One More Reason

... to loathe the Leafs.

Cross posted at Moldy.

Which will suck more?

HABS WIN HABS WIN HABS WIN

Finally! They win by more than one non-empty net goal! And they do it on the strength of a team effort! Plex, Higgins, Kostitsyn, Komi, Markov, Ryder and above all, Latendresse. Go Kim-Chee!
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What a pass! Shadow gets his chicken wings! And the honourary Korean, Kim Moi Park, says "For the record, the second fucking moron is the guy who plugs Paul Simon in the middle of a liveblog of a hockey game/leadership debate." True enough.
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WOWWWWW! What a pass! Kostitytns!!!
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How many times must Sheldon Souray shoot, before he hits the net? The answer, my friend, is blowing by you at 110 miles per hour.
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For the record, "Tenderness," the second cut on Paul Simon's seminal "There Goes Rhymin' Simon" album, is an underrated gem. Slow, steady, working to a great peak. Check it out.
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Now this is the new NHL, where obvious calls are ignored and little shit is heavily penalized. Regardless, Plekanec is all-tough out there.
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Plekanec is hooked by three guys and doesn't get a call. Fucking NHL. Refs are losers. You heard it here first. That means you, Ron Maclean.
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That Francis Bouillon. So intense. Takes out Aebischer. Doesn't matter.
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Shadow says that Dunham is the new Dumont. That makes Huet the new Aebischer and Halak the new Boisclair. Jack Layton is the new Mike Richter and Mike Richter is the new Stockwell Day.
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HIGGINS HIGGINS HIGGINS YOU SUCK ISLES! GO KOSITYTYUTSN! HIGGINS
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Comments are off because Blogger sucks. Go WordPress!
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Shadow Stevens writes in:

"If the Canadiens make the playoffs, I'll vote for the ADQ."

Dumont might just have picked up a vote tonight. He lost about a million, though, so, not a great night. Not exactly Guillaume latenDress out there, you know? More like Jaaannee Niiniimiaaaiiiaa.

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So if you swat a puck from your own end way over the boards, it's not a penalty. Why? Because you swatted it.
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The referees have just invented a signal. Brilliant.
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Sure you don't want to replay that once more? Geez.
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Why does this have to take so long? Fucking A.
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That is such a goal.
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THE TENDERNESS! What? No goal? Groan.
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These fucking robot dodge cartoon/live action ads are just the worst thing ever.
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Apparently, all the posts are there and I am a moron. Thanks for the newsflash, Phoff.
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Question: Why does Pizza Pizza advertise at the Bell Centre? Can you even get Pizza Pizza in Quebec (off McGill campus)?
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Did the Internets swallow Moi's comment (and my post)? Or was Phoff running things? America, you decide.
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Comment from Moi:

The only fucking moron is the idiot who censored Laksa

Phoff, you deserve to be Bertuzzied

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Thanks, Ottawa!
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Oh, man, is this boring. Seriously, it's freaking dull.
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Ah, yes, the tuition debate. Boisclair is about to call Charest a liar. Beautiful.
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What's with DeadWood's PQ lapel pin? That's lame. Couldn't he find a fleur-de-lys? Or at least something to match his green tie? You think he's secretly working for the Green Party? Maybe that's why his campaign is in the toilet. Louigi and Andy are going at it over schools. I'd love to see these two tiptoe around the Jewish schools issue (remember that mess? Funny how we've all gotten past the dark days of this government).
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Back to the action. Phoff sayd Dumont has been cheating with notes. Doesn't appear to be helping.
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If Kostitsyn can ever find the net, he'll score thirty goals and I'll learn to spell his last name. Until then, get off the freaking power play.
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Koivu gets manhandled, and no call. Fucking refs. Such goobers.
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Koivu = robbed of a goal when Richard Park runs into the net before Saku can put it in. Two minutes for cock-blocking.
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Why did Luc Robitaille try to lure the Penguins to Kansas City? Seriously, why KC? Why Lucky Luc, why?
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Phoff sucks. Vote for Saku!
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WTF is with the mod deleting my posts about Ryder's goal, the linesman's face and Laksa? CENSORSHIP!
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Phoff here :

You suck the most, Beeg. Yes, you're a moron.

In case you forgot, this is a hockey blog. Leave Deadwood, Sade and Dupont out of here.

Oh yeah, tell Lubelly I'm going to win the bet.

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Philosophy time. If you liveblog a hockey game and nobody reads it, are you a fucking moron?
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Sounds like DiPietro could be out for a while. Meanwhile, Komisarek has the coolest injury ever - the slice near his right eye has left a jagged trail of blood down the side of his face. I think the Aaron Downey fan club president might have a new hero. Meanwhile, Ryder and The Tenderest Tendrell almost hook up again.
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Coolest t-shirt ever: a larger-than-life caricature of Aaron Downey. Beautiful.
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Wow. Michael Ryder manages to do both his moves (the bull along the boards move and the toe drag) before setting up The Tenderness who pops it in top shelf. Canadiens fans everywhere vote for him.
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Yikes. Ted Nolan could take a lesson in buying ties from André Boisclair. Looks like Ballzov out there. You heard me right, Ballzov. I'm calling you out too.
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Was it Ryan Smyth? Did he cry after? Also, "attaque massive" is an awesome way of describing a power play.
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What the fuck?!? Who scored? WHAT THE FUCK!!! Ugh.
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Best part of the debate? The many, many shots of the "reverse angle" camera. Awesome. That is SO delaghetto.
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This liveblog, by the way, is brought to you by Laksa. Mmmmm, laksa.
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8:35 p.m.: Somebody finally references a page of the other guy's campaign book. Debate cliché #1, you are crossed off the list.
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Where else but Quebec could two out of three potential jurisdiction heads debate the merits of something Greenpeace said?
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I think JC and the Sunshine Band is promising to be first among Canadians in continuing to ignore the Kyoto Accord.
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Mario Dumont, fighting the environemnt.
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Mario Dumont, Eco-Warrior.
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I think this is the part of the debate where Quebecers get all smug because we can be eco-friendly (what with all our waterfalls). You suck, Alberta!
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André the Giant has figured out that the best way to get elected is to talk about how badly the province sucks. My fellow Quebecers, we're dead last. Vote for me!
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This is awesome. Char-ay and Clearwood are bickering about numbers. Go democracy!
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André brings the stats. Charazr refuses to look at him. Brilliant. Sadly, his jacket is too big. Prime Minister Lubelly, everyone.
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Period ends with 1:01 left in the Ryan Smyth double-minor. Hmmm. 101, eh? Better flip to Radio-Canada. Jean Charest is dressed like he's going to a Mob funeral. He's going to go after old people or something. How can someone as young as Mario Dumont have been around forever? I think J.C. cut his hair for this debate. That's kind of sweet. Dumont's got a serious number eleven going.











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The Tenderness sloooowly falls into the boards. What a surprise.
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Smelldon hits the post. Go Smelldon!
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Four-minute power play. Only the Montreal Canadiens (circa 2007) could fuck this up. Any bets?
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Fuck! Why is Dunham good? What the hell?!
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Seriously, between me and Mike Boone, you wouldn't expect him to be the one using the expression, "That is so bush," would you?
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I just wanna go on record here: Mike Boone, I am calling you out, bitch.
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I'd totally vote for Jean Charest if he took out some Quebec Solidaire guy at the blue line. Hardcore.
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Rick DiPietro, the most fun goalie in the league to watch, is a reckless moron.
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Hey Ballzov, WTF?!? Would it kill your Sens to beat the Rangers? Geez.

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Why do they record these people (I'm talking about the debates here) in an echo chamber? It sounds like Mario "Lemieux" Dumont is debating himself. I think Andre Boisclair and I have the same tie.

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The Quebec leaders' debate or Sheldon Souray's defence?

Welts & Suspensions

So, first, I want to thank Rob and Shaky for keeping this site alive over the past few months. I wanted this site to become more than just a blog for the playoffs, but I haven't been keeping up my end of the bargain. As we approach the second season, it seems that I have more to say about the goings on in the NHL.

Today, for example, we found out that Chris Simon was handed a hefty suspension (25 games plus the playoffs) for his vicious chop to the face of Ranger Ryan Hollweg. This, in my view, is fair. What I don't get, however, is how Cam Janssen of the Devils got away with only 3 games for an act that I consider as just as vicious on Toronto's Tomas Kaberle.

Now, many will argue to the contrary. After all, as I've heard it already, the Jansen hit was just a late bodycheck. He, according to some, simply took the concept of "finishing his check" a little too far and the results were disastrous. Bullshit.

I've watched and played hockey for 30 years and the concept of "finishing a check" is well known to me. It's a fairly simple concept. If a player has already begun the motion of checking an opposing player, he is allowed to follow through even after the opposing player has gotten rid of the puck. There is, of course, a timing element to the concept. The "motion" cannot last for more than 2 or 3 seconds.

In the case of the Janssen hit, he clearly pursued Kaberle for quite some time after the Toronto player had passed the puck. Janssen had the intention of chasing Kaberle down regardless of the fact that he had the puck or not. To me, this is an intent to injure and it is just as vicious as the Chris Simon slash.

I understand, however, that the length of the Simon suspension is based on the fact that he has a record of suspensions and that Colin Cambell took this fact into consideration. Nevertheless, 3 games for the Janssen hit is, in my view, not enough.

What, no pass to Tim Kerr?

Former Philly Flyer Brian Propp is running for the New Jersey Assembly

Despite his status as a left-winger for the Flyers, Propp is running as a Republican. Not a good year to be playing on your Flyer credentials.

Cry me a river

I don't want to harp on the Ryan Smyth trade more than I have to, but I am compelled to comment. Like I said earlier, I believe most of the blame should fall on the shoulders of Oilers GM Kevin Lowe for sending mixed messages to Smyth (he overpays Pisani for one single playoff run, he will not overpay his top scorer for twelve years of loyal service).

That being said, I was somewhat disturbed by Ryan Smyth's emotional breakdown while talking to the media before heading out to Long Island. While I enjoyed making fun of him, and while I have always cheered against him when he wore any jersey without a Maple Leaf emblazoned on it, I have never despised Smyth as I had for some of his predecessors in Oil Drop garb; however, I found his sniffling in front of the cameras to be a bit degrading. Yes, he loved being in Edmonton and, yes, he played a high-stakes gamble and lost, but the man was offered $5 million to stay and play a game and he turned it down, and then cried about it? It was a trade, for crying out loud. It was a business decision. There was no one holding a gun to his head, his family is well-taken care of, and he's playing the game he loved. If both parties weren't so stubborn, Smyth would have realized he was asking for too much, and Lowe would have realized that he ought to have paid for the mistakes he had made since the Cup run.

I can feel for the fans, but Smyth cannot ask me for feeling sorry for his "broken heart", not after he had some control over his own fate and screwed it up himself. There is simply too much pain and suffering in this world to pay any heed to the tears of a millionaire hockey player.

UPDATE: Bruce Dowbiggin has more on tear-dropped Oil Drops:

Now I know why they call him Mess. Could Mark Messier cry a little more? Tell him the Oilers already have a Zamboni for flooding the rink. Sheesh. What happens when he sees an abandoned kitten? That must start a new tributary of the North Saskatchewan.

Stating the obvious

When you plan to retire a player's jersey, do not do it on the same day as the trading deadline.

Beyond that relevating piece of awe, however, the Ryan Smyth trade had plenty of flaws beyond the players directly involved in the deal. It may be that Ryan O'Marra and Robert Nilsson might pan out to be solid NHLers, and that the team grabs a gem in their acquired 1st-round pick, or all three assets may turn out to be a collective dud. It doesn't matter; Oilers GM Kevin Lowe couldn't risk losing Smyth at the trade deadline and had to move in the end. I disagree with Matt; this deal did take cojones and kudos to Lowe for doing so.

The kudos end there, however; The reason they had to trade Smytty is because (as Matt also suggested) Lowe had been such a chickenshit GM in the past year and now his hand was forced. Take Fernando Pisani, please. Here's a guy who had a hell of a post-season run, exceeding all expectations, and was rewarded for his efforts with a big contract to stay in his hometown. How's that deal paying out now?

People may have already forgotten, but a similar situation happened a few hundred klicks south and a couple years earlier. A fleet-of-foot winger with hands of stone surprised everyone by scoring the second-highest amount of goals in the season and by playing a key role in a hard-fought bid for the Stanley Cup. Yet, the GM let him go, despite the the player's popularity with fans and teammates alike. Why was he let go? Because Shean Donovan was on a rare hot streak which would be unlikely to occur again, even if he did nab a big raise.

That's the difference between the Flames and the Oilers: Darryl Sutter has never been afraid to upset the home crowd; Lowe trusts in his fans' instincts until he has no choice than to make a tough deal.

Obviously, things will be different next year, with the amount of high-calibre Flames up for free agency. There may very well be a fire-sale, and fans will be pissed off no matter what Sutter does. However, the man trusts his own instincts and, though every deal will not be a great one, there should be no doubt that Darryl will do what Darryl thinks is best for Darryl's team.

If I were a managing partner in the Oilers organization, I might give Kevin Lowe exactly one more opportunity, that being getting Ryan Smyth back. If he can do that, he essentially grabbed three decent prospects in exchange for missing the playoffs one season, which isn't such a bad deal.

Then again, considering how much time Kevin Lowe has had to put his mark on the team, and considering the almost complete lack of team identity left on the roster, I'd fire that guy in a heartbeat and bring in an experienced soul tout de suite.

Maybe Bobby Clarke misses the northern lights.

A doorknob, a giant donkey and a skull missing half its brain matter ... "What are three apt descriptions for Eric Francis?"

Remember my prediction last week that if the Flames lost to the Coyotes, fair-weather commentators would be calling for Jim Playfair's head? I present Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun:

But while speculation swirls the Flames first year coach could pay the price for a dismal road record, Sutter refused yesterday to clarify his stance on the debate.

"I don't even want to publicly comment," said Sutter yesterday, between phone calls from GMs around the league.

"It's about winning now and we think on paper we have the personnel.

Some will suggest Sutter just isn't the type to hand out public votes of confidence and simply believes he has no duty to keep the public abreast of his thoughts.

Yeah, that or maybe Sutter thinks the question is a stupid one as the Flames are currently sitting in a playoff spot with a legitimate opportunity to win the division.

Speaking of predictions, Eric Francis, it should be noted, declared after 9 games into the season that the Flames were not going to make the post-season and should think about selling off some of their top talent.

What a useless tit.

Predictions are like arseholes

Sports predictions, when made by anyone other than myself, are about as useful as a butthole on the elbow (though, in retrospect, having that sort of medical condition could be incredibly useful in certain circumstances, especially if one finds herself in a terrible hurry during a crazed attempt to track down a the alleged lover of a space shuttle pilot). Still, nothing this side of David Suzuki drives me up the wall with more intensity and passion than sports prognosticators who treat every single match-up as the definitive moment to divine the eventual success of a particular team in any given season.

For instance, Flames lose 7-5 to the Avs on Thursday night, and the team can't hold on to a lead; The Flames take the Avs 7-3 on Saturday night, and you got yourself a credible contender.

Thus, as tonight is the third of the Flames-Avs miniseries, Bumf will make a bold prediction: If the Flames win, they have accumulated the most talented roster in a decade and are the team to beat; if they lose, a fire-sale is in order and Jim Playfair is lucky if he can get away with being run out of town whilst his head firmly attached to his neck.

We'll see how accurate my prediction turns out tonight.

Goin' for it

The Calgary Flames' chances of getting to the Stanley Cup final got a wee bit smaller:

The Nashville Predators have added a big weapon for the stretch run.

The Predators traded winger Scottie Upshall, defenceman Ryan Parent, a first round pick and a third round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for Peter Forsberg.

[...]

The 33-year-old centre adds some much needed playoff experience to the Predators. In fact Forsberg has more career playoff points (162) than the rest of the Predators lineup (155).

Forsberg joins an already potent line-up which includes Paul Kariya and instantly becomes the favorite to win the Cup this spring.

Then again, this isn't the first time Forsberg was hooked up with Kariya on a stacked team, and we all know how well that went.

Ironic and not in going down in a theatre way

SI.com Columist Steve Hofstetter writes that the NHL shouldn't be using sex to the sell tickets on the same day that his employer releases the SI Swimsuit Issue.










The headline for SI.com columnist latest piece is, "Desperate Kings Using Sex To Sell Tickets." Hofstetter writes that the Kings have put up billboards around L.A. "that simply say ‘Kings Hockey’ with a picture of an attractive blonde in a Kings uniform." Hofstetter claims that hot blondes are not bad , they just shouldn’t embody Kings hockey."











Hofstetter's commentary comes the same day that Sports Illustrated rolls out its famous swimsuit issue (and the accompanying tens of thousands of subscription cancellations).














And one week after internet "model" Jenn Sterger started her second official SI.com journalistic stint, which features her as a video reporter for Time, Inc., website.

It's a theory

Matt has his Peplinksi Underwear Theory on the Andrew Ference trade; I have my own. Brad Stuart, the well sought-after defenseman who came over with Wayne Primeau in exchange for Ference and Chuck Kobasew, played a team-leading 23 minutes, 12 seconds in the Flames commanding 4-1 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers. Stuart was physical, smart and an overwhelming presence. It is a no-brainer that he will be paired with Robyn Regehr, who has been underperforming this season without the sleek-footed Jordan Leopold carrying the puck out of the zone. Stuart also seemed comfortable on the second PP unit with Mike Giordano.

Speaking of physicality, one could not imagine Andrew Ference laying out the likes of Jim Slater the way Stuart was able to do early in the first period. Forget the issue with leadership; Simply put, he adds height, weight, talent and confidence to an already deep blueline.

As for Wayne Primeau, there is no comparison between him and Chuck Kobasew. He's just as fast, just as skilled with the stick, he adds three inches and 40 pounds, and can take faceoffs.

Sitting behind the Thrashers' bench last night for the first -- and last -- time in my spectating career, it became truly obvious. The Flames are a much, much better team after the trade.

Joe Sports, RIP

Collin Smith, a.k.a. "Joe Sports", the ubiquitous sports guy here in Calgary, has succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was well-known in the community for his charity and affable humour, and he knew his stuff on the playing fields.

My favorite Joe Sports story happened during a Rider game at McMahon several years back (when the Green are in town, it's a Rider game, not a Stamps one). My university buddies were all painted up and liquored to the max and generally making complete asses of (themselves (er, ourselves). Sitting a few rows ahead of us, it was eventually discovered, was Joe Sports himself. And his pre-teen son.

My good friend, Paddington, one of the best guys I know and one of the most sour drunks you can come across, was pissed about the score and proceeded to take it out on Joe Sports. He began to chant: "Jo-o-o-oe Sports! Jo-o-o-oe Sports! JO-O-O-OE SPORTS!".

He did this for the entire 4th quarter.

Being the kind of guy he is, Joe Sports took it until the game was almost over. He walked up with his son, smiled, shook our hands, and told us to have a great time. Then they left.

Paddy didn't say anything; he just sat there with a crooked frown, staring off at nothing. He brought his near-empty beer can to his lips, sipped his last, and muttered under his breath: "What an asshole."

I was a fan ever since.

Rest in peace, Joe. May you drink from Stanley's heavenly mug, and may all your Sunday picks come true.

It's now or never

When Calgary Flames GM Darryl Sutter traded away the popular Chuck Kobasew and Andrew Ference to the Boston Bruins for soon-to-be unrestricted free agents Brad Stuart and Wayne Primeau, the sweatiest palms in the NHL might possibly belong to Edmonton Oilers' GM Kevin Lowe. The Oil has been almost pathetic on the blueline this year, one season removed from when d-men Chris Pronger and Jaroslav Spacek backed their team to a credible run at the Stanley Cup. Marc-Andre Bergeron, he of "let's run the opponent into the crease and take out our number one goalie in the Stanley Cup finals" fame, is the team's leading scorer on the point with 7 goals and 24 points. Not much to be proud of.

Meanwhile, the Flames, having an abundance of depth in front of goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, merely added a proven presence while clearing room for up-and-comers Mike Giordano and Ritchie Regehr. The same goes for Wayne Primeau, who adds a confident and disciplined 6'4" demeanor on either the wing or as pivot. Primeau is also a noted face-off specialist, an aesthetic clearly coveted by Sutter.

Yesterday's humiliating loss to the Detroit Red Wing, while understandably a let-down after Saturday's difficult loss to the Sabres, was not indicative of the near future of the team. There is no doubt that the team has added to, rather than lost from, the current roster. Whether or not they can gel before season end is another story.

What is certain, however, is that the Flames are gearing up for what could possibly be their last major chance at Lord Stanley for the next three years or so.

We'll see in June whether this was a good deal or no.

Havlat has at Cowtown

Aside from cringing at the complete lack of elocution from the team's governor, the Calgary Flames organization did a wonderful job in raising Mike Vernon's number 30 to the Saddledome rafters. It was a classy display and I especially enjoyed Vernon's acceptance speech, finding that it was delivered remarkably well. It's too bad the rest of the team didn't put on quite as exciting a show afterward, losing 3-2 to the Chicago Blackhawks in a shootout which shouldn't have happened.

After sitting on the bench for an hour before, I can give the boys a bit of slack for missing that bit of jump in the first period. Even Dion Phaneuf'smauling of Chicago's Brent Seabrook, they of epic WHL battles past, was not effective in waking the team from their ceremony-induced slumber. However, throughout the entire game, there was very little to get the Saddle rockin'. It's not like the fans didn't want to cheer; hell, even little dump-outs into the neutral zone were eliciting hoots and hollers from the crowd. Nothing could get the team get its collective head out of its collective ass.

To the Blackhawks' benefit, they played an excellent road game. They were tight, didn't lose control in their own zone, and relied on their goaltender. Martin Havlat, in particular, was the best skater on the ice. He didn't piss around with the puck and cost his team defensively, and showed tremendous leadership on the ice. He impressed me so well that, in fact, it wouldn't surprise me that if in a year the man will be the odds-on favorite for the Hart Trophy. He took advantage of a pair of boneheaded penalties late in the third to tie the Flames and gave his team a chance to win. Martin Havlat is an excellent, excellent hockey player.

As for the Flames, I didn't notice anything remarkable about anything they did, although Matthew Lombardi impressed me a few times. The young centre is beginning to use his speed more strategically. By that, I mean he is becoming more comfortable in recognizing the proper time and place to explode with the puck, catching the opposition on a line change and while the defense pairing is a touch askew. When he turns on the afterburners, the entire play shifts down-ice and the Flames gather momentum. It is almost as if he's developed an entire year in these past two months, and Playfair might want to consider putting some more speed on his line. It's too bad Chuck Kobasew is on the IR, but there is no excuse for keeping Alex Tanguay off the Lombardi wing for very long.

But that was just a recurring thought during an otherwise unengaging affair. That's not to say the Flames were awful and that now is time to jump off the bandwagon, a la Calgary sports commentators after a late-game collapse. Remember, the boys still were able to snag a point to stay ahead of the Canucks in the race for first. For the moment, I'll give them a pass; hopefully they learned a little something about themselves, mainly that there is no such thing as a sure win, and that it takes more than a run of a few games to get your jersey number raised to the roof.

Give me two shots of CC on ice

He didn't disappoint. Craig Conroy made a memorable return to Calgary last night as he scored twice in the Flames' 4-1 victory over his old Los Angeles Kings.

While Conroy won't be scoring twice a game from here until the end of the playoffs -- he only has 7 goals on the season in total -- he clearly showed why he was brought back to Calgary in the first place. For one, he adds depth to the organization, as witnessed by an appreciable amount of ice time while the top two leading scorers on the team were out of the game (Daymond Langkow left the game early due to an apparent shoulder injury). He also provides leadership on the ice, having been Calgary's most prolific forward throughout the game.

Mostly, however, Conroy brings excitement to the game; he's a fan favorite and it is impossible for his teammates to not love him. While he was never the #1 centre Jarome Iginla needed in order to succeed on the ice, he will be an invaluable tool in the dressing room when Iginla needs the support to get the team riled up and ready to win.

Like almost everyone in Cowtown who does not feel nauseous at the sight of blue and bronze, I'm pretty pumped to have Conroy back.

Gentleman George

This fight between (6'3", 243-pound) Georges Laraque of Phoenix and (6'4", 263-pound) Raitis Ivanans of LA is not the best except for the fact that Laraque is miked up.

Here's what he has to say (calmly, mind you) to Ivanans as the two enforcers await the drop of the puck:

"You want to? Okay. We're up? Okay. Good luck then."

Classic.

All-Star Deceptions

Yesterday was the CBC's Hockey Day in Canada and, from all accounts, it was a success.

For Canadian hockey fans, they got the chance to watch all six Canadian-based teams go head-to-head in three back-to-back games (what's the record for hyphenated words in one sentence?). For half of those fans, the day was a dissappointment. What can you do? Since ties have benn eliminated, it means three teams have to lose. In the case of the Habs and Leafs, their fans were sent home with their tails between their legs.

Now, I don't know if this was planned, but the NHL chose the same day to announce the full lineups for the 2007 NHL All-Star game. As is the case every year, hockey pundits will over-analyse the selections and point out the major oversights. Given the talent in the NHL, the league could put together four teams and some great players would still be left out.

Here in Montreal, there is always something brewing about the selections. Since the announcment, the fans and journalist were excited that Huet was selected to attend the game. Turst me, they were really pissed that he was nowhere to be found on the All-Star ballot and now, all is fine. They have, however, pointed out one oversight: Guillaume Latendresse was (apparently) left off the Young Stars roster (I write apparently because I can't semm to find an official copy of the roster).

I have to say, without being too much of a "homer", I can't quite understand why he won't be there. As of today, Gui is tied for 9th in rookie scoring. He's three points ahead of Jordan Staal, who will be playing in the game.

Sure, some might say that Latendresse plays on a better team, but Staal gets quite a bit more ice time in Pittsburgh.

Either way, Staal does deserve to be there, but, IMHO, so does Latendresse.

I hope the Montreal media is wrong on this one and that he's actually been selected.

All Star Weekend

The hockey gods have spoken and there will be no Rory Fitzpatrick in the game. The email, internet and website campaign to elect the warm body to the National Hockey League All Star Game in Dallas later this month has failed. It was a nice gimmick and one felt sorry for Fitzpatrick over the course of the event.

He has been a healthy scratch in Vancouver several times already this year and barely clings to a NHL paycheque. He will get some time away from the rink over the break unless Fox News hires him to file reports from the game.

Two quick things. It is time to drop the one player per team rule. It is a slap in the face to the real all-stars. Two, it is time to move the game to after the season and put in a non-NHL location.

The real line-ups are in and it is time to compare choices - MP in parenthesis.

WEST

Roberto Luongo (x)
Miikka Kiprusoff (x)
Marty Turco (Chris Mason)

Scott Niedermayer (x)

Nicklas Lidstrom (x)

Philippe Boucher (x)
Dion Phaneuf (x)
Kimmo Timonen (x)
Lubomir Visnovsky (x)

Joe Thornton (x)

Jonathon Cheechoo (Daymond Langkow)

Joe Sakic (x)
Bill Guerin (Henrik Sedin)
Martin Havlat (x)
Patrick Marleau (x)
Rick Nash (Daniel Sedin)
Yanic Perreault (x)
Brian Rolston (x)
Teemu Selanne (x)
Ryan Smyth (Paul Kariya)
Henrik Zetterberg (x)

EAST

Ryan Miller (x)
Martin Brodeur (x)
Cristobal Huet (x)

Brian Campbell (x)

Sheldon Souray (x)

Jay Bouwmeester (x)
Zdeno Chara (x)
Tomas Kaberle (Andrei Markov)
Brian Rafalski (Dan Boyle)

Sidney Crosby (x)
Alexander Oveckin (x)

Daniel Briere (x)

Jason Blake (Jaromir Jagr)
Simon Gagne (Marc Savard)
Dany Heatley (x)
Marian Hossa (x)
Vincent Lecavalier (x)
Martin St. Louis (x)
Brendan Shanahan (x)
Eric Staal (Thomas Vanek)
Justin Williams (Rod Brind'Amour)

Jarome who?

How does a hockey team which ranks 27th league's penalty-killing standings stand up to another team whose power play ranks 6th overall? You do your best to almost match them goal-for-goal and then use your dominating five-on-five presence to walk away with a 7-3 road victory. That's how.

While all of Colorado's 3 goals were scored on the man-advantage, two of the Flames' markers were also put away during the same situation. The Stampede City Firey, Flarin' Horse Nostrils, tired of opponents taking advantage of their woeful PK, have come up with a much more fun solution -- score while short-handed. They've now scored 11 goals while 4-on-5, the most in the NHL, which is probably the most demoralizing turn of events which could ever occur in the game. Leading the charge in the short-handed stats is the swift-footed Matthew Lambardi, who ranks second in the league with 4 goals and first with 5 points, and Kristian Huselius, who has 2 goals and 4 points of his own.

Last night's victory was more important, yet almost without mention, due to Jarome Iginla's absence. Including the game against Florida against whom Iginla was injured, the Flames have now won 4 games in a row, and have outscored their opponents 19-9, and nabbed one shutout. Granted, these games weren't against Anaheim or San Jose, but neither were they against Philly or St Louis. The tough Dallas Stars and two divisional rivals were all taken to the cleaners by the Iggy-less Flames.

How could the injury of a potential Hart Trophy candidate work out for the better? I put it down to good coaching on the Flames' part, difficulty in putting together an adjusted game plan due to Iginla's absence on the opponents' part, and the Flames players finally stepping up and contributing something on their own behalf. Most obvious have been the timely scoring by Byron Ritchie and omaha call-up David Moss. It has been fortunate that both Lombardi and Huselius are finally playing up to their potential, and that Daymond Langkow has shown that he wasn't riding any man's coattails this season so far. Also, as was noted in last night's telecast, Dion Phaneuf has been given more responsibility in shutting down the top lines of the opposition and has done an admirable job in that department (to note, Milan Hedjuk was a -5 last night and registered but a single assist).

But mostly, I believe, the Flames are starting to get sick of being stuck in the Northwest quagmire and understand the need to gain a few points on their divisional rivals. They are the most talented and best-coached team of their peers and should be making a push ahead of the pack before the All Star Game. If they can come away with a +.600 record by the time Iginla returns to the lineup, the division is their's.

Obviously, that's speculation. What isn't speculation is that the Flames are a more confident team and they know they can dominate when they stick to the game plan. It's easy to say, but then again, I'm not an NHLer.

Go Flames.

Mid-Year Review

NHL Standings as of January 10 (with my original picks in brackets):

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Buffalo Sabres (1)
2. Atlanta Thrashers (8)
3. New Jersey Devils (5)
4. Monteal Canadiens (6)
5. Ottawa Senators (4)
6. Carolina Hurricanes (2)
7. NY Rangers (7)
8. Washington Capitals (14)
9. Tampa Bay Lightning (10)
10. Toronto Maple Leafs (13)
11. Boston Bruins (9)
12. Pittsburgh Penguins (12)
13. NY Islanders (11)
14. Florida Panthers (15)
15. Philadelphia Flyers (3)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Anaheim Ducks (5)
2. Nashville Predators (1)
3. Vancouver Canucks (13)
4. Detroit Red Wings (4)
5. San Jose Sharks (2)
6. Dallas Stars (9)
7. Calgary Flames (3)
8. Colorado Avalanche (10)
9. Minnesota Wild (7)
10. Edmonton Oilers (11)
11. Phoenix Coytoes (15)
12. Chicago Blackhawks (12)
13. Los Angeles Kings (6)
14. Columbus Blue Jackets (8)
15. St Louis Blues (14)

Excuses:

First of all, keep in mind that not all teams have played the same amount of games, thus total points and standings isn't a precise measuring tool. Also, you might want to consider the time-tested principle that you shouldn't judge a whole season based on the first quarter success or failure -- the second quarter is much more indicative of a team's final result than anything.

I called the East not too bad. The big surprises were Atlanta finally coming into their own and, of course, the massive Philly collapse. Washington too has performed much better than expected, and I'm glad to see it.

As for the West, well, I didn't do quite as well. I'll disregard the Northwest Division for now, considering how tight they all are. I thought San Jose would be slightly better than the Ducks and I didn't think Dallas would continue their winning ways, Phoenix has been making a surge and perhaps they aren't the worst team in the conference, but I wouldn't hold out too much hope for them. As for Los Angeles and Columbus, I didn't take into account how powerful the rest of the Pacific Division was going to be, and I thought Columbus was set to make a move. Instead, the Kings are going to miss the playoffs and Atlanta is the big mover of its expansion cohort. C'est la vie.

The future:

In the East, I don't see Montreal keeping u their winning ways; I'm thinking borderline playoffs right now. I wouldn't be surprised if Boston overtakes them, but I'll probably be wrong. Toronto will continue their slow climb to the bottom, though they won't be as bad as Philly, a team which has all but given up for the season. Look to Pittsburgh to challenge for a playoff spot.

Out West, Calgary is going to pick up some more and take the lead of the division for good. Minnesota might do a bit better than they are now (they currently have the fewest wins in regulation in the conference and their road game is abysmal) with the return of Gaborik. San Jose will do a late-season charge and will do their best to capitalize on Pronger's injury in OC. Edmonton will falter and likely miss the post-season and Nashville will win the top seed.

In the post-season, the Canucks will play the giant-killers but they won't get by the Flames in the Conference final.

Ray Emery will turn it on and hand Buffalo another close-but-no-dice playoff ouster. But Emery has nothing next to Kiprusoff and the Flames, and Iginla, after receiving the Conn Smyth, will hoist Lord Stanley's mug.

Or not.