Happy Memorial day...

Goon's World would like to thank the men and women serving their country in the military over seas and at home. It is this blogger's opinion that freedom does not come free. These colors do not run nor do they surrender.

Another color video tribute to the American Soldier.

Proper way to throw a golf club.

During the off season where there is no more hockey this is an important technique to know when you're having a tough day on the golf course.

Video of the Nicklas Lidstrom no-goal

Here is the video of the Nicklas Lidstrom non-goal from game one in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Honestly from a objective point of view this appears to be a bad call and if I had been the on ice official I would have called it a good goal.

While I am not a fan of Tomas Holmstrom and he does cross the line in crowding the net, but I don't know in this case, I have watched the video a quite a few times and this call was really flimsy and a ticky tacky call. If anything the NHL needs to let the defenseman have more lee way in clearing out the front of the net. In the old days Holmstrom would have been knocked out of the way by the defender.

Linkorama: New Fighting Sioux blog

I just recently found this new Fighting Sioux/Boston University hockey blog while surfing the net; UNDER REVIEW and there is an interesting article on Fighting Sioux recruit Garret Clarke. Apparently this kid's stock is really rising and the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL are interested in making him part of their team, for now it appears for now that Clarke is still going to go the Fargo Force of the USHL and then to the Fighting Sioux of the WCHA. I am not going to hold my breath waiting. Expect a full court press because the QMJHL doesn't care about any gentleman's agreement nor should they.

Tim Clarke, the father, gave a long pause and then seemed to choose his words carefully when asked why his son is returning to Moncton for the summer.

"His sister is going to school there and we still have a home there,'' he said. "He's going there to train and just hang out for a few weeks. That's about all I can really say to be honest.''

Has Clarke, his parents or the family advisor already met with Moncton and worked out a deal for him to suit up here next season?

"We're still tied to Fargo in the USHL and the University of North Dakota at this time,'' said the father. "We'll have to see what happens over the next couple of weeks.

"There's a lot of interest in him, but I really can't say who we've met with and who we haven't. There's a lot of (QMJHL) teams that have made offers. As it stands today, we're still focused on the commitments that he's made to Fargo and the University of North Dakota.

"Will that change in two weeks or a month or two months? It's difficult to say at this point. I'm not at liberty to say whether or not he would consider Moncton or any other (QMJHL) team for that matter.''

Moncton head coach and director of hockey operations Danny Flynn was asked about the possibility of making Clarke the first overall pick in the draft.

"We've spoken to his representative, Allain Roy, four or five times and we've been told that he's definitely going to pursue U.S. college hockey,'' he said. "I've seen him play enough to know that he's a very talented player.

Rolston and Gaborik rumors

Here are some of the latest rumors from Eklund The Anonymous Hockey Blogger. I have seen this guy right like once and that was during the Toews signing, go figure.

First off, IF the Wild trade Marian Gaborik they better get a boat load of draft choices and prospects; in my opinion Boston has little to give in the way of prospects. If the Minnesota Wild trades the face of their organization away, Minnesota Wild fans will not be very forgiving if the organization doesn’t get a lot in return. Gaborik although a often hurt player I a dynamic offensive player that does bring a lot to the table, replacing his 40-50 goals in the line up would be very hard. I am all for getting rid of perimeter player PMB. I don't see the Wild trading Gabby.

As a Bruins fan I would love to see Hossa and Gaborik on the same team along with Savard, however, wouldn't the Wild also be in the mix as well? Brian Rolston is one of my favorite all-time American born players in the NHL and I would love to see him end his career with the Minnesota Wild.

Rolston
A few sources are telling me that Brian Rolston, one of the more attractive UFAs due to his solid two-way play, is looking likely to return to Minnesota. That is not to say that other teams aren't going to make pitches that may make this decision a tough one for Brian, but most of my sources are leaning towards Brian returning due to the fact he really loves playing in Minnesota.

Gaborik
Although some sources are saying pretty much the same thing regarding Gaborik's desire to remain a "Wild" (?) reports are that some very serious trade offers may make things complicated including a mega offer from a "team in the Northeast" that I believe to be either Buffalo or Boston. There is one scenario where Boston would attempt to unite Hossa and Gaborik in Boston.

Umberger for Suter?
From all I am hearing Jeff Carter wants to and will indeed be a Flyer for years to come. However, the Flyers are in an interesting spot with RJ. While it is hard to imagine a Vanek-like offer sheet coming in for RJ, it is entirely possible that Holmgren and Poile (two long-time friends) could make a move that would clear up issues for each of them.

The ref screws the Red Wings once again.

This is becoming a reoccuring theme, it is like ground hog day. One could say, "that the more thing change the more things stay the same." Game one Stanley Cup playoffs the Detroit Red Wings have another goal called off by the on ice officials. There will be a disscussion about goalie interference in the off season, you can bet on it. I am still tring to find video of the non-goal.

Same ref, same bad call? Wings get goal taken away

Detroit Red Wings left wing Tomas Holmstrom has made a career of being an aggressive presence in front of the net.

But for the second time in as many playoff series, a referee thought Holmstrom was a bit too aggressive around the goal.

The Wings thought they went up 1-0 with 15:20 into the game because Nicklas Lidstrom put the puck in the net, only it was called off by referee Dan O'Halloran, who ruled Tomas Holmstrom had interfered with Marc-Andre Fleury.

Holmstrom's stick did make contact with Fleury, but certainly not in any way that impaired Fleury from making a save.

Holmstrom said he hadn't seen replays but "I heard it was a bad call. Fleury was outside the paint and was coming out to me, and what can you do? For sure it helps when you win the game."

O'Halloran, of course, was also the guy who, when the Wings played Anaheim in Detroit on Feb. 10, called off a Lidstrom goal after ruling that Holmstrom had interfered with Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Referee Kelly Sutherland called off a Pavel Datsyuk goal in Game 4 of the third-round series against Dallas, ruling Holmstrom's posterior violated Marty Turco's airspace, even though replays showed Holmstrom wasn't even in the blue paint.

Back up and running.

I want to thank everyone for their kind words, support and emails during this tough week. The funeral service at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church in Prior Lake Minnesota was unbelievable, they are a first class organization and very supportive.

Shepherd of the lake is also one of the biggest Lutheran churches I have ever worshiped at, I thought my church in Grand Forks was big. My mother sang in the choir at the church in Prior Lake so my sisters requested that the choir sing at her funeral. The Shepherd of the lake choir was unbelievable and a them being at the funeral was a nice touch.

Taking a short break

Goon's world will be taking a short break for a few days because of an unexpected death in the family. My mother passed away unexpectedly this week and I will be spending time with my family. Grandma Sue will be missed by all.

Chris Simon to Russia

It would appear that Chris Simon's playing days in the NHL are over, I suppose there are playing in the NHL breathing a sigh of relief. I guess this means that we aren't going to have to witness anymore long suspensions or melt downs on the ice. Simon missed thirty games this season for stopping on another player with his skate. In the end it appears that Simon acquisition at the trade deadline was one of the Wild's poorer moves in their short history.

To Russia with Love: Chris Simon
B.D. Gallof
It is really no surprise that Chris Simon's NHL career, at least at this juncture ends, while he continues onward in what used to be called the Russian Super League. Gazprom, a natural gas extracting company with a value of $304 billion has rebranded the league the Continental Hockey League in order to position it to compete with the NHL. So, this league, controlled by a firm who is allowed to have security forces much greater than most other Russian companies, adds two players who had horrendous years to its fold: perennial goalie backup John Grahame and former Islander pugilist, Chris Simon.

Well, I guess all big things have to start small, eh?

Alexei Zhamnov is GM of Vityaz Podolsk Chekhov, and played one year with Simon back in the NHL. He adds him to the bouillabaisse of "talent" of Oleg Kvasha (aka Master of the Hockey Universe), and other barn-burners like Igor Radulov and Alexander Korolyuk.

Well, I guess one silver lining is that one can hope he pounds Alexei Yashin into a pulp.

Yashin, meanwhile, with his agent seem to be playing the angles to create a market for him to come back to the NHL. Some teams are purported to be interested. Just like they were when he signed to play in Russia.

Blast from the past.

Check out this fight from February 11th, 2003, it lasted a total of one punch. You have to wonder if Jesse Boulerice regretted getting involved in this fight. Boulerice took a swipe at Downey before he floored him with one hay-maker. Wow...

The latest Patrick Reusse article.

Seems that Patrick Reusse is enflaming the masses down in Minneapolis again because he isn't spitting out the company line again. You know; Don Lucia is great, Don Lucia is God, Don Lucia is the top coach in the WCHA.

Seriously! Everyone knows that Mike Guentzel quit on his own accord and wasn't pushed out; there is no way a class act such as Don Lucia would force a great coach like Mike Guentzel out. Why couldn’t it happen?

The funny thing is every once in a while when there isn't much as far as real news going on in the Twin Cities Partick Reusse will put a shot across the bow of the Gopher hockey team. I don’t blame him it sells newspapers and people respond to it. Like obedient sheep the Gopher faithful take offense to it. I think people forgot to mention that it was an opinion piece. What is more funny is the comments that follow Reusse's articles.

Mainstream media. That's what they call us, right?

Apparently, the plan here in the mainstream has been to accept the tall tale that Mike Guentzel willingly resigned after 14 seasons as a Gophers hockey assistant, even though it's an open topic of conversation in WCHA circles and among former Gophers that he was forced out by coach Don Lucia.

Guentzel can't confirm this to media members, of course. The 45-year-old has aspirations to run a Division I program, and publicly admitting that Lucia chose him as the scapegoat for the horrendous 2007-08 season would not be helpful in that pursuit.

There's no doubt that the Lucia ego is sufficiently large that he's not going to blame a seventh-place finish in the WCHA on his own stewardship. And since The Don is joined at the hip with John Hill, his other assistant, that left Guentzel to take the fall. (Read the whole story here)

This is one of my favorite comments on the article.

Such short memories
Somehow the Don's critics have forgotten how he recruited a guy with below average skating skills named Grant Potulny. He certainly was not a prima-donna but the Don saw his leadership skills and character and Grant became the best captain the Gophers had in many years and led them to 2 NCAA championships. I agree with the Don that it's easy to be a good coach with good players - check the record at CC. However, to make the personable and hard working Guentzel a scapegoat (if that is indeed the case!) is not a class act.

Which one of these should have been a goal.

n reviewing the goals from the Detroit and Dallas series; it appears that this goal looks like the one that should have been waved off, because it does appear that the Detroit forward Holmstrom interfered with Marty Turco as opposed to first Detroit goal that was taken back in game 4 on Thursday night. One might suggest that it was a make up call.

One has to wonder what affect it would have had on the series if these goals had been called correctly? It may not have mattered either.

Cool NHL on versus commercial.

I had someone at work ask me the other day if hockey was over yet? His next question was; why is the hockey season so long. I told him that there is still a series and half left in the season. This NHL on Versus commercial kind of sums up what the off season is like, boring, the back of a lawn chair.

Personally I wish hockey season was 10 month long, the off season is way too long in my opinion. A guy can only hit bad golf shots so long before you become board with the whole thing.

Ducan to return to North Dakota

When I heard that Ryan Ducan the 2007 Hobey Baker Memorial trophy winner was coming back to UND I was ecstatic. I think it will help UND a lot having one of their top offensive stars back in the line up next season. I am already hoping and dreaming that next season the Fighting Sioux coaches put Ducan on a line with David Toews and Evan Trupp. That line could probably score 75-100 goals.

Duncan to return for senior season
Brad Elliott Schlossman
After Ryan Duncan won the 2007 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, some thought there wasn’t anything left for him to accomplish in college hockey.

To the contrary, the standout winger will have several milestones sitting in front of him this fall, when he returns for his senior season.

Duncan has informed UND that he will be back to complete his college career rather than sign a free-agent pro contract.

That means he will have a chance to further solidify himself among the program’s best.

Despite playing in an era when scoring is at a record low, the 5-foot-6, 159-pound forward from Calgary only needs 20 points to move into the top 20 in all-time scoring at UND. He currently ranks 38th with 133 points.

Duncan also could break the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s record for most consecutive games played. Duncan has never missed a game at UND, playing 132 in a row. His former teammate, Chris Porter, holds the record at 175.

Duncan could become the first player ever to win the Hobey Baker Award twice and just the third player in the last decade to leave college hockey with both the Hobey and a national championship trophy, which has eluded Duncan’s Sioux teams.

“He’s already created a lot of great memories,” UND coach Dave Hakstol said earlier this season.