Did the Paris Hilton accept backdoor deliveries?

Colorado Avalanche and Former Montreal Canadiens goalie Jose Theodore and his girlfriend are demanding a retraction from Quebec television station TQS over a story the network aired reporting the couple had separated.

Marie-Christine Proulx reported on the June 20 current-affairs program Le Grand Journal that Theodore had moved out of the couple's Montreal home.

The couple are, however, not asking for the photos and eye-witness accounts of Theodore partying with *brand* star Paris Hilton in Toronto at the Much Music Awards, after party and after, after party to be retracted.

It has been, to say the least, a trying year for No Way Jose. The *hair* thing, the trade and a stay at the Paris Hilton. That is a hat trick nobody should be proud of.

Confessions of a hockey fan

Forgive me father, it's been almost two weeks since my last post. To make up for my absence, I will write the longest post ever. You've been warned.

So I leave the blogosphere for a few days (Canada Day weekend + tons of work + great weather = less blogging time) and I come back to the new "new" NHL. Serves me right for leaving town on deadline for UFA signings. Is it just me or was there more movement than usual? Hell, it's not even over.

Before I comment on the major moves, though, I want to comment on what was the biggest story of them all: the retirement of one of the classiest athletes of all-time.

Steve Yzerman hung up his skates this week and the NHL, as well as the entire sporting world, will miss him deeply. Yzerman was not only one of the games most skilled players, he was one of the most respected and well-liked players in the game.

Stevie Y has always been one of my favourite players, but I've always had a difficult time giving him a label. You could say he was a finesse player, because he was one of the most skilled players in recent memory, but he was also one of the grittiest. You could say he was a gritty player, but that would be too limiting. He never shied away from the physical aspect of the game, but he couldn't be classified as a power-forward. He was just a great, all-around player that was a born leader and never, ever, quit.

In the end, he doesn't need a label. He's Steve Yzerman: a 22-year veteran (20 years as Captain!) of what is perhaps the most grueling team sport we know. He is 6th on the all-time points leaders list and has lead his team, his ONLY team, to three Stanley Cup victories. Not to mention that he has also won the Conn Smythe trophy, the Lester B. Pearson trophy and an Olympic gold medal.

After his final game in May, Rob wrote a great piece on Yzerman right here on Puck This! It's a great read and, if you haven't read it, I suggest you do: Last Dance of Stevie Wonder.

Now, onto some comments on all the movement in the last week...

• Luongo to Vancouver for Bertuzzi and some other guys: This actually happened before July 1st, but it's a big move. It not, however, much of a surprise (regardless of what Roberto would have you believe). Bertuzzi needed to leave and so did Luongo. It makes perfect sense that they would be swapped for each other. The question for Vancouver now is: who will they pick up to fill the "power forward" role? I know for a fact that the Sedin sisters don't want the job.

• Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard to Boston: Although I knew Boston was going to be in the hunt for new faces after they dumped Thornton and Samsonov, I didn't think they would get a big name (and giant man) like Chara. I also like the pickup of Savard. For some reason, that I can't explain, I like this guy and I think he gets a raw deal with the critics. I guess we'll see what he's made of now.

• Chris Pronger to the Ducks: I won't get into the Pronger-bashing that has been going on in the Oilogosphere, but if you want to read all about, head over to the Battle of Alberta. Although the circumstances under which he left Edmonton were fishy at best, I just don't think we have enough information to bash him or his wife.

Either way, the Oilers were seriously screwed and got a raw deal. Nothing against Joffrey Lupul (or Mr. Rachel Hunter), who's a great rising young star and an Edmonton native, but he won't make up for losing one of the best defensemen in the league.

Pronger will join a Ducks team that is looking more and more like a Western Conference powerhouse. Think about it: the Ducks have BOTH Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer on their blue line. That's the most solid-looking back-end I've seen since the last Jennifer Lopez video. Hiyo!

Other notable moves:

• Tanguay Traded to Flames: Iggy has a new partner. See Rob's post from last week.
• Martin Gerber to Ottawa: Great move by Muckler. Especially in contrast to what the Oilers did with Roloson.
• Marc Denis to Tampa Bay: Another great goalie pick-up for a team in dire need of a stopper.
• Rob Blake to Los Angeles: Blake returns to his original team where he will most likely end his career. Is he still worth $6 million per year though?
• Ed Jovanovski to Phoenix: Great move by Gretzky. Big loss for Vancouver who will miss the toughness lost in the absence of Jovocop and Hurtuzzi.
• Friesen to Flames: I think the 30-year-old will find his game under the guidance (or death stare, you chose) of Darryl Sutter.

Those who stayed:

• Redden signs with Ottawa: The Sens will find out soon enough if they should have kept Chara instead.
• Pisani and Roloson sign with Edmonton: The two stars of the 2006 playoffs will be back with the Oilers. Pisani was a no-brainer, but Roloson is 36 and will have knee surgery in the summer. To say that that is risky is an understatement in this case.
• Patrick Elias signs with the Devils: Lou keeps his hands on possibly the most sought after UFA forward. (Who inks a player for 7 years nowadays?)
  
• Erik and Eric stay in Carolina: Cole and Staal will be mainstays with the Hurricanes for a few years to come. This team is for real.

...and the inertia award goes to: Bob Gainey. Seriously, WTF? The Habs are in dire need of a strong centerman and some quality "D". Sheldon just can't cut it anymore and Koivu may not be back. Wake up!

There were, of course, many ore moves that I didn't comment on, but if you got this far, why don't you check out the list of free agents to see who Gainey won't pick up over the summer.

In the year 2000

This is no Conan O'Brien skit. There will be no guest appearance by Andy. Instead these headlines come from a recent spring cleaning which netted this gem - National Hockey League 2000. The article appeared in The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix on Tuesday, December 12, 1989.

Bob Strumm - then Sports Editor - peered into his crystal ball and made a series of fearless predictions of what the National Hockey League would look like in the year 2000. Strumm figured the league would maintain the traditional four divisions but would grow to an amazing 28 teams - including a series of new markets in the United States. Strumm's predictions are below:

Patrick Division

Atlanta*
New Jersey
NY Islanders
NY Rangers
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington

Adams Division

Boston
Buffalo
Hamilton**
Hartford
Montreal
Toronto
Quebec City

Norris Division

Chicago
Denver*
Detroit
Los Angeles
Milwaukee**
St. Louis
San Jose*

Smythe Division

Calgary
Edmonton
Minnesota
Saskatchewan**
Seattle**
Vancouver
Winnipeg

Strumm's predictions were bold and some were even right. His thoughts were mused at a time when it looked like league would expand - 6 years after Saskatoon was deemed a poor fit for Blues. In his column he indicated that the NHL may gamble on non-hockey markets in Texas and Florida. He was right there.

In the spirit of Strumm, Moldy is offering a snapshot of what the NHL will look like in 2012. There will still be 30 teams, but a few will have moved around. Gone will be Columbus and Nashville. Kansas City will scoop Columbus and Portland will grab Nashville. Atlanta will move, again. The team will be playing out of the MTS Centre in Winnipeg. And, Saskatoon will still be without a team! One of the results will have nothing to do with these guys.

Class Act

Steve Yzerman will be missed. He exits as one of hockey's all-time greats. A true leader and model citizen.

Next stop the corner of Younge and Front.

The mighty Ducks

They might have changed their name but the Anaheim Ducks have become a mighty good hockey club with the addition of superstar Chris Pronger in a blockbuster trade today. Along with perennial Norris favorite Scott Niedermeyer and emerging talent Francois Beachemin, Pronger gives the Orange County Quackers the most potent blueline corps in the league, surpassing even the Chara-less Senators and the still-vaunted Flames. In fact, there is every likelihood that all three will be featured on the next edition of Team Canada, a feat of notable recognition.

For Pronger, the Oilers pick up some awesome young talent as well as a pair of valuable draft picks. Joffrey Lupul, the Edmonton native who burst onto the NHL scene during the post-season, will help out immediately, but the Oil will have to develop hotshot prospect Ladislav Smid, the 6'3", 204-lbs defenseman picked 9th overall in 2004, as well as their future 1st and 2nd round picks they got from SoCal.

So, don't bet on the Lube Jobs getting back to the Cup finals anytime soon, but you won't be writing these guys off for long.

Unless they come against the Ducks this season, of course.

There's nothing like a well-rolled Cuban

As much as Mark Cuban has been a menace to NBA officials ever since he gained ownership of the Dallas Mavericks, there is no doubt he has created interest in the league as well as a stable financial backing for the franchise. Word has it that the Pittsburgh native, along with NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino, are seeking to do the same for a struggling NHL franchise:

The two have joined with a New York City financier in trying to buy the NHL's Penguins from Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux's group, which is selling the two-time Stanley Cup champion even as the team seeks a new arena deal.

The group of prospective Penguins owners is headed by Andrew Murstein, the president of Medallion Financial Corp., a company that finances New York City taxicab medallions. Adding Cuban and Marino is expected to strengthen the group's estimated $150 million US bid not only financially but perception-wise. Neither Cuban nor Marino have any interest in moving the Penguins from Pittsburgh -- Cuban has made it a condition of his participation.

True, Mark Cuban is a complete idiot and an embarrassment to all nouveau riche, but he has shown dedication to his NBA franchise that is the envy of North American pro sports. The Penguins could certainly use a guy like that.

Coyne and Huck on The Game

I've been unable to post for most of the last week and, in that span of time, a lot has gone on in the world of hockey.

There were, of course, the NHL awards (Thornton gets the Hart? Really?) and the draft. The draft was not really eventful as all the experts agreed that the crop was not a particularly strong one. That being said, some interesting trades were made and there are some big ones to come. Then, looking forward, we will have the Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Thursday.

Luckily, Rob was on the case and we were kept up to date on all of these events.

About a week ago, Rob mused about the Great Game and, as it only appeared on his personal blog, many of you may not have read it. The post to which I make reference is a response to well-known columnist and pundit, Andrew Coyne.

Coyne wrote, in a column subtly entitled "Why hockey rules ...And other sports suck", that, when compared to other major professional sports, hockey clearly was the best of the lot. Here is a passage from the column that illustrates his argument:

"There is more action in five minutes of hockey than in your average 90-minute game of soccer, whose fans live for the moment when, by some mischance, the ball strays within 50 yards of the net. Basketball suffers from the opposite affliction: As the comedian David Brenner argues, they should start both teams at 100 and make the games two minutes long, since that's what every basketball game comes down to. Only hockey combines frequency of scoring chances with difficulty of actually scoring..."

In his response, Rob didn't get into the debate of which sport was the best, but he rather adeptly pointed out how futile an exercise that really is. I, for what it's worth, agree with him wholeheartedly. Here are some gems from Rob's post:

"...if you're going to compare hockey to its alternatives, you have to take the tack of Jim Rome, the syndicated sports talk show host based out of Los Angeles (heard here in Calgary on The Fan 960 AM). Not a show goes by during the Stanley Cup playoffs when Rome doesn't receive an email or phone call from American listeners who think hockey is sucks and the like. His response is consistent and correct: hockey is one of the best spectator sports in the world, but it's a sport which doesn't work well on television and that will never change.

For me, most sports have their own fine points which can be appreciated. Football, of both English and American varieties, is a game of territory. The idea is to move the ball down field by devising strategies to move your opponents out of position, thereby opening lanes for a new assault. It is somewhat akin to the game of chess being played by the respective managers/coaches, especially if the teams involved are quite skilled. Football can be a compelling sport once the strategies to take territory can be understood."

Those two paragraphs are, however, only the setup for this great passage on why hockey is, in fact, a great sport in its own right. Without the need to bash other sports:

"Hockey is different in that it's a wonderful hybrid of grace, power, speed and skill. Coaches can play with defensive systems and offensive tactics all they want, but when it gets to crunch time, the function of the coaching staff is primarily motivational; it's up to the players to perform and adjust to the play on the go. Speaking of "on the go", it is not without significance that hockey is the only sport in which players change on the fly, meaning that this sport, more than any other, has an engaging flow and ebb to it which, in turn, means that momentum can reverse itself and back again in an instant." (My emphasis)

I don't know if I've ever read a better description of the game in so few words. Ken Dryden might be able to do something similar (again), but it would take him ten years and it would be presented to us as a Ken Burns-like documentary.

A tip of the hat to you, my friend.

The Hall stops here

Tomorrow is a big day in the lives of former NHL superstars as the Hockey Hall of Fame will announce its next inductees.

The most obvious of this year's cohorts is Patrick Roy, the all-time leader in games played and victories by a goaltender, in both regular season and playoffs, and holds a record three Conn Smythe trophies as the most valuable player in the post-season. That he should be in the Hall is a no-brainer.

Somewhat less obvious, yet still likely, is the induction of Doug Gilmour, the former star centre of, most notably, St Louis, Calgary and Toronto. The former perennial 100-point man did more than any other player to bring the Leafs to the Stanley Cup finals and even scored a Cup-winning goal himself in 1989 while with the Flames. In his prime, there were few who could match either his intensity or his exceptional two-way play, and, because of this, the little man from Kingston has earned his place amongst the greats.

An outside shot is the great Pavel Bure. The Russian Rocket was small in stature but he stood shoulder-to-shoulder beside the most exciting players the game has ever seen. When he was healthy, his numbers were outstanding, including a pair of 60-goal seasons in the mid-ninties. Yet it wasn't just the number of goals, but how he scored them. Bure blazing down the right side after picking up a headman pass put the fear of God in many a poor sap who was unlucky enough to be quivering in the blue paint, and his laser-like release was almost unstoppable. He was the closest the NHL had had to re-creating the electric atmosphere of the Montreal Forum in the 1970s, where a torrent of blonde hair would act in much the same fashion in front of mesmerized crowds then.

There are plenty of pros in favour of this formidable pro. His cons, however, might hinder his nomination, strikes against him including a shortened career due to recurring knee injuries, and the lack of a Stanley Cup. The latter might be forgiven considering the woefully mediocre Vancouver teams with which he was associated, one version of which Pavel himself led to within 1 goal of a Cup in the 1994 finals. Still, along with Cam Neely and Brett Hull, both of whom had careers worthy of immortalization, he was the elite right winger in the game at the time. If I was in charge of the Hall of Fame -- a goal towards which I am desperately working -- Bure would be in on the first ballot.

Other potential inductees include the championship netminders Mike Richter and Tom Barrasso, who may get in eventually, as well as 600-goal man Dino Ciccarelli, Dale Hunter, Kevin Lowe, Steve Larmer and Rick "the Racketeer" Tocchet, all of whom would be excluded if it weren't for the "but Clark Gillies is already in there" clause.

Lest we forget, as is becoming a yearly ritual, Oiler winger Glenn Anderson. The former post-season wreaker of havoc will not get in, not because of the lack of numbers (he had netted close to 500 regular season goals and is among the top-five in post-season scoring) nor due the lack of finger jewelery (6 Stanley Cups, most of which were won within the prime of his career). No, there are two reasons why Glenn Anderson will not be inducted into the Hall of Fame any time soon: the first is because of a group of individuals with the given names Wayne, Mark, Jari, Grant and Paul; the second is because there wasn't a turned back which wasn't hit, a team crest which wasn't speared, a flagrant dive which wasn't committed while Edmonton number 9 was patrolling the left side in the 1980s.

Anderson was as disliked as any player in the league, a loathing unmatched by virtually everyone whose name didn't begin with Claude and end with Lemieux. For most of his career, and especially in the post-season, he was a classless asshole on the ice, plain and simple, and, like it or not, entry to the Hall of Fame is guarded by men who remember quite clearly the type of player Anderson had been.

Indeed, the thought of Anderson sitting patiently outside the doors of the Hall year after year allows this adoring fan of the game to believe that, yes, dear reader, there is justice in the world.

Pootie Tang

Oh man, this is sweet:

Looks like the Calgary Flames now have a lock at left wing. The franchise has struggled in recent years to find a fit for the top line opposite Jarome Iginla. Yesterday, the Flames landed one of the most promising young wingers in the NHL in Alex Tanguay.

Calgary sent defenceman Jordan Leopold, its second-round selection and a future conditional pick to division rival Colorado for Tanguay.

I had mentioned previously the value of Leopold going to a team which might be able to use his services, and Colorado could be a perfect fit for this former Hobey Baker winner. With veteran defenseman and future Hall of Famer Rob Blake set to be re-signed, the fleet-footed Leo might just get the mentorship he's needed to bring his game to the higher level. He is a potential All Star, but needs that confidence to rush the puck which will come from increased power play time, time which was becoming increasingly scarce in Cowtown. Further, Colorado does well with the addition of two draft picks, additions which would have been useful in this year's entry draft when the team selected a mere 6 picks overall.

As for Tanguay, what can I say? Here's a top-flight forward entering the prime of his career, a 26-year-old who has already played 450 games and won a Stanley Cup. He's averaged almost a point-per-game since he joined the league and is only now starting to play up to his potential. He is a wonderful young player, better than Sergei Samsonov but not quite at the level of Brad Richards, and his soon-to-be re-negotiated salary will likely reflect that. Chances are, he won't be around Calgary for long, but if the Flames could grab him for a couple of years, he may be a key addition to a successful Stanley Cup run soon enough.

Kudos to both GMs on their efforts to improve their respective teams, but extra congrats to Darryl Sutter. I like this move.

Sour Grapes?

Who saw this coming?

The Oilers' improbable run to the Stanley Cup finals may ultimately end with the trade of one of the team's biggest contributors: Chris Pronger.

According to Sportsnet sources, Pronger wants out.

The defenceman is believed to have some personal issues that may be alleviated by a move.

Neither the Oilers nor the Pronger camp will comment on the matter with respect to the hulking defenceman's privacy. However, it is believed Pronger made his position clear with Edmonton's management before departing for a vacation Friday morning.

Word of his unrest surfaced prior to the playoffs, and with it the understanding that trade discussions between Pronger and Kevin Lowe had taken place during the season.

However, the Oilers run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final overshadowed Pronger's personal battles and it was hoped Edmonton's post-season success would help soothe his geographic battles.

Unfortunately, that doesn't appear to be the case and the topic was raised earlier this week.

"He wants out," a source close to the situation told Sportsnet.

Aw, gee, that's too bad. I mean, really, too bad.

See you in 2006-2007

This trophy has seen plenty of young men in its day. The Stanley Cup, it too has also made a few rounds.

Fire crotch meet Stanley. Stanley, fire crotch.

NHL Awards: Pick This!

The NHL hands out the silverware tomorrow night, so it's time for me to get cracking and lay my reputation on the line once again.

Rob made his feelings known on this issue shortly before the birth of this blog, so at least two of us are on record.

Here goes...

Calder Trophy

• Alexander Ovechkin, Was
• Sidney Crosby, Pit
• Dion Phaneuf, Cal

I will make no bones about the fact that I am Crosby fan, but nobody can deny that Ovechkin is one amazing young man. Alexander the Great was the leading candidate for most of the season, but Sid the Kid went on a tear in the last month of the regular season and broke some records.

The shame in the fact that so much focus was put on the two young guns, although it was well-deserved, is that many didn't appreciate how incredible Dion Phaneuf is. As much as he's been talked about, he's still underrated in my view.

My Pick: Ovechkin


Selke Trophy

• Rod Brind'Amour, Car
  
• Mike Fisher, Ott
  
• Jere Lehtinen, Dal
  

After the Carolina Stanley Cup victory, I felt that Brind'Amour was robbed of the Conn Smythe Trophy, so I hope that he gets the Selke. I know that's not the way to analyse these things, but it's why I hope he wins. Fisher, however, had a great season and may well win this award. If he does, I won't disagree.

My Pick: Brind'Amour


Lady Byng Trophy

• Pavel Datsyuk, Det
• Patrick Marleau, SJ
  
• Brad Richards, TB

Nobody cares much for this award, which is given to "the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability", but if that's the very definition of Brad Richards. No truth to the rumour that his picture is actually next to the Lady Byng entry in the dictionary.

My Pick: Richards


Jack Adams Trophy

• Lindy Ruff, Buf
• Peter Laviolette, Car
• Tom Renney, NYR

This is a tough one to pick, but in the case of Renney and Laviolette, much of their teams' success was due to some "surprise" performances from key players. If Jagr doesn't suddenly turn back the clock and play like he did, the Rangers don't do as well. As for Carolina, nobody could have predicted that Eric Staal would go from being a 30-point promising center to a 100-point franchise player in one season.

In the case of Ruff and the Sabres, he used the team's speed and skill to take full advantage of the "new NHL". It worked perfectly for the regular season.

My Pick: Ruff


Vezina Trophy

• Miikka Kiprusoff, Cal
• Martin Brodeur, NJ
• Henrik Lundqvist, NYR

Unlike the Jack Adams award, this one isn't a tough pick. I don't think there was a goalie in the entire league that was better than Kipper in 2005-2006. He was simply awesome.

Lunqvist was one of many great rookies this past season and will be an important part of the Rangers' plans for years to come. Brodeur may well become the best goalie ever and he seemed to find his form later in the season, but he was not himself for the bulk of 2005-2006.

My Pick: Kiprusoff


Norris Trophy

• Nicklas Lidstrom, Det
• Scott Niedermayer, Ana
• Sergei Zubov, Dal

Right off the bat, I don't like Zubov and I don't get why he's there. As for the two others, it's almost a coin toss.

Lidstrom seems to be the default because he seems to epitomize what a defenceman should do. He's incredibly and not flashy, so much so that he often goes unnoticed. Niedermayer, on the other hand, is smooth, incredibly skilled and, because of his blazing speed and offensive penchant, gets noticed a bit more. Also, the fact that he, along with the young man who took over Teemu Selanne's body, made the Ducks a contending team, makes him a serious candidate.

My Pick: Niedermayer


Hart Trophy

• Joe Thornton, Bos-SJ
• Miikka Kiprusoff, Cal
• Jaromir Jagr, NYR

As players, I'm really not a fan of either Jagr (too whiny) or Thornton (too soft), but Kiprusoff won't win the Hart, so...

Essentially, Big Joe only started playing to his (much-hyped) potential after he left Boston. To me, that means that, even if you'Re being paid millions of dollars, you're not really trying. This is what Jagr has been doing for years. Until this past season. In the 2005-2006 regular season, he was simply the best player in the league

My Pick: Jagr

Enjoy the show!

In with the old

Kirk Muller joins Carbo, Jarvis and Gainey in Montreal.

The penalty killing should be excellent next year for the Habs. Road trips should be interesting given Muller's track record as a "hound."

Let the off-season begin.

Sweet Carolin-A

Poof. Just like that the dream is over. The Oilers can go back to being a middle of the road team. It sure was fun watching the team make a valiant run at the Cup. Watching the past two games with true hockey fans was a blessing. The Muck Shoveller made an Oiler cake for Game 6 and Oiler cupcakes for Game 7. My highlight of tonight was at the 10 minute mark watching the Shoveller go grab a bottle of Scotch, throw it on the table and go to town. The tension was too much.

Good for Glen Wesley, Doug Weight and Rod Brind'Amour for winning the Cup. Phoff is right. The sight of the winners skating with the Cup is the best moment in sport.

My only wish was that Edmonton had won the mug. The city and team deserved it. I am sure that the few hundred die-hard fans in Carolina will savour the ice championship. The parade will be shortest in sports history. The Cup will one day soon return to Canada - where it rightfully belongs.

The smart money next year would be on Florida. Got to love the new NHL.

Clutch

Wow. The greatest Stanley Cup championship in more than a decade (and perhaps the greatest best-of-5 championship of all time, if you take away those two awful shut outs) has seen the Carolina Hurricanes victorious over the Edmonton Oilers in a well-played game 7 in Raleigh.


I mean, wow.

It was a fantastic show for all involved though I'm not going through it here. A few words about the series, however:

• Both teams showed up to play when their backs were on the line, meaning both teams were chock full of clutch performers who had passion to spare. Thanks for the memories, boys.
  
• It was wonderful to see almost half of all the hockey fans in both Carolinas come out and cheer their team in the RBC Center. I'm sure hockey has a long and prosperous future extending up to - and, possibly, including - the next decade in that building.
• I can't say enough about Rod Brind'Amour and, I'm sure, neither could their teammates, given the chance. Cam Ward was an inspired choice for the Conn Smythe, considering his keeping his team in every game, even the blowout, but Rod the Bod was the consensus leader for his team. His name should join the immortals.
• Not only did I win $40 from my bartender and co-worker, but, with Justin Williams' empty net which finished off the Oil, I won my very first hockey pool. Farkin' 'A'!
• Kudos to the Edmonton Oiler players, who showed plenty of heart and guts, at least since the playoffs began. I have nothing but respect for the lot of them.
• The same can't be said for the idiot E-tards who were among the 400 arrested on Saturday night or those who allowed other E-tards to act like E-tards at a time when North American sporting audiences had their eyes focussed on their city. I suppose it only goes to show that, for those "fans", finishing second only means you're the biggest loser.
• And, for one last time, let's hear it for Hartford!
  

Congrats, Canes! You deserved that Cup.

Give it up for the Whalers

Well, it's all over.

The 2006 NHL season is in the books and the Carolina Hurricanes are the champions. And they are very deserving champions. The other winners are NHL fans who, as most will say, the "new NHL" experiment was a success.

The Edmonton Oilers ended up on the losing end tonight, but they have to be given lots of credit for their improbable playoff run. This was one of the grittiest teams I have ever seen and they battled hard again in Game 7. They, unfortunately, ran into a Carolina team that had all the answers to every single Oiler challenge. No glass slipper for this Cinderella story.

I was rooting for the Oilers, but I can't say that I'm not happy to see many of the Hurricane players lift the Stanley Cup. I love players like Brind'Amour, Weight, Wesley, Recchi and the younger stars like Cole and Staal.

With all due respect to Cam Ward, however, I cannot wrap my head around the fact that he was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy. The man let in 8 goals in the last two games and wasn't really tested in Game 7. He's a great rookie and he'll have a great career, but he's no MVP. Especially not when you consider the contributions of Brind'Amour, Stillman and Staal.

Regardless of who wins, I will always love the team passing around the Cup as they skate around the ice. What I'll never get, however, is why the let so many people (who are not media) on the ice. There are guys in shorts and t-shirts raising their arms to the crowd like they actually did something. Give 'em the boot!

That's it for tonight. More analysis to come when I've had a chance to mull things over a little more.

Game 7, second intermission

Canes are playing the way they know how. That 5-on-3 was a killer for Edmonton. The Oil had better pick it up or it's all over.

Terrific game, so far.

Game 7, first intermission

NHL Rule 33, b): When the Team to be penalized gains control of the puck, the Referee will blow his whistle to stop play and impose the penalty on the offending player.

and

NHL Rule 55, c): No defending player, except the goalkeeper, will be permitted to fall on the puck, hold the puck or gather the puck into the body or hands when the puck is within the goal crease.


Therefore, if a player on a team which is to be penalized "gains control" of the puck by either falling on the puck in the goal crease or holding the puck in the goal crease, then the other team should be awarded a penalty shot, no?

Pretty weak, refs.

Who gets the Conn Smythe?

So, before the big game gets under way tonight, I want to put in my 2¢ and comment on the eventual winner of the Conn Smythe trophy that goes to the most valuable player for the playoffs.

Rob may or may not have jumped the gun (much like the people at Beckett did), but he still could be right on the money should the Canes take Game 7. Make no mistake; the outcome of the game will decide the winner of the trophy. This is how close of a series it has been.

Here are my thoughts on the players for both teams:

Carolina:

1. Rod Brind’Amour – He’s the front-runner for the award on the Canes’ side. The captain has been the true leader of this team and has come up big throughout the playoffs. His game seems to have been somewhat stifled by Edmonton’s hard hitting team defence, but you could say that about any of the Carolina players on any given night.

2. Cory Stillman – One could make a strong case for Stillman who, along with Staal, has been leading the Canes’ offence. To think that almost nobody wanted to sign him to a multi-year deal after he left Tampa Bay must make some GM’s out there squirm. He has been strong at both ends of the ice throughout the playoffs and, had it not been for his bad pass in Game 5, we may not have had to see a Game 7. That may be why he doesn’t get this award.

3. Eric Staal – He won’t win this trophy, but he’ll get some consideration. Given the fact that he’s 21, he just may have another crack or two at this later on. This guy is no one-hit-wonder. He’ll help lead Canada back to respectability in 2010 (along with some kid named Sidney).


Edmonton:

1. Chris Pronger – To me, he’s the only candidate who could win the trophy even if his team loses. He’s been that good. After a rough regular season, Pronger has adjusted to the “new” NHL, where the refs are just as inconsistent as in the “old” NHL, and has been one of the most effective and least penalized players on either side. Not to mention that the guy is always on the ice and there are rumours that he may play over 35 minutes in Game 7. He’s my pick, win or lose.

2. Fernando Pisani – I’ve already written about Pisani before and I love the story. He’s the new John Druce. He’s the guy who almost has as many goals in the playoffs as he did in the regular season and who has come up with some seriously clutch goals. He may be playing over his head, but you have to admit that it would be hard to imagine Edmonton being here without his major contribution. He’s a dark horse for the trophy, but needs mentioning nonetheless.

So, that’s my take on things. Game 7 is on in a few hours.

See you on the other side.

Say What?

The Stanley Cup will be awarded later this evening for the first time in the new NHL. Apparently, someone forgot to tell the folks at Beckett that it takes four wins to claim the Cup.

Game 7 has the makings of a classic. I am sticking with the Monkey and calling the Oil to bring the Cup home.