Surprises and News

As I sat down for dinner last night, I turn on the good ol' NHL network and I see a familiar face on a new (or at least new to me) show called NHL Powerplay. Mike Johnson was a guest host (and since I'm not in the know of the normal format, I don't know if this is a rotating retired player side kick or what). I always liked him when he played - his game wasn't fancy by any stretch and he didn't do anything exceptionally well but he played hard and it seemed liked he was well liked in all his various stops in the league.

Now on to current player surprises. I'd like to say I knew it all the time but even I'm surprised at Ryan Miller's play. I guess he wasn't screwing around when he said he wants to start for team USA in Vancouver. I gotta think that he'll be named and at the very least, he's making a serious case for him to the be starter. Tonight he's down to the Panthers but there is still the third period for the slugs to come back. Oh but Ryan is now in a car company ad. Please, don't give up your day job (and we're not talking Max Talbot bad).

Did anyone predict the Avalanche would be good? Let alone leading divisions, conferences, leagues good? A lot of that credit should go to two people on that team. The Rookie (not Duchene - his time will come) Ryan O'Reilly and the Goalie, Craig Anderson. They have played some really good hockey (and yes, some stinkers too) but overall, they have to be pleased with where they are right now.

I think what else has been surprising in the league is the injuries. I mean really? Does someone have to die before head shots are addressed? To hear Mike Richards say that he couldn't stop before clocking David Booth makes me wanna barf. However Richards then turning around and to throw the team under the bus in the process make me down right giddy. He couldn't go back to the bench if he DIDN'T make that hit? Since when?

And it's not just concussions that are keeping guys out. Random injuries are preventing teams from putting full squads out there. It sorta blows. The reason why I bring this up is that next week, my cohort here and I will be in Pittsburgh for a certain birthday gala celebration and to see the Pens and Habs play. I'm just hoping at this point no one else gets hurt. Hear that boys? Stop breaking!

Ok, so the Sabres crashed and burned. I'm trying to watch Glee and don't see what the fuss is all about. I guess I'm just not meant to get most tv. Oh and now and ad for the Twilight "Saga". There must be a hockey game on somewhere.

I'm not stuck under something I swear!

I'm taking time from my very busy international starlet schedule to touch base on the best game....yeah, I can't even type that honestly. I've just been lazy but I've watched a lot of hockey in the first month of this fine season and I've seen a lot that I wanna comment on.

Head Shots
There has been an awful lot about shots to the head lately and the issue of preferential treatment. I'm sorry, but if you hit a guy high and he has to go hospital for a concussion, you should miss the same amount of time the injured player does. End of story. No matter who you are or what you intended or not intended to do. That will stop shots to the head. A paltry $2,500 fine will do nothing. Hit them where it hurts - with ice time.

Killing Your Fantasy Team One Injury At A Time!
Some big (and not so big) names are on the shelf and it's really tossing some wrenches into fantasy hockey teams (well yeah, and I guess the NHL clubs they play for).

The latest injuries include Ilya Kovalchuk, Marc Savard, Jonathan Toews, and Sergei Gonchar. Those are some big names. For a complete list of who is banged up, check out Yahoo's Injury Report. There are a LOT of guys there. Now there are also some injured players that (perhaps to my down fall) holding on to for now because I don't want them to slip through my fingers when they come back to their rosters. I'm doing alright in my leagues. Leading one, upper middle of the packs in two others. Not bad for my first go around.

Will Wonders Ever Cease?
Now on to the surprises of this season. Hell, there are a ton (and not all for the good).

The Colorado Avalanche: A hall of fame shoe-in captain retired, two 18 year old boys on the roster and an somewhat untested goalie in net. Should spell disaster right? Wrong. They are leading the west with a hard working style of play. I give credit to the new coach and captain for that - Sacco and Foote dont strike me as the sort who want floaters around. Who knew Anderson (he gets my vote for a goalie for team USA in Vancouver) would be that good? Who could have guessed Duchene and O'Reilly would be ready to play with the big boys? Did anyone pick this version of the Av to win games? Total surprise and even if they do fall back to earth a bit, I think barring a huge injury bug settling down in Denver, this could be a playoff team.

The Buffalo Sabres: Read it here now. If Ryan Miller keeps up his play, he will be in the Venzia running. He's just got an all around solid game right now. Last season before an unfortunate run in with Scott Gomez, Miller was going to get his team into the playoffs. He's right back at it now and this time, the team in front of him are helping out. And for the record, I love Tyler Myers - all eighteen feet of him. Yes, he's made a mistake or two but what veteran in the league hasn't? He's allowed, and for all the good he's done, he should stay. I think he's shown that he can't learn much more in junior. He needs to stay in Buffalo (plus, he's giving Hank Tallinder a chance to get his confidence back. A good thing all around)

The Tampa Bay Lightening, the Ottawa Senators and The Atlanta Thrashers: Now, losing Kovalchuk will sting a bit for the Thrashers but these three teams surprise because they don't stink this year. I'm not sure they can sustain the success but as the Av have proven, you never know with this game of ours. And I still have a crush on Ronnie Hainsey. Shut it, I'm allowed.

The Pittsburgh Penguins: Is anyone really surprised by this team? As Shelly Anderson writes over at the Post Gazette "The Penguins don't feature a top-10 scorer despite employing skilled stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Haven't got a hot-shot rookie. Don't have one of the NHL's top-10 power plays. Haven't gotten a shutout victory, even though goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has been stellar almost every game.

What they do have is a 9-2 record, giving them the most wins in the NHL." Hard to argue with teamwork.

Other not so surprising surprising teams include the Flames, the Sharks and the Craps. All playing some pretty darn good pucks.

Now To The Stinkers.
Is there team out there that can top the Maple Leafs in stinkatude. Granted, I feel bad for the players (some, not all) because they are out there and mostly young. Who I can blame is Brian know it fucking all Burke and Ron Wilson. Any takers on how long they will have their jobs?

While they aren't stinking so much as struggling, I give you the Red Wings. Now I have a personal belief on why they are struggling but I'm not going to say it (lets just say that I believe any team with a particular player on it won't have success. Hockey karma and all that) but they took some summer time losses and now are facing some injuries....that's gonna hurt any team. But they just don't seem to be the teams of old...which could be the problem. They are growing old and not adapting.

The Vancouver Canucks: after a blistering hot training camp schedule, the Canucks have slowed a bit. The all world goalie isn't looking so unbeatable and while they've also had some injuries, they seem to me a team that lacks something. I don't want to say focus but something.

Scheduling
I realize that with just a month into the season, there is a LOT to shake out yet. Also, this schedule? Blows. Hard. I'm tired of every one playing on Saturday and then sparse games through the week. I'm hoping it evens out over the next few weeks.

On a "not hockey" note, I just want to talk about a special anniversary I had on the 25th. A year ago, my folks and I went down to Coldwater and came back with a dog. Not just any dog, but my dog. Max has been the best dog for me - we're talking life changing - and I couldn't be happier with the way things have worked out. It's been a fun first year for the two of us and I look forward to many many more with him. If you can work it out in your life, I highly suggest getting a pet. You won't be sorry.

Wait... what?

Yes, it's been a while since we've updated and it's not that we don't love writing; but somehow we both get busy with other things including watching hockey. :) Hopefully we can get a chance to maybe get back in the swing of things and update more often.

But I just wanted to pop in and share a link from the local paper here in Hooterville that covers the Tips. It's a video of my boys being funny and dorky and pretty much being teenage boys in front of a camera. They did one like this last year too; but I think this year is even funnier.

I've had this tidbit brewing for a few days

I was talking with Amy the other night and I said I was gonna write about it because it struck me as hilarous at the time. We were watching a game - was it Monday's Pens/Habs game? No, probably the Slugs/Wings game on Saturday and IMing each other.

Now in order to set this up you really should know that Amy is I think the sweetest person on the planet. No really, she's very kind and good hearted. I often tell people that I'm the evil twin and, frankly, they aren't suprised.

So we're chatting and she drops this on me: I got suckered into Mafia Wars.

Mafia Wars for those that don't know is a game on Facebook where you basically thug about and do jobs for a crime lord. My little gangster Amy.

Ok, so it's not as funny probably to you but did I mention she was eating taco salad when she typed that? Maybe it doesn't come across well second hand.

Just to make this a totally nonhockey post: Having seen the Sabres play on Saturday (WHOOO RYAN!) and then reading about Patty having a great game - dare I say it? Could this be the year the drought ends? I know I know...*knocks on wood and gets out the bubble wrap*

So ok, pretty much scrap that last post.

Instead I give you this:

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

The Sharks gave up all that for Heatly? Oh it's gonna be sadly easy to cheer against the Sharks now.

Anohter reason to laugh at ESPN

There was a time when hockey was on ESPN and ESPN2; there was even a time when NHL2nite was an edgy player profiling honest to god hockey show. All of that changed when Versus came into the picture and now, hockey is an afterthought on the ESPN family.

There are some people who still report on hockey but they are few and far between.

John Buccigross is one of them. He's mostly miss in a hit or miss scenario with me and every now and again, he get something right. Yesterday was just not one of them.

He reported that Ottawa traded Heatly to the Sharks as a part of a three way deal with the Kings involving Patty Marleau.

There is just a small problem here - Marleau has a no trade clause that kicked in on July 1. And well, no one has asked him to waive it. Ok, that's no longer a small problem, it's a large problem.

Puck Daddy posted Buccigross' rational as follows:

Here's Bucci, when asked if a trade was actually done:

"Right now, obviously, nothing is officially done or it would have been announced by all parties. What I heard earlier tonight was that it was a three-team trade. First I had heard it was going to be tonight or tomorrow. Obviously they want to move him before training camp. So I sniffed around and my best source, who's been perfect for me, mentioned he got an email from a front office personnel member. He forwarded me the email, and it's a pretty significant name (laughs) in the NHL, and I thought 'Boy, I would have gone on it just with my initial source, because he's been great for me.' Then he showed me this email, and it was completely supporting it.

"So I was surprised when it hasn't come through tonight. Now, things are complicated, there could be other parts to it, but I still believe he will be moved. But it appears, as I was told, is not going to happen tonight anyway."

Buccigross later said that he was comfortable with the story because "it made a lot of sense in a lot of ways," as far as what the teams need. He also said he could see conditions shifting this deal into one directly between Ottawa and Los Angeles.

I know a great deal of reporting these days is based on speculation. But really? When a network like ESPN who doesn't promote/care about hockey tries to get the scoop? Be damn sure there is a scoop to get.

Hockey returns to Hooterville!

When I was young, Labor Day weekend meant that the days were beginning to get progressively shorter, the mornings started to become crisp with a warm and sunny afternoon, my sister and I would beg our parents to let us stay up all night with Jerry Lewis; and something that would fill us with dread: summer vacation was coming to a close and school was starting in a few days.

These days, Labor Day weekend is not just the start of the road to fall; but it's also means the return of hockey! For those of us here in the city of Everett and the surrounding communities, we are fortunate enough to have hockey here in our own home town. While it's not the big names and bright lights of an NHL city, there are times where it is actually a better thing. We get to see boys come into our town as 15, 16 and 17 year old teenagers; and we get to watch them grow up and become young men.

Junior hockey is a funny thing... you can have a boy who seems to have all the talent in the world when they come through the bantam draft; but if he doesn't get the right coach or the right mix of teammates, he can be written off as a failure or even shipped home. However even just a change of scenery has helped some boys that were cast aside due to bad chemistry or bad coaching or something went wrong; including a few that have landed in Everett and amazing things have happened. Just ask Dan Gendur in the Canucks system. :)

And this Labor Day delivered again with last weekend's annual Silvertips tournament which was a good time for all. As usual, I was there for each and every game; and all that action was worth every penny. Even more than the games themselves is the people watching both up on the concourse and in the stands. It's usually pretty sparse, consisting of parents of boys on the team as well as some hardcore fans; but the amount of love shown is pretty strong. The best game of all was the 6-5 shootout win on Saturday morning by the Portland Winterhawks. It came after a blitz in the last five minutes of the third period. This game also had some NHL ties as the younger brother of Dion Phaneuf was playing for Prince George; and Gasper Kopitar, little bro of Anze, was part of the Portland offense.

Not to forget my hometown boys, they played in the 3 evening games, and there were some flashes of brilliance not only from the team but from the coaches. After two years of huggy and soft kind of coaching, it was good to see some discipline back with Craig Hartsburg. What was even more interesting was the dynamics with his assistants, one of whom is his son. With Jay Varady, who is the associate head coach and runs the defense, he pretty much was left alone; but with Chris, there was a little more interaction. I'm not sure if this is because Chris is newer to the coaching ranks or what, but I'll keep my eye on this as the season progresses.

There is still a long way to go for this squad, especially with various new boys to the squad, both young ones and vets who were picked up over the summer. Also there were a handful of them missing due to being invited to NHL camps. It is a bumper crop for the Tips with Tyler Maxwell and Radko Gudas going to LA as invites of the Kings, Thomas Heemskerk was asked to play with the Sharks; then there are the draftees Cameron Abney in Edmonton, Byron Froese and the Blackhawks, Rasmus Rissanen out in Carolina, and Kellan Tochkin up in Vancouver after he was signed with the Canucks this summer.

So, after picking up my season tickets last night, I really feel like hockey season is beginning. But first up is the NHL game here in town; then Opening night is the 26th and then the big boys start. It's like your birthday and Christmas all rolled into one; and I can't wait!

Hope you all had a good holiday and Go Tips! :)