Don't Let the Door Hit You On the Way Out

The more I hear of this story the less sad that I become; one can say that I am over it. Good luck with going to the hockey black hole known as Toronto. You’re really going to love the way the fans are going to treat you when you disappear for a few games and don’t score any goals. Toronto fans are less forgiving than Boston fans and they are relentless on the message boards. You might want to talk to last year’s whipping boy Jason Blake; the fans were also very persistent in their criticism of the former 40 goal scorer. You’re making more money than Blake is so you’re going to have higher expectations on our shoulder. I am going to say anything less than 20-30 goals is going to be looked at as failure by the Toronto fans.

In retrospect; Kessel was almost Gaborik like, first there was the demands of a bunch of money and then not wanting to play for the old team anymore. After the Kessel trade to Toronto became official it seemed like the same things keep began surfacing all over again, doesn’t train very hard, he is quite… The kid is a great talent blessed with great offensive skills but I don’t think calling him a prima donna is out of line. So maybe Gare Joyce wasn’t that far off the mark during the 2006 entry draft combine? Maybe Jack Johnson aka “JMFJ” was right? Is Kessel a dirt bag or misunderstood.

I also said this in 2006; “I have nothing against Phil Kessel I think he has amazing talent and a huge upside if he grows up and realizes it’s not all about Phil Kessel, because in the NHL, team goals come first, because it’s about working as a team and worrying more about team goals you’re your personal stats.”

There are no give me's in life, but maybe Phil could learn from his buddy David Krecji who is more of a team player than you and will cash in on his next contract. Hockey is a team game and there is no "I" in team.

The Boston Bruins, it seems, were determined to give Phil Kessel a swift kick in the drawers on his way out of The Hub.

He didn't want to play in Boston. He demanded a trade. He didn't train hard enough. He wouldn't backcheck. He hadn't forgiven the team for benching him during the 2008 playoffs. Claude Julien was mean to him. He was greedy. He was untruthful in denying ever asking for an exit visa out of town.

These were some of the grenades launched at Kessel over the weekend from Boston management after the trade that sent him from the Bruins to the Maple Leafs for two first round picks and a second.

Clearly, this was a trade Boston GM Peter Chiarelli didn't want to make but was forced into making by circumstance and the unrelenting pressure of Leafs GM Brian Burke. Burke's public acknowledgment that he had an offer sheet waiting for Kessel put a chill on the Kessel market that Chiarelli couldn't thaw. Teams like Minnesota and Nashville had interest in the speedy winger but weren't about to give up prospects and picks and then not be guaranteed to get the player.

So, after the trade, Chiarelli had to present the Bruins case in as positive a light as possible after initially refusing to make any comment at all on the day of the deal. His No. 1 priority was to make a strong argument that this trade wasn't about the Bruins being cheap and not wanting to pay Kessel, an accusation that was lobbed at the team for years.

Kessel, says Chiarelli, demanded a trade and wouldn't negotiate a contract, so that was that. Indications are that was indeed the situation, and Kessel's statement that he "never once" demanded a trade was really just semantics. Whether his agent made the demand or whether his unwillingness to talk contract was a passive aggressive strategy, it really doesn't matter now.

Clearly, Julien's coaching style was part of the issue, and so the most fascinating part of Kessel's career as a Leaf when it begins in two months or so will be how he and Ron Wilson are able to forge a working relationship. Wilson's a demanding coach, and he can be caustic and pointed in his public and private remarks when he feels it is warranted. San Jose officials make no bones about the fact they believe Wilson's riding of Patrick Marleau retarded Marleau's development.
[the spin]

Capitals make roster moves.

According to on Forzen Blog, Big Joe Finley has been reasigned; I would suspect to either Hersey or South Carolina Stingrays. Former MSU-M hack Trevor Bruess (sorry Amy) was reassigned as well.

The Capitals today trimmed their training camp roster relatively significantly -- down to 42. Among those reassigned:
Boyd Kane
Michael Dubuc
Joel Broda
Patrick Wellar
Zach Miskovic
Joe Finley
Anton Gustafsson
Trevor Bruess
Jake Hausworth
Dylan Yeo
Vladimir Denisov
Josh Godfrey
Ryan Jasinsky
Todd Ford
Braden Holtby

Processing the Kessel trade.

Bruins fans knew this day was coming, he didn't want to play for the spoked "B" anymore so we wish him well, personally I hope the Leafs suck this year again. I just can't believe that the Bruins Managment sent him to a league rival. I just hope this doesn't come back to haunt the Bruins management. Kessel was a Hab Killer and in the end he didn't want to play for Bruins coach Claude Julien. Incidently this is the same coach that was fired by New Jersey right before Stanley Cup playoffs in April of 2007 by general manager Lou Lamoriello.

General manager Peter Chiarelli, who estimated that the Phil Kessel trade was finalized at 9:15 p.m. last night, said there were two reasons the deal took place: the forward's desire to leave and Toronto's looming threat of an offer sheet.

"Let me be perfectly clear," Chiarelli said. "This trade is really about two things. One, it's about a player who did not want to play in Boston. Two, it's about the threat or the perceived threat of an offer sheet."

At the June draft in Montreal, the Bruins attempted to trade Kessel to Toronto in a package that would have returned Tomas Kaberle and the No. 7 pick. Chiarelli said the primary focus of the trade was the seventh pick. The deal fell apart because of miscommunication. Then in July, Kessel informed the Bruins that he wanted to be traded, and there was also chatter that an offer sheet might come down. Last night, said there were two reasons the deal took place: the forward's desire to leave and Toronto's looming threat of an offer sheet.

"Let me be perfectly clear," Chiarelli said. "This trade is really about two things. One, it's about a player who did not want to play in Boston. Two, it's about the threat or the perceived threat of an offer sheet."

At the June draft in Montreal, the Bruins attempted to trade Kessel to Toronto in a package that would have returned Tomas Kaberle and the No. 7 pick. Chiarelli said the primary focus of the trade was the seventh pick. The deal fell apart because of miscommunication. Then in July, Kessel informed the Bruins that he wanted to be traded, and there was also chatter that an offer sheet might come down. [Boston Globe]

On a side note. Phil Kessel is also telling the media that he didn't ask to be traded out of Boston.

Kessel said he never asked the Bruins to be moved out of Boston.

"I never one time asked to be traded," Kessel said. "I think it just became a mutual thing that it was best for both parties to move on. That's basically what happened with that." [Boston Globe]

Kessel is introduced in Toronto.

A few people have asked me how I feel about Kessel being traded to the Maple Leafts and all I can say is, "good luck." If you don't produce in Toronto the media and the fans are going to eat you alive. One team gets better and another team gets draft picks that may or may not help the Bruins.

Ways to improve the college hockey game.

This week's Illegal Curve article I  discuss ways to improve the College Hockey game. There are a few of the suggestion that I would enact if I was in charge. I believe some of these tweaks would improve the college game quite a bit.


1.) First thing out of the gate, I would get rid of the mask or bird cage. In my opinion I believe the full cage is a reason there is so much stick work in NCAA Division one hockey. A couple times getting hit in the face might be what some of these kids need to clean up the game. There is way too much stick work in college hockey and I think the mask is the major reason for this. The players have no respect for their opponents and they feel invincible because of the mask.

2.) Put the 'Red Stop Sign' on the back of all jerseys in Division one hockey, still way too many checking from behind penalties in college hockey. If a player sees the 'Red Stop Sign' don't check the player in front of you.

3.) Get rid of the progressive game disqualification for fighting in college hockey. I think college hockey should be like junior hockey. Fighting is part of the game of hockey and if a player gets into a fight, both players should be out for the rest of that game. There is no need for additional punishment. I think the progressive DQ is too punitive, and is a cause of a lot of extra unnecessary after the whistle bravo sierra. Currently; college hockey players know that they don’t have to fight when they commit an egregious act or take a run at a team’s star players and from past years we know the refs don’t always catch these egregious acts or make the right call either. Because of the progressive DQ rule you get ugly incidents like the one that happened in Mankato last season. Players know that they can hide behind the officials and almost never pay for their miss deeds. In the NHL and junior hockey the players police the game themselves and it helps keep the players honest. Prediction: when the Gophers play the Mavericks this season Brian Schack and Channing Boe will meet on the ice this season and settle their score.

4.) All ties must be broken like the NHL. Over time should be a five minute period of four on four hockey and then a shoot out if there is still no winner. Award point points like the NHL 2 for a win and 1 point for an overtime loss and or for a shoot out loss.

5.) Call the game like they do in the NHL, obstruction in college hockey is still very much a part of the game no matter how many refs are on the ice. If the hand comes off of the stick to hold up a player it's a penalty, hooking is a penalty and not to be misconstrued as good defense. Skill and Speed should be rewarded. It doesn't take any skill to skate up and down the ice hacking and hooking their opponent. Over looking penalties by the refs is unacceptable.

6.) All arenas in college hockey should be required to have over head cameras and goal reviews so the right call can be made on all controversial goals. There also needs to be more than one angle to review these controversial goals, much like the NHL. The NCAA should require each conference to have a war room like the one in Toronto.

7.) I also like to see hockey go to a more durable stick, these carbon fiber stick suck. Sure they are awesome for shooting but I am sick and tired of seeing them break all of the time.

This article was posted at the [Illegal Curve].

Kessel deal confirmed.

The Boston Bruins have traded forward Phil "the Thrill" Kessel to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a slew of draft picks. Now former Fighting Sioux hockey player and current Toronto Maple Leaf Jason Blake will have a new team mate. In a nut shell the rumors of Kessel wanting 5+ million a year apparently true as Phil will be the next millionaire from the WCHA. Kessel is said to make 27 million dollars over five seasons. I am sure that Boston Globe Bruins beat writer Kevin Paul Dupont is really happy now that he had got his wish and Kessel has been dealt to the Leafs. I would be willing to bet KPD is probably having a drink and smoking a cigar right now as we speak.

Phil Kessel has been surrounded by trade rumors for most of the offseason. Tonight, one of the most frequently rumored came true.


The Bruins traded the 21-year-old sniper to the Toronto Maple Leafs for first-round picks in 2010 and '11 and a second-rounder in the next draft.

According to multiple reports, Kessel, a restricted free agent, quickly signed a five-year, $27 million deal with the Leafs.

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli confirmed via press release at 10 p.m. that the Bruins had completed the deal.

Kessel is a gifted goal scorer, but he occasionally felt the wrath of Bruins coach Claude Julien for not committing to the Bruins defensive style.

The Bruins and Leafs have been discussing swap for Kessel since the beginning of the summer, when reports were that the Leafs would send defenseman Tomas Kaberle to the Bruins for the former first-round draft pick.

That deal did not come to fruition, but the Bruins and Leafs finally agreed on compensation tonight. [Boston Globe Hockey blog]

Reger: Leafs and Bruins reach agreement on Kessel Trade.

Well it looks like a deal is going to get done. It will be interesting to see what the Bruins get back in return for Phil Kessel. I am sure that the Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli would like this head ache to end so he can set his line up in stone. The line up won't look as good with Phil Kessel not in the line up. At the State of the Bruins adress Chiarelli said, "there are players on the roster who “could pick up the slack.’’ One of them is Marco Sturm, who missed half of last season with a mangled knee that required surgery." Marco Sturm is not going to score 35-40 and doesn't have the upside or potential that Phil Kessel does. I would bet a $1,000.00 that Marco Sturm is not going to score 35-40 and doesn't have the upside or potential that Phil Kessel does. Sturm is 31 and Kessel is 21.

Sources tell TSN the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins have reached an agreement on a trade that will deliver Phil Kessel to the Leafs.

The trade is pending Kessel agreeing to a contract with Toronto. It's a process the Leafs are working on right now.

If the contract gets done, the deal is finalized and the trade goes through. If the Maple Leafs are unable to come to terms on a contract with Kessel, the deal may fall through.

The trade would end a saga that began during the lead-up to the NHL Draft when Kessel originally appeared to be headed to Toronto in exchange for defenceman Tomas Kaberle and a draft pick. However, the deal was scuttled at the last moment due to a miscommunication over the pick. [TSN]

Dion Phaneuf hammers Kyle Okposo

This is the hit that everyone has been talking about since last night. I looked at the hit a few times and the appears to be clean but kind of questionable, I think the hit is in the grey area, one could make the argument that it was a head shot, it does appear from the video that Phaneuf lead with his elbow when he hit Okposo. Now on the other end of the hit, Kyle Okposo never, never, never skate with your head down with the puck especially with Dino Phaneuf on the ice. Thank God, that Okposo is ok and was cleared to fly after the hit.
Props: [Light House hockey] [Two Line Pass] and [Puck Daddy]

Bruins unveil Winter Classic jersey

Today the Boston Bruins unveiled their Winter Classic hockey jersey and I have to say that this is a ugly  jersey. I would have went with a version of the third jersey that the Boston Bruins used last season.

[Boston Globe Bruins Hockey blog]

Chairman Says Tribe Won’t Approve Fighting Sioux Nickname

Very interesting situation. My first question is, if Ron His Horse is Thunder is voted out of office how is he going to continue continue to oppose the University of North Dakota’s Fighting Sioux nickname, even if he loses his re-election bid. my first question is how, if the people of the Standing Rock Tribe are allowed to vote and accept UND's use of the Fighting Sioux name. Is one man that powerful that he can stop the people from voicing their opinion?

From everything I have read that the Standing Rock Tribe is going to wait until after the tribal election to re-address the approval of UND's us of the Fighting Sioux nick name. It would be interesting to see what kind of action does RHHiT plans to use to stop it? The article says that the vote was 9-3 against the nick name but who is to say that they won't change their mind?

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — The chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe said Thursday that tribal officials will continue to oppose the University of North Dakota’s Fighting Sioux nickname, even if he loses his re-election bid later this month.
The North Dakota Board of Higher Education has voted to abolish the name and Indian head logo unless it gets a 30-year agreement from the state’s two Sioux tribes by Oct. 1. The issue was not on the agenda at the board’s meeting Thursday, but a handful of supporters and opponents of the nickname spoke during a public comment period.

Standing Rock Chairman Ron His Horse Is Thunder told the board that most recent vote by the Standing Rock tribal council was 9-3 against the nickname. He said the result shows the council’s position does not depend on whether he stays in office.

“Let’s move forward with this,” His Horse Is Thunder said. “We have beat each other enough as it is.”

Nickname supporter Archie Fool Bear, also of the Standing Rock reservation, asked the board to allow more time to vote on the nickname and logo.

“I say that with a good heart and an open mind because I respect everybody’s opinion,” Fool Bear said. “If it’s negative and it’s bad against the logo, I respect that opinion. But our culture has always been considered by a lot of people to be a strong point for surviving as a Sioux nation.”

Thursday reading.

Here is an interesting story on former BU star Colin Wilson: It will be interesting to see if he ends up in Nashville or Milwaukee. [Tennessean.com]

He stands 6-foot-1, weighs 230 pounds and produced some of the best offensive numbers in college hockey last season.

So there's little doubt that Predators prospect center Colin Wilson has the size and skill to thrive at some point in the NHL.

But is his time now?

That's what the 19-year-old Wilson will begin to tell everyone today, when he steps onto the ice at Sommet Center to play his first NHL preseason contest.

Here are some questions the Predators will be asking themselves as they try to determine whether the best course of action is for Wilson to start the season on the NHL level or with Milwaukee of the American Hockey League.

Can he keep up? If there's one knock on Wilson's game, it's that he's not a swift skater. In addition, it usually takes time for prospects to adjust to the speed when making the jump from the junior ranks, college or even the AHL.

"Some people have questioned his skating, but I think it's improved and it certainly wasn't a problem in the rookie games,'' GM David Poile said. "It didn't seem to be a problem playing with our guys here (in Wednesday's scrimmage). I just think he needs a few games under his belt.''

Can he be a threat offensively? There wouldn't be much point to Wilson making the roster as a fourth-line grinder, because his skills wouldn't be used effectively and he wouldn't be getting much ice time. He'd probably be better off playing on the first or second line in Milwaukee.

Former Fighting Sioux forward Zach Parise is ok after practice collision with Miami University defender Andy Greene. [Faceoff.com]

Defenceman Andy Greene was apologetic Thursday after colliding heavily with New Jersey Devils star centre Zach Parise at practice Thursday. Fortunately for both parties the 45-goal scorer was unhurt despite falling hard into the boards - but he still got some digs in at his teammate.

"I'm used to that from that guy," Parise said jokingly to the Bergen Record. "He likes to cross-check guys and run guys from behind in practice. He's known as a practice tough guy. . . .

"The D ran me from behind. I thought I was in a pretty vulnerable position - three feet away from the boards, facing the boards."

Not letting Greene off the hook, Parise also suggested the NHL should review the play.

From the Boston Globe today regarding Phil Kessel. [Boston.com]

After the game, Chiarelli spoke outside the locker room with Wade Arnott, Phil Kessel’s agent. “Got nothing for you,’’ said Arnott. The Leafs continue to be interested in Kessel.

Got nothing eh? Apparently there is a big time deal in the works between Boston and Toronto, seems like we hear that every day. Now apparently the Wild are also in the mix, I am not sure where they are going to put Phil's 4.5 to 5 million dollar contract since they are maxed out on cap space...

Because of the looming threat the Bruins will not be able to match an offer sheet for free agent Phil Kessel, two well-placed sources in Toronto said the team is close to pulling off a blockbuster trade involving the 21-year-old sniper.

According to the sources, the deal likely will be finalized within the next week, as four teams are in the running. Toronto and Nashville have made the best offers in talks with B’s general manager Peter Chiarelli. Minnesota and the New York Rangers also are in the mix.

The Bruins hoped all along to keep Kessel but could not re-sign him despite making a lucrative offer, so they are close to getting what they can for him and moving on.

“We’re obviously at an impasse,” Chiarelli said before last night’s preseason game against the Maple Leafs, where he expected to speak to Toronto counterpart Brian Burke. [Boston Herald]

So if Burke makes Phil Kessel an expensive offer and the Bruins don't match is Burke going to apologize to the the Oiler GM Kevin Lowe? In essence; wouldn't that also make Burke a hypocrite? Because if he offers Kessel an expensive deal and Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli doesn't match, wouldn't Burke be doing the same thing he accused Kevin Lowe of doing?

The Phil Kessel saga could be coming to a conclusion soon.

While the Maple Leafs remain the front-runners for Kessel’s services, a well-placed source told NESN.com that the Nashville Predators are in the running as well and have offered a package the Bruins like just as much as the Leafs’ reported offer of two first-round picks and more. According to the source, the Predators have offered a first-round pick, the rights to forward Alexander Radulov (who is currently playing in the KHL in Russia) and a top defensive prospect.

On Thursday’s Leafs Lunch on AM 640 in Toronto, host Darren Dreger claimed that a deal could be reached by this weekend because Leafs GM Brian Burke’s patience is wearing thin. Dreger says the Leafs have tabled the best offer, and if the Bruins don’t take it, Burke will go the route of an offer sheet.

Dreger cited Kessel’s wishes to play in Toronto over Nashville as the reason the Leafs remained the front-runners, and the aforementioned source said the same. The Bruins, however, don’t want to trade within the Eastern Conference, let alone with a division rival such as Toronto. That, apparently, is why Peter Chiarelli hasn’t dealt the 21-year old sniper that led the Bruins with 36 goals in 2008-09. [NESN.COM]

Wild Sign Peter Sykora to a contract.

I just hope he Sykora can put 20+ goals behind the goalie this season and doesn't end up being that player that only played in 7 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. On the flip side of that equation, if Sykora can score 20-25 he could fill a void the Wild lack through the forward lines. There isn't many in the Wild line up that have the ability to score 25 goals.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)—The Minnesota Wild have signed right wing Petr Sykora(notes) to a one-year contract.

Sykora skated with the team on a tryout basis for two practices. His deal was done on Thursday.

The 32-year-old ranked fourth on the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins last season with 46 points in 76 games. He had 25 goals, giving him 300 over his 14-year career. Sykora has played in the Stanley Cup finals five times.

The Czech Republic native has played for five other teams, first with the New Jersey Devils in 1995 after they made him their first-round draft pick.

Gandalf The Red hammers CHN Poll.

I have to link this blog post because it is awesome, it hits the ball out of the park, it's an ensemble that hit all the right notes. This blog is also one of my personal favorites and I love the banter back and forth between Badger fans and Gopher fans.

I like Gandalf the Red was kind of taken back by the CHN poll because the College Hockey News has been known in the past as being the counter balance for INCH, usually have been pretty good, "emphasis mine." I don't get the logic and I can't imagine that CHN is hurting for hits. None the less, Gandalf the Red really hammers home a point that I have and a few others been making for years, beating crappy EZAC teams and racking up wins against the weak sisters of the poor proves nothing other than you can beat crappy teams. Your stats mean nothing. That is the flaw with the current RPI/PWR ranking system, your better off stacking up wins against crappy teams because you're rewarded for it in the end.

None of this really matters, its just fun for discussion's sake. Reading the comments over at CHN and on Goon's blog, no one really sees the ECAC worthy of three teams in the top 10. I'd have to agree, simply because the PWR favors three good teams from the same bad conference doesn't mean they belong in the top 10 of any poll or in the NCAA tourney. Does an ECAC fan really want to debate that Cornell, Yale and Princeton all belonged in the NCAA tourney last year over Wisconsin and minnesota? See when you play a panzy ass schedule like the ECAC (or the CCHA) the PWR favors you because you can rack up wins against bad teams, only facing tough competition on occasion. In the WCHA, where are the bad teams? Oh sure Tech and UAA and Mankato are regularly at the bottom, but while they are bad by WCHA standards they are still better than any team outside of the top 3 in the ECAC, and probably just as good as those. Last season Wisconsin had something like 30+ games against TUC's in the PWR, I think Yale or Princeton had just enough (10) to use the criteria in the ranking. So they skate in w/ just enough TUC's, meaning that 2/3 of their games were against teams not in the PWR top 25, and that is suppose to be impressive?

This doesn't even bring in the KRACH rankings from last season. Yale ranks 10th, Cornell 17th and Princton 20th. Wisconsin was 11th, BC was 12th, the gophers 13th and UMASS Lowell 14th. So you really want to tell me that these ECAC teams are better than those four teams and Cornell and Princeton deserved spots in the tourney over them?

I wasn't even planning on going on that tangent until I started in and realized once again the facts are there, and the ECAC has no business getting the respect it does, playing the weak ass schedules they do.

Also the analysis on the Gophers being ranked 6th Gandalf is also spot on. The Gophers lose almost 50 points from their line up with Ryan Stoa (24g-22a-46pts)signing a professional contract and apparently that has no bearing what so ever on the pre-season rankings? Give me a break. This is almost as silly as suggesting that UAA is going to finish in the top five of the WCHA standings. Granted the Gophers get a few recruits that have blue chip numbers, that could make an immediate impact but they aren't seasoned veterans. I still don't think their defense is going to be that great either, it will be improved.

6. minnesota: A usual NCAA postseason staple, the gophers fell short of expectations last season, but if their late-season run showed anything, it was that they'd be back with a vengeance in 2009-10. They lose top scorer Ryan Stoa to the pro ranks, but return Jordan Schroeder, who excelled as a freshman, and Jay Bariball on a deep offense that will be complemented by a defense led by Cade Fairchild and Aaron Ness, both of whom matured nicely as the roller coaster season continued. The biggest piece of the puzzle will be seeing which Alex Kangas shows up in net -- the one who gave up 42 goals in a 12 game mid-season stretch, or the one who allowed just 19 over the final nine matches of the season.

I was unaware that INCH fired all their idiots and CHN gave them jobs. Late season run? You mean the three games in a row they won before losing to Duluth at the Final Five play-in game? I guess they forgot about them going 2-7-2 in the 11 games before that; quite the late season surge. They almost blew home ice by losing to Tech on the last friday of the regular season and they were making a run? That was Tech's second win in WCHA play.

I don't really care who is in any top 10, the only rankings that matters is first the WCHA standings, and second the PWR after the last buzzer sounds to end conference tourneys, but I expect a little more out of CHN, since someone is paying this writer to put this together, they at least should qualify an absurd statement like "late season run," especially when one didn't happen. They are spot on about Kangas though, like poison in a well.

Report: Kessel blockbuster trade likely

This thing is starting to drag on and on and we have heard this before. It would be nice to get some closure on this before the season begins.

Because of the looming threat the Bruins will not be able to match an offer sheet for free agent Phil Kessel, two well-placed sources in Toronto said the team is close to pulling off a blockbuster trade involving the 21-year-old sniper. [sportsnet.ca]

CHN Poll.

When I saw this CHN poll I thought you have got to be kidding me? This is a joke right? I mean seriously we have three EZAC teams in the top ten. The same three teams that if you put them in the WCHA would be struggling to make the top five to gain home ice for the WCHA playoffs. I know there are many that feel the same way as I do.

Maybe your league should win an national title in this decade and then maybe you will get the props you deserve. This is the same league that went 1-3 in the 2009 NCAA tourney. Please! I think UND and Wisconsin deserved to be in the top ten. I don't have a problem with the top three teams but I am to believe that Cornell is fourth best team in division one hockey.

1. Denver
2. Miami
3. Boston University
4. Cornell
5. Michigan
6. Minnesota
7. Princeton
8. Notre Dame
9. UMass-Lowell
10. Yale

Spirit Lake issues nickname resolution

Some very good news came out of Spirit Lake Today. Now hopefully we can get a resolution from Standing Rock. This is just one step in the process. Nothing is over yet.

[Tu-Uyen Tran, Grand Forks Herald] ----- The Spirit Lake Tribal Council has approved a resolution recognizing the tribe’s support of UND’s Fighting Sioux nickname.

According to nickname opponent Terry Morgan, whose mother is tribal Chairwoman Myra Pearson, confirmed that the council did make the decision. He said that rather than embracing the nickname, the council simply acknowledged the vote.

In the tribe’s April election, 67 percent of tribal members voted to support the nickname.

It was part of an effort by nickname supporters to win the council’s blessings for the controversial nickname. The settlement between UND and the NCAA, which consider American Indian nicknames to be hostile and abusive, requires the university to win formal support from councils at Spirit Lake and Standing Rock.

Morgan said he doesn’t believe the resolution is the support UND needs at all.

The resolution itself has this to say:

“Now therefore be it resolved that the Tribal Council goes on record to officially accept election results of April 23, 2009, for University of North Dakota logo and name retention.”

“Be it further resolved that the Tribal Council concurs with the wishes of the Spirit Lake people.”

The resolution also said that “a significant majority of the membership voted in favor of allowing UND to continue using the Fighting Sioux name and logo.”

Nickname supporters at Spirit Lake say they think the resolution is exactly what the NCAA wanted. State Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, who negotiated the settlement with the NCAA, concurs

Indians ask Supreme Court if "Redskins" offends

It would be interesting to see if the Supreme court would actually hear their case or not. Your starting to get into first amendment issues. With the current make up of the court I would doubt they would rule in their favor. This goes back to the issue that not all native Americans are offended by Native American caricatures/logos. What is going to happen next? Are these groups going to go after sports teams that are named sacred animals such as Eagles, Wolves, Bears, Owls, Bison?

WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of American Indians who find the Washington Redskins name offensive wants the Supreme Court to take up the matter.

The group on Monday asked the justices to review a lower court decision that favored the NFL team on a legal technicality.

The seven Native Americans have been working through the court system since 1992 to have the Redskins trademarks declared invalid. A U.S. Patent and Trademark Office panel ruled in their favor in 1999. But they’ve been handed a series of defeats from judges who ruled that the plaintiffs waited too long to bring their suit in the first place.

A lawyer for the group says he’d like to see the highest court decide whether the Redskins name defames Native Americans.

Hump days news.

Former BU defenseman Matt Gilroy is looking good in the practice as well as on the ice for the New York Rangers.

The 25-year-old rookie took his first turn in a Blueshirt Tuesday night as the Rangers opened their preseason schedule against the Bruins at the Garden. The Rangers got a glimpse of where their blue-line future lies, what with 19-year-old Michael Del Zotto also in the lineup, along with the returning Marc Staal. Of all of them, Gilroy has created the most buzz.

"I definitely got chills," Gilroy said of his first Blueshirt experience, a 2-1 loss to the Bruins. "And to hear that first goal song go off, even though I'm on the bench, it was pretty cool, too."

The Fargo Force have an all-UND flavor to them. Head coach Steve Johnson and assistants Chad Johnson and Mark Pivetz. Maybe they will send UND a few recruits. [UND hockey blog]

dggoddard from Lets Go DU has some all stirred up again with a recent blog post. Remember before you get too personal it's supposed to be humor, I guess I could see the humor. If you don't like don't like what he has to say about UND don't read it. DU is one of our rivals and little smack talk doesn't hurt. [Lets Go DU]

Gandalf The Red has predicted the Golden Gophers to finish 5th in the WCHA this season. I think the ranking is about right. Maybe this year the Gophers can make the NCAA tourney. Baby steps. [60 Minutes, No Alibis, No Regrets]

Gandalf The Red the red also has Gopher fans all worked up with a debate over their two teams recruiting policies. Can we all just get along? [60 Minutes, No Alibis, No Regrets]

Bentley Picked Seventh in AHA Preseason Coaches' Poll. Yawn! I am surprised they are picked to finish that high. [Bentley Falcons]

Former SCSU defenseman Brett Hedican will hang up the skates and retire. Hedican played in the NHL for 17 seasons. Hedican played with Mike Commodore in 2006 when the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup. [Star Tribune]

UNO just got a major donation from the Sokol family.

OMAHA, Neb. – The UNO athletic department announced today the receipt of a major financial gift from the family of David and Peggy Sokol.

“As an institution and as a department, we are humbled by the generosity of the Sokol family,” said Trev Alberts, UNO’s Director of Athletics. “David and Peggy Sokol have such a distinguished history of giving to the greater Omaha community, and we are grateful that they have seen fit to support our mission of making UNO athletics one of the premiere programs in the country.

“The Sokols’ gift will be applied to the improvement of training and competition facilities for UNO student-athletes. Those students continue to give their best on the playing field, and it is up to our department to provide them with the means to succeed. This gift will go a long way toward fulfilling that goal.”

The Sokols’ donation is begin given in honor of their late son, D.J. Mr. Sokol is a graduate of UNO and a former student-athlete himself as a member of the UNO football team.

Check out this picture.

I really like the facial expressions of these two hockey players in this Boston Globe picture of former Gopher Blake Wheeler and former Fighting Sioux hockey player Jason Blake.

Significant NHL Dates

Oct. 1: Start of the regular season
Nov. 9: Hockey Hall of Fame Induction
Dec. 26 - Jan. 5: World Junior Championship in Regina/Saskatoon
Jan. 1: 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park
Feb. 15 - Mar. 1: Olympic Break
Apr. 11: Last day of regular season
Apr. 14: Start date of Stanley Cup Playoffs
May 7 - 23: IIHF World Championship in Germany

Former Boston Bruins voice Fred Cusick dead at age 90

I would like to extend my condolences to Fred Cusick's family as we lost a great hockey announcer. I got to listen to a lot of games done by Cusick on NESN and WSBK TV 38 when I lived in Ayer Mass during 1988 till 1990. RIP Fred you will be missed.

Fred Cusick, the popular play-by-play voice for the Bruins for more than 40 years, has died, his family confirmed to the Globe this afternoon. He was 90 years old.

Cusick, who is scheduled to be inducted to the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame tomorrow night, was a signature voice of the Bruins during their 1970s heyday.

His simple trademark call of "Score!" whenever Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Cam Neely and countless other Bruins put the puck in the net served as familiar punctuation on their goals.

Upon returning from a stint with the Navy during World War II, Cusick began his career with the Bruins in 1952, handling the play-by-play on their radio broadcasts until 1970.

In 1963, he led the push to get the Bruins on television, editing and voicing over tapes of the Bruins' Saturday night games, which would then air on Sundays. The replays were popular enough that the games aired on live TV within a couple of years.

Cusick called the Bruins' 1970 Stanley Cup championship for WBZ-FM (1030), then moved to television in '71, taking over play-by-play duties at Channel 38 and holding that position until 1997, when he retired after 45 years calling Bruins games.

He also was the play-by-play voice of the Bruins on NESN from 1984 to '93.
[Boston Globe]

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Bruins and Leafs still talking.

The Bruins and Leafs are still talking trade and draft picks. It will be interesting to see how long this plays out? Looks like the Leafs are also regretting signing former SCSU Husky Jeff Finger to that rather large contract. There is no way that he is worth 3+ million a season.

DANGLING PICKS

Burke continues to probe middle ground with the Bruins to acquire Kessel for a package of draft picks. The Boston Globe echoed reports of the past few days that the Leafs are dangling two first-round picks and a second-rounder and would want at least a third-rounder coming back, but despite his salary cap crunch, GM Peter Chiarelli might also take a player from the Leafs.

Burke played down speculation that the Leafs are trying to force Boston's hand by insisting a deal gets done in a couple of days, before they go the offer sheet route. Boston could match a Leafs offer, but would then need to move other players to get under the cap to accommodate Kessel. A trade would net a better return for Boston.

To get his own house in order, Burke also said he will demote some players to the Marlies if they don't play to potential at camp, but that rarely has been an issue with White.

He beat the odds to stay with the Leafs last season, making the team as a right winger. He won the club's Bill Masterton Trophy nomination for his perseverance.

"Unfortunately, Whitey's in that group," Wilson said of the limbo Leafs. "When you have eight or nine NHL defenceman, they get to a point where they say: 'Do I have to prove myself again'? But there's nothing wrong with that. That's the way it should be."

Finger, signed to a four-year, $14-million US contract by the previous regime, also is looking over his shoulder.

"The competition should bring out the best in us," he said. "If it doesn't, I won't be playing much."

The day the Jets died

Being 150 miles south of Winnipeg, the Jets were a very convenient trip north up I29 across the border to Hwy 75. I can still remember going to a few games during that final 1995-1996 season. During that final season I went to games between the Flyer's vs Jets, but also the Blackhawks and Jets. It was doubly hard to watch the Jets leave Winnipeg because a few years earlier I had watched another one of my favorite team the North Stars leave Minneapolis shortly after making a run at the Stanley Cup and then relocate to Dallas because of Norm Greed. Now we have a mess in Phoenix and you have to wonder if the Jets would have been better off playing in Winnipeg than the black hole known as Glen Dale.

Western College Hockey gives Sioux the kiss of death

Chris from Western College hockey gave UND the kiss of death. While I think UND is going to be very good hockey team this season I don't know if they are going to finish in the top spot. It's not outside the realm of possibility. I think DU is going to finish there based on who didn't leave for the NHL and who they have coming in this season. Funny no mention of the law mower throwing incident.

1. North Dakota

The Sioux are the defending MacNaughton Cup champs, and had it not been for a couple terrible starts to their season, they would probably have two or three more in recent years.

Last year North Dakota was a bit different from previous Sioux teams in that they didn’t have much in the way of superstar NHL prospects—it’s probably telling that nobody left school early for the pros last summer—but they were a much deeper team, and that seemed to serve them better over the long haul of the season(though it also produced their shortest postseason run in years).

This year’s North Dakota team looks similar, though they’ll probably have less scoring at the top, and more scoring throughout the rest of the lineup. Chris VandeVelde is one of the strongest players in the WCHA, but probably isn’t going to score at much than a point per game pace. Jason Gregoire could be due for a breakout season as a sophomore.

On defense, they return Chay Genoway, who some thought was the WCHA’s player of the year last season, and they have a solid goalie in Brad Eidsness.

They’re going to be a tough, physical team from top to bottom, and hopefully more consistent than in year’s past. It might take more points to win the league than it did last season, but with their goaltending situation settled, and a more experienced lineup, I don’t see North Dakota having the struggles they did early last season.

The Pre-Season Preview went like this...
1. North Dakota
2. Denver
3. Wisconsin
4. Minnesota
5. Minnesota-Duluth
6. St. Cloud
7. Colorado College
8. Minnesota State
9. Alaska-Anchorage
10. Michigan Tech

What the heck was that?

Here is an interesting interview that was on NESN.COM.

I didn't like this guy before but now KDP is really starting to piss me off. Why would a sports writer have an agenda to get a player run out of town? I mean really first it was Big Joe Thornton now Kessel. I would suppose that next year is he going to focus on Marc Savard, because he is tough enough and doesn't check people through the boards. Fan unrest a lot of Bruins fans are upset with the way this has been handled. This is mind boggling. Can we trade sports writers?

Based on fan unrest over Phil Kessel’s status expressed on Internet sites, especially boston.com, those who plan to attend may be asked to empty their pockets of tomatoes and eggs as they report for the 6:30 p.m. start. Fans love scoring, because it’s the most obvious of the game’s multiple, complex arts. Three years ago, prior to Zdeno Chara’s arrival, the Bruins couldn’t dream of letting Kessel go. But now, with a winning and defense-first game plan in place, it’s a club that can take the calculated risk of moving on without him. The hardest micro-decision in keeping Kessel is whether or not to deal away the 29-year-old Michael Ryder instead. Ryder makes $4 million, and something around $5 million would likely be enough to take care of the 21-year-old Kessel. But for now, Chiarelli & Co. seem intent on keeping Ryder over Kessel.[Boston Globe]

Was Stafford's deal a little low?

Former Fighting Sioux hockey player Drew Stafford was an RFA and just signed a new deal with the Buffalo Sabres. Actually Drew had reported to camp even though he didn't have a deal in place. Almost unheard of in this day and age. I am wondering if I am the only one that thinks Stafford was low balled on his contract? Seems like he would be worth more than he got.

Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) -- The Sabres didn't have to make a decision today if Drew Stafford could practice or not because he signed a two year deal before hitting the ice. The winger will make $1.5 million this season and $2.3 million next year. Stafford was with the practice group today. He said, "I'm very excited to get a deal done. I was here yesterday skating and being with the guys and wasn't sure yet, but we were able to get it done and I couldn't be happier." Lindy Ruff added, "I think a lot of times a player gets caught in a bad spot. I think in his case he knew he had to be here and made a decision. Being in camp for a couple of weeks and being on pace with the other players is important. I think he realized that."

Stafford scored 20 goals in 79 games last season, but was very inconsistent in his play. It's something he's addressing this year, "I've come here with the mind set of trying to get better, trying to do what I can to contribute, work on my consistency most importantly and just wanting to be part of the solution."

The Gabork Era begins in New York (kind of)

I think the Wild were smart to wash their hands of this guy, just think 7.5 million dollars a year and an amazing talent when he is healthy. Emphasis on when Gabby is healthy we laid out his injury report. Gaborik has played in 502 (219 goals - 218 assists - 437 pts)and has missed a significant number of games and I wouldn't recommend having him on your fantasy hockey team.

22-Mar-09 Missed 38 games (hip surgery).
24-Dec-08 Groin, sidelined indefinitely.
17-Dec-08 Missed 27 games (back injury).
16-Oct-08 Back injury, day-to-day.
15-Nov-07 Missed 3 games (groin).
05-Nov-07 Groin, day-to-day.
01-Nov-07 Missed 2 games (groin).
27-Oct-07 Groin, day-to-day.
06-Jan-07 Missed 34 games (groin strain).
02-Jan-07 Groin strain, day-to-day.
21-Oct-06 Groin strain, sidelined indefinitely.
05-Jul-06 Re-signed as a restricted free agent by the Minnesota Wild to a three-year contract.
23-Nov-05 Missed 11 games (hip flexor).
25-Oct-05 Hip flexor, sidelined indefinitely.
19-Oct-05 Missed 6 games (groin).
04-Oct-05 Groin, mid-October.
28-Sep-05 Groin, day-to-day.
02-Feb-04 Missed 5 games (hip flexor).
22-Jan-04 Hip flexor, day-to-day.
31-Oct-03 Re-signed by the Minnesota Wild to a multi-year contract.
30-Jun-03 Minnesota Wild tendered a qualifying offer.
17-Dec-02 Missed 1 game (flu).
15-Dec-02 Flu, day-to-day.
28-Dec-01 Missed 3 games (groin).
22-Dec-01 Groin, day-to-day.
07-Oct-01 Missed 1 game (hernia).
01-Oct-01 Hernia, day-to-day.
08-Apr-01 Missed the last 4 games of the regular season (abdominal strain).
02-Apr-01 Abdominal strain, day-to-day.
30-Nov-00 Missed 6 games (left leg injury).
17-Nov-00 Left leg injury, day-to-day.
[TSN]
If I was a member of the Rangers management I might be a little concerned because Gabby is already experiencing tightness in his groin.

Marian Gaborik did not participate in today's scrimmage but he did participate in his squad's practice, taking it somewhat easy in the drills but skating very well in the conditioning laps. The high-scoring right wing, who missed the majority of last season due to hip surgery, said his hip is fine, he's just experiencing tightness in his groin.

Gaborik said he hoped to play in the preseason - though he would not specify how many of the seven games he hoped to play in - but said he would not push himself, preferring to take it "day by day" and said it was very unlikely he would play either tomorrow night against the Bruins or Wednesday night against the Devils.

"It's a little tightness," Gaborik said. "The start of training camps are critical and a lot of times, the first couple of days it's tough skating. I don't want to push too hard, too quick." [Rander Rants]

Sykora to the Wild?

Pucks Gone Wild is reporting (confirmed by Russo) that the Minnesota Wild have invited Petr Sykora to try out for the Minnesota Wild. I would imagine he will make the Wild this season. I am hoping he is taking Benoit Pouliot's spot on the roster who has been anything but a disappointment.

Stanley Cup winner Petr Sykora, that’s who. And just what we needed, a guy who consistently scores. Word has it he’s coming to St. Paul on Tuesday for a tryout. When he makes the team he’s expected to sign a 1 year deal worth around $1.25m. Whose roster spot does he take? My best guess…Colton Gilles and/or Benoit Pouliot.

Jason Blake might have a new team mate.

Self professed Phil Kessel hater Kevin Paul Dupont aka "KDP" is all giddy with the prospects of Kessel going to the Maple Leafs. I don’t understand why the Boston Globe keeps this clown on their staff because he is half the writer Minnesota Wild beat writer Michael Russo is. Come on KDP It’s called professionalism and he is letting his bias get in the way of a good story. I don’t understand Dupont's angle other than Phil being the shy type must have not give him the interview he wanted one time and since then has had a burr in is saddle for this kid.

What is going to happen next season when Lucic and Savard start negotiating for their next contracts; both are good players that are going to want good money to stay in Boston, who is going to be KDP's whipping boy next? Check some of the crap that he says in this article. Just for the record this is not like the Dany Heatly situation, Heatly had a contract and decided he didn't want to play for the Senators anymore, Kessel was given one contract offer and told to take it or leave it, or at least this is what I have gleamed from reading this on going mess. So it looks like Kessel could be playing with former Fighting Sioux hockey player Jason Blake who was the Leafs top scorer last season.

Just hours before the Bruins skated yesterday at the Garden for their first bona fide training camp workout, the ever-active rumor mill in Toronto had the Maple Leafs tabling the best offer yet for Boston free agent Phil Kessel. To wit: for a pair of first-round picks and one second-round pick, Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli could be free at last from his summer ’09 migraine, and the 21-year-old Kessel could call southern Ontario home.


Partially true,’’ said one source familiar with the talks between the teams, which have been going on for more than two weeks. “Toronto also wants a third-rounder along with Kessel.’’

Meanwhile, Kessel’s agent, Wade Arnott, attended the Leafs’ workout in Toronto. No, he did not have Kessel at his elbow, wearing a raincoat, skimmer, and sunglasses. But Arnott was spotted talking to GM Brian Burke’s top lieutenant, Dave Nonis, who now has the charge of handling the trade talks with Chiarelli.

For the moment, and possibly well on into November, Kessel holds the cards as a restricted free agent. If Chiarelli were to make a deal with, say, the Predators, Nashville GM David Poile would only give up assets if he is assured Kessel will sign in Tune Town. Likewise, the Leafs won’t flip picks and/or players Boston’s way unless Chiarelli already has inked Kessel to a sign-and-trade.

All signs point to Kessel preferring the Leafs over the Predators, which, if nothing else, proves he did learn something during his year at the University of Minnesota. Decent team, the Preds, but there is only one Toronto (unless Jim Balsillie succeeds in divvying up the hockey mecca).

The dynamic of the Kessel proceedings will shift as late November approaches because Kessel, per the collective bargaining agreement, cannot play in the NHL this season unless he has signed a deal by Dec. 1. But with Toronto so aggressively in the hunt, it’s doubtful it will play out that long. Clearly, Burke is trying to consummate a deal rather than extend Kessel an offer sheet, which had to be the context of the discussions between Chiarelli and Burke when they were spotted across from the Garden at The Four’s two weeks ago, according to a source inside the Canal St. eatery.

Asked yesterday if he cared to comment on the Kessel situation, Chiarelli said via email, “No, but thanks for asking.’’

Burke, reached via phone in Toronto last night, said, “The Maple Leafs cordially decline your request.’’

Everyone is just too polite for words, which makes your faithful scribe think the whole thing could get Bob Probert nasty in short order.

Chiarelli has what Burke wants, and Kessel’s agent already has informed the Bruins that he is done negotiating with the Spoked-B franchise. Both Kessel and Arnott have shot down that impasse, which was reported here first last week, but that’s only because they don’t want Kessel’s reputation in Boston to morph into what Dany Heatley’s became in Ottawa when he requested out over the summer (a wish that was granted Saturday when Heatley was dished to the Sharks)
[read the rest of the article here]

This is the statement that I think is interesting and is a complete head scratcher. I would like to ask the Bruin's management if they are on drugs? My next question is going to be; where the 25-45 goals are going to come from? Who is going to pick up the slack? I keep hearing Marco Sturm and Patrice Bergeron. Only one player was close to scoring 36 goals last season and that was Michael Ryder with 27, Sturm who is 10 years older than Phil has never scored more than 28 goals in a season and that was during the 2002-2003 season. Patrice Bergeron has had two concussions in the past two season and is a check away from ending his hockey career and has only played 82 games in a season once and that was during the 2005-2006 season.

In the Boston front office, they’ve spent months warming to the idea that they can win without Kessel, and they are probably right, given that they have the Norris Trophy winner in Zdeno Chara and the Vezina Trophy winner in Tim Thomas. In the Boston cookbook, most of its tasty concoctions based on defensive ingredients, Kessel is viewed as that little sprig of parsley that makes the plate look better but really doesn’t factor into whether the meal is a true success.

[props to Richard of the Illegal Curve]

Drew Stafford has a new contract.

Former Fighting Sioux forward Drew Stafford has signed a new 2 year contract with the Buffalo Sabres. The terms of the contract have not been released yet but I am sure that we will know in the near future how much Stafford will make.

Buffalo, NY -- (Sports Network) - The Buffalo Sabres have re-signed forward Drew Stafford to a two-year contract.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Stafford notched career highs last season with 20 goals, 25 assists and 45 points in 79 games for Buffalo.

The Milwaukee native, who will turn 24 years old in October, has 49 goals and 61 assists for 110 points in 184 NHL games over three seasons. The Sabres selected him with the 13th overall pick of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft

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Mary Ann doesn't skate on first day of practice.

Rangers fans should get used to this, it is going to be a reoccurring theme with prima donna Marian Gaborik. Wild fans seen this song before and know the words quite well. Good luck with your new teams and I give it a week or two before Marry Ann is on the IR.

Gaborik does not skate --- Marian Gaborik went through the medical testing today but did not participate in the sprint tests. Gaborik has taken part in some of the Rangers' informal skates but John Tortorella said he was held out of today's testing as a precaution.

"We just want to be careful, he's a little tender," Tortorella said. "He was skating the other today, he's just a little sore from that. We don't want to do anything stupid."

Gaborik already was not going to participate in tonight's three-mile run as the Rangers try to be smart with the injury-prone Gaborik, who played just 17 games last season due to hip surgery before signing a five-year, $37.5 million deal to come to the Rangers from Minnesota.

It would obviously be bad news, then, if Gaborik is hurting already to start the season. But it's too early to issue any dire warnings. Tortorella said Friday the Rangers will be in close contact with Gaborik's doctor to make sure he's given every chance to remain healthy. [Ranger Rants]

Dany Heatley traded to the Sharks.

Former Wisconsin Badgers star Dany Heatley has finally been traded. From looking at the deal it would appear that that Senators got a whole lot better because they got rid of a potential locker room cancer and got two pretty good players in left-winger Milan Michalek and right-winger Jonathan Cheechoo. Also it's hard to imagine in the days of the salary cap that Joe Thornton and Dany Heatly are on the same team, that is going to make the Sharks the beast in the west. Heatley also joins former Badger Joe Pavelski.

OTTAWA — As soon as Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray talked to Dany Heatley on Friday, he knew he had to trade the disgruntled left-winger.

Heatley was so adamant about being moved that Murray knew he couldn’t have him around poisoning the dressing room. Nothing was going to make Heatley change his mind and Murray knew it.

“When I looked him in the eye, I knew the minute he walked out the door that I had to trade him,” said Murray.

“I didn’t think there was any chance. I just felt that we had to move him. As I said to (Senators captain) Daniel Alfredsson, ‘What we should care about here is the core of this hockey team and how we can help the guys become a competitive team again.’ ”

Alfredsson had also come to the same conclusion. He and defenceman Chris Phillips had sat down to talk with Heatley about his frame of mind coming into camp. Alfredsson left knowing there was nothing he could do or say to change Heatley’s mind.

“He was pretty clear about his stance,” said Alfredsson.

So Murray talked to Senators owner Eugene Melnyk and told him that, for the sake of the team, he had to trade Heatley for whatever he could get.

Murray landed left-winger Milan Michalek, 24, right-winger Jonathan Cheechoo, 29, and a second-round draft pick next year for Heatley and a 2010 fifth-round pick

Economics of college hockey and banking on rivalries.

Here is the latest column that I wrote for the Illegal Curve.

College hockey is built on tradition and driven by storied rivalries; these are the game(s) that college hockey fans mark on their calendar and look forward to. These games are also the ones that college hockey programs count on to make their most money. These rival games are also the ones that college hockey programs charge the most money, its these division hockey programs meal tickets that can make or break the bottom line for athletic department. So naturally college athletic departments are going to bank on these rivalries and charge accordingly.

For example; if you were going to walk up the arena box office at my favorite school UND, Ralph Engelstad Arena would charge you more money for the premiere match ups than the not so premiere match ups. I digress; for example if you lucky enough to get a chance to buy tickets to Sioux Vs Gophers series (They sell out in like 10 minutes) they would cost you $45.00 a piece. Next in the ticket price progression; if you were to buy tickets for Pioneers Vs Sioux and or Badgers Vs Sioux they would run you $40.00 a piece. I believe that the University of North Dakota could charge $45.00 for both of these series as well and sell out. Shhhh! Please don’t tell the arena box office.

On the flip side of that you only pay $25.00 to watch a proverbial doormat team like UAA, Merrimack or MTU. Granted in some cases the arena will be just as full but it cost you less to sit in the same seat. Don’t worry though the concessions are going to be the same price for either series, and yes it will cost you an arm and a leg regardless. That’s another story for another day.

It’s not just Ralph Engelstad Arena that has these types of ticket price policies. I know it’s like that at other arenas because if I was to travel down to Saint Cloud to buy a ticket to the National Hockey Center (aka the Concrete Center) to watch a Sioux and Huskies game I know that I am going to pay more money for that game than I would If I was going to buy a ticket for SCSU Vs MTU game. That is not meant to disrespect MTU that just the brutal reality. The same would be true for the Gophers and Huskies game. That’s the economics of the college hockey game and there are some schools making obscene amounts of money on their division one hockey programs. In fact some of these programs are using this revenue to pay for their schools other sports programs.

What does your program charge for a rival hockey game? I would imagine that B.C. Vs BU is going to cost more money than BU and Merrimack College (no offense to Merrimack). I would also bet that Michigan Vs Michigan State would cost more than Michigan Vs Lake Superior State University.

Not all are equal

I think that might be an understatement of facts, but think about this, American International, Mercyhurst, Quinnipiac, Bowling Green University, LSSU or the University of Connecticut are not making as much money on their division one college hockey team as teams like Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, North Dakota or OSU for that matter. It’s a historical fact.

In the WCHA for example there are a three schools that have huge advantages financially over the other school in division one hockey with their gigantic arenas that can provide huge paydays for their schools, examples are Minnesota 10,000+, Wisconsin 14,000+ and UND 11,500 you do the math. On the flip side of that other schools are playing in half empty arenas. Another factor is that isn’t talked about a lot is that teams like Wisconsin, Denver University, Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan State, Boston University, Boston College and North Dakota also have a good number of their games on television and thanks to local deals as well as Fox Sports/FCS/NESN you can see a lot of these team’s games on television. I can watch D.U. almost as much as I can watch my own team thanks to FCS. Some of the other programs in college hockey not so much.

Taking it further there are two other schools that have bigger arenas than the fore mentioned WCHA teams; but put up significantly lower attendance numbers last season. These two teams are UNO which plays in the Quest Center 16,680 averaged 6216 fans per game last season; the Mavericks should improve their attendance numbers when they officially join the WCHA in 2010-2011. On the other hand Ohio State University plays in Value City Arena 17,500 average attendance was 4181 per game and they had a decent team that made the NCAA playoffs as an at large bid.

UNO fortunes will of course probably change as they are joining the WCHA led by former UND and Fargo Force head coach Dean Blais. The move to hire Dean Blais by UNO brought immediate credibility to the UNO hockey program and probably will mean bigger and better bigger pay days for the UNO program. The WCHA has is known for having impressive attendance figures and WCHA teams are used to playing in large sold out arenas. There are also a few of their WCHA rivals which are known for having bigger crowds than some of the other big four conferences. One of the main reasons is that they will have a better on ice product because of their new coach and some of the WCHA teams fans travel pretty well i.e., Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota. With adding UNO to the WCHA DU and C.C. fans will also have a drivable trip to Omaha where they don’t have to fly to. I could see a mid-winter vacation in Omaha myself.

Economic concerns and travel were some of the reasons that the CCHA gave for denying UAH’s application for membership, there had been pontifications about the some of the teams in the CCHA suffering from financial woes and wanting to be able to capitalize on playing the Michigan and Michigan State teams more because they draw more at the gate. I guess I can see what they are getting at to a certain degree because I don’t blame the have not like WMU, LSSU, FSU, and BGSU wanting to pad their bottom line to put butts in the seats. Teams like Michigan, Michigan State, BU, B.C., Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota are big draw teams that puts fans in the stands, especially if your school is suffering from economic woes.

Who are your favorite team’s rivals?

Examples of good college hockey rivalries that are also big time money makers; SCSU Vs UMN, UMD Vs UMN, DU and C.C. (Gold Pan), UND Vs UMN, UW Vs UMN (Border Battle), UND Vs UW, MSU-M Vs UND, BSU Vs UAH (Who hates Huntsville), MTU Vs NMU (Battle of the UP), BU Vs B.C., UNH Vs BU, UNH Vs Maine and U-Mich Vs MSU. If I missed any rivalries I apologize. I have a western bias of course. What is your favorite college hockey match up?

It was not my intention to disrespect a particular league or particular team. Personally, I don’t watch the ECAC (aka the EZAC) very often so I might have missed the Cornell and Yale match up. Also, college hockey is very regional and I like many other WCHA or CCHA fans might not consider the fore mentioned game a premiere match up or a must see. I mean I do live in the west. That’s not to say that I haven’t watched said match up such as that. I have been known to watch match ups like this if these games are on CBS college sports (aka the CCHA television network) or FCS. That is another discussion for another day. None the less, these big time rival games are the games that you as the college hockey fan mark on your calendar and incidentally you may pay a bundle of money to attend these games. For that we give you rube cred. Personally, my favorite teams rivals are; Minnesota, Denver University and Wisconsin. I wonder if Holy Cross fans consider Minnesota a rival?
Cross posted at Illegal Curve, MVN.COM

New Jersey's are out.

Well the new Fighting Sioux Reebok hockey jerseys have been released and are now in the public domain. In looking at them I like the green away jersey's the best. I am wondering if the University is going to do a third jersey or not? I would love to see a black version of this jersey. It will be interesting to see what the Sioux shop has for hats. I am hoping they pick up the Reebok hat line.
[props]

Stafford in camp? 'I don't know'

Former Fighting Sioux hockey player Drew Stafford is still without a new deal with training camp approaching. Incidently, Drew Stafford is represented by agent former Harvard and Washington Capitals tough guy/star Neil Sheehy. This summer there have been a few RFA's this summer that are unsigned and it makes you wonder what kind of contract these guys are asking for? If a 46 point guy is worth 4 million then what is a 60 point guy worth?

Sabres training camp starts Saturday morning, and the biggest question is will Drew Stafford be in attendance? The answer is a resounding "I don’t know."

Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier and Neil Sheehy, Stafford’s agent, had identical responses today regarding whether the restricted free agent would be signed before the Sabres take the ice in HSBC Arena.

"I don’t know yet," Regier said.

Sheehy, by phone, answered: "I’m always hopeful, but I don’t know."

The sides were scheduled to chat in hopes of clearing the biggest obstacle: How much is the 23-year-old right winger worth?

"It’s always money," Regier said. "Every one of these situations has always come down to money. 'Not enough,' from their side, and, 'Too much,' from our side."

Stafford, the Sabres’ first-round pick in 2004, is penned in as a top-six forward in Buffalo. He set career highs last season with 20 goals and 25 assists. He made $984,200.

It’s possible the Stafford camp could be looking at Florida right wing Nathan Horton as their standard because of their similarities. The Panthers’ first-round pick in 2003 also had 45 points last year. Horton is 6-foot-2, 229 pounds, while Stafford is 6-2, 202. Horton is entering the third year of a six-year, $24 million deal.
[Sabres Edge]

Friday Linkorama

The President of the USA had the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Whitehouse yesterday. I do have to wonder how much of the Stanley Cup playoffs Obama actually watched since is he is a self professed basketball fan.

On the Phil Kessel front. Apparently Phil Kessel is drawing interest from multiple NHL teams. [TSN] Yesterday Kessel said that, he was not not talking to the Bruins. Apparently that story was false. So oops scratch that. Now Kesseling is talking to the Bruins again. [NESN]

From the Washington Cap's Twitter: Clackson and Thomas of Philly tossed from the game after a big scrum. Bruess escorted off the ice by a ref after same scrum. Good ole Buress is up to his old tricks. Also, from the same twitter; 59s got at it. Finley and Klotz. Finley plays to the crowd as he leaves the ice.

It would appear that Dany Heatly's teammates don't hold too much of a grudge against him, "How things have gone down, maybe it's going to leave a bit of a black mark (on Heatley's reputation), but he's not a bad teammate," Senators centre Jason Spezza said Friday morning at the team's annual charity golf tournament. [TSN]

On the Bad Boyz front: Former NHL player Mike Danton, who was jailed for trying to arrange a killing, has been granted full parole. The guy was only in jail roughly 5 years. [CBC]

Mike Russo wrote a nice article on Todd Richards. The former Gophers is bringing some excitement to the Wild hockey teams and promises to take it up a notch or two. [Star Tribune]

Former SCSU hockey player Mark Parish is going to get a tryout with the Vancouver Canucks. Let's hope that Mark can make the hated Canucks. [Ben Hankinson Twitter]

On the Minnesota Viking's front, the Williams Wall will be able to play for the season. The Federal Court of Appeals has ruled that the NFL can not suppend the Viking's top two defensive line man. [Minnesota Vikings]

Mike Russon on former Badger Chris Hickey: "Also, been working on this the last week or so, but Chris Hickey, the ‘06 seventh-rounder from Cretin-Derham Hall, has informed the Wild that he has left Wisconsin and does not plan to enroll in another school until he is eligible to play next season, Thompson says. He tried this summer to transfer to Dartmouth and Vermont." [Russo's Rants]

This isn't playing out well.

Being a Sioux fan people are naturally probably starting to wonder why I am so interesting in Phil Kessel and his contract negotiation with the Boston Bruins. I know he played for the much despised Golden Gophers for a season before he left for the NHL. Frankly I wouldn't be as interested in this if he didn’t play for my favorite NHL the Boston Bruins. That being said, as a college hockey fan and the fact that Kessel is an American and potential Olympic hockey player, I find this ever unfolding drama to be remotely interesting. I would like him to remain a member of my favorite team because he is offensively dynamic, however, that being said Kessel is a one dimensional player, he is all offense and had trouble finding the defensvie zone, he was like that in college as well.

I think the fact that Kessel wasn’t offered a contract when David Krejci was is very telling because it proved that the Bruins were more interested in signing Krejci then they were Kessel. Compare and contrast another RFA player and former Fighting Sioux player Drew Stafford has had less drama in his contract negotiations, Stafford has yet to sign a contract. The Sabres and Stafford hope to have a contract signed soon.

As this story unfolds it would appear that some of the same character flaws are seemed to be prevalent during his draft combine might actually be true. Personally, I think Kessel is a great offensive talent that needs to learn about being a team player.

Puck Daddy had a great story today on the Kessel situation and laid out how bad things have played out. Also, from reading the articles it would appear that Kessel might not be missed by his team mates if he isn't resigned.

Links to the Story

A resolution may be near for Kessel, Bruins [Big Bad Blog]

Without proper pieces, a Kessel experiment would fail [CBC]

Kessel? Lets go already. [section 311]

Sources: Kessel doesn't plan to negotiate with Bruins [Boston Globe]

UPDATE: Kessel denies he's done with Bruins [sportsnet.ca]

Phil Kessel says he does not expect to play this season with the Boston Bruins, but he has not broken off negotiations with the team.

"I don't know who is saying that, but it's not true," Kessel told sportsnet.

The Boston Globe reported the free agent planned to sign an offer sheet with one of the other 29 teams, according to Kessel's Toronto-based agent Wade Arnott.

He admitted negotiations and trade rumours have been unpleasant and the odds of playing for the Bruins are slim at this point. But that doesn't mean the door is closed.

So are you offended?

This is the picture that was on the cover of the Texas Tech-UND media guide and it had some in the the P.C. anti Fighting Sioux name crowd offended. Even causing the University of North Dakota to issue a statement about the Tech Tech Picture; “I don’t think the image represents the University of North Dakota the way we would like to be represented,” UND spokesman Peter Johnson said, “but I also think it’s impossible to control the behavior of opposing teams.”

You can't control the behavior of teams and or individuals. Like or not these behaviors are protected under the first amendment. Personally I don't think Texas Tech meant any offense with their picture and maybe we can chalk it up as a learning experience. I don't think Texas Tech will make the same mistake again if we play them in football again. Personally, I have seen a lot worse posters and signs from the old days of the NCC football, say maybe at a Sioux Bison game back in the 1990's out at Memorial stadium or at the Fargo Dome.

I think this latest dust up with the Texas Tech media guide is a perfect example Of what we have become. We have become a nation of hypersensitive complainers ready to jump on the slightest thing that we think or perceive as offensive. I looked at it and I am not offended by the picture.

Call to Sioux fans get out the vote.

Fighting Sioux hockey fans the storied UND Fighting Sioux hockey jersey is tied with the hideous Calgary Flames. Don't let our awesome hockey jersey get beat out by that hideous thing.

You can vote here for the UND Fighting Sioux Hockey Jersey in the Hockey News Jersey Tourney. Currently, the Fighting Sioux are competing with the Brandon Wheat Kings, Stockton Thunder, Minnesota Wild, San Antonio Rampage, Calgary Flames, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, Seattle Thunderbirds, Quad City Mallards, Vancouver Giants. The Fighting Sioux are currently Tied with the Calgary Flames.