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Statistics |
| Unique Visitors: 98 |
| Total Unique Visitors: 897303 |
| Visitors Out: 915 |
| Total Visitors Out: 915 |
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| Time for Don Cherry to retire |
| 2008-06-05 00:21:24 |
Really, could there be a more fitting time for Don Cherry, the hockey media’s most notorious and self-righteous loudmouth, to make his exit?
After all, June 4, 2008 will always be remembered as the date when the Detroit Red Wings became the first NHL team to win a Stanley Cup under the leadership of a European-born, [...]...
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| Checking in from Quebec City |
| 2008-05-13 12:56:44 |
Yes, life has been quiet on the blog lately.
I’m in Quebec City, gearing up for the quarter-finals of the 2008 IIHF World Championship.
As always, it’s been great fun so far, working with my colleagues Szymon Szemberg, Martin Merk, Risto Pakarinen, Andrew Podnieks, John Sanful, and Jenny Wiedeke. You can view my articles and blog postings [...]...
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| HockeyAdventure.com’s 2008 first-round NHL playoff predictions |
| 2008-04-09 14:55:36 |
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Montreal Canadiens defeat Boston Bruins in five games: Expect Montreal’s PP to be the difference
Pittsburgh Penguins defeat Ottawa Senators in five games: Loss of Alfredsson and Fisher too tough for Sens to overcome
Washington Capitals defeat Philadelphia Flyers in six games: Too much Ovie, too much momentum
New Jersey Devils defeat New York Rangers in five [...]...
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| NHL Quotes of the Week: March 16, 2008 |
| 2008-03-16 23:51:04 |
Playoffs are coming. We don’t want to be distracted by side issues. We’re 100 percent committed to the task at hand. But we still like the Quotes of the Week.
“People are going to say what they’re going to say, but when someone steps on you with a skate, I don’t think anyone deserves that.” - [...]...
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| How green can the NHL get? |
| 2008-03-14 01:24:51 |
Interesting article by the Vancouver Sun’s Iain MacIntyre today, focusing on Canucks defenseman Willie Mitchell and his concern for the environment. Apparently 16 members of the Canucks purchase carbon offsets against the extensive air travel the team undertakes.
Here, you can find one Kukla’s Corner commenter’s estimate of the distances travelled by each NHL club approximately [...]...
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| Nashville’s Weber not eager to go on vacation |
| 2008-03-08 00:04:32 |
Maybe the Mexican vibe in Vancouver sent the wrong message to the Nashville Predators during their 6-2 loss to the Canucks on Thursday night. A mariachi band played rinkside to promote Tourism Mexico, and in nearby Yaletown, the Tequila Kitchen restaurant was preparing for its grand opening. But surely come April, defenseman Shea Weber and [...]...
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| Quick hits from around the Web |
| 2008-03-03 14:36:16 |
My fellow IIHF.com columnist Risto Pakarinen has been busy on the podcasting circuit lately, promoting his new book, Off the Post. Listen to his chats with Andrew Findlater and Paul Kukla.
Meanwhile, Joe Pelletier of GreatestHockeyLegends.com ventures a little further off the beaten path with articles on Muhammad Ali’s 1983 fight with Dave Semenko and a [...]...
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| Peca preaches confidence to Columbus youngsters |
| 2008-03-01 04:48:19 |
Michael Peca has two Selke Trophies to his name (1997, 2002) and one trip to the Stanley Cup final (1999). Yet only the most ardent Columbus Blue Jackets fan would believe this 33-year-old center has a chance of getting his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s mug come June. Sure, the Jackets are now just five [...]...
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| Deals and verdicts at the NHL trade deadline |
| 2008-02-26 22:48:55 |
Here’s a quick look at the transactions that caught my eye on deadline day:
DEAL: Atlanta trades RW Marian Hossa and RW Pascal Dupuis to Pittsburgh for RW Colby Armstrong, C Erik Christensen, C Angelo Esposito and Pittsburgh’s 1st-round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft.
VERDICT: Pittsburgh overpaid for the Slovak superstar, who has rarely come through [...]...
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| The problem with the Breakaway Challenge |
| 2008-01-27 03:03:26 |
For the inaugural Breakaway Challenge at this year’s NHL All-Star Game skills competition, the league had high hopes for its dipsy-doodling superstars.
A best-case scenario last night in Atlanta would have seen Alexander Ovechkin, Ryan Getzlaf, or Pavel Datsyuk deliver a moment of individual brilliance that would have topped Vince Carter leaping over that French guy [...]...
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| Fletcher: wrong man at the wrong time |
| 2008-01-24 01:25:21 |
I have to disagree with TSN analyst Bob McKenzie’s assertion that hiring Cliff Fletcher as interim GM is a smart move for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It’s not that the 72-year-old veteran NHL executive is underqualified to take over this much-ballyhooed National Hockey League franchise after John Ferguson Jr. was fired on Tuesday. Winning the 1989 [...]...
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| Random notes on the Canucks-Islanders game |
| 2008-01-09 04:27:09 |
January 8, 2008. GM Place. Final score: Vancouver Canucks 3, New York Islanders 2 by shootout. Vancouver outshoots the Islanders 45-28.
This might have been the sloppiest game I’ve seen all year at GM Place.
The Islanders’ game notes trumpeted: “CHRISTIE BRINKLEY SUPPORTS HER HOME TEAM.” That’s great for the 53-year-old supermodel, but can you actually be [...]...
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| The good, the bad and the ugly in hockey on Saturday |
| 2008-01-06 03:20:34 |
The Good: Canada Golden Again at World Juniors
Congratulations to Team Canada for winning its fourth consecutive gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic. A couple of days ago, I questioned whether Canada’s mental focus was where it needed to be heading into a potential final with the Russians. Of course, [...]...
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| Rozsival rolling for Rangers |
| 2008-01-04 02:48:05 |
When Michal Rozsival broke into the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1999-00, he wasn’t anyone’s idea of a bona fide number one blueliner. But at age 29, the 6-2, 210-pound Czech has come into his own. Logging a team-high average of more than 24 minutes nightly with the New York Rangers, Roszival is performing [...]...
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| Attitude could still hurt Canada at World Juniors |
| 2008-01-03 01:39:12 |
Brad Marchand should have listened to Zach Boychuk.
When Canada lost 4-3 to Sweden in round-robin action at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship, it ended a 20-game winning streak at the tournament. Boychuk, whose 91 points for Lethbridge last year earned him third place in the WHL scoring derby, told reporters: “In the last couple [...]...
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| Is NHL now more popular than NBA, NFL, or MLB? |
| 2008-01-01 20:52:48 |
As we kick off the New Year, would it shock you to learn that hockey has overtaken the other three major North American pro sports?
And is just this wishful thinking from a lifelong hockey fan (that would be me) who really doesn’t care much about what happens in football, basketball, or baseball?
Far from it. In [...]...
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| Living la vida Lidstrom |
| 2007-12-31 03:40:46 |
Life got a lot better for Detroit Red Wings fans with last week’s announcement that Nicklas Lidstrom had signed a two-year, $14.9-million contract extension.
But the fact that Lidstrom will still be playing hockey in 2010 is also crazy good news for supporters of the Swedish Olympic team. Count on him being there in Vancouver.
That’s the [...]...
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| NHL Quotes of the Week: December 23, 2007 |
| 2007-12-23 04:32:20 |
In case you’re wondering why updates have been infrequent recently, I spent a week vacationing in Huatulco, Mexico, where CNN occasionally shows 30 seconds of NHL highlights every four hours. When I got back, it was nice to see that the NHL had been as calm, peaceful, and serene as a Mexican beach, and the [...]...
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| The wild world of Swedish hockey with Peter Westermark |
| 2007-12-22 03:15:11 |
If you’re looking for someone who knows as much about, say, Frolunda defenseman Ronnie Sundin as Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Mats Sundin, Peter Westermark would be a great bet. The 32-year-old native of Skelleftea, Sweden blogs for HockeySverige.se, and is a longtime contributor to outlets such as McKeen’s Hockey, Hockey’s Future, and IHWC.NET, the official [...]...
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| NHL Quotes of the Week: December 9, 2007 |
| 2007-12-09 04:33:23 |
Smart hockey and hard-hitting journalism. Could you ask for more of a winning combination? Why, it’s the essence of the latest NHL Quotes of the Week.
“Not long ago, taking an aspirin was the medical solution for a concussion.” — Columbus Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock on today’s increased awareness about this serious hockey health issue. [...]...
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| Even the best NHLers bounce around |
| 2007-12-06 04:12:08 |
If Mark Recchi’s NHL career ends in the same city where it began, it won’t be by the former Pittsburgh winger’s choice.
The NHL’s 23rd all-time leading scorer, who cleared waivers Wednesday, is likely to get bought out and signed by another club seeking the kind of veteran leadership that he delivered in Carolina’s 2006 Stanley [...]...
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| Feels like the first time with IIHF.com |
| 2007-12-05 02:36:05 |
I’ve been fortunate enough to work with the International Ice Hockey Federation at every World Championship and Olympics since 2000, writing and editing for the official web site. IIHF.com has just undergone a complete facelift as part of the organization’s 100th-year anniversary celebrations, and I’m happy to announce that I’ll be a contributing columnist for [...]...
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| Ten things Gretzky might have said to Crosby |
| 2007-12-04 02:03:44 |
What might Wayne Gretzky have said to Sidney Crosby in conversation outside the dressing rooms after the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Phoenix Coyotes 3-1 at Mellon Arena on Monday? Here are ten intriguing possibilities.
1. “Never call the New Jersey Devils a Mickey Mouse organization. What, that thought never crossed your mind?”
2. “Stay away from those [...]...
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| Seven reasons why Jordan Staal should have chosen Canada over Penguins |
| 2007-12-03 03:07:44 |
Hockey Canada announces its selection camp roster for the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic today, and Jordan Staal of the Pittsburgh Penguins does not appear on that list.
The Penguins told Hockey Canada officials a couple of days ago that the 19-year-old forward wouldn’t be made available. Presumably, Staal himself would rather [...]...
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| NHL Quotes of the Week |
| 2007-12-02 02:20:25 |
Armed robbery. Cheating husbands. Judy Garland. We’ve got it all covered in the latest edition of NHL Quotes of the Week.
“I’m going to say, ‘Hey buddy, remember me, the guy whose career you almost ended last year? See this dent in my face? Want to be roomies?’” — Journeyman enforcer Todd Fedoruk on being picked [...]...
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| Fedorov: “I still love the game” |
| 2007-11-30 02:33:22 |
Sergei Fedorov is alive and well and living in Columbus. In his 17th NHL season, the 37-year-old center is averaging just over 17 minutes a night, taking key faceoffs, serving as an assistant captain, and sitting one point away from 100 in a Blue Jackets uniform. Although he lacks the explosive acceleration of his glory [...]...
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| Seven super November hockey stories |
| 2007-11-29 04:43:26 |
Here are seven hockey stories from both mainstream sites and blogs that made an impression on me this month.
1. The Globe and Mail: “Speed kills”: Has the NHL gotten too fast for its own good? Eric Duhatschek investigates. Interesting to see Al MacInnis admit that sometimes he’s preferred watching international women’s hockey due to the [...]...
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| The Top 10 strangest team names in pro hockey history |
| 2007-11-28 04:42:46 |
No NHL teams. (Too familiar to be “strange.”) No junior teams. (Sorry, Lewiston MAINEiacs–you have to be able to drink in the US.) No teams with foreign-language names. (”Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk” might look funny to North Americans, but so what? “Manchester Monarchs” looks funny to Russians.) No teams with regular animal or force-of-nature names. (Nice try, [...]...
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| The kind of Brett Hull interview we all want to read |
| 2007-11-27 03:48:33 |
When Brett Hull played in the NHL, he was a great right winger and an even better quote. But ever since the former 741-goal scorer was named the interim co-general manager of the Dallas Stars (along with Les Jackson) on November 11, replacing Doug Armstrong, he’s been a crashing bore.
The former Stars “Ambassador of Fun” [...]...
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| Kane paying big dividends with Blackhawks |
| 2007-11-26 02:47:44 |
Some players might gripe after ending a six-game road trip with a 2-0 loss in Vancouver on November 25 and being held off the scoresheet for the fourth straight time. But not Patrick Kane.
“I think we had a good trip, and you’ve got to be happy with the way we played,” the 19-year-old Chicago rookie [...]...
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| NHL Quotes of the Week |
| 2007-11-25 02:34:36 |
“Words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm,” sang Depeche Mode in the 1990 hit single “Enjoy The Silence.” Oh yeah? Obviously, you don’t hear a lot of Depeche Mode around NHL dressing rooms. It’s just the second month of the 2007-08 regular season, and already, players, coaches, and owners are proving unable to [...]...
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| Future Greats and Heartbreaks: Behind the Book with Gare Joyce of ESPN The Magazine |
| 2007-11-21 02:17:53 |
Future Greats and Heartbreaks: A Year Undercover in the Secret World of NHL Scouts
By Gare Joyce
Published by Doubleday Canada
Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: November 20, 2007
Gare Joyce is gradually becoming Canada’s answer to George Plimpton. No, the prolific Toronto-based hockey scribe hasn’t strapped on equipment and competed against pro athletes to garner first-hand material for his [...]...
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| Fire Ferguson, hire Steve Simmons as next Leafs GM |
| 2007-11-20 03:08:37 |
In Toronto, as we all know, the dream of winning a Stanley Cup for the first time in more than 40 years takes priority over combating international terrorism, finding a cure for AIDS, and putting the brakes on global warming. (Among other back-burner issues.)
With that unwavering focus in mind, Toronto Sun sports columnist Steve Simmons [...]...
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| Nilson delivers never-say-die attitude with Flames |
| 2007-11-19 02:08:23 |
Marcus Nilson has one goal as a hockey player, and that’s winning the Stanley Cup. The downside is that the gritty Calgary Flames winger also only has one goal in 19 games this season.
“It’s been tough so far,” Nilson told HockeyAdventure.com with a wry chuckle. “A lot of nights you’re mostly penalty-killing and not playing [...]...
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| The gangbangers of Slovenian hockey |
| 2007-11-17 20:23:44 |
For many NHL fans, Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings put Slovenia on the hockey map with his dazzling 61-point rookie season last year. But this former Yugoslav republic of 2 million had already made its mark in the elite division of the IIHF World Championships as early as the 2002 tournament in Sweden.
Slovenia [...]...
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