Free Agency Eve

With July 1 looming in front of the hockey world, there has been plenty of movement in the NHL to lockup free agent talent before the market opens tomorrow. Phones have been busy, and players have been scrawling their signatures to contracts for huge, and sometimes ridiculous, salaries. With that in mind, it's time to prepare for the second biggest day in player movement over the course of the year. Get your phones lined up, sit your agent down, and hang on. This year's free agency period looks to be a wacky free agent season.

• The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings swung a deal yesterday. The Oilers send forward Jarret Stoll and defenceman Matt Greene to the Kings for defenceman Lubomir Visnovsky. Visnovsky is an excellent powerplay quarterback, and should solidify the point when the Oilers have the man-advantage. If paired with Sheldon Souray, Visnovsky could be the trigger man that Souray so desperately needed last season. I don't understand why Lombardi would trade his, arguably, best defenceman for an underachiever and a sixth-man, but it seems this is a salary purge as Stoll is a free agent next season, and Greene the season after.
• Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts are now officially members of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Malone signed a seven-year, $31.5 million deal with the Lightning, while Roberts signed an incentive-based, one-year deal for $1.25 million. The incentive is that for every game he appears in, he will receive a $10,000 bonus. If he plays in all 82 games next season, his salary could top out at $2.07 million. The strangest part is that the Malone deal is front-heavy as Malone will earn between $7 million and $8 million for the first two seasons. Isn't this the same reason they traded Brad Richards - too much money between four players? It now appears the Dan-Boyle-to-someone rumours will become reality if Boyle is willing to waive his no-trade clause. According to George Bazos, Boyle's agent, that is highly unlikely to happen. Is it just me, or has Tampa's payroll increased to about $100 million this offseason?
• In more insane Tampa Bay news, the Lightning traded a conditional draft pick in 2009 or 2010 to the Wild to acquire exclusive negotiating rights with UFA Brian Rolston. While I understand that the Lightning are trying to be aggressive in the free agent market, how do they expect to pay for all these players under the current cap system? And why trade for a guy who stated that he was going to test the market no matter what?
• Just because it needs to be said, I respect TSN's coverage of all things hockey. However, their beat writers need to take more time in reviewing their work, and their editors need to spend more time reviewing facts. Apparently, Brian Rolston started his NHL career when he was 13 years old if you believe TSN's information. Rolston is 35, not 25.
  
• Add a few more names to the free agent pool. Alexei Zhitnik and Duvie Westcott have been bought out by the Atlanta Thrashers and Columbus Blue Jackets, respectively, and are now free agents. Denis Gauthier of the Philadelphia Flyers was placed on waivers after playing all last season in the AHL, and will reportedly be bought out as well.
• Former New York Islanders goaltender Wade Dublielewicz has signed a deal to play in Russia next season with Ak Bars Kazan. The Islanders had offered Dublielewicz a $500,000 contract, but it is believed his contract with the CHL-R team is worth much more. Joey MacDonald has a one-way deal with the Isles this season, forcing Dublielewicz to start the season in the AHL with Bridgeport. That was something the veteran goalie was not willing to do, and may have forced his hand in signing with Ak Bars Kazan.
• The Flyers, just days after acquiring defenceman Steve Eminger at the NHL Entry Draft, have signed the 24 year-old to a one-year contract. Eminger should fit nicely in Philadelphia alongside their current defencemen, in my opinion, and should provide another good defensive defenceman to help replace Jason Smith.
• While there has been little activity from Joe Sakic's camp in regard to the Avalanche re-signing the star, the Avs did sign a couple of key defencemen who were heading towards free agency. John-Michael Liles signed a four-year, $16 million deal while Adam Foote signed a two-year deal worth $6 million. These signings bring back two important pieces of a defensive unit that looked to have more holes than swiss cheese entering this free agency period.
• The Florida Panthers re-signed RFA Rostislav Olesz to a six-year, $18.75 million deal. Olesz has been a perennial underachiever, but looked to be having a break-out season last year before injuring his hand. He is a career +1 player despite never appearing in the playoffs, and playing on some brutal Panthers teams. They may have overpaid, but it appears that Rusty will be counted on for some scoring this season with this new contract, more so than in the past.
• From the "insanely stupid" file, a number of parents have been banned from the Bell Sensplex in Kanata, Ontario after they were involved in a brawl at a hockey tournament for five year-olds. The Bell Sensplex is managed by Capital Sports Management, an affiliate of the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club, and they have banned the select parents from entering the arena after one parent was left with a broken nose. A witness stated that the "parents began shoving and punching each other after a referee called a penalty shot in the last minute of the game". You can see the CBC video report here in Quicktime format. Seriously, what the heck is wrong with people? Fighting at a tournament for five year-olds?!? Grow up, people. Try setting a good example for your children.
• Some more good news for Sherry of Scarlett Ice. The British equivalent of Wayne Gretzky has decided to return to the Manchester Phoenix for a third season. Tony Hand, the only British-born player who was entirely trained in his home country to have been chosen in the NHL Entry Draft, will return this season as a player/coach. To date, the British phenom has recorded "3,659 points, including 1,380 goals, in 1,260 games. In 57 IIHF-sanctioned international tournament games, he's racked up an even 100 points for Team Great Britain". If that's not enough, "[i]n his best season, he averaged a hat trick per game en route to racking up an astounding 105 goals and 216 points in a mere 35 matches". That's a ridiculous average of 6.17 points-per-game! Good luck to the Manchester Phoenix and Mr. Hand this season! And good luck to you as well, Sherry!

Ok, that's everything for today. Tomorrow will have the free agency recap as everyone prepares for money to be thrown around like it is going out of style. More charitable organizations coming up this week as well, so tune in for those to see who is helping his community!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Charitable Donations: Mike Fisher Foundation

Hockey Blog In Canada has examined a number of charitable organizations over the past few weeks, and we've seen some excellent work done by NHL players in assisting the communities that helped make them celebrities. Today's charitable organization is no different in that a local NHL player is making a difference in his community. Mike Fisher of the Ottawa Senators has started the Mike Fisher Foundation in Ottawa. Through his foundation, he has started the Mike Fisher Hockey Camp which goes to serve the Eastern Ontario region's minor hockey programs, as well as supporting a number of other charities.

Mission Statement: From their website, "Our mission is to help minor hockey players of this region 'complete' their game. This required focus, strong work ethic, and a desire to improve. No matter what age or level a player is at, these are the building blocks of success. The MFHC program is designed to nurture these attributes without forgetting the most important thing of all, having fun!"

The Mike Fisher Foundation explains the mission a little more. "The Mike Fisher Hockey Camp is a not-for-profit camp. Our commitment is two-fold; to serve the minor hockey community of greater Ottawa by providing a first-class summer hockey program and to financially support regional charities."

The Mike Fisher Hockey Camp and Foundation are helping children reach their full potential by teaching them how hard work translates into great success.

How Did The Mike Fisher Hockey Camp Start?: This is the inaugural year of the hockey camp, so you're basically getting in at the ground level with this organization. There are several levels of the program, meaning that no matter what age group your son or daughter is in, there's a place for him or her to play.

A typical day at the camp starts at 8:00am with on-ice training. At 10am, the skaters move to dry land training. At 11am, the students move into a classroom setting where a professional coach or player will provide additional training. At noon, the students have an hour lunch break. There's recreation time from 1pm until 2pm, followed by an one-ice hockey tournament from 2pm until 4pm. That sounds like a pretty good day of hockey in the summer to me! The recreation time is normally a trip to the pool for some fun in the water which is perfect for summer fun.

Lunch is provided by Capones Catering Service in Ottawa, and they provide some very healthy and tasty options for lunch. Monday's entrée is a hamburger. Tuesday features a turkey-cheese pita-wich. Wednesday offers lasagne. Thursday's lunch special is a chicken sub. And Friday is hotdog day!

The Mike Fisher Foundation ensures that 100% of all proceeds make it to various charities in Eastern Ontario. Two of those charities are the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Canada, and Roger's House, which provides pediatric palliative care with the objective of enhancing the comfort and quality of life for children and their families. Clearly, the Mike Fisher Foundation is working to help children in all capacities in the Ottawa area.

How Can I Help?: As it stands right now, the novice camp is full for players, but there are openings for the novice goaltenders. The atom division has 34 spots open for players, as well as openings for goaltenders. The peewee division has three player spots open, and goaltender positions are available. If you'd like to register your son or daughter, please fill out the form, and mail it in. The mailing address is at the bottom of this article as well as on the form itself. The cost for the week-long camp is $425 per child, and they start on July 21, 2008.

However, there is a way for you to win a spot at the Mike Fisher Hockey Camp. The Mike Fisher Hockey Camp has teamed up with iPLAYhockey.ca to offer up ten spots to the Mike Fisher Hockey Camp. The contest closes on July 4, 2008 so please enter as soon as possible if you're interested.

"iPLAYHOCKEY is a hockey based web company that represents the interests of hockey players of all ages. It offers unique promotions and affordable services to the hockey community in Canada. iPLAYHOCKEY’s official launch will be August, 2008". The website already has a pile of information which can be used by anyone, and I encourage you to check out the site.

If you have any questions about the Mike Fisher Hockey Camp, I encourage you to email the foundation directly at info-at-mikefisherhockeycamp-dot-ca. They'll be able to answer any and all questions regarding the camp, as well as the foundation. If you have any questions regarding iPLAYhockey's initiatives, please contact Angela Murdock via telephone at (613) 745-1352, or via email at angela-at-iplayhockey-dot-ca.

The Mike Fisher Foundation, the NHLPA, and the foundation's namesake, Mike Fisher, are helping the communities they live in. It's time for us to help them as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Saturday's Roundup

Being that it's Saturday today, I figured I should probably look at doing some poking around on the Internet for some stories to expose. I know there are a lot, so this will be a combination of blog-walking and mainstream news stories to give you a full perspective on what's been happening around those that cover the great sport of hockey. There's a lot of news, so let's get the ball rolling on this weekend roundup of news!

Back on March 12, 2008, I did a piece on Dan Cloutier's interview in the Vancouver Sun. This interview sparked outrage and anger amongst Los Angeles Kings' fans, most notably Carla Muller, a blogger for HockeyBuzz.com. Miss Muller was understandably frustrated with Mr. Cloutier's comments, and wrote her own blog entry on the subject. Today, however, Miss Muller informed the world that she now moving over to LetsGoKings.com, and offered a few kind words to me on her departure.

"I wonder if this guy will apologize now that Cloutier is taking the unique position that despite the fact that two different doctors have medically cleared him to play, including one of Cloutier’s choosing who also found him fit, he is alleging now he is too injured to play."

I will not apologize for what I wrote. I am not obligated to apologize for what I wrote when all you did was spew hatred for Dan Cloutier. In fact, you took a few steps back on your very next blog entry, and came across as more objective. The result? A much more convincing argument. It came across as being less "angry-at-the-world" blogger, and more "she knows what she's talking about" blogger. The latter is a much better place to be, in my opinion, and I believe you would say the same. I will commend you for the better approach in the second article, but I will not apologize for calling you out on your tantrum in the first article.

I will, however, wish you good luck in your new role with LetsGoKings.com, and hope that we can establish some sort of friendly rapport. I have no malice or ill will towards you, Miss Muller, and simply wanted you to take a step back and look at the situation objectively. I would be more than happy to speak with you, and let you know I still hold you in the utmost respect in person if you so choose. I assure you, though, you will get an email from me wishing you nothing but the best in the next couple of days.

Good luck, Carla! Your passion makes you an excellent hockey blogger, and you deserve all the best in your new position!

Canada's Loss = Britain's Gain: It was announced, late last week, that Sherry of Scarlett Ice has accepted a position with the Manchester Phoenix of the British Elite League! She will continue to blog from "across the pond", but she also brought in a heavyweight blogger (not literally, of course). Dany Heatley Speedwagon has joined the Scarlett Ice team to help readers stay up-to-date on Senators' news and happenings. Congratulations, Sherry, on the exciting new job! And congratulations, DHS, for your appointment to Scarlett Ice's team!

More Kings News: CKim from A Queen Among Kings has been keeping busy with her team's Year-In-Review, as well as two podcasts! I suggest checking both of them out as they both have good chatter on them. Also, the special guests found on the I'm Not A Puck Bunny podcast bring their unique perspectives to each show, and shouldn't be missed!

Jagr Watch: The three-year, $35 million tax-free contract that Avangard Omsk offered free agent Jaromir Jagr this week is insane. Pat Brisson, Jagr's agent, has assured the Rangers that his client's first priority is to secure a contract in the NHL. However, we're talking about Jagr here. Rangers' GM Glen Sather stated that he "talked with Brisson last week in Ottawa before the draft and I told him we wanted to do a deal, but there's been no communication back on their end". In the end, money has always spoken loudly to Jagr, so I wouldn't count the CHL-R out at this point of the negotiations.

Waivers And Buyouts: There were a few significant addition to the free agency pool this past week. Todd Bertuzzi, Shawn Bates, Josef Stumpel, Rhett Warrener, Anders Erikkson, and Marcus Nilson are all on their way to the July 1 sweepstakes. There probably won't be many teams throwing bags of money at these guys, but some tire-kicking should happen with Warrener. We'll see what happens come Tuesday.

It's Called A "Cap" For A Reason: The salary cap in the NHL will rise to a maximum of $56.7 million this season, up $6.4 million from last season. The minimum requirement for teams to spend is now set at $40.7 million, while the maximum any individual player can make is $11.34 million per season. It's the fourth straight season that the cap has increased, prompting me to ask why we had a lockout. I get that, at the time, the Canadian dollar was not as strong as it is now, but that's no reason to increase the spending every year. It's a cap linked to revenue - I get that point. But league revenue is far different than each team's local market's revenue. Someone needs to review this before spending is out of control. Again.

Ok, I'm done. I'll have another charitable organization to present tomorrow, so tune in for that. Expect an email, Miss Muller, because that's the next item I am about to tackle. And for those Kings fans who are coming here to flame me, read my article first. Out of everything you can do, reading is probably the most important part when it comes to commenting.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Charitable Donations: Healthy Hope

Having taken yesterday off after a busy day at work and a softball double-header, Hockey Blog In Canada returns today to outline another charitable organization. As we've seen in the past articles, NHL players have been affected by their family members' afflictions and diseases, and have started charities and organizations to help them with their battles. Today's organization was started because of the player's affliction. Czech-born defenceman Jiri Fischer of the Detroit Red Wings collapsed on the bench during a game against the Nashville Predators. After doctors saved the young man's life, Fischer went on to found Healthy Hope: The Jiri Fischer Foundation, and HBIC is proud to profile this organization today.

Mission Statement: The Healthy Hope Mission page doesn't really give this organization its due credit, so here's a little more. The Healthy Hope Foundation helps people who need help. They are "a group of [v]olunteers, who have been through some [l]ife threatening times". The foundation's volunteers provide those who are facing adversity a chance to rediscover their passion for life by assisting them in their battles. Giving up does not exist at the Healthy Hope Foundation.

How Did Healthy Hope Start?: For this, we need to go back to Novermber 21, 2005 when Mr. Fischer collapsed on the Detroit bench in Nashville.

Part One


Part Two


NHL Network Coverage

Wow. That's pretty scary.

Out of this experience, Mr. Fischer started the Healthy Hope Foundation in early 2007 to help others in their most trying times. However, the organization has now branched out to encourage CPR training, and for arenas to acquire and learn to use Automated External Defibrillators (AED).

The CPR+AED program has taken Mr. Fischer to a number of cities in order to bring awareness to these two life-saving techniques. He has worked with the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Canada to help make AEDs as accessible as fire extinguishers in public buildings.

"Until the sudden cardiac arrest, hockey was first, everything else was second," said Fischer in Calgary in 2007. "This is the first time in my life I can be part of something bigger than hockey."

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, "[a]pproximately 40,000 cardiac arrests occur in Canada every year, and for every minute that passes without help, a victim’s chance of surviving drops by about 10 per cent. Brain death starts to occur 4 to 6 minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest if no CPR and defibrillation occur during that time. Ultimately, less than 5% of people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital survive, largely because CPR is not performed at all – or not started soon enough".

Fischer was one of the lucky ones as his heartbeat started up again after being unconscious for six minutes on the bench.

"I get up every day, and I live," he said in 2005 to Larry Lage of the Associated Press. "Everybody says you should live to the fullest, but what is it? No one knows until you come so close that you're not worried about anything else but being alive."

Thankfully, Mr. Fischer is still with us today. He works with the Red Wings organization in the capacity of player development, and the Red Wings, in a classy move, have even kept his locker intact in the dressing room. He even returned to the ice on February 28, 2008 in the "Shocks and Saves" charity game in Saginaw, Michigan. The charity game helps to raise funds for the Healthy Hope Foundation's initiative to place Automated External Defibrillators in Michigan schools and arenas.

How Can I Help?: First and foremost, Healthy Hope wants you to share your Survivor Story. Your story will help others in their fight to hang on to their hope in the face of adversity. They would also like you to share your passion and your ideas. You can contact the Healthy Hope Foundation at info-at-healthyhope-dot-org. They can be reached by telelphone at (248) 635-1082. And you can also write them via snail mail by sending your letters to:

Healthy Hope: Jiri Fischer Foundation
PO Box 702310
Plymouth, MI
48170

The Healthy Hope Foundation is also looking for volunteers. If you'd like to volunteer with the organization, please email them for volunteer opportunities.

Healthy Hope, the NHLPA, and Jiri Fischer are helping the communities they live in. It's time for us to help them as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Midweek Blues

Being that it's Wednesday, I find myself looking forward to Friday. Yeah, I know that Thursday is still in between Wednesday and Friday, but Thursday is pretty much already here, so I'm not even going to pretend that Thursday is in the way. As it stands, I have to find ways to satisfy my hockey needs until September rolls around, and I believe I may have found it. Rent-A-Goalie, found on the Canadian network known as Showcase, has provided me with some great laughs as I wait for the summer to turn to fall.

The Canadian television show is a half-hour sitcom about a guy named Cake, played by Christopher Bolton, who runs a goalie rental service out of the Café Primo in the heart of Toronto's Little Italy. Cake is joined by a group of individuals who are as tragically flawed as he is. Some of them are affectionately known as "Goth Girl", "Looch", "Puker", "Short Bus", and "Joey Almost".

Bolton, who is also the show's creator, executive producer, and co-writer, feels the show is more than just hockey, and I am inclined to agree.

"It is a character-based workplace comedy," Bolton said to Sun Media's Bruce Kirkland in April after the show was picked up for a third season. "We hang all of the comedy on the hook of what the workplace is, which is a rent-a-goalie service at an Italian coffee shop. So part of this show's charm is how well it knows its world - and our love for hockey doesn't harm that at all - and we are able to convey that pretty well."

Some of the show's topics range from the mild to the absurd.

"We have these ridiculous conversations," Bolton says, "about our characters getting rabies or our characters getting testicular fungus from a bench in a dressing room. And we're having these serious thoughts about the plausibility of it.

"Ultimately what happens when you play with the ridiculous is that, when your characters believe it and speak to it with authority, you can get away with it."

Rarely am I one to promote television shows on this blog outside of regular hockey programming, but I feel this is one show that all hockey fans can appreciate because it isn't a dedicated hockey comedy. Rather, as Bolton explained, it's more like The Office where situations arise from the workplace.

Of course, there have been some pretty impressive cameos from NHL stars and personalities. Tie Domi, Darryl Sittler, "Tiger" Williams, Mike Palmateer, Paul Coffey, Tony Esposito, and Phil Esposito have all appeared on the show. Being set in Toronto lends to the Toronto Maple Leafs being there, but getting the Espositos and Coffey to appear only goes to show the headway this television show is making.

If you'd like to read a little about the episodes from either Season One or Season Two, click on the appropriate season to read up on what the Rent-A-Goalie gang has been up to. You can download Rent-A-Goalie wallpapers for free for your desktop. And the best part of Showcase's website is that it allows you to watch the entire second season of Rent-A-Goalie for free!

This truly Canadian television show might be one of the best hockey-related television shows to ever be produced, and Christopher Bolton deserves some credit for producing a highly-enjoyable program!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Rapid Fire Blogging: June

Lots of hockey stories have developed over the course of the last week, and I've neglected to make mention of these. However, Hockey Blog In Canada is committed to catching everyone up on news they may have missed, and that's what Rapid Fire Blogging is all about. Kick back, grab a beverage, and get ready for as much news as you can handle because it's time to get this article started!

• One of the big stories out of the NHL today was one of the worst-kept secrets in Tampa Bay's hiring of Barry Melrose as the Lightning's newest head coach, the sixth in franchise history. Rick Tocchet and Wes Walz, two former NHL players, will join the mulleted one as his assistant coaches. Personally, I think the Lightning are taking a step backwards as Melrose hasn't coached in the NHL since 1995. Time will tell, of course, but this seems to be a very questionable move, especially with some of the coaches still on the market.
• The NHL announced today that Anaheim Ducks' owner Henry Samueli has been suspended until further notice from any activity with his team or in the NHL after he pleaded guilty to perjury. He admitted to making false statements to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Michael Schulman, current alternate governor of the Ducks, will report to Commissioner Gary Bettman in Samueli's absence. Jim Kelley of Sportsnet.ca makes an interesting argument as to how Mr. Bettman should handle Mr. Samueli's guilty plea. This is one story that could turn out to be costly for the Ducks.
• The waiver wire has been hot in the last couple of days as washed-up goalies and lost causes hit the open market. Ray Emery, previously of the Ottawa Senators, is a free agent after being bought out by the Senators. Dan Cloutier is technically still with the Los Angeles Kings, despite being offered a buyout, because he feels he is medically unfit to play, thus ensuring the Kings have to continue to pay him. Marc Denis was placed on waivers by the Lightning in the hopes they can rid themselves of his brutal play. The Toronto Maple Leafs placed goaltender Andrew Raycroft and forwards Kyle Wellwood on waivers after they lost patience with those players. Toronto will also buyout Darcy Tucker, making him an unrestricted free agent. Good luck to these players in finding new homes!
• The Pittsburgh Penguins are finding out that success does not always breed an attraction for free agents. Gary Roberts basically confirmed that he will not be back this season in the Steel City, joining former Penguins Ryan Malone and Marian Hossa on the open market. While Roberts praised Pittsburgh's fans, his agent confirmed that the Penguins cannot offer what they are seeking. Good luck, Gary! You'll be missed in Pittsburgh!
• The ECHL announced yesterday that the Pensacola Ice Pilots had their membership to the ECHL terminated. The termination comes as a result of the Pensacola ownership group notifying the ECHL that it did not intend to play in 2008-09 or any season thereafter. In the ECHL Bylaws, failure to ice a team is grounds for immediate termination of the membership. All Pensacola players now become free agents, and I am disappointed for the fans in Pensacola that supported this franchise. The ownership group should be ashamed of themselves for not working harder to make hockey work.
• On the upside, the Toledo Walleye are now accepting deposits for club seats in their new arena! The Lucas County Downtown Arena is currently being built in Toledo, Ohio, and will begin play in October of 2009 in the ECHL! Congratulations to the Walleye, and to the people of Toledo on your new hockey franchise!
• Hockey USA announced that former ECHL coach Ron Rolston will coach the 2009 USA World Junior hockey team in Ottawa, Ontario at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships. Joining Mr. Rolston behind the bench will be another ECHL alumnus, P.K. O’Handley, as well as Nate Leaman and goaltender coach Jeff Blashill. Good luck in Ottawa, gentlemen!
• There were also some division and conference realignments in the ECHL that went down at the recent ECHL Board of Governors meeting. In the American Conference, there will be two divisions of 13 teams: the North Division with seven teams, and the South Division with six teams. In the National Conference, there will be two divisions of ten teams: the West Division with five teams, and the Pacific Division with five teams. The North Division will be represented by Cincinnati, Dayton, Elmira, Johnstown, Reading, Trenton and Wheeling. The South Division will be represented by Augusta, Charlotte, Florida, Gwinnett, Mississippi and South Carolina. The West Division will be represented by Alaska, Idaho, Phoenix, Utah and Victoria. And, last but not least, the Pacific Division will be represented by Bakersfield, Fresno, Las Vegas, Ontario and Stockton. For more information, please click here.
  
• For readers in St. John's Newfoundland, you get some pre-season AHL action coming your way! Mile One Centre will play host to the Hamilton Bulldogs' training camp, as well as a mini-tournament featuring the three Canadian AHL teams - Hamilton, Toronto, and Manitoba. For a city that supported the AHL very passionately for 14 years, this is a nice gesture by the Bulldogs. It would have been much more respectable had the Marlies done it, since the Marlies were most recently called the St. John's Maple Leafs, but who am I to criticize, especially when it deals with one franchise's history?
• The AHL's Springfield Falcons named Jeff Truitt as their new head coach. Mr. Truitt spent time honing his skill in the WHL as the head coach of the Kelowna Rockets where he posted a record of 113-76-18-9 in three seasons. Mr. Truitt also won a Memorial Cup with the Rockets, and helped Canada behind the bench on several occasions. Good luck on your new position, Mr. Truitt!
  
• Hockey Canada announced that Benoit Groulx of the Gatineau Olympiques will take over head coaching duties for the Canadian World Junior team. Mr. Groulx guided his team to the QMJHL Championship this year, despite them not being a favourite to win. He'll be joined behind the bench by Dave Cameron, who coaches the OHL's St. Michael's Majors, and Willie Desjardins, head coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL. Good luck in Ottawa as well, gentlemen!
• Just in case you were wondering, the IIHF World Junior Championship is only 184 days away. The tournament will be opened on Friday, December 26, 2008 at 2:30pm EST with a game at the Ottawa Civic Centre between Latvia and Russia. Canada's first game is at 7:30pm that night as the Canadians take on the Czech Republic. Team USA will square off at 3:30pm EST on the 26th against Germany.
• The new Continental Hockey League/Russian Super League (CHL-R, acronymed by me) in Russia has all the makings of the WHA except for one thing: it's in Russia. Now, don't get me wrong. Russia is a great place to play hockey, and many players have gone over there and done very well for themselves. But let's face it - the NHL is where players want to play. Columbus Blue Jackets' draft pick Nikita Filatov already told the CHL-R that he wasn't interested in playing there. Evgeni Malkin was reportedly offered a contract for approximately $12.5 million per year tax-free, but wants to stay in Pittsburgh. You can have Chris Simon, though. We don't really need him as it is.

Ok, so that's all for today. More charitable organizations coming up this week, and I'll be doing a complete "free agency" day blog on July 1. July 1 is also Canada Day, and I have the day off, and what better way to spend my day off than lounging by the pool and listening to TSN's panel talk about who's going where. Everyone except Pierre McGuire, that is. Let him go to NBC. Heck, trade him and Milbury for some cameraman-to-be-named. Just keep his yap shut for most of the holiday Tuesday, and I'll be content.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Charitable Donations: 21 For Kids

As it stands, this blog has now covered seven charitable organizations working to make life better for all of us, and we're not stopping there. Heck, it's not even July yet, so let's keep the wheels turning on these great initiatives. Today's charitable organization is based in the midwest USA, and is backed by Minnesota Wild forward Mark Parrish. Mr. Parrish wears #21 for the Minnesota Wild, and the 21 For Kids Foundation was started by him after being personally affected by an instance of a disease. With that in mind, Hockey Blog In Canada is proud to present to you the organization known as 21 For Kids.

Mission Statement: Directly from their website, 21 For Kids "is a child-focused organization that provides grants and funding to Minnesota foundations and individuals, based solely on need, to cover a variety of expenses for children. The areas of need can include, but are not limited to health issues, recreational opportunities, educational funding. This assistance is provided without regard to the child’s age, race, physical abilities, religious beliefs, gender, or ethnic background."

How Did 21 For Kids Start?: I'll allow Mr. Parrish to explain how the organization got started.

"Over the Christmas Holidays in 2004, my three-year-old niece, Ruby, was diagnosed with epilepsy. She suffered a grand mal seizure and was hospitalized for four days. Luckily, my brother’s family was in Freiburg, Germany at the time. Freiburg is the premier neurological study center and hospital for the entire country.

"Once she was tested and placed on medication, things seemed to be okay. However, in May of 2006, she once again experienced a grand mal and was hospitalized at Minneapolis Children's Hospital. Both of these were frightening experiences for all the family members and had a strong impact on me. I felt it was time I did something to help Ruby and other children who need medical care and support. This is why I am starting my 21ForKids.com Foundation. This Foundation is designed to give financial assistance to children like Ruby who need extra medical care."

Epilepsy is a very common disease that gets little exposure compared to things like cancer and heart disease. It is estimated that one in 100 people are afflicted with epilepsy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are currently 2.7 million Americans battling epilepsy, and it primarily affects the very young and elderly.

What Mr. Parrish is doing for children with this affliction is highly commendable. In working with HockeyDocs Charities, 21 For Kids has been able to branch out and help other kids experiencing other medical conditions.

HockeyDocs Charities was started by two Minneapolis doctors, Dr. Mark Fallen and Dr. Marshall Everson. In teaming with Mr. Parrish and 21 For Kids, the two organizations have been able to use their passion for hockey and their vast network and resources to help children within the Twin Cities. Together, the two organizations have partnered to assist the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota, the Children's Miracle Network, the Confidence Learning Center, and Minnesota Special Hockey.

The work being done by these two organizations is helping children throughout Minnesota, and they have a number of people involved with helping the organization. Of course, Mr. Mark Parrish is the man in charge of 21 For Kids, but he receives additional help from NHL players such as Keith Ballard (FLA), Andrew Brunette (COL), Marian Gaborik (MIN), Bret Hedican (CAR), Ryan Malone (PIT), and Willie Mitchell (VAN). There are a number of Hollywood celebrities onboard with these organizations as well.

How Can I Help?: Well, you know there's always the donation thing. However, you can donate money, an auction item, or both if you so choose.

You can become a sponsor of these organizations. Of course, there are a few levels of sponsorship one can undertake. Just fill out the form, and you're on your way!

Of course, if you like the social aspect of supporting these charitable organizations, I recommend you review the upcoming events list to see if anything tickles your fancy. To attend the golf tournament, you must be a sponsor, so I encourage you to review the sponsorship levels if you'd like to play a round of golf with a few celebrities.

Lastly, be sure to sign up for the newsletter to receive updates on the work that 21 For Kids and HockeyDocs Charities are doing within Minnesota. If you have any additional questions, I encourage you to email them at info-at-hockeydocscharities-dot-org.

21 For Kids, HockeyDocs Charities, the NHLPA, and Mark Parrish are helping the communities they live in. It's time for us to help them as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

NHL Entry Draft Non-Coverage

I'll admit that this draft was fairly decent in terms of the amount of activity that happened, and it appears that everyone is full of optimism over their new recruits. It's a good feeling to know that your team has a bright outlook, and that's what the NHL Entry Draft brings. However, there were some excellent trades made by a few teams, so we'll look at the winners and also-rans in this year's NHL Entry Draft.

Before we get to my opinions, here is the complete list of players selected in the first round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Try to ignore Pierre McGuire's comments. You'd be better off hitting yourself in the face with a shovel. Rounds two through seven can be found here.

In terms of winners at this year's draft, the team that stands out the most to me would have to be the Phoenix Coyotes. The Coyotes came into the draft with some optimism, drafting at the #8 spot, but really made a splash by acquiring Olli Jokinen from the Florida Panthers in exchange for defencemen Nick Boynton, Keith Ballard, and the 49th overall pick.

Jokinen will solidify the Coyotes down the middle of the ice by giving them a scoring threat every single time he's on the ice. He's a veteran presence, and will help both Kyle Turris and Peter Mueller by providing some leadership. At 29 years of age, Jokinen could be a fixture in the desert for some time.

The Coyotes also traded the 90th pick overall to get Alex Bourret from the New York Rangers. Bourret looks to be a decent power forward-type player. He's a strong skater who works hard for every inch of ice, and that will be something that pleases head coach Wayne Gretzky. While he struggled with injuries this past season, Bourret looks to be a decent prospect for the Coyotes as well.

The Coyotes used the #8 pick to draft Mikkel Boedker from the OHL's Kitchener Rangers. Boedker has incredible speed and great vision on the ice. He was taught by former head coach Peter DeBoer to go to the net and score ugly goals, and that's something that can translate into a long, successful NHL career. His creativity is off the charts when he has the puck, and could be an excellent compliment to centerman Kyle Turris as Turris is a legitimate goal-scoring threat.

The Coyotes didn't shy away from some hockey pedigrees at the draft this year. The 'Yotes selected Viktor Tikhonov with the 28th pick in the first round. Viktor is the grandson of the legendary soviet coach, Viktor Tikhonov, and his skill set makes him an attractive pick. However, being a little older, he'll have to prove himself quickly in the Coyotes' system. With the 49th pick, they selected winger Jared Staal from the OHL's Sudbury Wolves. Staal is the youngest of the four Staal children to play in the NHL, following Eric, Jordan, and Marc. The Coyotes also selected forward Brett Hextall with the 159th pick. Brett is the son of former Flyers goaltender Ron Hextall.

All in all, with the additions of Jokinen and Boedker, the Coyotes will be a better offensive team this season. Losing Ballard and Boynton will hurt them defensively a little, but the Coyotes have some money to play with during the free agency period, and should be able to replace both men.

I like what Phoenix did this weekend, and expect them to push for a playoff spot next season.

The next team that did very well was the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings made an early splash in the draft by sending Mike Cammalleri to the Calgary Flames, and then flip-flopping picks with the Anaheim Ducks to move up to the #12 spot, as well as having the #2 overall pick. The trade sends a very disenchanted Cammalleri to a new environment, and allows Los Angeles to look at free agents with a pile of money to spend. The Kings then swapped spots with Buffalo to select at #13 instead of #12. On Day Two, the Kings picked up centerman Brad Richardson from the Colorado Avalanche, and will be a good, gritty third-line centerman who can put the puck in the net.

With the #2 pick, the Kings selected Drew Doughty from the OHL's Guelph Storm. Now, I was never big on Doughty's defensive abilities, but he does bring an impressive amount of offensive talent to the table. Also, shedding an amazing 24 pounds before the combine shows that he is committed to making the Kings' roster next year, and that has to be commended. In losing some of that weight, he will need to be paired with a body-moving defenceman, but he will also get stronger which will help the Kings.

With the #13 pick, the Kings selected Colten Teubert of the WHL's Regina Pats. I had complained for a long time about how the Kings needed to get a guy like Luke Schenn who can bring some accountability to the defensive zone. By drafting Teubert, they got exactly what they needed. Teubert is a physical force on the back end, and plays a lot meaner than what Schenn does. He will not back down from anyone, and, if paired with Hickey or Doughty, could be the Adam Foote-type player that the Kings have coveted for so long, only far nastier.

With the 153rd pick, the Kings drafted CHL Player of the Year and the OHL's Most Outstanding Player in Justin Azevedo. While he's a little on the small side at 5'7" tall, he showed an amazing ability to put the puck in the net last year with the Kitchener Rangers. His 43 goals and 81 assists were the CHL's highest point total last season, and his scoring ability will definitely be needed in both Los Angeles and Manchester.

I really like what Los Angeles has done, and, to me, is all because of Teubert. They have Jack Johnson in Los Angeles already, and Thomas Hickey is learning the pro game. By getting Doughty and Teubert, the Kings have built an impressive defensive core that will, one day, play in front of goaltender Jonathan Bernier. While the fans in Los Angeles may not appreciate the team staying its course, the Kings appear to be two to three seasons from taking over the Pacific Division at this point.

On the other side of the coin, there was a definite loser on Draft Day.

The team who really disappointed me was the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not only did they deal away their first pick in this season's draft to acquire Marian Hossa, but GM Ray Shero confirmed that talks had broken off with the star winger, and Hossa will become a free agent on July 1. The entire goal this off-season was to re-sign the winger, and now the Penguins have nothing to show for the biggest trade of the 2008 deadline. Of course, he could still sign with the Penguins after July 1, but it seems highly unlikely at this point.

And not only did the Penguins lose the one guy they were targeting for a new contract this past weekend, but they didn't pick a player until the 120th pick. They only had four picks in the draft in total. If you're the Penguins, you know that Hossa and Malone are probably gone, so you probably want to find the best scoring players at that point in the draft as you can, right? Well, the Penguins started out by drafting centerman Nathan Moon from the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs. He appears to be a solid player, so that's not a bad pick.

However, with their next two picks, the Penguins drafted goaltenders. Why? If Fleury is your franchise guy, why not draft one goalie, and then go after some scoring? The Penguins drafted Russian goaltender Alexander Pechurski with the 150th pick, three picks ahead of where Justin Azevedo, the CHL's Player of the Year, was drafted. What were they thinking at the table?

A truly bizarre draft day for the Penguins, if you ask me.

I did want to say congratulations to all the players who were selected in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. From the #1 overall pick, Steven Stamkos, to the final and 211th player selected this year in Jesper Samuelsson, congratulations to all these kids! I look forward to seeing you all in the AHL and, hopefully, the NHL one day!

To the parents of all the young men selected, thank you for raising such wonderful young men. The communities that each of these men are going to will benefit as much as each individual franchise will.

And to the fans of the NHL, get ready for the next generation of young superstars! Stamkos, Doughty, Bogosian, Pietrangelo, and Schenn were the first five selected, but they won't be the only stars, I can assure you.

Free agency starts in just over a week's time, so stay tuned as I'll be blogging all day on July 1. Also, there will be more charitable organizations featured here, so check back to see how NHL players are working within NHL communities as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Charitable Donations: Companions in Courage

Over the past couple of weeks, we've seen all sorts of charitable organizations who are doing phenomenal work in helping to find cures for a number of diseases. However, helping to solve the medical issues is only one way that NHL players can help. As we saw with the Mario Lemieux Foundation's efforts in establishing The Playroom Project, allowing children to escape the moment of being sick is one of the best things that we can do. A smile is enormous on a sick child's face, and laughter, as they say, is the best medicine. With that in mind, Hockey Blog In Canada is proud to speak about Companions in Courage today.

Mission Statement: As their website states, "[o]ur mission is quite simple. No child in the fight for life or health should ever have to go through it alone. At Companions in Courage Foundation, we are here to give courage, friendship, compassion and support to those children and families who are overcoming illness and life-threatening obstacles". Companions in Courage (CiC) was founded in 1997 by NHL Hall of Fame forward Pat LaFontaine, and works to remove the isolation of hospital stays for children by providing interactive playrooms where children can escape the burdens of their hospital stays.

How Did Companions In Courage Start?: Mr. LaFontaine's work in Buffalo at the Buffalo Children's Hospital gave him unique insight on what battles children face while staying at the hospital.

"The evolution of this Foundation began during Pat's years with the Buffalo Sabres. Dedicating much of his off-ice time at Buffalo Children's Hospital, Pat began to appreciate the power of another person's strengths. 'Being with these kids – knowing their smiles, their pain and their courage – changed my life. They taught me about life and death. These children left me with a simple reality: We don't always have much control over what happens to us, but we do have a choice in how we respond.'"

Mr. LaFontaine decided to help as many children as possible after his retirement in 1998. Working with Edwin Schlossberg and his renowned ESI Design team in New York City, Mr. LaFontaine worked to establish a series of "Lion's Den" rooms in children's hospitals across the state of New York. Partnering with reputable companies such as the Microsoft Corporation and Cisco Systems, Mr. LaFontaine created unique rooms designed to make children's lives better while at the respective hospitals.

The Lion's Den rooms are quite impressive. I'll allow the Companions in Courage website to talk about these fabulous rooms designed exclusively for children.

"Patients learn about the Lion’s Den Room when they first check into the hospital. They receive an eye-catching 'smart' card that tells them they are members of a special community with unique privileges.

"The key is an ID device that allows each child to personalize their experience within the Lion’s Den Room. When patients use their key to enter the main activity area, they are greeted with a gentle flourish of sound and lights. The room is set up with areas for group games, pods for semi-private conversations, and individual computer stations unlike any they’ve ever seen before. Stations are equipped with a keyboard and other input devices such as drawing tablets, touch pads and joysticks, all on flexible supports that children can easily adjust for their comfort.

"Children log-on to computer stations using their 'key' and are greeted. The 'smart' function of the key makes sure they are directed to content and activities that suit their age level. Children can participate in semi-private video conference 'pods' with classmates, their parents, or other family members. Some children may opt to collaborate on an animation project available on the network. Still others may elect to challenge other online participants in games and tasks. The children can also choose from more than 150 movies available on the system. The system also remembers children from one visit to the next, so they can pick up an activity wherever they left off."

That's a pretty phenomenal room. However, it doesn't stop there. Because the rooms are fully connected on a network, children can take part in special events that are broadcast to each of the rooms. Celebrities, sports heroes, and role models can drop by any of the children's hospitals, and their visit is broadcast back to the other respective hospitals. "For instance, if Pat LaFontaine visits children in Buffalo, that visit can be streamed live to all of the other Lion’s Den Rooms on the network". I'd say that's pretty cool.

But it doesn't stop there. The Lion's Den rooms allows children to also "connect with the people and activities of their normal lives. It offers children opportunities for play, communication and creativity and is responsive to each patient’s particular interests. An oasis from the poking and prodding often associated with hospital stays, the Lion’s Den Room provides a brief respite to allow a kid to be a kid".

Now, you're probably asking yourself "where are these rooms located", and that's why I'm writing this. You can actually see images of any of the rooms already built, thanks to the Companions in Courage website. The inaugural Lion's Den was opened at the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in Westchester, New York. There's also a Lion's Den at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute (also featured as a partner of the Steadfast Foundation) in Buffalo, New York. The third Lion's Den room built is located at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital in New York City, New York. There's a fourth Lion's Den at the Women and Children's Hopsital of Buffalo in Buffalo, New York.

Companions in Courage actually uses several resources to ensure that the majority of the money donated to the organization gets to the people that need it. One resource is Network for Good. Network for Good offers people the opportunity to give to one's favorite charity or charities while having all "donation records stored and accessible at any time". For more information on Network for Good's donation process, please click here. For Companions in Courage, the use of this service allows CiC to "keep its overhead down, thereby allowing us to use more of the money donated for our programs, and less for our expenses", and that's always a good reason to use this resource.

Another resource that Companions in Courage uses, and one I may start using more often, is GuideStar. GuideStar is an online resource that gathers and publicizes information about non-profit groups. In fact, they have a mission statement:

"GuideStar's mission is to revolutionize philanthropy and nonprofit practice by providing information that advances transparency, enables users to make better decisions, and encourages charitable giving."

This transparency allows people to see exactly how their donated dollars are being spent, and to what initiatives they are going. You have to sign up to view the information in their database, but registration is free, and will allow you, the reader of this blog, to better research some of these non-profit organizations. I'm not going to post the financial information about Companions in Courage on here, so I encourage you to sign up and see how this excellent organization is working to make children's lives better.

Of course, there are a number of hockey people involved in this organization. Pat LaFontaine is the President. His wife, Marybeth, works within the organization at the various events that they hold. Former Pittsburgh Penguins star, Mario Lemieux, is an Honourary Board Member, and Companions in Courage and the Mario Lemieux Foundation support one another in their endeavours. Buffalo Sabres owner, Thomas Golisano, is on the Board of Trustees along with agent Don Meehan, Mr. LaFontaine's former agent. I encourage you to check out each list of the Board of Directors, the Board of Trustees, the Honourary Board, and the Medical Board for more information about all the wonderful people involved with Companions in Courage.

I encourage everyone to check out the print media, the photo gallery, and the video gallery in order to see and hear some excellent stories.

How Can I Help?: The first place I would direct anyone interested in this organization is to their Frequently Asked Questions page. It contains a load of information that can answer the majority of questions you may have. Like the other organizations features, Companions in Courage also accepts donations. If you'd prefer to send your donation via snail mail, please write to:

Companions in Courage Foundation
attn: Pat LaFontaine
P.O. Box 768
Huntington, NY 11743

The organization also holds events to help raise funds. If you're interested in becoming a sponsor of an event, or becoming a major donor, please email the organization at CiC16-at-optonline-dot-net.

Volunteering is an excellent way to help out as well, however Companions in Courage would rather see people volunteer at their local children's hospital. Please check with your local hospital to see if there are opportunities available.

If you're interested in buying merchandise produced for Companions in Courage, I suggest you check out this link. Now, it's a little bare, but check back soon as they continue to get their list of merchandise on their site.

Before I wrap this up, I suggest watching this excellent video segment done by the CBC's Hockey Night In Canada on Pat LaFontaine's work with Companions in Courage.

This story is quite touching. Excellent work, Mr. LaFontaine.

Companions in Courage, the NHLPA, and Pat and Marybeth LaFontaine are helping the communities they live in. It's time for us to help them as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Charitable Donations: Mario Lemieux Foundation

Hockey Blog In Canada is proud to bring another charitable organization to the forefront today, and this one is one I have personally supported this year. I try to give to charities and organization that do things to benefit the community, especially if those efforts are helping children. Children are our future, and should be supported as much as possible. Today, I am proud to present The Mario Lemieux Foundation as the next organization to be featured on this blog. I've always been a Lemieux fan, and this organization - one which helps the smallest of children - is one I have personally supported.

Mission Statement: "The main objective of the Mario Lemieux Foundation is to fund promising medical research projects being conducted by talented scientists". The Mario Lemieux Foundation has funded a number of organization and charities sine its inception in 1993, and continues to help these organizations in their respective missions. The foundation helped to establish the Mario Lemieux Centers for Patient Care and Research at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, as well as funding the Children's Home of Pittsburgh with some large donations. The foundation most recently established the Austin Lemieux Neonatal Research Project.

How Did The Mario Lemieux Foundation Start?: I'll allow the foundation's webpage to explain how this organization started.

"The Mario Lemieux Foundation was created in 1993 by hockey legend Mario Lemieux. In that year, Mario was enjoying the greatest season of his brilliant career and on pace to establish a new NHL scoring record. Then he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease.

"After a successful battle with Hodgkin's, Mario is now twelve years cancer free and his experience led him to focus on ways to assist those not so fortunate. He devotes much of his time to the Foundation raising funds to help reach the ultimate goal: a cure for cancer".

There is also a message from Mr. Lemieux on the website that explains why he decided to start the foundation. I'd like to simply post this portion of the message:

"I know there are many people who are not as fortunate as I am. That is why the Mario Lemieux Foundation continues to be important to me, and why I devote time to raising funds for the Foundation, so we can continue to award grants for cancer research and other worthy causes".

Clearly, as we've seen with other organizations, cancer research gets a lot of funding from members of the NHLPA. The Mario Lemieux Foundation not only supports and funds research in finding a cure for Hodgkin's disease, but for other forms of cancer as well.

The foundation granted a portion of $5 million to establish the multi-disciplinary Mario Lemieux Centers for Patient Care and Research. This grant went towards creating three important areas of research at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center:

• Mario Lemieux Center for Patient Care
• Mario Lemieux Laboratory in Pediatric Leukemia Research
• Mario Lemieux Laboratory in Hodgkin's disease Research

University of Pennsylvania Cancer Institute (UPCI) is western Pennsylvania's only National Center Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, and is ranked 12th in National Cancer Institute funding. "All three Lemieux facilities will advance UPCI's research into the biology and treatment of lymphoma, as well as support current patient care". The grant has made a very good institution into one of the best in the United States.

Another portion of the $5 million grant went towards establishing the Austin Lemieux Neonatal Research Project. Mario and Nathalie Lemieux's only son, Austin, was born three months prematurely at the Magee-Womens Hospital. In going through this experience, Mr. Lemieux devoted his time and monetary efforts in helping the neonatal unit at the Magee-Womens Hospital to better serve the smallest of children. Today, Austin is a healthy twelve year-old boy who loves hockey as much as his dad did. Thanks to the Magee-Womens Hospital and the Mario Lemieux Foundation, many other premature babies will be able to grow up healthy and strong like Austin has.

A third portion of the $5 million grant went towards helping the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Named in memory of the institution's founder, Mr. William McGowan, the institution works "to develop mechanical and bio-artificial organs to reduce human suffering and extend the life of patients suffering from acute medical conditions or end-stage organ failure from chronic disease". The Mario Lemieux Foundation's generous donation helped to fund various projects and research that the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine was working on.

However, Mario and Nathalie Lemieux recognized that there was more they could do. While they were tending to young Austin at the Magee-Womens Hospital, they realized that there was no place for their young daughters, Lauren and Stephanie, to hang out and play. Nathalie Lemieux came up with a plan to raise funds for playrooms in the various hospitals in western Pennsylvania to help ease the burden on parents. From this idea, The Playroom Project was born. There have been more than 15 playrooms opened with the help of the Mario Lemieux Foundation in just over eight years.

Clearly, the foundation is making an impact all over western Pennsylvania, and they are helping both children and adults overcome adversity with their donations to the institutions and hospitals in western Pennsylvania.

The foundation doesn't rely simply on the efforts of the Lemieux family, though. Mario Lemieux organizes and hosts a celebrity golf tournament each year to help raise funds for the Mario Lemieux Foundation. While the event is closed to the public, there are a number of sponsorship opportunities of which one can take advantage. While I understand that not all of us have that kind of money to toss around, it might be the dream of one person who is reading this. The list of celebrities at the event is quite impressive, though, and the history of the event only gets more and more impressive.

How Can I Help?: As with all charitable organizations, donations are more than welcome. Fill out the form, hit "send donation", and you've helped the Mario Lemieux Foundation. You can also join the mailing list for updates on what's happening with the foundation. You can also participate in an online auction for items with the proceeds going to the foundation.

I decided to help out the Mario Lemieux Foundation by ordering a t-shirt. I ordered the baby blue one, and it turns heads. I get a lot of people asking about where I got my shirt, and now you can get one as well if you wish.

The state of Pennsylvania has even decided to help out. You can order a license plate with the Mario Lemieux Foundation logo for your vehicle if you wish. The cost is $66, and the proceeds go directly to the Mario Lemieux Foundation. Personally, I think that's a pretty unique way to help the foundation out.

Of course, if you have any questions, please email the Mario Lemieux Foundation with your question.

The Mario Lemieux Foundation, the NHLPA, and Mario and Nathalie Lemieux are helping the communities they live in. It's time for us to help them as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Bending The Truth

Sometimes, I am blown away by how much buzz is generated by the "anonymous hockey blogger" known as Eklund. I mean, the guy is as accurate as your local weatherman in predicting business in the NHL, and about as vague as the horoscope in your local newspaper. I understand that people like to hear rumours about Player A going to Team B, but why do people pay to get a membership to hear his unsubstantiated crap? Well, readers, it's time to pull the hood off this "anonymous" NHL weatherman. Here is your favourite porch forecaster, otherwise known as Eklund.

In his most recent forecast of NHL movement, Eklund gives some lip service to Aaron Portzline for doing some excellent work for "scooping almost everyone this summer". Mr. Portzline is following the Ryan-Malone-to-Columbus story, and is doing a fabulous job in breaking down all the options.

The problem is that he works for The Columbus Dispatch, a newspaper in Columbus, Ohio. It is his job to get scoops and break stories! In terms of Eklund's statement, this would be like saying "fish like water". Mr. Portzline gets paid to break stories. He uses the Dispatch's blog to expand on ideas and write his opinions about the Blue Jackets, but if he didn't scoop everyone about the Blue Jackets' player moves, he'd be a terrible reporter.

See how that works? Good reporters gets stories. Bad reporters get freelance jobs.

Eklund then shifts his focus to the Marian Hossa saga. He writes, "First and foremost there are teams also trying to acquire Hossa's rights. Mainly Montreal and possibly Boston and/or the Rangers".

Really? Are you serious, Eklund? There are 30 teams vying for Hossa's services right now, so I fail to see how this is news. In fact, I fail to see why someone would try "to acquire Hossa's rights" when he can opt for free agency on July 1, allowing him to sign with whomever he chooses. FOR NOTHING.

But let's look at this seriously for a second. Montreal is most likely out. They have a pile of free agent defencemen after the 2008-09 season that will command some raises. Most notably, Mike Komisarek will be coveted by a number of NHL teams, and he was one of the most reliable defencemen that Montreal had this past season. Mark Streit is looking for a sizable raise after his season this year as well. And let's not forget that both Saku Koivu and Alexei Kovalev are free agents next season too. I won't deny there's a chance for them to sign Hossa, but it seems extremely unlikely given their impending free agency situation.

Boston? Not a chance. The Bruins may want Hossa, but Hossa has already made it clear that he wants to go to a team that has a chance at winning the Stanley Cup. Boston is nowhere near that level of play, making this rumour equivalent to a blizzard in hell. It's not going to happen, so why bother reporting it?

The Rangers are an interesting case, but are also highly unlikely to sign Hossa unless they plan on telling Jagr to go home. They already have three players making more than $7 million next season in Gomez, Drury, and Lundqvist. The player with the next highest salary who is under contract for next season is Christian Backman, who will make $3.4 million. If they sign Hossa to the reported $7 million-per-season that Pittsburgh offered, they will have nearly $30 million tied up in four players! We saw how Tampa Bay suffered mightily with that problem. Do you think Glen Sather is that stupid, Eklund? He's already trying to get Jagr to take a pay cut. Not to mention that Brendan Shanahan, Sean Avery, and Martin Straka are unrestricted free agents. I'm sure the Rangers are interested, but they have other holes they need to fill before they need a fourth $7-million-dollar-man. You know, like finding an entire second line.

He goes on to report some other stuff that seems reasonable until he wrote, "Cammalleri has long been coveted by the Oilers and word is a Pitkanen for Cammalleri deal could be in the works".

Let me get this straight: the Oilers are interested in a guy they could sign without giving anything up next season after he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Yet, they want to trade a guy the Carolina Hurricanes are interested in? Worse yet, they want to trade Pitkanen when they could get Erik Cole or Justin Williams in return, and still sign Cammalleri in the 2009 off-season? Let's see here - Cole and Cammalleri for Pitkanen, or Cammalleri for Pitkanen and some other stuff? Which is the better deal to you if you're the Oilers? There are a lot of players that the Oilers covet. I'm almost certain we all remember both Michael Nylander and Thomas Vanek. If you believe this rumour will happen, I have swampland in Iowa to sell you.

Eklund decided today to agree with TSN's Darren Dreger who was the first to report on the Carolina-Edmonton discussion regarding Pitkanen for one of Cole or Tuomo Ruutu. Dreger made this public on Tuesday evening. Way to be on the ball, Eklund. Thanks for keeping up. Maybe try checking some reliable news sources for once instead of that puppet on your hand.

What struck me as odd in yesterday's truckload of bee-ess was this statement: "Two players in particular are already getting huge UFA interest and I am told will POSITIVELY be NHL players this season. Joel Kwiatkowski and Brian Fahey".

While I realize that both these players had excellent AHL seasons and helped Chicago win the Calder Cup, how does one "POSITIVELY" become an NHL player last season when both players have a combined total of 282 career NHL games in 20 seasons of hockey combined?

Kwiatkowski was drafted in 1996, and has played all of those 282 games from above. His longest NHL season was 2003-04 with Washington when he played 80 games, and scored six goals with six assists. He has not scored more than 12 points in any other NHL season. Let me repeat that: in 12 professional hockey seasons, he has not scored more than 12 points in an NHL season. And he's going to "POSITIVELY" be an NHL player?

Fahey was drafted in 2000, and has yet to suit up for an NHL game in eight seasons. He's played for a few AHL teams, but has never cracked an NHL lineup. Yet our good friend, Eklund, is telling us that he is going to "POSITIVELY" become an NHL player this season. The guy has zero NHL experience, but he will bump a roster player and stay there all season? What team is going to take an inexperienced defenceman and give him a one-way contract? Bonafide NHL Entry Draft studs get two-way deals. No team offers a one-way deal when you have zero experience. To me, this is nearly laughable.

Eklund even writes, "Of Fahey a source told me today, 'There simply are not many well-rounded, puck-moving defensemen around.' And a team executive out West believes that he is almost certainly headed to a Western team in desperate need of help on the blue line".

WHO THE HELL IS THIS SOURCE? This isn't news! Every single NHL team covets a "well-rounded, puck-moving defensemen", which is why teams overpay for them! Do you think that Brian Campbell is going to get a huge payday for his abilities? Hell yes! C'mon, Eklund... this is the weakest writing I have seen. I knew you were a hack, but "I have a friend who says..." stories are ridiculous. Use the source's name, or just claim that you thought this "news" up.

I guess what I'm trying to say, readers, is that you should be careful about what information you buy over the internet. For only $20-per-year, you can buy as much swampland in Florida as you like from Eklund. Just remember, though, that real reporters are normally employed by a reliable news source.

Oh, and they rarely charge you anything more than the price of the newspaper to get all of their work in print verified by legitimate editors.

Something Fun To End On: Ok, enough of this crap from one of the worst writers on the internet (that's an e5 rumour, by the way).

I always like fun hockey-related clips. They tend to make you laugh, and laughter is always good. A friend of mine, knowing my hockey passion, decided to send me a radio bit that involves a hilarious story. Honestly, if this doesn't make you laugh, you're not listening very carefully. I am still laughing today at it.

A big "thank you" to Mr. Ryan Loewen for the clip. It's truly one of the funniest hockey-related bits I have ever heard.

Ok, that's all for today. I'll have another charitable organization to outline tomorrow, so please tune in for that. It's one that I've already supported, and one I've spoken about in an earlier article.

Until then, keep your sticks on the ice!

Hockey Hall of Fame Day

Today saw four people inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto from a fairly impressive list of eligible candidates. There were international and NHL stars, as well as some executive and officials, who were eligible for the ballot, and I feel that the four men who received the vote today are certainly worthy of their spot in Hockey Hall of Fame. The four men elected to the Hall of Fame honestly need no introduction or fanfare due to their accomplishments, but, if that were really the case, why am I writing anything?

The first man I'll preview who was elected to the Hall of Fame today is Igor Larionov. Larionov was long regarded as the "Wayne Gretzky" of Russian hockey in the early 1980s. "The Professor", as he was also known, was part of the feared "KLM line" featuring Vladimir Krutov, Sergei Makarov, and himself. His list of achievements is notable: four World Championship gold medals, three Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings, and two Olympic gold medals.

The Russian superstar was a member of the Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, and the New Jersey Devils. He began his professional career playing in Russia with Khimik of the Russian League before moving on to CSKA Moscow. It was there that coach Viktor Tikhonov enlisted him to play for the Soviet Union on one of the most dominating lines in hockey history. Larionov retired from the NHL in 2003-04 with 169 goals and 475 assists for 644 points in 921 games.

The second player to be elected to the Hall of Fame is Glenn Anderson. Anderson joined the Oilers in 1980-81, and was an integral part of the five Stanley Cups the Oilers won over an 11-year period. Anderson seemed to take his game to another level during the playoffs, and always scored clutch goals. He won a sixth Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994. He also was a member of the 1987 Canadian team that won the Canada Cup over the Soviets.

Anderson was a member of the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues during his career in the NHL. His 93 playoff goals is fifth all-time in playoff scoring. The 17-season veteran retired from the NHL with 498 goals and 1099 points in 1129 regular season games.

The Builder Category will see the late Ed Chynoweth added as a member. From 1972 until 1995, Chynoweth served as the president of the WHL, and was the president of the Canadian Hockey League from 1975 until 1995. Chynoweth had recently served as president of the Kootenay Ice. Sadly, Chynoweth passed away earlier this year after a long battle with liver cancer. In his honour, the WHL Championship Trophy was named the "Ed Chynoweth Trophy" in honour of his accomplishments and for what he did for major junior hockey in Canada.

"This is a tremendous honour for my father," said his son Dean Chynoweth to TSN. "My father had a passion for the game of hockey and was committed to doing whatever it took to improve the game. Our entire family is very proud."

In the Linesman/Referee Category, long-time NHL linesman Ray Scapinello was elected to join the Hockey Hall of Fame. The 33-year veteran was on the lines for 2500 NHL games, 426 playoff games, 20 Stanley Cup Finals, three NHL All-Star Games, and the 1998 Winter Olympic Hockey Tournament in Nagano, Japan. He also penned a book called Between The Lines, which will soon be added to Teebz's Book Club.

"I am very appreciative that former Referee-In-Chief Scotty Morrison took a chance and gave me the opportunity to have so many enjoyable years in the NHL," Scapinello said to TSN. He can now be seen on The Score television highlight station in Canada where he appears on "The Spin" with Steve Kouleas.

Congratulations to these four deserving men on all their accomplishments. They will be officially enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 10, 2008. And despite Pierre Lebrun's assertion that the Hall of Fame missed out on an opportunity this year to elect a third player, these four men certainly are more than worthy of their elections.

Look, Gilmour is a great player, but his achievements are nowhere close to what Larionov and Anderson did. And next year's crop of players is impressive, considering these names: Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Luc Robitaille. But if Anderson had to wait nine years, why can't Gilmour? What's the rush?

Feel free to discuss amongst yourselves. I have some funny stuff to post tomorrow, and will continue on the charitable organization trail later this week with a couple of great organizations.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Week That Was

With having been focused on discussing some of the charitable organizations that the NHLPA is involved with, I've neglected some of the stories from around the hockey world last week. There have been hirings, some chatter about draft picks, some ECHL news, and some off-season player news that need to be covered. If you haven't had a chance to scroll back to last week's articles, I encourage you to check out some of the charitable organizations. These organizations are working hard to make people's lives better in a number of ways, and they deserve a little recognition.

Ok, let's take a look at some of last week's happenings along with some of today's news stories.

• The Ottawa Senators announced Craig Hartsburg as their new head coach on Friday morning after signing a three-year deal. Originally, it was thought to go to another OHL coach in Peter DeBoer, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement. Instead, Ottawa went down the road to Sault Ste. Marie, and hired Mr. Hartsburg. Mr. Hartsburg has promised accountability in his new position with the Senators, something that seemed to be missing from last season's team. The two-time, gold medal-winning World Junior head coach certainly knows accountability while playing in big games, so I feel that Mr. Hartsburg should do well in Ottawa.
• Speaking of Peter DeBoer, the former Kitchener Rangers' head coach signed a deal with the Florida Panthers to become their new head coach on Friday. Mr. DeBoer has a real challenge ahead of him as the Panthers have been doormats in the NHL for far too long. Another challenge will be replacing Olli Jokinen if the rumours become truth about the star being moved in the off-season. Mr. DeBoer did lead a very good team in Kitchener to success, but the jump to the NHL takes some adjustment time. While I'm sure that GM Jacques Martin is willing to be patient, the fans in south Florida may not be.
• Alexander Ovechkin received the highest honour from the city of Washington, DC on Friday when he was presented the key to the city. Ovechkin was honoured as the city's first MVP in a major North American professional sports league since Joe Theismann of the NFL's Washington Redskins in 1983. Congratulations to Mr. Ovechkin on his honour, and for bringing life back to hockey in Washington!
• Speaking of awards, the NHL honoured its best from the past season on Thursday evening, and Ovechkin was front and centre again. Ovechkin won the Hart and Lester B. Pearson trophies, as well as earning the Maurice Richard and Art Ross trophies for his statistical work. Washington's head coach, Bruce Boudreau, won the Jack Adams trophy as coach-of-the-year. Chicago's Patrick Kane was named as the Calder trophy winner for being the league's best rookie. Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom won his sixth Norris trophy as the league's top defenceman while teammate Pavel Datsyuk won both the Frank Selke and Lady Byng trophies. In a surprising win, New Jersey's Martin Brodeur won the Vezina trophy for the fourth time. Toronto's Jason Blake won the Bill Masterton trophy after battling leukemia during the season without missing a game. Tampa Bay's Vincent Lecavalier won the King Clancy trophy for his off-ice work in the community. And lastly, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman honoured former Hartford Whaler and Detroit Red Wing Gordie Howe with the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. Congratulations to all the winners on their achievements!
• There was also a slight "oops" that occurred at the Awards gala on Thursday. And by "slight", I mean ginormous. You would think that spelling a player's name, especially one who is a perennial award winner, would be fairly easy for the NHL, right? Obviously not, as Nicklas Lidstrom found out. Lindstrom? Someone lost a contract for jersey customization with that mistake.
• In an error that is still on their website today, TSN is reporting that the Pittsburgh Star-Review has information regarding the Penguins signing Malkin to a long-term deal. Now, that's great news for the Penguins, but the least that TSN could do is get their source's name right. The newspaper is actually the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, not the Star-Review. C'mon, TSN... you're better than that. Or at least I thought you were.
• The Penguins also filed for salary arbitration with goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in order to retain his rights, making him unable to become a restricted free agent. This will allow the Penguins to continue to negotiate with the young star past the July 1 deadline, and I expect a contract announcement sometime after the NHL Entry Draft this weekend.
• The San Jose Sharks also made a coaching announcement on Thursday, hiring former Detroit Red Wings assistant coach Todd McLellan to be their new head coach after signing a three-year deal. He led the AHL's Houston Aeros to a Calder Cup victory in 2003, and looks to duplicate his head coaching success in California. He'll be expected to improve upon Ron Wilson's playoff record where the Sharks were eliminated in the second round despite being the favourites. His experience with the Red Wings should hopefully give him an edge that he can use behind the bench.
• There are reports that Alexei Yashin is looking to make a comeback with the Islanders next season after playing this season in Russia for Yaroslavl Lokomativ. It is reported that Mark Gandler, Yahsin's agent, contacted Islanders' GM Garth Snow about Yashin's return. Gandler then found it appropriate to insult every member of the Islanders team by saying, "They didn't have a first line last season". While it's true that the Islanders struggled due to injuries, Mike Comrie led the team with 49 points in 76 games last season. Yashin's best season with the Islanders was in 2001-02, his first season with the club, when he scored 75 points in 78 games. He's older, slower, and still as moody as ever. My only message to Garth Snow is "why bother". Let him stay in Russia where he had 43 points in 56 games. He'll just be wasting a roster spot.
• The ECHL's Ontario Reign, formerly the Texas Wildcatters, have 17 players on their protected list from the former Wildcatters team to help form the basis of the Reign next season. The Reign will begin play officially on Saturday, October 18, 2008 in Bakersfield against the Condors, and will mark their home opener on Saturday, October 25, 2008 versus this season's Kelly Cup Finalist in the Las Vegas Wranglers. The game against the Wranglers will also mark the opening of Citizens Business Bank Arena for hockey - a brand-new, state-of-the-art, $130 million multi-purpose facility.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs hired Al Coates as their player-personnel director Monday. While this isn't huge in terms of news, the rumours of Burke-to-Toronto will only continue as Coates was formerly employed with the Ducks for the previous six seasons. While it's not truly tampering, the Leafs are sure going about building an empire of experienced personnel with which he has ties. If he truly is interested in the GM job in The Big Smoke, he will have his "knights" already in place. Keep an eye on this one.
  
• Russian player Maxim Mamin was suspended Monday by the IIHF for two years following a positive drug test from the World Junior Championships from this past year. He is suspended from all IIHF-sanctioned events and events organized by IIHF member nations until January 2010. He was 19 at the time of test, which followed a game in Pardubice, Czech Republic. The drug found was a metabolite of nandrolone, an anabolic steroid, and was three-times the threshold limit under the World Anti-Doping Agency rules. The undrafted Russian has essentially killed any hope of being drafted, but can still compete within Russia with his club team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk.
• In the biggest news of the day, the NHL's transfer agreement with the IIHF expired Monday, and this will potentially change the way that hockey business is done since there is no requirement for NHL teams to pay European leagues for free agents any longer. Both the Czech Republic and Russia refused to sign the latest attempt at an agreement as they felt the $200,000-per-player fee was too low, causing the NHL to walk away from the deal. IIHF president Rene Fasel said the NHL plans to honour European contracts and the league expects European teams do the same with NHL deals, but this may open up a whole can of worms for the European teams. Players under contract aren't affected by the NHL's decision not to renew the deal, but free agents are now, literally, free to for NHL teams to pursue. With the European leagues not receiving compensation any longer, this may put some serious strain on their leagues. Again, keep your eyes on this one.

Ok, that's a long laundry list of stuff that's happened over the last few days. Clearly, there is hope for some teams as they embark on a new path with a new coach or management. I'll have a few more "Charitable Donations" articles coming up this week, and I encourage you to check out the previous articles about these organizations by using the drop-down list to the right, or by scrolling down this page.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Charitable Donations: Steadfast Foundation

Hockey Blog In Canada is proud to present another excellent charitable organization today. With the rate of cancer on the rise, there are a number of foundations out there that are working to try to stop the rate of growth while researching ways to help end the afflictions. Perhaps where this is most noticeable is in organizations that are working to end childhood cancer and helping those families who have been affected by this disease. With that in mind, Hockey Blog In Canada is proud to present the Steadfast Foundation started by the Buffalo Sabres' Ryan Miller. Founded in 2006, Ryan and his father, Dean, decided to try and help as many families as possible in battling childhood cancer after they encountered their own battle with the disease.

Mission Statement: "The Steadfast Foundation is dedicated to assisting those afflicted and affected by the consequences of cancer, and especially childhood forms of the disease". The goal of the Steadfast Foundation is to use the foundation's "resources to provide patients and their families support to help improve their circumstances and attitude and give them the best environment and a better ability to battle the disease".

How Did The Steadfast Foundation Start?: I'll allow Ryan Miller to explain how the foundation got started in his own words.

"Each year cancer strikes too many people, including thousands of children and young adults. Last year my 17 year-old cousin, Matt, was diagnosed with leukemia bringing a terrifying reality to the forefront of my family’s life.

"Through his experiences I have gained a new perspective and understanding of what a young person goes through while fighting a disease. In response I felt compelled to help raise awareness and resources that would help mitigate the 'Battle' that so many face. This is why I have created The Steadfast Foundation, a non-profit corporation, with a mission to provide benefit to those in need in and around the communities of Lansing, Michigan and Buffalo, New York.

"Through the Steadfast Foundation I am reaching out to make the public aware of our efforts to provide much needed support and resources to those suffering the ill-effects and life-altering consequences of cancer, especially all forms of childhood leukemia. The Steadfast Foundation’s philosophy is that communities can mobilize to generate those resources.

"Our goal is to provide patients and their families support to help develop and maintain positive attitudes and help nurture an environment conducive to effectively battling the disease and dealing with challenging circumstances with as little pain as possible."

Now I know very little about cancer, aside from it being a very serious disease. Childhood leukemia is an acute cancer, meaning it develops extremely quickly. About 98% of childhood leukemia diagnoses are classified as acute. According to the KidsHealth website, "leukemias account for about 25% of all childhood cancers and affect about 2,200 American young people each year".

As we saw with the Team25 Children's Foundation, people who have Ataxia Telangiectasia have a higher chance of being afflicted with leukemia. However, there are a number of genetic afflictions that can increase one's chance of getting cancer, especially at a younger age. Clearly, this is a serious problem, and the Steadfast Foundation is working towards finding a solution to help families who are battling this disease.

The Steadfast Foundation has partnered with some very good organizations to help children in both Lansing, Michigan and Buffalo, New York. The foundation helped with funding for the Michigan State University Children's Health Initiative in Lansing, the Children's Miracle Network, and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo. The Steadfast Foundation hasn't done this on their own, though. Through the generous donations of their sponsors, the Steadfast Foundation has been able to help children in these two great American cities much more than doing everything on their own.

Sadly, Matt Schoals, Ryan Miller's cousin, passed away in October of 2007 from the disease. Matt had been diagnosed with childhood leukemia at the age of 16 in December 2005. Matt had helped Ryan design his new mask for the 2007-08 season, and Ryan wanted to honour his courageous cousin in this fight. Miller has previously worn a printed "Matt Man" sticker in honour of Matt Schoals on his old mask as inspiration and a living tribute to Matt's battle, but had it updated on the Schoals-designed mask on the new backplate, incorporating the bulldog as a symbol of Matt's fight. Bulldogs were Matt's favourite breed of dog. Things looked up when Matt received a bone marrow transplant, but that very transplant turned against Matt at the age of 18. He passed away in early October of 2007 cancer-free, but a victim of Graft-Versus-Host Disease. In keeping with honouring his cousin, Ryan Miller included the picture of the bulldog that became so closely associated with Matt on the mask he wore to the Winter Classic this past season.

Rest in peace, Mr. Schoals. You're an inspiration to me for the courageous battle you fought and the disease you defeated.

How Can I Help?: Like the other organizations I've written about, the Steadfast Foundation will gladly accept donations. If you would like to donate, I encourage you to contact the Steadfast Foundation via email at info-at-thesteadfastfoundation-dot-com, or to contact them via snail mail at:

Dean E. Miller
P.O. Box 77
East Lansing, MI 48826

They are also selling Buffalo Sabres sockey caps, which are hockey socks turned into toques, on their website, but the order form seems to be out-of-order. In that case, just email them at the link above. Also, you can volunteer to help the Steadfast Foundation. Just email them with the subject line of "I Want To Volunteer", and they'll get you set up. Lastly, they do hold events as well, so I recommend you check out that page for any new developments. There are lots of ways you can help, and not all of them require you to spend any money.

The Steadfast Foundation, the NHLPA, and Ryan Miller are helping the communities they live in. It's time for us to help them as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Charitable Donations: Shelter For Serenity

Today, Hockey Blog In Canada is proud to present the second of the two charitable organizations that Luc and Stacia Robitaille founded. The Robitailles were instrumental in founding Echoes of Hope, a charitable organization that helps children and young adults in the area that suffered during the Gulf Coast disaster, namely Hurricane Katrina. Echoes of Hope was a spin-off of Shelter For Serenity, and I am proud to discuss this organization today. Like its sister organization, Shelter for Serenity was started to help those who were most affected by the Gulf Coast disaster.

Mission Statement: Shelter For Serenity was started to help those who had been crippled by the devastating losses during Hurricane Katrina. This included not only land and property that people lost, but of their goals and dreams due to the losses they suffered. However, "[s]ince its inception, Shelter For Serenity has expanded its mission to address the needs of disenfranchised children in the Los Angeles community. Shelter For Serenity seeks to provide housing for those displaced for any reason, with the goal of supporting them on the path to self-sufficiency and long term success".

How Did Shelter For Serenity Start?: For this, I'll allow Luc Robitaille's letter, found on the Shelter For Serenity site, do the explaining.

Katrina has proved to be the worst natural disaster ever witnessed in this great country of ours. We have been bombarded with the reality of the devastation, the torment, the loss and the terror, as well as the relentless perseverance of its victims. We refuse to sit idle any longer.

Stacia and I have formed a non-profit foundation called Shelter for Serenity. Stacia and volunteers will be traveling to the affected areas to seek out four families who are willing and ready to relocate. Stacia will then transport the families back with her to our home 'Serenity' in Heber, Utah which was the inspiration for the name 'Shelter for Serenity.'

From there, we will help each family choose the destination where they will begin a new chapter of their life. Once we have determined each location we will secure homes which will be outfitted with everything from beds to toothbrushes. We will assist in securing employment for the parents and schooling for the children. The mission is to give each member of every SFS family a new start in a safe and serene environment.

Everyone involved with the set up, operation, and the future of Shelter for Serenity has and will donate their time, their expertise and their money or equivalent. As a result, each and every penny raised will go for the benefit of these families as well as those in need to come. We will stay in close contact with our SFS families and will keep you apprised of their progress, their triumphs and their joys through pictures and a quarterly e-mail update.

Stacia and I are truly committed to this immediate endeavor in addition to the future of Shelter for Serenity. We ask that you please join us in our efforts - Help us make this difference a reality!"

Clearly, this organization is working to make the future much brighter for a number of displaced people. However, the Robitailles aren't alone in this battle to make their communities much better places. They have help from a number of people and companies, including Sean Avery (NYR), Mike Cammalleri (LAK), Jimmy Carson (retired), Joe Corvo (CAR), Mathieu Garon (EDM), Jason LaBarbera (LAK), Aaron Miller (VAN), George Parros (ANA), and Jeremy Roenick (SJS).

Along with the sponsors and friends of the Shelter for Serenity, there have been a number of organizations who have helped in other ways, and I encourage to you check some of these organizations out.

How Can I Help?: In terms of all the other organizations I've spoken about, there is always a monetary donation that they can receive. On their site, you can donate via Paypal, call them at (310) 458-9720 and donate via phone, or you can send a cheque via snail mail to:

Shelter for Serenity
attn: Donations
212 26th Street
Suite 262
Santa Monica, CA 90402

If you're interested in helping out in other ways, there is a calendar of events that you can check out. Otherwise, I would suggest contacting Shelter For Serenity via email at shelter-at-shelterforserenity-dot-org. For donation inquiries, please email Shelter For Serenity at donations-at-shelterforserenity-dot-org. Otherwise, there is a snail mail address, phone number, and fax number you can contact the organization with by clicking here.

Shelter For Serenity, the NHLPA, and Luc and Stacia Robitaille are helping the communities they live in. It's time for us to help them as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Charitable Donations: Echoes of Hope

In the continuing summer project that I have vowed to undertake, Hockey Blog In Canada is proud to bring to you another fabulous organization. In fact, this will be Part One of a two-part article that reflects on organizations founded by Luc and Stacia Robitaille. Luc, of course, is a former NHL superstar, and he is now the Los Angeles Kings' President of Business Operations. Today, we'll look at an organization called Echoes of Hope, an organization that works to help Los Angeles youths to help themselves. The non-profit charity was founded by Luc and Stacia in 2005 in response to the Gulf Coast disasters, and was started as an outgrowth of Shelter For Serenity, the other charity the Robitailles started.

Mission Statement: Echoes of Hope was founded to specifically address the needs of at-risk youth who had their futures put in serious jeopardy by the Gulf Coast disasters. It also was started to "identify young people with the drive and ability to succeed, whose only obstacle is the lack of the tools and support to create brighter futures for themselves, and to give them the opportunities they so richly deserve".

How Did Echoes of Hope Start?: "Since its inception, Echoes of Hope has assisted young people across the country - from Katrina survivors to struggling youth in Luc and Stacia's own Los Angeles community". Obviously, this organization is working to ensure that America's future remains bright, and that's an excellent reason to help out. Echoes of Hope has a variety of programs that help adolescents and young adults achieve their ultimate potential.

The first program to be highlighted is called Echo Teens: Blueprints, which is designed for teens aged 13-17. The objective of this program is to help "participants become the "architects of their lives". In collaboration with their life coach, teens will map out their educational/career aspirations. Next, students will work to create an 'action plan' of measurable, short-term goals to ensure these dreams are brought to fruition. Visualization, goal-setting and motivational techniques will be taught to promote self-empowerment. Participants will also have one-on one wellness counseling with a mental health professional".

The second program I'd like to highlight is called Echo Young Adults: Foundations For Success, which is designed for young adults aged 18 and older. The objective of this program is to help young adults who demonstrate strong potential, but do not have the resources to achieve their dreams. "This program will focus on, but will not be restricted to, emancipated foster youth, and is a referral-based scholarship program. Programs will be custom built based on each individual's unique skills and needs to provide the best opportunity for success. Possible resources include scholarships, housing assistance, special event sponsorship, and supplies/equipment. In addition, each participant will have one-on-one wellness counseling with a mental health professional".

Both of these programs establish building good foundations on which success is built. This is vital when working with children who seemingly have their dreams dashed due to circumstances outside of their control. Ultimately, Echoes of Hope is rebuilding hope and enthusiasm in young adults during times when these young people have none. That is the definition of charity, and I commend the Robitailles for their efforts in re-establishing smiles on the faces of young people.

However, Echoes of Hope also has two other significant programs that enable young people to reach their full potential.

The Echoes Book Fund helps college students buy textbooks. Textbook costs have increased at nearly four times the inflation rate, averaging in at $853 per year. Students who are supporting themselves can rarely afford to buy all their textbooks, and, without textbooks to study from, are more likely to fail exams and possibly drop out of college.

"Echoes of Hope's book fund was established to ensure that the cost of books would not prevent any student from accomplishing their dreams of higher education. 100% of the donations to this fund will go toward the purchase of college textbooks and required supplies, providing a deserving young person with the tools necessary for success in their educational endeavors".

The Sponsor An Echoes Of Hope Youth program allows individuals and corporations to select a specific youth from the Echoes of Hope program, and pledge to support that young person in the pursuit of his or her dreams. This may include "attending a four-year college, community college, beauty school, vocational school or overseas study programs". Echoes of Hope ensures that the sponsor and youth remain in contact with regular updates and photos.

These programs are phenomenal, and I salute the Robitailles for their vision in creating these routes to help America's most valuable asset: young people. I encourage you to read the stories of some of the featured young people being helped by Echoes of Hope. They are stories of loss turned into stories of happiness thanks to the help of this fabulous organization.

Echoes of Hope also partners with other organizations as well. These include the Majestic Reality Foundation, the Bresee Foundation, The Alliance for Children's Rights, The Salvation Army: Red Shield Youth and Community Center, and Para Los Ninos. All of these organizations work to help children, and all deserve some recognition as well. Please visit these sites to find out how they, along with Echoes of Hope, are helping youth in America achieve their goals and dreams. Not only are these organizations partners of Echoes of Hope, the Robitailles have used their celebrity status to bring aboard a large number of sponsors and friends which help to ease the financial burden on running such a great organization.

How Can I Help?: If you'd like to help Echoes of Hope in helping America's youth discover their potential, I encourage you to click here. There are a number of ways to donate to this organization, and I especially encourage you to follow the information about doubling the impact of your donation by having your company match your donation. All the details about that are on that link above. I also encourage you to check out the events that Echoes of Hope is holding if you feel you'd like to donate to the organization that way.

You can also volunteer for Echoes of Hope. Volunteering is even better since you can do much more than just give money. Giving your time and energy is contagious, and your friends may also want to tag along. To volunteer, please contact Laura Baker at (310) 458-9770.

Echoes of Hope, the NHLPA, and Luc and Stacia Robitaille are helping the communities they live in. It's time for us to help them as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Charitable Donations: Athletes Against Autism

Hockey Blog In Canada is proud to present another great organization helping out the community today. There are a number of NHL players involved with this organization, and there has even been a jersey worn to help garner some attention for this very good cause. Today, Hockey Blog In Canada is proud to speak about Athletes Against Autism. Athletes Against Autism (AAA) was founded by three NHL players: Olaf Kolzig, Byron Dafoe, and Scott Mellanby. AAA is an extension of Autism Speaks, an organization that helps people with autism by funding research in finding a cure for autism as well as raising awareness of this disease.

Mission Statement: Athletes Against Autism (Triple A) is a group of athletes, personally touched by autism, who are harnessing their efforts into one voice in order to raise awareness and funds for autism research, treatment and education programs.

How Did Athletes Against Autism Start?: Olaf Kolzig, Byron Dafoe, and Scott Mellanby were personally touched by autism. The three NHL players are fathers of children with autism, and they realized the importance of using their celebrity status and influence to help over 1.5 million people in the United States alone affected by autism.

According to the webpage, "autism is a developmental disability that affects, often severely, a person's ability to communicate and socially interact with others. It is four times more prevalent in males than females", and it is believed that autism affects 1 in every 150 people.

Again, this is something of which I was unaware. Much like the info with Team25, autism is a pretty serious affliction that affects a lot of people. And it appears the rate of affliction isn’t slowing down. According to AAA’s website, "the majority of experts agree these changes are not enough to explain the epidemic rates at which autism is being diagnosed".

The symptoms of autism can vary greatly between individuals. The term to include the different types of autism is called Autism Spectrum Disorders. This spectrum includes the traditional type of autism, known as Kanner's autism or Kanner's syndrome, as well as Asperger's syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). However, there are some commonalities between the different syndromes. All people with autism demonstrate impairments in three areas: communication, social relationships and restricted patterns of behavior.

Again, pretty serious stuff. And that's why I am exposing these great organizations, and the selfless work the NHL players do for the community.

As stated above, goaltenders Olaf Kolzig and Byron Dafoe and forward Scott Mellanby are the founding members of Athletes Against Autism. However, there are a number of other NHL players who lend their time and support to this organization. Some of these players are Stu Barnes (DAL), Dustin Brown (LAK), Scott Gomez (NYR), Jeff Halpern (TBL), Dany Heatley (OTT), and Alexander Ovechkin (WAS). However, the list of athletes is long, and the entire member roster can be viewed here. There are Olympic gold medalists, MLB players, MLS players, PGA tour members, NFL players, and NBA players on that list, showing the wide range of athletes who support this organization.

Athletes Against Autism also partners with some smaller organizations that help to bring light to the battle against autism. These organizations include the Carson Kolzig Foundation, the Mellanby Autism Foundation, the Travis LaBoy Foundation, the American Special Hockey Association, and the Los Angeles Legends of Basketball. I encourage you to read more about how these smaller organizations are working in your local communities to help those afflicted with autism.

How Can I Help?: If you'd like to help Athletes Against Autism in their work to find a cure for this disease, I encourage you to click here. That link will take you to the Athletes Against Autism donation page where you can make a donation. If you're interested in helping out in other ways, I encourage you to check out all the events that this organization is putting on to help raise funds for autism research. Also, you can receive the Athletes Against Autism newsletter in your email if you're interested in their work by filling out the form on this page. Lastly, I encourage you to contact Athletes Against Autism if you have any questions by calling them at (888)-8AUTISM at extension 747, emailing them at aaa-at-cureautismnow-dot-org, or by writing them via snail mail at the following address:

Sam Levitt
Athletes Against Autism
5455 Wilshire Blvd. #2250
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Athletes Against Autism, the NHLPA, Olaf Kolzig, Byron Dafoe, and Scott Mellanby are helping the communities they live in. It's time for us to help them as well. Oh, and if you see one of these practice jerseys, pick it up. The money is going to the Autism Speaks Foundation, and you get a cool one-of-a-kind jersey.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Big Picture

Occasionally, I throw up pictures that have little or nothing to do with hockey, and then stretch to bring hockey and the picture together. Today's picture is no different. I don't know if you'd recognize it right away, but it's the Sistine Chapel. Now, Michaelangelo had nothing to do with hockey whatsoever, but he did paint this big picture. And today's article is all about the recent news in hockey, thus providing you with the big picture. Get it? Big picture? Ok, good.

With that in mind, here is today’s big picture.

• Ron Wilson officially takes over in Toronto. Not gigantic news, but it still matters, especially if you’re a Maple Leaf fan. Perhaps what comes as bigger news is the fact that the Maple Leafs signed him for four years, and still do not have a GM. The Brian-Burke-to-Toronto rumours will not stop for an entire year now. But if Burke and Wilson were so close, why did Burke never hire Wilson for a coaching position?
• Marc Crawford is done in Los Angeles. I had been calling for his firing for almost a year now, as A Queen Among Kings can attest. Crawford is highly overrated as a coach. He was simply brutal in Vancouver, and how Los Angeles hired him is beyond me. I gave him an award during my mid-season mock awards for “The Best Job At Awarding A Pink Slip”, but his time finally ran out. In two seasons, Crawford ran up a record of 59-84-21 as the head coach. Yeah, he had a young team, but that is simply brutal. Good bye, Mr. Crawford, and hopefully good riddance.
• Dominik Hasek retired from the NHL after 16 seasons. Hasek revolutionized the position with his unorthodox style while winning two Stanley Cups, back-to-back Hart Trophies, and six Vezina Trophies. The former Blackhawk, Sabre, Senator, and Red Wing finished his NHL career with a record of 389-223-95, a goals-against average of 2.20, and a save percentage of .920. Hall-of-Fame stats? I’d say so. His international efforts will not go unnoticed either, especially after winning a gold medal in the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998. Enjoy your summer and retirement, Mr. Hasek.
• Defenceman Mattias Norstrom also hung up the skates yesterday. The veteran Swede played 14 season in the NHL with the New York Rangers, the Los Angeles Kings, and the Dallas Stars. Over his career, he scored 18 goals and 147 assists while spending 661 minutes in the sin bin. Norstrom was twice selected for the NHL All-Star game – in 1999, and 2004. Enjoy your retirement, Mr. Norstrom.
• Another veteran of the game will announce his retirement today. Trevor Linden will call it a career after 18 seasons in the NHL. The veteran scored 375 goals and 492 assists in 1382 career games for the Canucks, Islanders, Canadiens, and Capitals. He was named captain of the Canucks at age 21, and helped lead Vancouver to the Stanley Cup Final in 1994 where they lost in seven games to the New York Rangers. Twice an NHL All-Star, the second overall pick of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft will always be one of the best Vancouver Canucks in team history. Linden also played a major role in the off-ice side of the game, serving as president of the National Hockey League Players' Association. Enjoy your time off, Mr. Linden.
• The Detroit Red Wings retained another major piece of their Stanley Cup winning team by re-signing head coach Mike Babcock to a three-year extension. In his three seasons in Detroit, he has led the Wings to three straight seasons of 50-wins and two Presidents' Trophy awards. Having the majority of the players who won the Stanley Cup already under contract, the Red Wings will remain as one of the elite teams for the foreseeable future with Mr. Babcock’s new contract.
• The Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Ducks completed a trade yesterday. Anaheim sent defenceman Marc-Andre Bergeron to the Wild for a third-round pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft. The puck-moving defenceman should help the Wild in moving the puck, as well as on the powerplay.
• The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars also made a swap. The Avalanche acquired forward Marty Sertich from the Stars for a 2009 Conditional Draft Pick. Sertich led the AHL Iowa Stars in scoring last season, posting 52 points in 79 games. Sertich is a former Hobey Baker Award winner with Colorado College, and signed with Dallas as a free agent on July 10, 2006.
• The Buffalo Sabres, after announcing earlier this season that their 29-year affiliation with the Rochester Americans will end, announced yesterday that they will begin a new affiliation with the Portland Pirates based in Portland, Maine. The Pirates recently ended an affiliation with the Anaheim Ducks. Portland has had strong teams recently, and the Sabres look to continue this tradition of hockey in Maine.
• There are rumblings coming from some owners about the salary cap, and this has to worry NHL Commish Gary Bettman. There is talk that the salary cap will increase again this season, the third season in a row that it has increased. The average NHL salary also increased this season by 11%, up from $1,708,607 to $1,906,793. The maximum cap has increased 28% since the return of hockey from the lockout. In 2005-06, teams were allowed to spend a maximum of $39 million. Last season, teams were allowed to spend $50.3 million. Teams in some of the smaller markets have begun to quietly complain that the salary cap is falling to the wayside, and that large market teams are opening up a gap in spending again. More teams are falling under the threshold limit for revenue sharing, and that has the large market teams grumbling as well. This appears to be a festering problem, so keep your eyes on this one.
• It took a little longer than they would have liked, but the Chicago Wolves are the 2008 Calder Cup Champions. Jason Krog scored a hat trick in Game Six to pace the Wolves to a 5-2 win, and a 4-2 series win. The Wolves won their second Calder Cup in six years, the first coming in their inaugural AHL season. Krog took home the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as playoff MVP. The WBS Penguins came up a little short in their efforts, but should be proud of their accomplishment this season. Congratulations to the Chicago Wolves!
• The 2010 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships will be awarded to one of four possible locations: Regina-Saskatoon, Toronto, Halifax-Moncton, or Winnipeg-Brandon. Personally, I’d like to see the World Juniors come back to Winnipeg-Brandon, but the Regina-Saskatoon bid is strong, and the Halifax-Moncton bid looks to build on their recent success as well. Hockey Canada will have to make a decision soon as the four venues have also shown interest in the 2012 Championships. Switzerland was supposed to hold the 2010 World Junior Championships, but they withdrew. The USA will host the 2011 World Juniors, and Canada hosts the Championship in 2012. Calgary-Edmonton has also shown significant interest in the 2012 World Juniors, making the decision a little tougher.

Ok, I think that’s everything for today. I’m going to be running around all day, so feel free to leave comments on these stories, or any others. I’ll get to them as soon as I can. Also, I’ll have another NHLPA-supported charitable organization to speak about tomorrow, so make sure you check tomorrow’s article.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

When It Comes Down To It...

After hearing the ridiculousness of the fight over the theme song to Hockey Night In Canada this week, it's taken some time, but I've finally realized something. Hockey Night In Canada is an institution in Canada, and the song is as important to the presentation of the television show as its main stars. It's like the main theme to M.A.S.H. or Cheers. It's as recognizable in Canada as the theme to The Simpsons. And now that CTV controls the song instead of the CBC, I've finally realized something that will shake the foundation of some of the readers that frequent this site.

It's just a song. Nothing more, and nothing less.

Let me explain this. A song has a certain power, and the Hockey Theme certainly did. Some have called it "Canada's Second National Anthem". I've grown up with the Hockey Theme and can hum it on demand for anyone who may ask. It was a part of my Saturday nights for as long as I can remember as it was the lead-in to the premiere hockey show on television called Hockey Night In Canada.

But it's just a song.

Think about this: would you still tune into The Simpsons if the theme song was different? Would Sex and the City have gotten a movie deal if they had a different theme song? Does CSI seem any less credible because they use a popular song written by The Who?

This is the point I am trying to make. It's not the theme song that makes the show great. The Simpsons has an excellent staff of writers who see satire and comedy in everyday situations, and apply that sense of humour when they write the shows. Sex and the City would still be what it is due to the actors making their performances entertaining and enjoyable. CSI has excellent writers and excellent actors, making it one of the most-watched television shows in history. But let me make this clear: no one watches these shows for the theme song.

Hockey Night In Canada will certainly sound different next year, but the reason we tune in is because of the content they air. Coach's Corner will still be what it is because Ron MacLean and Don Cherry will still be hosting the segment. The Satellite Hotstove will still feature some of the best hockey journalists from across the country talking about current stories in hockey. And the game of hockey will still provide excitement, drama, and moments of "wow" no matter what theme it is introduced by.

Look, I think that CTV, which owns TSN, was way offside on buying the rights to the Hockey Theme. It is part of Hockey Night In Canada, and should remain with Hockey Night In Canada in my view. However, the almighty dollar has won again, and Canadian hockey fans will have to adjust themselves in the wake of CTV buying as much hockey as they can.

I've heard the arguments from people on TV, saying that "Hockey Night In Canada is an institution, and this is blasphemy". The act of buying the song would qualify as blasphemy in a sense, but let's put this in perspective. You don't watch Hockey Night In Canada for the theme song. It's part of the experience, but it certainly isn't the reason one tunes in on Saturday night. And as difficult as it will be to adjust one's self to a new theme song next season, it's time to move on.

Just like Saturday Night Live, Rugrats, and the WWE's Raw television programs, life goes on with a new theme. Hockey Night In Canada will survive because of its content. That's what made Hockey Night In Canada popular, and that's what will continue to make it the top hockey show in North America.

After all, it's just a song. Nothing more, and nothing less.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Charitable Donations: Team25

Hockey Blog In Canada is proud to bring you the first charity that NHL players and the NHLPA support. I'd like to bring to light the work done by a fabulous organization called "Team25: The Shjon Podein Children's Foundation". Shjon Podein was an NHL player with Edmonton, Philadelphia, Colorado, and St. Louis, and his work to help children is very impressive. Mr. Podein wasn't an NHL all-star or the leading scorer on any team, but his efforts outside the game make him one the game's greatest contributors. Let's take a look at how Team25 works, and what they are striving to do.

Mission Statement: "The mission of Team25 is to improve the quality of life and create an environment of caring and community support for children facing extraordinary difficulties in their lives. The children, their families, our board and volunteers, sponsors and celebrities all work together in our efforts to accomplish this mission. Together we are Team25."

How did it Team25 start?: I'll let Mr. Podein's words explain it all.

"A little over seven years ago, I met a brother and sister who have Ataxia Telangiectasia at a golf tournament in Rochester. Sherry and I ended up dancing the whole night with Brian & Jessica and we just fell in love with them. They are the reason we started the children's foundation. Over the years, we have donated money towards finding a cure for Ataxia Telangiectasia, a disease that is like having Cystic Fibrosis, Cerebral Palsy, immune deficiencies, Muscular Dystrophy and cancer all together. But so many people have joined Team25 that we have been able to expand our mission and now we are helping many more kids in a lot of different ways."

Ataxia Telangiectasia is a very serious disease, as Mr. Podein pointed out. Not only does it resemble most of those diseases that Mr. Podein listed, many people afflicted with this disease pass away in their teenage years or in their early 20s. Currently, there is no known cure, and there is no way to slow the progression of the disease. There are treatments to help ease the burden of Ataxia Telangiectasia, such as physical, occupational, and/or speech therapies, but it truly is a debilitating disease for those afflicted with it.

According the the Ataxia Telangiectasia information page from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, "[a]bout 20% of those with A-T develop cancer, most frequently acute lymphocytic leukemia or lymphoma. Many individuals with A-T have a weakened immune system, making them susceptible to recurrent respiratory infections. Other features of the disease may include mild diabetes mellitus, premature graying of the hair, difficulty swallowing, and delayed physical and sexual development. Children with A-T usually have normal or above normal intelligence".

Pretty serious stuff.

Shjon and Sherry, his wife, have been actively involved in Team25 since meeting Brian and Jessica Christensen, the driving forces behind the startup of Team25. However, they have a pile of help in their efforts, most notable from some very high-profile people. You can view the list here, but other NHL players include David Aebischer, Rick Berry, Fred Brathwaite, Tom Chorske, Ben Clymer, Matt Cullen, Greg deVries, Chris Drury, Pat Falloon, Peter Forsberg, Bret Hedican, Milan Hejduk, Dan Hinote, John LeClair, Joel Otto, Mark Parrish, Martin Skoula, and Stephane Yelle. And that list doesn't even cover off the A-list Hollywood stars and musicians that are also a part of the organization. They also have an impressive list of corporate sponsors that support the organization.

However, Team25 does more than just work with children that are afflicted with Ataxia Telangiectasia. Of course, they support the AT Children's Project, a major organization that is working towards a cure for Ataxia Telangiectasia. They also support Camp Jornada for children with cancer, and the Rochester Better Chance House which provides minority students a place to grow while preparing them for college. Other organizations receiving Team25 support include the King Family Foundation Child Development Center, Majestic Hills Therapeutic Ranch, Minnesota Sled Hockey, PAL (Police Athletic League), RT Autism Awareness Foundation, and Urban Peak.

Now, not everyone receives money or support from the Shjon Podein Children's Foundation (SPCF). There are guidelines that have to be followed to receive a grant. The information page is linked here if you think you may want to apply for a SPCF grant.

Sadly, though, Brian Christensen passed away earlier this year at the age of 30. Brian was a lifelong Rochester, Minnesota resident and graduate of John Marshall who loved music and hockey. As the captain of Team25, Brian was an inspiration to all who met him, and was described as "a man many call the most outstanding person they'd ever met". His sister, Jessica, lost her life to the disease eleven years ago. These two siblings will be remembered by this blogger for their truly inspiring story, and how it led to the creation of one of the best charities involving NHL players and the NHLPA. Mr. Brian Christensen, April 27, 1978 to May 22, 2008, may you rest peacefully for all eternity.

How Can I Help?: Team25 is looking for donations, both monetary and office equipment. If you don't have money you can donate, perhaps you can help by donating something you have no use for any longer. To see how you can help Team25, please click here and read through the information. There are also a number of events you can go to and help the organization that way as well, and I encourage you to contact Team25 if you would like to know more.

Team25, the NHLPA, and Shjon Podein are helping the communities they live in. It's time for us to help them as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Helping Others Out

Occasionally, I get emails from people who want me to promote or advertise for them. I'd say that 99% of these emails are spam, and they regularly get deleted. However, when I received an email from the gentleman in the picture to the left, I actually took the time to read it. That man is Howard Shapiro, and Mr. Shapiro is a writer and independent publisher. Mr. Shapiro contacted me to help him generate some buzz for his new book, Hockey Player For Life. As you know, Teebz's Book Club is a huge supporter of all reading, especially in children, and I'm happy to help Mr. Shapiro out with this article.

Mr. Shapiro sent me the press release for the upcoming release of the book. Rather than explaining what's going on in the book, here is the press release in its entirety.

In anticipation of the October 7th release date of Howard Shapiro's new book, 'Hockey Player For Life', Supersonic Storybook Productions (SSP) is very pleased to announce that the Foreword for the book is being written by former NHL great Keith Primeau and that a promo video utilizing the cutting edge 'speed painting' technique has been posted on Youtube. '

'Hockey Player For Life', an 88 page book, is the continuation or follow-up to last year's 'Hockey Days' and is aimed at 11 - 15 year olds. The story features the main character from 'Hockey Days', Tom Leonard who is now 13 years old, as he becomes his AA hockey team's 'can't miss kid.' Along the way to the NHL, Tom hits a few road bumps and it takes his best friend Terry Adamson, who is the team's worst player, and Tom's mom and dad to teach him what it means to be a hockey player for life.

'I'm really happy with the story,' said Howard Shapiro. 'It's done in flashback and it was a lot of fun to write it from the perspective of a 13 year old. To tap into those emotions and feelings wasn't too difficult since I remember those days vividly, as I think most people do. A friend who has read the book told me that even though he didn't play any sports in school, he could still relate to what Tom and Terry go through in the story. That meant a lot to me because even though it is a hockey-themed book, I think teens and adults will be able to relate and identify with the struggles that both Tom and Terry go through on and off the rink.'

'I am very honored to have the great Keith Primeau do the Foreword for the book. Having him do that means a tremendous amount to me and I cannot thank him enough. It was wonderful to work with Nico Di Mattia from Cordoba, Argentina who did the video. I gave him a storyboard and he ran with it and did a tremendous job. I highly encourage everyone to please check the video out. It's very cool!'

As you can see, Mr. Shapiro's books are geared more towards the younger readers, and I commend his efforts in making reading a major part of any child's life. Of course, being that he writes about hockey, I am excited to get my hands on this book later this year for a possible review.

I also logged onto the website that Mr. Shapiro provided about him and his work, and I encourage you to check it as well by clicking here. The Pittsburgh-based writer has lots of hockey-related links on his site, as well as some templates that children can colour.

If you'd like to contact Mr. Shapiro in order to order one of his books, or pre-order this one, he also gave me some contact info. He can be reached by telephone at 866-520-4286 or by email at howard-dot-shapiro-at-hotmail-dot-com.

In terms of getting some views of the book, Mr. Shapiro sent me the Youtube link to a speed painting that his friend did of the book. The video is neat, and the illustrations are extremely well done. Here is the video for it:

Personally, I am looking forward to this book. A lot of hockey literature is geared towards a more mature crowd, and Mr. Shapiro has written a book with the young fan in mind. Having Keith Primeau, a bonafide NHL star, write the foreword for the book will only lend credence to his work.

Congratulations on the release of your new book, Mr. Shapiro! Teebz's Book Club, and Hockey Blog In Canada, anticipates its release in October of this year, and looks forward to keeping in contact with a talent such as yourself. Good luck!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Charitable Donations

Hello everyone! I said I'd speak a little about the Summer Project that I was going to embark on over the course of the next few months, and that's what I intend to do. With the help of the fabulous people at the NHLPA, Hockey Blog In Canada will be doing some in-depth articles on the various charities that NHL players and the NHLPA are involved in. This isn't going to be a "give me money" article, though, as none of the charities are aware that I am doing this for them. I have not been granted authority by the charities to use their names, but I will help them get their names out there a little more. As the picture says, Charitable Donations: Supporting Communities. After all, without a community, there would be no NHL team.

Much like Teebz's Book Club, I will devise a new list to put on to the right-hand side of this blog that has the various names of the charities I write about. I've already started doing the research for these articles, and I am quite impressed with some former and current NHL players who give their time so freely to help make the lives of others better. With the help of Devin Smith, one of the NHLPA's best marketing guys, I will tackle this endeavour all summer long until September. It should be quite interesting for some of the readers on here to find out how freely these professional athletes give their time, especially when they are so busy doing everything else.

Now, I realize there will be some questions as to why I picked this summer project. Let me run over these below.

"Why does this matter to you, and why should it matter to me?"

Again, I am fully aware that without a community, NHL teams wouldn't exist. We, as fans, pay money to watch these men play hockey, a game that others play for free, when we could be using our money elsewhere to help others. NHL players have always been involved in the community, probably more so than the other four major professional sports leagues, because the NHL relies on the money from ticket sales more than the other three leagues. If players can associate themselves with the fans, the fans are more likely to associate themselves with that team. It's really called "good marketing", but it helps in so many more ways.

When players show up at a children's hospital and spend hours there making children smile, those children forget about the pain they are in and the suffering they are enduring from their medical conditions. Seeing your child smile at the sight of their hockey hero coming through the door of their hospital room will bring tears to the eyes of many parents. Their child is no longer suffering which is every parent's best wish. That is what makes this so important.

"Will I have to donate any money?"

Absolutely not, although you may want to. There is no obligation to give money to a charity on this site. All I am doing is exposing the good work that the NHL players and the NHLPA do. If you'd like to donate, you're certainly more than welcome, and I'll make links available with each story if you feel that you'd like to donate.

But I want to be clear: I will not earn a penny if you do, and there is no obligation whatsoever for you to put any money out to these organizations if you don't feel like you can or should.

"Can I suggest a charity?"

Absolutely. The only criteria are these: (1) the organization has to be supported and recognized by the NHLPA - I'll run suggestions by Mr. Smith for approval; (2) the organization has to have an NHL player, current or former, working for it in some capacity; and (3) all the funds are used to better the community in some way.

If you know of a charity that you may want to suggest, please email me with the name of the charity, a website link, and the information on how an NHL player is involved. These emails should go to "cdnuniguy-at-gmail-dot-com". Please put "Supporting Communities" in the subject line so it doesn't get eaten by the spam bot or something. After that, I'll do some research, and post the article about the NHLPA-approved organization.

"This sounds like an NHLPA marketing campaign."

I realize that it may come across as sounding like that, but it is certainly not intended to be that.

Far too often, all we hear in the media during the off-season is how Player A wants an obscene amount of money to play hockey, and Team A isn't willing to budge from their offer. Far too often, the players and agents are made out to be the bad guys in the negotiations, and that's not always the case.

Instead, this series of articles is to expose the unselfishness of the players in terms of them donating their time to worthy causes that go to making the communities we live in better places. It's about them using their celebrity status to raise funds for worthy causes to help the people that make them into celebrities. It's about giving themselves to an organization they might be passionate about in order to help the fans.

Isn't that the real definition of celebrity? To use that celebrity status to help others who might be less fortunate or in situations beyond their control?

I realize there may be other questions, and if you want them answered, please email me as well. Again, I think this will be a very interesting project for both myself and you, the readers, as we gain a little bit of perspective on some of the NHL players who go out of their way to make life better for all of us. And it's also my way of saying thank you to these players for their unselfishness when it comes to their free time and their off-seasons.

The first one will be posted some time next week, and I'll go from there. I plan on doing a minimum of one per week over the next two-and-a-bit months, and will most likely have several up per week. I am really happy to be writing about this, and I hope it will help these organizations out with some exposure or possibly a few donations from readers.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Wrapping Things Up

That was fun, wasn't it? Watching the games between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins over this last week and a bit was exactly what the NHL needed: an infusion of energy, a pinch of drama, a couple of helpings of excitement, and some pure skill from some of the best players in the game today. I spent my Wednesday night watching the game at a local sports lounge, and the atmosphere was incredible. Kudos to the Red Wings fans around me for some laughter, and watching them nearly wet themselves during that last mad scramble around the Wings' net in the third period.

Pittsburgh fans can't be disappointed whatsoever. Yes, it's heart-breaking to lose the Stanley Cup Final, but this is a team that experts were writing off at the beginning of the season after they opened the 2007-08 campaign with a record of 8-and-11. They watched their superstar, Sidney Crosby, get injured. They watched their workhorse, blue-collar hero Gary Roberts miss significant time. Their starting goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury, was put on the shelf with an injury as well.

If you're a Penguins fan, though, you saw the awakening of Evgeni Malkin. You saw a reborn Ty Conklin put the city into a new frenzy, one about a goaltender that hasn't been seen since the early days of the 1990s when a guy named Tom Barrasso was leading the Penguins to a couple of Stanley Cup wins. There were the discoveries of some exciting young players who contributed in huge ways - Kris Letang, Tyler Kennedy, Adam Hall, and Rob Scuderi.

If you're a Penguins fan, you might be disappointed, but you're certainly not unhappy.

If you're a Red Wings fan, you have to be ecstatic. You saw two "playoff underachievers" in Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk shed the gorillas off their backs, putting in monster performances throughout the playoffs to establish themselves as two of the finest two-way players in the NHL.

You watched some young players take big steps as well - Niklas Kronwall, Jiri Hudler, and Valtteri Filppula were instrumental in the Red Wings' victory. Johan Franzen became a playoff legend, and looks poised to follow in the footsteps of Tomas Holmstrom as the best player to stand in front of net.

And, of course, you can't forget the veteran presence. Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Chris Osgood, Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Daniel Cleary, and Dallas Drake all were major cogs in this Stanley Cup victory.

What might make this Stanley Cup win sweeter is the fact that the Red Wings will have virtually the same team for the next three years as the core of the Red Wings have been signed to major deals.

Defenceman Brad Stuart is the only looming free agent, while goaltender Dominik Hasek will most likely not be re-signed after spending the playoffs watching from the bench. Zetterberg's deal expires next season, but there's already talk of re-signing him long-term to a deal similar to Datsyuk's deal of approximately $7 million per season for a minimum of three years. With the Conn Smythe Trophy already in his pocket, plus nominations for several more awards, Zetterberg is a special player, and the Wings will be anxious to get him locked up long-term.

If there is a model franchise in which owners and general managers should be building their financial and team success models after, it has to be the Detroit Red Wings. Four Stanley Cups in eleven years. Consistently at the top of league's standings. Always a playoff threat.

And it appears there will be no letting up in the foreseeable future for these Detroit Red Wings. This should make the NHL, and its fans, very happy.

Congratulations to the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings!

Calder Cup Playoffs The baby Penguins are currently in dire straits against the Chicago Wolves, and will have to play desperate hockey starting tonight.

The Atlanta Thrashers' AHL affiliate in the Chicago Wolves pushed the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to the brink of elimination, and a possible sweep, with a 6-1 victory on the road. The Wolves have simply steamrolled the Penguins thus far, and they will look to wrap up the Calder Cup Championship tonight in WBS.

This playoff year in the AHL has seen several records fall. I spoke of Darren Haydar's career AHL playoff goal-scoring and point-scoring records a few days ago. Well, the WBS Penguins saw one of their players break a record on Monday.

After a scoring correction, rookie AHL defenceman Alex Goligoski was awarded his 26th point of these Calder Cup Playoffs, setting the new mark for defencemen in the AHL Playoffs. His record was set in the same game that saw Darren Haydar break set his new marks for playoff scoring. Goligoski is now two points shy of the rookie scoring record in the AHL playoffs, set in 1992 by Mike Sillinger of the Adirondack Red Wings.

Chicago Wolves' defenceman Joel Kwiatkowski tied an AHL record on Wednesday night as he scored in his seventh straight game - a record for defencemen. Kwiatkowski tied the record set by Brian Chapman during the 1992-93 regular season while a member of the Springfield Indians. It is also thought that Kwiatkowski set a record with his tenth goal of these 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs, but, at the time of this writing, is still being researched.

Congratulations to Alex Goligoski on his record, and Joel Kwiatkowski on his record!

Kelly Cup Playoffs: The Cincinnati Cyclones ended a spectacular season in style, winning the ECHL's Kelly Cup on Thursday night over the Las Vegas Wranglers by a 4-2 series margin. In doing so, the Cyclones became just the third team to win both the Brabham Cup, the trophy awarded to the regular season point champion, and the Kelly Cup.

An ECHL record crowd of 12,722 watched the game, breaking the highest mark set by the Louisiana IceGators. The US Bank Arena holds 12,056 people, meaning it was standing-room only in Cincinnati, and the fans packed the arena. The IceGators had set several records for attendance, including four crowds of 11,800 in 1997.

Cincinnati goaltender Cedrick Desjardins was named the Most Valuable Player of the Kelly Cup Playoffs after going 11-4 in the playoffs with one shutout, a goals-against average of 1.84, and a save percentage of .939.

Congratulations to the Cincinnati Cyclones, the 2008 ECHL Kelly Cup Champions!

Other News: This section will just tie off some loose ends that need closing.

• Congratulations to Mr. Justin St. Louis on winning the NHL Playoff Line Pool with 134 points. Mr. St. Louis' line of Joe Thornton, Sidney Crosby, Henrik Zetterberg, Sergei Gonchar, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Marc-Andre Fleury paced him to the win. I will be in contact with you next week to arrange your prizes, Justin! Thanks to everyone who entered!
• The ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays have updated their logos. Gone is this logo, a cartoonish stingray, and is replaced by this logo, a "modern, sleek and realistic representation of a Stingray while creating a brand that is instantly recognizable". The Stingrays also introduced two alternate logos, seen here and here. They look alright, so I'll give it a pass. It has yet to be seen on a jersey, though, so only time will tell if this is an upgrade.
• Tuesday saw the Anaheim Ducks announce that their affiliation with the AHL's Portland Pirates was coming to end, and that the team's AHL affiliate will begin play in Des Moines, Iowa next season. There has been no announcement on a team name, logo, or team colours at this point, but I assume it will follow in Ducks' colours. The announcement of these details will come in July.
• Veteran NHL defenceman Glen Wesley announced his retirement yesterday after spending the last 20 seasons patrolling NHL bluelines in Boston, Hartford, Toronto, and Carolina. Wesley appeared in the 1989 All-Star Game, and won a Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006. He will remain as part of the Hurricanes' franchise, accepting a role as Director of Defenceman Development.
• The end of May saw the IIHF Division II Men's World Championship being played on Australian soil. Much to the delight of the host country, the Aussies ended up winning the gold medal at the World Championships last month, seen here as captain Anthony Wilson hoists the winner's plate. The win puts the Aussies, known as the "Mighty Roos", into the IIHF Division I World Championship for the first time ever. Here are views of their home and road jerseys, and a link where you can get merchandise if you're interested. Congratulations to Team Australia!
• A big thanks to everyone who reads this blog. You guys are truly incredible, and this community rocks. I do, however, want to identify one person. Someone from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was the 50,000th person to come to my humble blog. He or she visited this page and didn't stay very long, but was still the 50,000th person who stopped by none-the-less. That happened yesterday at 4:35pm, and I am humbled by the amount of people who stop by. Thank you to everyone who checks this site out, and I encourage you to leave comments about anything and everything regarding hockey.
  

Ok, I think that's about all today. The announcement of my summer project will come tomorrow. Again, I am excited about doing this project, and I hope to bring some light to something that rarely gets talked about when it comes to players and the NHLPA.

Take care, prepare for the draft, enjoy the Red Wings parade, and keep your sticks on the ice!

Hockey Is Not A Buick

There are certain athletes that define an entire era of their respective sports so much that they transcend the game and become larger than life in a sense. Michael Jordan was the definition of the NBA for over a decade until he prematurely retired from the game of basketball. Wayne Gretzky defined hockey in every sense for the NHL, and helped give the Sunbelt the game of hockey in the United States. Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron... all these men made baseball "America's Pasttime", and allowed little boys to become their heroes every time they stepped on a dusty baseball diamond. Tiger Woods looked to be cut from the very same cloth as these legends until he opened his mouth on television on Wednesday.

If there is one thing that should be taught to every single athlete, no matter what sport they play, it's that one should be gracious and thankful for the stardom they receive. In doing so, athletes need to understand that the cameras and reporters they speak to will carry their messages far further than they can imagine.

And in this regard, Tiger Woods decided to rain on hockey's parade. Make no mistake about it, the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Final has been very entertaining, and the television numbers have reflected the excitement being generated. I would have been willing to grant Mr. Woods some leniency had he simply stated "I'm not a hockey fan". That would have been enough for me to grant him a pass. Instead, Mr. Woods opened his mouth, turned off his brain, and said this when asked of his prediction on Game Five:

"I don't really care. Let's talk about the Dodgers. I don't think anybody really watches hockey any more."

Oh, Mr. Woods... are you really that naive?

Back in March, Wayne Gretzky said of Tiger Woods, "He's the greatest athlete I've ever seen". That quickly prompted some members of the press to question Gretzky's comment, most notably bringing about images of the rotund John Daly, golf's finest example of what an athlete should not resemble. Gretzky quickly came to the defence of golf, saying, "You ever tried to golf? You better be a good athlete if you try to golf".

Now, I've tried golf. It's a gorgeous walk in a beautifully-manicured park, spoiled by a little white, dimpled ball. Yes, it'a a long walk during some rounds, complete with a visit to deserts, the woods, and a few ponds. Heck, I used to work at a golf course when I was younger, so I have an appreciation for all that goes into the game of golf.

However, for the world's most recognizable golf icon to insert his foot into his mouth entirely is nothing more than a showing of complete stupidity. Rarely do I ever feel as drained after playing a round of golf as I do playing three periods of hockey. Rarely am I ever as entertained by golf on television as I am when I watch hockey.

This isn't 2005, Mr. Woods. The Penguins' victory over the Red Wings on NBC drew the best overnight rating for a Game Three of the Cup finals since 2002. Pittsburgh's 3-2 win on Wednesday night earned a 2.8 national rating. The game also drew an 18.2 rating in Detroit, beating out the 15.9 rating that the Pistons and Celtics drew for their game in the NBA's Eastern Conference finals. The combination of the first three games in the Stanley Cup Final have made this the highest-rated and most-watched opening games of the Cup Finals since Detroit faced Carolina in 2002.

Let's push this even further. Games One and Two of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Final on Versus were the second- and third-highest rated programs in the cable network's history. Only Lance Armstrong's last Tour de France victory in 2005 rated higher.

Nationally, Game Four of the series was the top-rated prime time show in the USA on Saturday night amongst the key demographic for the NHL - men aged 18-49. Game Five set another bar as it produced the highest rating for a playoff game for NBC, the same NBC which airs golf regularly, since NBC re-acquired the TV rights in 2004.

Golf, however, has seen an dramatic decrease in television ratings as course designers fight the "Tiger Effect". Tournaments in which Mr. Woods is not playing have dramatically-lower viewership that when he is playing. In fact, the US Open, one of the premiere events in the world of golf, has seen the winning score average in at 5-over par. Joe Ogilvie said of the game, "It gets to the point when golf - even for us - gets pretty boring".

Face it, Mr. Woods. Hockey may not be your game, but it is a great game, and the US fans are joining the rest of the hockey world by watching tonight. Maybe you should tune in and watch Game Six before putting your feet smugly in your yap.

Until next time, keep your sticks on your ice!

Hockey With Extra Wow

If I'm Gary Bettman, I am ecstatic today. Last night, Game Five of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Final turned out to be one of the best games in this year's playoffs, and perhaps one of the best in the last decade. Really, can anyone ask for a better game? The Penguins went up by a couple of goals, the Red Wings rallied in the third period to take the lead, and then the Penguins tie the game up on a Max Talbot goal with less than a minute to play. If that weren't enough, there were amazing chances and pucks off goalposts in the three overtime periods before Petr Sykora ended the game with a powerplay goal to give the Penguins a 4-3 triple-overtime win.

The only bad news was that one team had to lose. The good news, of course, is that Game Six of this extremely entertaining series goes tomorrow night from the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh at 8pm ET. The Stanley Cup will be in the building again. The only question is whether or not it will be hoisted, or heading back to Detroit.

TV Deal: For the Canadian readers out there who get TSN in their cable package, it was announced today that TSN and the NHL have partnered on a new six-year deal. The deal runs through the 2013-14 season.

The terms of the deal are as follows:

• TSN secures exclusive Canadian specialty television rights for national English-language broadcast and digital coverage of NHL games.
• TSN will televise 70 regular season games annually, and all games will feature at least one Canadian team for the first time in the agreement between TSN and the NHL.
• TSN will televise the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the possibility of featuring a Canadian team in the Conference Quarter-Finals. This is also a first in the agreement between TSN and the NHL.
• Suite of digital rights for TSN telecasts includes broadband, wireless and video-on-demand.
• Continued exclusivity of Wednesday Night Hockey, in which there are no other national or local telecasts. Teebz: Thank you, TSN, for making Wednesdays that much better.

TSN's coverage of the Canadian teams will feature the Toronto Maple Leafs with 17 appearances annually, followed by Montreal with 15, and 10 appearances each for Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa.

Some excellent news from the NHL and TSN, and this will fuel my hockey obsession for the next six years.

Gonzo: John Tortorella, head coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning, is no longer the head coach in Tampa, which basically paves the way for the worst-kept secret in hockey - Barry Melrose will take over behind the bench in TeeBay.

Oren Koules, the prospective owner of the Lightning, made no secret about his wish to make hockey far more publicized in Florida, and the rumour was that he was planning on offering Melrose $2 million/year to step down from his position with ESPN to take over the bench duties in Tampa.

Whether or not this is true remains to be seen, but if it is true, Melrose will become the highest-paid coach in the NHL after having not coached in over a decade. Is this a mistake? Personally, I'd say yes, but I'm not the one buying the Lightning.

Tortorella, of course, led the Tampa Bay Lightning to their only Stanley Cup in 2004, and won the Jack Adams Trophy for being the NHL's best coach that same year. Which leads me to....

Coaching The Smoke: Things are heating up in the Big Smoke this week. Cliff Fletcher, interim general manager of the Maple Leafs, had indicated yesterday that they had made an offer to a coaching candidate, but refused to name names.

However, Ron Wilson confirmed today that he received an offer from the Leafs, and was going to use the weekend to make his decision regarding the offer. Ron Wilson would be a very good choice as the next Leafs bench boss, but, with Tortorella available now, the Leafs could be looking at him as Plan B.

Ron Wilson was a winner in San Jose, and there's no doubt he has had success in his career. In Tortorella, the Leafs could be getting a guy who coached a very young team to a Stanley Cup Championship while winning coach-of-the-year honours.

Again, I'm a little confused as to why there has been no GM hiring yet, but there is a possible coach hiring. GMs usually work with coaches they are comfortable with, not the other way around. The Leafs, while selecting a very qualified candidate, seem to be working backwards again.

Ok, that's about all the time I have for today. Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Getting Run Over

If there was ever a time that a team needed to dig deep, it's now. The Detroit Red Wings took a stranglehold on the Stanley Cup Final last night with a 2-1 victory over the Penguins. The split in Pittsburgh gave the Big Red Machine a 3-1 series lead, and that looks ominous if you're a Penguins fan. The Red Wings have been lights out at home this season, and the Penguins, if they want to win the Stanley Cup, will have to win two on Joe Louis Arena ice. Can it be done? Yes. Is it realistic? Probably not.

Game Five goes tomorrow night in Detroit at 8pm EST. Do or die for the Penguins. If they do, they will return home to the Mellon Arena for Game Six. If they don't, they'll watch the Red Wings hoist the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in the last 11 years.

For the Red Wings, I expect them to come out focussed. An Osgood shutout is not out of the question. Tomas Holmstrom will be back in the lineup, making the Red Wings even more formidable. Dominik Hasek will be watching from the bench once again.

AHL Update: The NHL Penguins aren't the only Penguins team struggling. Much like the NHL squad, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins lost both games away from home ice. Game One went to the Chicago Wolves by a 5-4 score, while Game Two was won by the home team Wolves by a 4-2 score.

Chicago Wolves' captain Darren Haydar set a couple of new AHL records in the victory earlier this afternoon. Haydar scored a goal on a breakaway at the 7:35 mark of the first period, giving him 52 career AHL playoff goals. That goal broke the record held by AHL Hall-of-Famer Jody Gage.

Haydar also set the record for career AHL Calder Cup PLayoff points. He scored a powerplay goal at the 13:31 mark of the first period, his 53rd career playoff goal, that put him at 120 career playoff points. That broke the record held by AHL Hall-of-Famer Willie Marshall of 119 points that was set in 1971.

Congratulations to Darren Haydar!

ECHL Update: The Cincinnati Cyclones and Las Vegas Wranglers are currently tied at 2-2 in the Kelly Cup Final. The teams split in Cincinnati with the Cyclones winning Game One, and Las Vegas winning Game Two.

Cincinnati increased the lead in the series to 2-1 with a 4-2 victory in Las Vegas. Cincy's outstanding rookie, David Desharnais, had a goal and two assists in the victory on Thursday. Just like in Cincinnati, Las Vegas responded with a shutout win, defeating the Cyclones 2-0 on Saturday night. Wranglers' goaltender Kevin Lalande stopped 27 shots for his second shutout of the series.

The best-of-seven series is now a best-of-three. Game Five goes Monday night at 7:05pm local time in Las Vegas at the Orleans Arena.

There's your hockey roundup for Sunday. More to come this week with these series wrapping up. I'll also be discussing a new project I am starting this summer that will be featured on this blog. I'm quite excited to do something like this, and I'll have all the details this towards the end of the week.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!