Hey Sundin would you make a decision?

I am begining to wonder if hockey fans are ever going to have a answer. Hey Mats please make a decision, it really isn't all that though. 1.) You're either going to play hockey this season or 2.) Yyou are not going to play. What is wrong with some of these guys?

Execs want Sundin's answer
Wednesday August 27
Mats Sundin's decision on his future may or may not come this week. While teams slowly start to get ready to go back to work with the opening of training camp less than three weeks away, many are wondering what the 37-year-old captain of the Maple Leafs is going to do this season. With several teams -- including the Leafs, New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks and Philadelphia Flyers -- making pitches for Sundin, the unrestricted free agent center is at home in Sweden weighing his options and trying to decide if he's even going to suit up this season. Oddly enough, the teams involved in the sweepstakes aren't the only ones who wish that Sundin would make a decision. Several teams trying to make moves are being handcuffed because if Sundin does decide to play, then it's going to affect how much they spend under the $56.8-million salary cap.

Gophers get two home regionals in a row.

This was posted on Brad's blog today. Nothing like stacking the deck in the Gophers favor. I can just imagine we will hear some silly statements about how the Xcel energy center isn't a home game for the Gophers. Yeah OK... The Xcel energy center is is a nice arena and a great venue for the Sioux to stomp the Gophers yet again.

Maybe the NCAA will send the Sioux out east. I see some nice venues out east as well. I can imagine we will hear complaining from some fans about teams holding regionals on their home arenas. The Xcel energy center will drawl well and will be a great place to watch a regional and the regional will sell a lot of tickets if the Gophers make the regional.

Xcel Center to host 2010 regional
The Xcel Energy Center and Minnesota have been awarded the 2010 West Regional, the school announced today. That means the Gophers will host the next two West Regionals. This season's is at Mariucci.

Future sites:

2009
Northeast: Manchester, N.H.
East: Bridgeport, Conn.
West: Minneapolis (Mariucci)
Midwest: Grand Rapids, Mich.
Frozen Four: Washington, D.C.

2010
Northeast: Worcester, Mass.
East: Albany, N.Y.
West: St. Paul (Xcel)
Midwest: Fort Wayne, Ind.
Frozen Four: Detroit (Ford Field)

2011
Northeast: Manchester, N.H.
East: Bridgeport, Conn.
West: TBA.
Midwest: TBA.
Frozen Four: St. Paul (Xcel Center)

2012
Frozen Four: Tampa

Free agents most likely to bust (Commodore)

I saw this article on Allan Muir INSIDE THE NHL. Apparently he seems to think that former Sioux Mike Commodore is not worth the 4th-highest salary on the Blue Jackets and that he is going to be a bust this season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Oh well! I guess this is why they pay these hockey writers all of this money to pontificate about hockey during the offseason.

Free agents most likely to bust
was driving on a rural road on the outskirts of Dallas a few weeks back when I happened upon something shocking: A station selling gas at $3.49 a gallon.

Considering what it would cost to fill up a tank in town, I paid my $40 and was happy to do it.

Of course, you know what's next. The same station is at $3.29 this week, and that $40 doesn't seem like such a great deal in hindsight.

Which brings me to the central theme of today's discussion: Though the concept of what qualifies as a good value is constantly shifting, the necessity of actually finding value is constant. And that's as true for NHL teams working under the constraints of a salary cap as it is for average Joes like us who are trying to afford a full tank without the lucrative benefits of free agency.

We're still more than two months out from the start of the new season, so at this point every team that played the free agent market probably feels like it got someone it wanted at a price it was happy to pay.

But did they?

History shows that more free agent signings lead to buyer's remorse than invites to speak at bargain hunter conferences. Odds are that there'll be a few spectacular busts among this year's crop. But whose deal will look the worst by the end of the season? The contracts of Jeff Finger (Toronto), Michael Ryder (Boston), Jose Theodore (Washington) and Ryan Malone (Tampa Bay) all have raised eyebrows, but they don't have the same whiff of potential failure as these.

4. Mike Commodore (five years, $18.75 million)
Go ahead. Roll those numbers around a bit, see if you can figure out exactly what the Blue Jackets hope to get from a deal that essentially makes a No. 1 blueliner out of a guy who's better known for a wheels-off hairdo and wearing housecoats than for anything he's done on the ice. It's not just the nearly $4 million per year -- the fourth-highest salary on the team -- but the term. This is the sort of deal that will hamstring Columbus GM Scott Howson when he gets serious about building a playoff-worthy defense.

Blues have surplus of talent

Here is another article that makes mention of T.J. Oshie. I think it would be accurte tosay that there is a lot of excitement surrounding T.J. Oshie and him being in camp with the Blue this season.

CENTER T.J. Oshie -- The Blues' first-round pick in 2005 may play the wing before he gets to center his own line, but the bottom line is the Blues expect Oshie to play in the NHL this coming season.

After three successful years at the University of North Dakota, Oshie gave up his fourth collegiate season to sign his first professional contract in May. Davidson said he will be given every opportunity to make the Blues' roster coming out of training camp.

"He's a dogged hockey player and a smart hockey player," Davidson said. "He can make plays at top speed. He can play the wing or center ice. There is nothing not to like about him."

Oshie, who is 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, showed remarkable consistency at UND. He had 45 points as a freshman, 52 as a sophomore and 45 again as a junior, but he told NHL.com that if it weren't for some injuries his junior numbers would have been even better. As it is, he led the Fighting Sioux to the Frozen Four for the third straight season.

Oshie was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and a first-team West All-American as voted on by the American Hockey Coaches Association.

"Everybody comes to camp to compete for a job and he'll have to do the same thing," said Jarmo Kekalainen, the Blues Assistant GM and Director of Amateur scouting. "He's been one of the best college hockey players in the country. He was a first-round draft pick. Those are the things that build the expectation and I think he has those expectations for himself, but it does come down to how he does in September."

McPhee excited over Caps' prospects (Finley)

Here is what was posted on big Joe Finley on the Caps site.

Joe Finley -- The hulking Finley, who'll enter his senior year at the University of North Dakota, was a first-round pick (27th overall) in 2005. In addition to his intimidating frame, Finley, the prototypical defensive-defenseman, offers a great work ethic and is agile. In three seasons with the Fighting Sioux, Finley has compiled five goals, 20 assists and 245 penalty minutes in 126 games. He notched career highs in goals (four), assists (11) and points (15) in 2007-08.

Plenty of hype follows Oshie to St. Louis ...

Here is a nice article on former Sioux Star T.J. Oshie. T.J. Oshie is right there will be a lot of us Fighting Sioux fans tuning in to see how he does in the NHL. I will be renewing my NHL center Ice again, but this year I will be watching the St. Louis Blue a little more than I did in the past. T.J. Oshie is a hard working hockey player and he will expect nothing to be handed to him, Oshie will work for everything that comes his way.

Plenty of hype follows Oshie to St. Louis
No one in the St. Louis Blues organization has told T.J. Oshie that he must be on the team's NHL roster next season. No one really has to, either.

"I can sense it a little bit just from being around town," Oshie, the Blues' first-round pick in 2005, told NHL.com. "People are talking. There are expectations, but I'm not really too worried about them. I'm not letting it get to my head too much."

Oshie plans on living up to those expectations soon enough, but the hype began May 13 when he signed his first professional contract. Oshie followed that up the next day with a press conference, where he sat between Blues President John Davidson and Lars Eller, another former first-rounder who also signed his entry-level deal.

With the welcome mat rolled up now, Oshie has to show Davidson, Larry Pleau and the Blues' team of executives why he's worth all the fuss.

"He's a dogged hockey player and a smart hockey player," Davidson told NHL.com. "He can make plays at top speed. He can play the wing or center ice. There is nothing not to like about him. He'll be given every opportunity."

Oshie could have signed his first pro contract last summer, but felt another year of maturing at the University of North Dakota was warranted. He finished the season with 45 points, capping a remarkable collegiate career that included 142 points in 128 games, three trips to the Frozen Four and consideration for the Hobey Baker Award.

"Everybody comes to camp to compete for a job and he'll have to do the same thing, then we'll see where he's at," Jarmo Kekalainen, the Blues' assistant general manager and chief amateur scout, told NHL.com. "He's been one of the best college hockey players in the country. He has taken his team to the Frozen Four twice in a row as one of the best players on that team. Those are the things that build the expectation and I think he has those expectations for himself. We definitely have them, but it does come down to how he does in September."

Oshie Number: #7
Position: Center
Born: 12/23/1986
Birthplace: Mt. Vernon, WA
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 170 lbs.
Shoots: Right


Even with much to prove, Oshie said his friends and family are already thinking of booking trips to see him in St. Louis.

"The boys in North Dakota, they keep telling me I'm going to do fine and they're going to all be watching me," Oshie said. "All my family wants to make it to every game, so they're looking for tickets. It's overwhelming. I think they're ahead of themselves, but it's great. I don't think it's really going to hit me until I get to camp and see where I am."

"The boys in North Dakota, they keep telling me I'm going to do fine and they're going to all be watching me," Oshie said. "All my family wants to make it to every game, so they're looking for tickets. It's overwhelming. I think they're ahead of themselves, but it's great. I don't think it's really going to hit me until I get to camp and see where I am."

Where he is right now is at the top of the Blues' growing list of prospects, along with fellow center Patrik Berglund and Eller. Davidson and Kekalainen say Oshie and Berglund have the best shots to make the team out of training camp; but Oshie feels he'll probably make it as a winger instead of a center only because of maturity.

"I would probably guess winger right away, being a rookie," he said, "but I would like to move to the center position in the future."

Oshie admits he's nervous about coming to camp. It has nothing to do with his talent and everything to do with him not being familiar with the NHL game.

"I feel good, but I haven't skated with the big guns yet," Oshie said. "They told me to expect a faster game. The game is a lot different than it is in college. Once I adapt I should be OK. I think I'm just wondering if I will be able to keep up and be able to contribute."
(Read the rest of the article here)

Akim Aliu signs with Chicago

Steve Downie's former Junior team mate Akim Aliu was signed by the Blackhawks.

Blackhawks sign Aliu to 3-year
CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago Blackhawks signed 19-year-old right wing Akim Aliu, the 56th overall pick in the 2007 draft, to a three-year contract on Monday. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The native of Nigeria played for the Ontario Hockey League's London Knights last year, scoring 28 goals with 33 assists and 133 penalty minutes in 60 games.

After being signed to an amateur tryout contract on April 4, Aliu made his professional debut with the AHL's Rockford IceHogs. Aliu posted two penalty minutes in two contests.

Bruins looking to move Kessel?

I saw this over on Mike McMahon's Bruins Hockey blog. This is not the first time I have heard these rumblings. This makes me wonder if there might be some truth to them. Maybe just maybe; Phil Kessel could be a trade deadline casualty in the spring? From reading the messages boards fodder there seems to be a bunch of impatient and unhappy Bruins fans when it comes to Phil Kessel. Also, from watching the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring, Phil Kessel was a healthy scratch for three games before being reinserted into the Boston Bruins line up; to me that was a head scratching personnel move. It makes you wonder if his days in Boston are numbered. Nothing would surprise me after watching Joe Thornton be traded from Boston for little. Let me say I am still not happy with that move.

Bruins looking to move Kessel? That’s what the rumors are saying...

If you believe the rumor mill, Peter Chiarelli is dangling Phil Kessel and P.J. Axelsson to the rest of the NHL in an attempt to acquire a puck-moving defenseman.

Umm, no thanks.

Kessel is just 20 years old. A proven goal scorer at every level in which he has played. What do I know, I’m just a sportswriter, but I saw significant strides in Kessel’s play from his freshman to sophomore season in the league, especially after he was given his little kick in the butt during this playoff series with Montreal.

It doesn’t bother me if Axelsson, who is in the last year of his contract, is dealt. I like his play, and I love the role he plays, that of a penalty killer and defensive specialist forward, but if Chiarelli doesn’t plan or doesn’t think that he will be able to re-sign the Swede, then dealing him is the right move.

Dealing Kessel, a 20-year-old sniper, is not the brighest idea.

Plus, isn’t Dennis Wideman supposed to be the puck mover? I understand the B’s need more than one on their roster, but Wideman at nearly $4 million eats a nice chunk of cap space. If the B’s are going to add another defenseman, who is good enough for a return involving Kessel, his salary would have to be in upwards of $5-$7 million. Unless your adding a youngster still on their rookie deal (ala Kessel), then the price tag will be high. And, for a team with over a $54 million cap hit as currently constituted, they can’t afford it.

If you asked me to look into my crystal ball, I’d say that both Kessel and Axe are on the B’s roster come training camp.

Check out this NHL power ranking...

I saw this over on my favorite NHL blogger puck daddy. This is USA today's Kevin Allen's pre-season power rankings. I think some this guys rankings are kind of comical.
1.) Montreal is not the number two team in the NHL. I predict they will be a 5-8 seed in the Eastern Division.
2.) So according to this clown the Wild aren't going to make the playoffs? Even with their personnel losses the boring defense minded Wild should still make the playoffs.
3.) The Bruins are better than last season with the addition of Michael Ryder and will be in the playoffs.
4.) The Lightning and the Hurricanes are ranked way too high in my opinion, both team WILL NOT make the playoffs.

1. Detroit Red Wings: The Red Wings are the New York Yankees of the NHL. You can hate them if you want, but they have more talent than any other team by far. The only caution is that there was another pro sports team in Detroit that was supposed to march to the title this summer and that didn’t go as planned.

2. Montreal Canadiens: This team may score 280-plus goals this season. Mike Komisarek is one of the more underrated players in the league. I didn’t like Bob Gainey’s decision to turn over the goaltending to Carey Price last spring, but I think he will be ready this season.

3. Pittsburgh Penguins: I’m not sure I believe Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko can make up for the loss of Hossa and Ryan Malone. But I do believe that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin can be among the scoring leaders even if they had a trained chimpanzee on their wing. The Penguins will be in the Stanley Cup mix as long as Crosby is captain.

4. San Jose Sharks: It’s almost as if everyone has forgotten that San Jose had more regular-season wins than any NHL team except the Red Wings. Dan Boyle’s arrival will improve the transition and new coach Todd McLellan will freshen the outlook.

5. Dallas Stars: With Sean Avery now joining Brenden Morrow and Steve Ott, this team will have the annoyance factor of fingernails across a chalkboard. They have enough offense now and their goaltending and defense is better than you think.

6. Anaheim Ducks: You have every right to worry about whether this team has enough offense, particularly if Teemu Selanne doesn’t come back. But as long as they boast Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger anchoring the defense, they will be in contention.

7. New Jersey Devils: Marty Brodeur is still king of the goaltenders and the defense is dependable, and that means their goals-against total will again be in the 210 range at the end of the season. They will be in the hunt.

8. Washington Capitals: As I’ve mentioned before, this is the NHL’s most intriguing team. I usually don’t believe it’s advisable to sign players to contracts over five years, but I think the Capitals' move of signing Ovechkin to 13 years was shrewd. He eventually will be to the Washington Capitals what Gordie Howe was to the Red Wings.

9. Calgary Flames: Mike Keenan, Jarome Iginla and Dion Phaneuf are painful to play against. Keenan is also painful to play for. The Flames need more goals, but their defense and goalkeeping are enough to carry them.

10. New York Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist is No. 2 behind Brodeur among Eastern goalies. Regardless of how the offseason moves work, he keeps the Rangers in the hunt.

11. Ottawa Senators: I don’t like their goaltending, but I still like their offense. Who’s betting that Martin Gerber doesn’t finish the season as the team’s No. 1 goalie?

12. Tampa Bay Lightning: Owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie moved around their pieces this summer like they were running a pea and shell game. It’s difficult to know exactly where they are at right now, but they have a lineup that fascinates me. I honestly don’t know if they will be first or last in their division, but my hunch is they could improve as dramatically as the Flyers did this past season.

13. Buffalo Sabres: Tomas Vanek scored 36 scored at 23 and somehow fans view him as a disappointment because the Sabres are paying him a bundle. Daniel Briere and Chris Drury left and Jason Pominville and Derek Roy stepped up. They look like a playoff team to me.

14. Philadelphia Flyers: Paul Holmgren is a rising managerial star. He runs wide open in his race to make this team a contender. He seems to manage with intensity, looking at every possible scenario. He manages the way he played.

15. Carolina Hurricanes: The Canes were 10 games over .500 last year and were banged up all season with injuries. If Cam Ward is sharp, this will be Hurricane season.

16. Chicago Blackhawks: This is my guilty pleasure selection. Sure they aren't there yet, but I like the direction Dale Tallon has them headed.

Puck Daddy on the Wild and the Bruins not being in the top 16.

On the outside of the top 16, after making the playoffs last season: The Nashville Predators, Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche. Obviously, Colorado's chances rest on the respective hearts of Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg, and some rather questionable goaltending. Russian millions probably put the Predators out of the postseason. But Minnesota and Boston aren't top 16 teams? If nothing else, their coaches will continue to strangle the life out of opponents (and, on some nights, the joy out of hockey) to ensure their positions in the standings.

14 year old commits to the Badgers.

I think this is a must read, I mean really; most 14 year old kids are not even usually playing high school hockey yet, well in most cases. If the are on the varsity they are freshman. I think the NCAA needs to start looking into what age is TOO young to commit to a scholarship. So what if this kid doesn't develop? Does Wisconsin still have to honor their commitment and still give him a scholarship if he stops developing as a hockey players? I would imagine not. There are going to be other question if it still hands off for other colleges to make a pitch to recruit him? Don Lucia has been on record as saying he would like to see the gentleman's agreement go away. These are legitimate questions.

Q & A with 14-year-old hockey recruit
By Mark Stewart
Thursday, Aug 21 2008, 09:07 AM

Madison - Last night, I spoke with Jordn Schmaltz, the 14-year-old hockey player who created a buzz by committing to the Badgers before he started high school. It was a brief conversation, but he came across as a solid, mature kid. He didn't give a lot of long answers but seemed comfortable talking to a reporter. I don't know what I would have said if someone interviewed me when I was 14.

Does that make him ready to choose a college? Time will tell. Here is what he and his father, Mike, had to say.

Jordan Schmaltz

Q: It's not often that a 14-year-old commits to a college. Why now? What made you decide that this was the right time to get your college choice out of the way?

A: I just felt I really liked the campus and I really liked the coaches as well. I thought this would be a perfect fit for me to go to college.

Q: Being from Verona, are you a fan of the program? Do you follow them closely?

A: I have season tickets.

Q: How long has Wisconsin shown interest in you?

A: (Since) the national camp for players. It's supposed to be the best 200 kids go to this camp and at the Central District tryout is when I think they started to look at me. That was early May.

Q: Did you commit to UW after making an unofficial visit?

A: Yeah on Friday, August 15.

Q: Describe your playing style and strengths.

A: I'm an offensive defenseman. I like to join the play. I can quarterback a power play. I'm a pretty good skater. That is how I'd describe myself.

Q: Did the way this whole process unfolded surprise you? What were your thoughts when UW offered you a scholarship?

A: After the season where we actually got second in nationals, I didn't think I would be committing to a college before I started high school, but I guess it happened. I was pretty surprised.

Q: What has been people's reaction to your decision to play for UW and deciding so early?

A: I guess they were kind of shocked. They didn't know what committed means. Are you actually going to play? Does it really mean anything? Kind of shocked is what I'd put it as.

Q: Considering there is so much time between now and the time you'd sign at UW, how committed is your commitment? Some times players commit and then have a change of heart or they give what is called a soft commitment. How strong is your commitment?

A: This is where I want to go and I don't think I'd ever back out of it.

Q: Had you any other scholarship offers at this point?

A: I took a visit to North Dakota. Notre Dame I was actually going to go on a visit until Wisconsin had offered me a scholarship. So I was just going to see how every campus was but I toured UW. I just felt this was the place that I want to go

Gomez to Minnesota?

Here is a entertaining rumor from Eklund The Anonymous Hockey Blogger. I don't see that happening because Gomez and Gabby are two different types of players Marian Gaborik scores goals he had 42 of them last season and well Gomez doesn't score as many goals as Gabby. 42 > 16... This would be a one sided deal.

Had a long day of travel and I am just now getting to all of the emails and texts from various sources now that the Gomez rumours have begun.

One source told me that although he has heard that Vancouver is the likely destination that Gomez would end up should Sundin sign with the NY Rangers in the next few days don't think for a second that Edmonton and Minnesota won't also get involved.

"I heard a Gomez for Gaborik rumour (this morning)...of course this wouldn't help the cap situation for the NY Rangers, but Gaborik who is in the last year of his deal could come to NY and Minnesota would get a player in Gomez who is under contract for some time."

Another source, connected to the Oilers since the W days said, "It is no seret that the Oilers were VERY in on Gomez on July 1 2007 and I am quite sure that if he becomes available they are in line."

Is there a spot for Steve Downie?

I found this over on Hockeybuzz.com and it appears that Steve the Hack Downie might not have a place in the Flyer's lineup. It makes a person wonder if his antics are welcome even in Philly?

Today's question: How and where does Steve Downie fit in the Flyer's starting lineup?

It's a question that neither John Stevens nor Paul Holmgren can answer at the moment.

But if the regular season were to start today and the Flyers opened the season with a fully healthy lineup, chances are that the Flyers' 2005 first-round pick would find himself in the same place where he spent much of the stretch drive and the playoffs: as a coach's decision scratch.

The numbers game works against Downie right now. There are four centers (Mike Richards, Daniel Briere, Jeff Carter and Glen Metropolit) and six wingers (Simon Gagne, Scott Hartnell, Joffrey Lupul, Mike Knuble, Scottie Upshall and Arron Asham) who are virtual locks to be in the opening night starting lineup.

Rookie Claude Giroux has the inside track to earning a starting spot in the lineup, playing either on the Briere or Carter line (personally, I prefer the latter). He would have to have an exceptionally poor camp to end up on the Phantoms, and I don't see that happening. So now we're up to 11 starting forwards.

Enforcer Riley Cote is likely to continue to dress as the 12th and final starting forward, at least during the regular season.

Guess who that leaves as a scratch, no matter what he does during the preseason: Steve Downie. Barring a trade of another winger before the season (which remains a distinct possibility with the Flyers' cap problems), the only way Downie would start on opening night would be if there's an injury or if someone played himself out of a job in camp.

Was Bill Howard forced out in Madison?

I saw this over on Brad Elliott Schlossman's blog this morning and according to Andy Baggot of The Wisconsin State Journal coach Howard's departure might not be 100% amicable.

I would imagine that there are probably a few teams (high school, college, junior and possibly professional) that would love to have a guy like Howard mentoring their young goalies. In my opinion the guy is a genius.

Bill Howard stepping down as Badger goaltending coach

I just saw this story this morning and this is a big time lose to the Badgers. Bill Howard is known for developing young collegiate goaltenders into the Badgers system.

MADISON, Wis. — He's coached some college hockey's top goaltenders -- many of whom went on to long NHL careers -- and is the only person to have been a part of all six of Wisconsin's national titles. Now, after 36 years, Badgers hockey assistant and goaltending Coach Bill Howard is stepping down.

"I wish to thank all the wonderful support staff, the three head coaches that I worked for (the late Bob Johnson, Jeff Sauer and Mike Eaves), the past and present administration, all the media personnel, the players and specifically all of the great goalies that I had the opportunity to work with and coach over the past four decades," Howard said in a statement.

"Although this was a long thought out and difficult decision for me and my family to make, their support, thoughts, insight and understanding made this decision much easier to make. I am fortunate at this time to have many other opportunities as a goalie consultant and coach.

"I still have a great passion for teaching and coaching players and goalies at all age levels. I therefore am not retiring from coaching but simply moving in a different direction. It's been a lot of fun, a great run, and has been very rewarding."

Eaves had Howard as part of the staff for the program's most recent national title, with Brian Elliott in net.

“Bill Howard has been an invaluable part of the Wisconsin family and tradition for 36 years. One constant in life is change and Coach Howard feels that the time is right for this change in his life. We wish him nothing but the best health and success in the future," Eaves said.

Howard coached, among others, Curtis Joseph and Mike Richter -- two standout NHL performers

Jaspers' Rink addresses realingment

Jaspers' Rink has a realignment plan that I really like. I think the NHL should look into this. I would love to go back to the old Norris days. This realignment would renew the old rivalries 1.) Detroit and Minnesota, 2.) Minnesota and Chicago and finally 3.) St Louis and Minnesota. I would also be able to see more of Former Sioux players T. J. Oshie and Jonathon Toews.

1. Realignment. I wouldn't even have my jacket off or feet up on Gary Bettman's desk before this was a done deal. Here's how the new divisions would look:
Wales Conference, Adams Division: BOS, BUF, MTL, NJD, NYI, NYR, OTT, TOR
Wales Conference, Patrick Division: ATL, CAR, FLA, PHI, PIT, TBL, WSH
Campbell Conference, Norris Division: CHI, CLM, COL, DET, MIN, NSH, STL

Campbell Conference, Sunbelt Division: ANA, CGY, DAL, EDM, LAK, PHX, SJS, VAN

Head size related to penalty minutes (Commodore)

I found this story on line. I find it interesting. I remember reading about studies like this when I was in college but I honestly didn't think people still conducted studies like this today.

Hockey fatheads end up in the penalty box more often: study
Joanne Laucius, Canwest News Service
Published: Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Fatheaded hockey players are more aggressive than their slimmer-faced counterparts, a St. Catharines, Ont., study has found.

Results of the study published Wednesday in the prestigious Proceedings of the Royal Society, concluded of the six Canadian-based NHL teams, the faces of the Ottawa Senators are dead giveaways when it comes to predicting how much time players spend in the penalty box.

"We're not saying that Ottawa is more aggressive than any other team. But each individual player's face predicts how much time he had in the box," said Brock University neuroscience researcher Justin Carre.

Carre, who studies fluctuations in hormone levels, wanted to test recent theories that link male facial width-to-height ratio to behaviour such as aggression. Changes in male facial shape start at puberty, when boys are exposed to the influences of testosterone, a hormone that also sparks aggressive behaviour.

The researcher devised a lab experiment comparing facial ratios of a group of student volunteers with their aggressiveness while playing a video game.

The measurements, performed with the help of a digital ruler, compare the width of the face at the cheekbones with the height between the bottom of the eyebrows and the upper lip. An unusually wide male face has a ratio of about 2.3, while a relatively narrow face has a ratio of about 1.6.

Among the male students, those with wide faces were more likely to play the video game aggressively, even downright vengefully.

Carre, who had played American college level hockey and is currently assistant coach of the Brock Badgers, decided to take the theory into the real world.

"We wanted to come up with the idea of readily-available statistics - penalty minutes," said Cheryl McCormick, co-author of the paper and the Canada research chair in behavioural neuroscience at Brock.

He shifted his gaze to the NHL and calculated the facial ratio for the players on Canada's NHL_teams using 2007-2008 roster photos and compared the results with the average number of penalty minutes per game the player racked up for aggressive behaviour such as slashing, cross-checking, high-sticking, boarding, elbowing, checking from behind and fighting. Goalies were not analyzed.

Of the 18 Senators, Carre looked at defenceman Mike Commodore, who has since left the Senators, with a facial ratio of about 1.6 and only about a minute per game in the penalty box, was at the low end of the scale.

Right-winger Chris Neil, with a facial ratio of almost 2.4 and about three minutes per game in the box, was at the opposite end. "(Chris) Neil was off the chart in the face ratio," said Carre.

Of the Canadian teams the Ottawa Senators had the strongest "correlation" between facial width and aggression - although overall, the Senators were relatively gentlemanly players with relatively few penalties.

The teams had an average correlation ranking of .30. The Senators scored the highest with .51, with the Montreal Canadiens next at .39, closely followed by the Toronto Maple Leafs at .37. The Vancouver Canucks rated .24, followed by the Edmonton Oilers at .20 and the Calgary Flames at .17.

Brian Morris, a spokesman for the Senators, was at a loss for a comment on Carre's findings. It would be hard to draw conclusions based on facial measurements working from photographs alone, he suggested.

"Seemingly, it's more of a theory than a scientific fact," he said.

Carre spent Wednesday juggling requests from the international media to perform his calculations on the faces of other sports figures, mostly British footballers.

And Carre believes there's a fascinating follow-up study to be done on how facial ratios affect hockey referees. Perhaps wide-faced players are more likely to be penalized than players whose faces are less threatening.

"It might have implications for the type of officiating they get," he said.

Ottawa Citizen

Myles Brand is at it again.

Here is the latest from Myles Brand. I mean seriously folks, we all know college athletes shouldn't be paid for their efforts on the field they are amateurs. I thought we debunked the arguments for paying college athelets a long time ago. I can't wait till this guy is done at the NCAA.

Pay for play is fine. But not in college sports - Aug 21, 2008
posted by: Myles Brand

Let's be clear.

There is nothing wrong with paying athletes to play sports. Professional sports is big business in America. The athletes, as a labor force, are rightly paid what the market will bear. That's the professional model.

But it isn't the right approach for the collegiate model of sports.
For the professional model, the bottom line is...well...the bottom line. For the collegiate model, the bottom line is education. In the professional model, the athletes are commodities who can be traded to meet market needs. In the collegiate model, the athletes are students.

For the last couple of weeks, I've written about the two reasons most people give for why student-athletes should be paid.

The first one is the capitalism argument. Big-time college sports, especially football and men's basketball, is big business. Student-athletes are a significant part of that capitalism machine and are generating the revenue. As labor, as with their professional counterpart, they have a right to share in the money they help bring in.

It's an appealing argument, but it doesn't hold up. Neither higher education, of which college sports is only a small part, nor intercollegiate athletics is truly capitalistic. They do not generate revenue to make a profit; they generate revenue to fulfill a purpose, to meet the mission of higher education. If they were models of capitalism, many academic programs and nearly all sports other than football and men's basketball would be dropped because they are too costly and do not generate enough revenue to pay their own way.

In fact, based on that model a large number - 30 to 40 percent in Division I - of the football and men's basketball programs would shut down because they fail even to cover their own costs.

The second argument is that it just isn't fair. Everyone else gets paid - some of the coaches get paid millions. Why shouldn't student-athletes?

Another appealing argument, but as flawed as the first. While it is true that student-athletes are the only amateurs in amateur college sports, the collegiate model has never been otherwise. Like every other human resource on campus, coaches, athletics directors, trainers, and all the other personnel in an athletics department are paid based on the demands of the market. We can argue, fairly in my opinion, that the market for coaches at the highest levels is artificially inflated by professional sports and may be damaging to the propriety of higher education as a whole.

The second argument is that it just isn't fair. Everyone else gets paid - some of the coaches get paid millions. Why shouldn't student-athletes?

Another appealing argument, but as flawed as the first. While it is true that student-athletes are the only amateurs in amateur college sports, the collegiate model has never been otherwise. Like every other human resource on campus, coaches, athletics directors, trainers, and all the other personnel in an athletics department are paid based on the demands of the market. We can argue, fairly in my opinion, that the market for coaches at the highest levels is artificially inflated by professional sports and may be damaging to the propriety of higher education as a whole.

But the idea that a market should be created for the employment of students to play sports because it is only fair would benefit only a few individuals in only a couple of sports on only a handful of campuses where revenues exceed expenses. Such a market would disadvantage all other student-athletes who would unquestionably be deprived of opportunities to participate so that revenues could be reallocated to compensate the lucky few.

Nothing fair about that.

These arguments, as appealing as they are around the water cooler or in the sports bar, miss the point. College sports has survived as a component of campus for a century and a half now for two reasons: 1) Those who play are students, and 2) Intercollegiate athletics shares in the driving purpose of higher education - to educate students.
I know. That collective groan I hear rising is the chorus of cynics singing in unison, "Come on, Brand, give us a break."

To be sure, there are athletes playing college sports who have little or no intention of being a student. After 40 years in the classroom, as a philosophy professor, I can tell you that lack of sincerity isn't confined to athletes. You will find it all over campus. And, clearly, there are coaches who care much more about X's and O's than about A's and B's.

There are abuses and abusers.

But the majority of student-athletes - including those in the sports of football and men's basketball - would be or would want to be in college whether they are athletes or not. Some have the opportunity to be students only because of athletics, including young men and women from low-income families. The driving purpose of higher education all over campus, including athletics, is to educate. And on average, more student-athletes earn their degree than all the other students. Ten years after enrollment, 88 percent of all student-athletes earn their degrees!

It requires professionals and lots of money to carry out the higher education mission. We understand that.

But somehow, the obvious and even noble acquiring of money to finance the mission of higher education is characterized as little more than a ravenous greed for filthy lucre when it comes to financing the mission of intercollegiate athletics.

Intercollegiate athletics is not the entertainment division of the higher education business; it enhances the educational experience of student-athletes. Student-athletes are not a human resource in the great business machine of intercollegiate athletics; they are the object of intercollegiate athletics.

Professional athletes are paid because playing sports is their job. Playing sports is not the job of student-athletes.

They are amateurs at it.

Gee Myles we know they are amateurs.

Scott Gordon to coach "overspeed"

Here is an interesting article that I found today. It is a type of style of play that is refreshing to watch. In today NHL it seems that coaches are more interested in playing defense than attacking and scoring.

Gordon's Islanders will be about speed...
Kate Strang|Newsday.com
Scott Gordon was forced to watch his Providence Bruins from the press box after a miscommunication with the AHL two years ago in which he thought he was suspended from a game instead of a player. It was the Bruins' third game in three nights, and Gordon said he was "disgusted" watching his team on the ice.

His players were sitting back, calculating where the puck would be, instead of forcing an opportunity. Gordon decided he wanted a team that used speed to its advantage and attacked instead of waiting for time and space to create plays.

The next day, he pushed his players and unveiled a new, faster way of completing drills, implementing the concept of "overspeed" in practice to improve his team's ability to put pressure on other teams. Ever since, he could tell a marked difference in performance.

Because of the success the change created, Gordon will utilize the same philosophy with the Islanders. "The key for me is that you play as a unit of five and you incorporate that speed into your game," Gordon said. "A lot of it stems from just moving your feet. You're going to put the opposition on their heels."

Introducing the element of speed won't necessarily translate into grueling workouts, Gordon said, but rather different ways of performing drills and approaching practices. "Every player has a comfort level of skating where they know they're not going to fall down," Gordon said. "We try to push players beyond that comfort level, so that when they get in the game, there may be a little bit of a drop-off, but it's better than the level they were playing at."

The goal is to not only improve the team's overall speed, but also adjust its mentality in terms of game plan. "The style of play that we want to instill in our players is, we want to play to win the game, not play to not lose the game," Gordon said. "It's very easy to play and be afraid to make mistakes. Instead of forcing the play, it can be tempting to back off and see what they bring. When you do that, you're on your heels and you're in chase mode toward your own net, instead of chase mode toward the opposition's."

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.