Return To Sanity

If there was one travesty that happened when Reebok began outfitting hockey teams across the world, it was the fact that they single-handedly removed the identity of the Ottawa 67's with their EDGE design. Gone were the barber pole jerseys that fans of the 67's loved and held in such high esteem thanks to the legends that had worn it. I, for one, loved the look of these jerseys, but Reebok essentially killed what made the Ottawa 67's so identifiable. While there had been rumours of Ottawa bringing these jerseys back to their uniform set, nothing had materialized. That is, nothing had materialized until Thursday!

In 2009, Jeff Hunt, owner of the OHL club, addressed Ottawa 67's fans through a statement after it was revealed that the 67's would wear black jerseys while on the road despite the popularity of the barber pole jersey thanks to Reebok's new "technology". Mr. Hunt said,

When the 67’s Reebok Edge Jersey was launched this week, longtime fans who had grown to love the traditional barber pole jerseys were upset. Rightly so. As an organization, we should have warned you in advance that in this first edition of the Edge Jersey our traditional look wasn’t possible. At least, that way, it wouldn’t have been a shock when the jersey was unveiled.

The problem is that the engineering of the new, lighter, cooler jerseys is such that only a solid colour is possible on the main front panel. We have maintained as much of the barber pole look as we could (sleeves) and we are working with the manufacturer to overcome the technical problems so that, at some point in the future, we can return to our full barber pole look.

I hope you enjoy the new season.

Jeff Hunt
Owner and Governor
Ottawa 67’s Hockey Club

Needless to say, the demand for the barber pole jerseys didn't go away. In fact, I think a lot of hockey fans in general looked at this move by Reebok as something akin to blasphemy or heresy. With the demand on the rise, I'm sure that Mr. Hunt and his team felt the pressure to bring back the identity of the Ottawa 67's.

I am happy to report that the dream is now reality as of yesterday! We go to the Ottawa 67's page where the news has broken!

"The barber pole jersey is synonymous with 67's hockey," said 67's Owner and Governor Jeff Hunt. "It’s the jersey of Denis Potvin, Doug Wilson and Bobby Smith. It's the jersey of our Memorial Cup winning teams. And it's fantastic to finally be able to return to it and give our fans the look they’ve been asking for."

For the first time, it seems that a team has finally forced Reebok's hand in developing something that they want rather than having it the other way around. I'm glad the the Ottawa 67's are going back to the way they are supposed to look because it just feels right.

Over on the Ottawa 67's Fan Blog, a great site written by Valerie, Sid, and StatsGuy, they have a full picture of the new barber pole jerseys, and I have to say that they look fantastic! I am extremely pleased with this news, and I look forward to seeing the 67's on the ice all season next year!

Finally, it seems some sense is being put back into hockey fashion. Thank you, Ottawa, for bringing back your mojo!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Antler Banter: Volume 22

The Moose face a big test as they tackle four teams from the Western Conference that are fighting for supremacy in that division. Games against the Peoria Rivermen, Milwaukee Admirals, Chicago Wolves, and the Oklahoma City Barons on the road is no easy task, so the Moose would have to be at their best as they worked through this tough stretch of road games. Make sure you visit the Moose website for all your Manitoba Moose news and information. If you're interested in attending a Manitoba Moose game, please click here for seating information, ticket pricing, and availability. The Moose take to the road through the West Division in this week's Hardcore Hockey!

Rivermen Without A Paddle

The Moose have had pretty good success against the Rivermen thus far with three wins to their credit. Peoria is missing Ben Bishop from their nets as he's playing in St. Louis, so this was a perfect opportunity for the Moose to capitalize. Eddie Lack got the start for Manitoba while Peoria called upon Jake Allen to guard their nets.

Big night for a brand-new Moose player as Keith Seabrook, on loan from the Abbotsford Heat, notched his first goal as a member of the Herd. Seabrook's fifth goal of the season came midway through the second period, and #22 celebrated his first goal in antlers. Seabrook ended the night with a goal, three shots, and a +1 rating - pretty good for his first action on a brand-new team. He and Yann Sauvé played a pretty solid game together as a pairing. There will be more about how Seabrook got to Winnipeg below.

Special teams need to be better for the Moose as I continue to preach on this aspect of their game. The powerplay unit gave up a shorthanded marker when a turnover in their own zone resulted in a Dave Spina goal. To make matters worse, the Moose penalty kill was victimized in the second period when they gave up a goal as well. I'm not going to harp on the penalty kill units as they have been a strength all season long, but these powerplay woes the Moose are experiencing will catch up to them in the playoffs. This must be fixed sooner than later.

It wasn't a stand-out game for the Moose as they built a 3-1 lead before surrending a single point to Peoria, but the Moose responded in the shootout as Bill Sweatt put this game to bed in the breakaway content. Two points are two points, and those points are important on this road trip. With the win, the Moose improve to 33-22-6 on the season.

Admirals Find No Safe Port

The Moose haven't been welcomed very well in past games to the Bradley Center, so the game against the Admirals would be a tell-tale sign of how the Moose are evolving this season. The first-place Admirals have been playing pretty good hockey as they battled their way to the top of the West Division standings, so the Moose needed to see if they could pass this test. Veteran Tyler Weiman was given the nod for the Moose while the Admirals went with Mark Dekanich as their goaltender.

Several Moose players put up multi-point nights in this game. Cody Hodgson, Sergei Shirokov, and Guillaume Desbiens all recorded a goal and an assist each. Getting contributions from your main cogs like this will go a long way in giving the Moose a great chance to secure top spot in the North Division. It's always nice to see Hodgson picking up points after he seemed to be stuck in a mini-slump.

The addition of Keith Seabrook into the Moose line-up is looking like one of the best moves this squad has seen in a long time. Seabrook had a pair of helpers on the evening, and he earned an assist on Yann Sauvé's first goal of the season, a powerplay marker midway through the second period. Sauvé and Seabrook could be the steadying pair that the Moose blueline needed for a while, and the offence being produced by the two rearguards is very impressive.

The Moose put three pucks past Dekanich, and Cody Hodgson iced it in the final minute as the Moose downed the Admirals by a 4-2 score on Saturday night. Weiman played well in his first start in two weeks, and the addition of Seabrook is paying off in spades. With the win, the Moose improve to 34-22-6 on the season, and move into sole possession of first-place in the North Division.

Wolves Take Bite Out Of Moose

Another weekend of hockey meant another three-games-in-three-days for the Moose. This time, they rolled into Chicago to play their longtime rivals in the Chicago Wolves. And this game felt like an old IHL game as there were lots of shots in a game of wide-open hockey. Eddie Lack squared off against Edward Pasquale as the two netminders took to the ice.

Kudos to Yann Sauvé who wanted more than just his first goal one night earlier. Sauvé, paired with Travis Ramsey on this evening, turned in another great performance as he scored his second goal of the season, had a team-high four shots, and ended the night with a +2 rating. Sauvé is quietly becoming one of the Herd's most reliable defencemen, and it is extremely encouraging to see him becoming one of its most productive as well. Well done, and keep it up!

How important has Garth Murray been to the Manitoba Moose this year? Not only has the tough-as-nails winger been an important leader on this team, but his work on the penalty kill is the kind of stuff that makes men into local folk heroes. Murray poke-checked a Wolves defender, sprinted down the ice on a breakaway, and scored his fifth goal of the season - and third shorthanded goal of the season - to give the Moose some life at the end of the second after trailing 3-0. I'd take a team of Garth Murrays in terms of his efforts on the ice.

While fatigue may have been a factor, it took Manitoba over 39 minutes to finally cash in a goal, and it was too little, too late as the Wolves had already jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Manitoba fought valiantly to try and tie the game, but the final horn sounded on a 3-2 Wolves victory. With the loss, the Moose fall to 34-23-6 on the season.

Oil Well Runs Dry

The Moose and Oklahoma City Barons got to renew acquaintances on Tuesday night as the two teams met in Oklahoma City. The Herd had been playing some pretty solid hockey over their last three games despite falling to Chicago on Sunday, so there was hope that they could continue playing well as the road trip progressed. Tyler Weiman earned the start after his solid performance against Milwaukee on Saturday, and Oklahoma City responded by sending former NHL netminder Martin Gerber to the nets.

After being hard on the powerplay for their poor play over the last few weeks, the powerplay units came to play tonight. Manitoba scored two powerplay markers thanks to a couple of players who started their seasons in Vancouver. Guillaume Desbiens redirected a beautiful slap-pass from Sergei Shirokov past Gerber midway through the second period, and Alexandre Bolduc tapped in a gift from Desbiens midway through the third period. Manitoba finished the night 2-for-6 on the powerplay, and really controlled the puck well while having the extra man on the ice.

Desbiens really had himself a solid game as he a goal and two assists on the night. The veteran is expected to contribute, and tonight was a very good night on the scoresheet as Desbiens also had two shots and ended the night with a +2 rating. This kind of leadership shown by example will certainly get the rest of the line-up involved.

Kudos goes out to Alex Bolduc as well as he not only scored a powerplay goal in the third period, but he scored a shorthanded marker early in the second period and assisted on Desbiens' powerplay goal! Bolduc's offensive outburst in this game gives him four goals on the season, but the scrappy forward has been so muhc more important than just his offensive output. Bolduc eats up minutes on the penalty kill and wins a ton of key face-offs - two things the Moose will certainly be able to use as they make their way into the playoffs. Well done on a great night, Alex!

The Moose really played a sound game in this one, controlling the puck and not giving the Barons many good scoring chances on Weiman. More importantly, the Moose showed a total teal game - an even-strength goal, a shorthanded marker, and two powerplay goals for a 4-1 win. This is the kind of game that the coaching staff should send to all the players as an example of a total team game. With the win, the Moose improve to 35-23-6 on the season!

More Bodies In Camp

As stated above, the Moose got themselves some serious help on the blueline from Keith Seabrook. With the Heat having a plethora of defencemen and needing forwards, they went searching for options. Manitoba had a pile of forwards, and needed a defenceman. The two teams came to an agreement as the Heat received recently-acquired MacGregor Sharp on loan from the Moose for Seabrook. Both teams had a need, and both had that need filled.

Heat head coach Jim Playfair had made Keith Seabrook a healthy scratch a number of times this season, calling into question his play on several occasions as well. Playfair stated that he wasn't very excited to letting Seabrook leave to play for a division rival, but they needed a body up front and the Moose demanded Seabrook in return. Well done on GM Craig Heisinger's part for making the play to get Seabrook, and I doubt I'm not the only person who isn't complaining with Seabrook's excellent play so far in his Moose debut.

The Moose also got a huge shot in the arm from the Vancouver Canucks as they allowed the Moose to place fan favorite Rick Rypien on their reserve list. Rypien, who had been out of hockey for personal reasons since November, should give the Moose a huge boost if there are a number of recalls by the Canucks.

AHL rules state that Rypien and the other seven players on the reserve list may only play when three or more regular-roster players are injured, suspended or recalled. As it stands, the Moose are sitting with six players in those three categories. I'm not wishing harm on anyone as I like the make-up of the Moose roster right now, but if another player goes down or gets recalled, the Moose can replace that player with an NHL-ready player. This is not something of which most AHL teams have the luxury, especially heading into the playoffs.

More importantly, it's just great to see Rick Rypien back in hockey. Welcome back, Rick!

Finish The West, Start With The East

The Moose continue their road trip this week as they swing through the state of Texas for three games before returning home by the middle of next week. They'll see the Houston Aeros on Friday and Sunday, the San Antonio Rampage on Saturday, and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

The Aeros have three players with 40+ points on the season, but play very good defensive hockey. They don't take many risks, but have scoring threats that can make undisciplined teams pay. They have decent goaltending in Matt Hackett and Josh Tordjman, so the Aeros aren't pushovers and are challenging for first-place in the constantly-changing West Division. The Moose will have to bring their A-game to start off and finish this Texas road swing.

The San Antonio Rampage pose a different sort of problem for the Moose. They are missing a few players who have been recalled to the NHL, so they aren't as solid as they normally are, but that doesn't mean there should be any let-up for the Moose. Matt Climie is a very good goaltender who can shut down any offence, so the Moose will still need to play well to get by the Rampage. Although they sit sixth-place in the West Division, they only trail first-place by six points.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is still the toast of the league as they boast a 45-18-0 record for first overall in the AHL. Brett Sterling and Ryan Craig are having great seasons for the Penguins, and the goaltending tandem of Brad Thiessen and John Curry has been outstanding. If the Moose are looking for a test, they need look no further than Tuesday and Wednesday at MTS Centre when the Penguins visit.

With those five games on-tap, the Moose will need to be at the top of their game if they hope to take down the rest of the West before tackling the best team in the AHL. Lack and Weiman have been providing excellent goaltending over the last few weeks, so the offence just needs to continue to roll. Get on it, Moose, and DO IT!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Challenging The System

It seems to be an age-old problem that we can't get past in society: boys vs. girls. There is a serious misconception that girls cannot compete with boys on the same level in sports, and, therefore, should be banned from competitions that are for men. This issue made national headlines when a girl from Iowa qualified for the Iowa state wrestling tournament and faced a young man who decided that he couldn't engage the woman in "combat" on the mat due to religious beliefs. I'm not passing judgment on this young man's decision as I feel that everyone with any religious beliefs should be able to live by those beliefs, but why are we so against girls playing against boys in any competition if they have shown the ability to qualify for the competition?

There was a report published from the Times Colonist in Victoria, British Columbia on Saturday that showed a glaring problem with how this inequality has affected one man's livelihood. Rob Shaw wrote the article that talks about how one man went to bat for a girl's hockey team, and the result of his efforts.

The president of the Victoria Minor Hockey Association has been suspended indefinitely for contravening the wishes of Vancouver Island officials in a situation involving a peewee girls team's participation in provincial championships.

Andrew Holenchuk said he was stripped of his title as president, and barred from coaching or any official duties, by the Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association, in what has become a bitter dispute over a team of 12- and 13- year-old girls.

Holenchuk said he was trying to give the girls a fair chance to play, after the Island association failed to create a team for the tournament.

But Island hockey president Mark Kenny said Holenchuk "worked around us in secret" to get provincial approval and must be punished for not following the rules.

The team at the centre of the dispute - Victoria peewee A, or Tier 1, girls team - won last year's provincial championships. The majority wanted to return to defend their title this month in Clearwater.

Kenny and the Island association rejected their request because it didn't fit into new rules that said female teams should only be organized by geographic "zone."

Under the new zoned format, no division A peewee girls teams were actually created. That meant none were destined for the provincial championships.

Holenchuk and his association did an end-run around the Island association, taking the request directly to the provincial organization, B.C. Hockey, which overruled the Island officials and sanctioned the girls team.

"At the end of the day you've got to do everything you can to give these kids opportunities and in my opinion they've been denied those opportunities," said Holenchuk.

Kenny briefly resigned as Island association president in protest, but ultimately rescinded his resignation.

He called a Feb. 19 executive meeting and indefinitely suspended Holenchuk.

"He acted contrary [to Island association rules] and the feeling of the executive committee was that some action had to be taken," said Kenny. "Unfortunately, Andrew was steering the ship so he had to be suspended."

Holenchuk, a Victoria area real estate agent, said the Island hockey association never publicly provided a reason for his discipline.

He is concerned that rumours and false interpretation of his indefinite suspension regarding a girls hockey team will damage his reputation in the community.

"I'm going to pursue this all the way," said Holenchuk. "It's crap what they did. It's a complete abuse of power."

It could be defamation of character if it goes the wrong way.

"I'm hoping this will open up a lot of eyes to Vancouver Island hockey executives' ... way of thinking. They've got to take politics and egos out of it and focus on what's best not only for the boys but for the girls."

B.C. Hockey, which oversees regional and district associations, said it doesn't have the jurisdiction to interfere with the suspension unless a formal appeal is filed.

"It's really a decision made at a district level," said executive director Barry Petrachenko.

"If the members of the Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association felt this decision was a poor one, they in fact could go to their board and deal with that within their constitution and bylaws."

Holenchuk said he's already writing his appeal to B.C. Hockey. The girls team, meanwhile, remains cleared to play in the provincial championships.

There is only one reason that I can think of when it comes to the reasons why the Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association would want to prevent the girls from participating: body-checking. Peewee hockey is the level that the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association has selected to begin body-checking, according to Hockey Canada, so there might be a push to help protect the girls from the physical aspect of the game.

If this is the case, this needs to be stated up front by the VIAHA. But it wasn't, and now it appears that the VIAHA has some sort of grudge against the girls based upon their gender alone. That, readers, is what we call "discrimination", and the VIAHA knows this. The only course of action they could take without being labeled as "discriminatory" would be to suspend the advocate for the girls. That advocate was Mr. Andrew Holenchuk, Victoria area real estate agent by day, and president of the Victoria Minor Hockey Association in his spare time.

He was needed for a Victoria peewee A girls team as they had no competition to play against thanks to new rules. So the girls asked Mr. Holenchuk to see if there was anything he could do. He did exactly what anyone in his position would do - he took the girls' case to BC Hockey, the governing body of hockey in British Columbia. They approved the girls' application for the tournament, and all was ready to go. Or so it seemed.

If the VIAHA was worried about safety, that's all they had to say, and I would have been ok with them preventing the girls from participating. I'm not saying I'd fully agree, but at least there's a reasonable explanation for the decision.

However, trying to prevent these talented girls from playing because of geographical rules and their gender is not only petty, but it's absolutely pathetic. And suspending the president of the hockey association is not only asinine, it reeks of desperation for vengeance in having their "rules" overruled by hockey's governing body.

Let the kids play regardless of their genders or location. The more players you include, the better the chances of developing top-flight hockey players.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Another Brick Upside The Head

I'm not sure what it is about the stripes that hockey officials wear, but it seems to turn some minor-hockey coaches and parents into lunatics towards the men and women in stripes. While it seems that there are a few bad apples that spoil the bunch in terms of coaches, players, and parents, the few that are being completely unprofessional commit anywhere to from 80-95% of the acts of aggression towards the officials. Why is this? Why can't the officials do their jobs without the threat of verbal or, in some cases, physical abuse? Are we, as a society, really this depraved?

The majority of officials in minor-hockey are as young as some of the players they are officiating. That means that they routinely are near the same age of the players or, in most cases, slightly older than the kids on the ice. When a player yells at an official, it's normally in the throes of the game where passion, emotions, and adrenaline are all on extreme highs for the player. I don't condone yelling at an official, but sometimes it happens.

Where it seems that people lose their minds is in the stands or on the bench. Far too often, young kids who are trying to hone their officiating skills are forever put off the game by some blowhard who decides that a mistake by a 16 year-old referee or linesman has now cost his team of 13 year-old children all chances of ever winning the Stanley Cup. Never mind the fact that the 13 year-old kids are hearing all sorts of words that are normally bleeped out on television, but they are also learning that that type of behavior is acceptable.

Do officials make mistakes? Absolutely. They are just as human as you or I. Do they scream obscenities and threaten your health and safety when you screw up? I have heard, in my time spent at rinks, far too many death threats, obscenities, and other incredibly rude comments made towards the officials from the people around me in the stands or from across the rink from a coach. And that, readers, is ridiculous.

The reason this has come to light is because there is an alarming rate of official abuse being seen in Winnipeg's minor-hockey system. Russ Romaniuk of the Winnipeg Sun wrote a very good article on this topic Friday, and it really needs to be read.

Winnipeg minor hockey on-ice officials are increasingly facing physical and verbal attacks from players and coaches, as the abuse reaches what a local organizer calls an “epidemic.”

Hockey Winnipeg president Don McIntosh told league directors, co-ordinators and other organizers by e-mail this week that something must be done to stop attacks on the officials, who can be as young as 13.

"This is reaching epidemic status," he says in the e-mail, which was sent Wednesday and obtained by the Winnipeg Sun.

In the memo, he cites three Hockey Manitoba disciplinary hearings held within the past two weeks into physical abuse of referees or linesmen — two involving players and the other involving a coach of a team of seven- and eight-year-olds.

"There have been other hearings at Hockey Manitoba this year and three hearings pending from very recent incidents," McIntosh says in the e-mail, adding "the verbal and physical abuse of referees has to stop."

Glenn Asselstine, vice-president of officials with Hockey Winnipeg, told the Sun that 16 incidents of such abuse have been reported since early January — a sharp increase from what is usually seen in that period of time.

"Physical abuse of officials has jumped probably threefold in the last month and a half," he said. "It is very scary for us right now."

Incidents of physical attacks on officials generally lead to hearings held by Hockey Manitoba, the province's governing body for the sport. Suspensions can and do occur.

When contacted by the Sun, McIntosh didn't reveal specific details of the incidents.

He confirmed, however, that the increasing frequency of the problems has spurred his call to community centre directors and hockey sub-association presidents and co-ordinators to "talk to the coaches" to bring more awareness to the dilemma, which has prompted an undetermined number of refs and linesmen to leave their positions during the past few years.

"I’m told that referees are quitting because of abuse. Senior or management referees who we have in our system will tell you that," McIntosh said, adding he doesn’t know the number of such resignations.

"Referees are a very valuable and important part of our game. Our game couldn’t go without them."

McIntosh said abusive behaviour toward officials appears to be mostly in players aged 17 to 14, "who quite frankly, don’t give a damn on the ice, maybe, and don’t give a damn at school. It's a societal change that we're seeing on the ice, to some degree, I think. They’re just not as concerned about consequences as they once were."

The fact that there was an incident of physical abuse towards an official "involving a coach of a team of seven- and eight-year-olds" is downright pathetic. These are the people we are entrusting our kids to learn from both on the ice and in the dressing room, and this is what the coach is teaching our next generation of hockey stars?

Here are the stats that Romaniuk dug up in his story:

• 16 - number of on-ice incidents since January 4 involving officials.
• 10 - number of those 16 incidents that went to disciplinary hearings.
• $16 - lowest wage earned by an on-ice Hockey Winnipeg official.
• $51 - highest wage earned by a Hockey Winnipeg referees.
• $41 - highest wage earned by a Hockey Winnipeg linesman.
• 13 - lowest age for on-ice Hockey Winnipeg officials.
• 450 - number of on-ice Hockey Winnipeg officials today.
  

I'm not sure about you, but I have taken my fair share of abuse as a fan for telling parents of the teams I'm watching to give it a rest. I don't feel bad about telling them to shut their traps, and I'd rather they tell me off than to take it out on some teenager wearing an official's sweater. Personally, I can deal with that problem a lot easier than an intimidated 13 year-old teenager can. Yet here we are discussing these problems.

Readers, I encourage you to have some respect for the officials working games in minor-hockey leagues. If you see someone running his or her mouth, ask him or her politely to stop. For most kids, playing hockey is all about fun. Learning the lessons that come along with winning and losing is important, but kids will stop playing the game if it is no fun.

It reminds me of the Pink Floyd song: "Coaches leave them refs alone. Hey! Parents! Leave them refs alone! All in all, you're just another brick in the wall."

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Antler Banter: Volume 21

The Manitoba Moose came into this week on a bit of a stumble as February has been tough on the Herd. Player movement between the Moose and the Vancouver Canucks has left their blueline tattered, but the squad perseveres. Injuries have knocked out key players, but the team continues forward. This week, the Moose have some tough divisional games against Rochester and Toronto, and they'll need to be better than what they showed in last week's games. Don't forget to visit the Moose website for all your Manitoba Moose news and information. If you're interested in attending a Manitoba Moose game, please click here for seating information, ticket pricing, and availability. The Moose take to the road in this week's Hardcore Hockey!

Lack-Ing Nothing

Wednesday night had the Moose in Rochester to play the Americans. Manitoba has racked up a 2-1 record against the Amerks thus far into the season, but they desperately need some wins against teams lower than them in the standings. The Moose opted to go with Eddie Lack in the nets this evening while the Americans responded with Tyler Plante.

There comes a time in every season when you can narrow the campaign down to one game where you really see a team's MVP emerge. Tonight may be that game as Eddie Lack turned in a performance not seen in these parts since Cory Schneider took the Moose to the Calder Cup Final. The Moose netminder stopped all 28 shots he faced tonight, including five in overtime. The only puck that got by Lack was on Michal Repik's shootout goal in the skills competition, but he held off enough shooters for the Moose to pick up the victory! Lack's fourth shutout of the season took a little longer than normal, but he was more than impressive in this victory.

Rarely will you find me praising the opposition in this article, but kudos to Rochester's Tyler Plante for playing his tail off as well. The Amerks' netminder stopped 33 shots, including 23 over the first two periods, in helping his team get to the shootout. Thanks to the work of Plante in matching Lack on every save, this game became a classic goaltender duel as both Lack and Plante put on a goaltending clinic!

The Moose got goals in the shootout from Sergei Shirokov and Garth Murray to end up one goal better than the Americans for the 1-0 shootout win! Great chances were thwarted by the two goaltenders all night, giving this game a playoff feel to it. The Moose, thankfully, came out on top, and see their record improve to 31-20-6 on the season.

Moose See Stars... and Stripes

After watching the game on Wednesday, Friday's game had all the makings of a classic rubber match as the Moose and Americans squared off again. The only thing that one could hope for is more scoring than what we saw on Wednesday. The same two goaltenders got the call is this one as Tyler Plante and Eddie Lack took their positions 200-feet apart.

Defenceman Mark Flood came to play tonight as he contributed in a big way. Flood scored his eighth goal of the season, added a helper, had four shots on net, and finished the game as a +3. Those are normally stats found beside a forward's name, so good on Flood for leading the offence from the blueline.

The Moose penalty kill was the difference in this one as they were victimized three times on the night. Travis Ramsey and Ryan Parent were on the ice for all three goals while Stefan Schneider witnessed two goals scored on Lack from where he was on the ice. Normally, the PK units are one of the highlights as they routinely do yeoman's work, but Rochester ate them up tonight. That can't happen. Not if you're an elite team.

Three goals from the Moose tonight weren't enough as Rochester equaled that on the powerplay alone. The effort that Lack gave on Wednesday night shouldn't be expected every night as the man is human, and it was apparent that the Moose were looking for another bail-out from their goaltender. Rochester took full advantage of that, and downed the Moose by a 5-3 score. With the loss, the Moose fall to 31-21-6 on the campaign.

Another Helping Of Marlies

I'll be honest: I'm really getting sick of writing about the Marlies. I'll have to send a thank-you card to the AHL scheduling team because the Moose made their way to Toronto for a pair of games on Saturday and Sunday from the Ricoh Centre. There was some buzz in this game as a "monster" suited up for the Marlies. Jonas Gustavsson took his spot in the blue paint for the Marlies, but a bout of flu changed things up for Tyler Weiman as he needed the night off to combat the illness. That meant that Eddie Lack was called upon once again to guard the Herd's net.

Another defensive pairing earned low marks on this night as Yann Sauvé and Travis Ramsey bought front-row seats to the Nazmi Kadri show. Kadri made the two Moose defenders look foolish as he danced in for a highlight-reel goal just 3:00 into the first period. To make matters worse, these two men were on the ice for the Marlies' powerplay goal later in the period. That's two straight games that Ramsey has been called out by this writer after I was big on his physical defensive play early in the season. Ramsey needs to get back to his physical ways in a serious hurry.

Full marks for the penalty killers as they are doing their best to keep the Moose in games. With Mark Flood in the box for tripping, the PK units erased the powerplay goal scored by Toronto earlier in the game. Garth Murray was credited with his fourth of season as the puck found its way behind Gustavsson. After getting shelled the night before in Rochester, the PK units earned their keep again on this night.

The Moose can't seem to find the net when playing with five men on the ice, and it's really beginning to hurt them. A late empty-net goal by Christian Hanson put the cap on this game as Jonas Gustavsson and the Marlies downed the Moose by a 3-1 score. With the loss, Manitoba finds itself with a 31-22-6 record.

Three In Three For The Win

The third game in three days saw the Moose getting an early start as they took to the ice on another CBC production of AHL on CBC. The Marlies and Moose met less than 24 hours after the Marlies handed the Moose a loss, so there was revenge on the minds of the Moose despite their tired bodies. Lack and Gustavsson were given the starts for their respective teams again as these two Swedish goaltending phenoms squared off once more.

Give full credit to Eddie Lack for the performance he put on in this game. Lack was out of his mind in the first period as he stopped all 14 shots he faced, including several of the ridiculous variety during a five-on-three powerplay for the Marlies. Much like his performance in Rochester on Wednesday night, Lack was flawless on this afternoon, pitching his fifth shutout of the season - on national TV no less - as the entire CBC audience got to see just how good he is.

The Moose got another big game out of their four- and three-man units as the penalty kill eliminated all seven man-advantages that the Marlies received on Sunday. For a squad that has played three games in two-and-a-half days, the PK units' work was incredible as they worked their butts off in this one. I was especially impressed with Yann Sauvé's and Travis Ramsey's work in front of the net on Aaron Voros. Voros never seemed to get good position for a screen, making Lack's job much easier. Well done, gents, and good on you guys for bouncing back and playing much better.

Bill Sweatt's 15th goal of the season 5:04 into the third period was all the scoring on the day as he chipped a rebound past Gustavsson. And thanks to Eddie Lack's outstanding performance, Sweatt's goal stood as the winner as the Moose closed out February with a 1-0 victory. With the win, the Moose improve their record to 32-22-6.

Losing For The Sake Of Winning

The NHL Trade Deadline saw one Moose player leave town while another donned different colours, but remained as part of the team. The Moose also received a player very familiar to Moose fans through a loaned player situation.

Gone from the blueline is Evan Oberg. Oberg was dealt by the Vancouver Canucks to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Chris Higgins. The Moose didn't need to lose another body from their blueline, but the Canucks are making a push for the Stanley Cup so you have to give to get, I suppose. It just sucks to lose a good player from the back-end when he's desperately needed. And it appears GM Craig Heisinger is looking to fill that gap left by Oberg's departure.

“This year there have been a lot more defencemen out there than ever before, hence guys like Geoff Waugh and Ryan McGinnis having to spend the better part of the year in the ECHL,” Heisinger told QMI Agency's Kirk Penton. “That’s never been the case, and it’s been hard to find forwards. Right now we have a plethora of forwards and need to find some D.

“You can never have too many defencemen, and right now we don’t have too many defenceman,” he said. “We’ll have to see what we can do about that.”

Indeed, Mr. Heisinger. The Moose blueline is being held together via duct tape right now, it seems.

The Canucks also dealt Joel Perrault to the Anaheim Ducks for Maxim Lapierre and MacGregor Sharp, but the Ducks, in rather unorthodox move, assigned Perrault back to Manitoba instead of their affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. This means that the Moose will keep Perrault while adding the services of Sharp! On top of that, the Ducks also announced that they would assign former Moose star Jason Jaffray back to the Herd instead of Syracuse as soon as he was cleared to play after recovering from knee surgery!

I had do a little digging to find out what the Ducks are up to in terms of depleting their affiliate while strenghtening another AHL team. At the time of writing this, Syracuse Crunch owner Howard Dolgon had gone on record in questioning the moves made by the Ducks to strengthen another team while leaving his team weaker. He stated,

"We are proactively addressing the recent actions of our NHL affiliate, the Anaheim Ducks, including the two recent player assignments to another AHL franchise. Our singular focus is the performance of our team on the ice, and to provide our fans with the enjoyment and unique fan experience that is consistent with the support that they provide to our organization. Character is an essential element of everyone associated with the Syracuse Crunch and we expect the same character, integrity and honorability from outside parties that are affiliated with our organization."

According to a report filed by Lindsay Kramer in The Post-Standard in Syracuse,

"Murray told the [Orange Country Register] he wants Perrault to remain in a playoff race, which, of course, he wouldn't get a whiff of here. He can also keep company was Jason Jaffray, another Ducks farmhand who Murray thinks would be better off with the Moose.

"'Why move him? He’s there. He’s playing on a playoff-bound team. It’ll keep his interest going. He’s coming off an ankle sprain so he’s about a week and a half away. It’s better for him. That’s all,' Murray told the OCR."

Wow. Talk about a dysfunctional development system. I get what Murray is doing as Syracuse's playoff hopes are hovering somewhere "next season", but it would send a strong message to Crunch fans that the Ducks are interested in building a strong affiliate in Syracuse. All I can say is that I'm not going to complain about Vancouver's affiliation agreement with Manitoba in light of seeing the Anaheim-Syracuse situation.

Because Vancouver found itself with a plethoras of forwards after bringing in Higgins and Lapierre, they also returned Cody Hodgson and Victor Oreskovich to the Moose. If you're doing the math, that's one player gone, and three players in. It also gives the Moose a logjam of forwards, so it will be interesting to see what moves Craig Heisinger will make to patch the defence and open up spots up front. The trade deadline turned out to be a very good day for the Moose, it seems!

March Will Be Busy

The Moose continue their road trip this week as they head into Peoria, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Oklahoma City as they battle four teams from the West Division. These will not be easy games, so the newcomers to the Moose as well as the returnees from Vancouver will have to be at their best.

Peoria is in the mix for a playoff spot as they sit in fourth-place in the West Division. However, they are only five points back of Milwaukee. TJ Hensick has been the best player on the Rivermen all season long as he leads the team in scoring by a large margin over Graham Mink. Peoria has six players with 30+ points, so the Moose will need a big effort in their own zone to grab two points from Peoria.

Milwaukee leads the West Division with 81 points, so the Moose will have to be ready to play on back-to-back nights. Led by Blake Geoffrion's 37 points, the Admirals have five players with 30+ points. They can score if given the chance, so the Moose will have to be responsible in their own zone once again if they hope to get by the Admirals on Sunday for a couple of points.

It's another three-in-three weekend as the Moose travel to Chicago for a game against the Wolves on Sunday. Darren Haydar and Jason Krog continue to be AHL superstars as these two are one-two in scoring for the Wolves. They may be in seventh-place in the West Division, but Chicago is only nine points behind Milwaukee. Don't be fooled by the standings - this is another dangerous team.

Tuesday night sees the Moose travel to Oklahoma City as they take on the Barons. OKC is right ahead of Chicago, so there's no let up as the Moose play a difficult stretch of teams over the next week. Alexandre Giroux leads the way in Oil Country in terms of stats. Martin Gerber has been playing excellent hockey lately as the Barons look to climb up the standings in the West Division.

Last week didn't go as well as one might have hoped for the Herd, so they'll have to play well this week to get themselves back on top in the North Division. As always, there's really only one thing that must be said: DO IT!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Mario Under The Microscope

We've got a very special post from a writer who has put himself first in line for a guest post! Today, I want to feature a great article from Mr. Tim Ambler. Tim is the owner of MightyPromos, is an avid hockey fan, and an all-around sports enthusiast. MightyPromos provides promotional hockey products such as promotional hockey pucks that can be printed with a logo or message of your choosing. tim wanted to talk about the Mario Lemieux comments following the debacle that was the Penguins-Islanders game a few weeks ago. Here is Tim's piece, and I'll have my commentary below.

Mario Lemieux may be a hockey legend, but his management skills leave a lot to be desired. Lemieux has recently come under severe criticism for blasting NHL with regard to the handling of the fights between the Penguins and New York Islanders. Many people feel that he is all words and no actions. His main criticism, of the suspension of Eric Godard for ten games, was quite unnecessary according to many fans and served only to highlight his incompetence despite being a star player and Hall of Fame inductee. Godard received a ten-game suspension for leaving the bench to join the brawl. This compared to the nine-game suspension of Trevor Gillies who elbowed Pittsburgh's blue-chipper Eric Tangradi and continued to hit him while he was down. Many fans agree with Lemieux, owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, that a nine-game suspension might be too lenient for the obvious disrespect to the rules of the game and the authorities represented by Gillies.

But as Brian Burke, GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, commented on Monday with regards to Lemieux's Sunday statement, the penguin's owner will in the future need to go directly to the governors if he wants to implicate change rather than draw emotion from the media. Burke highlighted that the altercation called for swift and immediate response from the NHL. With regard to the severity of the punishments handed out, Burke referred Lemieux to the NHL Rule Book, section 70.10, where players are warned against leaving the bench to join in any action taking place in the field. If a player breaks this rule, they are automatically subjected to a ten-game suspension.

To hockey fans, Mario Lemieux has always been known to apply open criticism without fear. Even as a player, Lemieux always spoke his mind whether in the game or outside it. However, many feel that he needs to exercise precaution as owner and manager of the beloved Pittsburgh Penguins. This comes in the wake of his endorsement for Matt Cooke who has often been blamed for many altercations. It cannot be denied that Cooke's talent in the field may yet to be equaled, but one may wonder if it is worth putting up with his arrogance and ability to draw trouble. Many of his teammates and opponents agree that Cooke could prove to be more of a liability to the team rather than the asset he is meant to be. The 33 year-old is known for taking cheap shots and goading his opponents into dishonorable behavior. Many Penguins fans are beginning to feel that his behavior is now overshadowing his exceptional talent. The player has been in headlines for all the wrong reasons, with many of his opponents complaining about his behavior. It seems that once Cooke steps into the field, he cannot stop the actions that his mouth takes. There is no playing fair when Cooke is in the field. Perhaps, opponents should be handed ear plugs when Cooke comes into the field.

Many feel that Lemieux's statement could be interpreted as a defense of Cooke, his most controversial player. And this is where many feel that the man needs to take more action rather than offer words which may have no impact at all. Before criticizing the NHL management and maybe resorting to calling the organization a "garage league" as he did in 1992, Mario Lemieux needs to streamline his players and curb the rampant Cooke. To many, he is playing double standards by employing one of the worst cheap-shot artists in the history of the game in Cooke. He and his general manager, Ray Shero, have come under fire for criticizing the NHL on one hand, and on the other giving privilege to an addict of cheap shots.

However, whatever his sentiments are, a prize goes to Lemieux for standing up for his players and the game he loves so much. The owner has claimed several times that the Pittsburgh Penguins are not about him, but about the team members themselves. When players step onto the ice and raise their sticks in honor of the fans, they know that injury could always result as a matter of accidents. Hockey is always physical and sometimes emotional; the game, as Lemieux stated, is tough and it should always remain so. However, these players are not in the field to be beaten up and broken by their opponents. Anyone acting in such a way should surely face more than a fine. Players walk a thin line between being irritating, offensive, and illegal. When beloved players goad an opponent into a penalty, they are often applauded by fans. They are paid millions with many clubs fighting to have them on their side. However, when the same player takes just one single step over the blurry line, they are openly criticized.

Mario Lemieux knows personally the price of head shots and this may be why, after a long time, Friday's altercation has brought the owner out of his self-made cocoon. Perhaps, he saw himself in Tangradi, his most promising rookie and the future of the Pittsburgh Penguins. What he saw was an inconsiderate and jealous opponent almost shatters the dreams of not just his star player, but also those of his team. It has often been said that were it not for health problems, Lemieux would have gone on to become one of the most celebrated players in the history of the game with numbers that would not just have been impressive, but perhaps unequaled. All these dreams and aspirations were cut short due to injury, so Lemieux may see things from a different perspective for Tangradi.

Despite all this, it is hard not to see the favoritism of his reaction. Mario Lemieux did nothing and, in fact, said nothing when Cooke head-butted Fedor Tyutin just a few days before the Friday brawl. Maybe this is why many fans feel that Lemieux should do more and speak less.

First off, I want to thank Tim for his contribution here today. He's putting his heart on his sleeve here, and that takes some real moxie. Good on you, Tim, and you're more than welcome to send over other thoughts you may have. However, let's break these thoughts down.

As you may or may not know, I'm a die-hard Penguins fan, and I wanted to play hockey like Mario Lemieux. It crushed me as a kid when he decided to retire the first time, and I really feel like he missed the best parts of his career by taking the time off. I also know that the value of one's health is unequaled when it comes to the overall quality of life that one wants, so I now understand why he did it. So I want to be clear when I say this: I respect Mario Lemieux's opinion on anything hockey.

But I want to put a few things in perspective here. Mario Lemieux does not decide who skates on the ice for the Penguins in any way, shape, or form. Blaming Lemieux for the actions of Matt Cooke is an complete joke. It's apples and oranges, folks. They are not, and never will be, related aside from the fact that Lemieux writes the cheques and Cooke cashes them. It's Ray Shero who decides who skates for the Penguins, and Lemieux has always maintained a hands-off approach to the Penguins because he has hired people like Shero to do that job.

The fact that Lemieux spoke out shows that he still cares about how the game is played. This fact should not be forgotten. Lemieux understands the ten-game suspension that Godard received. He was not commenting on that. What he was commenting on was the sideshow that this game became. Trevor Gillies felling Tangradi with an elbow and then pummeling him while he lied dazed and confused on the ice and then running his mouth from the zamboni gate as Tangradi lie on the ice. That's the sideshow that Lemieux was commenting on.

Or perhaps he was commenting on Haley's actions. Not only was Haley two-hundred feet away from where goaltender Brent Johnson was standing, but Johnson hadn't even made a move down the ice. Instead, Haley broke away from the pack of skaters in the corner of the Islanders' zone, and skated all the way down the ice to go after Brent Johnson. That, kids, is what a sideshow can be defined as. It's 100% true that Godard came off the bench to protect Johnson from Haley, but there was no reason for Haley to be attacking Johnson at that time aside from pure revenge for what Johnson did to DiPietro. Sideshow? Absolutely.

Don't think that Lemieux's words were said for him to be mocked. Instead, know that what he has done is raised the bar indirectly by stating his displeasure with the suspensions and fines handed out for what was clearly an intentional move by several of the Islanders' players. After all, the NHL handed down no punishment for Lemieux's comments to the media despite his disparaging remarks.

"We are entirely comfortable with how Friday night's events were handled," NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. "We have no other response to Mr. Lemieux's statement."

I'll ask you, readers, this one question: did you expect the Penguins just to shrug their shoulders and brush this one off? I explained how Gillies and Haley broke the code in my February 11 article, so why are people so up in arms over Lemieux calling a spade "a spade"?

I'm going to side with Lemieux on this one, kids. He's right when he said that the NHL failed to send a message. And I'm betting this won't be the last time we hear the name "Gillies" associated with the word "suspension" over his career.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Charitable Donations: Dave Andreychuk Foundation

HBIC took on a project in the summer of 2008 where I profiled as many charitable organizations as possible. The key to each of these charities is that they are run or have heavy involvement from NHLPA members, and those members use their celebrity to bring recognition and donations to these charities. Today, HBIC is proud to look at another excellent charity that sports the name of a former NHL player and NHLPA member in Dave Andreychuk. The Dave Andreychuk Foundation actually has two branches in that there is a Canadian version of the charity as well as an American version. This will be explained below a little more, so read on about the mission, the work, and the reasons for starting the Dave Andreychuk Foundation.

Mission Statement: Directly from the Dave Andreychuk Foundation, their mission statement states that the Dave Andreychuk Foundation has three goals: "to assist children in need, to support causes for children and families enduring chronic and/or life-threatening illness, and to encourage the investment in youth and amateur sports". The funds raised in each country remain in that country to support the initiatives of the Dave Andreychuk Foundation in that country.

How did the Dave Andreychuk Foundation start?: As you may be aware, Mr. Andreychuk finished off a pretty solid career in Tampa Bay with a Stanley Cup Championship in 2004. While he would play to 2007, Dave Andreychuk became a vital part of the community in Tampa Bay, Florida as much as he was in Hamilton, Ontario.

From the Dave Andreychuk Foundation website, "After retiring from the National Hockey League in 2007, I decided to start the Dave Andreychuk Foundation to give back to the communities that are very important to my family and I.

"Although I refer to the Foundation as one entity, there are actually two. One is based in Canada and one in the United States. Having two Foundations allows me to raise funds for youth hockey in my home town of Hamilton, Ontario and for children and families in need in the Tampa, Florida area."

The Dave Andreychuk Foundation has already contributed to a number of projects and initiatives on both sides of the border over its short history thus far:

• Mr. Andreychuk was the special guest speaker at the 2008 Catholic Youth Organization Celebrity Dinner. You may not know this, but Dave was raised in a devout Catholic household under the watchful eyes of his parents, Julian and Roz Andreychuk.
• The Dave Andreychuk Foundation raised $5000 for the St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital of Tampa, Florida in October 2008.
• The Dave Andreychuk Foundation raised $5260 for the McMaster Children's Hospital of Hamilton, Ontario in December 2008.
• The Dave Andreychuk Foundation has worked with the Moffitt Cancer Center on several occasions to help raise money for cancer research and cancer programs at the hospital. Most recently, Dave Andreychuk presented a cheque for $5000 to the Moffitt Cancer Center on December 21, 2010!
  
• December 5, 2010 saw Dave Andreychuk attend Hamilton Funfest for a fun-filled day at Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena and Skating Center in Hamilton, Ontario. Proceeds raised from the event went to the Hamilton Minor Hockey Association and the Tim Horton’s Children’s Foundation.

How Can I Help?: Just like the charitable organizations we've seen in the past, donations are certainly welcome and appreciated. However, you need to specify which country you're from so that the funds can be used in that country. If you're Canadian, click here to donate. If you're American, click here to donate. Again, any money donated will be used in the country of the donation you've chosen, so make sure you pick the country you wish to help!

Email is always a good way to get more information, and the Dave Andreychuk Foundation has two email addresses set up so that you can obtain information about the respective branches of the Dave Andreychuk Foundation. If you're in Canada and want some info, please send an email to InfoCanada-at-DaveAndreychukFoundation-dot-com. If you're in the US and want some info, please send an email to InfoUSA-at-DaveAndreychukFoundation-dot-com. If they have email addresses, they also have a place of operations, so you can always send the Dave Andreychuk Foundation some snail mail if that's more your pace. In Canada, send your mail to:

The Dave Andreychuk Foundation
2-558 Upper Gage Avenue
Suite #341
Hamilton, Ontario L8V4J6

If you're in the US, send your mail to:

The Dave Andreychuk Foundation
Dave Andreychuk Foundation Inc.
19046 Bruce B Downs Blvd. #71
Tampa FL 33647-2434

If they have an office, they also have some telephones. That means you can call the Dave Andreychuk Foundation for information if you so desire. You can reach the Canadian branch of the Dave Andreychuk Foundation by dialing (905)385-6783. The American branch of Dave Andreychuk Foundation can be reached by calling (813)301-2504.

They also have some merchandise you can pick up if you want something material in showing your support. The merchandise page has hats and shirts for both men and women, and they look pretty good. Do yourself and your community proud by picking up some Dave Andreychuk Foundation merchandise.

Lastly, there is an option for kids to contact Mr. Andreychuk as well! The Kids Contact page allows children to ask Mr. Andreychuk anything they like. All they have to do is fill out the fields, and they'll be able to send Mr. Andreychuk an email with their questions! How cool is that? You don't see many charitable organizations encouraging young fans to get involved on their sites, so I thought this was a great feature!

The Dave Andreychuk Foundation, the NHLPA, and the foundation's namesake, Mr. Dave Andreychuk, are helping the communities they live in. It's time for us to help them as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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More Grapes, More Fashion

There was a nice little press release put out by the CBC today as they announced that Don Cherry will return next season as part of the Hockey Night In Canada broadcasts. Cherry, better known for his jackets and ties, has signed on through the 2012 season, and that's good for both hockey and HNIC. While he'll alays have his critics, Don Cherry is opinionated, brash, and funny - something the hockey world needs more of instead of having clichés and rhetoric spun everywhere. I'm glad Grapes is back, and he's sure to be entertaining next season.

"We're delighted to announce that the venerable hockey icon Don Cherry has signed on for another season and will continue to provide hockey’s liveliest and sometimes provocative commentary," says Kirstine Stewart, executive vice-president of CBC English Services. "Don has been a part of the CBC Hockey Night in Canada family since 1980, generating passion and debate among hockey fans everywhere. Hockey Night in Canada, with Don at the desk for its 59th season, will continue to bring the very best of hockey programming on all of its platforms to Canadians everywhere."

Wow. Cherry has been a part of HNIC since 1980? That's 32 years after next season! Of course, Don's run on HNIC hasn't been without controversy or the occasional threat of being fired, but Cherry has always come out of the fire with a renewed passion for the game he loves. However, here's a prime example of the controversial Grapes.

"We join millions of fans in congratulating Don on his new contract and wishing him continued success as the declarative voice of CBC's definitive hockey broadcast," says NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. "Don's knowledge of the sport is exceeded only by his love for it and we are proud of his enduring connection with the game and the National Hockey League. He truly is one of a kind, and it is an honour to consider him a friend."

While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, I'm glad that CBC has decided to bring back one of the best parts of the HNIC broadcast in Coach's Corner featuring Don Cherry. There is no doubt that Cherry's style has made him an icon, and, while he might be controversial, there is no doubt that he loves the sport of hockey.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Head Derails Career

It's tough to sit here and not be concerned about Marc Savard's long-term health after it was announced today that his season was over thanks to another concussion. This one was suffered on a devastating hit by former teammate Matt Hunwick as the Bruins and Avalanche clashed on January 22. This concussion was the second major head injury the shifty centerman has suffered within the last year after taking a major blow to the head from Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke ten months ago. For all intents and purposes, it might be time for Marc Savard to look to a future outside of hockey because I'm not sure his brain can sustain another major jolt without returning some sort of unrepairable injury.

The first thing I think we should do is look at what a concussion is and how it is caused. This is vital in knowing what we're dealing with in terms of how concussions are caused and how they can be prevented.

Jamie Hyneman explored this very subject on an episode of Mythbusters (yes, watching Mythbusters is a guilty pleasure of mine). He spoke to Dr. Wade Smith, the director of neuroscience at University of California-San Francisco, about concussions on an episode entitled "Concussion Confidential".

JH: So what exactly happens in a concussion?

WS: A concussion is when you transfer a force - external - through the skull to the brain. Think of the skull as a box, and you've got the brain inside that has the consistency of jello. When a concussion occurs and force is delivered to the skull itself, the skull moves relative to the brain. The brain stays in one place, and the skull moves against it. That can bruise the brain that's hitting the skull, and it can actually damage the brain opposite that.

Scary stuff, no?

Now, no one I've seen has come right out and called a concussion "brain damage" in the sense of what we imagine brain damage to be, but that's essentially what it is. The issue is that these bruises cannot be seen by the naked eye like a bruise on your arm or leg. And because the brain is a fairly important organ in the human body, the impact of a bruise on the brain can result in long-lasting problems from the sufferer.

Today, on NHL.com, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Dr. Reuben Echemendia, head of the NHL/NHLPA Concussion Working Group, sat down to answer some of the frequently-asked questions about concussions in the NHL. While this seems more like a PR-move than anything else, I am impressed with Dr. Echemendia's responses, although I'm sure they remain fairly scripted as a way to prevent any spin being put on them.

"We've done a lot of work to take a look at how our testing instruments function with our players across a number of different language groups, across a number of educational groups, and how well our tests are picking up these injuries when we examine the players post-injury," Dr. Echemendia told NHL.com. We've also begun to understand in greater detail how the concussions are being caused in the NHL and using video analyses, for example, that have led us to provide data to the League that has subsequently led to rule changes."

I was puzzled about Gary Bettman's next statement, though.

"Since the implementation of Rule 48 last March... we've seen a decrease in concussions and man-games lost resulting from blind-side hits to head. In addition, we have seen a decrease in concussions caused by hits involving the head that are deemed legal in our game."

Really? So you go from not tracking them to improve the detection of concussions, yet the number of concussions is decreasing? Why is the NHL the only sport on the planet where concussions are decreasing despite piles of evidence to suggest otherwise? However, Bettman contradicts himself one statement later!

"What I'm about to say is based on very preliminary data so you can't hold me to it down the road with precision, because we have to make sure it bears out. But I do want to emphasize what appear to be preliminary trends. For the 2010-11 regular season, concussions are up. Again, I want to emphasize it's preliminary.

"The increase in concussions appears to be in the area of accidental or inadvertent situations as most did not involve any contact whatsoever with the victim's head by an opponent. I'm not saying no concussions came from hits to the head, but it appears the increase is coming from somewhere else."

So accidental or inadvertent contact resulting in a concussion is different than intentional contact resulting in a concussion? Are you kidding me, Mr. Bettman?

Let me be very clear here: an injury is an injury regardless of how it happens. Therefore, a concussion should be tracked as a concussion, and not how it is caused. No one plans on getting hurt while playing the game, but it happens. That's just a fact of life when playing a contact sport.

According to the Center for Disease Control, the fourth biggest killer in the United States are accidents. Accidents result in nearly 37 people killed annually between the ages of 24 and 35 which, not surprisingly, is the demographic that hockey wants to own. Accidental deaths get the same weight as deaths due to diseases of the heart, malignant neoplasms, suicides, and homicides because the end result is all the same: someone died. No death is ranked better or worse, so why does the NHL differentiate between two causes of brain injuries when the end result in both cases is brain injury?

Dr. Echemendia didn't answer either of the questions that Mr. Bettman responded to, but he did weigh in on helmets. It appears as though there are no helmets that will effectively protect against concussions as this time, and Dr. Echemendia addressed that point.

"I absolutely agree with that. Given our current technology, there's nothing out there that is going to prevent a concussion, because in order to prevent a concussion, a helmet has to be able to absorb a significant amount of the blow as opposed to translating the force of that blow. The current polycarbonate shells that we have, those hard shells, they tend to just transfer the blow. They tend not to absorb the blow. And they do that for a very good reason, and that is the helmets that we have are very good at preventing what they're designed to prevent, and that is, as you say, depressed skull fractures, lacerations, significant head injuries. They were never designed to protect against concussion.

"As a matter of fact, there was some concern among the biomechanists that if we tried to make a helmet that prevents concussion; we may be going in the other direction and see an increase in skull fractures and these other types of injuries. So it's a complicated issue."

He also refuted claims that mouthguards help to prevent concussions. Some mouthguards make this claim, but Dr. Echemendia feels that this claim might not be so valid.

"There are no clinical data to suggest that mouth guards protect against concussion. They do a very good job at protecting against dental injury, and good mouth guards should be worn for that reason. But there's no indication right now that they're effective at preventing concussion."

So let's review: concussions are up in the NHL, Mr. Bettman says they are trending down, there are no proven pieces of equipment that prevent concussions, yet we're supposed to believe that the NHL doesn't have a concussion problem.

Is anyone feeling a little wool over their eyes?

Look, I wish nothing but the best for Marc Savard, but you have to wonder why the Bruins centerman is already talking about coming back to play hockey again. I get that there might be a macho aspect to his talk, but I was blown away by the following comment during his press conference:

"I'm obviously going to get more medial tests done and then I'll be able to make a clearer decision on what my future is but, right now, I'm hoping to continue at some point again," Savard said.

I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but the best medical advice I can offer to you, Mr. Savard, is to take the next 12-18 months off, let your brain heal, and then see where you stand. As Dr. Smith said to Mr. Hyneman, your brain is the consistency of jello, so it probably doesn't take to being smashed against the inside of your skull very well. Since you had a major brain injury in the last calendar year, maybe it's time you give your head some rest and let your brain make itself right.

I'd say "give your head a shake", but I don't want to be responsible for any additional damage to your gray matter.

As for Mr. Bettman, how long will this charade about concussions in the NHL continue?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Today In Hockey History

Today is a fairly significant day in hockey history and NHL history. If you've been circling February 1 on your calendar for nearly two decades, you know one of two things: (1) it's most likely a birthday or anniversary you should remember, or (2) it's the anniversary of the appointment of Gary Bettman as NHL Commissioner. Both could be fairly important to you if you're Mark Recchi, Patrick O'Sullivan, or Tommy Salo as all three men celebrate their birthdays today, but I'm more concerned with the last 18 years in the life of Gary Bruce Bettman on this anniversary of his appointment as NHL Commissioner.

There is a lot that we can pin on Gary Bettman in terms of taking the game to new lows. Let's review some of the problems that the game has seen over the last 18 years. And this list could grow exponentially if we do this review on a market-by-market basis.

• The FoxTrax puck. That debuted in 1996 at the 46th NHL All-Star Game in Boston. Surprisingly, Fox somehow made it last until the first game of the 1998 Stanley Cup Final. I'm pretty sure no hockey fan will let Bettman live this one down.
• After seeing the San Jose Sharks join the NHL for the 1991-92 season, Gary Bettman goes on a tear, allowing expansion franchises to pop up in any major market with a covered arena. Since February 1993, we've seen franchises pop up in Anaheim, Miami, Nashville, Atlanta, Columbus, and Minneapolis. We also saw Minneapolis lose their original team to Dallas, Quebec City lose their team to Denver, Hartford lose their team to Raleigh, and Winnipeg lose their team to Phoenix. Outside of the Wild, are any of those teams making money?
• Fans have endured two work stoppages as the NHL players went on strike for the start of the 1994-95 season, and we saw the entire 2004-05 season wiped out due to the owners locking out the players. And we're staring down the barrel of the guns again as the CBA expires at the conclusion of the 2010-11 season.
• Fans and players were absolutely outraged at the NHL's decision to walk away from ESPN and set up shop on the unheard-of Outdoor Life Network. While OLN transitioned into Versus, NHL coverage in the US is still rarely found on widespread cable television, and the league has been slow to recover any television revenue and television airspace since walking away from the "World Wide Leader".

Again, we could probably spend an hour or six listing all of the problems that the NHL has seen over the last 18 years, but these are, in my view, some of the more glaring problems that the NHL has seen. However, not all is bad, and Gary Bettman and his team have done some absolutely positive things as well.

• The NHL Winter Classic is now the showcase event every year for the NHL in the US. Before the Winter Classic, the NHL had nothing to celebrate in the lower forty-eight, and people had no reason to tune in. The Winter Classic, if nothing else, has brought fans back and attracted new fans to the sport.
• The NHL, unlike the other three major sports, have embraced and endorsed new technology. The NHL has branched out to fans via Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to give the game more access to the techno-savvy fans, and fans of the game have responded in kind by blogging, tweeting, and Facebooking all sorts of information and photos. Hockey has taken advantage of the social media craze like no other sport.
• The NHL introduced some changes that have opened up the game for offensive stars after watching them suffer for years. No longer is obstruction and interference a way of life, the two-line pass is ancient history, and the shootout allows for more creativity and excitement in the game. If anyone thinks that the game is worse now than before the 2004-05 canceled season, they simply aren't watching the same game I am.
• While moving at a snail's pace, the NHL is slowly gaining on Major League Baseball and the NFL in terms of attracting and retaining fans. While there is no chance that the NHL will ever knock those two sports off the mountain in the US, any gains are certainly positive. Through its agreements with Versus and NBC, the NHL is inching its way back onto the sports landscape in the US. While it's taking a lot longer than promised, Bettman is doing what he was initially hired to do.

Of course, there are still some major issues that the NHL needs to tackle, and they would be well-advised to solve these issues as soon as possible. No sports league on the planet is perfect, of course, but solving these major issues will put the NHL in a very good position to continue to make inroads in the southern US while holding strong in the northern US markets and Canada.

• The NHL needs to find a way to protect players' heads. The debates about head trauma will continue until the end of time until someone finally puts his foot down and says "enough". If the Canadian Hockey League can institute a no-contact rule on checks to the head, and they still produce some of the best players in hockey history, it seems like a no-brainer (excuse the pun) for the NHL to follow suit.
• The NHL needs to continue to work with the players in terms of coming to an equitable agreement for both sides. The NHLPA is unhappy with the escrow amounts while the NHL brags of record profits, so there will have to be some bargaining done on both sides in order for labour peace to continue.
• The NHL needs to continue to make itself available to the fans. The fans love players with personality - Paul Bissonnette ring any bells? The NHL and NHLPA need to keep that connection with the fans. I've always maintained that the NHL players are the most accessible athletes of the four major sports, and there's no reason for this to stop. Maintain and build that relationship with the fans, and they'll reward you for it.
• The NHL needs to continue, if I can continue this trend, to work with its partners. NBC, CBC, HBO, Versus, TSN, and Sirius XM all have major stakes in producing high-quality NHL broadcasts, and these relationships need to continue on all fronts. Spreading the NHL far and wide across many networks means that the game reaches more and more people, and there's no better way to attract new fans than to have them watch the game.

Overall, there have been turbulent times and happy times for the NHL through the 18 years that Gary Bettman has been at the helm of this ship. Going forward, there will be more problems and more joy as the league continues to grow and thrive. I'm not saying that Gary Bettman has been a savior for the NHL in any way, but you have to remember that things could always be worse than what they currently are.

Given those two options, I'll happily stay the course for the time being.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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A Job Some Would Kill For

I find it a little insulting that Evgeni Nabokov, recently released by the KHL and searching for employment in the NHL, has the nerve to turn down a job that admittedly would be tough. Having been signed by the Detroit Red Wings and placed on re-entry waivers, the New York Islanders swooped in and claimed Nabokov to help out with their goaltending situation. Nabokov, though, has stated that he will not report to Long Island, and that has me a little irked.

You probably know that I'm not really an Islanders fan despite me being a huge fan of the Fisherman movement. You might be asking yourself, "Teebz, why do you care about whether or not Nabokov plays for the Islanders", and I'll admit that it's not who he plays for that matters. Heck, he could be playing in the ECHL right now for all I care. It's his refusal to suit up for the Islanders that has me bothered.

Look, there are 30 NHL starting goaltender jobs in the NHL and 30 back-up goaltender jobs awaiting the next best goalie on each team. By default, Nabokov would be the starter or back-up based solely on how well he has played in the past. If you consider DiPietro's performance thus far this season, you'd have to think that Nabokov would be thrust into he starter's job almost automatically.

Being that he would have a guaranteed job through the end of the season with the Islanders plus giving the Islanders the option to trade him before or at the deadline to a contending team, it seems to me to be a no-brainer in terms of taking the job on Long Island. He would get to play, keep himself in shape, show off to the other 29 teams that he's still a top quality goaltender, and showcase himself for a trade or a major off-season signing as a free agent.

Honestly, for four months of work, Nabokov could set himself up very nicely for a good payday. There are players who have toiled in the minor leagues for years who would kill for an opportunity with any NHL team regardless of the situation or standing of the NHL team. It's an opportunity, and that's something you don't just ignore when opportunity comes knocking.

However, Nabokov chooses to remain in California, and the Islanders are left with the same conundrum before they claimed him on waivers. While it is certainly within Nabokov's right to sit this one out, he signed a deal with Detroit to suit up for them before the Islanders claimed him. It sounds to me like he's being quite selective in terms of who he plays for, and this is why I'm irked.

If I'm the Islanders, I'd ask the NHL to carry over the contract terms to next season and force Nabokov to either play or sit for another season. This sounds like I'm being vengeful towards Nabokov, but it's really a tit-for-tat situation. Had Nabokov shown up and played the four months, this entire article wouldn't exist. Instead, he's enjoying life in California while the Islanders struggle on the ice.

Some people would kill for the opportunity to play for the Islanders. I'm no murderer, but I'd love the opportunity to play in the NHL, even for just one day. Wouldn't you?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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Frustration = Lighter Wallet

I'm not sure why some NHL players and general managers think they can rock the boat when it comes to their comments towards the NHL's brain trust. There are just certain things you can't do in life, and calling out the NHL brass is one of those things if you're working under the NHL's umbrella. The man to the left, Los Angeles Kings' general manager Dean Lombardi, decided to unleash his frustration over a controversial allowed goal by calling out the man in charge of the NHL's War Room, Mike Murphy. And that's how you get yourself a lighter wallet, readers, because the NHL doesn't tolerate one of its people embarrassing the men who run the game.

Martin Hanzal of the Phoenix Coyotes batted the puck out of mid-air with his stick, and it found its way into the back of the Kings' net. While the stick appeared to be high at the point of contact, the NHL War Room determined that the video was not 100% conclusive that Hanzal's stick was high, and the goal was allowed to stand. Phoenix went on to win the game by a 2-0 score.

Los Angeles' lack of scoring, the fact that the Kings are playing some of the worst hockey seen this season, and the inability to break out of this funk has all of the players and management wondering where the train went off the rails. The pressure is highest in the GM's chair as Dean Lombardi must find out why his team is underachieving so badly, so he went on a tirade after the loss to the Coyotes. The problem, however, is that he focused on the Hanzal goal as an example of the Kings' recent streak of poor play. And he directed his frustration at someone who has nothing to do with the Kings' poor play.

"When the guy in Toronto making the decisions on the goals, in Ottawa and the one tonight, wanted the GM's job in LA and was not happy about not getting it, you have to assume you are going to get those type of calls," Lombardi was quoted as saying on the Kings' website.

Oops. That's gonna be trouble.

The NHL responded to Lombardi's comments today by levying a $50,000 fine on Lombardi. From the comments made by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, it sounds like he was not impressed with Lmbardi's choice of words or the target of those words.

"There is no acceptable explanation or excuse for commentary challenging the integrity of the League's Hockey Operations Department in general or Mike Murphy, in particular," Bettman said in a statement. "People can disagree with a call by an official on the ice or an official in the Situation Room in Toronto, but even in instances of the utmost frustration there is no justification for speaking as inappropriately and irresponsibly as Mr. Lombardi did."

Dean Lombardi seemed apologetic today, and I think he sincerely regretted the comments he made in the heat of the moment.

"I spoke to the Commissioner today and he made it very clear to me that my actions last night were inappropriate and detrimental to the game," said Lombardi today. "There is no question that his assessment is correct and the punishment fits the crime. Just as important, I apologized to Mike Murphy this morning and I sincerely appreciate his willingness to accept my apology.

"Like the team must learn from its mistakes, the GM has to learn from his mistakes as well."

That last statement is perhaps what should be put on the bulletin board for the team to see. The Kings have played some very poor hockey over the last few weeks, and mistakes have cost them dearly. As frustration mounts over this month of poor play, the Kings need to take a look in the mirror and check their hands.

The first thing they need to look for are callouses on their hands. The next thing they need to look for in the mirror is if there's a grindstone under their noses. If these things aren't found, chances are that the team just isn't working hard enough to break out of this slump.

If you're watching the games, though, this should be painfully obvious. And Dean Lombardi needs to demand more from his team, or start making changes to improve the work ethic on his team.

Apologies for missing the playoffs after such a promising season last year won't be tolerated by fans as nicely as his apology to Mike Murphy was.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

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