Happy birthday to the Great One. Wayne Gretzky turns 50 today.
NHL
NHL and other hockey related posts.
I guess we know what James Wisniewski does on the weekend
I understand that nobody goes to Islanders games. I get that. I think it is also safe to assume that not too many people watch the games either. But still, YouTube is a very real tool and James Wisniewksi just found out how useful it is.
Here is some visual evidence of James likely talking to Sean Avery about something very civilized.
Continue reading
Second period…
Ok. I gave you my Eastern Conference preview. I like the Captials to win the regular season, but I don’t see them getting past the second round of the playoffs. I think the East will be a crapshoot again this season. Much like 2009-10 when the Flyers came outta nowhere to win a trip to the finals.
The West however, is another story. There are some great teams and a ton of talent. The top-five will have to punch each other out for a chance at Lord Stanley. Here is how I see it.
The best game you can name
It is finally hockey season. Here is a look at how I think things are going to shake out in order of conference finish.
Eastern Conference Continue reading
Really cool SI feature
SI.com put together a really cool number ranking for the NHL. It chronicles the best player to wear each number. Plenty of no-names up there wearing numbers like 98, 73 and the likes of that. But, it is still pretty cool. I’m not sure who they choose for number 99….
Antti Niemi signs with San Jose
One of Chicago’s Stanley Cup heroes has found a new home. Antti Niemi agreed to a one-year deal with San Jose. Sportsnet has the details.
This is an interesting signing considering the Sharks brought in Antero Niittymaki early in free agency. With Thomas Griess waiting in the wings for the past few years, there seemed to be little need for another goaltender on the roster. Albeit, Griess doesn’t seem to have IT – if you ask me.
I am a big Niittymaki fan and he and Niemi will be great in tandem and the Fins will likely have great rapport in the locker room as well.
Look for San Jose to move either Griess or, although unlikely, Niittymaki before the start of the season. They have invested far too much into Griess to waste him in the AHL for yet another season.
NHL testing new rules
The NHL held it’s first research and development camp last week in Toronto. The camp featured some of the top prospects on-ice trying out some new ideas that the league office has thought up.
Some of the ideas are rather strange, some are ingenious and some are downright ridiculous. TSN has the details (and a second article).
NHL proposes rule changes
I’m not even talking about the recent R&D Camp that took place in Toronto. Numerous changes to the game were tested by the league in hopes that some may take hold and make the game better in the future.
The rule changes I am talking about will be instituted for the 2010-11 season.
The first tiebreaker will be a combination of regulation time and overtime victories, with shootout wins excluded, according to the online report.
In the past, the first tiebreaker had been total wins of any kind.
This is a wise choice for the NHL. The new rule will place more emphasis on the team portion of the game without sacrificing the history of the game by changing the point system. Now, say the Red Wings finish the season 42-28-12 with 96 points and the Blues finish 42-28-12 but the Blues had four more shootout wins, the Wings would win the tiebreaker.
I think this type of change is what the NHL needs to stick with. The same can be said for some of the proposed rules pitched at the R&D Camp. If the integrity and history of the sport are sacrificed there is a chance to lose fans. But, if the rich history of this great sport is maintained while improving the overall product, the NHL will benefit.
NHL trying to cover their tracks
The NHL has overturned the obnoxiously enormous contract that the New Jersey Devils awarded to Ilya Kovalchuk.
Now the league is looking into every ludicrous deal that was agreed upon over the past couple seasons. Among the players whose deals are being reviewed are; Philadelphia’s Chris Pronger, Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo, Boston’s Marc Savard and Chicago’s Marian Hossa. Here is the TSN story with all the details.
Boy, they screwed the pooch on this one
Pardon my French, but seriously. How awful are the uniforms – well, Calgary’s at least – for this year’s Heritage Classic?
