fan covered the Anaheim press conference live, something we're pretty safe to assume was not the case in Duckland.
The Leafs were keeping their opinions rather close prior to the announcement, continuing on with the team line that they were still on track to keeping their GM search on hiatus until spring, a suggestion that no one really is taking all that seriously considering the latest developments out California.
The bidding will now begin, the Leafs expected to be at the front of the line looking to lure Burke to the hockey mad Maple Leaf universe. What will be interesting will be to see which other teams may wish to enter the Burke derby, a move that could make things uncomfortable for the Leafs should they really desire Burke as their next top executive.
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Vancouver fans would no doubt be happy to see the blunt but popular former Canuck leader return to British Columbia, but it's doubtful that they will receive their wish. The Aquilini owned Canucks have moved in a different direction from the Burke era, while GM Mike Gillis retools the team under the suspicious eyes of Canuck fans everywhere. Don't think for a minute that there won't be a flood of calls on Vancouver's sport shows this evening calling for Burke to be brought back.
While the league's troubled teams ponder the possibilities of a Burke led turnaround, moving lines across Southern California wait patiently, hoping that the Burke's are quick to find a new NHL home and making a cross continent trek in short order.
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Orange County Register-- Ducks’ Burke steps down, Murray the replacement
Globe and Mail-- Burke leaving Anaheim
CBC Sports-- Burke out as Ducks' GM
Los Angeles Times-- Ducks GM Burke stepping down
Toronto Star-- Leafs eye Anaheim Ducks' Brian Burke
Vancouver Sun-- Burke out as Ducks' GM
Hamilton Spectator-- Bob Murray replaces Brian Burke as Anaheim Ducks’ GM
National Post-- Ducks to name Murray to replace Burke as GM
Monday, November 10, 2008
Suspend or not to suspend that will be the question
While they were celebrating the players of the past on Saturday night in Montreal as part of the Hall of Fame game, it was the actions of the current players on the ice that had everyone talking by the end of the night.
In a game that featured more than a few incidences of close to over the line behaviour, a particularly nasty hit during Saturday nights Toronto/Montreal game is once again stoking the fires about hits from behind and respect for the players on the ice.
Thirteen minutes into the first period, the Canadiens Tom Kostopulous rammed the Leafs Mike Van Ryn into the end boards. A hit that left Van Ryn prone on the ice and eventually removed to the dressing room, the hospital and the eventual fate of a neck brace and some time away from the rink.
For his hit, Kostopulous was assessed a number of incremental penalties including his expulsion from the game, a move that didn't do much to lower the intensity of the play for the remainder of the game.
The question now is should Kostopulous be provided with a lengthy suspension by the NHL head office, or was the incident just the normal degree of on ice behavior that has become common in the league.
Some suggest that he was just finishing his check, others that he was taking advantage of a player in a vulnerable position. Will the NHL decide that Van Ryn carelessly turned away at just before the time of impact, or will they have to accept the idea that he was the latest victim of a growing fear of disregard for the personal safety of the players on the ice.
Those are the thoughts that the NHL will have to weigh, whether to accept the vision of a player laying on the ice waiting for medical attention as a normal course of the game or working to try and reign in the violence to a more responsible nature.
Colin Campbell has a fair amount of thinking to do on this issue, the league's most valuable resources are its players, if the league isn't inclined to take care of them, one wonders what the future of the game will eventually look like...
Globe and Mail-- Time to crack down on the careless
National Post-- Kostopoulos awaits his fate after Van Ryn hit
National Post-- Van Ryn to miss a month after hit from behind
London Free Press-- Hit from behind stirs up debate
TSN.ca-- NHL TO TAKE CLOSER LOOK AT KOSTOPOULOS' HIT ON VAN RYN
Toronto Star-- Injury to Van Ryn has Leafs looking for justice
Update: NHL suspends Tom Kostopulous for three games on Monday for his hit of Saturday night.
In a game that featured more than a few incidences of close to over the line behaviour, a particularly nasty hit during Saturday nights Toronto/Montreal game is once again stoking the fires about hits from behind and respect for the players on the ice.
Thirteen minutes into the first period, the Canadiens Tom Kostopulous rammed the Leafs Mike Van Ryn into the end boards. A hit that left Van Ryn prone on the ice and eventually removed to the dressing room, the hospital and the eventual fate of a neck brace and some time away from the rink.
For his hit, Kostopulous was assessed a number of incremental penalties including his expulsion from the game, a move that didn't do much to lower the intensity of the play for the remainder of the game.
The question now is should Kostopulous be provided with a lengthy suspension by the NHL head office, or was the incident just the normal degree of on ice behavior that has become common in the league.
Some suggest that he was just finishing his check, others that he was taking advantage of a player in a vulnerable position. Will the NHL decide that Van Ryn carelessly turned away at just before the time of impact, or will they have to accept the idea that he was the latest victim of a growing fear of disregard for the personal safety of the players on the ice.
Those are the thoughts that the NHL will have to weigh, whether to accept the vision of a player laying on the ice waiting for medical attention as a normal course of the game or working to try and reign in the violence to a more responsible nature.
Colin Campbell has a fair amount of thinking to do on this issue, the league's most valuable resources are its players, if the league isn't inclined to take care of them, one wonders what the future of the game will eventually look like...
Globe and Mail-- Time to crack down on the careless
National Post-- Kostopoulos awaits his fate after Van Ryn hit
National Post-- Van Ryn to miss a month after hit from behind
London Free Press-- Hit from behind stirs up debate
TSN.ca-- NHL TO TAKE CLOSER LOOK AT KOSTOPOULOS' HIT ON VAN RYN
Toronto Star-- Injury to Van Ryn has Leafs looking for justice
Update: NHL suspends Tom Kostopulous for three games on Monday for his hit of Saturday night.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Counting the cash without the team
They have no uniforms, they have no rink, nor players as well, yet the mythical second team for Toronto is already considered one of the top four franchises in the NHL, not surprising in a league that seems to be adventurous with its financials these days.
While Nashville continues to try and sort out its financial state and the Sunbelt teams play in front of less than full houses, the prospect of a second team for Toronto has financial analysts dreaming with dollar signs in their thoughts.
The Globe and Mail provided the review of a Chicago based sports consultant who divined that should one be granted, a second franchise in Toronto would have an instant value of between 400 and 600 million dollars ranking it just below Toronto and New York and on the same level with both Montreal and Detroit, not bad company for a team that doesn’t even exist today.
And the good news continues for Toronto, the Leafs would be instant winners as the relocation and indemnification fees are expected to fetch perhaps close to 250 million dollars for the right to set up shop in the same sphere of Google earth as the Maple Leafs.
That’s a rather steep rise in the curve of franchise encroachment, the last time an owner was reimbursed for having his territory invaded, the fee was but 25 million dollars from Mickey Mouse and company, when Anaheim put some cash into Bruce McNall’s wallet.
Since then the NHL has been busy populating the desert and Deep South with franchises with less than a stampede through the turnstiles.
Still, the idea of a hockey team in the leagues most hockey mad market with the lure of television money is one that continues to stoke the fires of imagination.
And if the league is hesitant to let some billionaire set up shop, there’s always the courts, while some of the league governors are giving the idea consideration, the Leafs most likely aren’t one of them and its thought that the league would be most chagrined at any attempt to poach some prime money making from MLSE.
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It’s believed that any court challenge would eventually prove to be successful, though a drawn out affair , all in a bid to force the hand of Gary Bettman and the protectors of the Maple Leaf brand. Call it a hostile admission, one that would come with some expensive lawyer’s fees to tack onto the cost of vanity.
Even after all of that the cost of success might be daunting, whether from rental payments to MLSE for use of the Air Canada centre or from the construction of a stand alone arena somewhere in the Greater Toronto Area, the initial outlay of cash would seem to be an endless exercise in cheque writing.
It may very well prove to be a success if it ever takes place, but in the short term it seems that the only winners of a second Toronto team would be the first Toronto team, who would be counting the cash at every turn of a turnstile.
While Nashville continues to try and sort out its financial state and the Sunbelt teams play in front of less than full houses, the prospect of a second team for Toronto has financial analysts dreaming with dollar signs in their thoughts.
The Globe and Mail provided the review of a Chicago based sports consultant who divined that should one be granted, a second franchise in Toronto would have an instant value of between 400 and 600 million dollars ranking it just below Toronto and New York and on the same level with both Montreal and Detroit, not bad company for a team that doesn’t even exist today.
And the good news continues for Toronto, the Leafs would be instant winners as the relocation and indemnification fees are expected to fetch perhaps close to 250 million dollars for the right to set up shop in the same sphere of Google earth as the Maple Leafs.
That’s a rather steep rise in the curve of franchise encroachment, the last time an owner was reimbursed for having his territory invaded, the fee was but 25 million dollars from Mickey Mouse and company, when Anaheim put some cash into Bruce McNall’s wallet.
Since then the NHL has been busy populating the desert and Deep South with franchises with less than a stampede through the turnstiles.
Still, the idea of a hockey team in the leagues most hockey mad market with the lure of television money is one that continues to stoke the fires of imagination.
And if the league is hesitant to let some billionaire set up shop, there’s always the courts, while some of the league governors are giving the idea consideration, the Leafs most likely aren’t one of them and its thought that the league would be most chagrined at any attempt to poach some prime money making from MLSE.
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It’s believed that any court challenge would eventually prove to be successful, though a drawn out affair , all in a bid to force the hand of Gary Bettman and the protectors of the Maple Leaf brand. Call it a hostile admission, one that would come with some expensive lawyer’s fees to tack onto the cost of vanity.
Even after all of that the cost of success might be daunting, whether from rental payments to MLSE for use of the Air Canada centre or from the construction of a stand alone arena somewhere in the Greater Toronto Area, the initial outlay of cash would seem to be an endless exercise in cheque writing.
It may very well prove to be a success if it ever takes place, but in the short term it seems that the only winners of a second Toronto team would be the first Toronto team, who would be counting the cash at every turn of a turnstile.
Monday, November 03, 2008
When they won't let you play for the crest on the front anymore!
The International Olympic Committee is flexing its muscles these days and Hockey Canada is flexing right back!
Over the weekend came word that the IOC is enforcing its regulations over national crests on sport uniforms at the Olympics, a move that forced Brazil and Argentina to make wardrobe modifications at the recent Beijing games and an edict that will make that Canadian maple leaf crest disappear from Canadian uniforms at the Vancouver games of 2010.
It’s a suggestion that has outraged Hockey Canada officials, who suggest that giving in to the IOC is putting Canada at a disadvantage on its very own ice.
The concept of the rule seems a little hard to grasp, considering the nationalization of the games over the years, which despite the lofty goals of a one world body of athletic achievement really is more about usurping as much money out national Olympic federations every Olympic cycle.
Taking the crests off the uniforms seems counter productive to the nature of the national element of the games and most likely more towards the goal of protecting the logos and imagery of the IOC and it’s variety of corporate sponsors.
Chris Rudge, the COC's chief executive officer however says that the folks at Hockey Canada need to take a step back, as nothing has been written in stone yet and it’s a matter for the IOC and the IIHF to negotiate a solution to.
Those are words that probably won’t bring much comfort to Hockey Canada considering historical differences that past conversations with the IIHF and Hockey Canada have provided for over the years.
And judging by the directions that the Canadian Olympic Committee and Hockey Canada are going on this one, the internal debate in Canada may very well more heated than any discussions that the IIHF and IOC may share in the near future.
2010 is the last of the Professional Olympics, with NHL and European players allowed time to play for their respective nations. That deal is up for renewal with the NHL inclined to no longer allow for national team projects, while the NHLPA is said to be anxious to continue the current process.
It will be quite interesting to see if the uniform and branding issue intrudes on those negotiations, if Hockey Canada is adamant about their position on the Maple Leaf crest, one suspects that a dandy bargaining chip might be the future participation of the best that hockey has to offer on the ice!
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Headlines of November 2008
The weather begins to get colder as the number of sports competing for our attention begin to dwindle, with the October launch out of the way, the serious hockey tracking can begin.
Here are the headlines for the month of November.
Nov 30-- Flames spoil Schneider's NHL debut
Nov 29-- Burke settles into his hockey 'dream job'
Nov 28-- Frost not guilty of sexual exploitation
Nov 27-- Burke in the Bag
Nov 26-- Penguins complete another comeback
Nov 25-- Burke deal almost done
Nov 24-- Trade has Wilson's fingerprints all over it
Nov 23-- Clark could teach Leafs a thing or two
Nov 22-- Canucks beat Pens 3-1 but lose Luongo
Nov 21-- Lightning gets first win for Tocchet
Nov 20-- Demitra sticks it to former club
Nov 19-- Roy comes full circle
Nov 18-- MLSE Board expected to vote on Burke
Nov 17-- Isles solve Luongo in shootout
Nov 16-- All-Star Game’s online ballot-box stuffing an embarrassment
Nov 15-- Canucks hand Leafs another road loss
Nov 14-- Burke gets permission to start talking
Nov 13-- Senators booed off the ice
Nov 12-- Burke available for Leafs -- Will they bite?
Nov 11-- This sounds familiar
Nov 10-- Hall greets class of 2008
Nov 9-- Second Toronto team would be a fat cat
Nov 8-- Van Ryn sent to hospital after 'dirty hit'
Nov 7-- Gillett denies Habs are for sale
Nov 6-- The lifer
Nov 5-- Mason wins in NHL debut
Nov 4-- Brodeur's loss incalculable
Nov 3-- Sabres spoil Weekes' effort
Nov 2-- Injury ends Brodeur's streak
Nov 1-- Leafs explode in third for win
Here are the headlines for the month of November.
Nov 30-- Flames spoil Schneider's NHL debut
Nov 29-- Burke settles into his hockey 'dream job'
Nov 28-- Frost not guilty of sexual exploitation
Nov 27-- Burke in the Bag
Nov 26-- Penguins complete another comeback
Nov 25-- Burke deal almost done
Nov 24-- Trade has Wilson's fingerprints all over it
Nov 23-- Clark could teach Leafs a thing or two
Nov 22-- Canucks beat Pens 3-1 but lose Luongo
Nov 21-- Lightning gets first win for Tocchet
Nov 20-- Demitra sticks it to former club
Nov 19-- Roy comes full circle
Nov 18-- MLSE Board expected to vote on Burke
Nov 17-- Isles solve Luongo in shootout
Nov 16-- All-Star Game’s online ballot-box stuffing an embarrassment
Nov 15-- Canucks hand Leafs another road loss
Nov 14-- Burke gets permission to start talking
Nov 13-- Senators booed off the ice
Nov 12-- Burke available for Leafs -- Will they bite?
Nov 11-- This sounds familiar
Nov 10-- Hall greets class of 2008
Nov 9-- Second Toronto team would be a fat cat
Nov 8-- Van Ryn sent to hospital after 'dirty hit'
Nov 7-- Gillett denies Habs are for sale
Nov 6-- The lifer
Nov 5-- Mason wins in NHL debut
Nov 4-- Brodeur's loss incalculable
Nov 3-- Sabres spoil Weekes' effort
Nov 2-- Injury ends Brodeur's streak
Nov 1-- Leafs explode in third for win
Friday, October 31, 2008
Alfredsson gains a four year term in the Senate
It being a political kind of year, it seems only appropriate that Eugene Melnyk voted with his pocketbook to keep Daniel Alfredsson wearing red, white and black for four more years.
The Sens and their captain reached terms on Thursday, bringing to an end the short lived negotiations and making Alfie a very satisfied Senator at a reported four years at 20 million dollars.
The negotiations never seemed to infect the dressing room, as the Sens and their captain negotiated in good faith, ever mindful of the need to project stability for both the team and the fan base in Ottawa.
Alfredsson as popular a Senator as there is, most likely will be finishing his career off with the team that he joined upon his arrival from Sweden thirteen years ago. He has been the face of the Sens success (and their disappointments) for much of that time, a solid captain who never seems to get rattled despite the intensity of being the captain of the team in a hockey mad city.
While GM Brian Murray said that he hopes that there are more than four years left in Alfies tank, the thirty five year old captain is mindful that the years are ticking by.
With the Senators making sure he remains in the fold as he closes in on his forties, the only thing left on his agenda will be that Stanley Cup ring and the chance to lead the parade through the streets of Ottawa.
Something that Sens fans hope is shaping up to happen on this side of the four year contract, rather than on the closing side of the deal.
National Post-- Four more years for Senators' Alfredsson
Ottawa Citizen-- Alfredsson signs four-year contract
Ottawa Citizen-- Melnyk lays down his bet
Globe and Mail-- 'A Senator for life'
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