Nickname opponents bring out the heavy hitters.

Looks like the anti-Fighting Sioux nickname croud is bringing out the big guns for it's Rally against the Fighting Sioux nickname. I am surprised Russell Means isn't coming as well. The Standing Rock Tribe also has their election today. EDIT: Happened to drive by the Memorial Union today when I was out about 9:15 A.M. and there was a very SMALL croud protesting the Fighting Sioux name. I would estimate the size of the crowd to be abut 50-75 top end. Probably closer to 50 people. Not a very big crowd. Of course the news cameras were there.

Senior American Indian civil rights activists are among the speakers at Wednesday’s rally against the Fighting Sioux nickname at UND, according to information in a press release issued by rally organizers.

Both Clyde Bellecourt and Duane Martin Sr. took part in AIM’s 1973 occupation of Wounded Knee, S.D., a seminal moment in Indian civil rights.

Bellecourt, an Ojibwe, is also considered a founder of the civil rights group.

Martin, in 2007, joined activist Russell Means and others in declaring the Lakotah nation independent of the United States, claiming vast tracts in North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska. These are lands it said were given to Lakotah people in the original 1868 treaty.

Other speakers include Erich Longie, longtime nickname opponent from the Spirit Lake reservation; David Gipp, president of United Tribes Technical College; and Denise Lajimodiere, a UND alumna and an education professor at North Dakota State University.

The rally will take place at 9 a.m. in front of UND’s Memorial Union.

The focus of the rally is on a meeting of the State Board of Higher Education on Thursday in which the board would consider extending the deadline for the state’s two namesake tribes to approve of the nickname.

Nickname opponents say the American Indian nicknames are derogatory.
[Grand Forks Herald]

Lucic works Neil

It's only the preseason but nothing pleases me more than watching Lucic work over Ottawa Senators' thug Chris Neil. Apparently this Fight is a result of a dirty hit that Neil put on Savard earlier in the game. I expect to see a rematch of this fight later on in the season unless Neil Smartens up.
[props]

Decompression addition.

I have been out of the pocket hunting ducks and haven't had a computer since midday on Friday. Finally I am getting back up to speed on everything that has happened in the college hockey world. The preseason WCHA coaches poll and the Media Polls are finally out.
The Grand Forks Herald Coaches poll has been released.
1. Denver (8) 80
2. UND (2) 70
3. Wisconsin 61
4. Minnesota 58
5. St. Cloud State 55
6. Minnesota-Duluth 37
7. MSU-Mankato 34
8. Colorado College 26
9. Alaska-Anchorage 20
10. Michigan Tech 9

Madison.com Media Poll has also been released.
1. Denver (23) 248
2. North Dakota (1) 205
3. Wisconsin 190
4. Minnesota (1) 186
5. St. Cloud State 152
6. Minnesota Duluth 118
7. Colorado College 101
8. Minnesota State-Mankato 88
9. Alaska Anchorage 57
10. Michigan Tech 30

I posted my WCHA preseason poll at the Illegal Curve.
1.) Denver
2.) Wisconsin
3.) UND
4.) Minnesota
5.) UMD
6.) SCSU
7.) C.C.
8.) MSU-M
9.) UAA
10.) MTU

It's official that UND and BSU will open the new Bemidji Regional Event Center next October 15-16. It's a nice honor for the Fighting Sioux to be able to help open the new arena. [Bemidji Pioneer]

Brandon from Sioux Yeah Yeah got the DU fans all upset with a recent blog post about DU hockey Coach George Gwozdecky. [Lets Go DU Hockey Blog] Now, I have to admit that I was less than impressed with Alanna Rizzo's  comments she made about UND fans during last January's series between the Pioneers and the Sioux. I also read some where that FSN RM won't be airing the DU and UND games when the Pioneers come to the REA. Before someone makes a ridiculous conclusion that it was because of the perceived treatment that poor Alanna Rizzo received from the mean Fighting Sioux fans while visiting UND, think again. UND hockey will now be on FCS so there would be no need for the FSN RM crew to come to UND, FSN RM would just pick up the broadcast from UND's announcing crew and save a bunch of money. Personally, I think the DU and UND rivalry is heating up.

The USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Preseason poll is up.
1.) Miami (Ohio)
2.) Denver
3.) Boston University
4.) Michigan
5.) Notre Dame
6.) Minnesota
7.) Cornel
8.) North Dakota
9.) Princeton
10.) Massachusetts Lowell
11.) Yale University
12.) Boston College
13.) St. Cloud State
14.) Wisconsin
15.) Vermont
Others receiving votes: New Hampshire, 71; Minnesota Duluth, 64; Ohio State, 60; Air Force, 43; Northern Michigan, 31; Colorado College, 8; Northeastern University, 8; Bemidji State, 6; Harvard, 3; Mercyhurst College, 3; Niagara, 3; St. Lawrence, 2.

The poll is a joke there is no way Cornel and Princeton are worthy of being ranked that high, if they played in a tough league like the WCHA these Ivy League schools would be fighting for home ice in the first round of the WCHA playoffs. This is almost as bad as the College Hockey News Poll.

Goon’s WCHA pre-season ranking

This was the article I wrote for the Illegal Curve.
1.) Denver University – It would appear that the Denver Pioneers don’t have many real weaknesses offensively; on the blue line the Pioneers will be young this season. There is a very good possibility that there could be two or three freshman defenseman playing in the top 6 defensive positions from night to night. The WCHA championship is theirs to lose. The Pioneers return forwards Anthony Maiani (11g-30a-41pts), Rhett Rakhshani (15g-22a-37pts), Joe Colborne (10g-21a-31), and Tyler Ruegsegger (15g-11a-26pts). On defense Patrick Wiercioch (12g-23-35pts) decided to not sign a contract. Junior goalie Marc Cheverie (23-12-5, 2.34 GAA and .921 SV %) is a very serviceable goaltender and with a younger defensive core he will be tested. The Pioneers lose forward Tyler Bozak (8g-15a-23pts), defensemen Patrick Mullen (4g-21a-25pts), and J.P. Testwuide (3g-10a-13pts). Dustin Jackson (3g-9a-12) was injured in preseason practice and will be out for the year. The Pioneers bring in some impressive recruits, defensemen William Wrenn and Matt Donovan, forward Drew Shore and goaltender Adam Murray. The Pioneers are the odds on favorite to finish first in the WCHA. Anything less than a trip to the Frozen Four is going to be unacceptable.

2.)University of Wisconsin – On paper the Badgers would appear to have one of the best defensive blue lines in college hockey: Brendan Smith (9g-14a-23pts), Jake Gardiner (3g-18a-21pts), Ryan McDonagh (5g-11a-16pts), and Cody Goloubef (5g-8a-13pts) is a pretty solid top four defensive group. While there seems to be the perception around the WCHA that Wisconsin is all defense and no flash, the Badgers were ranked 3rd in WCHA scoring last season. This season the Badgers should be a pretty balanced offensively, led by sophomore Derek Stephan (9g-24a-33pts) who is a game breaker and will only get better in his second season. The Badgers also return senior Ben Street who sat out last season with a knee injury. The biggest question mark for the Badgers is in goal.

3.) University of North Dakota – Dave Hakstol has been the coach of the Fighting Sioux hockey team for five seasons and has compiled a 130-70-19 record, winning a regular season title and a conference tourney title. Hakstol’s teams have also finished 2nd (x1) and 3rd (x3) in the NCAA tourney. Last season was the first time in his tenure at UND Hakstol’s team didn’t win a regional title and advance to the Frozen Four. Key losses Ryan Duncan (20g-19a-39pts), Brad Miller (6g-29-35pts), and Matt Frattin (13g-12a-25pts). While there were some key losses for the Fighting Sioux, there are good replacements coming in for the Fighting Sioux in forwards Danny Kristo, Michael Cichy, Corbin Knight, Carter Rowney as well as defenseman Andrew MacWilliam. Goaltender Aaron Dell should challenge Brad Eidsness (24-12-4, 2.56 GAA and 906 SV%) for playing time.

4.) University of Minnesota – Key loss Ryan Stoa (22g-22a-46pts) signed with the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL in the off season. Super sophomore Jordan Schroeder (13g-32a-45pts) returns for what will probably be his last season in the WCHA. Key new arrivals for the Gophers are forward Zach Budish and defensemen Nick Leddy and Seth Helgeson. Gopher fans are wondering which version of Alex Kangas is going to show up this season. Will it be the version that finished in the top half of the league (12-10-9 1.98 GAA .930 SV %) in goaltending or the mediocre one (17-11-6, 2.79 GAA .901 SV %) that played for the Gophers last season? If the Gophers are to contend, their defense and goaltending must improve. The Gophers also need to get tougher as last year’s team got pushed around all over the ice.

5.)University of Minnesota Duluth – While this season’s version of the UMD Bulldogs might be a little young and minus some solid players, the Bulldogs also return an exciting pair of forwards named Connolly. No, they are not related: Mike Connolly (13g-29a-42pts) and Jack Connolly (10-19-29). Add to the mix Justin Fontaine who is an offensively gifted forward (15g-33-48pts). I have been told by UMD fans that Brady “Peanut Butter and Jelly” Hjelle (1-0-0, 1.50 GAA .941 SV %) is the second coming of Alex Stalock. Expect UMD to play very physical and be responsible defense in their end of the ice. Coming in for the Bulldogs this season is monster defenseman Dylan Olson from Camrose Kodiaks of the AJHL who also played on the Canadian U18 team in Fargo this past spring. I was very impressed with his game and he skates pretty well for a big guy. Olson will probably have a pretty big impact on the blue line for the Bulldogs this season.

6.) Saint Cloud State University – Garrett Roe (17g-3a1-48pts) and Ryan Lasch (18g-24a-42pts) lead the SCSU offense, while Garrett Raboin (10g-23-33pts) leads the Huskies on the blue line. Last season the Huskies 18-17-3 including a horrible 0-6-0 record against the Gophers who ended the Huskies season in the WCHA playoffs. Key additions for the Huskies: Goalie Mike Lee, Forward Ben Hanowski, Defensemen Taylor Johnson, David Eddy. Rookie Goalie Mike Lee is highly regarded and expected to take the reins in net for the Huskies if Dan Dunn (2-4-1, 2.60 GAA and .904 SV %) stumbles.

7.) Colorado College – C.C. has had a horrible off season. First they lost their top goalie Richard Bachman (14-11-10, 2.63 GAA and .914 SV %) to the Dallas Stars and then lost two of their top recruits John Moore to the NHL and Colton St. Clair to UND. The good news for C.C. is that Bill Sweatt (12g-11a-23pts) decided to come back to finish school and not sign a professional contract. The Tigers lost solid players Chad Rau (18g19a-37pts) and Eric Walsky (12g-24a-36pts) to graduation.

8.) Minnesota State University - Mankato – The good news is that the Mavericks return five of their top six scorers: sophomore forward Mike Louwerse (13-13--26), juniors defenseman Kurt Davis (6-25--31) and forward Rylan Galiardi (8-20-28), and seniors forwards Kael Mouillierat (17-13--30), and Geoff Irwin (12-16-28). The bad news is that the Mavericks lose goaltenders Mike Zacharias (14-14-6, 2.00 GAA and .911 SV %) and Dan Tormey (1-3-0 3.87 GAA and .878 SV %) as well as forwards Mick Berge (7g-21a-31pts) and Trevor Bruess (12g-5-17pts). More bad news: the Mavericks have three inexperienced goaltenders, none who have played in a division one college hockey game, competing for the starting goaltending job.

9.) University of Alaska Anchorage – I am going to go out on a limb and say this year’s UAA team is not going to finish in the basement of the WCHA. However, I don’t see the Seawolves finishing any higher than the eighth or ninth spot either. Sure UAA was a better team last season than they were the previous three seasons when they finished in the ninth spot as opposed to their customary tenth position. Many took notice when the Seawolves swept cross-state rival University of Alaska Fairbanks who was the fourth place team in the CCHA. That says a lot about the strength WCHA in comparison to the CCHA and how our mediocre teams can beat the fourth place team in the CCHA. That being said, I don’t expect the UAA Seawolves to do much at all in the WCHA this season. Nothing personal, now go ahead and prove me wrong Seawolves. Key returnees for UAA are senior forwards Josh Lunden (14g-6a-20pts) and Kevin Clark (13g-18a-31pts) and junior Tommy Grant (15g-10a-25pts). In net the Seawolves have a two headed monster with unimpressive numbers, Bryce Christenson (8-8-4, 2.60 GAA and .893 SV %) and John Olthuis (6-9-1 3.43 GAA and .873 SV %).

10. Michigan Tech University – The good news: the Michigan Tech Huskies will enter the 2009-10 season with three-fourths of their scoring offense returning from a the 2008-2009 season. They also return an experienced blue line as six of their nine defenders return from last season’s team. The Huskies also return sophomore goalie Josh Robinson who played in 20 games last season and had a 4-8-2, 3.09 GAA and a .889 SV %. Senior captain Malcolm Gwilliam (2g-5a-7pts) returns to the Huskies line up after suffering a stroke nine games into last season. Senior Drew Dobson (5g-14a-19pts) is a talented player that can play both forward and defense. The bad news: Michigan Tech will be much younger than last season with freshmen and sophomores accounting for 17 of the 27 players on the roster.

This is what we look forward to.

 Although the weather feels like it's still August and the fact that the Weather Channel tells me that it's supposed to be 79 degrees today and tomorrow; this puzzles and causes me to ask the question, "where the hell was this weather in June, July and August?" I want a refund on the summer. Weather or not I am going on record and announcing that summer is officially over and College and NHL hockey seasons are upon us.

Vacation Time

I am off to the hunting shack for some decompression and duck hunting. Sioux7 is coming up to the shack on Sunday and we are going to do some duck hunting on Monday and Tuesday. Don't tell anyone from Minnesota but this is going to be a banner duck hunting season, probably one of the best since about 2004. No I will not be giving out any GPS coordinates. My partner in crime and Gandalf the Red's favorite blogger Sioux7 will be posting a top ten in the next week and my WCHA preseason prediction will go up tomorrow afternoon about 1500 hours at the Illegal Curve, here and at MVN.COM. If you click on the link on Gandalf the Red's name it will bring you to his prediction where he predicts the Sioux to finish fourth in the WCHA behind the SCSU Huskies. I think the Huskies will be better a team this season but they won't be very physical and you can defeat them by pounding on them in the corners.  I am going to leave you with a clip from one of my favorite all time movies, City Slickers.

Fighting Sioux sign major recruit.

Fighting Sioux hockey beat writer Brad Elliott Schlossman is reporting that the Sioux have gotten a verbal commitment from Brock Nelson of Warroad Minnesota. This is a nice pickup for Coach Hakstol and the Fighting Sioux that recently received a verbal commitment from Thief River Falls High star Goalie Nate Gothberg. Make that two highly talented high players from the local areas with the acquisition of Warroad High School's Brock Nelson.

Brock Nelson grew up admiring his uncles, Dave and Eddie Christian.

So, when it came time to pick a college, the Warroad (Minn.) High standout followed their paths.

Nelson, a high school senior and a standout hockey forward, has verbally committed to UND for either the fall of 2010 or 2011.

“I’ve always followed them,” Nelson said of the Sioux. “My uncles played there and they’ve always been my favorite.”

Nelson said he also was considering Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha.

At 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, Nelson has great size to go along with a strong skill set. He scored 45 goals and racked up 76 points for the state runner-up Warroad Warriors a year ago.

“We should be pretty good again, but we’ll have to contend with (Zane) Gothberg and Thief River Falls,” Nelson said, referring to the UND goalie recruit.

Nelson scored the game-winning goal of the section championship on Gothberg to send the Warriors to state last season.

Nelson currently is playing in the Minnesota high school elite league, which features most of the best prep players in the state. Nelson is the second-leading scorer in the league with five goals, seven assists and 12 points in six games. His team, Great Plains, is 4-1-1.

“He just has a knack with the puck,” Warroad coach Albert Hasbargen said last season. “He seems like he’s got stickem tape on both sides of his stick blade. He’s a kid who can find the twine, something you don’t coach.” [Grand Forks Herald]

Matt Gilroy makes the Rangers out of training Camp.

This is nice feel good story; the kid out of New York that made the BU hockey team as a walk on, the player not many teams wanted, the same kid that went on to win a scholarship at BU and the Hobey Baker award and an NCAA title with the Boston University Terriers ends up making the NHL out of training camp his rookie season. It doesn't get any better than this. BU fans should be proud of Matt Gilroy.

Coming into tonight's game against the Capitals, Gilroy, 25, last season's Hobey Baker Award winner while leading Boston University to the NCAA title, had one goal and was a plus-three in four preseason games. But what's been most impressive is how comfortable and confident Gilroy has looked in his first NHL action, particularly in his skating and pushing the puck up the ice and shooting when he has the opportunity. Granted, his age gives him a bit of an advantage over other rookies. Gilroy is a lock to make this team. [Ranger Rants]

Deadline looms for University of North Dakota decision on whether to ditch Fighting Sioux name

My buddy Bert sent me this article from the Star and Tribune aka the Red Star and Sickle. Wow, just wow... I guess Dave Kolpack forgot to mention that this past summer the Spirit Lake Nation voted overwhelming majority to approve the Fighting Sioux name by about 2/3 margin, which translates somewhere in the 67% - 33% area. The Tribal Council reaffirmed this vote this past week.

The members of Standing Rock are waiting till after the Tribal Council Election on the 30th of September, in hope they will be allowed to have a vote on the Fighting Sioux name. The reason the Standing Rock Tribe isn’t voting on whether UND can use the Fighting Sioux name issue is because that Ron His Horse is Thunder won’t allow the people of the Standing Rock Tribe to have an up or down vote on UND’s use of the Fighting Sioux name.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Brett Potas is so angry the University of North Dakota may drop its Fighting Sioux nickname that he's canceled his season hockey tickets and says he won't give his alma mater another dime.

"They tried to get me to think about it. I said that I've been thinking about it for years," Potas said. He says he doesn't want to be associated with a university that takes a politically correct position.

Lucy Ganje, an art professor who led protests against the name, said the school not only should drop its nickname and Indian head logo, it should also apologize to the Sioux tribes and the school's American Indian students.

The two views illustrate the passionately fought debate over the nickname that has nagged the school for years and could finally be resolved this fall. Unless the school gets the support of the state's two Sioux tribes by Oct. 1, which appears unlikely, the state Board of Higher Education says it must drop the nickname.

"One thing's for sure, the feelings run deep," athletic director Brian Faison said. "I'm sure there are other places where emotion has been attached to the logo, but here there's an intensity I've never experienced any place else."

UND teams have been known as the Fighting Sioux since 1930. Those who support the name echo the argument made by fans of other teams with American Indian mascots — that it is part of the school's heritage and is a sign of respect that honors the Indians' proud traditions.

But critics argue that naming sports teams after Indians, a historically disenfranchised race of people, is demeaning, and even racist, and that the practice should stop because many tribes oppose it.

Just this month, the U.S. Supreme Court was asked to look into whether the Washington Redskins' name defames American Indians. A lower court ruled in favor of the NFL team.

The NCAA in 2005 listed 18 schools with American Indian mascots and images that it considered "hostile and abusive," and banned them from postseason play pending name changes. William and Mary was added in 2006. Some schools, like Florida State University (the Seminoles) and the University of Utah (the Utes), were allowed to keep their nicknames by getting permission from local tribes.

But most changed their nicknames, leaving UND as the lone holdout.

The state of North Dakota sued to block the NCAA stipulation, but it agreed in a 2007 settlement that the school would drop the name by 2010 unless it got the approval from the Standing Rock and Spirit Lake Sioux tribes. The Spirit Lake tribal council voted last week to allow the school to remain the Fighting Sioux, but the Standing Rock council has refused to give its approval. [Read the whole article here]

Sean Avery is at it again.

I honestly think Sean "Sloppy seconds" Avery is good for the NHL; the man is a drama queen he give hockey bloggers so much to talk about. This time he zings his own team from last season. Now mind you this is the only team that would have him after he was disowned by the Dallas Stars.

Avery, who arrived in March after alienating himself in Dallas, said of the retooled Rangers: "We're excited to get the season going and just about being together" - a stark difference, in his opinion, from last season.

"It was a long year," he said, referring to the 2008-09 Blueshirts. "I think it was a lot of smoke and mirrors with the team - I don't think it was as close as a lot of people indicated."
[New York Daily News]

Boogeyman out with a concussion for the Wild.

This isn't good news for the Minnesota Wild as their tough guy/goon Derek Boogaard is out indefinitely with a concussion, last year Boogey missed some time with various upper body injuries. Enter former MTU bumper car driver and winner of LetsGoDUHockey 2005-2006 bad boy of the year John Scott will take Boogaard's role as team goon in Boogaard's absence. Last season in Boogaard's absence John Scott did get in three fights beating up Av's punk Cody McCormick, New York Islanders goon Joel Rechlicz and Oilers hack Zack Stortini. [Hockey Fights]

As mentioned on the earlier blog, Derek Boogaard is out indefinitely with a concussion. Coach Todd Richards thinks in the Columbus exhibition game that Boogaard was nailed in the chin with a stick after a check. Concussions are unpredictable, and Richards said the Wild doesn’t know yet the extent of Boogaard’s injury. He said it could be a week or two, could be a month or two.

If Boogaard misses the start of the season, the fighting will likely fall onto 6-foot-8 defenseman John Scott. I wrote a story on Scott for Thursday’s paper, which I highly recommend. Scott’s a character, and he told a couple really funny anecdotes about Jacques Lemaire and Mario Tremblay. [Russo's Rants]

Don't forget UAH: UAH program standing alone

As the college hockey season moves forward, I would urge college hockey fans not to forget about UAH program and their status in college hockey world, they still need a home. There are 58 teams in division one hockey and we can’t afford to lose any teams. I don’t think anyone wants to go back to the 12 team NCAA tourneys.

Future without league affiliation poses big hurdles

As Danton Cole enters his third season as coach of the Alabama-Huntsville hockey team, he faces a formidable task: Trying to preserve the 31-year-old program.

After being snubbed by the Central Collegiate Hockey Association last month and with College Hockey America in its final season, the Chargers' existence is tenuous. After this season, they would be the lone independent team among the 60-plus NCAA Division I programs.

"It's what it is right now," Cole said of the CCHA situation. "They've decided to move forward without us.

"But we've put together a good independent schedule. It'll be interesting."

With five conferences left after the upcoming season (CCHA, Western Collegiate Hockey Association, Hockey East, Atlantic Hockey and ECAC), scheduling for the next four years is going to be a chore. Teams are locked into their league schedules from January-March, followed by conference tournaments and the NCAAs.

Cole was away for two weeks coaching a U.S. National Select team in Eastern Europe when the CCHA rejected UAH's bid to join.

"I haven't had a chance to catch my breath," he said. "But that's the nature of this job. Coach (Chris) Luongo and Coach (John) McCabe have been hustling and doing a ton of work." [Al.com]

J.P. Lamoureux sent to Portland.

Former Fighting Sioux goalie Jean-Philippe Lamoureux has been assigned to Portland of the AHL.

SABRES ASSIGN 14 PLAYERS TO PORTLAND ---- GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have assigned 14 players to the Portland Pirates of the American League.

In addition, defenseman Ryan Stokes and goaltender Glenn Fisher have both been released from their training camp tryouts. The moves leave the Sabres with 33 players remaining in camp: 19 forwards, 11 defensemen and three goaltenders.

Heading to Portland are:

Paul Byron, T.J. Brennan, J.P. Lamoureux, Tyler Ennis, Matt Generous,
Brad Larsen, Mike Kostka, Maxime Legault, Dennis Persson, Mark McCutcheon Drew Schiestel, Kyle Rank, Travis Turnbull, Derek Whitmore.
[Buffalo Sabres]

Downie the hack gets his...

There is an old saying in hockey, ‘live by the sword, and die by the sword.’ Finally Steve “the hack” Downie got what was coming to him when Chris Neil got him last night. Eventually if you run around the ice dishing out cheap hit someone is going to smoke you. I still think that Jack Johnson did the hockey world a favor when he elbowed Downie in the World Junior Championship in 2006. While people say it was a cheap shot, what they didn't talk about was how Steve Downie was hacking Johnson with his stick before that.

REGINA — The Senators finally got even with Steve Downie.

Dean McAmmond might be long gone, but Downie’s cheap shot from two years ago (earning him a 20-game suspension) wasn’t forgotten last night. Chris Neil nailed Downie, a Tampa Bay Lightning winger, with 6:04 left in the third period of a 3-1 pre-season win last night in front of a packed house at the Brandt Centre.

Neil was given a charging minor and game misconduct for his hit along the boards in the dying minutes.

“I didn’t get him as good as I would like to have,” said Neil. “He drops his gloves with me and then he says, ‘Oh, I’m not fighting.’ He tried to flip me. I got him with some good ones. I wish I got him with some better ones.

“I’m not concerned at all (about supplementary discipline). I finished my check. It might have been a little late. It was a clean hit. It’s one of those things. He was just lucky he was able to get me down before I got going.”

Asked if he thought he would hear from the league, Senators coach Cory Clouston said: “I don’t think so.”

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."