HBIC: YIR - Part One

It's that time of year again, readers, where we look at all the stories that made news on HBIC this year. The Year-In-Review is always a great time for me because I like going back and reading stuff from earlier in the year to see if it still holds true at the end of the year. We have a number of topics that dominated the news in hockey this year, and HBIC touched on all of them. From head shots and concussions to the return of the Winnipeg Jets to various jersey modifications, there were a ton of stories that made headlines on HBIC this year. These are the stories that I found most notable from January 1, 2011 until June 30, 2011. Enjoy!

JANUARY

• With Authority! - I speak highly of the Canadian Junior team that hammered the Americans in the 2o11 World Junior Championship. Peter makes a good comment.
  
• Where It Hurts - I commend the Russians for doing something typical of Canadian teams in that they outworked Canada to capture the gold medal at the WJC.
• A Job Some Would Kill For - I take Evgeni Nabokov to task for refusing to suit up for the New York Islanders. He signed a contract knowing the risks.
• Lynch Mob - I admit a mistake in the above article, but I also hammer home that Don Meehan should have seen this coming. His knowledge could have prevented this.
• Changing Their Course - Tampa Bay rolls out a new look for the Lightning. I actually like these new uniforms, and they have grown on me. I like blue more than black.

FEBRUARY

• Today In Hockey History - HBIC takes a look back at Gary Bettman's 18 years as NHL Commissioner, and some of the events seen along the way.
• Recurring Theme - Rick DiPietro is injured again. In an unusual way for a goalie.
• Head Derails Career - Marc Savard's hockey career is basically over after yet another concussion. There's a some good science in this one, but it's still sad.
• Why 82? - I look at why 82 games are necessary, and begin to reduce the number of games to make them more meaningful.
• First Of His Kind - Name the first hockey player inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. Don't know? You might be surprised to see who it is.

MARCH

• Trip Of A Lifetime - Miss Michelle Nott gave a great recollection of the Petitcodiac/Salisbury Bantam "A" Flyers from New Brunswick and their trip to Whitehorse, Yukon for Hockey Day In Canada.
• Champions Of Character - Winnipeg-based Westwood Collegiate's hockey team does the right thing after their coaches were trying to cheat their way into an easier game.
• Another Brick Upside The Head - Hey, hockey parents, leave those kids alone. Official abuse is disgusting, and I'm ashamed by some parents in Winnipeg.
• More Negative Manitoba Hockey Headlines - February was a bad month for amateur hockey in Manitoba. This as disgusting as well.
• What Is "Doughnut" In French? - The Montreal Canadiens equal a 62 year-old record. And not a good kind of record either.
• Sickening Display - Hockey in Texas was going about a poorly as it was in Manitoba.

APRIL

• More Horrific Footage - Quebec jumps into the highlights with a stick-swinging incident that is horrific to say the least.
• Radical Ideas - David Andrews, AHL Commissioner, announces that the AHL will play less games next year and shorten the playoffs. And yes, he is sane.
• Concerns For The AHL Teams - With rumours of the NHL returning to Winnipeg, I float ideas of places that the AHL can move to in the west to improve their footprint.
• Get The Ilya Outta Here - Ilya Bryzgalov's idiotic comments about Winnipeg give me a few things to write about.

MAY

• Nobel Prize Novelist On Hockey - William Cuthbert Faulkner was a Nobel Prize-winning writer who wrote an interesting article on hockey. Worth the read!
• Controversial Avery Once More - Sean Avery stands up for New Yorkers for Marriage Equality, a group that was working for gay persons to be allowed to be married.
• Loss Of A Great Boogey-Man - Derek Boogaard's death is still shocking to me, and the tragedy shook the hockey world.
  
• Wading Through Murky Facts - With the rumours of the Thrashers moving to Winnipeg, campaigns to bring down the Thrashers' owners became ugly.
• You Want Nudity? - Just because a girl in Vancouver flashed what she was blessed with on national TV, I got lots of hits for people looking for her. Here's my response.
• Real Interleague Play Would Have Been Awesome - I still wish the NHL and WHA had played each other more regularly. Minnesota would have been divided!
• Denial No More - The announcement wasn't official yet, but the Thrashers-to-Winnipeg was a done deal at this point. I accept the reality of the NHL returning.
• Eric Lindros Steps Forward - Eric Lindros give a fantastic interview in MacLean's magazine about concussions. This is an excellent article.
• 1400 Is The New 1 - On my 1400th article, the NHL is is officially back in Winnipeg with the announcement that the Thrashers will move north.

JUNE

• Saying All The Right Things - Thrasher players are excited to move to Canada. Their comments seem to indicate that this year may be special.
• Face It: They're Dead - I continued to receive emails from people holding out hope that the Thrashers would be saved. There were 150 millions reasons why they were dead.
• Big Bad Champions - The Boston Bruins won the 2011 Stanley Cup Championship. My dad was overjoyed and thrilled.
• Winnipeg's NHL Nights - The NHL schedule for the Jets is posted, and I look forward to some of the highlights of the season.
• Wardrobe Changes For 2011-12 - We got to see the vast majority of new looks for NHL teams at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Some good, some not so good.

So that's the first six months in the books. I definitely wrote a few good articles, and I'm proud to say that my schooling went well from January to April. It allowed me to get a great new job in August, and I really am proud of the work I put in at college. Tomorrow, we'll wrap up the Year-In-Review at HBIC before starting January 1, 2012 with some new stories.

Until then, keep your sticks on the ice!