Rev. David Nichols, Tolna, N.D.: Board acts ethically by jettisoning nickname.

Here is the latest from the anti-nick name crowd. This was in today's Grand Forks Herald, as ussual the Herald didn't allow comments to this post. It would appear that the it's the Herald's modus operandi in cases where a writer writes something about the Fighting Sioux name. My response is, yawn!

TOLNA, N.D. — The North Dakota Board of Higher Education recently voted to prohibit UND from using Fighting Sioux as its nickname. As a Christian who strives to follow the commands and ethics of the Prince of Peace, I was encouraged and delighted with the board’s decision.

Non-Indian schools and universities have no moral bases for using the names or images of American Indian people for their corporate agendas. The dominant Anglo-Saxon culture has, for generations, manipulated and exploited the indigenous people of this continent for our economic gain.

Nicknames and logos are little more than mass-marketing tools that are used nationwide by schools and sports teams to create billion-dollar commercial brand allegiances among consumers.

Institutions of higher education such as UND morally discredit themselves when they stoop to using racial stereotypes as mass-marketing techniques.

None of us likes being labeled or told who we are. God made diversity to be the founding principle of creation. We show reverence for God’s works when we respect each other’s differences and let our neighbors define themselves and create their own destiny.

I’ve heard too many white folks defending the Fighting Sioux nickname by saying it’s “a good and proud role model for the Indians to have.” This simply is us telling another race of people what’s good for them.

We would be insulted if anyone did the same to us. Imagine our reaction if an Indian school created a Farming Rednecks nickname. The Fighting Sioux nickname should be as offensive to our moral sensibilities as a Farming Redneck or Dancing Negroes nickname would be.

The North Dakota Board of Higher Education’s decision returns UND to an ethical standard it lost when it traded its Flickertail nickname for an offensive racial stereotype. By doing so, the board models for a generation of students the ethical demand of Christ to love and respect your neighbor as yourself.

David Nichols

Rev. Nichols is the pastor of Morning Star Parish

Bolts fans get a reprieve.

Florida fans won't have to suffer through the mind numbingly boring and listless neutral zone trap. Jacques Lemaire has said no to coaching the Lightning. You have to wonder if Lemaire is sick of coaching after last season?

Jacques Lemaire says thanks but no thanks to Lightning
The Lightning's flirtation with Jacques Lemaire has come to an end, and apparently on good terms. Tampa Bay wanted to hire the former Wild coach as a senior consultant. But Lemaire said on Monday he has told Lightning GM Brian Lawton he has another offer that has gained his interest and which he is pursuing.

"Brian showed a lot of interest and I was pleased about that," Lemaire said. "He told me he really wanted me to be part of the organization. He was very patient."

Lemaire, 63, who lives in Palmetto, stepped down as Wild coach after the season. He would not say with what team to which he was talking, but the New York Times reported he might be hired, perhaps as an assistant, by the Canadiens, the team with which he won eight Stanley Cups as a player.

Lemaire said he likely would give Lawton a call to see if the Lightning position was still available if the other situation fell through, but as it stands now, Lemaire said, "I don't think Brian thinks I'm going to be there." [Tampabay.com]

College Hockey realignment fodder.

I saw the link to this article when I was perusing the College Hockey News. Seriously, I came to UND in 1993 and Gopher fans were talking about the Big Ten hockey conference. Fast forward 16 years and this discussion of a Big Ten Hockey Conference still comes up every year with no Big Ten Conference in site. I say let the Big Ten Schools have their Big Ten Hockey conference, I mean talk is cheap. Even if there was a Big Ten Hockey Conference; guess what? The WCHA would still be here and would still be viable, the CCHA wouldn't look as good. If that day ever comes I am sure there would be some serious realignment in college hockey.

In the ever changing world of college athletics who knows how the landscape will look for the 59 Division I hockey schools as soon as 16 months from now.

Will the CCHA still have 12 members (Nebraska Omaha is likely to switch to the WCHA)? Will the three Big Ten schools - Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State - still be in the league or will they be a part of a modified conference including Minnesota, Wisconsin and maybe even Notre Dame? Such a Big Ten hockey set up would provide more programming for the Big Ten Network and the idea is reportedly being pushed by Wisconsin and others. Would a CCHA still exist with the other eight teams? Will Alabama Huntsville still have a team if it doesn't find a new league and its application to the CCHA is iffy at best. Where will the two Alaska schools end up? Will Bowling Green and others finally succumb to the economics of their sport? These and more are all issues to determine after the coming season.
[Lansing State Journal]

Huh, he said what?

This is what the game of professional hockey has degraded to? Nah! I just swung my stick at the puck and just happened to hit his injured foot. Oops.

DETROIT -- Pittsburgh forward Maxime Talbot said he wasn't deliberately targeting Pavel Datsyuk's injured foot when he slashed the Detroit Red Wings forward in the skate during the Penguins' second-period meltdown Saturday.

"He can say whatever he wants,'' Talbot said. "I went for the puck and his foot was there.''

Datsyuk actually didn't accuse him of that, saying he didn't know if Talbot was targeting his foot.

"I don't know,'' Datsyuk said. "I'm happy (Penguins) have penalty, five-on-three.''

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock would not comment on it.

"The bottom line is they're doing what they can to win and we're doing what we can to win,'' Babcock said.

Said Penguins coach Dan Bylsma: "Max is a physical player and it's not the only check he finished tonight. I don't even know what foot it is for Pavel.''

The Penguins lost their composure in the second period and started hacking and whacking anything in red and white

Marian Gaborik's injury list.

Here's what teams will have to ponder when they think about when offering oft-injured Wild free agent Marian Gaborik a contract. These are the injuries that Gabby has suffered over the course of his NHL career. Gaborik has played in 502 (219 goals - 218 assists - 437 pts)

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

Wild shopping Harding and Boogaard?

The rumors are starting already, the Wild appear to looking to move the Boogey man and Josh Harding. Under Doug Risebrough Harding was basically looked at as being untouchable. While I love watching Derek Boogard pound the snot out of another goon, the Wild probably would like to see a player that does more than play 5:00 minutes a game and wave his fingers at opponents they have just cheap shoted one of the Wilds skilled players.

Wild look to deal Harding

Minnesota has targeted four teams - the Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings and the Philadelphia Flyers - to try and trade backup goalie Josh Harding, who had a 2.21 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in 19 games in the 2008-09 season.

The 2002 second-round draft pick played for Rob Daum when he coached the Wild's AHL farm club in Houston, should they need a scouting report.

The Wild will try to get a second-line forward back for Harding, who turns 25 on June 18.

The Wild will likely try and move slugger Derek Boogaard to an Eastern Conference team at the draft because he's an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2010. Plus, they want a tough guy who can play more than Boogaard's five minutes a game.

If you're handicapping the Wild's search for head coach, San Jose assistant Todd Richards would be No. 1 because new general manager Chuck Fletcher has a history with him in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, with Craig MacTavish being No. 2.
[Canada.com]

Bettman claims Argo owners expressed interest in Coyotes

When I read the statement that the each group has "indicated an interest in operating the franchise in Phoenix" I would be concerned especially if I were a Coyotes fan. Sure they may say that now but what stops them from saying two years from now "we have made a go of this, the team has lost way too much money and the NHL won't work in the Phoenix area. Strike up the we are moving the team to _______." The Argo's owners are from Southern Ontario area and what is to stop them from pulling up the stakes and still moving the team to Hamilton?

Paul Waldie -------- Globe and Mail Update, Sunday, Jun. 07, 2009.
The co-owners of the CFL's Toronto Argonauts are declining to comment on their interest in buying the Phoenix Coyotes and keeping the club in Phoenix.

NHL Commission Gary Bettman revealed in a court filing Friday night that the league has received a “preliminary background application” from four potential buyers for the Coyotes including Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon, co-owners of the Argonauts. The other applications have come from Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls, as well as current Coyotes co-owner John Breslow and another unidentified Phoenix businessman.

Bettman said each group has “indicated an interest in operating the franchise in Phoenix.”

Bettman did not provide details of the proposals, citing confidentiality issues, and said the league is reviewing each application.

More lecturing from Fargo on the Fighting Sioux name.

As a Sioux fan living in Grand Forks, ND I always love when our friends from the Fargo Forum like to take the moral high ground and preach to us from their high horse. This instance is no different. It's another one of these my school/town is better than yours. Have we not been down this road before? Some might say it's the same old tired argument of Fargo versus Grand Forks, NDSU versus UND. I suppose I should put in the obligatory shot across the bow by saing, "you can’t have sucks without NDSU." But I digress.

I guarantee if the shoe were on the other foot and someone wanted to build NDSU a new basket ball arena to replace the one they have now and NDSU had some issue with their sports team's nick name I would be willing to bet the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education would have stepped in for NDSU and ran the defletion. Yeah; like NDSU wouldn’t taken a new sports complex if they had been in the same situation. If they say otherwise they are full of what they are shoveling in Fargo. This is just more of the same jealous of Grand Forks because our facilities aren’t as nice as theirs.

At the time in question the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education’s decision to usurp then-UND president Charles Kupchella, it was the right decision because President Kupchellas was not known for his great leadership skills was totally screwing up and in this situation. The board basically did him a favor so he didn’t have to fall on his sword. The Board probably saved his job as well. Seriously folks, it’s easy to sit in a glass house like Fredrick’s and Monday morning quarterback and this exactly what he is doing.

A belated redemption for UND ---- By: Martin Fredricks , West Fargo
A sad day for North Dakota,” Kris Engelstad McGarry called it. With all due respect to McGarry, many North Dakotans view it as a day of redemption when some sense was restored to a state that thrives on common sense.

McGarry, daughter of the late Ralph Engelstad, referred to the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education’s May 14 decision to accelerate the deadline for tribal approval of the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux nickname. If the two North Dakota Sioux tribes do not approve 30-year agreements to support continued use of the name by October, UND must begin transitioning to a new moniker and symbol.

It is a belated redemption because the current board has taken a positive step to correct the action of the board of December 2000. That board inserted itself into the nickname/logo debate the day after Engelstad sent the now infamous “Dear Chuck” letter to then-UND president Charles Kupchella.

In the Dec. 20, 2000, letter, Engelstad wrote that he would halt work on the half-completed Ralph Engelstad Arena, what was destined to become the home of the UND hockey team, if the Sioux name and logo were not retained. At the time, he had invested $35 million into the $85 million project. He sent copies of the letter to members of the Board of Higher Education, which was set to meet the next day.

“Please do not consider this letter a threat in any manner, as it is not intended to be,” Engelstad wrote.

We North Dakotans tend to call things the way we see them, and that was what we call a threat. It was a strong one, at that, a gun held to the head of Kupchella, UND and North Dakota as a whole. When the board voted unanimously to retain the Sioux name and logo, it gave him the ammunition.

That was the real sad day for North Dakota, regardless of how you feel about the name issue. And there really is no need to add anything to that discussion.

What many North Dakotans didn’t like was the intimidation, and our loss of self-respect was even worse. Do as I say, Engelstad clearly told us, or you won’t get your hockey arena. This, to people who have fended for ourselves for generations. Who was Engelstad to tell us what we could or could not do? Surely, if UND needed a new arena that badly, funds could be raised in other ways from other people.

Unfortunately, the board apparently saw it another way and, with its 8-0 vote, sent a return letter to Engelstad with our pride enclosed.

By all accounts, the Engelstad Arena is a marvel, a monument to UND, its hockey team and Engelstad himself. But it cost us much more than the money it took to build.

In her comments, McGarry said she was not surprised by the “lack of conviction” of the state board and UND President Robert Kelly in fighting for the Sioux name and logo. On the contrary, their actions demonstrated a return to conviction, a restoration of the pride that will not allow North Dakota to be bullied, regardless of how much money is at stake. [link to the article]

From the comments this is one of the best ones that I have seen. I see I am not the only one that feels this way.

Garfield L. ---- Moorhead, MN 06/07/2009 8:56 AM

Its actually round 2 of und and the state board selling out. The Summit league snubs them and all of a sudden its a mad scramble to get the name changed so they can get into the Summit. Its a replay of the mad scramble to keep the name after Ralph's letter. Nothing like throwing away 80 years of tradition to get into one of the country's worst conferences. I find the whole thing comical. I also agree with John B - I don' t think there was any "we" anything.

Four groups apply to keep Coyotes in the desert.

Well it looks like there are a few groups stepping forward to keep the troubled Coyotes in the Phoenix area. The group that is co-owners of the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts, Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon, should send warning signals as maybe an attempt to put a NHL franchise in southern Ontario, Canada. This is a mess and needs to be resolved quickly.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says he has four potential buyers willing to keep the Coyotes in Glendale.

All four have submitted preliminary applications for league review, Bettman said in a Bankruptcy Court filing Friday.

The applicants include two previously reported possibilities: a group of investors that includes Chicago White Sox and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, and Coyotes minority owner John Breslow.

A third application was made by co-owners of the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts, Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon.

A fourth applicant is an unnamed Phoenix businessman, who requested anonymity pending due diligence, according to court documents.

The offers, combined with fan loyalty demonstrated by the Save the Coyotes group and a willingness from Glendale to participate in an "enhanced partnership" make relocation premature, Bettman said.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Redfield Baum on Tuesday is expected to hear arguments on relocation, as Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes seeks to have the court allow him to sell the team to Jim Balsillie for $212.5 million.

Balsillie's offer is contingent upon moving the team to Hamilton, Ontario. [NHL: 4 apply to keep Coyotes here]

Check out Basile.

Check out the Jim Basile interview from thespec.com he is defiantly brash, confident and maybe a little arrogant. Also, when it is all said and done I DON'T think he will be an owner of an NHL hockey team. I think Basile feels he is entitled to owning an NHL franchise and is going about it the wrong way, if the other twenty nine owners don't want him to join the club he isn't going to be in. Keep spending millions Basile, it's good for the economy.

More Blais Speculation.

I saw this story over on Husker Mike's blog. Some interesting speculation on who would be the next coach of UNO hockey team. It would appear that Blais can basically stand back and wait for the best offer, it would appear that he has a few options to chose from. Blais can stay at Fargo, apply for the UNO job, or wait. If Blais takes the UNO job they would be a national contender in after a couple of recruiting cycles. I would rather see Blais at UND or UNO than Minnesota.

QUICK SPECULATION There has been much talk about Dean Blais, just named head coach of the 2010 US National Junior team, being asked to take the reigns at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. However, there has been equal talk that he is waiting for the job at the University of Minnesota to open up.

There is a large, and growing contingent of power players in Minnesota hockey who would like to see Blais, a Gopher alumnus, behind the bench of Minnesota. There is little chance that Joel Maturi would make a move before Don Lucia's contract expires. However with the number of players leaving the program for other schools, leaving for the pros early, poor academic performance, lagging attendance, instability with assistant coaches and a failure to win, there will be increased pressure sooner rather than later and Blais would be a considered a candidate if he is available.

Other primary candidates would be current Hamline head coach Scott Bell or USHL coach Kevin Hartzell. While UNO is thought to be interested in Blais it also unlikely that they can afford what Blais would be used to as a salary. Mike Guentzel, Dave Quinn and Mike Hastings remain the most likely candidates, unless Blais wants back into the college game sooner rather than later. Another option would be if Dave Hakstol has aspirations to move into the ranks of professional coaching and then Blais could move back to the University of North Dakota bench. Pure conjecture, but not out of the realm of possibility considering Hakstol's background in the professional game and the coaches being hired in the ECHL and AHL and as assistant coaches in the NHL currently.

Risebrough to Florida?

More power to the Florida Panters ownership. Hey if the Panters fans want a team that will be poorly managed, a boring on the ice product, a team that is focused on defense first and with a roster filled with a bunch of cast offs, then Doug Riesbough is probably your man for the job. I would hope they Panters would use better judgement than that. If your questioning think I am over stating it look at the Wild and Flames when Risebrough managed them.

Risebrough to Florida?
Former Wild GM Doug Risebrough is expected to be a front-runner for the Florida Panthers' GM position.

Former Panthers President Bill Torrey has been asked to lead the GM search, and it's believed that Risebrough's received support from two of Torrey's confidants -- former North Stars GM Lou Nanne and current Rangers GM Glen Sather.

Spirit Lake nickname supporters not giving up

Sounds like the pro name people at Spirt Lake Nation will not let the name go down without a fight. Stay tuned.

FORT TOTTEN (AP) - Spirit Lake Sioux tribal members who support the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname say they're seeking a resolution from the tribal council.

Eunice Davidson is spokeswoman for the pro-nickname group. She says its members plan to meet with the newly elected council members next week to talk about a formal resolution supporting the nickname.

A tribal vote in April gave strong support to the nickname. But UND plans to retire it unless the Standing Rock Sioux tribe also supports it. Standing Rock tribal council members have been among the opposition leaders.

The State Board of Higher Education voted last month to do away with the nickname unless it gets a 30-year agreement from the state's Sioux tribes by Oct. 1.

A former Gopher to coach the Wild?

First the good news is former Wild assist coach Mario Tremblay is not going to be the Wild's new coach. That should be refreshing and welcome news to Wild fans that want to see the Wild move away from their BORING defense first style of hockey and at least attempt to push the puck up ice. That doesn't mean the Wild play the trap at some point in their games it just means they will be more offensive focused. It would be an interesting scenario to see an American coach that played college hockey in Minnesota coaching in the State of Hockey; if Richards gets the job. To take a phrase from Danny Barriero of KFAN, 'he would definitely be one of us' (from Minnesota)

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune ----- Local boy Todd Richards still appears to be among the frontrunners for the Wild's coaching vacancy.

According to sources, General Manager Chuck Fletcher flew to California last week to interview the San Jose Sharks assistant coach and former Gophers captain.

The two have been in contact since, although it's unclear how close Fletcher is to hiring a coach.

That's because, according to sources, Fletcher also interviewed former Edmonton Oilers coach Craig MacTavish in recent days and at least had a conversation with former Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders coach Peter Laviolette.

It's believed that Fletcher is also interested in Detroit Red Wings assistant coach Paul MacLean, whom he worked with in Anaheim.

'Time to pull the plug' on Phoenix: NHLPA

Paul Kelly isn't going to win any friends in Phoenix with those comments. Also, why didn't anyone see this coming back when they moved the Jets to the desert in the first place? This is a travesty. I wonder if in hindsite; if the City of Winnipeg wished they would have built a new arena for the Jets?

Steve Milton ---- The Hamilton Spectator
The leader of the National Hockey League Players' Association may not overtly support a league franchise in Hamilton, but he's very blunt about what should happen to the one in Phoenix.

"From a players' perspective, it's time to pull the plug," NHLPA executive-director Paul Kelly told The Spectator last night.

Kelly says that NHL owners should not only be doubting that the Coyotes should remain in Phoenix, but that those doubts should have arisen long before now.

Earlier in the day, speaking on Toronto radio station The Fan, Kelly wondered: "How much money must (a franchise) lose before someone says "perhaps they ought not to be there?"

However, Kelly would not go so far as to back Jim Balsillie's bid to transfer the Coyotes to Hamilton: even though he's known to look favourably Balsillie's membership as an NHL owner.

Hockey fans upset with the reffing.

There has been an extensive debate and some whining about the quality of the officiating in these Stanley Cup Finals. As a neutral observer I would say that the officiating has been equally bad on both ends of the ice. Edit: This hockey fans has an interesting take on the Sidney Crosby conspiracy against them. (humor)

The officiating during this spring's playoff run has been fantastically inconsistent, and even when you and I are both swearing at the TV...The players have to deal with it as best as they can. If they want to lobby the refs during or after the game, argue a call--I had no problem with Franzen saying, "He [bleeping dove" when he either hooked Craig Adams or Adams felt a stick and dropped, depending on your point of view, and I have no problem with Mike Babcock mentioning that a certain player who remained nameless got away with four interference penalties...But Babs wouldn't be lobbied into lamenting that his team lost because the refs screwed him over, and he refused to name names.

Hal Gill, cough cough. [Snapshots]

This guys is right about one thing former Bruins defender Hall Gill has looked like a pylon and a human obstruction machine and I can see why the Bruins no long employ him.

Links to the Stanley Cup Finals reffing debacle...

~I don't want to hear about the refs. [Mlive.com]

~Allegations out of the Redwings Dressing Room. [TSN]

~Maltby: Officiating 'blueprint for how regular season should go' [Puck Daddy]

… Just one last comment on the officiating: in Games 1 and 2, I was of the opinion that the officiating was awful both ways. Letting them play is a nice idea in concept, but in practice it just means the players gradually become too loose with the rules. Both teams were guilty of it in the first two games, with rampant interference being the most obvious of the play-to-play stuff. In Game 3, however, the officiating largely turned against the Wings.

Let me be clear: Detroit is not a team of perfect little angels, and I’m sure there were some things they didn’t get called for last night (I freely admit I was paying more attention to what the Pens were doing as far as penalizable offenses), but Pittsburgh truly got away with some really blatant crap last night. From tripping Ericsson in his own zone, to the high hit of interference on Helm in the final minutes, to the kicking of Osgood by Cooke, to the final uncalled trip to any dump-in involving Gill, not to mention the willful collusion on the the too many men situation.* If you’re going to call stuff like the Ericsson interference in the third, call it when the Pens do it too. It’s only fair.

Call it both ways, or don’t call it at all. That’s all I’d like. [read the whole story right here]

My response to this guy would be, the on ice officials have called it both way. Both ways the officiating has been god awful and consistently bad, compared to their performance during the regulars season and the first two rounds. That being said it does remind me of the WCHA games were they let the obstruction go.

Here is my favorite take of the whole reffing mess. [thePensblog]

Linkorama humpday.

~You can cross Detroit Redwing's forward Marian Hossa off the list of possible UFAs [Sports Illustrated]

~The NHL General Managers have voted down a new head shot rule proposal. [TSN]

~Boston Bruin's all star defenseman Zedno Chara is a finalist for the Messier Award. [TSN]

~Apparently the Flyer's are thinking about signing former Senator's sieve Ray Emery It will be interesting to see how this circus unfolds. [CSN Philly]

~Ron MacLean ate Betteman's lunch last night on CBC. Betteman is a bumbling fool. You almost have to wonder if he is running for office? Sounds just like a politician. I can't be the only person that finds him to be mind numbingly boring and uninspiring. [CBC]

~The Vancouver Canucks are going to attempt to sign the exciting Sedin twins, Daniel and Henrik Sedin. They aren't going to come cheap, it will be interesting to see if they end up on the same team or if they get spilt up. [Vancouver Sun]

~This is what the Bruin's GM had to say about the subject of signing Bruin's RFA Phil Kessel this summer.

Chiarelli would not even estimate what a deal with Kessel would amount to compared with Krejci’s three-year, $11.25 million contract and would only say that “we value them both a lot.” But salary-cap restrictions, obviously, preclude the Bruins from giving Kessel too much more than Krejci. [The Bruins blog]

Boston signs Krejci to a new deal.

The first part of the puzzle has been solved. Now it's time for the Bruin's management to sign Phil Kessel. In looking at the Krejci deal it would be safe to assume that Kessel will/should get a comparable offer. Krejci will earn $3.5 million in 2009-10, $3.75 million in 2010-11, and $4 million in 2011-12. Comparing the two players Krejci had (22g-51a-73pts) in 82 games while Kessel had (36g-24-60pts) in 70 games so I would think both players would have simular deals.

BOSTON, MA - Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has signed forward David Krejci to a multi-year contract extension. Per club policy, terms of the deal will not be disclosed. Chiarelli and Krejci will be available to the media via conference call on Wednesday, June 3.

Krejci established a career high in games played, goals, assists and points this season with 22-51-73 totals in 82 games. His 51 assists ranked him second on the team behind Marc Savard, and he led the NHL with a plus/minus rating of +36. In 2009, Krejci also received the Bruins Seventh Player Award, given to the player who performs above and beyond expectations.

The 23-year-old native of Sternberk, Czech Republic was originally drafted by the Bruins in the second round (63rd overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Bruins on January 30, 2007 against the Buffalo Sabres.

In his three-year NHL career, Krejci has recorded 28-72-100 totals in 144 regular season games. He appeared in all 11 playoff games for the Bruins this season contributing two goals and six assists.

More on Huntsville to the CCHA.

Nice to see CHN coming around, this issue has been discussed extensively here. [UAH travel Distances] and here [Why not Huntsville] I think with the landscape of college hockey right now the NCAA can not afford to lose anymore teams. None of us want to go back to the 12 team NCAA hockey tourney.

Also, if some form of conference realignment dose not take place to make the necessary adjustments to the current college hockey landscape, there is a good chance that no one will ever want to start up a division one hockey program. So basically you could rule out the possibility of BTHC or expansion of teams in the NCAA from the CIS ranks. Maybe, that is a little extreme but I think the necessary adjustments must be made for the good of the sport.

Huntsville’s longshot bid becomes a lot more intriguing vis-a-vis UNO, specifically. Huntsville has been labeled a longshot because of the distance from CCHA schools. In this economy especially, flying schools to Huntsville is an expense most schools don’t want.

When the discussion swirled around Bowling Green’s potential demise, replacing BGSU with Huntsville was a costly difference.

But in terms of UNO, there is no cost difference. And this is the huge key.

check of Google Maps shows that the driving mileage distance from Detroit to Omaha, Nebraska, is 732 miles. The driving distance from Detroit to Huntsville, Alabama, is only 663 miles.

True, the airport situation may be trickier, but the end result may be no more expensive for CCHA teams.

So perhaps UNO to the WCHA, while a rough “see ya later” to the CCHA, may be the one scenario that is best for college hockey right now. Let’s face it, everyone’s between a rock and a hard place, but at least there is some semblance of a solution that would benefit everyone, somewhat — and potentially save two programs.
[College Hockey News]

Refs letting them play.

The conversation about the NHL officiating is starting to come up again during the Redwings and Penguins series. The officials have been consistent in this series, however, it's my opinion that the refs have slacked off calling the obstruction. Kind of going back to the philosophy that its a penalty in the regular season but not during the playoffs. That being said both teams are getting away with a lot more obstruction and stick work than they could if they were playing a regular season game. Obstruction or not obstruction if the Penguins don't worry about playing hockey this series will be over this week.

Last year when the Penguins fell behind the Detroit Red Wings, 2-0, in the Stanley Cup final, then-coach Michel Therrien commented on the subtle obstruction and interference that Detroit players were committing against his players.

In addition to the déjà vu element of being down, 2-0, to the Red Wings again in this year's Stanley Cup final, the Penguins are encountering the same type of obstruction and interference by the Red Wings, who, it seems, are being allowed by the officials to toe that fine line between good defense and committing a penalty.

For the most part, the officials in Games 1 and 2 have ignored obstruction and interference penalties. A total of 10 penalties have been called, but five of those were assessed in the waning seconds of Game 2 Sunday night after the altercation between Evgeni Malkin and Henrik Zetterberg. And only one interference penalty has been called during the finals, with Malkin being assessed that penalty in Game 2.

Two non-calls came back to haunt the Penguins in Game 2 when the Red Wings scored goals as a direct result of plays where the referees could have easily sent Red Wings players to the penalty box.

The Red Wings scored their first goal Sunday night when Mikael Samuelsson interfered with Malkin after a draw in the Penguins' zone. That allowed defenseman Jonathan Ericsson to have an open shooting lane from the blue line to tie the score at 1-1.

The Red Wings scored the winning goal when Marian Hossa hooked Pascal Dupuis and then broke the stick as Dupuis attempted to leave the defensive zone. Hossa retrieved the puck, and a few seconds later, Valtteri Filppula threw a backhand over Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury for a 2-1 lead.

But if the Penguins are steamed at the quality of officiating through two games, they are not letting on.

"They don't call a lot of the [penalties], but it's fine," defenseman Kris Letang said. "It's both ways. I think [the officiating] has been pretty good so far."
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