Ex-Gopher Ballard gets paid.

The Hockey News blog had a nice blurb on ex-Gophers and Lake of Woods Bears hockey star Keith Ballard’s and the fat contract extension that he recently signed. Ballard is set to be paid 25.2 million dollars over 6 years, that contract put him in the top echelon of former WCHA players. This season Ballard will make a messily 2.5 million this season, the last year of a contract that he signed when he in Phoenix.

Keith Ballard will stand tall on Florida's blueline
By Adam Proteau
• I still believe the Florida Panthers will be life-and-death to make the playoffs this season, but I’m also of the opinion the acquisition of burgeoning defenseman Keith Ballard (in the deal that sent Olli Jokinen to Phoenix) is going to pay handsome dividends for the franchise for years to come. Six years, at least.

The 25-year-old Ballard was a favorite of Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky, which tells you how desperate Phoenix was to beef up their veteran ranks for their own run at the post-season. Although it’s true his offensive numbers have fallen every year since his rookie campaign of 2005-06, Ballard is almost guaranteed to set new career offensive bests now that he’ll be on the Panthers’ first power play unit.

The Hockey news predicts...

This is how the Hockey News Predicts how the NHL season will finish. I find these ranking to be amusing. They have a depleted Minnesota Wild team finishing third in the West and The Boston Bruins who are a much stronger team than the Wild finishing 10th. I predict that the Bruins will probably be at lest divisional semifinalist.
East
1. Montreal
2. Pittsburgh
3. Washington
4. Philadelphia
5. Ottawa
6. New York Rangers
7. New Jersey
8. Carolina
9. Tampa Bay
10. Boston
11. Buffalo
12. Florida
13. Atlanta
14. Toronto
15. New York Islanders

West
1. Detroit
2. San Jose
3. Minnesota
4. Dallas
5. Anaheim
6. Edmonton
7. Chicago
8. Calgary
9. Nashville
10. Phoenix
11. Vancouver
12. Columbus
13. Los Angeles
14. Colorado
15. St. Louis

Of course they have the Deadthings Repeating

Patrick Reusse on Doug Risebrough

I found this awesome article in today's Star Tribune written by Patrick Reusse. While Reusse isn't Michael Russo this is a well written hard hitting article because it covers all of themes of the past few months. It is beginning to look like the jig is FINALLY up and now the fans are on to the Wilds management scheme or lack of management scheme.

Patrick Reusse: Wild boss selling a sorry story to fans

Risebrough was in the bargain basement's hockey section, up to his elbows in the squalor of stinking pads and broken sticks, trying to find bodies that he could pass off to his team's gullible consumers as real players.

In several instances, Risebrough was required to place a mirror under the individual's nostrils to make sure he still was breathing. This did not prevent the boss from suggesting the Wild was a better team with these scraps than with Brian Rolston and Pavol Demitra.

Double-Talking Doug operates with a motto that has served him extremely well in St. Paul: "You can fool some of the people some of the time, and you can fool all of the Wild fans all of the time."

DTD went into this NHL free agency in great need of a center. He signed forwards Owen Nolan, Andrew Brunette, Antti Miettinen and Craig Weller, none being a center.

Poor beat-up Nolan is tied together with baling wire. Brunette spent the best three seasons left in his career in Colorado. And Miettinen received the glowing recommendation from Tom Lynn, DTD assistant and apologist, that he was remindful of Branko Radivojevic.

That should make you excited to send in that last payment for 2008-09 tickets, since Branko lit the lamp seven times last season. He now has gone to Russia to find a contract.

And Weller? He has first cousins who didn't know he played in the NHL last season.

DTD also traded for a pair of softies for the defense, Marek Zidlicky and Marc-Andre Bergeron, as part of his latest message directed to the Cult of 18,000:

The way to score more goals is to move the puck better from the backline, rather than to spend a large pile of dollars on someone to help bring out the best in Marian Gaborik.

A year ago, Smith and the Twins made sure the offers to Torii Hunter and Johan Santana -- though substantial -- were well short of what was required to keep them on the payroll.

Risebrough was able to get some PR out of a similar circumstance with Marian Hossa: He figured out an offer that Hossa could refuse, then made it public after the star right wing signed a one-year deal with Detroit.

Minnesota's hockey fans aren't really gullible enough to believe that there was nothing more DTD could have done to bring Hossa here. Are you?

The Wild boss was back at his double-talking best over the weekend, suggesting it wasn't really salary but the length -- three years rather than four -- that caused him to lose Rolston to New Jersey.

Hogwash. New Jersey came up with $5 million a year, and the Wild never got there.

DTD was moaning last week in a rival newspaper that people suggesting the Wild was cheap were "ill-informed." He based this on the fact the team will be close to the NHL salary cap for the 2008-09 season.

The problem is, being cheap is bringing in a half-dozen marginal players at modest numbers who can be dumped, and being aggressive is making whatever moves are necessary for pricey difference-makers such as Rolston, Hossa and Ryan Malone.

Yes, DTD, the Wild is cheap, and you're a world-class double talker, and the only thing that's going to save next season after what you've lost and what you've added is for the equals of Alexi Casilla, Glen Perkins and Brian Buscher to fall from the sky.

Patrick Reusse can be heard weekdays on AM-1500 KSTP at 6:45 and 7:45 a.m. and at 4:40 p.m. • preusse@startribune.com

Along the Boards with Tenna-B (Gaborik talk)

Check out this P.A. and Dubay podcast where they talk about Gaborik and they bring up some good issues that I and other Wild fans have been bringing up this off season, some valid concerns.

Lets face facts; there is no way to sugar coat this Doug Risebrough has had a brutal off season. Lets face fact there are not a lot of top free agents that want to play for the Wild because of their style of play. It is boring to watch. I strongly believe that if the Wild loses Marian Gaborik the fans will revolt. If the Wild lose Gabby they will take a long time to return to the level they are at right now, and they aren't going to be good this season.

The fact that Gabby hasn't signed a contract probably is a good sign that Marian wants to play for another team. Also, Jacques Lemaire act is getting old and tiresome< I agree that the game has passed Jacques Lemaire by.

Hockey's Future on Bina

In case you haven't seen this over on the LetsGoDUHockeyBlog this is nice piece on former Fighting Sioux defensive star Robbie Bina.

Bina ready to start pro career
Written by: Guy Flaming on 09/06/2008
Three seasons after an injury nearly ended his hockey career, defenseman Robbie Bina is about to realize his boyhood dream of becoming a professional hockey player.

Born and raised in the hockey Mecca of Grand Forks, North Dakota, there was really never any doubt what he was going to do with his life nor was there a question that the University of North Dakota was going to be a part of it.

The diminutive blueliner will be long remembered by Fighting Sioux faithful. One reason would be his now legendary shorthanded goal against archrival Minnesota on Jan. 27, 2007 which he launched from deep in his own end and bounced past the goaltender.

The other reason is for his amazing return to the game after suffering a broken neck in his sophomore year.

It happened on March 18, 2005 during the WCHA Conference Playoffs against another heated rival, the Denver Pioneers. During the second period of their semi-final clash, with the Sioux about to be called for a penalty, the game took a decidedly ugly turn.

“The puck was coming around [the boards], it was a delayed penalty and I just went to touch it to get the whistle and then he kind of hit me from behind and I just went in head first and that’s about it I guess,” said Bina.

The Pioneers won the game and advanced to the Finals, but center Geoff Paukovich (EDM) was suspended by the WCHA after reviewing the hit. Denver would go on to capture the NCAA National Title that year with a 4-1 win over the Bina-less UND squad in the championship game.

Bina missed the rest of his sophomore year as well as the following campaign, but what could have ended as a tragic hockey story eventual became one of inspiration.

Despite the severity of the injury, including a crushed C-7 vertebrae, Bina says the early concerns that his hockey career was over were short lived.

“Just maybe the first couple of days when I found out how bad it was,” he admitted. “I talked to the doctor every day and he really made it sound like everything would be fine after the surgery and that I should take the year off and just go from there.”

So that’s what he did. Bina would spend the next year and a half wearing a neck brace, going through a long and arduous rehab schedule but never taking his eye off the goal. He knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel, just not how long that tunnel would last.

Through it all his teammates said he was always encouraging them, cheering them on from the stands and seldom seen without a smile. As it turns out, that was all part of Bina’s plan too.

“I wanted to keep my spirits up for me and for my team so that they didn’t have to worry about anything,” he explained. “It was [beneficial] mentally for me too, staying positive and trying to get ready to go.

Nineteen months later on Oct. 1, 2006 Bina made his triumphant return to the ice during an exhibition game against the visiting University of Manitoba Bisons (CIS). You can imagine what that night meant for Bina, his teammates and for the Sioux supporters as well.
(Read the rest of the article right here)

More Sean Avery...

Someone sent me this story, this one is too good to pass up. You almost have to wonder if Avery is going to be a distraction with the Dallas Stars this winter. You can't make this stuff up, Avery is like this vain male model trapped in a hockey players body.

New Line producing Avery film -- Chronicles hockey player who became a Vogue intern...
By Borys Kit
TORONTO -- Do real men wear Prada?

New Line Cinema will presumably answer that question in a film about professional hockey player Sean Avery's experiences in the fashion world, including his stint as a summer intern at a fashion magazine.

Avery, who considers himself something of a fashion jock, in May began a summer internship at Vogue, where, among other duties, he served as guest editor of MensVogue.com.

New Line, which is developing and will produce a big-screen account of his experiences in the fashion world and the relationships he made there, has hired ICM-repped Stan Chervin to write the screenplay. Contrafilms' Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson, who were behind New Line's sleeper hit "Journey to the Center of the Earth," will produce.

Avery, also repped by ICM, was a member of the NHL's New York Rangers at the time of the internship; he's since signed with the Dallas Stars. Avery told The Hollywood Reporter he's always been a fashionista. "I was always trying to be the best-dressed kid in school," he said.

Avery said that though his experiences made for great storytelling, it was his friends that pushed him into Holly wood's stylish threads. Lauryn Flynn, a friend and director of celebrity services at Burberry, brought the idea to her brother, Beau. Lauryn Flynn will co-produce.

The movie will be a romantic comedy.

Avery, an instigator and fighter who piles up penalty minutes, said he took some razzing for the experiences but has learned not to worry about the stereotypes of sport.

"I think it's great to be into something that you care about," he said. "But I'm still an athlete who likes to beat the crap out of people."

Links to the Story:
Also check out the Devil Wears Prada Ice Skates.
Devil Wears Prada gets cross checked.

Former C.C. Star Mark Stuart gains size in the offseason

According to this article former C.C. Tiger Mark Stuart spent the off season getting bigger and adding muscle. It will be interesting to see how he adding all of this mass and muscles plays out this season. Last season former Bruin and Fighting Sioux star Brandon Bochenski added a whole bunch of muscle and it ended up slowing him down.

Mark Stuart Returns to Mass. with Mass
John Bishop | BostonBruins.com
Newton’s Second Law states: Force equals mass times acceleration.

So, clearly, Boston Bruins defenseman Mark Stuart is a scientist.

No, Stuey did not return to Colorado College over the summer to add a Physics major to his academic transcript.

Let’s just say that the already thick Boston blueliner added mass and came back to New England resembling a Sherman Tank.

Stuey looks thicker than he did the last time he appeared in town and at least one of his teammates greeted him in the locker room with the exclamation of “Holy cow, look at your neck.”

When he was asked about the added muscle, Stuart just grinned, then he nodded and said, ““I basically just tried to get leaner and I think I’ve done that.

“I think I’ve gotten stronger.”

Stronger, huh?

That’s somewhat hard to imagine, as Mark always tended to look as if he lived in a gym when he wasn’t on the B’s back line, but apparently that’s exactly where he was for most of the offseason.

“I’m happy with the training,” said Stuart of his workout regimen. “It went very well.

“I trained at the same place as I usually do, near Minneapolis, with a lot of other NHL and pro players.


Boston Bruins' Mark Stuart (45) checks Toronto Maple Leafs' Jiri Tlusty (11), of the Czech Republic, into the boards. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
“So we had a pretty good group of guys to work out with,” he said.

There’s no doubt that Stuart was in demand as a spotter in the weight room, but he insists that he did include some down time into his summer plans.

“I did some fishing,” he said. “I went to see my parents a lot.

“I relaxed and saw friends and really just hung out in Minnesota.”

But now summer is over and the blueliner is happy to be back on the ice.

“It’s always nice to come back and have that competition,” said Stuart. “It was a little bit of an adjustment because you haven’t had that contact and competition during the summer, but you fall back into it pretty quickly.

“It’s good being here early to build on that training and have some momentum going into camp.”

But momentum is defined as the mass of an object multiplied by the size of the object's velocity.

No problem.

Stuart had that covered, as well.

“I am always working on my skating,” he said. “It’s something that I can always get better at.”

Former Badger Chelios makes it official

Former Badger Chris Chelios is coming back for a 25th season in the NHL as he signed a deal today. That is crazy, he is less than four years from being 50 years old and he is still going strong.

Chelios signs one-year deal, returns for 25th season
Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - The Detroit Red Wings and Chris Chelios made it official on Tuesday, as the eternally-young defenseman signed a one-year deal allowing him to return for a 25th NHL season.

The 46-year-old Chelios had three goals and 12 points in 69 regular-season games for the Wings in 2007-08. However, due to a nagging knee injury, he was limited to zero points in 14 playoff games and did not skate at all in the six-game Stanley Cup Finals as the Wings topped the upstart Pittsburgh Penguins.

"Obviously in my situation and age, and being on the best team in the league -- you have some young guys on the team that you have to play or you're going to lose them. So, I understand the situation and I love playing here," said Chelios.

The Red Wings come into the 2008-09 campaign with a spate of young defenseman including Niklas Kronwall, Brett Lebda, Kyle Quincey, Derek Meech and Jonathan Ericsson. That means the venerable veteran will have to take a more reduced role with the club.

"I guess I can say I'm a survivor because I'm still here at this age," he added. "But things can change quick in this game. We'll start the season and I'll make the best of it and work hard."

Chelios is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, capturing the silver with Montreal in 1986 and with Detroit in 2002 and last season. Internationally, the bruising backliner has played for USA Hockey four times in the Olympics (1984, 1998, 2002, 2006).

A native of Chicago, Chelios was plucked in the second round by Montreal in the 1981 draft. He spent two seasons with college hockey powerhouse Wisconsin and made his NHL debut with the Canadiens late in the 1983-84 season following the Sarajevo games.

He spent parts of seven seasons with the Habs before moving on to Chicago (1990-99), then Detroit in a March, 1999 deal. Over 1,616 games, Chelios has recorded 185 goals, 948 points and 2,873 penalty minutes.

Bruins Fans check out this blog...

If you're a serious Bruins fan check out this blog Hub Hockey. This blog also has a face book page as well...

Classic post...

Every once in a while I come across a post that I think is pretty good. Here is an example of one of these classic posts. I found this post that over on KFAN Rube Chat...

I have to agree with the premise that there are way too many agitators that turn into turtles after cheap shooting a star players, aka Cody McCloud. While there are agitators in all levels of hockey, they are more prevalent in the NHL. These morons skate around cheap shooting and taking liberties on the leagues star players and don't pay for the transgressions. One dimensional players like Derrick Boogaard are fun to watch fight but offer nothing on the score sheet but penalty minutes. While I like Goon's I do like players that can fight, skate, score and check. The Wild need a player like Milan Lucic.

scsuhuskyfan said: I understand your concern and agree that this team needs to get tougher. But, as SCSU pointed out, I don't know how many more top-level goons this team has to employ before Wild fans recognize that "signing goons" does not equal "getting tougher" or even "protecting skill players."

The (frightening) reality of the NHL is that another team can hurt somebody on your team if they really want to, or it could just happen by accident anyway. Brad May cheap shotted Kim Johnsson and then owned up to it by fighting Boogaard in a subsequent regular season game. But the damage was still done, and the fact that Boogaard was around didn't stop May from doing what he did in the first place.

Then you have the "Colorado Problem" where a fighter like Boogaard or Simon won't have any deterrent effect on guys that simply refuse to fight. Matthias Ohlund slashed Koivu and knocked him out for weeks, but he doesn't fight. And Cody McLeod or any number of garbage players in that Colorado series were never going to square off with a goon, so they felt free to hack and slash as they pleased.

You become "tougher" in the NHL by developing and acquiring "tough" players who can also play hockey. Brendan Shanahan, Chris Pronger, Dion Phaneuf....these are guys who play physical and do "goonish" things from time to time, but you're not hurting your team to put them on the ice. The more time the Wild give to Boogaard so he run around the ice trying to decapitate people is time that could've been spent trying to score goals and actually play hockey.

Wild News: Lynn to talk to Gabby.

There is actually some Wild news that I am guardedly excited about; 1.) Wild defenseman Kurtis Foster did in fact skate for 40 minutes today so that is good new for the Wild defensive corps. 2.) Also, Minnesota assistant general manager Tom Lynn is flying to LA to see if they can work out a deal with Gabby agent.

Seriously folks, I am really scared the Wild are going to lose their only true star in Marian Gaborik. Bruno, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Mikko Koivu are not going to be able to score at Gabby's pace, these players are good but they are not even in the same league as Gaborik. In my wildest dreams I can't fathom a Wild team without Gabby. That is not a pretty portrait to paint. That would make the Wilds as exciting as the listless Vikings.

Lynn to meet with Gaborik’s agent---Foster skates for the first time
Posted by Michael Russo

Wild assistant GM Tom Lynn plans to fly to Los Angeles tonight in order to meet with Marian Gaborik’s agent, Ron Salcer, over the next few days “so we can both try to push the process forward.”

I should say, the last time Lynn flew to Manhattan Beach to meet with Salcer, Brent Burns was signed soon thereafter. That was last November. I remember this because Lynn just suddenly appeared in the Anaheim press box wearing his infamous salmon-colored suit

Of course, this is a much more complicated negotiation.

More in tomorrow’s paper.

Defenseman Kurtis Foster, who sustained a season-ending broken femur last season, skated for 40 minutes this morning in Minneapolis.

Foster said, “It felt good. I’m still a long ways away [from returning to action], but it felt so good to be out there. It wasn’t pretty,

The top ten NHL goons...

Edward Fraser from the Hockeynews looks the his version of the top ten goons/scrapper in the NHL. I think the list is pretty solid and might be void of a few of the goons I would have listed. For the Wild fans notice the Boogeyman is not one of the players he has listed in his top ten. I also wouldn't consider Zedano Chara a scrapper or a fighter, although he is not afraid to mix em up.

THN.com Blog: 10 scrappers worth talking about
Milan Lucic, Boston (13 fights in ’07-08)
He probably can’t throw with the heavyweights, but watching the young buck prior to concussion problems last season was still a true treat…oh, and he has the potential to develop into a top power forward, too.

Georges Laraque, Montreal (13 fights in ’07-08)
With Laraque, it’s more about quality than quantity. And that’s a product of no one wanting to step up to the 240-pound behemoth. The Habs took a big step forward in the arms race this off-season.

Jared Boll, Columbus (27 fights in ’07-08)
Led the league in tilts last season. As soon as he adds a few pounds to his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame he’ll be one of the game’s elite, if he isn’t already.

George Parros, Anaheim (23 fights in ’07-08)
The man with the moustache was part of several memorable scraps last season; his toe-to-toe with David Koci jumps to mind (has Koci ever been in a boring fight?).

Riley Cote, Philadelphia (24 fights in ’07-08)
I couldn’t very well leave the league’s second-most prolific fighter off the list, could I? This guy can’t do anything but chuck, but Philly liked him enough to give him a three-year deal in July.

Zdeno Chara, Boston (four fights in ’07-08)
He’s too valuable to be tossing haymakers on a regular basis, so when the extra-large Slovak decides it’s time, it’s a real bonus.

Sean Avery, Dallas (six fights in ’07-08)
He doesn’t drop the gloves often, but when he does get into it his opponent really wants to hurt the new Stars agitator, which makes for added entertainment value.

David Clarkson, New Jersey (21 fights in ’07-08)
Another NHLer who fits into the more-than-just-a-fighter category, the sophomore right winger found the net nine times in between knuckle-chuckings.

Daniel Carcillo, Phoenix (19 fights in ’07-08)
One of only two fighters amongst the 10 standing under six feet tall (Avery), he’s also the list’s second-most complete forward (again, Avery). It’s not beyond the realm of possibility he’ll develop into a 30-goal, 300-PIM beast.

Zack Stortini, Edmonton (23 fights in ’07-08)
Tied with Parros for third-most tilts in the NHL – in three less games – Stortini, 22, is another up-and-coming scrapper. If the Oil’s plethora of young offensive talent doesn’t excite you, maybe Stortini will do the trick.

Bill Howard was not pushed out...

In August posed the question on whether Bill Howard was forced out in Madison. It appears that 60 minutes was right, Howard left the University of Wisconsin on his own volition.

UW hockey: Howard's decision to resign his alone
By ANDY BAGGOT

Bill Howard was sitting on the terrace of a Far West Side eatery, nursing a cup of strong coffee, trying to bring some closure to his departure from the University of Wisconsin men's hockey program.

He made it seem easy, belying the fact Howard spent the last 36 years tutoring UW goaltenders to the tune of six NCAA titles and widespread acclaim.

UW announced late last month that Howard was resigning as assistant coach, a role he's had since 1973 when he was hired out of Madison Memorial High School by the late Bob Johnson.

Howard acknowledged having less personal enjoyment and more frustration in recent years working for Mike Eaves, his third head coach, who took over the program in 2002.

Howard said he "could have parted maybe on better terms" with Eaves.

But Howard also made it clear he wasn't pushed out the door, that the decision to resign was his alone, and, more than anything, emphasized the time seemed right for a change.

"Some people said I should have done it when we won (the NCAA title in 2006) with (Brian) Elliott," Howard said, referring to his eighth All-American. "I was still enjoying coaching.

"After a while, you just reach a point where it's not as enjoyable; it's more frustrating than you want it to be. You look at other things you can do.

"I don't have any hard feelings or anything like that. I'm fine with the way it went."

Eaves said this week that Howard, a volunteer since the early 1990s when the NCAA limited the number of paid assistants to two, had talked multiple times in recent years about stepping down and that the process involved a lot of give and take.

"In our conversations, he wasn't angry, he wasn't upset," Eaves said. "It was just a resolution that now's the time."

Eaves said the situation was dictated in part by a recent mandate from UW Athletic Department administrators that the summer hockey schools be moved on campus.

Howard has overseen the camps since the Johnson Era — they were staged most recently at the Capitol Ice Arena in Middleton — and that would change under the plan to move them to the Kohl Center.

"Nobody told Bill that he had to resign," Eaves said. "He came to that realization because of the fact we were looking at (Howard stepping down) anyway, and with this step to take the camps back on campus, it seemed like the right time."

Eaves confirmed that a violation of NCAA rules took place during the latest round of camps, which he said accelerated the decision by UW Athletic Department officials to move the camps and place them under greater scrutiny.

"A secondary violation happened," he said. "We reported it. Because of that, the administration said, 'You know what? We have to be intelligent here and we need to do something.' They need to show the NCAA that they're taking steps to fix the problem that existed."

Eaves said responsibility for the rules infraction falls to himself and his staff.

Steve Waterfield, the UW assistant athletic director for compliance, said two incoming freshmen work

2008-09 College Hockey A to Z (Trupp)

Inside College Hockey has been doing an A-Z 2008-2009 review where they look at one player from each of the 58 teams; Evan Trupp was the Sioux player that was written about in the article. I am excited to see what this kid can do this year after having a year of experience.

EVAN TRUPP
North Dakota
So. | F | Anchorage, Alaska

Trupp's five game-winning goals included a highlight-reel overtime goal against Minnesota on Feb. 1.

Key Statistics: In 32 games as a freshman, Trupp had 13 points, scoring eight goals and sharing the team lead with five game-winners. He missed the last 11 games of the season after being sidelined by an ankle injury on March 1. North Dakota was 7-1-0 in games where Trupp scored.

What He Does: Trupp has bulked up to 170 after coming to Grand Forks as a 155-pound freshman, and has what his coach terms “wiry strength.” That commodity goes along with offensive instincts and puck-control skills that made him the anchor of North Dakota’s second power play unit as a freshman. With a year of experience, Trupp is expected to play a bigger role in filling the offensive holes in the Sioux lineup.

The Bigger Picture: A three-time state high school champion (for two different schools) and the 2005 prep player of the year in Alaska, there was some pressure on Trupp to play close to home for Alaska Anchorage, or to follow his father’s collegiate footsteps to Fairbanks. Trupp opted instead for the British Columbia junior ranks (where he was rookie of the year in 2006), then admits that an official visit to palatial Ralph Engelstad Arena cemented his decision to play college hockey in the Lower 48. His 2008 injury marked the third year in a row in which Trupp has missed the end of the season due to a medical issue (it was an inflamed appendix in 2007 and a separated shoulder in 2006). As a sophomore he’s striving for more speed, more strength, more health and a fifth straight Frozen Four trip for the Sioux.

North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol on Trupp: “Size and stature-wise, he and Ryan (Duncan) are very similar. They’re intelligent and think the game very well, and they flat-out make a lot of plays. Evan is a money-type player. When you need a big play, he seems to always be there in the clutch.”

— Jess Myers

Wisconsin Recruit Travis Erstad head to Steven's Point Instead of Wisconsin

I saw this over on Western College Hockey and I am kind of surprised by this story. Erstad is a 4Th round draft choice that decided that he would play at UW-Steven's Point this season instead of for the Badgers next season.

True to form; some of the comments of this blog post are kind of entertaining as well. I always laugh at the people that accuse some of the bigger schools like UND, Minnesota and Wisconsin of over-recruiting. It is part of the college game, I personally don't like it all that much either but it is the reality. If your team doesn't recruit enough players and then there happens to be mass defections to the NHL, the coach can be caught off guard if they don't have enough recruits ready to step in. Coaches don't want to be caught unprepared and end up with a line up that isn't deep enough and lack dept. On the flip side if the mass defections do not happen you could end up with players that do not want to delay their college enrollment and pursue other options.

Erstad Opts for D-3
Wisconsin recruit Travis Erstad, a draft pick of the St. Louis Blues, has opted out of playing another year with the Lincoln Stars, and will instead play for Division III UW-Steven's Point.

Erstad is a native of Steven's Point and UWSP's head coach, Wil Nichol, coached Erstad in high school.

Critics of Wisconsin and their recruiting practices will immediately point to this as an example of Wisconsin over-recruiting and screwing over the players they've already committed to. I'm not sure I see it though.

In February of 2007 when Erstad committed, it was reported that his commitment was for either 2008 or 2009. So it's not like Wisconsin sprung the decision to have him play another year of junior hockey on him at the last minute or anything. If playing junior hockey this year was out of the question for him, he probably shouldn't have made the commitment. Yes, there was the possibility of him joining the Badgers this season, but looking at his scoring line--59 games played 9 goals 10 assists, a team worst -10--it's not like his play clearly showed that he was ready for college hockey this year.

Not that I blame Erstad for his decision. He'll be going to a nice situation in his hometown as opposed to the endless hours of travel and being away from home in Lincoln. I'm just not sure that Wisconsin should be villified for pulling the rug out from under a kid when they were just following what they had initially agreed to.

Ducks Owner going to jail.

Looks like the Ducks owner could heading to the Crowbar hotel.

Judge rejects plea deal for Broadcom's Samueli
By AMY TAXIN -- SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A federal judge Monday rejected a plea deal that had called for Broadcom Corp. co-founder Henry Samueli to get probation rather than prison for his role in a stock options backdating case that led to the largest corporate writedown of its kind.

U.S. District Court Judge Cormac J. Carney wrote that the deal calling for five years probation and $12 million in payments by Samueli would erode the public's trust in the judicial system.

"The court cannot accept a plea agreement that gives the impression that justice is for sale," Carney wrote.

Samueli has pleaded guilty under the plea agreement to lying to investigators for the Securities and Exchange Commission. Broadcom, an Irvine, Calif.-based telecommunications chip maker, was ultimately forced to write down $2.2 billion in profits after the options backdating was uncovered.

Prosecutors and Samueli asked the judge for time to renegotiate their plea deal or to allow Samueli to withdraw from the agreement. Carney set another hearing for Sept. 29.

Samueli, the owner of the NHL's Anaheim Ducks, struck the plea deal with prosecutors this year in a larger criminal probe into stock-option backdating at Broadcom.

Under the agreement, Samueli would have avoided prison time and would not have been required to help prosecutors build their cases against Broadcom's former chief financial officer, William J. Ruehle, or company co-founder Henry T. Nicholas III, who are accused of conspiracy and securities fraud. Nicholas also faces drug-related charges, including that he slipped ecstasy into the drinks of business associates.

Nicholas and Ruehle have pleaded not guilty and are free on bail.

Under federal law, the maximum fine for the offense acknowledged by Samueli is $250,000. His plea deal, however, called for an additional payment of $12 million that prosecutors said was intended to show the seriousness of his offense.

Carney said the payment was unprecedented and the "staggering sum of money" made it appear that Samueli was trying to buy his way out of prison without cooperating with federal investigators.

"No sentence can be based on the amount of money a defendant is willing and able to pay," the judge wrote.

Carney also wrote that the deal was too lenient compared with the cases against Nicholas and Ruehle, whose sentences could add up to more than 300 years if they are convicted.

A total of 21 executives have been brought up on criminal charges related to stock options backdating.

While a number of those charged have pleaded guilty, only two have gone to trial — Greg Reyes and Stephanie Jensen, the former CEO and human resources chief for networking equipment maker Brocade Communications Systems Inc. They were both found guilty.

Reyes received the harshest sentences to date: He was sentenced in January to 21 months in prison and ordered to pay a $15 million fine. Reyes is appealing the verdict. Jensen was ordered to serve four months in prison pay $1.25 million. She is also appealing.

Backdating involves retroactively setting a stock option's exercise price to a low point in the stock's value, boosting the profits that are attained when the shares are sold. It is legal when properly accounted for, but if companies fail to properly disclose the move, profits can be overstated and taxes underpaid.

More on the Hockey Mom Sarah Palin

I found this story on line today and I have to admit that I am excited about this Sarah Palin as the Vice Presidential candidate. I know there are other people that are also fired up about this candidate. I have had to watch the MSM fawn all over Barack Obama all summer long and finally there is something to be excited about on my side of the isle. This is also an interesting article so I thought I would post it so you can look at it.

Sarah Palin: Defining 'hockey mom'
Andrea Gordon Family issues reporter --- Sarah Palin should take a cue from Linda Staal next time she's tempted to compare hockey moms with ferocious dogs.

Staal is Canada's reigning queen of hockey moms. Sons Eric, Marc and Jordan are NHL stars. A fourth, 18-year-old Jared, is on his way.

But Staal is no pit bull, thank you very much. She's always preferred to observe her sons quietly, apart from the pack. And she doesn't wear lipstick.

Palin – mother of five and U.S. vice-president hopeful, has taken "hockey mom" as her brand.

"What's the difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom?" Palin, Alaska's governor, asked in her speech to the Republican convention.

"Lipstick."

For the real story, we turned to the experts: Canadian mothers of kids in hockey. Droves of them are now headed back to local arenas for early-bird tournaments and another season of bad coffee and cold feet.

Here's what we asked, and what they said:

1. Is Palin right about the pit bull?
2. Your definition of a "hockey mom"
3. Your favoured shade of lipstick
4. A memorable pit bull moment?
5. What hockey mom traits would benefit a politician?

Linda Staal, Thunder Bay

With three sons in the NHL and a fourth soon headed to the big leagues, few hockey moms could match her credentials.

Staal’s brood: Eric, 23, is a centre with the Carolina Hurricanes and on Wednesday is set to help the team unveil its new, alternate home-game jerseys; Marc, 21, plays defence for the New York Rangers, Jordan, 19, is a centre for the Pittsburg Penguins; and her youngest, 18-year-old Jared, plays with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves.

1. Yes, there are some moms that you could definitely put into that category. I, for one, enjoyed watching them (her sons) play and never got too worked up about the things I couldn’t control.

2. Being supportive, but not giving them too much information because they get enough from the coaches.

3. To tell the truth, I don’t wear any yet. If I did, it would be a light pink.

4. Don’t have one. I would be content to sit with a few moms away from the crowd.

5. To get along and work hard with a lot of different people that you come across over the years

Lyle Richardson on Gabby

Does anyone like or see where this story is going? I don't like it and I blame the GM of the Minnesota Wild. If Gabby is allowed to walk it is time for Tom Lynn and Doug Risebrough both should be shown the door because they have had a rough and horrible off season.

• Right winger Marian Gaborik recently said he intends to focus on his game and leave his current contract talks with the Minnesota Wild to his agent.

Wild management hopes to re-sign Gaborik, but assistant GM Tom Lynn has suggested the club will consider trade options if talks reach an impasse.

It’s been speculated the Wild won’t let the Gaborik talks drag on throughout the year and become a distraction, which, of course, has led to Internet rumors of him being dealt by the start of the season if unsigned by then.

Don’t count on it. The Wild may not want to face the same distraction the Atlanta Thrashers did last season with Marian Hossa’s contract status, but they certainly won’t jump the gun that soon.

Best bet is the Wild starts shopping Gaborik by December at the earliest if talks are still stalled at that point.

Hockey Chicks on the Fighting Sioux

Check out what the Hockey Chicks had to say on their latest podcast. I listened to this on my ipod on the way home from Iowa today and Kat and Julie briefly talk about college hockey at about 17:00 minutes in, apparently Boston is the place to go this season if you want to watch the college hockey powerhouses play.

The Hockey chicks talk about Ryan Duncan, and how he has a chance to redeem himself. I listen to these guys (women) because I find them remotely amusing, while they do seem to get their facts mixed up some times they kill me.

Eklund on Mark Parish

This is turning out to be a pretty interesting story. I hope Parrish catches on with another team and I am sure it is just a matter of time before he signs on the dotted line.

First on Parrish.

This is a guy that WILL get signed. Two of the three teams that I have heard associated with Parrish have been in #13 Limbo and are about to get out of it. I have always loved Parrish because of the guy's character. He is real and gritty and it must be KILLING him to have to wait for a decision from a player getting offered 20 million.

In John Shipley's article in today's Twin City's Pioneer Press Parrish's fervor comes through clearly...."it's about going out and playing the game that I love — doing the best I can for a team to win a Stanley Cup, which is what I wanted to do here, just doing the best I can. I accepted a role and didn't complain about the role I was in, even though I wasn't comfortable in it and wasn't happy with it. But I did it with a smile because I wanted to win, and that's all I've ever wanted to do."

He was traded to the Islanders from Florida in the deal that sent Jokinen and Luongo to Florida...often referred to as the worst deal of the century.

Back in 2001 while playing with the Islanders Parrish got in a ton of trouble when reacting to the fans on the Island booing the team by saying, "If they're going to boo us like that,'' Parrish said Tuesday, ''we'd appreciate it if they'd stay home, to be honest with you."

He apologized a few days later saying ''I did not mean to offend anyone...The words came out before I could pull them back.''

The next season he came back with 30 goals and 30 assists. He went on to be the Isles All-Star, the team captain, and a fan favorite.

Trust me when I say that to go from being a part of that trade and saying what he said, to becoming a FAN FAVORITE in the New York City Sports Scene tells you all you need to know about Parrish.