Suicide

I have never seen such an idiotic move in my entire life than Craig MacTavish pulled tonight. The Oilers down by three goals, score two get within one with less than 2 minutes to play.

Momentum is all on the Oilers side in a critical game vs. the Anaheim Ducks. Then Mac-T decides, it's his time to shine. He calls for an illegal stick check on Teemu Selanne. The time it takes for the refs to check the stick - it's like he calls 3 timeouts in a row for the Ducks.

Momentum gone. And to boot - oh yeah, he's also wrong on the stick call. It's a legal curve, and the Oilers get a penalty for the final 2 minutes. 

Game over. Career over for Craig MacTavish. Brilliant. 

Alexei Cherepanov Dies at 19

RIP Alexei. Condolences to family and friends, to his fans around the world. At times like this, hockey is just a game. 

08-09 Stanley Cup Champions- Philadelphia Flyers

Predictions for the upcoming year. The Flyers will walk away with the Stan and parade it down Broad St. this summer. Sure Montreal already has plans to do the same thing, but they put too much stock in Carey Price who was murdered by the Flyers last year in the playoffs. People question Biron but he proved to be a big money goalie, clutch in the situations shutting down Ovechkin, the Canadiens last season.

This is the year of the Philadelphia Flyers. Count on it. As for the rest:

President's Trophy: Detroit RedWings

Clarence Campbell Trophy: Dallas Stars

Wales Trophy: Philadelphia Flyers

Hart: Sidney Crosby - back from injury the kid will prove again that he's the best player in the world. No time for personality = more time for MVPing.

Norris: Niklas Lidstrom - probably won't deserve it but it's the trend and voters like that sort of shit.

Calder: Kyle Okposo. The duke is going to dominate in the island. Plus being in NY the voters have no time for rookies out west, and nobody gives a shit about Tampa Bay. 

Art Ross: Marian Hossa. Thank you Zetterberg/Datsyuk and looking for a big contract.

Richard: Alexander Ovechkin. he scores, a lot. I'm going on a limb here.

Masterton: Jeff Finger. The Leafs need one token trophy a year. Seems to be this one, and he has that contract to overcome to prove his dedication to hockey.

Selke: Brian Rolston - return to New Jersey and being in the NY area is pure success for idiotic voting.

On another note. Tina Fey is fucking hot. 

Legends: Alex Faulkner

In the post game interviews after the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, Daniel Cleary gave a shout out saying "Alex, we did it."

The Alex he was talking about was Alex Faulkner, the last Newfoundlander to play a game in the Stanley Cup Finals. Alex Faulkner lost in his attempt in a 6 team league as a rookie for the Detroit Red Wings.

In these days of a 30 team league, Alex Faulkner would be an NHL all star, and Dan Cleary gave his respect to that. A native of Bishop Falls NFLD, Faulkner is often credited as the first player from the Rock to play in the NHL. He played one game for the Toronto Maple Leafs before they traded his rights to the Red Wings.

In 70 games for the Red Wings he managed 10 goals and 10 assists for an even 20 points, but in the playoffs, he had 5 goals in 8 games as Detroit managed to lose in the Cup finals. Faulkner played a 4th line role for 30 more games as a Detroit RedWing. After which he declined contract offers from the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens, as construction jobs in Newfoundland paid more money for a young father.

"Do I regret? Never. I played on the wing with Gordie Howe, how many people can say that?"

"Do I regret not winning the Stanley Cup? A little bit, but I was young and thought I would one day. But the dream is the same as you, or him (pointing to a child), we all want to win it. But the majority of us will not."

Alex Faulkner is most known for his professional hockey record of goals and points per game. In 1958/59 he played 25 games racking up

103 goals, 49 assists, 152 points as a "Minor Pro" - which in today's standards is 1st line NHL All Star.

The following year he had 86 points including 41 goals in 11 playoff games. That's an average of 8 points a game. Think about it. 

These days you can run into Alex Faulkner at the Windsor Pentacostal Church every Sunday in Grand Falls/Windsor, Newfoundland. He does not stand out in any way until pointed out, and as a wide eyed child, he'll spend hours with you to tell his stories of playing in the NHL. He carries around a hockey card from the 50s of himself in his wallet in case you're unsure he did in fact play. The nicest man around, a legend for his scoring records, but a legend for his humbleness and willing to tell his story 100 times a day if needed. 

Calder Candidate - Patrik Berglund

Chosen 25th overall in the 2006 draft, Patrik Berglund should play a prominent role on the young St. Louis Blues. Projected to start the season centering the second line with Keith Tkachuk and David Backes, Berglund could put up the minutes and play a role on the power play for the Blues. With the playing time and opportunity to put up good numbers, and a couple years older than his competition in Steven Stamkos, Berglund's experience could put him over the top to capture the Calder.

An imposing figure at 6'4'' he is very light on his skates and could be muscled around in the NHL. He plays a two way game and excelled last season for Vasteras in Sweden scoring over a point per game and getting 21 goals in 36 games. He has pro experience and played prominent role on Sweden's National Junior Teams. A sleeper of a pick for the Calder, he might be worth the odds if you're a gambling sort of person. 

Wearing number 58 for the Blues look for a Mikael Renberg type rookie season. If nothing else, he'll look pretty fly in those new St. Louis 3rd jerseys. 

Original Maurice Richard Trophy

Back in 1998-99 the NHL introduced the Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophy to the NHL's leading goal scorer in the regular season. A hell of a gesture for Richard who in his day was often treated with disdain by the NHL's English elite and Clarence Campbell who learned first hand with a tear gas bomb to the back of the head what Maurice Richard meant to the game of hockey. Currently held by Alexander Ovechkin, it is an elite trophy named after a man who could be argued saved the NHL with his brilliant goal scoring. 

There was though, an original Maurice Richard Trophy for goal scoring that was meant to be awarded annually to the top scoring junior hockey player in Canada. Feast your eyes on this beauty.

 On top of the rocket shaped monument is the puck Richard scored his 480th NHL goal in 1957, the skates were the ones he wore while setting the record 325th NHL goal in 1952. Unfortunately for us all, the trophy was never awarded. Who wouldn't like to see this puppy being paraded around by a young star heading to the NHL draft? 

Of course, there are also some bitching scoring records in the Canadian Hockey League, that are deserving to be engraved somewhere around these skates. 

For instance, TSN commentator Ray Ferraro has one hell of a record for most goals in a single season in the Western Hockey League. In 1983-84 while

 Gretzky was popping home a measly 87 goals, Ferraro as a Brandon Wheat King snapped in 108 in 72 games. To wit, his son Landon currently playing for the Red Deer Rebels has a career high of 13. Ray is a hell of a guy and needs this trophy awarded retroactively to add to his resume.

In the Ontario Hockey League, one might think it'd be adorned by Gretzky, Orr, Lindros or even Tavares. But they'd be wrong. In 1980-81 with the Windsor Spitfires, Ernie Godden scored 87 which stands to this day as the record. The dude went on to play 5 games for the MapleLeafs

 in the 80s, which is no great feat as Harold Ballard would have allowed you to play if you'd lace them up for $500.00 a game. Who knows what ever happened to ol' Ernie

, but we'd remember him if he had his name on this trophy in the Hall of Fame.

And of course Mario Lemieux scored 133 goals in one season in the notoriously high-scoring QMJHL. But they don't count, and he doesn't need any more accolades. 

Lindros Olive Branch

The Final game of NHL hockey was played today at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Of course the Flyers have been in the Wachovia Center for years now and the Spectrum has only been home to the AHL's Phantoms but it is being torn down, and the Flyers played the Hurricanes in one last hurrah for the storied building.

A pre-game ceremony included former Flyer greats Bob Clarke, Keith Primeau, Ron Sutter, Ed Van Impe, Bill Barber, Kevin Dineen among others. Eric Lindros was invited to attend, which would have been fitting as he was the final Flyer to completely dominate the ice at the Spectrum, and his hype in the 1990s is a major reason the Wachovia Center was built in the first place. Unfortunetely, due to a family friend's memorial service, Lindros turned it down.

He did, though send his wishes via Jumbotron to the fans of Philadelphia in his first official appearance with the Flyers organization since his trade in 2000. Lindros despite all the hateful rumours that flood the internet is a pure class act very rarely seen in pro-sports. He tipped his hat to the Philly faithful calling them the "greatest fans in professional sports." A step in repairing the damaged relationship between Lindros and the Philadelphia Flyers. Clarke himself helped the process along last year calling Lindros a great person and a sure fire hall of famer. Hopefully in the future the Flyers and Lindros will reunite in a more meaningful way - like the raising of his #88. 

Regardless, here is the video of his statement: 

http://flyers.nhl.tv/console.jsp?type=fvod&id=21441&catid=327

The Worst Nightmare to a Fan

Having your team lose in front of you while attending a game is junk, but worse things can happen if you attend an NHL game. 

You can be on the Jumbotron, or Yumbotron as it's known in LA.

Recently in Edmonton a fine upstanding young lady was banned from Rexall Place for six months for being on the Jumbotron. Why? She flashed the crowd. Security should have realized her confusion, for a young lady like that, when people cheer especially a crowd of thousands, there is only one reaction. Show the tits. Crowd cheers, thousands of people it sure isn't the WNBA or beach volleyball. When girls like that get crowd reaction it's either in one of the following three places:

a. Mardi Gras in New Orleans - you flash for beads

b. You're on Jerry Springer and flash the tits.

c. You're dancing around a pole and flash for money.

The confusion gets mounted after the Oilers run of 2006 and on Whyte Avenue, people cheered and you flashed for.... Oiler fans on the street.

While it can be horrid for a young lady to be banned, things can go horribly wrong on the Jumbotron for the rest of us as well. You know you're on the massive screen for a number of seconds, tops and you have to do something quick, or look like a moron. 

- A friend of mine decided to take his empty cup and "dump it" over the head of the baby in front of him. Some laughed, some yelled for his head. It was an ugly scene, uglier if he thought of it with a full beer.

or you can have my experience with it. Sitting with a friend of mine at a game digging the game, having some beers and laughs watching some fine NHL action. Next thing you know the guy behind you taps on the shoulder - you look up and horribly realiz

e you're on the kiss cam with the ugly stranger girl sitting beside you. I could have buckled and kissed the pig hoping she'd turn into a princess, instead... shook my head slicing the hand in a good "hell no" fashion.

18,000 people boo directly at you. The second most people I had boo at me in one moment. 

Beware the Jumbotron, it's not your friend. Oh yeah, NHL players, fear it as well it can always fall on you in Buffalo. 

Overhaul Training Camp

   The dawn of a new season of NHL training camp is here, and in Edmonton the excitement hits a fevered pitch. Fans scrutinize the Oilers prospects; pack the University of Alberta stadium to watch Oiler rookies take on the CIS Golden Bears. Thousands watch live streams online of relative unknowns wearing the Copper and Blue. Rexall Place will undoubtedly sell out Sunday afternoon to watch the yearly intra-squad scrimmage known as the Joey Moss Cup.

            The Problem is that around the National Hockey League, not every city shares the same excitement. And this is fine, many cities do not have hockey as the number one sport or share the same enthusiasm Canadians do. They have the NFL starting, MLB winding up and more than enough reason to ignore training camps. I don’t blame them or point fingers, as it’s completely understandable.

            Recently in Lake Traverse, Michigan, the RedWings hosted a rookie tournament which has been a huge success the past couple years. The Dallas Stars rookies won it over Zach Bogosian and his Atlanta Thrashers. Other teams have been asking to join the tournament but the locations and scheduling does not allow for it to be a large event. Similarly in Camrose, Alberta, the Oilers, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks held a mini-tournament of their rookies. The success was there and will continue next year in a new location.

            The lesson the NHL needs to take from this, and from their brethren at Major League Baseball is the idea of a “Grapefruit League” for training camps.  The New York Yankees play their entire training camp and preseason games at George Steinbrenner field in Tampa, Florida. The Boston RedSox in Fort Myers, Florida, The Chicago Cubs in Mesa, Arizona. Three of the sports world’s biggest fan bases do not even play their preseason games in their cities because Grapefruit League is a resounding success for baseball. All the teams are in close proximity to each other so numerous training camp games can be played amongst the teams in MLB. Travel costs cut, more opportunities to evaluate squads, teams promote themselves in other regions of the United States.

            This is a model the NHL should follow. The brass at the NHL is always trying to expand their product into other markets. They feel the best way is by blind expansion and relocation. Often with disastrous results.  As much as Oiler fans love their training camp season, the NHL could follow the Grapefruit model and make the preseason an event in itself. The Sharks in Portland, the Kings in Las Vegas, the Oilers in Saskatoon, the Flames in Regina, the Canucks in well, who cares about the Canucks, okay Seattle. The Flyers already often play in PEI or New Brunswick, get the Bruins in Maine, the Penguins in Kansas City, You get the drift, Eastern and Western Conferences, divisions hold training camps in certain regions around Canada and the United States.

            The NHL expands their product. More format to the preseason, rookie tournaments in these local areas that never get the NHL. The teams promote their brand and build up a fan base in other areas. Spread the game, spread the teams, and test the markets. Canadians often feel slighted that the National Hockey League ignores the fan base that according to reports generates 33% of the NHL’s revenue. There are untapped markets all over Canada for cash, that while probably could not support a full time team would open their city to an NHL team for 2 weeks with open arms and wallets. Halifax, Moose Jaw, Victoria… Oh yeah, the token Coyote game in Winnipeg does not count; it’s a complete slap in the face. Actually more a donkey punch because the Peg deserves their own team.

            In 1991, the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers played an outdoor game at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. This is often pointed out as a success that led to the Heritage Classic and subsequent outdoor games. Also pointed out as proof Las Vegas could support an NHL team. This season the Kings are back September 27 playing the Colorado Avalanche. The Kings have done this a few years to play a game in Vegas (Roenick dancing like a jackass to the crowd), why not have their entire training camp and preseason’s there?  Every team should follow suit and designate cities for their future training camps, get on it NHL. This one’s free.  

Eric Staal. Lottery Winner.

So the Hurricanes lost the draft lottery in 2003. So they got their asses kicked by Larionov and the rest of the RedWings a year point five earlier.

The lottery winner that year was not the Pittsburgh Penguins, it was a red headed day walker named Eric Staal.

Today the guy got 57.75 million dollars to keep playing in Raleigh, North Carolina. Let's break this down stats wise.

He has a career total of 283 career points. 124 career goals. So he was awarded:

$454, 724 for every goal he scored in his career.

$204, 063 for each point he scored.

Hollywood makes movies about people stealing less than that. Let alone 2 points a game, or 1 million dollars a game. Shoot to win from Wendy's at center ice, they make it hard enough that even Eric Staal couldn't do it. 

WIN A MILLION.

Staal wins a million every 2 goals he scores. You know who'd like those odds?

Tom fucking Chorske would like those odds. He scored 115 NHL goals. In Eric Staal money, that's 50.35 million dollars. 

Errors per game and money per game, it's all the same. And all we ask as bloggers is some of that internet money, buddy. 

HF Clowns

Apparently my writing is not up to the standards of those clowns at HF Boards. What do they know? They're useless sots that spent 5 minutes to sign up for an account over there. My credentials to be a professional blogger took over 10 minutes to sign up. 

That's three times the effort, and makes me ten times the expert opinion on hockey. It's simple math. 

Tom Chorske > Curtis Glencross

Who cares? Is what everyone is thinking.

Tom Chorske sucked. Well, so does Curtis Glencross. 

Imagine in your job you had a hot streak of 9 days, and got offered big pay raises by companies all over the world? Nobody cared about your career of 2 previous years of sucking. 

Dude was a nobody in Columbus, a nobody before this. He hit up the Oilers, scored like he's Pisani on Crystal Meth... and rode a chuckwagon. Sure enough the Flames lock him down to stick it to the Oilers.

Chorske also sucked and had a big year of 20 goals in New Jersey. Back in the day people would score 50 goals and nobody would blink (Joe Juneau)....

He never got a huge contract though. You probably walk past Tom Chorske every day and toss pennies in his hands. 

The only person worthy of #88

It should have been retired by the NHL, but it wasn't for some unknown reason. Must have been Bettman's Jewiness. 

But the only player worthy of 88 these days is Rob Schremp. Not only due to his affiliation to be an Edmonton Oiler, but his ability to make the number worthwhile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw6rjO2KrHo

You have to earn the number 88. Patrick Kane is a sissy bitch. He never had Brian Marchment cross his path, otherwise we'd never be talking about him. Marchment would have sent him 6 feet under on the hit, and 2 feet to spare.

Lindros would have punched Marchment's face until he cried "medic?"

Ryan Smyth Sucked

His crocodile tears to leave Edmonton was embarrassing, even to me who hated the guy. 

Why am I bringing it up? Just to remind people that Ryan Smyth was an Edmonton Oiler. 

And he sucked as an Oiler.

Think about your best memories of the 2006 run to the 7th game of the Stanley Cup Final.

You remember more about Samsonov, Peca, Pronger, hell, even Todd Harvey.

Think about the Oilers KO'ing the 1st place Stars in 7 games.

You think about Todd Marchant. Buchberger, Weight, Arnott and Guerin. Maybe a bit of Mironov and Cujo.

Never Ryan Smyth.

Eric Lindros is God

For the simple reason he could take Jesus in a fist fight.

And it's news because this is a fucking blog, man. 

Oilers Get New Ice Making Machine

It Makes Good Ice.

Darryl Katz Overextends His Reach Round 1 - Laraque

New Oilers Billionaire Darryl "Batman" Katz had his curtains pulled back today in the Edmonton Journal where it was told he offered millions of dollars to a workout buddy - Georges Laraque, at his local gym.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/sports/story.html?id=82e5515d-d370-4abf-b3c7-ced8677b2725

Laraque declined and that's a bad implication to Edmonton. Where the owner was supposed to just buy the team, and not hire people he works out with. Laraque was offered 6 million dollars over 4 years apparently over the treadmill at Body by Bennett's in Edmonton.

And he declined. The same guy that's on the radio in Edmonton every 15 minutes, and if you haven't run into Laraque - you haven't lived in Edmonton for more than 24 hours. If you haven't run into Georges, you don't live in Edmonton. If you do run into him, clip him at the knees as he jogs next time you do. He declined a better offer than he'll ever get in his life. Have fun in Hamilton again GL.

This is once again the same guy that claimed Sean Avery is a racist and called him every racist thing since Mark Twain. But did not try to scrap him as an Oiler and let Jason Smith battle for him twice.

The Oilers fans accept the new overlord in Darryl Katz, but as news comes out he's offering outlandish contracts to people at the gym - I just bought a membership. Body by Bennett. I don't know who Bennett is

 but I reckon Chad Moreau should watch his back.  I'll accept no less than a 3 year 22 million dollar contract to tell Katz to fuck off.

He just fired Morley Scott, a long time Oilers radio colour man on the radio, and replaced him with day to day drive by Bob Stauffer. If he thinks he's the biggest mouth piece against the Oilers, I've made a life of saying Ryan Smyth is a bitch. 

Pay me, Batman. 

R U Still Down? Remember Me 2 - Dmitri Kvartlanov

People were amazed at Evgeny Malkin's 1 point in 15 straight games to start an NHL career. But took no notice of the guy who owned it for 13 years prior to it.

It was owned by Dmitri Kvartlanov who at 23 years old broke into the NHL for the Boston Bruins in the 1992-1993 season, and immediately was tossed on the first line after training camp with Adam Oates and Cam Neely. Kvartlanov .

Filling the role for BUST Ken Hodge Jr. the line dominated the NHL. Or Cam Neely and Adam Oates dominated and Kvartlanov was along for the ride. He posed on the cover of Beckett Hockey with Neely and Oates. He was once the hottest rookie card around in NHL trading circles.

Rookie year he scored:

30 goals and 72 points in 73 games. Superstardom was around the corner.

One year later he scored 19 points in 39 NHL games, being relegated to the 3rd and 4th line. It was long said that Kvartlanov did not have the drive to be an NHL player, and he would not be there even if Neely did all the work.

He never played another NHL game. From 1994-1999 Kvartlanov would average a goal a game in the Swiss and Austrian elite leagues. In 2001 he scored 21 goals and 39 points in 38 games for Kazan Ak-Bars Russian Superleague.

Last year he scored 3 goals and 9 points in 20 games for Cherepovets Severstal, and is one of the bigger stars in the KHL going into next season. 15 years removed from the NHL, and a KHL allstar along with Jagr, Radulov and Ray Emery. 

Makes you wonder about Malkin. Or not. 

After 2010 in Vancouver, Skills competition may be medals

Jacques Rogge, the head of the IOC in an interview with the BBC (to be uploaded when available) that perhaps it shouldn't be eliminating games that one country dominates (in regards to the United States and basketball) - but to see the team sport as well as the home run derby for a medal, as well as throwing a fast ball.

He reiterated, there are 3 major sports that have skills competitions, so why aren't they in the Olympics instead of deleting events? BMX was a massive hit in this year's games, like snowboarding was in 1996.

So why not have a dunk competition, a hardest slapshot, a fastest skater, a sharpshooter, a home run competition? In his opinion beyond a team sport, it focuses on the individual again in a sport.

If it happens, the Oilers' Robbie Schremp might move from the AHL to Olympic Gold Medalist for the USA. A shootout moves scored by actual judges? A hardest shooter Gold for Canada with Sheldon Souray? A fastest skater Gold for Cogliano? A Home run derby for Jason Bay... ok, just stretching...

Could be a clean sweep for the Edmonton Oilers. Except an idea 10 years down the road. 

Maxim Afinogenov is Nashville's Problem

Actually, Radulov is Nashville's problem. None of this will matter by November when Maxim Afinogenov is a Nashville Predator. 

Buffalo with their owner is raking in the money from new found fan dollars and enthusiasm. Afinogenov's electric moves will no longer be of service if he can be traded.

I have no source. Radulov is gone, and people in Nashville don't care. Afinogenov for half a year might convince them to stop the move to Oklahoma City/Kansas City/Des Moines/ Edmonton, Kentucky...

Anywhere but Canada, and Afinogenov might kick some excitement. Probably won't, but they've tried for Kariya, Forsberg, and Jason Arnott.