REA on the short list for the WJC.

This was in today's Grand Forks Herald. I am hoping that REA is awarded the WJC because it is one of the best hockey experiences I have ever been able to witness. The championship game between Russian Canada was unbelievable, I have never heard the Ralph that loud ever.

I also think one of the biggest obsticles to the REA getting another World Junior Championship is that Grand Forks are competing with two big metropolitan areas; Buffalo New York and Minneapolis Minnesota. I would imagine that Buffalo is going to look pretty enticing to the World Junior Championship comittee because it is 98 miles from Toronto, Ontario and the Canadians will attend the WJC in big numbers.

GF to compete with Twin Cities, Buffalo for WJC
Brad Elliott Schlossman Grand Forks Herald
Published Thursday, August 21, 2008
USA Hockey confirmed this morning that Grand Forks will be competing against the Twin Cities and Buffalo, N.Y., to land the 2011 World Junior Championship.
Officials will make site visits in September and they are expected to announce a winner in December.

Grand Forks hosted the event in 2005. It was the highest-attended World Juniors ever on American soil.

The Twin Cities previously hosted the tournament in 1982. Buffalo has never hosted it.

"It's a real treat for sports fans in our country to have the World Junior Championship back in the United States," USA Hockey president Ron DeGregorio said. "It's a very special event with an extremely high level of talent."

Linkorama: the shoot out...

I have been reading the various posts around the college hockey world and here is a run down of some of the opinions on the CCHA going to the shoot out to decide conference games.

Here is what Gandalf from Sixty Minutes. No Alibis. No Regrets. Had to say on the matter.

have any issues w/ a game of hockey ending as a tie. If two teams battle it out for 60+ minutes and the score is tied, so be it. I remember when college football had ties. In the early 90's the Badgers (who had sucked for how long before Barry turned things around) tied Ohio State. At the time that was a big deal, then a few seasons later someone got the idea to eliminate them and add the horrible OT format college football has now. While the shootout is better than that joke, if ties have been good enough for all these decades why is it such a big deal now?

Here is what Brad Elliot Schlossman had to say on the matter.

The CCHA is the first conference to do it and possibly the only one to use it this season. WCHA commish Bruce McLeod has previously said that the WCHA will not be using it this year.

Shootout results will not be used when compiling the NCAA tournament. They will still be considered ties. Shootout victories will impact CCHA standings, though. Point system is: two points for a win, one point for a shootout loss.

Three players will be used in the shootout. Home team gets to decide if it wants to shoot first or second. If tied after the first three players, the coach has to go to different guys in sudden death. We'll call this the Jonathan Toews rule.

Will this system carry over to other conferences eventually?

Chris from Western college hockey had this to say... I would say that we probably can mark him down as not being for them?

This was almost a foregone conclusion after the NCAA rules committee approved shootouts to decide regular season games. Shootouts are a topic that has been beaten to death, but while they are gimmicky, this should make CCHA hockey even more exciting this year.

The Blog that Yost Built had this opinion... Hum, I like what he has to say.

I'm mixed on the addition of shootouts. I like them in the NHL because they're exciting as hell and there are a possible 164 points during the regular season, so a few extra aren't going to make a huge difference. In the CCHA there are only 56 points available and last year a .500 record earned Ferris State the #5 overall seed. It's easy to see how being good in shootouts could give a team a significant boost in the conference standings.

My preferred method would have been a 10-minute 4-on-4 overtime, and if it's tied after that, it's tied. I bet you would get a winner more often than not and it doesn't really deviate too much from the game as a whole. That said, shootouts are really exciting and there's no chance I'd turn one off. I'm just not sure they have a place in a 28-game season.

Here is what the Bronco Hockey Blog had to say...

It is perfectly OK for a game to end in a tie, no one is cheated, the fans aren't lacking for excitement, and the current overtime system doesn't need fixing. There is no need to settle a close game with something that doesn't even closely resemble a team effort. I hope this "experiment" fails miserably

Colorado College Hockey had this to say...

Every hockey fan has an opinion on the shootout in the NHL and especially college hockey. Well now the arguments will increase as CCHA has decided to implement the SO to decide their games for 08-09. It will be interesting to see if 1) it draws the "excitement" that those in charge want (without being a ratings gimmick) and 2) if other conferences follow in line before the season starts. Time will tell, all the details from CCHA here

This is what UNDER REVIEW had to say about the shootout...

I’m just not sure it’s fair for a team to play great for 65 minutes and then lose a point to an opponent because they can score without a defense in front of the goalie. But I will admit I do get caught up in watching shootouts in the NHL and I will be interested in seeing how this plays out in the CCHA.

I am curious how the stats will be implemented for the CCHA. How will the shootout win look in the CCHA standings, as a win, a tie or something else? In other words will the CCHA still show wins, losses and ties, with ties including both shootout wins and losses. If not, will a second set of CCHA team stats need to be tracked (including stats for possible non-conference teams playing a CCHA team that agrees to play a under the shootout format) so the PWR RPI can be calculated? How will individual stats be determined? Will shootout stats count towards a player’s individual records or will they be excluded?

At the end of the day I will concede my purest hat and consider that shootouts could be an exciting addition to college hockey. Can’t wait to see how it works in the CCHA.

Interesting question

I saw this over on Puckdaddy and that is the $64,000.00 question. Why is Martin Skoula still a member of the Minnesota Wild. I am sure many Wild fans like myself are asking the same question, how did this guy make it through the offseason? It has me scratching my head. Think of the salary cap they could free up by giving Skoula his walking papers, maybe the Wild could get another experienced center ice man.

Any one who watched the Wild last season knows that Martin Skoula is brutal on defense, just go over to youtube and I am sure you can find a few of his documented blunders. Also, Skoula is being is being paid a lot of money to add little in the way of offensive points and isn't very good on the blue line. Lets just say Skoula is pylon and is a defensive liability on a defensive minded team, that shouldn't bode well for him.

Minnesota Wild - Why is Martin Skoula on our roster?

Not sound harsh or anything, but Skoula was a -16 in the regular season last year and hasn't had more than 16 points since 2002-2003.

Sure, there are other questions that could be asked here. But every time I watch a Wild game, I chuckle when this guy is on the ice.

Young Bruins fighting for a FEW roster spots (Wheeler)

Sounds like Blake Wheeler had been working out hard this summer in preparation for his first training with the Boston Bruins, however, Blake Wheeler will end up in Providence because for the most part there are very few roster spots left to compete for.

Young Bruins see few spots before their eyes
Training camp is only a month away (Sept. 19), and there appears to be very little wiggle room on the Bruins roster for an all-but-unknown kid or two to walk out of camp wearing a Spoked B.
----snip----
"That's true," said general manager Peter Chiarelli, scrolling through his roster as the weekend began. "But I've told all of our younger guys the same thing: If they can make our team, I'll find room for them."

Wheeler, the No. 5 pick by Phoenix in the 2004 draft, took advantage of a CBA loophole that allowed him to become a free agent and signed with Boston in July. According to his agent, Matt Keator, the 6-4 winger has spent the summer skating at the University of Minnesota, with an emphasis on improving his shot.

"He's been skating like crazy, and shooting a ton of pucks," said Keator. "He's a college kid, and he'll need time and experience, and that's something both sides were clear about when he signed. It's the pro game, and he'll have to get used to using his body more, and developing a better shot. But he'll get there."

Wild in spin mode

I have been following this story on the Internet and it appears that the Wild are trying to remake their present image and seem to be getting defensive when people call them a boring defensive minded team that lives and dies by the trap. So recently it appears that the Wild management is in full spin mode like a political campaign. I guess they are taking offense to some fans saying that the Wild as semi boring, with little or no offense, trapping defensive minded team is a relatively accurate description of the Minnesota Wild. It is not like the Wild were tearing the league up offensively last season and were ranked 18th over all goal scoring. The Wild are going to be hard pressed to score as goals next season, as the Minnesota Wild lost 113 points from the line up.

Myth Crackers: Popular NHL myths split wide open
By Tom Lynn--Myth #2: The “Trap” was created by Jacques Lemaire in the mid-1990s to stifle offense from either team and allow weaker teams to beat more skilled ones

Like the old cliché, this myth needs no introduction. Media and message boards connected with the Wild’s opponents have whipped this one up like the Red Scare of the 1950s. It even has some high priests among a cell of the Twin Cities media who need MapQuest to find downtown St. Paul. Unfortunately for them, this myth is more similar to the paranoia of “The War of the Worlds” than the West’s reaction to the threat of the Soviet’s Fifth Column.

The most popular version of this legend has the New Jersey Devils introducing the trap during the lockout-shortened 1994-95 NHL season. The Devils won the Stanley Cup that year, and the tag of a defensive, un-offensive (as opposed to inoffensive) team was stuck to them. Somehow, it mattered not that the Florida Panthers used an even more stifling version of the same defense to reach the Stanley Cup Finals the next season, or that the Lemaire-coached Devils were second in the League in OFFENSE to Detroit at the end of the 1993-94 season. Hence, the trap could not prevent a team utilizing it from being high-scoring, unless the NHL Guide and Record Book has an enormous misprint. However, the convenience of a negative and simple myth to explain to the faithful how one of the “new” teams could dominate over the traditional powers gave this one momentum for many years to come.

One legendary player’s view of it: “We played this system all the way up to pro. Centres forechecked, wingers peeled off with wingers, and the defensemen stood up at the blue line and crunched whomever. The system won championships and Stanley Cups. Much later, this system became lionized as the ‘trap….” This debunks the second part of the myth -- that it was invented in 1994 by Jacques Lemaire. These words were from Carl Brewer, referring to the hiring of Punch Imlach as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1957! The Leafs rode this detested defense to three straight Stanley Cups from 1962 to 1964. Unknown to its local media, the “Golden Age” of the Leafs was not all flying pucks and 7-6 scores. The only thing more awkward in Toronto may be that a team owned by the Province’s teachers is spelled incorrectly.

But the story does not end there. Faithful followers of this blog will recall that the Montreal Canadiens, the “Flying Frenchmen,” won four Stanley Cups in a row from 1976 to 1979, employing a similar defensive scheme and, gasp, leading the NHL in goals-against in each championship year. The only thing left for those clinging to this myth is the lure of Europe -- for sure those flashy, skilled, non-physical European teams playing in big rinks would never fall for such a defensive scheme -- where their work on the ice is pure artistry, improv theater, jazz as sport. Unfortunately, the truth once again gets in their way. Those famed Russian teams of the early '70s convinced the Montreal Canadiens hierarchy to adopt the Left Wing Lock defensive scheme that was part of the groundwork for their looming dynasty. Yes, it was those famed “Flying Russians” that conceived the neutral zone defensive systems of today.

It would be great to watch the Olympics played every year, but the harsh reality of a regular season game on a Wednesday night in Germany is that neither team will forecheck, hanging back in a dump-and-chase war of attrition that is geared to a 1-0 victory as the perfect game. The larger ice surface scares coaches from letting their charges wander far; the players are instructed to bunch up in front of the same 60x45x20x45 trapezoid in front of the net that goals in any hockey game are scored from. Even a game on a completely frozen Mille Lacs would face the same reality -- no matter how big the ice, if you defend the 45 feet or so in front of your net and have good goaltending, it will be exceedingly difficult for the other team to score.

Well, it looks like we killed two birds with one stone -- the history of the “trap” and the idea that more goals would result from more ice surface far from the net. We’ve cracked this myth like a dollar-store safe. We'll be back with another edition, where critical thinking rules, soon enough.

Uncensored pay-per-view

Check out this idea by Mike Chen, uncensored pay-per-view. I would love to see and hear the shenanigans on the ice between the players. It would also be fun to see the back and forth between the two benches.

Uncensored pay-per-view. Ok, so this one's a bit of a radical (and unrealistic) idea, but I guarantee you that it'd be beyond entertaining. Imagine this -- a broadcast with no play-by-play announcers, just active microphones on the head coaches, the refs, and a select number of players on either side. The number of F-bombs dropped would preclude the game from being broadcast on any standard channel, but it'd be a fascinating way to give the viewer a true feel for what's going on over on the bench. Oh, and we'd finally get a little piece of the infamous smack talk that goes on during a game. Maybe HBO would be interested in this?

Wild Management tell Gabby this is where you want to be.

This was an article that I read in yesterdays Star and Tribune and it is a must read for Wild hockey fans. It would seem to appear that some of the players like Marian Gaborik are getting tired of the defense first offense second approach to hockey. As a fan I am getting tired of watching it myself. I am sure I can get my buddy Redwing_77 to agree with me as well.

So what do we take form this? Even with Jacque Lemaire's boring defensive style of play; according the Wild management, isn't holding Gabby's offensive numbers down. I am not sure I believe this. Gaborik is all the offense the Wild have. Of course Gaborik is going to get the share of the points offensively. This would make sense why Olli Jokinen, Mats Sundin, Marian Hossa and Peter Forsberg don't want to play for the Wild.

General Manager Doug Risebrough and assistant GM Tom Lynn met with the star forward in Slovakia.

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Marian Gaborik doesn't need to play in another city to be among the top scorers in the NHL.

That was the message Wild management delivered to Gaborik during a four-hour dinner meeting last week in Trencin, Slovakia -- the first step in a journey the Wild hopes ends in a long-term extension to Gaborik's contract before next season.

With Gaborik, 26, less than 11 months from becoming an unrestricted free agent, General Manager Doug Risebrough and assistant GM Tom Lynn met with Gaborik on Monday. The two wanted to convince Gaborik, the Wild's all-time leading scorer with 206 goals and 414 points, that Minnesota is the place to be.

Gaborik could not be reached to comment, but Lynn called it a "great dinner and meeting."

"We showed him a lot more info than any player has ever seen before -- how we scout, how we measure players statistically," Lynn said. "We also listened to his opinions.

"We just talked about the team, how we operate and where we are going, and then his performance and place in the future. So I would say it was a good meeting in that (a) it happened, and (b) Marian had good input, observations and understanding."

One objective for Risebrough and Lynn was to prove to Gaborik he's not being impeded from scoring in Minnesota's defensive-minded system.

Lynn considers it a myth, one Gaborik seemed to believe when, at last season's All-Star Game, he said, "Sometimes you think how it could be in an Eastern system, in a more offensive system. There's more offense there for sure."

But at last week's dinner, Risebrough and Lynn showed Gaborik that, since the lockout, he's fourth in the NHL in goals per game (behind Alex Ovechin, Ilya Kovalchuk and Dany Heatley), first in even-strength goals per minute played and tied for second in goals per 60 minutes played (behind Ovechkin).

(Read the rest of the article here)

We are 1 We are North Dakota

fightingsioux.com
This is the new promotional picture for the Fighting Sioux hockey team. I am not sold on the new marketing slogan, I liked the old marketing slogan the Force of the North better, it had a much better ring to it, it just caught your attention. My next question what are we copying Marshall University. My last comment was can't they find a better place to take a picture than the bus tunnel at REA? It portrays a dreary, blah kind of feeling, why not put the picture in the REA at center ice?

A good letter to the editor on the name settlement.

Here is a good letter to the editor that was in the Grand Forks Herald today. Becker asks some really good question. Where the hell is the governor and the attorney general or team North Dakota. The attorney general and governor are missing in action as well as team North Dakota, the three amigos are too busy posing with their belt way liberal buddies, and shoving wind power down our throats.

N.D. lets nickname settlement fall by wayside
By Rich Becker, Grand Forks Herald
GRAND FORKS — Nearly a year after the supposed settlement between North Dakota and the NCAA over UND’s Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, there seems to be an absence of public effort in achieving a win/win solution.

UND has provided the largest arena of positive name recognition for the Sioux Nation on a national and international level for more than a half-century. One wonders why something as important to the promotion of the Great Sioux Nation’s accomplishment in today’s modern world would be held in such low regard by a few tribal leaders — such low regard that the leaders seem not willing even to sit down at the table, as the settlement agreement requested.

Even today, it takes two parties working together to build a better vision of tomorrow.

One wonders whether this lack of concerted effort is due to lack of vision on how to proceed or perhaps even worse, the lack of political will on both sides. Why are the attorney general and the governor not at the table leading the discussions, when the reputations of both UND and the state are involved?

Bill Goetz, chancellor of the State Board of Higher Education, seems to be the only person tasked with the effort, but few if any positive results have come forward. Many people feel that the only game plan being considered is one of retiring the name.

Two very key points in legal research done by a prominent Grand Forks attorney, Gordon Caldis, indicate that previous federal court decisions show that American Indian names such as Sioux are in the public domain, have no negative connotations and belong to no one person or group.

In fact, UND has a certificate of copyright on the Sioux logo that is protected by federal law. Likewise, courts in Wisconsin, Illinois and Massachusetts have decisions on record that uphold the use of American Indian names, logos and mascots.

The NCAA and the local group of nickname opponents on campus have not come forward with any case law rebutting these claims but only petition signers with personal opinions.

One wonders why it was not mentioned in any settlement discussions that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights conducted an investigation on the UND campus but made no sanctions against UND. Further, the U.S. Department of Education has jurisdiction over U.S. colleges and universities, not the NCAA.

The other key point in the research shows that the NCAA Constitution neither grants nor even mentions any NCAA authority to interfere with member institutions in their operations. The association’s authority lies exclusively in regulating the rules and play of intercollegiate sports.

Again, one wonders why little, if any, mention is ever made of the local and national scientific polls conducted by UND, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, the Annenberg Public Policy Center and Sports Illustrated. These polls all determined that American Indians are decisively in favor of or have no objection to American Indian nicknames, logos and mascots being used in athletics.

One wonders why the extensive legal research done by Caldis never has been acknowledged by any of those in leadership positions who have received his information.

May I suggest that even today, it is not too late for visionary leaders of our local, state, national and tribal governments to come together for the people’s good and show cohesion between the Sioux tribes, the state and UND.

We all want to promote the well-being of the Sioux Nation and shake hands with that nation as a partner in the building of our great state. We all will be the winners when this is done.

Message board fodder...

There has been this on going discussion about UND recruiting policies/philosophies on “the Internet”; most of which are half true, completely false or spun in an anti-Canadian and pro American theme. This type of chest thumping below is an example of the type of crap Sioux fans have put up with for years. You know; that moronic sign that is held by Goldie during the UND and UM hockey series that says Manitoba’s Pride on Ice.

Since I came to Grand Forks, ND I have read how UND is slighting and or snubbing the local recruits/players by picking up the recruits from Saskatoon, Regina, Trail, Calgary, Thunder Bay, Manitoba and British Columbia. If you buy into the internet hype and listen to the spin of the Minneapolis media/talking heads you would have thought that UND only recruits 21-25 year old Canadians after they had used up all of their junior hockey eligibility. Well, this couldn’t be further from the truth. If you look at UND’s rosters since 1996-1997 you will see a good mix of Canadians, Minnesotans as well as players from North Dakota.

Not to cloud the issue with facts, however, even with a Fighting Sioux coaching staff made up entirely of Canadians, UND is stealing many prized and highly sought after recruits right out Don Lucia’s back door in "the Metro area." Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Part of the problem is that some have put out this fallacious misconception that there should be a roster full of North Dakotan’s playing for the Fighting Sioux, however, that isn’t a realistic expectation. Frankly, it doesn't take a sociological or a demographer to know there just aren’t enough North Dakotans playing high school hockey in the state of North Dakota; if I recall correctly there are only 16 or 17 high schools in the state of North Dakota that is not a lot compared to the 200+ teams playing high school hockey in the state of Minnesota.

Many of the North Dakota kids playing high school hockey are not going to be making a division one hockey roster let alone a USHL or division three school’s roster. With the exception a few North Dakota high school hockey players; UND gets the majority of the players that are of Division one talent, minus a few notable defections in the early 2000’s. It took a North Dakotan to put Minnesota over the hump in winning a NCAA title.

Lets be realistic shall we, there are just not a lot of hockey players that compare to the likes of Ryan and Grant Potulny, Danny Irman and or Jay and Jeff Panzers. There aren't a vast number of North Dakota high school hockey players lurking in the weeds waiting for UND to sign them to a division one scholarship. If there were UND would have a majority of them on their roster right now.

There are a few these types of players coming up through the high school ranks and we will see them in the future, however, there aren’t a lot of them. That being said, UND will get a good share of these players when they come out after playing two season of juniors. A majority of these players play in hockey in the EDC and are located in the Red River Valley.

Lastly, the state of North Dakota has one of the smallest population bases in the USA. According the 2006 census date the population of North Dakota is roughly 635,867, while the population of Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area is 3,502,891 residents. That means the metro area is roughly 5 ½ times the population of the entire state of Minnesota, so the representation of North Dakotas on the Fighting Sioux roster seems about right.

It is time to get out of the xenophobic John Mariucci way of thinking. I am sick and tired of people complaining about the number of Canadians playing in Division one hockey. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that a huge number of the worlds best players come from Canada, UND is a division one school so they are going to recruit the best athletes from where ever they come from. If they come from Saskatoon, Regina, Trail, Calgary, Thunder Bay, Manitoba and British Columbia so be it. To recruit any other way is silly and counter productive.

Happy spewed: My point has always been, one of the major reasons Minnesota high school has developed so well, as compared to Wisconsin, Colorado, and North Dakota, is that Minnesota high school players in the past, when the grassroots were developed, always knew they had a chance to make it to college. The kids in Minnesota knew that if they were one of the top kids to play the game of hockey in Minnesota, they would get a scholarship. On the other hands, the top kids in Colorado, Wisconsin and North Dakota have aways known that their schools would much rather have an older Canadian, who has played semi-pro in the Major Juniors for many years, and that these kids could be the best in their own state, and they probably would be passed over.

of course, the kids, and their parents, in these state said, "screw it" I will just play basketball, or get a job, it is a lot cheaper, and since there will never be a scholarship anyway, they have nothing to lose. This eroded local support, after all, why should people spend money on something without much future payoff? it only really takes one local kid to make it for a town to show a lot of pride for a long time, and that often then leads to parents also supporting the next generation and spending some hockey money. this has built up for a long time in Minnesota, and is one of the reasons why there is such grass roots support now, whereas in other states, no one cares, after all it isn't really their team, and they don't know any body that has ever played for them, anyway.

The grassroots support for hockey, especially in the Southern, and suburban areas, have been greatly helped by the fact that everyone knew, that the local hotdog kid had an outside chance of making it to the U, and making everyone in the local hockey community proud. Minnesota would probably have added a few Championships to it's record if it would have followed other schools paths, but it didn't, it actually did what was better for the State as a whole, and it has payed dividends down the road.

Calgary Flames 2008 Prospect Development Camp: (Chucko Focused)

Seems as if former Golden Gopher Chris Chucko made quite an impression during the flames prospect development camp. It is good to see Chucko doing well for himself.

Of all the players attending this year’s Prospect Development Camp, Dustin Boyd is the most likely to make the Calgary squad for any significant amount of time in 2008-09. Like everyone at camp, he had the occasional hiccough in practise, but all-in-all the 6’ - 190lber looked ready to go. Working with Group “A”, Boyd would often be paired with fellow talent Kris Chucko, and the two together showed the offensive flair and work ethic which caused them to be drafted in the first place.

Chucko stood out from the rest in numerous drills with an impressive scoring touch and excellent hand-eye co-ordination. He potted various “good” goals in one-on-one and two-on-one training, and generally worked well with team-mates in add-on scrimmages. Though the Burnaby, BC native has had offensive success in the past, it has not been his greatest strength in recent years. He nabbed 87 points in 53 games in the BCHL just before his 2004 NHL draft, but hasn’t broken the 30 point mark since. His dedication to his on-ice training at camp suggested Chucko is aiming to improve his game.

In one instance, the aggressive 6’2” winger spent a great deal of what seemed to be his own time working on his puck-tipping skills. Standing at the side of the net as another prospect ripped point-shots, Chucko looked calm yet focused as he made contact with a notable amount of rubber. The fact that he was practising with an empty net may make the feat may seem less inspiring, but it was a good challenge and absorbing to watch. Other skaters took turns giving it a try, yet none worked nearly as long or had a fraction of the success rate as the right-handed Chucko.
(Read the entire article here)

Alan Bass on defining the true fan.

Here is an interesting article that I found over on the Bleacher Report. For the most part I really like what Mr. Bass has to say, except, "cheering at a beautiful goal scored, even if it is scored against his home team". Personally, I will hold off cheering for an opposition team when they score a goal against the Sioux.

Only A True Hockey Fan...

If there is one thing that I hate, it is when someone claims that they are a true hockey fan, but really aren’t.

A person who cheers only when their team scores is not a true hockey fan. A Penguins fan who only respects a goal that Crosby scores is not a hockey fan—he’s a Penguins fan.

A Capitals fan who says that any hit against Ovechkin is a dirty hit is not a hockey fan—he’s a Capitals fan.

And so, in spite of all this, I decided to make a list of how you know whether or not you are a true hockey fan, or just a bandwagon fan who wants a championship in his city.

Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see the Flyers win the Stanley Cup. But I also respect any team that does, and will cheer them on during that victory lap with the Holy Grail.

Only a true hockey fan will pay ridiculous amounts of money, equal to a week’s pay, simply to take his son or daughter to their first game.

Only a true hockey fan will cheer at a beautiful goal scored, even if it is scored against his home team.

Only a true hockey fan will accept the fact that his team lost to a better team.

Only a true hockey fan will look at the replay of his own team, and say, “Oh yeah, he did deserve that penalty.”

Only a true hockey fan will accept the fact that Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby can tear the crap out of their team regularly.

Only a true hockey fan will sit down after a loss, and not make excuses, such as “the refs threw that game,” or “Crosby was diving.”

Only a true hockey fan realizes that no matter how many regular-season points you have, if you are beaten in a seven-game playoff series, you are not the best team in the league.

Only a true hockey fan will give props to a team that beat them in the playoffs, because only the best team wins the Stanley Cup. I’m looking at you, Pittsburgh fans.

***Only a true hockey fan realizes that any hockey game is worth watching—whether NHL, International, Junior, Minor league, or bantam.***

Only a true hockey fan will have memorabilia of any good hockey player, and not just that of his home team.

Only a true hockey fan will continue to support the league in a bad time, such as a lockout.

Only a true hockey fan will continue to support his team, even in a losing season.

Only a true hockey fan will be a hockey fan forever. If you one day decide hockey isn’t so great, you never were, are, or will be a true hockey fan.

Only a true hockey fan will laugh at a player tripping over himself, no matter what play it breaks up.

Only a true hockey fan will love the Stanley Cup, no matter how often it has eluded his team.

Only a true hockey fan will show and feel respect for the Stanley Cup-winning team.

Only a true hockey fan realizes that the Stanley Cup winner is truly the best team. The Super Bowl champion can get lucky for three games. The Stanley Cup champion can not get lucky for 16 games. To win four playoff series, you have to be good.

Only a true hockey fan will accept the opinion of every other hockey fan, as long as that opinion is intelligent and realistic.

Only a true hockey fan wakes up every morning thinking about hockey, and goes to sleep every night dreaming about it.

Only a true hockey fan sees hockey as a religion, not just a sport.

Only a true hockey fan will look at someone who says “it’s just a game”, turn around, and walk away smiling and thinking, “If only they knew…”

Vancouver interested in former SCSU Star Parrish...

Wow, this could be a good story line if it plays out. The Vancouver Canucks are the Wild's heated rivalry and now there is a chance of Parrish playing for the Wild's division rival.

TSN Staff- Although the numbers don't match, both on the ice or in the bank, Mark Parrish is on the minds of the Vancouver Canucks as "Plan B" if Mats Sundin decides against the Canucks' $20 million, two-year offer.

Parrish's agent spoke to Vancouver radio station CKNW on Wednesday confirming the Canucks' interest in his client and admitting a signing may not take place until Sundin makes a decision on his future.

"I think there are a few teams waiting on Mats to see what he ends up doing," agent John Vollan told the radio station. "There are a few teams (interested in Parrish). It's preliminary. (Mark) is finding out what his interest is as well."

The Canucks are one of three teams that have held talks with Vollan, the Islanders and Predators also inquired about the unrestricted free agent forward.

"Mark is interested in Vancouver,'' Vollan told CKNW. ''He's just sitting back and weighing his options. He's just looking for an opportunity and a spot to help a team.''

The Minnesota Wild bought out Parrish's contract this off-season, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The 31-year-old posted more than 20 goals in six seasons, and has produced at least 16 goals in all nine of his NHL seasons. But the Bloomington, Minn., native never seemed to fit in with the Wild's defensive system, totaling just 39 and 30 points, respectively, over the past two seasons.

Russo on the Gaborik to Russia Rumors.

Michael Russo talked about the Gabby to Russia rumors. I have to believe Russo because he is one of the best NHL bloggers around so this seems to makes a lot of sense. Seriously Gabby is scheduled to make a boat load of money in the NHL; why would he go to Russia to play in a start up league? Now lets hope that our favorite GM Doug Risebrough can get Gabby signed.

Uno — Marian Gaborik. I don’t expect any news until Doug Risebrough and Tom Lynn return from Slovakia-Czech Republic and give us scribes the minutes and audio tapes from their meeting with Gaborik :). They did meet up Tuesday in Trencin.

Regarding all these rumors that Gaborik’s going to sign with a Russian team any day now, remember there is one massive difference between Alex Radulov and Gaborik. Radulov was going to make 860K and change this season with Nashville. Gaborik has $7.5 million on the table and is year from getting a Brink’s truck load of cash from somebody.

Makes no sense to me, at least for the near term.

Gaborik’s going to make a lot of money in the NHL during his career, whether it’s in Minnesota or elsewhere. I just don’t buy that he wants to play in Russia. Now, does that mean his agents aren’t scoping the landscape? Nope.

CCHA will have the Shoot out...

I think this is a step in the right decision I just hope the buffoons that run the WCHA follow suit soon. I don't care what the hockey purest say. Also, I think it is a way to make the games a little more exciting. I find ties boring and love when the NHL regular season games go to a shoot out, just another element to the game. Obviously, this is not a good way to decide a playoff games and rightfully playoff games will still be played in sudden death like the NHL is.

There will be a few hockey puriests that are going to say that this will ruin the college hockey and they will no longer watch the game any more; fine... Have fun watching basket brawl or some other exciting sport. This rule change WILL NOT ruin the college game and it will actually make it better and the shoot out has been a huge success already in the NHL. It has been going on for three seasons while some have complained the fans have embraced it. I also believe this is a good way to decide a winner. Also, rightfully so the shoot out will not affect the PWR rankings and SOL will still count as a tie. So the so called purests will still have their sister kissing tie.

Shootouts will be used to break ties in the CCHA next season.
Aug. 14, 2008
Farmington Hills, Michigan - The Central Collegiate Hockey Association announced today that an NHL style three-player shootout will be used in the 2008-09 season to determine a winner for all of the 168 regular-season conference games that are tied after 60 minutes of regulation play and five minutes of overtime.

"The shootout has proved to be an exciting addition to hockey at a variety of levels and we are anxious to bring it into college hockey. The drama it creates is very popular with fans, and importantly, today's players love it," stated CCHA Commissioner Tom Anastos, whose conference becomes the first of college hockey's six Division I men's leagues to adopt the shootout. "At the same time, the NCAA rules and ice hockey committees have allowed us to implement this tie-breaker protocol so that every regular-season league game will have a winner while preserving the integrity of the national rankings because CCHA games decided by a shootout will still be considered ties for NCAA purposes. Bonus points awarded will impact the conference standings only."

The shootout concept has been enthusiastically endorsed by Greg Hammaren, the Vice President and General Manager of FSN Detroit, which will televise 17 CCHA regular-season and playoff games in 2008-09.

"This is a bold decision and I think it's a great one," said Hammaren. "College hockey is already one of the most exciting sports in America, adding the shootout just adds to the excitement."

The CCHA has also approved the following point system for regular-season play; Two (2) points for a win in regulation or overtime, one (1) point for each school if the game is tied at the conclusion of the five-minute overtime period and one (1) point is awarded to the team who wins the shootout.

Gaborik to Russia?

Here is a rumor that I find very disturbing. If this happens I am going very disappointed in Doug Risebrough, because contrary to what the so called geniuses say, Gabby is worth the money he is going to be asking for, and probably more. The fair market value is going to determine his worth as well. What do you think the Wild look like without Gabby? They would look like a horse bleep team playing in a half empty building.

In my opinion I think Gaborik is worth every bit of 8-9 million a year and possibly more, the Wild have no one else that can match his offensive skills. What is Gabby is worth to the Wild if he walks away from the team? That is a night mare in the making. The Wild GM must make a very serious attempt in signing Marian Gaborik. Maybe there is a reason Hossa didn't want to play for the Wild.

Easily the most alarming rumor is the one from the New York Times’ hockey blog that reported that Marian Gaborik’s agent was sort of out hunting for interest from Russian Superleague teams. Such an action may have seemed rather laughable; but with Russia enjoying the wealth of oil dollars fueling its pro hockey league ambitions they shocked more than a few when they brought Jaromir Jagr to Avangard Omsk. Why? Russian teams often to pay any taxes on the contracts allowing their star players to potentially make more than they would in the NHL. For years European leagues have felt picked on by the NHL but with a weakening U.S. dollar some of the European leagues are striking back and hoping to ’steal’ back talent. You didn’t think the Russian League was just going to stop by simply bringing in Branko Radivojevic and Chris Simon did you?

The Russian threat is a realistic one, and while Gaborik may not enjoy playing in front of as big of audiences in Russia as he would in North America the KHL would likely make a very lucrative offer towards him that perhaps the Wild cannot match. Even if this scouting for potential interest is simply a precaution it is one the Wild must take seriously.

Perhaps that is why Wild President and General Manager Doug Risebrough has gone to Europe, to Slovakia to ‘talk’ with his star player. You can be assured he’s not just going over there to have a cup of coffee at the Starbucks in Trencin. The team is hoping to sign him to an extension which would pay him a salary commensurate with the top players in the league like Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin and Vincent Lecavalier. This deal is said to be in the realm of around $8.5 million per season. Let’s hope the Wild’s plan to get a deal done with Gaborik isn’t just a rumor!

Check this out.

I found this preseason top 16 ranking to be amusing. I would put UND in the top 10, Mankato, SCSU, Harvard and Cornell ahead of UND is interesting. 6 Teams from the WCHA...

The College Hockey Blog’s 2008 Preseason Top 16

Here they all are for quick and easy viewing… rankings by conference are below

1. Boston College

2. Minnesota

3. Michigan

4. Colorado College

5. Notre Dame

6. St. Cloud State

7. Wisconsin

8. Boston University

9. New Hampshire

10. Princeton

11. Denver

12. Cornell

13. Harvard

14. Minnesota State

15. Northeastern

16. North Dakota

Carolina Hurricanes can't give their tickets away

According to the Illegal Curve the Carolina Hurricanes are having trouble giving tickets away. This is a sad deal only three season removed for their Stanley Cup no one wants to see the Canes play hockey. I think it is time to move the Canes back to the Mall in Hartford or to another city like Kansas City or Winnipeg Manitoba because it obvious the Carolina fans don't appreciate them.

Ten days ago while sitting with my girlfriend at a Durham Bulls game in Durham, North Carolina, I heard a peculiar announcement over the loudspeaker. I couldn’t quite make it out. I heard Carolina Hurricanes tickets and what I thought was the words free tickets. Figuring that I mis-heard I paid it little attention. On our way out, a table sat, unoccupied, and with a collection of pink papers on it. Obliging my contractually mandated inquisitive nature and my strong affinity for bright coloured pieces of paper, I sauntered over to find, unmanned and unmonitored I remind you, a table filled with “Buy one ticket, get one ticket free coupons” for Carolina Hurricanes hockey games. Cool, I thought. Offering free tickets for an exhibition game to build your market. Smart marketing strategy. So, I grabbed one, and boy am I glad I did, so I can share with you this, the final proof we needed that the U.S. Southern Expansion is an unmitigated disaster.

Let’s break this coupon down:

1) Buy one, get one free: OK, no biggie, buy one get one free.

What I figure: Limit one per person.

In actuality: Limit 8 tickets per person.

The kicker: No one monitoring the table where these are being distributed. An individual could have picked up hundreds of these coupons.

2) Receive a free ticket with the purchase of a ticket of equal or greater value.

What I figure: Restricted sections, hard to redeem, tickets sell out quick as a result.

In actuality: The majority of the arena applies to this promo. Only exceptions are the “Champion’s Club”, “V.I.P. Ledge”, and “Upper Goal Zone”.

The kicker: The Hurricane’s have a section called the V.I.P. Ledge. Shouldn’t all 45 people who attend Hurricanes games be V.I.P?

3) The following games apply to this promotion:

What I figure: Exhibition games. Games played at the same time as another event occurring, creating a conflict that would negatively impact ticket sales for the Hurricanes.

In actuality: Regular season games versus Washington, Montreal (TWICE!), Anaheim, Florida, New Jersey, and Tampa Bay

The kicker: These aren’t games against your Blue Jackets, Coyotes and Kings. These are games against the marquee franchises in the NHL. The Montreal Canadiens. Not only are they THE team to see in the NHL, but these teams had a fierce playoff series not so long ago.

I’m not a good enough writer to accurately describe the emotions I felt when I saw these tickets being given away. I live in a market where people would gladly fist fight for free tickets if we only had the chance to see NHL games in our market. (The one exhibition game played per year in Winnipeg doesn’t count.) Here I am standing with my mouth agape watching these tickets be given away. Here’s the ultimate kicker:

No one. No one. No one was taking the coupons.

NHL Southern Expansion. Born 1995. Dead 2008. Never fully emerged from an amorphous state. Credibility of NHL “tall-foreheads” died alongside.

Former B.C. Eagle Gordon Named Head Coach of the Islanders

Well we finally have a head coach for the New York Islanders hockey team. What could be looked as the New York Islander's gain, would also be the Boston Bruin's loss. Now the Providence Bruins are without a hockey coach and are going to have to hire a replacement for now departed coach of the Providence Bruins AHL team, soon.

Incidentally, Gordon is a former Boston College Eagle goaltender during the 1980's.

Reigning AHL Coach of the Year to Lead Islanders
New York Islanders General Manager Garth Snow has named Scott Gordon the team's head coach. Gordon, the reigning American Hockey League Coach of the Year with the Providence Bruins, is the 14th head coach in franchise history. He has agreed to a multi-year contract with the Islanders.

"Scott has been one of the top up-and-coming coaches in hockey and with good reason," said Snow. "Through his work in the minor leagues and most recently with Providence over the last eight years, he has gained an impeccable reputation. The entire Islanders organization looks forward to working with Scott."

"Garth has given me an unbelievable opportunity to coach in the NHL with the Islanders,” said Gordon. “From my time coaching in Providence, I’ve seen firsthand the talented young players in this organization. I look at the direction and the vision for this team and see a bright future.”

Last season, the 45-year old Gordon led Providence to an AHL-best record of 55-18-3, while ranking second in the league in goals scored and seventh in fewest goals against. After spending two full seasons as an assistant coach for Providence, Gordon was promoted to head coach in his third season for the final nine games of the 2002-03 regular season and playoffs. Gordon then spent the next five seasons as the head coach of Providence, leading the team to a record of 221-141-20-27 (W-L-T-OT/SOL).

College Hockey Back Ground

An Easton, Massachusetts native, Gordon began his hockey career as a goaltender. He attended Boston College from 1982-86, posting a 64-35-3 record over that span. He backstopped Boston College to an NCAA Frozen Four appearance in 1985 and was named a Hockey East First-Team All-Star in 1986. He helped Boston College finish in first place in the ECAC East Region in 1983-84 before leading them to first place finishes in Hockey East in 1984-85 and 1985-86.

The Wild Card (Ryan Potulny focused)

Keeping up with the Gopher Obsession theme; here is an interesting article about Ryan Potulny on his chances of making the Edmonton Oilers this fall. Even though Ryan played for the Golden Gophers, this is still newsworthy. Traditionally I pull for WCHA/NCAA players because it gives our league and college hockey credence. While a lot of players in the NHL come from the CHL the college hockey players are making NHL teams at a higher rate than they did in the past. Also, Ryan Potulny is from Grand Forks and there aren't a lot of former NHL hockey players from Grand Forks, ND. Goon's World would like to wish Ryan good luck.

Why Potulny will make the team: Potulny is coming to camp and knows that the only roster spots that are open are perhaps on the 4th line at best, more likely a pressbox seat. Having spoken with him it's clear to me that not only does he understand that but he accepts that if he makes the team, it will be as an energy player. Unlike Brule who to me seemed much more focused on playing a larger role than he did in Columbus (who were not as deep as Edmonton last year let alone this year), Potulny appears ready to accept a llimited role as a utility player and has the experience in that role already.

He's not big but at 6' and 192 lbs, Potulny isn't exactly small either. Of the players I am considering for this series, Potulny is probably the player I see being the least affected by being a healthy scratch for stretches of games.

The Grand Forks North Dakota product says that he's played all three forward positions while growing up through the USHL, NCAA and pro so he's definitely got versatility to play on either wing or down the middle.

As my friend Allan Mitchell pointed out recently at his blog (Lowetide) Potulny is a shooter.