No More Fighting: Say It Ain't So

I’m tired of the NHL trying to regulate/ban fighting.

It’s sad that Don Sanderson died, but I do not think that the NHL should take into account what happens in another league. The NHL is full of millionaires getting big bucks for the most part and they get paid to take those risks. A tower crane operator gets paid big bucks because there is a chance he’s going to fall a few hundred feet to his death. The NHL is trying to take away all the risk associated with the game.

The league is talking about only letting players fight after an illegal hit which would ban fights that were after legal hits and what they call “staged fights”. This means no fights off the faceoff. I guess next time George Parros and Raitis Ivanans want to fight they are going to have to get their permission slips signed by Colin Campbell.

In my opinion Colin Campbell should have to step down from his position as disciplinarian. How are you going to have someone hold that position when their own son plays in the league? Are you going to say that he would suspend Gregory Campbell or that there wouldn’t be bias when analyzing an illegal play involving his son? It’s like having a judge try his son for a civil crime.

Fighting is one of things that makes hockey unique to other sports and they just need to leave it alone. If you ask someone who does not watch hockey what they think of it, the first thing out of their mouth is “I like when they fight”.

I think Don Cherry was right when he was saying how the NHL has committees for everything. They got a competition committee and they have a head shot committee, they just need to play the game and stop messing around with it.

For the most part I don’t like the direction the league is heading by trying to take the physical play out of the league. Hits that were applauded a few years ago are frowned upon and fighting that has become a facet in the league is being scrutinized and could possibly be taken out. I can say that at the rate we’re going, that in 40 years when I’m in my 60s, I probably won’t be watching NHL hockey anymore.

… And could someone please tell St. Louis to stop playing Pink during a fight, I feel embarrassed for them.

But I Want Roll Bars

The one thing I have noticed while looking for new hockey gloves recently is that Bauer has begun to phase out the classic roll bar look. They are bringing in this new futuristic look that looks more like part of someone's drunken baby sister’s Halloween costume.

As I peruse through the Bauer website there is only one pair left that has roll bars. As you scan through all the gloves, those are the ones that stick out and you’ll probably say to yourself, “those are the nicest looking gloves on the page.” The only problem with these gloves are that they are $90 plus shipping (definitely not finding them at Modell's), and for a college student who goes through a pair of gloves every two-to-three months, this is out of the question.

What this travesty has led me to do is start to look into getting my old pairs of gloves repalmed. Most gloves themselves will last for a long time, but it’s the palm that rips or wears out.

There are multiple places online where you can send your old gloves and they will repalm them for about $45. Most gloves have palms made out of a synthetic material called clarino. It is thinner than leather, but one problem I have found with some of my gloves is that they dry hard, and the next time I play they are uncomfortable until I start sweating in them to loosen them up.

One option is to get your gloves repalmed with leather which costs the same as clarino. The one good thing about leather is that they dry soft. They are also thicker which some people may not like, but in theory they should last longer. So for those of you who really like Bauer gloves, but can’t stand the new junk they are putting out, getting your classic gloves repalmed may be the road to go.

It Wasn't Easy Being Cheesy

… But who could forget the crazy goalie with all the stitches on his mask?

Born on December 7th, 1940 in St. Catherines, Ontario, Gerald Michael Cheevers would eventually become a hockey legend in Beantown. And, although Cheesy never won a Vezina as the NHL’s top netminder, he will go down as one of the greatest (and most popular) goalies in league history.

Cheevers began making a name for himself while playing for the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League. In 1964-65 Cheesy was impressive between the pipes while helping Rochester capture their first ever Calder Cup. Along the way, Cheevers won an astonishing 48 games out of 72 in 1964-65 (still the AHL single season record for wins by a goalie).

In 1967 Cheesy made the leap and joined the Big Bad Boston Bruins, a match made in heaven for the passionate, off-the-wall, netminder. Cheevers’ aggressive and emotional style of play made him a fan-favorite among the Boston faithful. While Orr and Esposito dazzled fans with their offensive wizardry, Cheesy would leave his crease to challenge all shooters, earning the reputation as a money goalie and winning two Stanley Cups with the Bruins in 1970 and 1972.

However, the turning point of his famed career may have been the day the quirky Cheevers took a puck to the face during practice. After the shot rang off his noodle, Cheesy retired to the dressing room for repairs. When he didn’t return shortly, Bruins coach Harry Sinden went to check on his backstopper and found him leaning back in the dressing room with a beer in one hand and a smoke in the other. At that point, Cheesy had the Boston trainer Frosty Forestall paint a stitch on his mask where the puck hit him. From that point on, each time Cheevers took a shot up high, another stitch would be added to the ever-popular mask.

In a 1999 interview with “Be A Player, The Hockey Show,” Cheesy shed some insight on the birth of his stitches mask: “Well, when the mask first became a reality in the game of hockey, the first ones were all plain white and I hated wearing anything white. It was to me a sign of purity and I wasn't in a pure business as far as I was concerned, playing goal and hacking away and all that stuff. And I also had a daily practice of trying to get out of practices. Going to practice, all I could think about was getting out of it. And one day this puck flipped up and hit me in this new white mask I had. It wouldn't have cut me if I didn't have the mask on but I acted like I was seriously hurt, went to the dressing room, and Harry Sinden, who was coaching, came in and told me to get the heck out of there. And so I was about to go out onto the ice and our trainer, John Forestall, said to wait a minute and he went and painted a big 12-stitch cut on my mask and I got a chuckle out of that and we went from there. A very, very simple thing happened there but maybe, just maybe I was the pioneer in the art of decorations of masks. That's what I'd like to think about it.”

In 1972, Cheesy packed up his stitches mask and headed to the bizarre World Hockey Association to play for the Cleveland Crusaders. After a short stint in the WHA (close to four seasons), Cheevers returned to the Bruins in 1976.

Cheesy finished his career in Boston in 1980 and took a job as the Bruins bench boss, coaching the team until 1985. During his 13-year NHL career, Cheesy compiled 230 wins, 26 shutouts, a 2.89 GAA, and a fond reputation as one of the game’s greatest characters.

-- TGOJ

Super Seven - Nicknames

This list includes only stars. There will be a later one just for enforcers. I tried for the most part to stay away from your standard nicknames (Red, Rocket, Flash, etc.)

7. Jovocop
You got to love a defenseman who can do it all. Ed Jovanovski had over 50 points this year, but one of my favorite moments from this past season was his fight with Jarome Iginla. Jovocop is obviously a spin off of Robocop, but in my opinion he has the best nickname in the NHL today.

6. The Mighty Atom
Aurel Joliat is one of the craziest players of all time. When he was in his 70's he attended an NHL reunion when he threw-down twice with former NHLer, Punch Broadent. Once told by Clarence Campbell to stay in their hotel rooms, Joliat broke into Broadent's room and continued the brawl. At 5-7, 130 lbs. it's no mystery why they call him the Mighty Atom.

5. Cyclone Taylor
You don't get your own statue in the Hall of Fame next to Ken Dryden unless you're the real deal. Cyclone Taylor was the best player of his day. His nickname is so well known that you never hear his real first name: Frederick.

4. Roadrunner
Yvan Cournoyer's real name is just as cool as his nickname. This speedy Canadien lived up to his nickname.

3. Chicoutimi Cucumber
The Chicoutimi native, Georges Vezina, was as cool as the come in net thanks to that toque.

2. Terrible Ted
Before there was Lucky Luc there was Terrible Ted. Ted Lindsay was the best left winger of his time. Terrible Teddy lived up to his name, he was hated every other player on every other team and they hated him. He fought in an all star game, taunted fans with "the rifle" when he received death threats in Toronto, and shook the league up when he tried to start a Players Association.

1. Boom Boom Geoffrion
Bernie Geoffrion is another one of those players whose nickname basically replaced his real first name. Boom Boom got his name by being the alleged inventor of the slap shot.

No suspension for Georges Laraque

Not really too much to say about this one, let the video do the talking:

Laraque hits Downie: 0 games

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xAEetam6HQ

Jones hits Bergeron: 2 games

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xAEetam6HQ

Hartnell hits Alberts: 2 games

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZQDjqahgM0

Cote hits Niskanen: 3 games

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZQDjqahgM0

Downie hits McAmmond: 20 games (A hit that 15 years ago would have been on EVERY NHL highlight reel.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=322zqTkL0-c

I defy anyone to tell me that there is not a bias against the Flyers...

Hockey's Glory Days

The best purchase I made on my recent trip to Toronto, other than a couple of pitchers of beer, was made in Chapters book store. It was called Hockey’s Glory Days (stories from the original six era) and was written by hockey historian and former Hockey Night in Canada commentator Brian McFarlane.

Now, first let me tell you that I’m not a real big reader and will barely ever pick up a book if I don’t have to, but this is one of those books that I didn’t want to stop reading.

The book starts off with a real nice opening from Terrible Ted Lindsay and is then broken up into six chapters, one for each original team.

In each chapter there are twenty or so short stories and really nice full size photos on about every other page.

Some of the best stories I’ve read so far had to do with Aurel Joliat causing multiple brawls at a hockey legends dinner when he was in his 70’s, Gerry Cheevers telling a kid in Montreal that he was going to cut his dog’s balls off, and Eddie Shore, who owned a team in Springfield after he retired, making players practice tap dancing in hotel lobbies and tying his goalie to the net during practice.

These and multiple other stories will leave you more surprised than when Martin St.Louis watched Alex Ovechkin eat a bag of chips on the ice at last year’s all star game.

The Integrity of the NHL Points Standings

I have never been one to understand rewarding a point to a team that loses. I have also never agreed with using a skills competition to determine the winner of a team sport. However, the evil ruler of the NHL empire, with agreement from his minions throughout the league, implemented a shootout system coming out of the lockout in 2005-2006.

As a hockey purist, a tie never bothered me. The shootout bothers me on two levels:

1. You won a game because your skaters could score more penalty shot goals than the other team.

2. Hey, your team couldn't score as many penalty shot goals as the other team, but you managed to stay tied with them through 60 minutes of real hockey and 5 minutes of 4-on-4 hockey, so we'll just be nice and give you a point in the standings.

These factors above soured me on the whole shootout idea from the get go, but when it was implemented I had no idea of the actual impact it would have on the standings. And it is a big impact.

I used http://www.nhlshootouts.com/ShootoutStats.htm to come up with the following numbers.

In 2005-2006, 281 games went into overtime, that is 281 extra points pumped into the NHL standings. (145 of those games were decided by a skill competition.) In 2006-2007, miraculously the same exact number of games (281) went into overtime. (164 of those games were decided by a skills competition.) So through the first two years of the shootout era, 11.8% and 13.3% of the games on the NHL schedule were decided by a skills competition, a gimmick.

In 2007-2008 the percentage is down from last season through January 17th with only 12.3% of games reaching the gimmick. However, I'd like to take a look at one specific team and show how INSANE these fake points they are pumping into the schedule really are.

Let's take a look at the 2007-2008 Edmonton Oilers. A storied franchise, a franchise that should be successful in the NHL. A franchise that has owned some of the greatest teams in the history of the sport.

As of the January 17th games, the Edmonton Oilers are 21-22-5. They have 47 points and are a mere 6 points out of a playoff spot, even though they have lost 6 more games than they have won. However, when you take a deeper look at the win loss record, 17 of their games (35.4%) have gone into overtime. 14 of those 17 games were decided by a gimmick (the Oilers are 11-3 in those games, 1-2 in games decided in the 4-on-4 overtime).

What this means, is that a team that has a total of 9, yes N-I-N-E, wins in regulation (18.75%). Yet they are still only 6 points out of a playoff spot. They are being rewarded for being able to get games into the shootout. 17 extra points have been pumped into the NHL standings thanks to the Edmonton Oilers...

Can I Get Some Cesare on the Side?

The only person happier to hear about the Great Expansion of the NHL in ’67, other than the owners who knew they would get a couple million dollars thrown their way, was Cesare Maniago.

Cesare could not get a break early in his career playing behind Jacques Plante on the Habs and Johnny Bower on the Leafs. Maniago started off playing without a mask, but not long after being claimed by the North Stars, he began sporting the mask. There’s nothing cooler than the goalies of the 60s and 70s when they wore the Jason Voorhees looking masks.

Before Maniago donned the mask, he and Gump Worsley had the best kept hair in the league. But as soon as he put that mask on he looked like a completely different person. He looked more like Doug Jones in Hocus Pocus with a goalie mask on. Maybe he just liked drive to the game with his head out the car window like a shaggy dog, looking all disheveled during the game.

His stature at 6’3” made him look even cooler and popular with the fans as they would chant “Hail Cesare” every time he made a save. These two attributes make Maniago one of the coolest old school hockey cards you can find. You just can't help but ask, “who is that?” when you pull him out of a pack of Parkhursts.

Cesare ended up playing nine seasons with the North Stars before he was traded to Vancouver. Two years later he hung the mask up and retired. Today Cesare owns a sporting good store in British Columbia.

The Roenick/Brenner Hybrid

If Jeremy Roenick and comedian David Brenner had a baby...

-- TGOJ

Fuhr Facts #2

Grant Fuhr was asked why he played 36 holes of golf on an off day during the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals. His reply was, "Because there wasn't enough time to play 54".

The man was as cool as the other side of the pillow. The Flyers never had a chance.

Hockey Night In Canada on Hockey Bloggers

The use of new media, specifically blogging, has been embraced by the NHL, perhaps more than any other professional sports league.

In fact, Washington Capitals owner, Ted Leonsis predicts that hockey blogs (or even an individual blog) have potential to capture more readership than a hockey publication authority such as The Hockey News.

Here is a video of the Hockey Bloggers segment featured on Hockey Night In Canada prior to the Leafs/Penguins game tonight, December 1st...



--TGOJ

Jason Smith Will Thud You

Some would say Jason Smith is one of the most underrated players in the NHL. The reason is mostly because he doesn’t show up on the score sheet too often, but the guy they call “Gator” makes up for this lack of scoring in other various ways.

He is a proven leader as he has shown over the years. In the AHL he led the Albany River Rats as their captain to a Calder Cup. He then went to Toronto after his stint with New Jersey where he wore an “A”. Smith then went to Edmonton where he wore the “C” longer than any other player in Edmonton history. He now graces the “C” for Philadelphia and is leading them out of the worst season in Flyers history.

He has also always been known for blocking shots, and this year is no different as he is third in the league with 70 blocks. Smith is a hardworking and physical defenseman that will stand up and fight for his teammates even in preseason, as he showed when he fought Brendan Shanahan.

His first goal as a Flyer could not have been more appropriate as he dropped to block a shot and then dove from his knees to swat the puck into the opposing team’s empty net. There’s nothing like watching the grizzly Gator stand forwards up as they cross the blue line, and as captain Jason Smith continues his blue collar style of play he will continue to be a fan favorite.

Hansons Come Home

There is no doubt that the Hanson Brothers are the greatest trio in the greatest hockey movie ever.

We all still find ourselves repeating those same lines from the movie that was made 30 years ago and we all wish could go back to the War Memorial and just watch the Hansons and the rest of the Chiefs terrorize the federal league with their antics.

Well, December 22 is the closet that anyone is going to get to that when the Hansons return to the Cambria County War Memorial to sign autographs when the Johnstown Chiefs take on the Cincinnati Cyclones.

This is the actual arena that the movie was shot in. This legendary arena is a hike from the east coast, about 6 hours from Philadelphia. But just think about it... you could say you met the Hansons at the War Memorial during a Chiefs game. Not many people will be able to say that.

It's great that the trio embrace their role as hockey legends and make public appearances in character. Now if we can only get Paul Newman to stop making salad dressing and salsa and come out to the War Memorial as Reg Dunlop.

I think a train ticket to Johnstown would be the perfect gift for any die hard hockey fan.

Bobby Orr TV

Bobby Orr, the greatest defenseman who over lived, is featured in this YouTube video. For those who never had the benefit of seeing the great Bobby Orr play, enjoy this footage. I'm calling it Bobby Orr TV...





-- TGOJ

Al MacInnis On Life After Hockey

Al MacInnis was recently inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and was asked by a reporter, what's in-store for him, now that he has accomplished everything as a hockey player...

His response, "I'm the Green Lantern you crazy beotch!"

-- TGOJ

Will There Be Another Scott Stevens?

On Monday, when I watched Scott Stevens get inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame, I couldn't help but wonder if we'll ever see another one just like him.

Bobby Orr is the greatest defenseman in hockey history and Paul Coffey was the slickest. Ray Bourque, Nicklas Lidstrom, Denis Potvin and Viacheslav Fetisov were four of the most complete defenders I've ever seen. Great hockey historians will sing the praise of a couple of classic fellows named Doug Harvey and Eddie Shore. And we cannot forget greats like Larry Robinson, Tim Horton, Chris Chelios, Brian Leetch, Borje Salming, Brad Park, and Al MacInnis. In fact, there are many rearguards who deserve all sorts of accolades and praise, but will there be another Scott Stevens?

In a game where there is a fine line between violence and elegance, few players have been able to combine the two and excel at the highest level. Gordie Howe, the legendary Mr. Hockey himself, was able to. So was Mark Messier, Denis Potvin and Larry Robinson, to name a few others.

But did any of these elite players do it with the same fervor as Scott Stevens? Some say yes, but I would imagine Eric Lindros and Paul Kariya may beg to differ. After all, it was Stevens who earned his stripes by bringing the pain when money was on the line. And the more at stake; the more pain Stevens dished out.

Who could forget the hit Stevens laid on Lindros during the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals, other than Lindros himself? I remember watching that game on television and wondering aloud if Lindros would ever hop over the boards and take another shift in the National Hockey League. And Lindros wasn't the only opponent to make the Scott Stevens hit list in Stanley Cup play; Slava Kozlov, Paul Kariya, Daymond Langkow, Shane Willis, Ron Francis and Kevyn Adams all felt the wrath of Stevens and have the CT and MRI scans to prove it.

Stevens primarily used brutality and intimidation to capture three Stanley Cups in his career (1995, 2000 and 2003), but he contributed in the skill department as well, registering an impressive 118 points in 233 career post-season games. An underrated puck mover and passer; Stevens was also blessed with a heavy shot from the point. But it was the hard-nosed approach he employed at his position that made him special, and Stevens received his just due and recognition in 2000, when he was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP.

For more than two decades, Stevens terrorized opponents, and the punishment Stevens often dished out, yet seldom received, finally took its toll. In 2005, Stevens was forced to hang up the blades, ironically due to post-concussion syndrome.

Not only did Stevens' retirement leave a void on the Devils blue line, it also presented a league-wide question that has remained unanswered: Who is the next Scott Stevens? (Or shall I say, the closest thing to him?)

This is not an easy question to answer. Hell, in case you haven't noticed, times have changed. Bodychecking in the NHL is now being scrutinized more than ever. No longer are mercenary crease-clearers and rugged defenders as coveted as decent goal scorers. This makes it quite difficult for a player in the Stevens-mold to rule by intimidation. In the current NHL climate, blueliners being groomed need to be mobile, swift and posses a keen hockey sense.

That being said, there are a handful of young generals on defense who can attempt to fill the void left by Scott Stevens. They are:

1. Dion Phaneuf, Calgary Flames. This 6'3", 210 pounds of beef is the top candidate to replace Stevens as the premiere physical defensive package in the game.

Only 22 years of age, Phaneuf has already cemented a reputation as both a headhunter and goal scorer. And like Stevens early on in his career, Phaneuf must learn how to control his emotions and pick his spots selectively, in order to help his team. Plain and simple, Phaneuf is more valuable when he's punishing opponents on the ice and not cooling off in the sin bin after taking undisciplined penalties. Now in his third season, Phaneuf often plays with the poise of a veteran rearguard; logging tons of minutes in all game situations. If the Flames can build around him and Kiprusoff the way the Devils built around Stevens and Brodeur, Phaneuf could one day be mentioned in terms of the great defensemen of his era.

2. Erik Johnson, St. Louis Blues. The top choice in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the the number one rated hockey prospect in the world before making the leap to the NHL this season with the Blues.

Johnson is a solid 6'4", 225 pound blueliner who is equally skilled at both ends of the ice. While he does not currently warrant the reputation as a punishing intimidator like Stevens or Phaneuf, Johnson will take the body and occasionally leave opponents in a world of hurt. He has big-game defenseman written all over him and has the tools and frame to dominate physically. He may end up electing to take a path similar to Rob Blake - earning a lucrative living by playing physical while putting up excellent numbers - but his game will be well-rounded, nonetheless. The St. Louis Blues once made the mistake of losing Scott Stevens, and for their sake, one would hope they don't make the same mistake twice.

3. Shea Weber, Nashville Predators. Paired with Dion Phaneuf, Weber was key in Canada capturing the gold medal at the World Juniors in 2005. A 2nd round pick of the Nashville Predators in 2003, Weber is an opposing defenseman with a large frame and powerful shot.

At 6'3", 220 pounds, Weber has been known to dish it out and play a physical brand of hockey. Weber is a rough customer but doesn't necessarily play on the edge the way Stevens did when he was 22 years old, although he was suspended last April for three games at the IIHF World Championships for knocking out the German Yannic Seidenberg with a nasty elbow [WATCH VIDEO]. Weber played more of a reckless style for Kelowna of the WHL, while racking up 167 and 126 PIMS in 70 and 60 games respectively. So far in the NHL, Weber has focused more on rounding out the offensive part of his game, netting 17 goals and 40 points in 79 games for the Predators in 2006-07. He may not posses the day-to-day nastiness of Scott Stevens, but Weber is a nice package who will eventually be counted on to lead his team from the blue line.

4. Jack Johnson, Los Angeles Kings. Johnson is projected as a number one defenseman, capable of playing extensive minutes in all game situations.

He is a mentally strong-willed competitor who decided to stay in college even though the NHL was calling, and the team that owned his rights (the Carolina Hurricanes) tried to seduce him with a large pay day. Ultimately, the Hurricanes lost their patience with Johnson and shipped the budding star to Los Angeles in a deal they will soon regret. He's not as big as the some of the other upper echelon two-way defenders in the NHL (6'1", 215 pounds), but J.J. has showed early on in his career that he can compete physically against all opponents. In a game late last season, Johnson dropped the gloves with Daniel Carcillo of the Phoenix Coyotes, letting it be known he will answer the call if challenged. This season, his first full one in the NHL, Johnson has played extremely solid hockey for a 20-year old. If his offensive production improves over time, Johnson will be a great all-around defender for the next decade-plus.

5. Anton Volchenkov, Ottawa Senators. Known as the Russian Bear, Volchenkov has a penchant for blocking shots and clearing the crease by any means necessary.

He's been among the best defensive defensmen in the biz and this year was voted the 5th best defensive defenseman by The Hockey News. Volchenkov is 6'2", 235 pounds and plays the game with reckless abandon; patterning his game after past European roughnecks such as Ulf Samuelsson, Vladimir Konstantinov and Darius Kasparaitis. In the physical department, Volchenkov can go head-to-head with any of the league's best open-ice hitters, and defensively, the Bear is sound if not spectacular. Putting the puck in the net is where Volchenkov has trouble matching up against the others in this group. Even though Volchenkov boasts an impressive shot from the point, he rarely has the chance to unload it. Unfortunately for the Bear, he is, more often than not, limited to defensive responsibilities since the Senators have too many triggermen eating up power play time. If Volchenkov had the opportunity to put up better numbers, he would be the East's version of Dion Phaneuf.

If any of these guys hope to fill the empty skates of Scott Stevens, they have their work cut out for them. Stevens was a rare breed; one of the greats who played the game the way it should be played.

I'm a Flyers fan who bleeds orange and black; I've lived through every one the many wars against Stevens and his Devils; I'm also a fan of the game and can respect, and now honor, all that Ronald Scott Stevens brought to it each time he stepped on the ice.

-- TGOJ

Super Seven - Shoulder Patches

7. Pittsburgh Pirates
Yes, there was once a hockey team in the NHL called the Pittsburgh Pirates. They joined the league in 1925, and they were only in the league for 5 years. When the Great Depression hit they moved to Philadelphia to become the Quakers. Their patch is a replica of what used to be worn by Pittsburgh’s finest.

6. Quebec Nordiques
In many people’s opinion the Nords have one of the nicest jerseys ever in the NHL, in part because Quebec decided to put the fleur-de-lis on the shoulders and and along the bottom of their jersey. Hockey die-hards would like nothing better than to see those baby blue uniforms in full flight once again.

5. Toronto Maple Leafs
In 1992 the Leafs changed from their clean cut maple leaf patch to the older more rustic style one that the boys in blue used to wear as their crest in the early days of the NHL.

4. Boston Bruins
The Bruins decided to go old school when the new Reebok jerseys came out as they put the Bruins logo from the 1920’s on their shoulders.

3. Hartford Whalers
When the Whalers broke onto the scene in 1979, Gordie Howe was not only rocking his full name on the back of his jersey, but a cartoon whale on his shoulders. The Whale unfortunately abandoned the patch in 1985.

2. Vancouver Canucks
In 2003, the Canucks just like the Bruins and the Leafs went old school and put the simple, but ever popular stick logo on their shoulders. This patch was such a hit they decided to make it their third jersey before switching over to the new style Reeboks.

1. Chicago Blackhawks
It doesn’t get much better than the crossed Tomahawks over the “C” on the Blackhawks jersey. The hawks started wearing it in 1955 and has continued to do so for over 50 years.

The Kovalchuk/Torres Hybrid

If Ilya Kovalchuk and Raffi Torres had a baby...

Going to a Flyers Game? Leave Your Wallet at the Turnstile

We have all heard the joke a million times, "I had to mortgage my house for a beer at the Flyers game". Over the years I have become ambivalent to the fact that it cost a lot of money to take in a professional sporting event. But I love the sport, I love the team, so I suck it up and do it.

However, I have noticed this year, that the gouging of fans has just reached an all new despicable low.

A friend of mine who lives 2 hours away from Philly, and for some strange reason decides to keep Flyers season tickets, called me to invite me to tomorrow nights game vs. the New York Rangers. Face value of the ticket in the middle of the upper level is $58.00 and he only charges me what the season ticket holders pay. So the first time we went to a game together this year he was a tad late and I had to sit outside and wait; no big deal as the weather was nice.

To avoid this issue for tomorrow, he tells me that he can e-mail me the ticket. What a GREAT service for the Flyers to offer to the fans. So he e-mails it to me, and I go to print it. Much to my surprise, before I could get the ticket, I had to register an account with the Flyers and then pay them $2.50 to print up the ticket on my own PC, with my own toner, on my own paper. Are you kidding me? You guys have already been paid for these tickets, well in advance, and now you are going to charge me $2.50 for what? Hitting your web site and generating a new bar code?

I shouldn't be surprised though, each year the Flyers come up with an idea that sounds great, and then the do an awful job of implementing the idea. Ever hear of the family section? EXCELLENT IDEA. I could take my 4 year old daughter to a game for $10. I can create a new fan for the Flyers that someday will spend as much money as I do on the team. Ever try to get those family section tickets? Good Luck! But you will find them on StubHub 5 minutes after they were supposed to go on sale at 3 times the price.

How about those new Reebok Edge jerseys? I go to the 2nd home game and check them out to add one to my collection. $149.99 at the Wachovia Center for a blank jersey. I go to the mall the next day and get the same exact jersey for $109.99. Complete and total gouging.

I really want to throw my full and total support behind this team but damn do they try their best to make it hard. Nickel-and-diming the fans to death is not the way to build the next generation of hockey fans. But hey, they removed "Thank you fans!" from the ice, perhaps it should have been replaced with a collection plate...

A Good Whine Goes with Crosby Cheese

Oh, before I forget... what's up with Sid the Little Kid's antics after Jason Smith's love tap the other day?

I mean, watching Sidney throw a temper tantrum in the corner of Wachovia Center ice, was like seeing a 7-year old ball his eyes out because there's no lime green popsicles left in the box.

After embarrassing himself with the flagrant embellishment, Crosby was almost given something to cry about when he got up in Mike Richards' grill to debate the non-liberties.

The Little Kid has more talent than Michael Jackson before the Liz Taylor makeover, but if he wants to be taken seriously on all fronts, he needs to stop the unnecessary whining.

Methinks Sid should subscribe to Kimberly L. Keith's "How to Stop Whining in 4 Easy Steps" and start molding his own Hall of Fame career after recent Hall inductees Mark Messier and Ron Francis as opposed to Alexei Kovalev.

In the meantime, have fun [WATCHING THE INFAMOUS SLASH VIDEO] and rate Sidney's dramatic improv...

-- TGOJ

NHL Draft Spotlight - 1986

The 1986 NHL Entry Draft was, in many ways, a typical entry draft...

One future Hall of Famer, Brian Leetch was selected at #9 by the New York Rangers.

Some mild controversy arose when the Detroit Red Wings selected Joe Murphy over native son Jimmy Carson. This was rectified when Edmonton dealt Carson to Detroit for Murphy in a multi-player trade when retooling for their fifth Cup run several years later.

Solid, if unspectacular, NHL regulars in the first round highlighted by Vincent Damphousse and included Zarley Zalapski, Craig Janney, Tom Fitzgerald, Pat Elynuik, Jocelyn Lemieux, and Kerry Huffman.

Steady D-men Teppo Numminen at 29 in the 2nd round and Jyrki Lumme at 57 in the 3rd round.

Vancouver thinking ahead of the time and out of the box by selecting Vladimir Krutov in the 12th and final round.

Lost amongst all of this DRAFT HISTORY was a player that would never play a minute in the NHL but would play 15 years across Europe with teams like the HUSKIES and MOSQUITOES, making stops in his native Finland, as well as, Germany, Italy and The Czech Republic.

The IMMORTAL and LEGENDARY: JUKKA-PEKKA SEPPO

Jukka caught the eyes of the Philadelphia Flyers Brass with his performance at the Under-18 European Junior Championships in 1986 where he posted 3 goals and 8 points in 5 games. He was selected 23rd overall by the Flyers with the 2nd pick of the 2nd round right after Adam Graves was drafted. He won an U20 WJC Gold medal in 86/87 with 3 goals and 12 points in 7 games and won a Bronze in 87/88. He appeared in 39 games with Tappera Tampere in Finland in 1986-87 notching 11 goals and 27 points.

For whatever reasons, he never landed in North America, instead spending 15 seasons in Europe. He played 571 career games, recording 196 goals and 478 points. If he was so highly rated, one has to wonder the impact he could have had in the league here. Maybe he could have developed into a Selanne-lite, the "Finnish Flash" himself was drafted 10th overall only 2 years later. Who knows? But is fun to look back at the woulda couldas in any past draft.

Till next time...

Da H8R

Fuhr Facts - #1

Grant Fuhr had an assist on Wayne Gretzky's 50th goal of 1981-82 season on Dec. 30, 1981, vs. Philadelphia, as Gretzky reached 50 goals in a record 39 games.

Introducing the Great Vachons

Other than the Stastnys, or Wilson Phillips after the weight loss, I cannot, for the life of me, think of a better trio than the Great Vachons.

Brothers Paul and Maurice (aka Mad Dog) were pro wrestling standouts, and the gem of the trio, the almighty Rogie Vachon, was a hockey legend.

Suffice to say I don't have any kind of direct evidence proving the bone-crushing Vachon duo and the diminutive netminder were related, but they were all from Canada and look like shady offspring, so...

Truth be told, Rogie was a superb goalie for the Canadiens, Red Wings, Kings and Bruins, and sported a porn stache that rivals Brian Fantana in Anchorman. In fact, it was in Hollywood were Vachon gained legendary status, sporting the Kings purple and gold crown.

After hanging up the pads, Rogie worked as the Kings GM for more than a decade, and was even an interim coach for the club on three separate occasions. As for Mad Dog, last I heard he was a restaurant critic for a television station in Quebec City.

Ahhh, the simple joys of being a hockey fan are appreciated over a 20 oz. WaWa coffee and Lifesavers Fruit Tarts... as that's when you have the chance to reflect on ex-greats named Rogie.

--TGOJ

Mike Liut Was My Mailman

... And my mailman looked like Rocky Dennis. It's all about the mask.

Back in 1930, my dawg Howie Morenz used goalie Clint Benedict's bare face as a shooter target. Benedict suffered major facial injuries, including a smashed nose and cheekbone, and was forced to semi-protect a busted face that resembled Sly Stallone in Rocky II.

Enter the mask. A crappy, leather-type, tailor made for WWF's Mankind, Mick Foley, not a puck stopper in the National Hockey League. And though Benedict donned the shabby face guard for mere self-preservation, the experiment was short-lived. The mask was dissed after the next game; a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Many years later, in 1959, the heralded Jacques Plante was officially credited with pioneering the mask, after taking some vulcanized rubber to the face, courtesy of the Rangers' Andy Bathgate. And as legend turns to folklore, and folklore turns to gospel, Plante gets to ride off into the sunset forever known as the Don Corleone of hockey masks.

Phooey, I say. The hockey mask was put on the map in 1979, and my mailman Michael Dennis Liut better start getting some props. Not props for the BEST hockey mask of all-time; those honors go to my favorite goalie ever, Gerry Cheevers and his famed stitches.

The mailman deserves props because his mask is a freak of sports nature.

In a recent poll, a panel of 1,238,896 drunken sports fans were asked to rate the top-3 disturbing things in sports history. The results were:

1. Mike Liut's mask
2. Mike Tyson
3. The size of Barry Bond's head

Not only is Liut's mask synonymous with names like Tyson and Bonds; the mailman has also inspired film culture. His mask has been used to mold the face of Rocky Dennis and the Snowtrooper.

Jacques Plante may be in the Hall of Fame and rank higher than Vladislav Tretiak on some all-time great goalie lists, but his shiznit didn't shape a high-selling Kenner action figure.

The mailman delivered between the pipes as well. He was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the 5th round (56th overall) in the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft, and after a brief stint with the WHA's Cincinnati Stingers, Liut was reclaimed by the Blue Notes.

Liut played a solid 13 seasons in the NHL, with stops in St. Louis, Hartford and Washington. He was a lanky, intimidating netminder, and is the cousin of the ex-NHLer Ron Francis. In 1980-81 he was a 1st team all-star and finished runner-up to Wayne Gretzky for the Hart trophy.

Some suggest it all went downhill for the mailman when the Whale sent his ass packing to Washington in exchange for plugger Yvon Corriveau in 1990. Personally, I think his illustrious career took a turn for the worse when he discarded THE MASK in favor of a more traditional, wire/facemask-combo.

Well Mask, here's to you... pioneer, legend and mailman. Prost! Somewhere Eric Stoltz is tipping his glass...

-- TGOJ

Sins of the Father?

On February 2 of this year, I was blessed by becoming a daddy for the first time.

When my little boy was born, I was faced with a most interesting dilemma. No, name was already picked out. Yes, he already had a place to live. Yes, we were already married.

What truly plagued me, was this: what hockey team should my new baby root for?

Normally, not a big issue, you might think: let the little bugger root for whomever he chooses. Ahhhh, herein lies the rub.

I have been, and unfortunately for me likely always will be, a Philadelphia Flyers fan.

Ok, you say, get on with it, why doesn't he root for the Flyers? Well, I am 36 years years old and have reflections of a wonderful childhood. One of my earliest memories of the Flyers is swearing I heard my own father's distinctive whistling on the radio as the Flyers won their first Cup in '74, although everyone says I'm nuts that there is no way I could remember that from when I was 4 - I swear I heard it.

I also remember the parades in '74 and '75, followed by the Phillies parade in '80 and the Sixers parade in '83.

For the 1st 12 years of my life I was proud to be a Philly fan.

Then, the suffering began.

Finally, in 2004, I got married and moved to Florida, just south of Tampa. Horrible baseball team, but the Lightning and Bucs each won championships within the decade, whereas my Philly teams languished from being annual bridesmaids, to being invited to the wedding, to being left off the guest list entirely, to being wedding crashers, to just deciding to not even show up, drunken bastards.

So, do I deprive my child of the happy memories that I had growing up by having a WINNING team to root for? The innocence of youth is so wonderful and the new baby has truly changed my life. Being an accomplished attorney, husband, son, businessman, all pales in comparison to just being a good dad.

When I watched the Red Sox win the World Series for the first time in a zillion years, I saw fans literally crying their eyes out and I imagined sons looking at their fathers in tears, the fathers in turn looking at their fathers in tears, and maybe even the grandfather looking at the great-grandfather in tears as well. I couldn't help but think, did the decades long suffering actually become so ingrained in these people's actual personas that they wouldn't actually be who they were without the suffering and losing, year after year, after bloody stinking year? Then I said to myself, "Is that suffering now a part of who I am?"

Then another part of me, said "Get back to work and stop putting so much weight on a damned sports team!"

So, I did get back to work and I came to a decision:

The son should not be cursed for the sins of the father.

No, it isn't his fault that I bleed orange and black and that my team manages to disappoint me time and time again. He should have the opportunity to have his childhood magical, with sweet memories and even sweeter victory parades. So, little Tre man, choose your teams wisely and enjoy the youth that ends up being all too short. Daddy loves you no matter who you choose to root for.

Do what you want with the personalized Flyers jersey Daddy bought you for Christmas, tuck it away with your little Philadelphia Flyers pillow and your little Flyers hockey stick that the team sent you for your birth, pet your dogs when they wear their little Flyer pet jerseys that Daddy spent $29.99 each for on shop.nhl.com, hug Daddy in his own Flyers team jersey from each of the four decades that he owns, sit with me as we watch the Flyers away feed that we paid $140.00 for on the Center Ice Package, and look into my eyes and tell me who your favorite team is.

If your blood just so happens to bleed orange and black too, well, what else could we expect? My blood runs through you literally and when the suffering finally ends, we'll fly up for the parade together with Grandpop too. It is after all, who we are.

(Please, oh please God, just don't let him root for the Devils or the Rangers...)


(c) 2007 - "Oh snap! You've just been sued by The Legal Beagle!"

Oh Snap! Wolski Again

The Polish Power, Wojtek Wolski scored a beauty tonight against the Oilers' Dwayne Rolson in the tomato shootout. This is the second time this season I've seen Wolski work his magic in a shootout.

I'm hoping the clip will make it to YouTube by morning... if so, hook a brother up!

In the meantime, [ENJOY THIS VIDEO]

--TGOJ

Ralph Mellanby Pimp Slaps Bettman

Ralph Mellanby is an established, award-winning, former executive producer of Hockey Night In Canada.

The gentleman may be 73 years of age and look like Marty Feldman from Young Frankenstein, but if I ever meet him, I'll treat him to a surf-&-turf supper and Guinness on tap.

And I promise, it has nothing to do with the fact that his son, and former NHLer, Scott Mellanby, was one of my favorite players as a Flyers fan growing up.

Yesterday, the elder Mellanby, who is promoting his new book Walking With Legends: The Real Stories of Hockey Night In Canada had no problem giving NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman a fresh one across the chops.

In an article in The Windsor Star, my new man-crush had the following to say about Gary Butthead and the fraudulent NHL board of governors...

"Bettman to me is the real problem for hockey."

"He's done so much damage to hockey it may never recover. We don't have time to go through the litany of errors."

"Hockey has never been in worse straits."

"I'm an elder statesman now and I feel at times like a lone voice in the wilderness, but I'm not completely alone. The great minds of the game I talk to agree on these things, but no one is listening at the top."

"We need change at the top I don't see a lot of courage around the board of governors."

"He's taken us too far down this path (into non-hockey markets). I always asked Gary why we were in these places and he'd say for network television. But hockey is a regional game (in the U.S.). That's where its strength is in the U.S."

Well Raphael, like Al Pacino said to Sean Penn in Carlito's Way: "If you was a broad, I'd marry you!" At 73, you may consider yourself an elder statesman, but rest assured hockey fans of all ages across North America who have ever cared about this great game, AGREE WITH YOU and feel your pain.

And I am glad Mellanby clumped the NHL board of governors into the Knucklehead category as well, because when the Coca Cola strips the paint off the boat, it's the greedy owners who are calling the shots.

While we all want to drop Bettman off in downtown Fallujah with a "bin Laden smells worse than the NY Rangers" sign around his neck, our boy Gary is simply a puppet, and a despised one at that.

I could go on and on rehashing the ways Bettman & co. have hurt the great game of hockey but I already took one Nexium today.

However, I look forward to reading Ralph's interpretation in Walking With Legends. Besides, it's always good to see someone else in the hockey community blast Commissioner Clueless like Chris Chelios has in the past.

Tonight couldn't have been better... I got to watch the Flyers spank the Pens like Ike did Tina, and blog about Ralph Mellanby's public right hook to Gary Bettman's chin, reminiscent of his son's KO of Quebec's Jeff Jackson when hockey was at its best...

[WATCH MELLANBY PUT JACKSON TO SLEEP]

-- TGOJ

Swiss Miss or Swiss Army Knife?

Time to shine the light on a guy that quite possibly could be the most disrespected player in the entire NHL: MARTIN GERBER.

Look at his FOUR NHL Seasons:

1. Giggy was the man during his first two seasons in ANA. He was a capable back up as they made their cup run.

2. He moved to Carolina, started 57 games, won 38, and led them to the playoffs where he lost his starting gig to Cam Ward as the Canes Won the Cup.

3. He moved to Ott where he stumbled a bit out of the gate last season and lost his job to Emery, though he did win 10 of his last 11 starts. If Ottawa was so sold on Emery going into last season, WHY DID THEY EVEN SIGN GERBER?

Martin Gerber has now WON 10 of his 11 starts this season. He has been to the Finals in three of the past four seasons. Everyone complains about his salary but the 3.7 mil is only bad for a goalie that doesn't play. How can you think he is not a better bang for the buck than Khabby at $6.75 mil, Kolzig at $5.45 mil, or Roloson at $3.5 mil (and 38 years old). Heck, even Colorado has a $6 mil backup goalie.

Look at his numbers too...

NEVER has had a GAA above 2.78 in his Four-plus seasons.

NEVER has had a Sv. Pct. below .906.

After tonight's win he has now won 63 of his last 94 starts, and that includes his 5-9 start last year. Big Stage? What about the 2006 Winter Olympics when Gerber was in net against Canada and made 49 saves in a 2-0 victory?

All this from a guy that pretty much did not have a job if Emery doesn't need offseason surgery. His salary makes him nearly un-tradable, and Ottawa better thank their lucky stars they have such a solid netminder.

Da H8R

Parros The Porn Star

It’s hard to miss the 6’5” George Parros when he’s out on the ice for the Anaheim Ducks with his long hair blowing in the wind and manly mustache that puts Burt Reynolds’ to shame.

Last year when the Ducks won the cup and each player was getting the chance to hoist and kiss the cup, Parros took the liberty of rubbing his mustache [SEE PIC] all over the holy grail of hockey. He has 18 fights in his last two seasons and this year he shows no signs of slowing down with 4 already.

The most notable one this season was against the boogeyman himself, Derek Boogaard. He was able to beat the Minnosoata heavyweight and even cut him open. Parros' past bouts were against some of the best veteran goons in the league including Donald Brashear and Chris Simon.

With the Ducks winning the cup last year and also having the most fights, Parros is helping to bring fighting back to this game. George, however, is not just all about the blood and fisticuffs, he also has a softer side.

Each year he grows his hair out and cuts it for Locks of Love, an organization that makes wigs for kids with cancer. Just imagine, there's some little kid out there rocking a George Parros wig.

This 80’s porn star has become such a fan favorite that the Ducks now sell replica Parros mustaches. The proceeds of which also go towards charity. This season as opposing teams come into Anaheim to face the defending champs, they need remember one thing...

FEAR THE STACHE!

Steve Downie Makes Impact In AHL Return

The man; the myth; the legend, Steve Downie may be out of the NHL until the new year, but he returned to the ice tonight as a member of the Philadelphia Phantoms. Steve "Don't Call Me Dastardly" Downie wasted no time making an impact for the Flyers AHL affiliate in his grand return.

Before the game was 5 minutes old, Downie already registered 2/3rd's of a Gordie Howe hat trick, netting an assist and a fight. Downie finished the night with 2 points and a bare-knuckle brawl during a 3-0 Philly win over the Worcester Sharks.

FREE DOWNIE!

-- TGOJ

Blizzard of OZ

Time to give props to another under appreciated and often overlooked NHL star. Goalies that win Stanley Cups are usually given a free ride from criticism. Just look at Khabby and Cam Ward in the past several seasons.

In Detroit, Chris Osgood was the 54th overall draft pick and third goalie selected in 1991. Chris won 23 games his rookie year but Detroit still dealt for Mike Vernon following that season. Following the strike, he backed up Vernon as the Wings were swept in the finals by the Devils. The next year he won a career best 39 games and was the second goalie to ever shoot a puck into an opposing teams net. He backed up Vernon as the Wings won the cup the year after that. Vernon was dealt and Osgood led the wings to their second Cup in a row with a sweep of the Capitals. The Wings then acquired Hasek and Osgood was ushered out of town when claimed on waivers by the Islanders.

After his two-year stint in New York, he moved on to St. Louis for two seasons. Even after winning 31 games with a 2.24 GAA with St. Louis, his contract was not renewed by them. Chris came back to Detroit to back up Hasek for under a million dollars a year. He appeared in 32 games last year, winning 20, but did not appear in the playoffs and was a back up for the Dominator's apparent Swan Song.

Which brings us to this season...

Dominik Hasek is 40-whatever. The chances of him holding up again health wise were pretty slim. Jimmy Howard, the Wing's Prize Goaltending prospect, is Not Quite Ready to be the man yet. This all meant that Osgood had to be ready to shine. And shine he has.

With Dom shelved with a bum hip, Ozzie was kept the Wings at the top of the NHL standings. He is 7-0 with a 1.43 GAA out of gates this year and his road wins against Edmonton, Vancouver, and Calgary in the last FIVE DAYS marks the first time in 21 attempts that the Red Wings took all three games of a trip to western Canada.

• In 13+ seasons he has never had a GAA above 3.00






• Six times has won 30 or more games in a season






• 43 Career Shutouts






• 45 Career Playoff Wins in 87 Games Played






• 10 Career Playoff Shutouts with a LIFETIME Playoff GAA of 2.24






• Two Cup Wins

That says it all. Quiet, unassuming CHRIS OSGOOD continues to be THE MAN. He is right there with that non-descript Glenn Healy/Wendell Young style mask and just makes the saves. Detroit is going to need him to continue his stellar play if this is to be the end of the Dominator.

Da H8R

Hockey Night In Canada

It's Saturday and hockey is in the air tonight like Phil Collins. Habs vs. Leafs is the main event this evening. Thanks to NHL Center Ice, this Philadelphian can partake in a Canadian Saturday night tradition, Hockey Night in Canada... and it doesn't get better than the Maple Leafs battling the Habs in Montreal.

This game should no doubt be a dandy. The Canadiens put a beat down on my Flyers the other night so I am hoping they get thudded 6-2 on home ice. I want those salty Habs fans to exit the Bell Centre and flock St. Catherine street in large numbers for an extra-special Saturday night drinking binge.

I can see it now... disgruntled Habs fans sitting elbow-to-elbow in the pub, talking about the great Montreal teams of yester-year:

Habs fan #1: "Man, these Leafs are a bitch!"

Habs fan #2: "Mon ami, we will return to greatness!"

Habs fan #3: "Remember Rick Chartraw and Doug Jarvis?"

Habs fan #4: "Ya, those were the days, eh?!"

-- TGOJ

Speaking of Halloween

Damn JAGS... what's up with your grill, son? Apparently Jaromir is taking Halloween to extremes this year... [SEE PIC]

-- TGOJ

Leave Wallpaper Jones Alone, Son

All you dopes (yeah, you know who you are Scott Burnside from ESPN) better leave Randy "Wallpaper" Jones alone. To even think that Wallpaper intentionally tried to disfigure Patty Bergeron with a vicious hit from behind is foolish... or downright silly, in fact.

Just look at my boy Wallpaper posing with a fan... you mean to tell me this chummy cat is capable of taking extreme measures like ex-cons Downie and Boulerice? Not.

Wallpaper is simply a grown gentleman trying to live his life. Unfortunately, he's being preyed on by hockey beat hacks who want to rehash the legend of the Broad Street Bullies so they have something of interest to scribble. You want to attack Downie and Boulerice with your pen, go for it, but don't rip the Wallpaper.

-- TGOJ

Hat Trick-or-Treat Biznitches

With Halloween right around the corner, one can only fathom if cinema horror icon, Freddy Kruger, was inspired by my dawg, and hockey hall of famer, Cy Denneny.

One of the better left wingers back in the day (1920's), Denneny's shot was rumored to be as deadly as Bobby Englund's scissorhands. Fred-KrUg looks tight rockin' the candy stripes, and no doubt, would've been a main contributor on those legendary Ottawa Silver Seven teams...

-- TGOJ

Cory Stillman

Is there a more under-appreciated Skill Player in the league than Cory Stillman? Tampa and Carolina can definitely attest to his value on their respective clubs. As one of the few players in NHL history that has won a Cup in back-to-back years with different teams he still flies under the radar. Both teams relied on the unheralded Stillman during their cup runs. He averaged over a point-per-game in those back-to-back seasons and was invaluable in the playoffs. He had 7 points in 21 games in a complimentary role with the Lightning. He followed that up with 26 points with nine goals, of which 3 were game winners, in 25 games during the Hurricanes run.

His injury-shortened season last year was as much to blame for the Canes missing the playoffs as any other excuse. He missed the first three games of the 07-08 season as Carolina came out of the gate 1-1-1.

Since he returned to the lineup, the Canes have gone 5-0-2. His valuable leadership and timely scoring have helped to balance Carolina's solid forward lines. In his 7 appearances, Stillman has 10 points with half coming with the man advantage, including 3 of his 4 goals.

His 4 goals have him second on the team even having missed 3 games already and with talented playmakers, Justin Williams and Rod Brind'Amour setting them up, Eric Staal and Cory should notch career high goal totals.

Before last years injury shortened season, Stillman had topped 21 goals in 7 of the previous 8 seasons with a high of 27 two times. With a veteran defense corps, a deep solid forward unit, and Cam Ward's steady maturation, the Hurricanes seem to be definite factor in the Eastern Conference playoff race and could even make another run at their second Cup in three years.

Da H8R

The Melrose/Tortorella Hybrid

If Barry Melrose and John Tortorella had a baby...

Flyers Start The Season Swinging

The Philadelphia Flyers may have been the laughing stock of the NHL in 2006-07, but after an offseason of retooling, the Broad Street Bullies have come out swinging early on. In the preseason, the Flyers looked as impressive on the fight card as they did on the score sheet. The new and improved Fly Boys did damage, scorers and pugilists alike, putting pucks in the net and opponents on stretchers. A pair of lengthy, 20-plus game suspensions to yahoos Jesse Boulerice and Steve Downie may have stole the ink at first, but excellent goaltending from Marty Biron and a more balanced offensive attack early in the regular season are the reasons the Flyers make headlines with each passing game.

Biron, or "Gaston" as he is referred to these days, looks like the solid goalie the Flyers have coveted for years between the pipes. Not since the crazed Mr. Bean (Roman Cechmanek) have the Flyers had a spectacular netminder capable of stealing games. This season Biron reminds me of Cechmanek-depressive during his good year(s), minus the Riddalin and uni-brow of course.

On offense, youngsters Mike Richards and Jeff Carter look legit, and offseason prize Daniel Briere has gelled nicely with Simon Gagne on the top scoring line. In fact, there hasn't been such an impressive French-Canadian duo in Philly since the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers tangled with Barry Horowitz and Steve Lombardi at the Spectrum in February of 1988.

On the blue line, heart-and-soul leader Jason Smith has been a rock and the rest of the defense has played poised and controlled hockey. So far the Flyers are playing some damn good hockey and look like a force to be reckoned with this season.

-- TGOJ

Toothless Tenacity

There are a few fashion statements that are synonymous with hockey players: the grizzly lumberjack look of Bryan Marchment and Jason Smith; the grey playoff beards of Scott Niedermayer and Ray Bourque; and the long hair blowing in the wind of Guy Lafleur and Gil Perreault.

These looks have been copied by many players, but it seems that more players in the NHL should take a page out of the books of the toothless Paul Stastny and Dany Heatley.

With both players missing teeth and their early season success, you have to ask yourself if there is a connection. They are threatening to set a trend that has dentists and oral surgeons sulking like Alex Cherepanov on draft day.

The toothless look makes players look mean and nasty. Lifelong instigator Tie Domi intentionally knocked his own pearly whites out as a child on the handle bars of his huffy in order to look like his idol and famous toothless warrior, Bobby Clarke.

The missing chiclet look appears to give these players superhuman ability. The 21 year old Stastny as of 10/18/07 is tied for the lead in points with 13 including 5 goals in 6 games. Dany Heatley already has 7 goals and 11 points in 7 games. These two toothless young guns will be putting on show all season long.

Trash Truck Time

Da Blues, Blackhawks, Predators, Blue Jackets, Desert Dogs, Oilers, Habs, Stars, Bruins and Hurricanes are ALL GARBAGE.