No to the 'staged fight' rule.

I have to say that I applaud this rule, it’s the right decision. Thank God sanity crept back into the equation and we didn’t create some rule based on a hasty decision. While it was unfortunate that a player was killed in a fight last winter, the same thing could happen with a check from behind or an open ice hit. It was a freak accident.

I was once accused by an unnamed person of relishing a good fight. Yep, you got me, guilty as charged. I have yet to go to a hockey game witness a fight and see people head for the exits, I have seen them stand and cheer though. Fighting polices the game and keep the so called “agitators” in check.

LAS VEGAS -- It appears the "staged fights" rule recommended by the NHL's 30 GMs will not see the light of day.

The players discussed it at their meeting here this week and they recommended to their members on the competition committee to vote against it. The committee needs seven of 10 votes to pass a new rule and won't get them if all five players vote "no" next Thursday when the group meets in Montreal.

The union brought in a number of tough guys Wednesday and they shared their universal thumbs-down on the "staged fights" rule proposition.

"They gave the group a pretty clear message," said NHL Players' Association executive Glenn Healy. "What's the code? What are the rules of engagement? Everyone talks about it, but what is it? So we had these guys come in and talk about it.

"We're about safety, but we also understand that if a fight breaks out in a game, Gandhi isn't leaving; he's going to stay and watch it. We understand that it's part of our sport, it cleans up our sport, it polices our sport, and it's entertainment. Goals, saves, fights -- thank you."

Hockey tough sell to new Canadians.

I found the link to this article over on the illegal curve I believe this goes back to the argument that hockey is a niche sport and doesn’t always translate to all cultures, demographics as well as parts of the USA and or Canada. If you’re an immigrant from China, South Asia, Middle East or the Caribbean, hockey is not a native sport to those countries nor are there many hockey arenas. If you’re from one of these parts of the world, your probably going to be a soccer player.

When Bas Balkissoon moved to Scarborough 34 years ago, hockey was the sport of choice for the mostly white community. But since then, the MPP for Scarborough-Rouge River has watched the community's taste in sports change as new immigrants from China, South Asia and the Caribbean settled there.

"Most of them are from non-hockey-playing countries, where cricket, soccer and badminton are the kind of sports they're familiar with," said Balkissoon, who emigrated from Trinidad in 1970.

"I doubt you could do anything to make hockey a mainstream sport in the community in this area."

The cost of hockey is prohibitive, he said, noting that most immigrants can't afford to pay $1,000 every winter to put a child in a hockey program. In contrast, a summer of soccer costs as little as $100.

Hockey fanatics like Egypt native Nour Abdelwahed, 15, say lowering the cost of equipment would be the best way to lure apprehensive youngsters. The Grade 10 student at David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute can skate but only plays street hockey because ice hockey gear is beyond his parents' budget. He thinks more accessible and reasonably priced equipment would allow local leagues to thrive.

"It's not just too high for new immigrants, it's everybody," he said.
[The Star]

Wild interested in Heatley?

Mike Russo has said that the new Wild GM has talked to the Senators GM about acquiring former Wisconsin Badger and current disgruntled Senator Dany Heatley. While Heatley is a dominating hockey players and one of the better forwards in the NHL, I would hope that Heatly wouldn’t come here. I think it could be a potential cancer in the locker room. That is all the Wild need is another potential hockey player that is unhappy in Minnesota, ala Marian Gaborik. This is also the second team that he has asked for a trade from.

With the State of the Wilds cap and who they have on the roster I don’t think the Wild could find enough talent on the Wild’s roster to trade to the Senators to get Heatly anyways. I do have one suggestion if the Wild Management could dump James Sheppard and the ever soft perimeter player Pierre-Marc Bouchard I would be all for it.

Fletcher expects trade talks to intensify this week. He has spoken to all 29 other teams about a variety of hopeful fits. He even has talked several times to Ottawa GM Bryan Murray about two-time 50-goal scorer Dany Heatley, who has asked to be traded and could be by Friday night.

Mr Hockey, 'people should cut Sid The Kid some slack.'

I have to agree with Gordy Howe, cut Sidney Crosby some slack. I honestly don't think Sidney Crosby snubbed the Red Wings players on purpose, I think he got caught up with the interviews and the exuberance of the moment. Drew from the illegal curve also has some advice for Chris Draper, spend a dollar and buy some class. I have to agree hockey is played by men not a bunch of hypersenstive sorority girls.

TORONTO - Mr. Hockey says people should cut Sid The Kid some slack.

Hockey legend Gordie Howe doesn't believe Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby intentionally failed to shake hands with some Detroit players after Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final.

Howe said Crosby's natural shyness combined with getting caught up in the emotion of winning an NHL championship resulted in Crosby getting in line to shake hands after some Red Wings had left the ice.

"He got caught up," Howe said Thursday after serving as the Queen's Plate honorary drawmaster at Woodbine Racetrack. "He will mature.

"He's a good kid."

Great CBC video.

This video is a perfect example on why I love NHL Hockey coverage on CBC, this is heads tails above Versus or NBC. Living close to the Canadian Border I am able to get CBC as a part of my cable package.

More on UAF.

Alaska Nanooks Hockey Blog has an interesting blog article on the UAF's prospects of moving to the WCHA. The Nanooks blogger talked with the UAF AD Forrest Karr. There were two points from the article that really stuck out. Very interesting.

So this is where I have to ask what the WCHA sees in UNO? Why do they seem to be so interested in them? Forrest's response, "No idea...". I second that. The only thing that I can think of is the recruiting side of things. Omaha puts you right in that fine divider between USHL and the NAHL, which opens up a lot of recruitment opportunities for the coaching staff of the WCHA that they currently don't have

This is he other part of the blog post that sticks out for me as maybe the writting is on the wall. While the voting might not be over as some say. I will buy that. It does appear that expansion/realignment is going a certain direction.

But with all of the financial benefit to all parties involved, why are we riding the pine pony while UNO hogs all the WCHA ice time? I didn't have an answer, but Forrest Karr put it nicely. "Right now it doesn't make sense to jump into the mix as the WCHA is a long ways down the road already with UNO. The coaching staff (and I agree) would rather show loyalty to the CCHA and if for some reason a UNO-WCHA partnership does not work out, we will discuss further."

[Nanooks and the WCHA - The Saga Continues...]

Expansion talk.

Brad Elliott Schlossman has nice a blog article today about some of the things facing CHA member Alabama-Huntsville and their quest to get into the CCHA.
[University of North Dakota Hockey]

If Omaha departs the CCHA for the WCHA -- a move that is looking probable -- it would drop the CCHA to an odd number of 11 teams.

Alabama-Huntsville applied for membership in January and received a site visit from the CCHA a couple of weeks ago. The CCHA will vote on Huntsville's application in August. By then, it will know whether Omaha is on its way out.

Huntsville coach Danton Cole said today that he felt that the site visit went well. The CCHA had a few concerns and Cole said UAH is working to address those concerns "quickly."

"There is no guarantee on our future," Cole said, "regardless of what transpires with the other institutions over the summer. That being said, the university and our community are very proud of what we presented and what we have to offer the CCHA and college hockey."

Geographically, UAH isn't much different than Omaha is to the CCHA, and transportation wouldn't be all that bad. Bowling Green is a quick, three-hour drive to UAH. The Huntsville airport also has direct flights to Chicago, Detroit and Cincinnati -- which basically covers the CCHA.

The Anchorage Dail News has an article today saying that there is going to be an informal vote on expansion on next week. So WCHA fans are going to have the answer sooner rather than later. Interesting point is if league office gets expansion done before August we would have a new 12 team WCHA in 2010.
[WCHA likely to expand to 12]

UAA's hockey team is likely to get two new conference rivals in a year or two, and whether one of them is the Nanooks from up north will depend largely on a straw vote league members will take next week.

The 10-team Western Collegiate Hockey Association has all but decided to expand to 12 teams, either for the 2010-11 season or the 2011-12 season, commissioner Bruce McLeod said.

UAA athletic director Steve Cobb, one of four members of the WCHA's structure committee, thinks league members next week will vote informally on a proposal to admit both Bemidji and Omaha.

If that vote fails to show widespread support for both teams, or if Omaha decides it doesn't want to join the league, Fairbanks is expected to become a bigger part of the equation.

"Depending on how things go with Omaha, we'll consider Fairbanks," McLeod said.

The team everyone expects to gain admission is Bemidji State of Minnesota, the only school so far to formally apply for membership. Bemidji was an NCAA Frozen Four team this year, but its conference -- College Hockey America -- has disbanded.

But the WCHA wants an even number of teams, McLeod said. And so it has been talking with the University of Nebraska-Omaha, a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association that is a geographical fit for the WCHA.

The league has had several conversations with Omaha, McLeod said. The Mavericks recently hired head coach Dean Blais, a long-time WCHA coach who guided North Dakota to national championships in 1997 and 2000.

If Omaha decides it doesn't want to leave the CCHA, or if WCHA members decide Omaha isn't the best choice for its 12th team, Fairbanks will become a bigger part of the expansion conversation

"Bruce McLeod has asked us to sit back and wait to see what happens with Nebraska-Omaha," UAF athletic director Forrest Karr told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner last week.

Two other schools that McLeod wouldn't name are also potential applicants for membership. But Cobb predicts the new members will come from two of three schools -- Bemidji, Omaha or Fairbanks.

Just when you think that MSU-Moorhead has little or no chance of starting up a division one hockey program the CCHA commissioner throws them a life line. Also, star2city posted the MSU-M business plan for expansion. It's mind numbing that college hockey cost that much.

Moorhead, Minn. (WDAY Sports) - MSU Moorhead has likely seen the door closed on it's WCHA hopes, but the Commissioner of the CCHA says his league may be willing to consider a startup program.

It's all speculation right now, but the dragons say if they can raise enough money they'll launch a program next year.

Nebraska Omaha is about to move to the WCHA, but that would open up a spot in the CCHA.

If the Dragons have hopes of getting in, they could boost their appeal by offering a travel subsidy

.

Tim Thomas wins the Vezina Trophy.

Former Vermont Catamounts and current Bruins goalie Tim Thomas was officially announced as the winner of the Vezina trophy tonight. It's a nice finish to a great season for Thomas. In my opinion I believe that Tim Thomas is the best American goalie in the NHL and will be one of the goalies for team USA in the 2010 olympics.

LAS VEGAS -- Tim Thomas has truly received his due.

The Boston Bruins goaltender was awarded the Vezina Trophy on Thursday, beating out Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Niklas Backstrom of the Minnesota Wild in voting by the NHL's 30 general managers.

The honour is especially meaningful to Thomas because it was only a few years ago that he figured his dream of playing in the NHL was dead. He never minds hearing about his rags-to-riches journey.

"It doesn't bother me that other people talk about it," said Thomas. "I'm 35 (years old). At 31, I was thinking to myself that I'm going to be playing in Finland for the rest of my career. This is a long way from where I was. ...

"This is a totally different level that I've been able to reach."

Thomas and partner Manny Fernandez also shared the Jennings Trophy after helping the Bruins post the lowest goals-against average in the NHL.

It was a good season in Beantown.

Dean Blais on with Dan Hammer.

Dan Hammer was on the Fan 740 talking with Dean Blais. From listening to Dean Blais during the interview it would appear he leaves little mystery where the Mavericks want to play and he isn't hiding the fact that there is a very good chance the Mavericka are heading to the WCHA, why would Blais say this if it isn't true? The man sounds kind of confident in the Mavericks conference of choice.

This is a quote from Blais, "I think they are going to be in the CCHA next year and the WCHA with Bemidji State the following year to make it a tweleve team league."

[Click here to listen]

Beavers Hockey Schedule

Here is the Bemidji State University Beavers 2009-2010 Hockey schedule.
They have a pretty impressive non-conference schedule, AFA (X2), NMU (x2), Minnesota (x2), OSU (x1), Miami (x1), MSUM (x2), WMU (x2), UMD (x2).
Oct. 9 Air Force 7:35
Oct. 10 Air Force 7:05
Oct. 23 at Northern Mich. 6:35
Oct. 24 at Northern Mich. 6:35
Oct. 30 at Ala.-Huntsville 7:35
Oct. 31 at Ala.-Huntsville 7:05
Nov. 6 Robert Morris 7:35
Nov. 7 Robert Morris 7:05
Nov. 14 at Minnesota 7:37
Nov. 15 at Minnesota 6:07
Nov. 20 Ala.-Huntsville 7:35
Nov. 21 Ala.-Huntsville 7:05
Nov. 27 Miami (Ohio)* 4:07
Nov. 28 Ohio State* 4:07
Dec. 4 Niagara 7:35
Dec. 5 Niagara 7:05
Dec. 11 MSU, Mankato 7:35
Dec. 12 MSU, Mankato 7:05
Jan. 2 at Western Mich. 7:30
Jan. 3 at Western Mich 4:00
Jan. 15 at Niagara 6:05
Jan. 16 at Niagara 6:05
Jan. 22 Minn.-Duluth 7:35
Jan. 23 at Minn.-Duluth 7:07
Jan. 29 Robert Morris 7:35
Jan. 30 Robert Morris 7:05
Feb. 12 at Robert Morris 7:35
Feb. 13 at Robert Morris 7:05
Feb. 19 Niagara 7:35
Feb. 20 Niagara 7:05
Feb. 26 at Neb.-Omaha 7:05
Feb. 27 at Neb.-Omaha 7:05
March 5 at Ala.-Huntsville 7:05
March 6 at Ala.-Huntsville 7:05
March 12-14 CHA Tournament TBA

* Subway Holiday Classic, Grand Forks N.D.

Humpday linkorama.

Here is an interesting story on Trev Alberts and him making noise for UNO. [Husker Extra]

Former Gopher Alex Goligoski just signed a contract with the Penguins. The Former Gopher Defenseman was the third-leading scorer amongst all NHL rookie defenseman last season with six goals and 14 assists in 45 games. [TSN]

Leafs General Manager Brian Burke is NOT interested in former Badger Dany Heatly. [TSN]

The Senator's general manager will deal his disgruntled forward Dany Heatly on his terms. [Slam Sports]
This season it's going to be hard to move the big ticket hockey players. [Spector]

If you want to listen to a really good hockey radio show, listen to the illegal Curves radio broadcast from 7:00 PM till 9:00 PM click here or here.

Apparently the Jim Balsillie group has plenty of fight left in them and they aren't going to give up yet. [Tornoto Sun]

Paul Allen talks hockey.

P.A. interviewed new Wild general manager Chuck Flethcer. Paul Allen also interviewed Gopher hockey player Jordan Schroeder, interesting stuff in the interview. Sounds like Schroeder isn't against moving on if it was the right situation.

During the second part of the hour P.A. asks Fletcher about the Gaborik situation and basically the GM says that we are going to want to see where they are at sooner rather than later. It doesn't sound like Fletcher is going to monkey around with Gabby very long. It also sounds like Fletcher plans on not having Gaborik back.

[click to listen to the podcast] [Paul Allen Show podcasts]

The Pens with the Cup

One of the greatest sport trophies in all of professional sports, Lord Stanley's Cup. Notice when a few of them pick the cup up they say ________ yeah... Twenty nine teams didn't win it. The Penguins made all the right moves at the trade dead line.

Check out this picture.

The new UNO marketing campaign is under way. Notice a familiar face to Sioux fans.
[props]

12 teams means more $.

One of my buddies who will go un-named emailed me this retort. It makes sense. Just for the record the Super Six idea gives one more team a chance to advance to Saint Paul in March, but it also means more money for all teams involved.

A 12 team WCHA league is NOT a money loser that deprives each team of $20,000.........Let us not forget if there were 12 teams in the WCHA there will be an additional first playoff series.............which means..........

In 2009 SCSU would have hosted a first round play off series and they would have sold 12K to 18K tickets at $30 a pop for $360,000 to $540,000 for the WCHA to be split 12 ways = meaning each team would have received an additional $25,000 to $40,000 after expenses

In 2008 WISCONSIN would have hosted a first round play off series and they would have sold 20K to 30K tickets at $30 a pop for $600,000 to $900,000 for the WCHA to be split 12 ways = meaning each team would have received an additional $40,000 to $70,000 after expenses

In 2007 WISCONSIN would have hosted a first round play off series and they would have sold 20K to 30K tickets at $30 a pop for $600,000 to $900,000 for the WCHA to be split 12 ways = meaning each team would have received an additional $40,000 to $70,000 after expenses

In 2006 SCSU would have hosted a first round play off series and they would have sold 12K to 18K tickets at $30 a pop for $360,000 to $540,000 for the WCHA to be split 12 ways = meaning each team would have received an additional $25,000 to $40,000 after expenses

SO, going to 12 teams is profitable, and does NOT come at a loss of revenue

12 team WCHA ALSO gives the WCHA another Super SIX playoff game, which is one more than a FINAL Five format for even more money to distribute......WCHA can charge more for XCEL playoff package Because there's another playoff game included.....two on Thursday instead of one Thursday night play-in game

Finally, as a rebuttal to the UAF proposal.........any team can already go to UAF every year and get the exemption NOW if they wish, and can then have two more home games for doing so......teams do not need UAF in their own conference to travel to UAF for an exemption........they can already do that NOW IF THEY WISH

12 team WCHA increases revenue, and even more with UNO because of potential for huge home playoff draws as well

Radio personality Jeff Dubay faces a year in jail

Jeff Dubay has apparently suffered a set back. Goon's World is pulling for Jeff Dubay and hopes he can get his act together and fight this thing. I actually ran into him at the Final Five in St. Paul and he looked like he was doing better.

Jeff Dubay, a former sports-talk radio personality, is facing jail time after failing to complete two substance abuse programs and repeatedly testing positive for cocaine use.

Dubay, 41, of Plymouth, was fired as a morning-show host at KFAN-AM after he was charged in mid-October with fifth-degree drug possession. He was placed in a yearlong diversion program, which could have resulted in the charge being dismissed. That program required him to perform 100 hours of community service, remain law abiding and comply with other conditions.

Dubay flunked out of that program but caught another break when he was accepted into Substance Abuse Court in March, according to Ramsey County District Court records.

According to the records, Dubay tested positive for cocaine on 12 occasions, the most recent June 6. He also failed to report for 11 urine tests since January. Those violations disqualified him from the Substance Abuse Court.

Dubay was arrested on June 10 and released on bail two days later. He will be sentenced July 21 by District Judge Joanne Smith. Sentencing guidelines call for him to spend a year in jail. [StarTribune]

Links to the Story

Fallen KFAN radio star Jeff Dubay flunks out of second drug diversion program. [Grand Forks, Herald]

Former radio host Jeff Dubay faces year in jail. [KSTP]

Dubay out of latest drug diversion program, faces prison sentence [Pioneer Press]

Sloppy Seconds on Late Night.

Props to Sean Leahy of Puck Daddy, for having the video of Sean "Sloppy Seconds" Avery, all I can say is wow, he is definitely marching to the beat of a different drum. Avery just kind of reminds you some of the Hollyweird crowd and he fits right in with them.

UAF discussion

There has been an interesting discussion on who the 12th team is going to be. There are a few people out there that want the UAF team to be the 12th team to be admitted to the WCHA. There have been a few great discussions on the blogsphere about this subject. I don't care which team is admitted, I prefer UNO because of their old affiliation in the now defunct NCC. That being said this discussion is all but over. There is a 95% - 5 % chance that UNO is going to be the 12th team. UAF is a fall back plan if UNO falls through.

[UNO to WCHA Quicker Than Expected?] and [ANCHORAGE FAN REALLY WANTS UAF IN WCHA]

The Key is right here as Moose Richards points out over on Chris Dilk's blog. You can listen to the Commish Bruce McLeod tell us that. Check it out the blog the "Hockey Show" Moose and Scott have had the WCHA Commissioner Bruce McLeod on their show numerous times through out the process.

Note how he says they are “targeting one institution” (read UNO), and that when I asked about all the other schools (NMU, UAF, MSU- Moorhead) he only talked in casual terms about them (saying that they haven’t gone “too far down the road” on UAF). I don’t think that Bruce would be negotiation with that one school if he thought they wouldn’t be voted in, seeing as the WCHA is committed to expanding to 12 schools.

Moose

First post of the rest of the summer. (Linkorama)

Wild beat writer and blogger Mike Russo is reporting that former Gopher Todd Richards is going to be the next coach of the Wild. Also, in the same article Tom Lynn assistant general manager is out in Minnesota. This might be a signal to Marian Gaborik that the Wild are serious about getting him back. Apparently Gabby isnt' a fan of Lynn.

According to multiple NHL sources, San Jose Sharks assistant coach Todd Richards will become the second Wild coach in history. A news conference to “introduce the Wild’s new head coach” will be made by new GM Chuck Fletcher on Tuesday at noon at Gate 1 of Xcel Energy Center. [Russo's Rants]

Jim Balsille was rejected today by a Arizona bankruptcy today. Balsille will not be allowed to buy the Phoenix Coyotes and move them to Hamilton. I am sure Buffalo Sabres fans are breathing a sigh of relief.

PHOENIX -- Jim Balsillie's attempt to bring the Phoenix Coyotes to Hamilton has been rejected by an Arizona bankruptcy judge.

Redfield T. Baum's much anticipated ruling came down Monday night, nearly a week after a dramatic hearing in his Phoenix court.

In the 21-page document he said the court didn't believe there was enough time to resolve all the various issues before the sale of the insolvent team to Balsillie for US$212.5 million that was due to close June 29.

That nullifies the proposed June 22 auction for the team and other related deadlines. Other links to the story. [The Globe and Mail] [illegal curve] [Puck Daddy] [AZcentral.com] [Five For Howling]

Apparently some of the Red Wings are upset with Sidney Crosby for not getting to the hand shake line in a prompt fashion. [StarTribune.com] [Detroit AP] [Fan House] [Detroit Free Press]

Dean Blais on the radio in Omaha.

Check out Dean Blais on Omaha's KOZN Unsportsmanlike Conduct with Kevin and Damon. I miss listening to Blais break down hockey like he did when he was here with UND. Some interesting comments on the differene between the NHL, College and Junior.