Chris Simon

THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THE NHL SIMPLY DO NOT GET IT…
TODAY THE LEAGUE SUSPENDED CHRIS SIMON FOR A MERE 30 GAMES FOR STOMPING ON JARKKO RUUTU...
YES SIMON WILL ALSO LOSE $300 THOUSAND IN SALARY…
BUT THE REAL ISSUE HERE IS THIS…
SIMON WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RETURN THE ISLANDERS LINE UP ON FEBRUARY 21ST…
HOW CAN THIS BE???
SIMON HAS NOW BEEN SUSPENDED A TOTAL OF 8 TIMES IN HIS CAREER…
THE MAN IS SERIAL OFFENDER…
IN MARCH HE TOOK HIS STICK TO THE HEAD OF RYAN HOLLWEG OF THE RANGERS…
THAT EARNED HIM 25 GAMES…
CHRIS SIMON NOW OWNS THE TOP TWO LONGEST SUSPENSIONS IN NHL HISTORY…
NHL VICE PRESIDENT COLIN CAMPBELL CALLED THE INCIDENT…”REPUGNANT AND UNACCEPTABLE”…
TOUGH TALK…BUT ONCE AGAIN THE PUNISHMENT DOES NOT FIT THE CRIME…
SIMON COULD VERY EASILY HAVE ENDED RUUTU’S CAREER…
LET’S GET ONE THING STRAIGHT…
HOCKEY IS UNIQUE…
YOU NEED A CAR TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORT THAT USES MORE SPEED…
THE GAME IS PLAYED ON ICE…WITH BOARDS AND PLEXI-GLASS…
THERE IS NO “OUT OF BOUNDS”…
THE PLAYERS WEAR RAZOR SHARP SKATES AND EVERY ONE CARRIES A STICK…
THE ONLY SAFETY IN THE GAME IS THE RESPECT THE PLAYERS HAVE FOR EACH OTHER…
MORE AND MORE THAT RESPECT IS DISSAPPEARING…
THE RESULT IS A GROWING CULTURE OF VIOLENCE IN HOCKEY…
FOR WHATEVER REASON THE NHL HAS NO INTEREST IN ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM…
IT IS NOT A MATTER OF “IF”…BUT ONLY “WHEN” A PLAYER IS EITHER CRIPPLED OR KILLED IN THE NHL…
UNTIL THAT HAPPENS…ITS BUSINESS AS USUAL…
THE NHL SHOULD HAVE SUSPENDED SIMON FOR LIFE…
BUT IT SHOULD HAVE EVEN MORE…
THE NHL SHOULD HAVE COME OUT WITH A NEW AND MUCH TOUGHER POLICY TO DEAL WITH VIOLENCE IN THE GAME…
A POLICY THAT INCLUDES MASSIVE FINES AND GUARENTEES LIFE TIME SUSPENSIONS TO REPEAT OFFENDERS…
INSTEAD THE LEAGUE ONCE AGAIN STUCK ITS HEAD INTO THE SAND…
AS A RESULT…ON FEBRUARY 21ST CHRIS SIMON WILL BE BACK ROAMING THE NHL…LOOKING FOR HIS NEXT VICTIM…

YOUR WIFE SUES YOU FOR DIVORCE AND TAKES THE HOUSE…
YOU LOSE YOUR JOB…
SOMBODY STEALS YOUR CAR…
AND THEN YOU FIND OUT…YOUR KIDS ARE ON DRUGS…
AT THAT MOMENT OF UTTER DISPAIR…YOU LOOK UP TO THE SKY AND YELL OUT AT THE TOP OF YOUR LUNGS…
”WHAT ELSE CAN GO WRONG???”
THEN IT STARTS TO RAIN…
NOW YOU KNOW HOW THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS FEEL…
LASTNIGHT THEY WERE SHUTOUT 3-0 BY THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS…
THE TEAM WITH THE WORST ROAD RECORD IN THE ENTIRE NHL…
THE CANUCKS HAVE NOW LOST 6 OF THEIR FIRST 7 GAMES AT HOME…
NOT ONLY DO THEY NOW OWN THE WORST HOME RECORD IN THE NHL…
THIS IS ALSO THE WORST START AT HOME…IN THE HISTORY OF THE FRANCHISE…
NOW THE BAD NEWS…
KEVIN BIEKSA SUFFERED A DEEP CUT IN HIS CALF MUSCLE AND IS GONE FOR THE NEXT 2 MONTHS…
SAMI SALO TOOK AT A PUCK IN THE FACE…HE WILL NEED SURGERY…THERE’S NO WORD ON HOW LONG SALO IS GONE…
LUC BOURDON HAS ALREADY BEEN CALLED UP…
HERE’S THE PART WHERE THINGS GETS UGLY…
LASTNIGHT ROBERTO LUONGO LET IN TWO GOALS ON THE FIRST TWO SHOTS HE FACED…
THAT’S WHEN THE BOO BIRDS ARRIVED…
THE FANS IN THIS CITY ARE NOT SAYING “LOU”…THEY’RE SAYING…”BOO”…
BY THE END OF THE NIGHT…HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT WAS SO DESPERATE HE BROKE UP THE SEDINS…
IN THE THIRD PERIOD THE CANUCKS ROLLED OUT A LINE OF…GET THIS…
NASLUND…ISBISTER AND HENRIK SEDIN…
THINGS ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANY BETTER ANY TIME SOON…
NOVEMBER IS A STEADY DIET OF…COLROADO…CALGARY…ANAHEIM AND MINNESOTA…
IT’S A GOOD THING THERE’S A ROOF ON GM PLACE…BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO RAIN A LOT ON THE CANUCKS THIS SEASON…

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A STOPPABLE FORCE…MEETS MOVABLE OBJECT???
WE ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT TONIGHT AT GM PLACE…
THE CANUCKS HAVE LOST 5 OF THEIR FIRST 6 HOME GAMES…THE WORST “HOME RECORD” IN THE ENTIRE NHL…
THEY MEET THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS…A TEAM THAT HAS LOST ALL 5 GAMES THEY’VE PLAYED ON THE ROAD…
THE WORST “AWAY RECORD” IN THE ENTIRE NHL…
SOMETHING HAS GOT TO GIVE…
WITH THE PREDATORS…IT’S UNDERSTANDABLE…
THE TEAM IS FOR SALE AND OVER THE SUMMER OWNERSHIP GUTTED THE ROSTER…
THE ISSUE WITH THE CANUCKS IS JUST AS SIMPLE…
THE CANUCKS HAVE FORGOTTEN WHO THEY ARE…
SOMEHOW BETWEEN THE END OF LAST SEASON AND THE START OF THIS SEASON THE PLAYERS IN THAT DRESSING ROOM GOT THE IDEA THAT THEY COULD WIN BY SHOWING UP…
TREVOR LINDEN PUT IT BEST THIS WEEK WHEN HE STATED…”WE’VE GONE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION”…
THAT MAY BE THE UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR…
NOW COMES THE CHALLENGE OF TURNING THIS SHIP AROUND…
THE FEAR CANUCK FANS HAVE…IS…THE SHIP THEIR WATCHING IS THE EXXON VALDEZ…
TO BEGIN WITH THE TEAM HAS BEEN DEALING WITH HEALTH ISSUES SINCE THE START OF TRAINING CAMP…
MISSING TONIGHT WILL BE…
JEFF COWAN…LUKAS KRAJICEK…RICK RYPIEN AND PERHAPS…WILLIE MITCHEL…
BUT AT THIS TIME OF THE SEASON…FANS ARE NOT LOOKING FOR EXCUSES…THEY ARE LOOKING FOR ANSWERS…
UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO ONE SINGLE ASPECT OF THE GAME THE CANUCKS HAVE TO IMPROVE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM…
THEY ARE AVERAGING THE FEWEST SHOTS ON GOAL IN THE NHL…
THEIR FACE OFF PERCENTAGE IS THE LOWEST IN THE NHL…
AND THEIR PENALTY KILL IS 21ST OVER ALL…
LAST SEASON…THE CANUCKS HAD THE BEST PENALTY KILL IN THE LEAGUE…
IT DOES NOT HELP THAT GOALTENDER ROBERTO LUONGO IS NOT PLAYING LIKE…ROBERTO LUONGO…
HIS GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE IS NOW 2.92…
OF THE 30 STARTING GOALTENDERS IN THE NHL…LUONGO RANKS…25TH…
NOW THE GOOD NEWS…NASHVILLE HAS THE WORST RECORD IN THE ENTIRE WESTERN CONFERENCE…
IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME TO TURN THINGS AROUND…TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT…

HockeyNight in Nashville?

TALK IS CHEAP…
NO WHERE IS IT CHEAPER THAN RIGHT NOW IN NASHVILLE…
MIDNIGHT TONIGHT IS THE WITCHING HOUR FOR HOCKEY IN THAT CITY…
OWNER CRAIG LEIPOLD HAS GIVEN EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO A LOCAL GROUP TO BUY THE TEAM…
THAT DEAL DIES WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES 12…
RIGHT NOW…BOTH SIDES…AS WELL AS THE LOCAL POLITICIANS…ARE SAYING ALL THE “RIGHT THINGS”…
DON’T BELIEVE ANY OF IT…
THE TRUTH IS…THE PARTY IN THAT CITY IS OVER…
THE PREDATORS ARE LEAVING NASHVILLE AT THE END OF THIS SEASON…
THEIR FATE WAS SEALED THE DAY LEIPOLD PUT THEM UP FOR SALE…
THE KEY TO THE MOVE IS THE TEAM GETTING OUT OF THEIR ARENA LEASE…
TO DO THAT THE PREDATOR HAD TO AVERAGE LESS THAN 14 THOUSAND PAID ATTENDANCE THIS SEASON…
SO…IN THE SUMMER THE TEAM GUTTED ITS ROSTER…
GONE ARE PLAYERS SUCH AS…PAUL KARIYA…KIMMO TIMONEN…AND THOMAS VOKOUN…
THERE WAS NO ATTEMPT TO DIVE INTO THE FREE AGENT POOL…
AND NO ATTEMPT TO RE-SIGN HEAD COACH BARRY TROTZ…EVEN THOUGH TROTZ IS IN THE FINAL YEAR OF HIS CONTRACT…
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH…THE ORGANIZATION IS NOT COMMITTED TO WINNING…
IT’S WORKING…THE PREDS HAVE NOW LOST 6 OF THEIR LAST 8…
THE RESULT IS THAT ATTENDANCE THIS SEASON IS AROUND 12 THOUSAND A GAME…
THE REASON THE LEAGUE WANTS THE TEAM MOVED TO KANSAS CITY IS SIMPLE…
THE NEW ARENA IN THAT CITY IS RUN BY THE OWNER OF THE LOS ANGELES KINGS PHILIP ANSCHUTZ…PERHAPS THE MOST POWERFUL PERSON IN HOCKEY…
THE NASHVILLE BID TO KEEP THE TEAM IS NOTHING MORE THAN A CHARADE FOR THE NHL…LEIPOLD AND THE LOCAL POLITICIANS TO SAVE FACE…
THE FACTS DON’T LIE…
THE MONEY MAN BEHIND THE NASHVILLE BID IS WILLIAM “BOOTS” DEL BIAGGIO FROM CALIFORNIA…WHO IS CONNECTED TO ANSCHUTZ AND OWNS THE NHL RIGHTS TO THE NEW ARENA IN KANSAS CITY…
TODAY WE LEARNED…DEL BIAGGIO HAS ADDED A NEW PARTNER IS DOUG BERGERON…WHO IS A CANADIAN BILLIONAIRE…ALSO LIVING IN CALIFORNIA…
AS A RESULT…THE PREDS WILL MOVE TO KANSAS CITY AT THE END OF THE SEASON…
SO TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT…THE STAKE WILL BE OFFICIALLY DRIVEN THROUGH THE HEART OF EVERY HOCKEY FAN IN NASHVILLE…

Canuck finger Pointing

WHEN IT COMES TO THE CANUCKS…
RIGHT NOW THERE’S A LOT OF FINGER POINTING GOING ON…
HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT IS NOT HAPPY WITH THE WAY HIS TOP TWO LINES ARE PLAYING…
IN HIS WORDS…“THERE’S NOT MUCH GOING ON THERE”…”THERE HASN’T BEEN MUCH GOING ON THERE FOR A WHILE”…
COMBINED THE CANUCKS TOP 6 FORWARDS ARE A MISERABLE MINUS 17 ON THE SEASON…
UNFORTUNATELY THE DEEPER YOU LOOK…THE WORSE IT GETS…
LASTNIGHT IN DETROIT THE CANUCKS WERE OUTSHOT 40 TO 15…
AND IN THE FIRST 3 GAMES OF THIS ROAD TRIP THEY’VE BEEN OUT SHOT A STAGGERING…106 TO 54…
MARKUS NASLUND HAD TAKEN 48 SHIFTS IN HIS LAST 2 GAMES…HE HAS PRODUCED 1 SHOT ON GOAL AND NO POINTS…
THAT’S NOT MUCH FOR $6 MILLION DOLLARS…
WHEN IT COMES TO SHOTS ON NET…THE CANUCKS ARE NOW DEAD LAST IN THE ENTIRE NHL…
THE ONLY THING THAT HAS BEEN KEEPING THE CANUCKS IN MOST GAMES IS THEIR GOALTENDING…
ROBERTO LUONGO IS NOT NAMING NAMES…BUT HE DOES NOT HIDE THE FACT THAT HE’S FRUSTRATED WITH THE DIRECTION THIS SEASON IS GOING…
THE NATURAL RE-ACTION FROM FANS IS TO HOPE THE CANUCKS WILL FIND THEIR GAME…MUCH LIKE THEY DID LAST SEASON…
THE DIE HARDS WILL POINT OUT…
IN LATE OCTOBER AND EARLY NOVEMBER OF 06…THESE SAME CANUCKS LOST 6 OF 7…INCLUDING A 3-2 DEFEAT IN DETROIT…
THAT TEAM TURNED IT AROUND AND WENT ONTO WIN ITS DIVISION…
UNFORTUNATELY YOU COULD ONLY MAKE THAT ARGUMENT IF YOU HAD NOT WATCHED THE FIRST 10 GAMES OF THE SEASON…
THROW THE STATS OUT…TRUST YOUR EYES…LOOK IN THE MIRROR…AND TELL YOURSELF THE TRUTH…
THIS TEAM IS JUST NOT THAT GOOD…
LAST YEAR LUONGO WAS ABLE TO HIDE A LOT OF PROBLEMS…
24 TIMES THIS TEAM WAS ALLOWED TO PUSH GAMES INTO OVERTIME AND SHOOTOUTS…WHICH RESULTED IN 17 WINS AND 41 POINTS…
THAT’S NOT HAPPENING THIS SEASON…
AS IT SITS NOW…THE CANUCKS ARE NOT A PLAYOFF TEAM…
AND THERE’S NOT A WHOLE LOT GENERAL MANAGER DAVE NONIS CAN DO ABOUT IT…
IN THE MEANTIME THE LOSSES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PILE UP…AND THE FINGER POINTING IS ONLY GET WORSE…

Canucks

ON MOST DAYS…JESSE BOULERICE OF THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS WOULD BE THE ONLY TOPIC OF DISCUSSION IN THIS CITY…
LASTNIGHT BOULERICE CROSS CHECKED KYAN KESLER IN THE HEAD…
IT WAS CHEAP…AND GUTLESS…AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE HOW THE NHL IS INCAPABLE OF POLICING IT’S PLAYERS…
KESLER SUFFERED A SWOLLEN LIP AND JAW…BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE…
IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS THE LEAGUE WILL HAND OUT A SUSPENSION…
HOWEVER THE NUMBER OF GAMES WILL NOT HELP THE CANUCKS WITH THEIR MUCH BIGGER NEED…
A HEART TRANSPLANT…
LASTNIGHT THE WHOLE TEAM SIMPLY DID NOT SHOW UP…
THE FINAL WAS AN 8-2 LOSS…BUT THE SCORE ACTUALLY FLATTERED THE CANUCKS…
IN TRUTH THEIR PERFORMANCE WAS MUCH WORSE…
THE DEFINING MOMENT CAME IN THE THIRD PERIOD WHEN MIKE RICHARDS SCORED AN UNASSISTED GOAL WHILE THE CANUCKS WERE ON A 5 ON 3 POWERPLAY…
AFTER THE GAME…MARKUS NASLUND CALLED IT…”EMBARRASSING”…
AARON MILLER LABLED IT…”AWFUL”…
PERHAPS WILLIE MITCHELL PUT BEST WHEN HE SAID…”WE LET EACH OTHER DOWN…IT WASN’T JUST ONE GUY IT WAS EVERYONE”…
HEAD ALAIN VIGNEAULT DID NOT WASTE TIME SENDING A MESSAGE…
THIS MORNING RYAN SHANNON WAS SENT DOWN TO THE MINORS…
SHANNON WAS MINUS 4 LAST NIGHT AND IS MINUS 7 ON THE SEASON…
MOST FANS ARE IN A STATE OF SHOCK AND IF YOU BOUGHT A TICKET OR SHELLED OUT GOOD MONEY FOR THE PAY PER VIEW BROADCAST YOU HAVE EVERY REASON TO BE UPSET…
NO TEAM CAN GUARENTEE A WIN EVERY NIGHT…BUT THEY CAN AND SHOULD GUARENTEE AN EFFORT EVERY NIGHT…
THAT’S WHAT WAS MISSING…AND THAT’S WHAT HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT IS NOW FORCED TO ADDRESS…
STARTING FRIDAY NIGHT IN EDMONTON THE CANUCKS WILL PLAY 3 GAMES IN 4 NIGHTS…
HOW THEY RESPOND IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS…WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT THIS TEAM IS REALLY MADE OF…
LIKE THE MAN SAID…”ADVERSITY DOES NOT BUILD CHARACTER…IT SIMPLY REVEALS IT”…

Stanley Cup Hangover

IS THERE REALLY SUCH A THING AS A STANLEY CUP HANGOVER?
DEPENDS ON WHO YOU TALK TO…
4 OF THE LAST 8 CUP FINALISTS MISSED THE PLAYOFFS THE FOLLOWING SEASON…
AND NO CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM HAS BEEN ABLE TO REPEAT SINCE THE WINGS DID IT IN 97-98…
KEEP IN MIND…THAT WAS BEFORE THE SALARY CAP…
NEVERTHELESS…YESTERDAY AFTERNOON THE OTTAWA SENATORS DROPPED NEW JERSEY 4-2 TO OPEN THE SEASON WITH A PERFECT RECORD OF 4 AND O…
HOURS BEFORE THE START OF THE SEASON THE SENATORS WERE ABLE TO GET DAN HEATLEY SIGNED TO A 6 YEAR CONTRACT…
SO FAR…HEATLEY HAS REPAID THE SENATORS WITH 4 GOALS IN 4 GAMES…
IN FACT THE BIG LINE OF…HEATLEY…SPEZZA AND ALFREDSON OWN 3 OF THE TOP 4 SPOTS IN NHL SCORING…
THAT INCLUDES ALFREDSON’S LEAGUE LEADING 8 POINTS…
THE DUCKS ARE A DIFFERENT STORY…
THEIR TWO WEEK ROAD TRIP FROM LONDON TO ANAHEIM CERTAINLY HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL…
ANAHEIM HAS JUST ONE VICTORY IN ITS FIRST 5 GAMES…
TOMORROW NIGHT THE DUCKS WILL PLAY THEIR FIRST HOME GAME OF THE SEASON…BOSTON IS IN TOWN…
IT WILL BE THEIR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THE BANNER THEY EARNED LAST SPRING…
HOWEVER THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT THE SAME TEAM…
MISSING ARE: …SCOTT NEIDERMAYER…TEEMU SELANNE…AND DUSTIN PENNER…
THE INJURY LIST INCLUDES MATHIEU SCHNEIDER…SAMUEL PAHLSSON AND J.S. GIGUERE…
THIS SEASON COREY PERRY AND RYAN GETZLAF ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME FIRST LINE PLAYERS AND ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE SHOWN FLASHES OF IT…
THAT’S ALL THEY’VE SHOWN…
THE DUCKS WERE ALSO COUNTING ON BOBBY RYAN TO MAKE THE TEAM…
RYAN WAS THE SECOND PLAYER TAKEN OVER ALL IN 2005 ENTRY…RIGHT BEHIND SIDNEY CROSBY…
AFTER 4 GAMES RYAN HAD JUST ONE POINT AND HAS BEEN SENT TO THE MINORS…
PRINTED ON THE DUCKS DRESSING ROOM WALL IS THE TEAM MOTTO…WHICH READS…
“NO COMPLAINTS…NO EXCUSES”…
LAST SEASON IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE…
HOWEVER BEFORE THIS SEASON IS OVER THE DUCKS MAY BE FORCED TO RETHINK