Talk Ice Hockey Blog

NHL Weekly Round-up - Week ending 14/12/2008

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:59:04 GMT

It seems that Sean Avery just can’t stay out of the hockey headlines. His publicly aired “sloppy seconds” remarks last week, aimed at fellow NHLer Dion Phaneuf and actress Elisha Cuthbert, landed him a six-game ban. Now it seems that his Dallas Stars career has come to a premature end.

Just 23 games into a four-year contract worth $15.5 million, the Stars have decided that they’ve had enough of the combative winger. Avery has completed his NHL ban and is undergoing anger management counselling which was a condition of his suspension. However, once this counselling programme has been completed, rather than returning to his team’s roster, the Stars will look to move him elsewhere.

Avery’s high wage packet and colourful personal history will make such a move unappealing for the 29 other NHL teams, and the 28-year-old now faces an uncertain future.

It’s funny how all the problems seem to mount up on the struggling teams. Dallas’s problems compound their misery as they sit at the foot of the Western Conference, but at the bottom of the Eastern Conference it is the Tampa Bay Lightning who have also been in the news this week.

After a disappointing start to this season, the Lightning released their head coach, Barry Melrose, after winning just five of 16 games. Melrose hit back at his former employers during a radio interview. The former Lightning boss complained of interference from non-coaching staff, saying, “I had guys in Tampa who wanted to run the team and I wouldn't let them… I wasn't playing the right guys. I was playing certain guys too much. I wasn't playing other guys enough. Every day was a constant battle.”

The Tampa Bay hierarchy didn’t take kindly to his criticism and are believed to be considering their legal options. Melrose is never short of a word or two and is set to reprise his role of hockey analyst on ESPN where he’ll be back airing his opinion in the New Year. On the ice, things are no better for the Lightning who, under interim coach Rick Tocchet, have won only two of their last 14 games.

Staying in the South-East Division, this week was one to remember for Brett Leonhardt of the Washington Capitals. Never heard of him? That’s because he’s the organisation’s website producer! However, on Friday night he got to live his dream and dress for an NHL game.

The Capitals’s regular backup goalie was injured on the morning of the game so a new backup goalie was called up. Since the third-choice goalie could not arrive in time for the start of the game, Leonhardt, a goalie in his junior days, signed a temporary amateur contract and took to the ice for the warm-up. He then spent the first 10 minutes of the game sitting on the bench as emergency backup goaltender until his professional replacement arrived.

The Capitals needn’t have worried though as their starting goaltender, Brent Johnson, gave a commanding performance in a 5-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. It was a good week for Washington as they stretched their lead in the South-East Division to eight points after wins over the Montreal Canadiens (2-1) and the Boston Bruins (3-1).

The Bruins’s defeat to the Capitals ended their five-game winning streak, but the Boston outfit still remain on top of the North-East Division. Wins over the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning (5-3) and Atlanta Thrashers (7-3 and 4-2) have helped to build up a seven-point lead over division rivals the Montreal Canadiens. The Bruins have also extended their lead at the top of the Eastern Conference to four points over the New York Rangers.

The Rangers had a mixed week, recording an overtime win against the Atlanta Thrashers and a shootout victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, with a wild 8-5 loss to the New Jersey Devils in between. The Rangers had produced an amazing fight back from 5-1 down to level the score at 5-5 with little over eight minutes remaining. However, just moments later Patrik Elias struck to restore New Jersey’s lead before the Devils put the result beyond doubt.

New Jersey also beat division rivals the Pittsburgh Penguins (4-1), but lost out to the Buffalo Sabres (4-2). Pittsburgh had the most convincing win of the week in a 9-2 thrashing of the New York Islanders. The Penguins demonstrated their offensive force with Petr Sykora and Pascal Dupuis notching up hat-tricks.

The Philadelphia Flyers are also experiencing no shortage of goals with a 4-3 win of the Islanders, a shootout victory following a 5-5 tie with the Hurricanes and a 6-3 beating of the Penguins.

In the Western Conference, the San Jose Sharks show no signs of letting up. 13 points clear of the Anaheim Ducks in the Pacific Division, and with a six-point lead in the conference standings, the Sharks have an astounding 24 wins in 29 outings this season. They saw off the Ducks (2-0) and the St Louis Blues (5-4) in their only games this week.

The Detroit Red Wings are at the summit of the Central Division and lie second in the Western Conference after beating the Calgary Flames in overtime (4-3) and the Phoenix Coyotes in a shootout (4-4). They slipped up only once, losing on the road to the last-placed Dallas Stars (3-1).

The North-West Division has a new leader this week as the Vancouver Canucks, still without goalie Roberto Luongo, have replaced the Calgary Flames at the top of the pile. They overcame the Nashville Predators (3-1) and the Florida Panthers (5-3) but were shutout by the Edmonton Oilers (3-0).

Finally, spare a thought this week for Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche. Not only are his team at the bottom of their division, but he broke three fingers in a ‘snow blower accident’ last week. He required surgery which will leave him sidelined for at least three months. Ouch.

NHL Weekly Round-up - Week ending 07/12/2008

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:44:08 GMT

This week's NHL news was dominated not by events on the ice but by one player's comments off the ice. The Dallas Stars hard man, Sean Avery, has been suspended for 6 games following some on-camera remarks about the Calgary Flames defenceman, Dion Phaneuf, and his relationship with Avery's ex-girlfriend, actress Elisha Cuthbert.

In a bizarre address to reporters in the locker room following the Stars' morning practice, Avery said “I just wanted to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I dunno what that's about but enjoy the game tonight.” The incident was deemed serious enough for Avery to be immediately suspended for conduct 'detrimental to the League or game of hockey.'

Avery has since apologised to Phaneuf, Cuthbert and the NHL for his inappropriate statement and has accepted his 6 game ban. Interestingly, the league commissioner, Gary Bettman, has said that if the comments had been made on the ice, in the heat of the game, no punishment would have been handed out. 'Trash talk' is OK it seems... just as long as it takes place away from the public eye.

Elsewhere this week, the 2006 Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes, dismissed their head coach Peter Laviolette. He becomes the 3rd NHL coach to be shown the exit this season. The Hurricanes wasted no time in appointing his successor, naming Paul Maurice as head coach for his second spell in charge of the team. In his 8 seasons in charge previously Maurice presided over 268 wins. It was Laviolette, however, who led the team to glory three years ago - Maurice has a lot to live up to.

There was also some action on the ice this week! The San Jose Sharks remain the hottest team in the league, sitting six points clear of the Detroit Red Wings atop the Western Conference. Their stunning nine game winning streak came to an end on Saturday night, however, as the Sharks went down 3-2 in overtime to the Edmonton Oilers. The overtime loss still means, however, that the West Coast team have taken 19 out of a possible 20 points in their last 10 games. They already look likely 2009 Stanley Cup contenders.

The Red Wings are comfortably out in front in the Central Division after recording wins in their three games last week, including thrilling encounters with the Vancouver Canucks and the Chicago Blackhawks. There were 11 goals in the Canucks game with Jiri Hudler and Dan Cleary both scoring twice to give the Red Wings a 6-3 lead in the third period. Vancouver cut the deficit to one goal to leave a nail-biting finale with the Detroit outfit holding on for a 6-5 win. Against the Blackhawks, there was even more drama as the Red Wings rallied from 4-2 down in the third period to tie the game 4-4 and win the game in a shootout.

In the Pacific Division, Vancouver have dropped off the pace in the absence of their star goaltender, Roberto Luongo. As well as shipping 6 goals to Detroit, they let division rivals, the Colorado Avalanche, put 4 past them on Sunday night. They notched up one win in the week against the Minnesota Wild but that was not enough for them to hold on to top spot in the division. The Calgary Flames' two wins in the week, including shutting out the New York Rangers (3-0), takes them to the summit.

In the Eastern Conference, the Boston Bruins are making the pace, holding a 2 point lead over the New York Rangers despite having played 4 games fewer. The Bruins' recorded wins over struggling South-East Division teams, the Tampa Bay Lightning (3-1) and the Florida Panthers (4-0) where goaltender Manny Fernandez recorded his first shutout of the season in winning his seventh straight start. The Montreal Canadiens also look strong in the North-East Division inflicting a resounding 6-2 defeat on the New York Rangers on Thursday night.

Despite a poor week, in which they recorded only one win, the Rangers remain at the top of the Atlantic Division. Crucially, that victory came over division rivals Pittsburgh Penguins. The Rangers will be looking nervously over their shoulders, however, as Pittsburgh, the Philadelphia Flyers and the New Jersey Devils are all playing well and within striking distance with plenty of games in hand. The Devils are coping admirably without their future hall of fame goaltender, Martin Brodeur, who is out with injury. The Atlantic Division is looking like the strongest pool in the East.

The weakest, without any doubt, is the South-East Division. The Washington Capitals are at the top after a busy week for them in which they recorded victories against the New York Islanders and the Toronto Maple Leafs while losing to Carolina and Florida. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Atlanta Thrashers have the worst records in the NHL and their poor form continued this week, mustering only one win between them in the past 7 days.

All in all, an eventful week in the NHL. As Sean Avery sits out the next few games, his Dallas Stars prop up the Western Conference. Dion Phaneuf has the girl and his Calgary Flames are top of their division. I know whose shoes I'd rather be in this week!

Wrigley Field to swap baseballs for hockey pucks as host of the 2009 NHL Winter Classic

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:59:18 GMT

The Major League Baseball season is long over but Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, is gearing up to play host to another famous Chicago team steeped in sporting history. No, not the White Sox, but the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks.

On January 1st 2009, Wrigley Field will be the venue for the second annual NHL Winter Classic, where the hometown, Blackhawks, will face the 2008 Stanley Cup winning Detroit Red Wings. Last year’s inaugural event took place on an NFL football field, Ralph Wilson Stadium, the home of the Buffalo Bills, where the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Buffalo Sabres.

This will not be the first time that the Cubs have shared their beloved stadium with other sports teams. The NFL’s Chicago Bears played at Wrigley Field for 50 seasons until 1970 and the now defunct Chicago Sting soccer team was based in the ball park during the 1980s. This, however, will be the first occasion that it has hosted an ice hockey game. The ‘Windy City’ will make use of its cold winter climate to sustain a temporary outdoor rink in the outfield behind second base, with construction commencing on December 14th.

Baseball purists may disapprove of this transformation of the hallowed baseball field but, if last year’s Winter Classic is anything to go by, the outdoor event will make for a beautiful sporting spectacle.

The event’s detractors (especially any Cubs fans) may also like to consider the following fact. With the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox both overcoming their respective World Series curses in recent years, the Cubs’ one hundred year championship drought is now the longest of any North American professional sports team.

The historic Wrigley Field has not played host to baseball’s ‘Fall Classic’ since 1945 and, for now, Cubs fans will have to make do with hosting the 2009 NHL Winter Classic!

Britain's Ice Hockey dreams crushed by defeat in Poland

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:33:02 GMT

This week brought disappointing news for British fans of ice hockey. Great Britain’s dreams of reaching the Winter Olympics were crushed after defeat at the hands of both Poland and Japan in their pre-qualifying group for the event scheduled for 2010.

The team managed to show its potential by thrashing Romania 11-1 in the final game but disappointment and frustration are the feelings which will be taken away from Poland when the British team heads home.

This was acknowledged by the Great Britain coach, Paul Thompson. Thompson believes that it was 'good to finish' the tournament with a convincing win regardless of the quality of the opposition and was happy with the attitude of his team, with the players showing their skills despite feeling angry about the prospect of staying at home in 2010. Ultimately though, there is a frustrating feeling throughout the Great Britain ice hockey camp of “what if?”

Great Britain finished third in their group, with Romania finishing in a disappointing fourth place. The team was unlucky to finish in this position as the two defeats were by extremely narrow margins. However, Great Britain simply needed to win the group in order to progress to the final qualifying round early next year.

Unfortunately, they lost on penalties against Poland last week before losing 2-1 against Japan. The Romania match was not all plain sailing during the opening stages but impressive performances from Jonathan Phillips and Mark Richardson allowed the British team to assert its supremacy as the match progressed. Indeed, the result was the team’s biggest win since they scored 12 two years ago during a match against Israel.

The match against Poland, who have not been defeated by Great Britain for eight years, will be remembered by British ice hockey fans for being particularly frustrating. David Clarke, who was earning his fiftieth cap, scored a powerplay goal during the early stages of the match but the Poles came back with a strong performance.

Maciej Urbanowicz hit a shot past the British goalkeeper and this gave the host team renewed confidence. The half hour mark saw Poland take the lead and Great Britain really started to feel the pressure, conceding needless penalties and giving away numerous chances.

In the final period, Jonathan Phillips almost scored but Rafal Radziszewski was in fine form to deny the Brit. Danny Meyers, who finished clinically with a high shot into the net, managed to force overtime but the penalty shootout brought no joy for the Brits as Greg Chambers sent his effort frustratingly wide.

Paul Thompson described the match as 'one hell of a game of hockey' and believed that the two nations are now very “close” in terms of talent and potential. Thompson described how difficult the defeat was to accept, since penalties are always a cruel way of deciding such an important match. The manner of the defeat was particularly frustrating given that the Great Britain team was beginning to assert its supremacy and Poland were starting to fade.

Tampa Bay Lightning part company with Melrose

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:14:19 GMT

Barry Melrose has been fired by the Tampa Bay Lightning after only five months in charge of the NHL club. Melrose had joined the club after working as a commentator for the popular American television channel, ESPN, for thirteen years.

The coach did, however, have previous experience in the world of ice hockey, having coached Los Angeles for three years in the early 1990s. Furthermore, his time at Los Angeles had brought some success: in 1992, he had managed to lead the team to the finals of the Stanley Cup although they were eventually unlucky to lose to Montreal.

The announcement of Melrose’s departure from Tampa Bay Lightning has come after a poor run of form in the NHL. With sixteen games already played this season, the officials at the Lightning decided to take swift action and bring an end to Melrose’s reign at the club.

The Lightning have suffered three straight defeats and are now in fourth position in the Southeast Division. Furthermore, they have scored the least goals in the entire NHL.

The general manager of the club, Brian Lawton, has revealed that the decision to fire Melrose was “tough” to make, particular since the respected figure in the world of ice hockey is a “good man”.

Despite the positive personality traits possessed by Barry Melrose, the club’s poor form remains undeniable and Lawton echoed this sentiment by stating that “the results were unacceptable”. The blame for the recent slump was not placed solely on the coach, with Lawton expressing his desire for the players to “understand that we need to be better”.

The previous assistant to Melrose, Rick Tocchet, will take charge of the club temporarily, whilst officials conduct a search for a permanent head coach.

Red Wings take Game 6

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:34:43 BST

The Red Wings have done it. After falling in triple OT in game five to extend the series, they made no mistake on Wednesday night taking game six by the odd goal in five. They got their hands on the Stanley Cup, which I'm told is mightily heavy and have brought back the glory days to Detroit.