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Fantasy Focus: Names that may move at deadline
2008-01-30 23:36:00
With the All Star Game now in the rearview mirror, attention turns to the most exciting day of the year for the overwhelming majority of hockey fans.Trade Deadline Day.  In just a few short weeks, many big names could be leaving their respective teams, which may be a bust or a boon for your fantasy team, depending on where their outbound plane ends up landing.This week's Fantasy Focus takes a look at ten upper-end players who may be pulling on a different jersey come late February, and where they may end up:10. MAREK MALIK, NY RangersDissing your coach in the media epicenter that is Manhattan is probably not the best way to stay in the good graces with the Rangers. Coach Tom Renney stressed that he and Malik have kissed and made up after their little spat last week but if you believe that, let me tell you about some farmland for sale at 42nd and Broadway. Oh, and did we mention Malik is an unrestricted free agent this summer? The Rangers will try to unload Malik to anyone will...
More About: Move , Fantasy Focus

Steve Yzerman con job shows classiest can be duped
2008-01-30 22:44:00
These are two different stories of hockey players making a difference in the lives of children.Similar, but not nearly the same.One child sick, robbed of most of his sight, his parents wondering as they tuck him in if this will be the last night. Angels always see another morning, don't they?The other child portrayed as sick to nurture the manic selfishness of his own father. Not knowing any better, unable to trust the one man he depends on more than any other.One story warms the heart. The other freezes the soul.First, the touching saga.Last week, TSN aired an emotional feature on young Jordan Primeau, a child far too young to have to deal with anything other a cut on the knee, maybe even a broken arm, from falling off his bike.The things kids do.No child should have to fight cancer. Sadly, far too many face that battle.And that is where, in this case, the Leafs stepped in.But this isn't about the Leafs. It could be the Flyers. Or Red Wings. Or Coyotes. Or Canucks.Any other team ...
More About: Steve

Hockey coach abuse should involve police action
2008-01-30 22:37:00
It's one thing for a 15-year-old kid keeping his head up for opposing players who want a piece of him, but when it's his own coach laying the lumber, it's time to get the law involved. That's what happened, if published allegations are correct, in a bizarre incident on Jan. 12 in Toronto.Picture this, if you can: coach is on the ice with his AAA minor midget team during practice, and the coach becomes physically aggressive and cross-checks two of his players - hard.The incident was enough of a shock to parents that they immediately ordered their kids off the ice and into the safety of the dressing room.But the action didn't stop there. The coach left the ice, stormed into the change room to continue arguing with players and allegedly threw a helmet, striking one of the kids.It certainly appears this guy is a candidate to be the new poster-child for anger management counseling.Witnesses called police, meaning the temperamental coach may have bigger issues than who should play ce...
More About: Abuse , Action , Hockey , Police , Coach

OHL game in Owen Sound postponed Wednesday
2008-01-30 22:33:00
For Immediate Release - from the OHL office:Wednesday January 30, 2008Toronto, ON - The Ontario Hockey League today announced that tonight's game in Owen Sound between the Attack and the Peterborough Petes has been postponed due to poor weather conditions.A rescheduled date for the game will be announced in the near future.
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Paul Kelly draws NHLPA line in sand with Bettman
2008-01-30 22:23:00
Well it didn't take Gary Bettman long to ruffle the feathers of NHLPA union guru Paul Kelly .Just when it seemed the two players on opposite sides of any future labor tug-of-war were thought to be on fraternal terms - a rarity, if recent relationships are any indication - there comes word that Kelly is less than impressed with Bettman's perceived grandstanding at the NHL All-Star Game this past weekend.Just a couple of days after appearing on Bettman's XM radio show, Kelly was not nearly as courteous towards the Commish, suggesting Bettman jumped the gun in announcing the NHL season openers in Europe next year.Apparently, the PA hadn't signed off on the deal.Whoa, Nellie. "The CBA says these events can't happen unless the Players' Association approves it," Kelly told reporters shortly after the announcement.  "And the reality is, while we approved conceptually with playing international games, we have not approved Stockholm, Prague or Bern. And there are sti...
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Phoenix Coyotes turn to PGA Tour for marketing
2008-01-29 05:05:00
Interesting news out of Phoenix Monday that the Phoenix Coyotes have inked a one-year marketing gig with PGA Tour regular Jeff Quinney.Guessing Tiger Woods wasn't up to adding a few Benjamins to his inflated bank account or simply doesn't like hockey. I'm guessing the latter.Quinney will wear the Yotes' logo on his shirt during tournament rounds. Hey, it could be worse for the 2000 U.S. Amateur champion. At least it's not the Kings.On a personal level, I think the Coyotes would be better off signing mega-hottie Natalie Gulbis to the contract, but that is from a strictly selfish standpoint. Men don't generally watch women's golf, but Gulbis is a reason to. And you can bet those fans will be, uh, looking at her shirt. Instant marketing. Everyone wins.In all fairness, Quinney is a remarkable talent, making this an innovative marketing ploy from the Yotes. Jeff Quinney spent a couple of years on the Canadian Tour and I had the chance to get to know him well, and the kid - who isn...
More About: Marketing , Turn

NHL All Star Game thoughts by the minute
2008-01-28 21:04:00
Seeing how I have nothing better to do on a lazy Sunday evening, there are still seven more sleeps until the Super Bowl and my boss will likely call me in to a closed-door meeting Monday if I didn't watch the game, I thought I would take a few minutes to pass on my thoughts as I watch the NHL All-Star Game from Atlanta: 6:05: The Hives open up the show. The Hives? Ominous, no? Just who the hell are these guys anyway? Cute girls bouncing up and down in front of the stage - Thrashers cheerleaders, I reckon - but the camera would rather zoom in and out for close-ups on the singer and guitar player. Damnit.6:12: Two things come to mind as the Eastern lineup is announced. John Paddock looks like he would rather be anywhere else and it seems Tomas Kaberle trimmed his unibrow for this one. And a marching band? Pu-lease.6:14: Big cheer for Marian Hossa, but nothing compared to what Igor Kovalchuk received. Almost blow the lid off that place. Who knew there were that many hockey fans in Atl...
More About: All Star , Thoughts , All-Star Game

NHL All-Stars video shows best of the best
2008-01-25 22:59:00
  Hockey.com's video of the week: NHL All-Star starter highlight reelThere isn't much that I like about the NHL All-Star weekend.You won't find hitting, fighting, or all that much backchecking. There's more contact jockeying for position out in the parking lot or waiting in the beer line for some suds.I swear that when the television cameras give way to commercials, the players join hands in the singing of Kumbaya.It's not like the days of the original six when the game actually meant something. Putting the previous season's Stanley Cup winners against an All-Star lineup comprised of the other five teams and you'd have some serious action. The world's best players looking to one-up the defending champions.That said, the offensive firepower of this game is what puts butts in the seats, at least for one evening.And the NHL certainly knows how to market the game.Check out the latest NHL 2008 All-Star starter highlight video for some dazzling goals.This piece of video is a ...
More About: Video , Stars , All-Stars

All-Star format puts nothing on the line
2008-01-25 21:28:00
With apologies to Ricky Bobby, it's time to add a little bake to that shake that is the NHL All Star Game.Give it a little meaning.No, not for Gary Bettman to get up on his soapbox, conveniently surrounded by the best players in the world, trumpeting the almighty praises of a league he has helped drive straight into the digger.Not for the natural goal scorers who play the game with the intensity of a Wednesday night beer league, without worry of being laid out for admiring a pass.Put something on the line. Give them something to play for. Something more than bragging rights.Off with the kid gloves, damnit.It's time to dangle a carrot and let that competitive edge come through.It's a no-brainer. Home ice advantage for the winning conference in the Stanley Cup final.Perked your ears up, didn't I?It works for baseball, where the winning league gets the extra home game, if needed, for the World Series. Says here it's time to cowboy up for Disney on I -oops, I mean the All-Star Game...
More About: Line , Format

NHL YoungStars game should be shelved for good
2008-01-25 21:08:00
 If you're planning to watch the NHL YoungStars game Saturday evening, you may want to keep the remote control handy.Chances are you'll need it.Trust me, you'll thank me later. Sparing you the pain of watching this dog and pony show is hockey's gift that just keeps on giving.Two six-minute periods of 3-on-3 hockey, eight players per side and goalies from the big boys' All-Star game. Seems there is a shortage of young goaltender stars in the league this year, huh?No stoppages. Running time on the clock. When there's a goal, one player gets to fish the puck out of the net before starting off in the other direction.Pond hockey, NHL style.Intriguing stuff.Might as well throw the sticks in the middle of the rink and pick teams. Winner gets a free Happy Meal from the Golden Arches.One year ago, the game was a cure for insomnia. If you're expecting anything more this time around, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.In the not-so-classic last year, anyone remember Evg...
More About: Game , Good

All-Star weekend gives Bettman chance to vent
2008-01-25 21:06:00
  Atlanta, Ga. - A fictional meeting, sometime late this week. A clearly agitated Gary Bettman calls an impromptu Board of Governors meeting in the boardroom of some swank Atlanta hotel.Bettman:  Greetings, everyone, I called this emergency meeting to address a very critical issue that really has my fur up...""Uh, Gary, sorry," Ted Leonsis chimes in. "I hear you, but can't see you. All I can see is your forehead over the table. Can you get something to sit on to be a little taller?"Sure, T-Lo. Colin, can you grab me the Yellow Pages? I use one when driving, too. Driving my wife crazy."Guffaws and back-slapping erupt inside the boardroom.Colin Campbell places a phone book under Bettman's derriere and props his boss up.Bettman (clearing throat): "As I was saying, I'm pissed. As most of you know, Sidney Crosby is out for a couple of months and I recommend suspending Paul Ranger for life. Not having Crosby in the All-Star game is like...
More About: All Star , Chance , Weekend , Vent

Fantasy Focus: Top Ten All-Star MVP candidates
2008-01-25 21:03:00
It's every NHL goalie's worst nightmare, where the best in the world are allowed to hot dog it without the worry of being leveled by a 6-foot something walking tree of a defenseman.It's the NHL All-Star Game. For one afternoon, NHL stands for "No Hitting League."The past nine All-Star games, more often than not, have resembled football scores. 12-9, 6-4, 6-5, 8-5, 14-12, 9-4, 8-6, 8-7, 11-7.That said, there have been some memorable performances, albeit rarely, from a goaltender.Some of the best players ever have taken All-Star Game MVP honors, among them Beliveau, Howe, Hull, Orr, Bossy, Gretzky, Lemieux, Bourque, Selanne, Heatley and Sakic.Here is a look at my top ten favorites to add their name to All-Star Game lore this weekend in Atlanta:10. Pavel Datsyuk, DetroitWhen you are surrounded by the talent these guys will have Sunday, it's a flip of the coin on who will drive away with the new wheels as the All-Star Game MVP. But now we're getting into the cream of the ...
More About: All Star , Fantasy , Candidates , Focus

Cliff Fletcher and Leafs rebuilding starts here
2008-01-24 22:05:00
 Welcome back to hell, Cliff Fletcher .Sweatin' yet?No need to worry, that thermostat is about to get cranked up. Not that you need to be reminded.Now who am I to offer advice of any sort to a Hall of Famer, but I'm going to anyway.Why? Because the real important guy that signs my check — or cheque for those reading in Canada — says I can. Welcome to my world.Cliffy, my man, the vacation is over, both literally and figuratively. It's time to think like a used car salesman.You know, those fat, stuttering guys on television with beer guts and Hawaiian shirts who stumble through a few cheesy lines trying to convince you that their pieces of crap are much better, a little more dependable, than the pieces of crap the guy down the street has cluttering his lot?It's hockey's version of a year-end clearance sale. Everything must go. All models. No reasonable offer will be refused.Things are not as hopeless as they seem, Fletch. A rebuild might seem long but doesn't hav...

NHL television ratings will fall without Crosby
2008-01-23 19:48:00
 You can almost hear the stifled whimpers coming from the office of Gary Bettman.If you think the Pittsburgh Penguins were devastated by the news that the Sidney Crosby injury will leave him hobbling around for a couple of months, think of how ol' Gary is taking the news.A few weeks after the NHL got a much needed kick in the hindquarters by striking gold with U.S. television ratings for the Winter Classic, the NHL All-Star Game was destined to be watched by its fair share of Americans — at least a few hundred, one would think — this weekend on Versus.Stifle your laughter, children.Anyway, so much for progress.No one cares down south. Not anymore.Not without the best player in the world strutting his stuff.You can almost hear the remote controls changing channels as we speak.Chin up, Gary. The news gets even better.As I pointed out the other day, by the time Crosby returns to action, which may be as late as the final week of March, it is conceivable that the Pengui...
More About: Television , Ratings , Fall

John Ferguson Jr. firing shows MLSE is half right
2008-01-23 02:08:00
 It's only fitting that the guy who announced his general manager had met the firing squad Tuesday should have been pulling some lead out of his ass himself.Such is life for one of the most dysfunctional organizations -yes, there is that word again - in all of professional sports.There goes five years the Toronto Maple Leafs will never get back.In case you are an extremely late sleeper, your television is on the fritz and your internet connection is down, the embattled John Ferguson , Jr. was finally given the hook Tuesday as general manager of the Leafs.With the Leafs about to miss the playoffs for the third season in a row, it was a foregone that Ferguson had worn out his welcome in Toronto.About two years too late, most would say.One dilemma is over. And so another begins.With Cliff Fletcher brought in for his second stint in the Big Smoke, most are predicting an all-out fire sale down at 40 Bay Street. Of course, Mats Sundin, and his willingness to waive his no-trade clause...
More About: Half

John Ferguson Jr. about to be fired by Maple Leafs
2008-01-22 22:14:00
If a published report is accurate, the Toronto Maple Leafs are about to fire general manager John Ferguson Jr.An announcement is expected today.Sources told TSN that the Leafs board of directors met Monday and decided that a change has to be made.Assuming the report is accurate, the leading candidate to replace Ferguson is rumored to be Cliff Fletcher (the Globe & Mail suggests he may already have been hired).There are stumbling blocks, however, in hiring Fletcher.In all reality, Fletcher likely wouldn't want just the interim tag and wants full control of the show in Toronto.Fletcher also doesn't necessarily have full backing of the board. If that's the case, it's hard to believe MLSE would give him full reins to make the changes he wants.Keep in mind that Larry Tanenbaum, Chairman of the Board for MLSE, was largely responsible for Fletcher's firing a decade ago, closing out Fletcher's first tenure with the Leafs.Even if the Leafs agree to his dema...
More About: Fired

Wendel Clark?s Classic Grill sure to be a winner
2008-01-22 20:12:00
 The last time someone mentioned the word "chicken" in a sentence when standing face to face with Wendel Clark, the culprit was likely, um, wingin' it to the dentist's office for a little impromptu dental work.Good news. You can now mention that word to the feisty ex-Leaf without worrying about spitting up chiclets when you talk to the missus later in the evening.Honest.Clark was his usual fraternal self Monday, welcoming VIPs, NHL alumni, media and yes, even current Leafs, to the grand opening of Wendel Clark's Classic Grill and Sports Lounge in suburban Toronto.Not your typical wings-and-nachos sports joint, Wendel's, as it inevitably will be dubbed, boasts a classy layout and a wide-ranging menu featuring fare from, yes, wings and nachos to roasted lamb and grilled blue marlin.You won't be feeling your arteries harden as you walk out the door at Wendel's. You won't feel out of place, whether you're out watching the game with the boys or taking the wife for ...
More About: Winner

NHL expansion into Canada nothing but common sense
2008-01-22 20:03:00
 Paul Kelly gets it.Further expansion into Canada is a no-brainer.You hearing that, Gary Bettman?Kelly, the newly-elected head of the NHLPA, insinuated over the weekend that the NHL should give serious consideration to putting an NHL expansion franchise in Canada."The six Canadian franchises do so well, they pack the buildings, get great TV, great revenue streams," Kelly told a reporter for Florida's Palm Beach Pos. "If you put another team up there, be it in Nova Scotia or Hamilton, it would be more of the same."It's almost too sensible, isn't it?Kelly took one step back from his stance Monday, suggesting that the current 30-team loop is an ideal number. Psst. Read between the lines.Should the NHL consider future relocation for a few franchises that seem to be living hand-to-mouth, it's time to look north.Of the six Canadian franchises, five rank in the top eight in NHL attendance according to numbers on ESPN. The sixth, Edmonton, ranks 17th but is stil...
More About: Sense , Common , Common Sense , Expansion

Sidney Crosby injury may force Penguins to trade
2008-01-21 20:14:00
You can't replace Sidney Crosby .Make no mistake. There is no substituting the best player on the planet.But the Pittsburgh Penguins have to find a way to replace even a fraction of Crosby's scoring. It's time for Ray Shero to go tire-kickin'.A playoff spot in Pittsburgh may hinge on it.As of Sunday night, the jury was still out on just how long Crosby will be out of the lineup after falling awkwardly into the boards during a loss to the Lightning in the Steel City Friday night.Early estimates have Crosby out a month with a high-ankle sprain. Others feel that is a best-case scenario.Either way, if the Penguins hope to be in the post-season a few months from now, those aspirations may very well depend on what general manager Ray Shero has up his sleeve over the next couple of weeks.All the current trade whispers seem to center around the drama unfolding in Toronto and whether or not Mats Sundin will waive his no-trade clause.A handful of western conference heavyweights - among the...
More About: Injury , Force , Trade

Hockey quotes offer nostalgic comic relief
2008-01-18 20:18:00
  Seconds after seeing Scott Stevens lay out a smaller teammate with one of his legendary hits nearly ten years ago, San Jose tough guy Brantt Myhres suggested to Stevens that maybe he should pick on someone his own size. Knowing Myhres had just completed his second rehab stint battling the bottle, Stevens, never one for a loss of words on the ice, cut straight to the chase."Why don't you have another beer?" Ahh, the infamous hockey quotes. Some were destined to go down in the annals of hockey comedy lore the moment they were uttered.Others just leave you scratching your head.Case in point, after a visit to the Dallas landmark where President Kennedy was assassinated back in 1963, Trevor Linden did his best to convey the emotion of that powerful moment."I had to pinch myself seeing the grassy knoll and the book suppository building."Uh, pinch what, Trev? Your ass cheeks? Nothing like confusing the site of one of history's darkest days to something you stic...
More About: Comic , Hockey , Quotes , Relief , Nostalgic

Chris Pronger adds oil to fire on Jim Rome show
2008-01-18 19:58:00
It was bad enough that Chris Pronger, after helping the Oilers come within a game of winning the Stanley Cup final a couple years back, needed just four sleeps to decide he wanted out of Edmonton.Now it seems he won't be happy until those bridges have all been burned.A recent interview between talk show host Jim Rome and Chris Pronger, Public Enemy #1 in Edmonton, reveals some slanderous venom directed towards the Alberta capital.So much for mending fences.When prodded by Rome to answer if the city's reaction to his well-documented departure left a sour taste in his mouth, Pronger took the bait."Um, yeah, there's obviously a few things that didn't sit well with me," he said. "For instance, taking the furniture that I had in my house and burning it and having a 'Burn Chris Pronger's Furniture Day', that didn't sit well with me very much. They burned my kid's crib and things like that."Now, I am a longtime Rome listener. Love his attitude, love his sports ...
More About: Show , Jim Rome , Fire

Rob Ramage will pay a price for life
2008-01-18 19:51:00
No sentence imposed on Rob Ramage will ever bring Keith Magnuson back.A suspended sentence or 20 years behind bars, the end result, sadly, will always be the same.But, as unpopular as my stance may be with some, Ramage had a price to pay.Not only to the Magnuson family. To society.Most, myself included, are surprised at the length of the jail term, which is already under appeal from Ramage's lawyers. When a co-worker emailed me word of the sentence Thursday morning, I was as shocked as anyone.At least at first.Even great guys, as Ramage was portrayed, make mistakes.For the record, from the evidence made public at the trial, there are a lot of question marks surrounding the conviction of Ramage. I'm neither judge nor jury. I had no say.The facts were presented, the verdict rendered. Now, if a mistake was made, it is up to Brian Greenspan to make that argument. That is what appeals are for.But as it stands, he has been convicted and sentenced to a crime. And yes, mistakes do ha...
More About: Life , Price

Brian Campbell proves Sabres have issues ahead
2008-01-18 05:35:00
  Chalk this one up as another colossal mistake for Buffalo.Now, I know, if you've ever been to Buffalo, that opening tidbit doesn't exactly narrow things down, if you know what I mean.But we're talking about the Sabres and their stalled contract talks with star defenseman Brian Campbell .According to Campbell, any chats intended on keeping him on the U.S. side of the Peace Bridge are now over until this summer."I'm done talking about it with the team until the end of the year," Campbell said. "There's more important things right now than just me."Diplomatic guy.Of course, we could interpret that as a premature wave good bye to the fans of Buffalo.Where have we seen this play out before?Oh, I remember. About seven months ago with co-captains Chris Drury and Daniel Briere. In case you haven't been paying attention, neither calls Buffalo home anymore. With talks put on hold during last season, both bolted town in a hurry on July 1st.Oh, and not by coincid...
More About: Issues , Brian Campbell , Ahead

Rob Ramage sentence fits the crime
2008-01-17 23:02:00
  The verdict is in. Rob Ramage is going to jail for four years.That's a big chunk of his life to be served behind bars, away from family and friends.But the sentence fits the crime. He deserves every moment that he'll spend in the slammer. After all, Keith Magnuson isn't so lucky.Ramage's decision to get behind the steering wheel while intoxicated has ripped apart the family of his dear friend, and resulted in the loss of his friend's life.Ramage was found guilty in October for impaired and dangerous driving causing the death of Magnuson, a former star with the Chicago Blackhawks. It all stemmed from a fateful night of Dec. 15, 2003, when the vehicle Ramage was driving slammed head-on into another car, killing Magnuson instantly, in Woodbridge, Ont.The Crown had asked for a sentence in the three to five-year range.Magnuson's family had asked for leniency in the passing of a sentence, but the judge said that anything less than four years did not pass the test of general d...
More About: Crime , Sentence

Hockey videos pump up the jam
2008-01-17 22:45:00
  Hockey .com's weekly video reviewSometimes we just need a kick in the ass to get through doldrums of winter.The weather is crappy, everyone is sick with colds and the flu and the holiday season is nothing but a memory.You get my drift - monotony has set in with no real sense of excitement around us.But when a co-worker passed on a cool video of some recent hockey highlights, my spirits were lifted.Videos like this one that get the heart pumping and the blood flowing once again.So sit back, pass the popcorn and check out a hockey video highlights package that is sure to get you jacked for hockey's stretch run.The promo video is set to a great music track, making the highlight-reel performances stand out even more.What I love from these things are the amazing saves. Watch closely for Roberto Luongo's stretch back to swipe one away from the goal-line part way through the video. If I tried that, my groin would still be stuck to the ice. The rest of me would be strapped to a str...
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Ty Conklin becoming Pittsburgh?s Cinderella story
2008-01-17 21:47:00
  Ty Conklin, Pittsburgh Penguins' MVP.You read it here first.Okay, I just returned from a lengthy liquid lunch, I admit it. And I'm short on sleep.But it's not that much of a stretch to say that Conklin has carried the Penguins these past few weeks.Sure, Evgeni Malkin has posted a couple of hat-tricks over that same span and Sidney Crosby, well, is Sidney Crosby.The stars are expected to do their jobs and more.Conklin is a merely a perennial backup thrust into a starting role due to injury. And he's made the best of it. Good on him.Marc-Andre Fleury, who normally shoulders the load in Pittsburgh, is out with an ankle injury and probably won't return for at least a week.That is if he doesn't develop a mysterious migraine before then.It'll be an interesting storyline - a battle royale if you will - when Fleury does return.The outcome, of course, hinges on Conklin continuing to stand on his head, or whatever other acrobatics he's performing between the pipes.Conklin has s...
More About: Story , Cinderella

Fantasy Focus: Top 10 Hart leaders
2008-01-17 21:45:00
  In order to be ranked among the best ever in the game, chances are you've got to have a little Hart .The early results are in and with a few months to go before the regular season is in the books, everyone, it seems, has an opinion on who may be taking home the Hart Trophy as the NHL MVP later this summer.Contrary to what many fans think, the Hart is not awarded to the best player in the league, but the most valuable to his own team. Morenz. Shore. Blake. Richard. Howe. Beliveau. Hull. Orr. Lafleur. Gretzky. Lemieux. Jagr. Forsberg. Thornton.Some of the best to ever play the game have their names inscribed on the Hart Trophy. One more will be added a few months from now.It's time to count down my favorites for the honor in 2008:10. Mats Sundin, TorontoOK, laugh if you must. How can a captain who has his team mired in 28th spot be even considered for the league MVP? Well, my short-sighted friends, as mentioned above, the Hart is the award given to the MVP of his team, not the...
More About: Fantasy , Focus , Leaders , Fantasy Focus

Willie O?Ree a superstar in his own right
2008-01-17 21:42:00
 At different times this week, a pair of legendary Boston Bruins are being honored for their contributions to the National Hockey League.One was a superstar on the ice. The other, with four goals and 14 points in 45 career NHL games, was anything but.One left his mark as one of the best ever. The other left a mark of his own.On Wednesday, Bobby Orr was inducted into the World Sports Hall of Fame along with Jesse Owens, Arnold Palmer, Katarina Witt and Johnny Weissmuller.Needless to say, Orr does not look out of place among those greats.But this week, Orr shares the stage.Friday will mark the 50th anniversary of Willie O'Ree breaking the NHL color barrier by becoming the first black man to play in the league.You didn't have to be alive then to recognize that importance today.Anyone who has attended a high school history class knows we live in different times than we did half a century ago, when segregation and racial tension were the way of social life. The sporting world was ...
More About: Superstar

Hockey referee attack leaves an ugly scar
2008-01-17 04:46:00
Ugly. Despicable. Disgusting. Heinous.Take your pick.Those are just a few of the words to describe the scene at a minor-hockey game in Winchester, Ont., Monday evening.A 21-year-old hockey official was allegedly slugged by a player while breaking up a fight, leaving him with a broken jaw.For doing his job. Nothing more.Some meathead apparently took it upon himself to strike this defenseless official.Truly pathetic.The incident happened as Kyle Dearing was splitting up the pair of combatants before, as the story goes, one of the players took a couple of swings at Dearing.Moments later, another player left the bench and shoved Dearing to the ice, according to another referee.Al-in-all, it sounds like a scene out of Slapshot.Except in the movies nobody gets hurt.This story is all too real for Dearing as he recovers at home, trying to make sense of what the hell he did wrong.In major-midget, kids are big and they hit hard. Testosterone runs rampant. And scraps are part of the game....
More About: Hockey , Ugly , Leaves , Attack , Referee

Edmonton Oilers
2008-01-16 03:55:00
The Edmonton Oilers : the dynasty that once was.The National Hockey League has seen its share of dynasties over the years, and the Edmonton Oilers were one of the most dominant.The Edmonton Oilers won the Stanley Cup in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990. They combined offensive finesse with decent defense and superb goaltending to become a team that few could compete with.In that dynasty period, the Oilers had a plethora of rising stars. Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier, and, of course, Wayne Gretzky were considered among the league's elite and all eventually ended up in the Hockey Hall of Fame.Gretzky is easily the most famous of the Edmonton Oilers alumni. He broke record after record as a member of the club. His scoring feats while in Edmonton might stand forever.Mark Messier was known as the true captain of the team. His intensity forced those around him to emulate his strong work ethic. He demanded a great deal of his teammates, and as a result is known as one o...
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