Bleacher Report - Articles by Jennifer Conway

NHL Playoff Memories: The Goal That Won't Die, 1999

Jennifer Conway — Wed, 20 May 2009 21:32:46 -0400

(Note: This is part three of the NHL Playoff Memories series. You can read part two here.)

June 19, 1999. The Dallas Stars lead the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in the Cup finals.

Before the game, the Rigas family—owners of the Buffalo Sabres—hands out bottles of maple syrup (no one is quite certain why) in the press box. Nearly six periods later, the sportswriters are considering ordering in a pancake breakfast to go with the syrup.

The game has been tied 1-1 through two overtime periods. There's five minutes left in the third overtime.

Dallas centre Mike Modano grabs the puck along the half-boards, and passes it to right wing Brett Hull. Hull takes a shot. Sabres goalie Dominic Hasek makes the save, but can't control the rebound.

The puck leaves the crease, but—and this is important—Hull's skate does not. Hull corrals the puck with his skate and takes another shot.

At 114:51 of the marathon, the game is over. The Stars have won the Stanley Cup, the first southern team to do so.

Or have they? The rule regarding pucks in the crease has been trouble for a while now, and this is no different. Director of Officiating Brian Lewis looks at the replay seconds after the goal, as do two other officials.

The original rule does not say anything about control of the puck, but in March, NHL senior vice-president Colin Campbell issued a clarification to the rule that guaranteed just this sort of trouble.

According to Campbell, an attacking player may stay in the crease, even if the puck leaves the crease, as long as the player has control of the puck. Lewis decides that Hull was merely kicking the puck from his skate to his stick. Therefore, Hull had control of the puck the entire time.

Buffalo captain Michael Peca tries to protest to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, but gets no response. Coach Lindy Ruff tries as well with no result. Bettman later denies Peca approached him, and that Ruff was “out of control” and “not in any condition to have a conversation.”

Should the NHL have disallowed the goal? With the Stars mobbed on the ice and champagne corks popping, what's the right call? Either way, the league loses.

Dallas centre and 17 year NHL veteran Guy Carbonneau is asked if he'd seen the replay. “No,” he says. When will he watch it?

“Never.”

Hull's goal happens at 1:30 a.m. Sunday. On Monday, the NHL announces that video replay will no longer be used to decide disputed goals when a player is in the crease. By summer's end, the rule no longer exists.

NHL Playoff Memories: Demers The Gambler, 1993

Jennifer Conway — Sat, 09 May 2009 18:38:05 -0400

(Note: this is part two of the NHL Memories series. Read part one here.)

June 3, 1993. Late in the third period of Game 2, the L.A. Kings hold a 2-1 lead over the Montreal Canadiens.

With 1:45 remaining in the game, Montreal coach Jacques Demers makes a risky choice: he calls for Kings player Marty McSorley's stick to be measured.

If he's right and McSorley is playing with an illegal stick, Montreal goes on the power play with a chance to tie the game. If he's wrong, Montreal will be short-handed and lose any chance they have to tie the game.

This would mean two consecutive losses in front of the fanatical Forum crowd.

All eyes are on referee Kerry Fraser as he measures McSorley's stick in front of the timekeeper's box. As the crowd waits, the CBC announcers speculate on the illegality of L.A. goalie Kelly Hrudey's stick.

The crowd roars as Fraser hands the stick to the penalty box officials. As McSorley heads for the penalty box, Demers gambles on another big move: He pulls Patrick Roy in favour of an extra attacker, putting the Kings at a two-man disadvantage, but leaving the Habs' net open.

The puck is dropped at centre ice and play moves into the Kings' zone. After a few seconds of cycling the puck, Habs defenceman Eric Desjardins takes a shot from near the blueline and beats Hrudey. The Canadiens have sent the game into overtime.

Less than a minute into overtime, the puck is dropped to the left of Roy, and L.A. wins the faceoff. Habs defenceman Guy Carbonneau manages to clear the puck, but Montreal's first shot by Ronan hits the post. Desjardins is in perfect position in front of the net. He takes a pass from behind the net and beats Hrudey again, earning a hat trick.

Demers' gamble has paid off.

This game is the ninth-consecutive overtime playoff win for the Canadiens (who would set an NHL record with 10) and Desjardins's hat trick is the first and only playoff hat trick by a Montreal defenceman.

Montreal goes on to win the series, setting off the 1993 Stanley Cup Riot.

Oddly enough, according to the NHL, this is only the 23rd Cup for the Canadiens and not the 24th.

NHL Playoff Memories: The Eternal Chase for Lord Stanley's Cup, 1919

Jennifer Conway — Fri, 01 May 2009 01:03:57 -0400

April 1, 1919.

The Stanley Cup series in Seattle, Washington between NHL champion Montreal Canadiens and Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) champion Seattle Metropolitans stands at 2-2-1. (At this time, it is possible for a playoff game to end in a tie.)

Game Six is five hours away and the Canadiens are in serious trouble.

Players Joe Hall, Newsy Lalonde, Louis Berlinquette, Billy Couture, Jack McDonald and owner George Kennedy are all struck with Spanish Influenza symptoms, and are moved to a local Seattle hospital.

All are reported to have fevers ranging between 101-105ºF.

In an attempt to continue the series, Kennedy asks permission to use players from the PCHA Victoria Aristocrats, but league president Frank Patrick denies the request. With no other choice, Game Six is cancelled and Kennedy cedes the series, and the Cup, to Seattle.

Mets manager/coach Pete Muldoon refuses to accept. In his mind, it was catastrophic illness that forced the series to a halt and not any fault of the Canadiens. It would be unsportsmanlike to accept a victory under these circumstances.

On April 5, 1919 “Bad” Joe Hall dies of flu-related pneumonia. Despite the nickname “Bad,” Hall was “one of the jolliest, best-hearted, most popular men who ever played,” according to Frank Patrick.

Lalonde, Berlinquette, Couture and McDonald all recover. Kennedy's condition declined so much his wife rushed from Montreal to his bedside. He never fully recovers and dies two years later.

When the Cup is redesigned in 1948, the space for the 1919 champion simply reads:

1919

Montreal Canadiens

Seattle Metropolitans

Series Not Completed

Until 2005, this was the only time in which a Stanley Cup champion was left undecided. In 1919, it was left undecided for all the right reasons.

Hockey, Boredom, and Facebook

Jennifer Conway — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:01:52 -0400

Hockey players have long road trips, have long breaks at home, and get bored. They also do some wacky stuff.

Sometimes, the weirdest goes public.

So what happens when a player gets bored, does something nutty, and lets a friend take pictures—who then decides to share on Facebook?

Unless they remember to make their photo album private, this happens.

It's not pretty.

Commodore has since removed the photo from public view. Unfortunately, it's all over the Internet now, and his mom has even seen it. She wasn't too happy.

In an interview with PuckDaddy, he explained that it was taken as a joke after he won a SuperBowl pool and not, as rumours had it, after he signed his big money contract.

You can read the entire interview here.

So let this be a lesson to us all about our friends and their photos of us. At the very least, be considerate and remember to wax first.

NHL Goalies Get Sane

Jennifer Conway — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:18:55 -0400

Gilles Gratton, aka Grattoony the Loony, was quite possibly the NHL's weirdest goalie.

He claimed to have been reincarnated several times, and that being a goalie was actually punishment for his sins in his past lives.

He once refused to play because the moon was in the wrong part of the sky, and spent most of 1976-77 season threatening to strip naked on ice in front of the fans. (For the record, he didn't follow through on that threat.)

As a rookie, Patrick Roy was asked why he had so many lucky bounces off of the goalposts. His answer: he talked to the goalposts before and during games. The posts were his friends. (Yes, he made a commercial joking about it. No, it's not on YouTube.)

That wasn't his only quirk, either. Roy refused to skate over any line on the ice and so had to step over them. He also had a pre-game routine composed of dozens of smaller rituals.

Gratton and Roy weren't the only oddball goalies, either:

Jacques Plante refused to spend time with his teammates, instead knitting in the locker room and his hotel room.
Glenn Hall threw up before every game and between periods, because "[w]hen I threw up, I felt like I was doing what I needed to do to prepare for the game. I felt that if I threw up, I played better." Upon finding out Hall would be inducted into the Hall of Fame, his teammates asked if Hall's bucket would be inducted too.
Darren Pang also threw up before every game, but not before putting on all of his equipment left side first and finishing his warm-up.
Tony Esposito created an imaginary crease around his equipment, and no one was allowed so much as accidentally bump any of his gear. He also would take all of his gear apart by hand and then put it back together.
Gary Smith insisted on showering between every single period.
Gump Worsley refused to wear a mask until near the end of his career. He said he didn't need a mask because his face was his mask.
Andy Aikenhead used to lock himself in a room for hours after every game, win or lose.
On game nights, Bernie Parent never left the locker room without first putting on his mask, and never took it off unless he was in the locker room. He would also sit below a miniature Stanley Cup and think about the night's opponents.
Martin Biron wore the same skates for over 12 years. They didn't have the same protection as more modern skates, so every day he'd have to use rolls of tape to achieve the protection needed.
Arturs Irbe refused to change his shin pads, wearing them almost continuously for 14 years. Another former goalie said, “I wouldn't wear those pads for a pick-up game,” but Irbe obviously felt they had mojo.
Dominic Hasek would arrange every item in his locker—right down to his nail clippers—and no one was allowed to touch or move anything.
Ed Belfour obsessed over his equipment. If he moved left to right to make a save and failed, he might sharpen his skates multiple times, or he might take his glove apart by hand and put it back together.

Goalies these days are, well, more normal than their counterparts of just 10 years ago, though there are a few oddballs left. Gone is the image of the goalie as the neurotic basket case—though I would argue having small rubber disks flying at you at speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour is a good basis for neurosis.

Coaches used to tell their players not to talk to the goalie. Once banished to their own little corner only to be called upon to stop the puck, they're now recognised as the key to any good team. (Or even a mediocre team. Just ask Roy.) A team's run to the playoffs now lives and dies with a goalie's performance.

Unlike the early days, goalies now have their own coaches. Instead of being used for merely target practice, they now work daily with a goaltending coach and have a conditioning routine specially designed for goalies. If they feel stressed out by their job, they can turn to the team psychologist.

Not only do goalies now have coaching and professional psychological support, they have another goalie to commiserate with. Unlike the early days, when a team only carried one netminder, each and every goalie is now guaranteed one teammate who understands what it's like to stand in front of something like Sheldon Souray's 100-mph slapshot. (My advice would be “duck,” but that's why I've never played in goal.)

Goalies now have someone else who needs the same workout and the same equipment. They are no longer completely isolated from the rest of their teammates. Much like Diana Ross, every goalie has backups. Except the goalies actually hang out together and tend to be nice to each other.

But I digress.

Now that goalies have gone from team nutcase to valued teammate (some achieve both), they are able to socialize more with the rest of the team, instead of being almost completely isolated and encouraged—or forced, take your pick—to stay isolated.

In fact, it's now necessary for a goalie to be liked and trusted by his teammates. As Darren Pang once observed, "As a goalie these days, you have to win a team over. You want to be liked/respected by the guys. You want the guys to follow you. You basically do things with them socially and do those little things. Then, when you go to the rink, you work your tail off. You give them no excuses not to play hard in front of you."

So now we enter the newest era of goaltending. Normal guys everywhere, performing the role of team saviour, and functioning as team good luck charms.

Goalies gone normal. Who knew such a thing was possible?

Robert Luongo Becomes Sixth Goalie Captain In NHL History

Jennifer Conway — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:47:25 -0400

Congratulations to Roberto Luongo, who has just been named captain of the Vancouver Canucks.

There's just one problem.

NHL Rule 14D states that “[n]o playing Coach or playing Manager or goalkeeper shall be permitted to act as Captain or Alternate Captain.”

The Canucks have thought of a solution though. Willie Mitchell will handle all of the captain's duties on ice—things like those little chats with the referee.

Those little chats are exactly why Rule 14D was created.

Before Luongo, there were only five other goalies to captain a team. More on that in a moment.

Back in the 1920s, the NHL wanted to make games more time efficient. Therefore, the NHL decreed that each team must designate a single player to talk to referees. The only problem was that if the captain wasn't on the ice, his team couldn't talk to the referee. Obviously, that didn't make a lot of coaches happy.

Thus, the first goalie captain was born. In 1923, John Ross Roach, aka “Little Napoleon,” was appointed captain of the Toronto St. Patricks by coach Eddie Powers. Based on his nickname, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess Roach wasn't a really popular guy with anyone.

Four more goalies soon followed suit—Roy “Shrimp” Worters, George Hainsworth, Alec “Fireman” Connell, and Charlie Gardiner. Gardiner was Chicago's captain when they won the Stanley Cup in 1934, and was the only goalie-captain to do so.

The last goalie to become captain was Montreal goalie Bill Durnan. He became captain in 1947-48 and he's the reason for Rule 14D. He spent so much time talking to refs that games actually got longer!

Also, that was the only season in Durnan's career that he didn't lead the league in goals-against average, and the only time he wasn't chosen for the All-Star game. He didn't win the Vezina trophy either—and as the final insult, Montreal didn't make the playoffs (also the only time in his career).

Good thing Willie Mitchell will handle all on-ice duties, huh?

Family Ties: The Montreal Canadiens Edition

Jennifer Conway — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 18:38:05 -0400

Perhaps the Habs just can't help it. They're the oldest team in the league and the most successful.

Les Glorieux.

Le Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Generations of little boys have dreamed of someday pulling on that jersey and stepping onto the ice.

And some families have made playing for the Canadiens a tradition.

The Morenz–Geoffrion clan have gone even a step beyond that. Ready for this one?

Canadiens tough guy Billy Coutu's sister-in-law was the mother of Howie Morenz's wife, Mary. Howie and Mary's daughter Marlene married Habs star and future Hall of Famer Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion.

Bernie and Marlene are the parents of Danny, who spent one season with the Habs. Danny’s son Blake is currently playing for the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was drafted by the Nashville Predators. If Blake plays in the NHL, he'll be the fourth generation of the Morenz-Geoffrion family to play professional hockey. Whether or not he plays for the Canadiens remains to be seen.

The Canadiens acknowledged the family relationship in a unique way during the retirement ceremony for Geoffrion's number. Morenz’s banner was lowered halfway to the ice and Geoffrion’s raised to meet it. The two banners were then raised the rest of the way together.

Without further ado, here are the rest of the family ties (the years played with the Canadiens are in parenthesis):

The Brothers

Georges (1910-1927) and Pierre Vezina (1911-1912) are generally accepted as the first siblings to play for the Canadiens. However, because it was the early wild days of the NHA, a lot of records are unclear or missing altogether. It is a certainty that Pierre was brought along to practice with the team; whether it was to prevent Georges from jumping to the PCHA or just a contract stipulation by Georges is unclear. There is a single reference to Pierre playing one game, but the entire time he was practising with the Canadiens he was still the property of Club de Hockey de Chicoutimi and was never signed to a contract with the Canadiens. First or not? I’ll let you decide.

Sprague (1921-25) and Odie (1918-25) Cleghorn won a Stanley Cup together in 1924 and 1925. Sprague was one of the most feared defenseman of his time, while Odie provided the offense. Close to the end, they died within days of each other.

Billy (1921-27) and Bobby (1923-24) Boucher only played one season together, but it was enough to get their names engraved on Lord Stanley's Cup.

Aurèle (1922-38) and René (one game, 1924-25) Joliat got to play just one professional game together.

Pit (1925-26 partial; 1926-1938) and Hec (1925-26) Lépine got to play on the same line during the 1925-26 season.

Georges (1928-41) and Sylvio (1923-36) Mantha demonstrated excellent versatility: they both played defense and right wing.

Jean (1935-36) and Conrad (1935-36) Bourcier will only be recognised by the most die-hard fans: Conrad only played six games and big brother Jean played nine.

Ken (1940-42; 1945-50) and Terry (1941-43) Reardon got to play together in 1941-42.

Maurice (1942-60) and Henri (1955-1975) Richard are arguably the most famous brothers in hockey, and the most successful Habs family, with 19 championship seasons between them.

Guy (1954-55; 1956-57), Roland (1952-53) and Bobby (1960-70) Rousseau all had success in the minor leagues, but only Bobby managed to consistently crack the Habs' lineup.

Keith (1961-62; 1964-65) and Bill (1962-63) McCreary Sr. just missed playing together.

Pete (1969-1978) and Frank (1970-1974) Mahovlich were yet another set of brothers to get their names on the Stanley Cup together, doing it in 1971 and 1973.

Larry (1972-91) and Moe Robinson (one game, 1979-80) got to play just one game together with the Habs.

Claude (1983-90) and Jocelyn (1988-90) Lemieux were both considered pests – loved by the fans, hated by the opposition.

Stephan (1988-94) and Patrick (1990-91) Lebeau were both successful in the AHL and QMJHL, but only Stephan had much success in the NHL.

Pierre (1994-97) and Sylvain (1990-92) Turgeon were two of the most popular French-speaking players in the 1990s.

Sergei (2007-present) and Andrei (2005-present) Kostitsyn are the Habs' current brother act.

Fathers and Sons

Emile (1941-1956) and Pierre (1970-78) Bouchard have a combined nine championships with Montreal.

Bernie “Boom Boom” (1950-64) and Danny (1979-80) Geoffrion had a slightly unusual situation: Danny's one season with the Habs was the one season Bernie was the coach (though Bernie had to resign half-way through the season due to health problems).

Grandfather and Grandson

Howie Morenz (1923-1934; 1936-37) and Danny Geoffrion (see above) – the complete story is above.

Uncles and Nephews

Larry Hillman (1968-69) and Brian Savage (1993-2002) are known for some pretty unique things: Larry is one of the most travelled players in league history and Brian scored the Canadiens’ first hat trick at the Bell Centre.

Christian (1968-70) and Sebastien (1995-98) Bordeleau were the only two members of the Bordeleau family to make the jump from the Canadiens' development system to the team.

In-laws

Howie Morenz (see above) and Billy Coutu (1916-20; 1921-26) have a family relationship that has created four generations of hockey players (see above).

Mark Napier (1978-85) and Pat Hughes (1977-79) are brothers-in-law who won two Cups together: one with Montreal and one with Edmonton.

Shayne Corson (1986-92; 1996-2000) and Darcy Tucker (1995-98) played together twice: first for the Canadiens and then the Leafs.

Runners-up

They came close, but it never quite happened for John Ferguson Sr. and son John Jr., who was drafted by the Canadiens, but never played a game for Montreal.

The reverse was true for Alain and Jean-Philippe Cote: Alain was drafted and never played for the Habs, while son Jean-Philippe made his Montreal debut in 2005.

There have been seventeen sets of brothers, two father/son combinations, one grandfather/grandson set, two uncle/nephew sets, and three sets of in-laws.

Remember, this is not a comprehensive list. Some other family connections are currently unconfirmed and therefore are not included on this list. There are family ties yet to be discovered and family ties yet to happen.

Now, if I could just get Sister Sledge's "We Are Family" out of my head...

Minnesota Wild Training Camp: Day Four, Part Two

Jennifer Conway — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:10:52 -0400

The Wild decided to give us a challenge with today's afternoon skate. All of the players—mostly veterans, with a few prospects thrown in—were wearing green, yellow, blue, grey, red or white jerseys with no numbers. The only certainty was blue=defense. From the pressbox, it was a "who's who?" guessing game at times.

Lemaire worked the players hard in the drills in his usual style, and as the practice went on, he appeared more and more frustrated, pointing and using his hands to show the players what they should be doing. After practice, he didn't appear much happier, commenting that the players wanted to be at home while he was trying to run his usual practice.

The prospects who were chosen for the afternoon practice seemed to fit in fairly well. GM Doug Risebrough was pleased with the prospects in training camp so far, although their high-quality performance means that the Wild's original plan of cutting down to around 30 guys today has been changed to the mid-40s instead.

“Aside from the NHL guys, Kolanos has probably shown us that he's had a good camp. He's shown consistency throughout the last three days. Mojzis I thought had a good camp. Kalus has played well, Hamilton has played well, Irmen has played well. I've been excited to see our prospects, our draft picks from last year, Cuma and Scandella develop and see how they've competed,” Risebrough said. “We've asked them to get noticed and they all got noticed.”

Thomas Mojzis, newly nicknamed “MoJo” by the press observing camp, seems to have a real chance at a spot on the Wild roster. Based on how Krys Kolanos continues to perform, he may begin the season on the Wild roster as well. Colton Gillies will be a nice addition to the checking line, and Danny Irmen may see some NHL time as a defensive forward as well.

During the playoffs last year, Lemaire said the Erik Reitz was not ready to make the jump to the NHL. When asked about that yesterday, he was quick to say that Reitz had performed well in the postseason, and that Reitz is more than ready.

Despite what I said earlier about not being certain Petr Kalus will crack the lineup, Risebrough seemed pleased with his performance so far. On a team that may prove to be thin offensively, it is very realistic for Kalus to see some NHL ice time.

So tomorrow's starting lines against Columbus will be:

Forwards
Brunette-Koivu-Miettinen
Gillies-Sheppard-Nolan
Hamilton-Kolanos-Irmen
Veilleux-Pouliot-Weller

Defense
Schultz-Johnsson
Bergeron-Zidlicky
Mojzis-Reitz

Goal
Backstrom
Brust

(Thanks to Michael Russo of Russo's Rants)

The team headed home to Minneapolis this afternoon, and so I will refer you to Brad Ratgen's blog over at HockeyBuzz.com for the details on the rest of training camp.

Minnesota Wild Training Camp: Day Four, Part One

Jennifer Conway — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:51:05 -0400

Mush day is over, and today's camp is make or break for the young guys. They know it, and they're pushing hard while the coaches observe from the stands. This morning's practice is just for prospects and tryouts. Personally, I'm rooting for Petr Kalus.

A soft-spoken forward from Ostrava, Czech Republic, Kalus doesn't think much about the pressure he was under as a Bruins prospect (drafted in 2005), or the pressure and scrutiny from being acquired in the Fernandez trade. “My goal this season—well, you'll see if it comes true yet this season. I don't know yet,” he said with a shrug.

He seemed to be running in high gear this morning, as he always does, demonstrating solid puck-handling skills and a willingness to drive to the net and post himself there to dig for rebounds.

He was willing to get physical, at one point laying the body on another player so hard the momentum carried him forward and he nearly landed on his face. He was also willing to ask the coaches for direction, which no doubt has been noted by Lemaire.

Kalus is a very fast skater who possesses a great wrist shot, good ice vision, and is a serious threat in one-on-one situations. If he doesn't make the team—and I'm not completely certain he will—he ought to be one of the top call-ups from the Aeros.

Krys Kolanos will more than likely be starting the season with the Houston Aeros, and ought to be the go-to guy if there are any injuries to a forward, simply because he is an NHL veteran, having played 115 games with the Oilers and Coyotes.

There's a big guy attracting a little attention as well. John Scott is 6'8" and 247 pounds, which makes him an inch taller than current team-terror Derek Boogaard. Based on what I've seen so far, he'll make a great offensive defenseman.

It looks like goalie Nolan Schaefer will be with the Aeros as well, though the coaching staff are quick to remind everyone that there's never a guarantee who'll have the No. 2 spot behind Backstrom. Goalie coach Bob Mason said, "Somebody's got to come take it from him (Harding). It's a competition, you know. They're competing big-time for these positions. Josh has got it, and these guys want it."

It's important to note, though, that Harding has a one-way contract, so he would have to be placed on waivers to make room for the new No. 2. It's also possible that the Wild will dangle Harding as part of a trade package.

As for the other two goalies at camp—Barry Brust and Anton Khudobin—it's a toss-up as to who will be where.

Brust is a journeyman goalie who saw NHL action in eleven games for L.A. and currently plays for the Houston Aeros behind Nolan Schaefer. He had decent numbers, going 24-16-3 in 43 games with a 2.27 GAA. He spent the summer in Minnesota training primarily for speed. He lost some weight and feels good about his chances this season. "I just want a couple more guys to notice me this year, and hopefully it will all work out," he said after this morning's skate.

Anton Khudobin was with the Texas Wildcatters of the ECHL last season, going 20-1-4 with a 1.98 GAA. He put in an excellent performance at the prospects tournament as well, and could be a strong challenger to Schaefer and Brust.

My predictions of who will make the first cut:

Clayton Stoner
Danny Irmen
Cal Clutterbuck
Jesse Schultz
Corey Locke
Petr Kalus
Peter Olvecky
Nolan Schaefer
John Scott
Ryan Hamilton
Bryan Lundbohm
Brandon Rogers
Carson McMillan
Matt Kassian
Tyler Cuma

The list of players for the morning practice omitted Tomas Mojzis, Krys Kolanos, and Colton Gillies, which means they'll be in practice with the veterans in the second session.

Minnesota Wild: Notes From Training Camp

Jennifer Conway — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:06:05 -0400

Yesterday, Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said he expected today to be better than the previous two days of camp.

Today is the third day, traditionally known as “mush day” and it shows. Players were skating at half-speed, and the drills along the boards weren't anything special.

When Lemaire was asked again, he said, “I'll be even happier tomorrow.” That doesn't bode terribly well for today's performance.

Although Fargo native Danny Irmen looked good in scrimmage yesterday, in one-on-one drills today he seemed exhausted. He battled well to take the puck away, but he couldn't seem to defend it when he had possession. Irmen is in his third Wild camp, and looked better than he has the past two years, according to Risebrough.

The afternoon scrimmage was between Team Honesty and Team Preparation (great names huh?). Team Honesty won 6-3. It was mostly a half-hearted effort, but there were some great plays and a little teasing. Colton Gillies was awarded a penalty shot in the scrimmage and after a save by Backstrom, one of the other players called out, “Welcome to the NHL.”

Mikko Koivu was looking very sharp on the ice, making plays and demonstrating a great sense of position. It appears he has a greater level of confidence in himself compared to last season. When I asked him after the scrimmage if he was feeling pressure to produce more this season, his answer was a quick no.

Nolan appeared to be right at home with his new team, though in the scrimmage he didn't make a whole lot of effort until he wanted, and then he made some pretty plays.

Petr Kalus, a much-touted draft pick acquired from Boston in the Manny Fernandez trade, says he's worked hard in the offseason and feels optimistic about making the team this year. It showed today as well, as he played feistily in the scrimmage—and even got a little physical.

The team heads home tomorrow afternoon to prepare for their first preseason game.

Stanley Cup Champions: The Kenora Thistles, the Little Town That Could

Jennifer Conway — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:46:34 -0400

The small town of Kenora, Ontario (then-population 4,000) revolutionized hockey at the turn of the 20th century. In a time when hockey followed rugby’s rules, which prevented forward passing, the Kenora Thistles mastered a speedy dump-and-chase style, complete with precision passing.

“The Thistles, by skating fast, turned the game wide open, and by 1903, every senior team in the country had changed to that pleasing style,” Fred “Cyclone” Taylor said.

The Thistles, who just five years earlier had been a schoolboy team, had the audacity to challenge the powerful Montreal Wanderers for Lord Stanley’s Cup in a two-game, total-goal series.

This was their third attempt to win the Cup, but this time they had five future Hall of Famers in their lineup. (Another future Hall of Famer, “Bad” Joe Hall, was on the roster but did not play in either game.)

The third time truly was the charm for the Thistles.

On Jan. 17, 1907, Billy McGimsie, Tom Phillips, Tom Hooper, Si Griffis, and Art Ross all helped lead the Thistles to a 4-2 win in Montreal’s packed Westmount arena. Tom Phillips scored all four goals for Kenora in the upset victory.

The second game on Jan. 21 was a decidedly more physical affair. In their attempts to slow the speedy Kenora players, the Wanderers racked up 55 penalty minutes to Kenora’s 30. Unable to overcome the penalties, the Wanderers lost the game 8-6 and the Thistles won the series 12-8.

Kenora accomplished two things with their championship: They were—and remain—the smallest town to ever win the Stanley Cup, and they were the last amateur team to do so.

Unfortunately, the Thistles only managed to hang onto the Cup for about two months.

In an acrimonious two-game, total-goal series filled with accusations of ringers that made the front pages of newspapers, and was even discussed in Parliament (Kenora had recruited two more future Hall of Famers from Ottawa—Alf Smith and Harry Westwick), the Wanderers reclaimed hockey’s Holy Grail from Kenora, winning 12-8.

Shortly after that magical run to the Stanley Cup, many of the core players retired or were lured east by promises of big money. The team never recovered, and became a senior team, which it is to this day.

Ray Emery: Senators' Clock is Ticking

Jennifer Conway — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:21:41 -0400

The clock is now ticking on Ray Emery's career in Ottawa. Senators GM Bryan Murray has 48 hours from tonight's Detroit victory to buy out Emery’s contract.

Because Emery doesn't turn 26 until September, the buyout cost for his contract is only one-third of the $6.75 million remaining on his contract.

League sources say that Murray is trying to exhaust the other options before buying out the contract, but it does not look good. Because of the publicity surrounding Emery, both on-ice and off, as well as a lackluster performance (a 3.13 GAA and .890 save percentage), Emery’s career in the NHL is now endangered.

Although one or two teams may have some mild interest in Emery, it is unlikely they’ll be willing to accept the issues that accompanied Emery’s performance last year. The other reason a trade is unlikely is that any interested team will also likely want another player or draft pick thrown into the deal.

"The Senators need to move on from him. Sure, a team might take a shot if the Senators put him on waivers and then bring him back on re-entry, because then Ottawa would be on the hook for half his salary. He's probably going to (be) bought out and then accept a two-way contract," said one league source.

If Murray passes on this buy-out opportunity, then the team must wait until the buyout period, set for June 15-30.

The question then becomes who will take on Emery? Or will he be forced to accept a two-way contract that guarantees a stay in the AHL?

More importantly, who will replace him?

Tick...tock...

An Ode to Hockey Moms

Jennifer Conway — Sat, 10 May 2008 20:09:32 -0400

For those of you who had one:

For all the years she got up at 4 AM. or sacrificed her evenings to take you to practice without complaint;

For all the years she cleverly tightened the family budget without anyone noticing, so you could play;

For all the years she attended every game humanly possible and remembered every moment you were on the ice;

Be sure to call her and say thanks for all her hard work.

And if you aren’t sure you know or had a true hockey mom...

Top 10 Ways to Spot a Hockey Mom

10. She thinks anything televised would be a lot more interesting if checking were allowed.

9. She owns a cat named Zamboni or Gretzky.

8. She's trying to figure out how to introduce her daughter to Sidney Crosby.

7. She's found a way to work broken $200 hockey sticks into her home décor and/or sellable art.

6., She says she's sending her kids to the penalty box instead of putting them in time-outs.

5. She buys Car Jar air fresheners by the case and knows every way possible of getting bloodstains out.

4. In the back of her van, she carries a fleece blanket and a winter coat — in August.

3. She has the numbers of the dentist and orthodontist on speed dial, and the emergency room nurses know her on a first-name basis.

2. She knows where you can buy the best coffee and rolls at 4:30 AM. She also knows where to get skates sharpened at that hour.

1. The bruise on her hand comes from banging on the glass along the boards.

Greatest NHL Playoff Moments: Bobby Orr Carries 1970 Bruins to Stanley Cup

Jennifer Conway — Sat, 03 May 2008 17:15:38 -0400

May 10, 1970. A fan sitting behind the Blues’ goal is holding a sign that says “Happy Mother’s Day, Mrs. Orr.” Bobby’s mother has traveled to Boston from her home in Canada for this game.

The series between Boston and St. Louis hadn’t been much of a challenge for Boston, having won the previous games by 6-1, 6-1, and 4-1.

The Game Four scoring opens with Rick Smith beating Blues goalie Glenn Hall. Late in the period, Red Berenson ties the score for the Blues.

Gary Sabourin puts St. Louis ahead in the second, but Phil Esposito answers back with his 13th goal of the playoff series, breaking the record set by Maurice Richard in 1944 and tied by Jean Beliveau in 1956.

Larry Keenan gives the Blues a 3-2 edge in the first minute of the third and the pressure is on for the Bruins.

In front of 14,385 fans and a national TV audience, the Bruins desperately want to win the series at home.

Finally, John Bucyk, who has been a Bruin since 1957, forces overtime with a tip-in at the 13:48 mark and the crowd goes crazy.

Forty seconds into sudden death overtime, Bobby Orr takes a pass from Derek Sanderson and knocks in the game-winner. Just after he shoots, Noel Picard hooks Orr’s skate and Orr goes flying.

For a moment forever captured in time, Bobby Orr really is Superman.

Note: this is part two of the Greatest Playoff Moments series. Read part one here.

Greatest Playoff Moments: Rocket's Most Heroic Goal

Jennifer Conway — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:47:05 -0400

It is April 8, 1952. The Montreal Canadiens have forced this Game 7 in the semi-finals against the Boston Bruins.

For Montreal, the most important event in the world is happening at the Forum.

The game is tough because this is a great rivalry escalated by the Game 7 atmosphere. Boston has done everything they can to shut down Rocket Richard and the Canadiens have replied in kind.

Everyone is bruised and tired.

Big Boston defenceman Leo Labine smashes into Rocket Richard in the second period. Stunned, the Rocket falls to his knees. Bill Quackenbush knees Rocket in the head and Rocket is spread-eagle on the ice. Roch Carrier, author of Our Life With the Rocket, described it best:

“The Rocket collapses onto his back, spread-eagled, arms outstretched. Fans think of the crucified Christ. At this time of year, in the Catholic province of Quebec, thoughts are on Good Friday, the day when Christ died on the cross. The silence in the Forum is distressing. The people would like to get down on their knees. Easter, the day of His resurrection isn’t far away either…Suddenly the Rocket moves. The crowd explodes. Christ is resurrected!”

Rocket, his face bloody and his body being supported by the team doctor, makes his way to the clinic to thunderous applause. The doctor says he ought to go to the hospital. Rocket refuses. He gets the necessary six stitches and wants to get back to the bench. He has no memory of what just happened.

Back on the bench, Rocket asks the score. 1-1 is the reply. Moments later, he’s forgotten again. His vision is blurry and he’s obviously dazed.

There’s four minutes left in the third. If the Canadiens don’t win, they’ll be eliminated. Once again, the Rocket asks the score. Once again he’s told it’s a tie. He wants to score the goal the Canadiens need. He goes over the boards and into the game.

Play is in the Canadiens’ zone. Behind the goal, Butch Bouchard snatches the puck from Woody Dumart. He looks up and sees Rocket on the ice. Surprised, Bouchard passes the puck to him. Rocket takes off for the Bruins’ zone.

In his way are Quackenbush and Bob Armstrong. Quackenbush won’t give up, even though he’s skating backwards. Rocket has drifted too far and can't shoot. Instead of heading behind the net, he surprises the big defenceman by turning and heading to the front of the net. Boston goalie “Sugar Jim” Henry prepares himself.

The Rocket takes his time preparing his shot. The Bruins begin crowding him. He pushes them out of his way with one hand while he stick-handles the puck with the other.

Waiting patiently, he sees his opening.

Rocket Richard shoots.

The crowd explodes.

“Halte la, halte la, halte la, les Canadiens sont la!” they chant. They think the Canadiens will win the Cup this year.

After the game he shakes hands with the Bruins. Someone captures him shaking hands with Sugar Jim, Jim with two black eyes and Richard with blood on his face and jersey. It later becomes one of the most iconic images of hockey.

With his face still bloody, Maurice Richard makes his way to the locker room. He still can’t remember the score.

In the locker room, his father Onesime is waiting. Maurice collapses on the bench. His father puts his hand on Maurice’s shoulder and suddenly the Rocket is sobbing uncontrollably.

Despite Rocket’s heroic goal and the team's best efforts, the Canadiens lose to the Red Wings in the finals, but that Game 7 of the semi-finals is what the fans remember most from that season. It is one of the shining moments of the Rocket's career.

Remembering the Ottawa Senators, Professional Hockey's First Dynasty

Jennifer Conway — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:45:43 -0400

Long before Montreal, Toronto, or Detroit, the Ottawa Senators won three Stanley Cups in four seasons, making them professional hockey’s earliest dynasty.

Unfortunately, hockey’s earliest dynasty has been forgotten.

No one remembers the exploits of players like Jack Darragh, or the craziness of the 1926-27 Stanley Cup Finals. In fact, the 1995 National Hockey League Stanley Playoffs Fact Guide listed the Ottawa Senators as one of the teams that “have not appeared in the Stanley Cup playoffs.”

Once upon a time, the Ottawa Senators were nicknamed the "Silver Seven," because teams put seven men on the ice at a time, including a “rover.”

When the NHA—the NHL's forerunner—eliminated the rover before the 1911-12 season, the Sens became known as the "Silver Six" instead. By that time, they’d already won the Stanley Cup four years running, from 1902-03 to 1905-06.

Ottawa also won the championships in 1906 and 1909 as a member of the Eastern Canadian Hockey Association. In 1910 the NHA was formed, and Ottawa continued assembling their championship resume as they won yet another Cup in 1910.

Despite the uncertainties of teams folding, teams starting, owner in-fighting, and World War I, the Senators obtained some of the greatest players in the early era of professional hockey.

Frank Nighbor, Jack Darragh, Harry “Punch” Broadbent, Art Ross, Cy Denneny, and Sprague Cleghorn all played for Ottawa. Owner Frank Ahearn had assembled a team of hometown heroes.

The Senators won their first NHL-era Cup in 1920 after beating the Seattle Metropolitans. After Game 4, in which the Senators were beaten 5-2, Jack Darragh declared, “I’ve had enough hockey for this winter. You will have to get along without me in the final game.” He then promptly called a cab and headed home, but was convinced to return in time for the final game.

They won again in 1921 after beating the Vancouver Millionaires, but after this victory the team lost several of its stars.

Jack Darragh decided to retire. Frank Gorman didn’t want to deal with Cleghorn anymore, so Cleghorn walked away and was assigned to play for the Hamilton Tigers. Cleghorn was then traded to Montreal and famously vowed revenge.

But as the Senators lost or traded these stars, they also signed two rookies who would go on to have stellar careers: Frank “King” Clancy and Frank Boucher, though Boucher was traded after the 1922 season.

The Senators won yet again in 1923. This was the first time in NHL history that brothers squared off against each other in a Stanley Cup final. Not only were Cy and Corb Denneny on opposing sides, but George and Frank Boucher as well.

Jack Darragh decided to come out of retirement for the 1922-23 season. He played on that championship team, played one more season, and retired once more. He did not get to enjoy that retirement much. In July 1924, he died of peritonitis.

By the time Ottawa claimed another Cup victory in 1927, the lineup had changed again. This time, they had Jack Adams, Hooley Smith, and Hec Kilrea in addition to Nighbor, Denneny, and Clancy.

The 1926-27 Stanley Cup finals were intense. In the final game, neither team could score in the first. Ottawa went up two goals in the second and Boston answered with one. Denneny put another one in the net in the third for the game-winner and the game ended in a brawl.

Hooley Smith inexplicably went after Boston's Harry Oliver, which brought Eddie Shore to Oliver's defense. Boston's Lionel Hitchman took on Buck Boucher and after the game officially ended, Boston's Billy Couture attacked both of the on-ice officials.

When the dust settled, League president Frank Calder (who witnessed the fray from his rink-side box) fined Hooley Smith $100 and suspended him for the first month of the next season. Hitchman and Boucher each received a $50 fine, and Boston's Jimmy Herbests was fined $50 for intimidating a referee. Billy Couture was banned for life.

Despite their all-star lineup and winning ways, the team never really made much money. Even in a winning season like 1926-27, the Senators lost $50,000. Frank Ahearn began selling off players to compensate.

The team’s winning ways slowed, then stopped altogether.

In the 1930-31 season, the Senators won just ten games. The following year, team operations were suspended.

The team was resurrected in 1932, but finished last in the 1932-33 and 1933-34 seasons. In the middle of the 1934-35 season, the team relocated to St. Louis and became known as the Eagles. That season, they only won 11 of 48 games. At the end of the season, the team folded and it was the official end of the Senators.

Fifty-five years later, in December of 1990, the NHL board of governors met to hear pitches for the first expansion teams since the admittance of ex-WHA teams in 1979. One of the contenders for a new franchise was Ottawa.

To make sure the league understood just how serious Ottawa was, they brought along the last surviving player of the original Senators: Frank “Shawville Express” Finnigan. Frank was 87 at the time, and his mind was still as sharp as ever. He cornered then-president John Ziegler at a function and instructed Ziegler to give Ottawa a franchise.

“You’re going to give those boys in Ottawa a chance,” Frank declared.

The next day, Ziegler did just that. Once again the Senators were back in the league, beginning with the 1992-93 season.

The NHL's New Dress Code

Jennifer Conway — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:36:22 -0400

It appears now that while the rest of the league is discussing things like hits from behind and no-touch icing, our commissioner, the ingenious Gary Bettman, is worried about enforcing an on-ice dress code.

Ovechkin’s tinted visor? Gone.

The patented Gretzky jersey tuck? Retired along with his number.

If approved, players will not be allowed to wear long strings on their pants, any colour tape but the dominant team colour, laces must be white or the dominant team colour, and players will not be allowed to cut or zip the inner leg of their breezers.

This is just a part of the proposed code.

Why? Well the ultimate plan is to give Reebok exclusivity for player apparel 90 minutes before the game and continuing until 90 minutes after the game.

Does this mean Shanahan will be forced to stop giving interviews in those suspenders? Will every player look exactly alike before, during and after a game?

It's just another marketing ploy by our beloved and oh-so-brilliant commish.

In attempting to market the game, Bettman has really been pushing certain players as the face of the game. In order to sell that, fans want and need to be able to see player personalities and individuality on the ice.

It’s hard enough to track fast-moving players, why turn them into clones?

Not having a dress code is what makes hockey different from baseball and football. Instead of preserving and celebrating this, we’re getting a one-size-fits-all approach, all for the sake of an endorsement.

Individualism and iconic images; gone for the sake of the commissioner’s desire for more money.

Alexei Kovalev: The Next Canadien To Win the Conn Smythe?

Jennifer Conway — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:38:06 -0400

In 1994, a scheduling snafu prevented Alexei Kovalev from having his day with the Stanley Cup. Will he get another chance this year?

If he does, he just might become the 10th Canadiens player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.

He’s got a lot of raw talent. Some have accused him of never actually converting that talent to NHL games. Others blame his work ethic as well. Whatever the reasons, when he has his mind on the game, he’s a force to be reckoned with.

Especially in the playoffs.

In 1998, after earning only 46 points in 63 games, Kovalev stepped up in the playoffs with 12 points in 10 games.

Again in the 2003-2004 season, Kovalev broke out with six goals and 10 points in 11 playoff games with Montreal.

This year, his game has found a new level. He’s currently occupying the last spot on the top 100 all-time NHL scorers list after scoring 35 goals on a line with Andrei Kostitsyn and Tomas Plekanec. Who knows what he can do this postseason?

Yes, he’s had lackluster years and his share of controversy, especially after comments he supposedly made to a Russian reporter last year.

This season, though, he’s redeemed himself. He won the Molson Cup for the year, after winning the segments from November to February. He’s 11th in the league with 84 points and he did not miss a single game this season.

Most importantly, he’s wearing the “C” with pride and leading the team after Saku Koivu’s injury. He’s matured enough to know what kind of responsibility he now has.

The fact he can do this doesn’t hurt either.

Or this.

Trevor Linden: Farewell to Captain Canuck

Jennifer Conway — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 20:35:02 -0400

The best thing about Trevor Linden is that he always plays his "'A" game. He is intense, focused and one of the most respected players both on and off the ice.

Before he was drafted second overall by the Canucks in 1988, Linden led the Medicine Hat Tigers to two consecutive championships. He also played a major part in the 1988 gold medal win for the Canadian Junior team.

In his first season as a Canuck, he was tied for the team lead in scoring and his 59 points were good enough for second on the team. He was voted team MVP, the first rookie to be so honoured. He was only 18. He also won the Molson Cup for the most three-star selections and was chosen by The Hockey News as the Rookie of the Year, even though he came in second to Brian Leetch for the Calder Trophy. He also scored seven points in a seven game loss to the eventual Cup winning Flames.

By his third season, he was sharing a rotating captaincy and made his first All-Star appearance. By 21, he was sole team captain, and again, the team scoring leader.

In 1994, despite a mediocre year, the Canucks made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, only to lose in seven games to the New York Rangers. Linden scored both goals in Game Seven's 3-2 loss and he led the team in playoff points.

Between October 4, 1990 and December 3, 1996 Linden played 482 consecutive games, which was the longest streak in the NHL at that time. During the 1996-97 season Linden was also rewarded with the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his humanitarian efforts.

When Messier and Keenan came to Vancouver, the situation quickly went downhill. In the tradition of a true leader more concerned about the team than his own ego, he handed over the captainship to Messier before the season started.

After being humiliated by Keenan in front of the team, Linden was traded to the Islanders. After only four games in an Islanders uniform, he was given the captaincy.

Though he struggled through injuries and several trades, he still persevered and often was close to the top in scoring when healthy.

After being traded back to Vancouver, it was almost as if he’d never left. He admitted that the night before his first game back in a Vancouver uniform, he couldn’t sleep because he was so excited. His deep attachment to the city and long history of community service has made him one of the most beloved Canucks players. Although he hasn’t worn the “C” in Vancouver since 1997, he is still affectionately referred to as “Captain Canuck.”

Linden founded “Captain’s Kids” to give kids who would otherwise never have the opportunity to see a Canucks game. He’s a big supporter of Canuck Place Hospice, the Ronald McDonald House, Youth Against Violence, and the Children’s Hospital. He won the Gillette World Champion award in 1996, which is given to the Canadian athlete who best demonstrates athletic excellence, sportsmanship and humanitarian efforts.

All told, he’s won Vancouver’s MVP (the Cyclone Taylor Award) four times, the Molson Cup twice, and the Vancouver team leading scorer (the Cyrus H. McLean Trophy) award. He’s had six 30 goal seasons and been an All-Star twice.

He’s never been the best scorer, or the best skater, but he always does the little things right because the little things win or lose a game. Linden’s a big game player, one who knows that games are won and lost on defensive discipline and physical yet unspectacular plays. He always plays with heart and determination. He’s a hockey player’s player.

It’s obvious that he’s very loved and admired not only in Vancouver, but throughout the league. Tonight, at the beginning of the third period, he got a standing ovation. In a very classy move, the Flames players all backed away and gave him center ice. The Flames players on the bench were all banging their sticks against the boards as well in that time-honoured sign of approval.

After the game, Linden was given a standing ovation, and the Flames players, led by Jarome Iginla, all made sure to shake hands with him. Flames players even came out of the locker room to say good bye.

It’s the perfect farewell for one of hockey’s classiest guys. Although he hasn’t and won’t yet make an official declaration, it only seems appropriate to say:

Goodbye Captain Canuck. You’ll be missed.

Dear Red Wings: Raise No. 6 to the Rafters

Jennifer Conway — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:37:59 -0400

Ever noticed that no Red Wings player wears No. 6 and yet the number isn't hanging from the rafters?

Here's the reason why.

Larry Aurie was a scrappy little right winger from Sudbury, Ontario who played eleven seasons in the NHL, all of them for Detroit. Nicknamed “Little Dempsey” for his ability to fight, he can be compared today to Theo Fleury with his absolute focus on the game and feisty desire to just play. Another reason to compare him to Fleury: Larry Aurie was just 5 foot 6 inches and about 140 pounds.

Aurie played through those lean years before the Red Wings were called the Red Wings. (Before 1932, the Detroit team was first known as the Cougars, then the Falcons.) A fan, team and owner favourite, Aurie was the Red Wings’ first captain in 1932.

Once Aurie became captain, the team took off. In the 1933-34 season the Red Wings finished first in their division. They then pulled off a huge upset by beating the Maple Leafs to advance to the finals where they lost to the Blackhawks.

That same year Aurie led the league in playoff scoring with ten points in nine games, as well as being a top three scorer in the league and leading his team in scoring. He also was selected to play in an All-Star game that year.

Although the team missed the playoffs the next season, they made some trades and in 1935-36, the trio of Aurie, Marty Barry and Herbie Lewis led the team to their first ever Stanley Cup.

Aurie’s best season was 1936-37, when he led the league in goals (23 in 45 games) and was Detroit’s first All-Star on the First All-Star team (there were only six players total named to the First All-Star team). Despite the fact that Aurie missed the latter part of the season with a broken ankle, the Wings managed a repeat Cup win.

Aurie was never quite the same after the broken ankle. He played one more season and retired in the summer of 1938. He came out of retirement for one last game in 1938-39, and in his typical hard-working fashion scored the game-winning goal.

All told, he played 513 games, making 153 goals and 138 assists for 291 points. He also racked up 289 penalty minutes. Although those numbers are not impressive by today’s standards, they were fairly remarkable for a time with no forward passing and when the regular season was only 45 games.

Years later teammate Carl Liscombe remembered the diminutive 5-foot-6 winger: "Aurie would fight a tiger to win and was a damn good hockey player. He was very small, only 145 pounds, but very strong. He would stand in front of the net and take on players 50 to 60 pounds heavier and handled it well. Much like (Dino) Ciccarelli, only Larry could fight. He would drop his stick at the drop of a hat." Despite being one of the smallest players ever, he was without a doubt also one of the toughest of the era.

Aurie’s intense end-to-end selfless play probably cost him higher numbers, but he ought to be remembered as Detroit’s first star player. He captained the team to two Stanley Cups and was an All-Star on two different occasions.

Team owner James Norris officially retired Aurie’s No. 6 in 1938. His jersey was even displayed in the Olympia arena until the 1960s. The Official NHL Guide listed Aurie’s number as retired until 2000-01, when current owner Mike Ilitch ordered it removed – without explanation. What reason could Ilitch have for denying him this honour? To date he has refused to give any reason whatsoever.

Aurie’s family attempted to have his number hung from the rafters without success. The Red Wings decided to "keep the number out of circulation to respect the memory of Aurie. It was discussed and determined by the Red Wings that the jersey will not be hung up.”

"Not hanging up Larry's number would be compared to the Yankees' not retiring Lou Gehrig's number, just because he was from the 1930s and now forgotten just because it's all old stuff now," said Cummy Burton. "It's like saying that war heroes don't mean anything, just because they're not around anymore." Burton, a former Detroit Red Wing, was also Aurie's nephew.

He has an excellent point. The pioneers of the game ought to be remembered and honoured. Without them, the game and the teams could easily have faded away into just another footnote. The teams of today are built on the legacy of hard work of men like Larry Aurie. Without them, there would be no records, no milestones for players to aspire to.

Larry Aurie stuck with the Detroit NHL team through the earliest, most miserable years. He could have asked for a trade, to go somewhere more successful. He didn’t. He could have walked away from the team when his contract expired. He didn’t. Unfortunately, the team hasn’t stuck with him.

Let’s not walk away like Ilitch seems to have done. Let’s not walk away from the memories of men like Larry Aurie. Let’s make sure he gets the recognition he deserves.

There’s currently an on-line petition asking the Red Wings to officially raise Larry Aurie’s No. 6 at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/larry-aurie-to-the-rafters.html. So far, it hasn’t had a lot of success. Add your name and spread the word. Let’s prove that we hockey fans are truly passionate about players from every era of the game and honouring the memory of pioneers.

Canucks-Wild: Minnesota Back On Top

Jennifer Conway — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 06:02:50 -0400

The Wild seem to have their confidence back. They beat Vancouver handily last night 4-0 and pushed the Canucks out of the last spot.

Although they can secure a spot in the play-offs with one more win, they want more than that. They have a three point led over the Flames with only three games left. The Flames have five.

"We believe we're in good shape, but things happen," Mikko Koivu said.

Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored a power play goal with help from a screen by Aaron Voros. Bouchard’s slapshot went high over Luongo’s stick at 11:37 in the first.

The Wild then scored at even strength at 17:21 on a Koivu wrister with the assist going to Rolston.

The Wild scored twice more in the second, another even strength goal by Brent Burns and a man advantage goal by Todd Fedoruk. Fedoruk's goal started out as a breakway by Gaborik, who slowed just long enough for Fedoruk to position himself. Gaborik then made a perfect pass to Fedoruk, who put the puck in over Luongo.

Luongo, who flew into Minnesota after the birth of his daughter, was pulled after Fedoruk’s goal.

Perhaps the most memorable moment in the game was the third period melee that resulted in seven penalties for the Canucks and nine for the Wild.

After the game Bouchard joked that maybe he ought to attend Derek Boogaard’s summer fighting camp. It was Bouchard’s career first major for fighting.

Alex Burrows began the fight by spearing Bouchard near the blue line, resulting in an intent to injure match penalty that may also get him suspended, depending on league review.

Burrows and Bouchard are summertime neighbours in Quebec and have had an on-ice feud for two years running. Burrows denied spearing Bouchard after the game. Bouchard retaliated with a slash (another major). Both player then dropped their gloves.

Derek Boogaard took on Jeff Cowan and Brent Burns then used Nathan McIver’s head as a punching bag. Todd Fedoruk took McIver down.

"It was like a playoff game. We played as a team and we stuck up for each other," Bouchard said.

The only thing standing between the Wild and the play-offs is one point. The only way the team will miss the play-offs is if they lose all three of their final games while both Nashville and Vancouver win all four of their remaining games.

Game notes: Kurtis Foster is now in a Minneapolis hospital to continue treatment and therapy. There is no timetable for his return...Luongo was pulled for the second time in two games. He’s given up nine goals in 45 minutes…It was the fourth shutout of the season for Backstrom, who posted a franchise record with his 31st win…Bouchard (first goal in 20 games) and Koivu (first in 11) broke scoring droughts.

Minnesota Wild: Not So Wild

Jennifer Conway — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:05:40 -0400

The Oilers are a team on the edge. They know they can still make a run at the play-offs. They’re hungry for it.

The Wild have been the division leader, or close to it for a while now. They feel confident they’re going to make the play-offs.

The Wild lost to Edmonton last night 5-3. They were badly outplayed. Granted, it was the fourth and final game of their four game road trip, but it’s play-off time and with the Northwest Division so tight, they can’t afford this type of play anymore.

The Wild have given up ten goals in the last two games. Their record for this road trip stands at 1-2-1. The Wild now have a one point lead over Calgary, and are three points ahead of Vancouver and Colorado. However, the Flames have one game in hand and the Canucks have two.

This can’t be all blamed on the defense’s struggle either. True, they are down to six defensemen, as I discussed recently, but the offense needs to do its part as well. What we witnessed last night in Edmonton was the furthest thing from a Wild game.

Edmonton skated through the Wild neutral zone trap as if it wasn’t there. In the first shift, the Wild turned over the puck three times and Edmonton scored three goals on four attempts in the first five minutes of the game, which resulted in Backstrom being pulled in favor of Harding. After Harding gave up a particularly soft goal by Kyle Brodzniak, Backstrom was back in goal.

Usually, Brian Rolston can be counted on for a point a game. He’s been shut out lately. The big scorers (Koivu, Demitra, Gaborik) have also been quiet. Check the stats sheets from the past few games and you see the other guys making the goals. Obviously, the second and third lines are trying to step up. That’s great, but the team desperately needs to be running at full offensive throttle.

The Wild have had eight power play opportunities in the last two games and did not manage a power play goal. Although they only took three penalties last night, all three were bad penalties and sloppy play.

A few weeks ago the veteran players asked Lemaire for optional rather than mandatory practices. He agreed. However, last night he called the team out. “We played a little bit in the third because some of the guys were upset and they had to do something. Besides that, forget it. Not ready to play,” he said.

NHL: Minnesota Wild Defense Struggling

Jennifer Conway — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 10:59:13 -0400

The Minnesota Wild are in defensive trouble.

True, they’re first in the Northwest Division, but at this moment, it’s a one-point lead over Calgary, and Vancouver is only three points behind.

The Wild lost nine of twelve, between Feb. 19 and March 13, but they are 3-2 in their last five games, so there may be hope yet.

Wild fans were hoping that this was the year their team, gets closer than ever, to the Cup.

Then, the parade of injuries started. Gaborik missed most of last season due to groin injuries, but to the great relief of fans, that hasn’t been an issue this season.

· Mikko Koivu missed 24 games with a broken leg.

· Derek Boogaard missed 15 games with a back injury, then another 22 games with another back injury.

· Demitra missed nine games with a groin injury.

· Eric Belanger has missed seven games so far this month with a broken toe.

Petteri Nummelin has missed eight games with a groin injury.

The picture isn't pretty.

Right now, Kurtis Foster is the latest injured player.

In a race for the puck against San Jose defenseman, Torrey Mitchell, Foster crashed headfirst into the boards. He had surgery to insert a steel rod to correct a displaced fracture of the femur. Obviously, he’s done for the season.

So what does this mean for the Wild and their defense in particular, in these final crucial games?

The answer: An awful lot.

The Houston Aeros’ (the Wild’s AHL affiliate), top scorer, defenseman, Erik Reitz, has an ankle injury.

What about the other Houston Aeros defensemen? “Forget about it,” Coach Jacques Lemaire says.

That leaves, Brent Burns, Nick Schultz, Martin Skoula, Kim Johnsson, Keith Carney and Sean Hill.

Carney and Hill have had limited ice time (when they even make the lineup, that is).

Carney has been a scratch 19 times. Hill was suspended 19 games, scratched 18, and missed ten because of an ankle injury.

Hill, who finished third in the NHL last season, with 252 hits and 6th with 202 blocked shots, has struggled this season. He has a team worst, minus-15 in only 27 games. In the past six games, he’s minus-8.

Last Thursday he was the focus of Lemaire’s wrath. “He’s got to play better. That’s a fact,” Lemaire said. Hill claims his struggles are due to a lack of playing time, and to be fair to Hill, maybe they are. Lemaire is skeptical.

What will the Wild do if Hill doesn’t improve?

“Call 9-1-1,” Lemaire replied.

Howie Morenz: "The Babe Ruth of Hockey"

Jennifer Conway — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:16:52 -0400

I was reading Brian Thiel’s article “Chris Pronger: A Lame Duck Suspension” (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/13165) when it occurred to me that we toss around the labels “superstar” and “phenom” a little too easily.

What does it mean to be a superstar in the NHL? Obviously, there are objective standards, statistics and awards and whatnot, but what about the subjective? What is it that makes us call a player a superstar?

In the 1920s (the “Golden Age of Sport”) there was Howie Morenz. Morenz was a back-checking forward born in Mitchell, Ontario. He played hockey from an early age and was one of the top players in Mitchell. Even at an early age he was known for his speed.

It was only after his family moved to Stratford, Ontario that Morenz really became a star player. He benefited greatly from the organized, high-level amateur play. They dubbed him the “Stratford Streak” and he once scored nine goals in one game.

Naturally, the professional teams heard about this and became interested in the forward from Stratford. Supposedly he received offers from Toronto, Saskatoon and Victoria, but he decided to sign with the Montreal Canadiens.

He had second thoughts about this and sent back the signing bonus with an apology and a request that the team tear up the contract. General Manager Leo Dandurand threatened to blackball Morenz as well as sue for breach of contract.

Despite his initial reluctance to leave Stratford, Morenz settled into Montreal and in return, Montreal loved him. He led the team to a Stanley Cup his rookie year and over the next 10 years, he continued to thrill the Montreal fans with his speed and ability.

In the 1924-25 season he scored 28 goals in 30 games. In both the 1927-28 and 1930-31 seasons he led the league in scoring and for seven years he was the leading scorer on his team. In 1930 and 1931 Morenz helped lead the Canadiens to two more Stanley Cups.

In an era where forward passes were illegal, Morenz played furious end to end hockey and never hesitated to use his body. “He was the best. He could stop on a dime and leave you nine cents change. He was in a class by himself. And when he couldn’t skate around you, he’d go right over you,” said frequent Morenz opponent King Clancy.

Unfortunately, Morenz’s aggressive style caught up with his body in the 1930s. During a low-scoring 1933-34 season, the Montreal fans began booing Morenz. This bothered him greatly and reportedly he went to Leo Dandurand’s office in tears.

He was traded to Chicago along with Lorne Chabot and Marty Burke in exchange for Lionel Conacher, Roger Jenkins, and Leroy Goldsworthy. Although the Blackhawks were second in the American Division that year, they lost. The 1935-36 season was another unproductive one for Morenz, which resulted in him being first benched, then traded to the Rangers.

Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens were struggling badly in 1935. New owner Ernest Savard wanted Cecil Hart to manage and coach the team. Hart refused unless they brought Morenz back. Savard agreed and once more a Canadien, Morenz was starting to look like his old self, scoring four goals and 16 assists between December and January of that season.

On January 28, 1937 Morenz’s career ended when he was tripped along the boards and somehow his skate got trapped in the boards. Chicago defenseman Earl Siebert accidentally fell on Morenz. His left leg and ankle were broken in four places.

At first, his recovery went nicely. However, after a steady stream of visitors, Morenz suffered a breakdown and visitors were restricted to family and Hart.

On March 8, 1937, the team physician, Dr. J.A. Hector Forgues, took x-rays of Morenz’s leg and discovered blood clots. He scheduled surgery for the next day. It was too late. Morenz died that night at the age of 34.

His funeral was held at center ice in a packed Forum and broadcast all over Canada. He was an inaugural member of the Hall of Fame in 1945 and 60 years after his death he was ranked 15th on the list of all-time greatest hockey players. Most, if not all, of the experts that voted for him had never seen him play.

Morenz had played 14 seasons, accumulating 270 goals, 197 assists, 3 MVPS, two scoring championships and 3 Stanley Cups. When Boston was debating a hockey team, his play in an exhibition game there caused Charles F. Adams to apply for the Boston franchise. When Tex Rickard saw Morenz play, he got Big Bill Dwyer to get the New York team and insisted that the Canadiens be their first opponent. Wherever Morenz played there was a full house cheering him on.

His number, 7, was the first Montreal retired. It was retired on November 2, 1937.

His daughter was married to Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion and when Geoffrion’s number was retired on the night of his death, the team lowered Morenz’s banner halfway to the ice as Geoffrion’s was raised. Once the two banners reached each other, they were then raised together.

Perhaps the awe of Morenz in action was best summed up by another hockey great, Eddie Shore: “(Morenz) had a heart that was unsurpassed in athletic history and no one ever came close to him in the colour department. After you watched Howie you wanted to see him often, and as much as I liked to play hockey, I often thought I would have counted it a full evening had I been able to sit in the stands and watch the Morenz maneuvers. Such an inclination never occurred to me about other stars."

And that makes me wonder, how many of us now can honestly say that? Granted, we have been witness to Bobby Hull, Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Rocket Richard, and a few others but has there been any player as complete and electrifying as Howie Morenz?

The answer, I think, is no. (To Be Continued)