Video of the Dustin Brown hit on Henrik Sedin

In my opinion this hit by L.A. Kings forward Dustin Brown on Vancouver Canucks forward Henrik Sedin is a clean shoulder to shoulder hit, maybe a second late, you will notice that CBC announcer Jim Huson and Craig Simpson didn't like the play and much to their chagrin, the refs didn't call a penalty on the play. The game immediately got chippy after this play.

There is an old saying in football, it's better to be the hammer than the nail. Just for the record, Sedin did go down the tunnel but he did return.

More evidence of Canucks Hate...

See, there is so much material with the Vancouver Canucks and so little time.

Canucks Hate - The hockey world really does hate them

I could spend a lot of time giving you reasons why I hate the Vancouver Canucks. If you read this blog during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, that hold the Canucks in a very low regard, but I am not alone. There is so many reasons why and so little space to cover all of the reasons. All you have to do is type Hate Vancouver Canucks on Google and you will get thousands of hits on webpages covering this subject.

I once compared the Canucks fan base to the fans of a college hockey team that resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I am not a lone in my hate for the Canucks, there are thousands of hockey fans outside of the city of Vancouver that hate the Vancouver Canucks. This isn’t a small isolated case.

Let’s start with their players, the Vancouver Canucks have a conga line of buffoons and unlikeable characters.

First you have Kevin Bieksa; who is a player that played his college hockey at Bowling Green State University. Bieksa is a bully, who loves to beat up and fight the other teams skilled players and players that shy away from the fights, if you look at his Hockey Fights page you will see that he doesn’t fight the skilled fighters and heavy weights very often.

Then you have Max Lapierre this guy is an absolute clown. The former Hab, Lapierre is a perfect fit on the Canucks, he can dive with the best in the NHL and this guy also loves to run his mouth and he tends to turtle or hide behind the refs when someone that knows how to fight comes to collect.

Like his buddy Bieksa, if he does fight, Lapierre tends to fight the players not known for their fighting prowess. I will be honest with you as a Bruins fan, I would dislike this clown no matter what team he is on. There will also be many of us that will adopt whatever team is playing the Canucks during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, just because this clown is on the Canucks.

Another clown in the Canucks line-up is uber hack Alex Burrows, this guy is absolute disgrace and probably one of the “most” unlikable characters in the NHL. There are hours of video to back up my point and there is too little bandwidth available.

Like Lapierre, Kesler and the Sedin twins, he flails, throws his head back and dives up and down the ice with the best of them, this guy would also be a perfect Montreal Canadian. This is the same clown that pulled the hair of Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith during the 2009 season and of course we all saw him bite Boston Bruin’s forward Patrice Bergeron last year during the Stanley Cup Finals. I don’t understand how this guy doesn’t get his clock cleaned every game.

Then there is the Sedin Twins; Daniel and Henrik, these guys are world class athletes and probably the first pick in anyone's fantasy hockey draft, unfortunately, they are two of the biggest frauds in the NHL, the Sedin twins skate up and down the ice flopping and flailing all-over the ice. Some fans refer to them as the Sedin Sisters.

Then you have American born Ryan Kesler, this guy is officially dead to me, I can’t respect an American  hockey players that dives like he does. Everytime he is hit, Kesler throws his head back and flails up and down the ice and is only surpased by the Sedin twins in his antics. True to form, Kesler was already displaying this poor sportsmanship in game one of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The American born and former Boston College Eagle goalie Cory Schneider doesn’t seem to understand why no one likes his team. I guess that Schneider must not read the papers.

"What's frustrating to us is when the national media and people outside the city parachute in and form these opinions," Schneider said. "They take things for facts that aren't really facts. If you talk to us and spend any time with us, you understand we're good guys. Dan Hamhuis, the twins, Manny [Malhotra], Sami Salo. They play the game the right way and do great things in the community." "You look around the league and people don't like us and Pittsburgh and we're two of the better teams," Schneider said. "You saw Darcy Hordichuk and Ben Eager in Edmonton. Nobody cares about Edmonton so nobody hates them. It's that simple." [CBS Sports]

But the “hate” isn’t only coming from the fans and media, the players also despise the Canucks as well. NHL writers Hosea Cheung and Ken Wiebe held a chat on this past Wednesday on the league's most hated team, the Vancouver Canucks. Hosea Cheung said this when replying to a fans comment.

CanuckPeg, players openly talk about hating the Canucks, how is the media hyping it up?? It's not exactly a secret

Shanahan throws book at Bitz, suspends him for two games

So the Vice President of the Department of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan  was very busy the day after the first night of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

First Shanahan fined Nashville Predators defenseman Shew Weber the NHL maximum of $2,500.00 and then suspended Canucks forward Bryon Bitz for two games for boarding Kyle Clifford, Bitz was assessed a major penalty and given game misconduct for boarding. Personally, the play in question, looked more like a hit to the head and an elbow.

At this pace, this season could end up setting records for fines and suspensions during the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at this rate. Or not! At least Shanahan set a precedence that the league is not going to put up or tolerate dirty hits and questionable acts. 

Related articles

• 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Western Conference Round One Preview (insidehockey.com)
• So does Shea Weber get suspended for slaming Zetterberg into the glass? (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

The Tweet that some took issue with

Apparently the LA Kings have apologized for this witty tweet. I don't understand why they should. I like many other people, thought the tweet was funny and I agree with the tweet. I just hope the Kings can eliminate the Canucks so we don't have to watch their antics and their diving up and down the ice through out the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

David Shoalts, Globe and Mail --- The Los Angeles Kings have apologized for a flippant tweet from their official Twitter feed that mocked the Vancouver Canucks.

“We encourage our digital team to be creative, interactive and to apply a sense of humour whenever possible. To anyone who found it offensive we sincerely apologize,” Mike Altieri, the Kings’ vice-president, communications and content, said in an e-mail message Thursday afternoon.

Diver Down - Vancouver Canucks.

This is a perfect example why the Vancouver Canucks are one of the most hated teams in the NHL. I mean this is pathetic, there is no reason a North American Hockey player should be playing the game this way. This is not the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation, this is the NHL, the best hockey league in the world.

I want to be clear, diving in hockey to draw a penalty is poor sportsmanship, seriously, Ryan Kesler looks like a buffoon in this video, whether Kesler want to believe it or not, he's a role model to young kids and they look up to him.

I am being dead serious, I don't want to go to a high school hockey game and see this crap. Are we to believe that Kesler is that light on his skates and is so easily knocked off his skates? I disappointed than one of the better American forwards in the game of hockey has to resort to this type of crap?  I am not the only one that is less than impressed with this display.

Related articles

• Was this goalie interference? Burrow's goal (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Quest for the Cup: Bergeron, Lidstrom, Kesler, Richards Weigh In (insidehockey.com)
• Canucks Meet Defensive Kings in Round One (insidehockey.com)

Bryon Bitz faces hearing with Shanny and the Department of Player Safety

Former Cornell Big Red forward Bryon Bitz was given a five minute major and a game misconduct for this dirty elbow on Los Angeles Kings forward Kyle Clifford. This is an unnecessary and dangerous hit and needs to be taken from the game of hockey. I predict that since Bitz, who is a third or fourth line player, will end up serving a suspension of a game or two for this hit on Clifford because the league will want to send a message.

NHL.COM ---- Vancouver Canucks right wing Byron Bitz will face a disciplinary hearing with the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety Thursday.

The hearing regards a boarding major Bitz received Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against Los Angeles when Bitz hit L.A.'s Kyle Clifford at 12:12 of the second period. Bitz was also assessed a game misconduct on the play.

Related articles

• Bits on Bitz (insidehockey.com)
• Kings Steal Home Ice By Beating Top-Ranked Canucks In Playoffs Opener (losangeles.cbslocal.com)
• Willes: No discipline or intelligence as Kings make Canucks pay for mistakes (theprovince.com)
• Kings Beat Canucks In Game One 4-2. Enjoy It & Get Back To Business On Friday (lakingsnews.com)

Was this goalie interference? Burrow's goal

"They're back!" The most unlikable hockey team in the NHL is up to their antics already. This is the goalie by Canucks punk Alex Burrows, also watch Ryan Kesler throwing his head back and your waiting for him to start flailing about, like he had been shot.

If L.A. Kings goalie Jonathan Quick's stick made contact with Ryan Kesler, it was because Kesler made contact with Quick who was in the blue paint and the goalie was trying to make a save and or trying to find the puck. To me this appears to be a text book goalie interference and the goal should have been waived off. What do you think?

Related articles

• Quest for the Cup: Bergeron, Lidstrom, Kesler, Richards Weigh In (insidehockey.com)
• Canucks Meet Defensive Kings in Round One (insidehockey.com)

The Stanley Cup Playoffs - Goon's Predictions

Who do you like to win Lord Stanley's Cup? I am taking the Boston Bruins to repeat as the Champs? What do you think? Who is your pick to win it all?

Western Division

1 Vancouver Canucks vs. 8. L.A. Kings – 1 Vancouver Canucks

2 St. Louis Blues  vs. 7 SJ Sharks – 2 St Louis Blues

3 Phoenix Coyotes vs. 6 Chicago Blackhawks – 6 Chicago Blackhawks 

4 Nashville Predators vs. 5 Detroit Redwings – 5 Detroit Redwings 

Conference Semis

1 Vancouver Canucks vs. 6 Chicago Blackhawks – Vancouver Canucks

2 St Louis Blues vs. 5 Detroit Redwings – St Louis Blues

Western Conference Finals

Vancouver Canucks vs. St Louis Blues – St Louis Blues.

Eastern Division

1 New York Rangers vs. 8 Ottawa Senators – 1 New York Rangers

2 Boston Bruins vs. 7 Washington Capitals – 2 Boston Bruins

3 Florida Panthers vs. 6 New Jersey Devils – 6 New Jersey Devils

4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 5 Philadelphia Flyers – 4 Pittsburg Penguins

Conference Semi Finals

1 New York Rangers vs. 6 New Jersey Devils – New York Rangers

2 Boston Bruins vs. 4 Pittsburg Penguins – Boston Bruins

Conference Finals

1 New York Rangers vs. 2 Boston Bruins – Boston Bruins

Stanley Cup Finals

St Louis Blues vs. Boston Bruins – Boston Bruins

Daniel Sedin hits Duncan Keith in head

Last night there was a lot of outrage about Blackhawks defensemen Duncan Keith's hit on Canucks forward Daniel Sedin.

What I didn't see was a lot of outrage about Daniel Sedins hit on Duncan Keith, and both hits are bad. Being consistent, I think you can see that both players "could be" required to sit a game or two, both hits are bad and unnecessary. I also think that you can't suspend one without suspending the other. It will be interesting to see how the department of player safety handles this case.

Related articles

• Duncan Keith's hit on Daniel Sedin (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Should Duncan Keith be suspended for the hit on Daniel Sedin? (rantsports.com)

Duncan Keith's hit on Daniel Sedin

With Shane Doan getting suspended for three games for elbowing Jamie Benn in the face, you've got to think that the Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith is going to get a game or two suspension for taking out the Canucks star forward Daniel Sedin with this high elbow to the head.

Daniel Sedin also needs to sit as well because he is not innocent in this situation. 

These types of dirty hits are not acceptable and the NHL needs to be more proactive in removing these types of hits from the game of hockey. Dirty hits take out more hockey players than fights do in the NHL.  This is the type of plays that the NHL needs to punish severely and with out apology.

Related articles

• Canucks take on red-hot Blackhawks (cbc.ca)
• Shane Doan hit on Jamie Benn (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

Platinum edition – Shaking off the cobwebs on Saturday Afternoon

I really liked this post that was on twitter today. As most know, I am not a Canucks fan and I think with the addition of former Dallas forward Steve Ott to their roster only gives me more reasons to not like the Vancouver Canucks. As I have said in the past, I think that the Vancouver Canucks are one of the most "unlikeable teams" in the NHL, they are a team stuffed full of characters I have no problem  despising. This is also the team that employed Todd Bertuzzi at one time. Now you have a trio of losers, Alex Burrows, Steve Ott and Max LaPierre. 

I am not sure who is worse from that group of miss fits, but  Ott is also that guy that is the 

prototypical P.O.S. if you catch my drift. 

Breaking down the Zidlicky trade

You can mark me down as being happy with the deal. Love it.

The Minnesota Wild traded the disgruntled and overrated Marek Zidlicky, I also think the Wild got rid of a locker room distraction, that they don’t need going down the stretch.  In return for Zidlicky the Minnesota Wild get former Wild defenseman Kurtis Foster and also forwards Nick Palmieri and Stephane Veilleux. The kicker is the Wild will also get a second-round pick in 2012 draft.

I think it’s a smart move for the Wild because they get a decent defenseman and a third or fourth line forward that will do what-ever it takes to help the team win. I don’t know much about Nick Palmieri other than he is an American from New York and has played in 48 NHL games and has scored (9g-9a—18pts), it would seem that he will add some needed depth to the third or fourth line as well.  

During his NHL career, Zidlicky has scored 60 goals and added 238 assists. Zidlicky has also racked up  496 penalty minutes, in 548 games.

Related articles

• New Jersey Devils acquire D Marek Zidlicky (tracking.si.com)
• Wild deal lands Zidlicky in Jersey (nypost.com)
• Zidlicky joins Devils in big trade, Hemsky stays at Oilers (reuters.com)
• NHL trade deadline: Oilers re-sign Ales Hemsky, Devils deal for Marek Zidlicky (thestar.com)
• Game 60 Recap: Cory puts Devils 'on the Schneid' (devilsarmyblog.com)

Another reason to hate the Vancouver Canucks

Image via WikipediaI mean really?!? Cory Schneider is a good goalie and a very serviceable back up to the Canucks head case Robert Luongo, but he isn't even close to the stature of Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas. I guess as a Bruins fan, I can just chalk it up as another reason to hate the Vancouver Canucks hockey team.

The Providence --- Cory Schneider, an American from Marblehead, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, was one Canuck willing to weigh in, and his message was simple. Thomas should have sucked it up and gone to the White House.

“I’m not that religious but if I had the chance to meet the Pope, it’d be pretty cool,” Schneider said.
”I don’t believe in everything the Catholic church does, but I’d still show up to the Vatican and say Hi to the Pope.

“I have no problem with his personal beliefs, but (Thomas) can suck it up for an hour, say Hi and be with the team, and avoid all of this.

“Respect the (Presidency). He plays for Team USA and he has no problem making millions of dollars in the USA but he can’t go say Hi to the President.

Related articles

• Tim Thomas's Obama 'slight' put political agenda ahead of Bruins teammates, says Canucks' Cory Schneider (vancouversun.com)
• Five Observations: Bruins Downed by Canucks (insidehockey.com)
• Test Versus Bruins Shows Canucks' Change (insidehockey.com)

Canucks GM Mike Gillis is whining again.

Rose Bud Mag

Wow!!! In a way I am kind of sad that the Boston Bruins don’t get to play the Vancouver Canucks more.

That being said, I think it’s funny that Mike Gillis has the gall to say this when his teams has on it’s roster some of the biggest Rats hacks in the NHL; Alex Burrows aka Count Dracula, Maxim Lapierre who spends all game running his mouth on the ice until he is called out and then he “usually” turtles and won’t fight. Yesterday his fight with Greg Campbell was an enigma.

You have no moral ground to stand on anymore Mike. That ship has sailed, last summer after the hockey world saw your team's bag of tricks. There is so much material evidence and so little time. I am sure you called for Keith Ballard's suspension when he low bridged Jamie McGinn during the Stanley Cup playoffs. That is is far more violent than the one in question.

When the Vancouver Canucks defenceman was low-bridged by Brad Marchand late in the second period on Saturday, the Boston Bruins winger was assessed a clipping major and game misconduct and could face further supplemental discipline from NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan because it’s a hit the league is trying to eliminate.

[Marchand]“A dirty play by a dirty player,” said Gillis.

Salo went head over heels on the play and landed awkwardly and may have suffered a whiplash effect when his neck was stretched. He threw his stick aside in disgust as he exited the ice for good reason. The big Finn was having a solid season and arguably the most consistent blueliner for the Canucks. Having suffered 40 career injuries, Salo set up the opening goal Saturday in a big 4-3 win over the Bruins and has 16 points (7-9) in 37 games after agreeing to return this season on a one-year deal for a bargain $2 million to take another serious run at a Stanley Cup. He has never won a major championship outside the club level in Europe.

Bruins coach Claude Julien didn’t exactly let his player off the hook when asked if Marchand went too far with the hit and crossed a line. [The Providence]

Again like I said last summer, the Canucks are a bunch of cry babies, and they don’t like it when they are called out for their on ice antics. I guess they also forget that Alex Burrows hit Daniel Paille, then hits Bruins tough guy Shawn Thornton in the throat with his stick, starting a line brawl, of course he won’t drop the gloves and fight Thornton. How did the Canucks expect the Boston Bruins to respond to Burrow's act of stupidity?  And then this gem from Kevin Bieksa, the guy that loves to beat up other teams skilled players that don't fight, then will turn around and avoid fights the tough guys who fight when he is asked, had this to say.

Bieksa on Brad Marchand's big hit: "We play hard, but we are a disciplined team. That’s what separates us from them. They obviously play hard, but they tend to do stupid things. The Marchand hit was a pretty stupid thing and I’m sure he’ll be getting a phone call for that one. There is no reason for that."

I wonder if the Canucks fans remember this hit or not. Is this not the  same as the Marchand hit? Here is the link to the video of that hit. [Click to view]

This is what Claude Julien had to say on the hit in question, when I saw the hit for the first time that is the first thing that comes to mind is that Marchand was trying to duck under a hit from Salo. My next question is; is a player required to let his opponent hit him? Shouldn't we want a player be allowed to duck under a hit and avoid contact if they want to? The size difference between the two players is pretty significant.

Matt Kalman, The Bruins Blog --- “We all have our opinions on what is going on with the game and the hits and everything else. All I’m going to tell you is that I always told my players that they need to protect themselves,” said Julien. “The last thing I want my players to do is get hit and then end up with a concussion, and they have to protect themselves. Whether it’s the right way or the wrong way, it’ll depend on how the league looks at it. I’d rather have a guy take a two-minute penalty than turn his back to the play, stand up straight, and then get his face knocked into the glass and be out for maybe the rest of the year with a concussion, or maybe end his career like [Marc] Savard.

Lastly, I expect that Marchand will get some form of punishment from the Brendan Shanahan based on the whining and complaining coming out of the Canucks front office. Like I mentioned before, there is more than enough video evidence to prove the Vancouver Canucks don't hold the moral high ground.Check out this hit by Mason Raymond on Brad Marchand. [Click to view]


The Classiest comment that I read today was from the Vancouver Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault

Compare and contrast

This is video proof to prove the hypocrisy of the Vancouver Canucks fans and the Vancouver media. There are a lot of hockey fans that whine about every thing the Boston Bruins do. This just proves that the Vancouver Canucks are just as bad as the team that they are whining about.

There are fans that think that there's actually a league conspiracy and that the NHL favors the Boston Bruins because Colin Campbell's son Greg Campbell plays for the Boston Bruins.

This video is from last years Stanley Cup Finals in game one where Vancover Canucks Defenseman Dan Hamhuis hits Boston Bruins forward  Milan Lucic low just like Brad Marchand did on Sami Salo and in the process Hamhuis injured himself. There was no penalty on the play, nor was there was there a suspension. Why the double standard? Yet there are fans from the Canucks and other fan bases as well as people from the hockey media calling for Brad Marchand to be suspended.  Why wasn't Hamhuis' hit suspension worthy? Where is the out cry? You can imagine the whining if Marchand isn't suspended or at least fined. [Box Score]

Related articles

• Vancouver Canucks: Pyrrhic Victory over Boston Bruins as Sami Salo is Injured (bleacherreport.com)
• Canucks top Bruins in Cup rematch (sports.nationalpost.com)
• Schneider to start, Canucks return to Boston to face Bruins (tsn.ca)
• Boston Bruins' Loss Reiterates Discipline Is Their Greatest X-Factor (bleacherreport.com)
• Canucks vs. Bruins Fight Video: Watch Epic Brawl in Stanley Cup Finals Rematch (bleacherreport.com)

Bruins and Canucks - more controversy

This is the play that lead to one of the controversies from today's game, the refs gave Bruins forward Milan Lucic a game misconduct because they thought that "he might have" left the players bench to engage in a brawl/fight. The NHL reviewed the video and has rescinded the game misconduct penalty and they have ruled that Lucic was legally on the ice and and did not leave the players bench to engage in a fight. Much to the chagrin of the Canucks fans and Bruins haters Lucic will not be suspended by the NHL.

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand will not be as lucky as Lucic as he probably will have a disciplinary hearing with Brendan Shanahan the NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety.

Let me be clear, I hate the Vancouver Canucks will all of my fiber, they are one of the most unlikable teams in the NHL with characters like Alex Burrows and Maxim Lapierre you enjoy watching their opposition pound them into the ice. That being said, this was an unneeded penalty at a critical juncture of the game, it's a selfish move and there was no reason to Marchand make that play.

There was a lot of discussion about this hit on Twitter, it's a dangerous hit but you can see that Marchand hits Sami Salo who is much bigger than Marchand in the thigh. Marchand's five minute major cost the Boston Bruins two goals and it was the reason the Canucks won the game. As far as what Marchand will get in the way of discipline, no clue. Due to the inconsistent ruling coming from Shanahan, you have to wonder if Shanny is using the Colin Campbell Wheel of Justice.

This turned out to be an odd event. The on ice officials probably made the right call by penalizing both players. I guess Wiese didn't want to get pounded by Bruins tough guy Shawn Thornton.

Douglas Flynn, NESN.COM --- Gregory Campbell did attempt to exact some retribution on Lapierre later in the first, squaring off for a long fight directly off the faceoff after Brad Marchand had tied the game. Thornton then dropped his gloves on the ensuing faceoff, but Wiese backed out of a verbal agreement to engage.

"He's said, 'Let's go,'" Thornton said. "I don't know if he was talking to me or someone else. [Referee] Donnie [VanMassenhoven] heard him and that's why he went with me [to the penalty box], I'm assuming. Donnie said, 'Wait 'til the puck drop,' I said, 'Of course,' and I heard [Weise] say, 'We'll go.' Maybe he was taking to Quaider [Adam McQuaid]. I don't know. Obviously I thought it was go time."

That proved just one of the many frustrations of the day as the Bruins were unable to continue their domination of the Canucks on home ice this time around.

Related articles

• Canucks vs. Bruins Fight Video: Watch Epic Brawl in Stanley Cup Finals Rematch (bleacherreport.com)
• Canucks win Stanley Cup rematch against Bruins (theglobeandmail.com)
• VIDEO: Canucks, Bruins Meet In Stanley Cup Final Rematch, Still Hate Each Other (sbnation.com)
• Hodgson leads Canucks past B's in Cup rematch (sportsillustrated.cnn.com)

Weise hit on Plante - no suspension.

This is the hit that Vancouver forward Dale Weise put on Edmonton defenseman Alex Plante. The NHL has ruled that this was a shoulder to shoulder hit, and I concur. The head coach of the Edmonton Oilers Tom Renney wasn't very pleased with the hit and said that a suspension might be in order.

Asked about the hit by Vancouver forward Dale Weise on Edmonton d-man Alex Plante in Monday night’s game, Edmonton Oilers head coach Tom Renney suggested a suspension might be in order.

“Pretty tough hit. Maybe a little sabbatical,” Renney said.

“He came pretty hard. He had a pretty full head of steam up. And he was after one thing, and that was to hurt and hit the kid.”

Chicago's Bolland rips the Sedins

Chicago's BlackhawksDave Bolland rips into the Sedin twins during a radio show and really has nothing nice to say about the Vancouver Canucks, no offense but I can't stand the Canucks either and I have said in the past, "that the Vancouver Canucks are one of the most unlikable teams in the NHL next to the Montreal Canadians."

SportsDirect ---- Chicago Blackhawks center Dave Bolland didn't have too many complimentary things to say about Henrik and Daniel Sedin - or the city of Vancouver, for that matter.

In fact, he referred to the Sedin Twins as "sisters" on two occasions on a recent appearance on Chicago-based WGN Radio.

When asked if he'd welcome them on the Blackhawks - should a deal arise - Bolland was fairly blunt with his response.
Related Info

"Well, they'll never become 'Hawks," he said. "I don't think we'd let them on our team. We'd be sure not to let them on our team. And, yeah, they probably still would be sisters.

Brad Malone called up to the Av's

Former Fighting Sioux forward Brad Malone has been called up to the Colorado Avalance and is set to make his NHL debute because of an injury to former DU Pioneer Paul Stasnty and a suspension to former Michigan Wolverine Kevin Porter.

CALGARY — Avalanche forward Kevin Porter has been suspended four games for his knee-on-knee collision with Vancouver’s David Booth in Tuesday’s 6-0 loss against the Canucks at Rogers Arena. As a result of that and Paul Stasnty’s lingering torso injury, Colorado has called up forward Brad Malone, a first-year pro from the University of North Dakota.

Canucks' Raymond 'will never be the same'

Here is a follow up on former on former UMD Bulldog Mason Raymond, sounds like he had a very long painful struggle to get back to the NHL. This story was in today's Vancouver Sun, the video of the hit in question is included above.

Vancouver Sun --- Run into the boards by Boston Bruins defenceman Johnny Boychuk, who held down Raymond’s head as he rammed the Canuck backwards, Raymond suffered not only a fractured spine but damaged nerves and tissue.

“It’s a serious injury that’s going to take some time,” he said. “Things have changed back there. It will never be the same. I’m not going to get into specifics, but I had some serious damage back there. I’ve got issues back there. I’ve got to deal with them all the time. That’s part of life. Is it going to be perfect? Probably not. But I’m at a stage where it’s very good and I continue to work and do things that are going to make me feel I’m in a good spot.”

Raymond spent most of last summer in a back brace and when training camp began in September the 26-year-old from Cochrane, Alta., was still unsure if he’d play again in the National Hockey League. Sometime in the fall, he crossed the threshold between “if” and “when” and three weeks ago he began practicing with teammates.

Related articles

• Canucks' Mason Raymond 'ready to roll' (vancouversun.com)
• Canucks' Mason Raymond nearing return from Cup final-ending back injury (vancouversun.com)
• Canucks' Mason Raymond not sure he'll play again, still out indefinitely with broken back (vancouversun.com)
• Canucks' Mason Raymond 'excited' about impending return from Cup final-ending back injury (vancouversun.com)
• Canucks welcome Raymond back to practice (tsn.ca)