Gary Bettman

LESS IS MORE…
NO WHERE IS THAT MORE TRUE THAN IN THE NHL…
THE LEAGUE IS NOW ON “LIFE SUPPORT” IN AT LEAST 6 U.S. MARKETS…
BY THE END OF THE SEASON…THE NHL WILL HAVE MADE A $200 MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN THE PHOENIX COYOTES…
AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE $100 MILLION…THE LEAGUE WASTES EVERY YEAR ON “REVENUE SHARING”…
THERE IS ALSO THE ISSUE OF TELEVISION MONEY…
TONIGHT ON TSN…THE NETWORK WILL FEATURE THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS AND THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS…
CROSBY VERSUS OVECHKIN…
WHILE ON TSN 2…IT’S KOBE VERSUS LEBRON…
ONE LOOK AT THE NBC SCHEDULE THIS SEASON…AND IT’S CLEAR WHERE WHAT THEY’RE SELLING…
A STEADY DIET OF….PENGUINS…CAPITALS…WINGS…HAWKS…BRUINS…AND FLYERS…
BIG MARKET TEAMS…WITH MARQUEE PLAYERS…
THE QUESTION IS…
HOW MUCH LONGER WILL THE OWNERS OF THE “HAVE FRANCHISES”…CONTINUE THROW GOOD MONEY INTO THIS BLACK HOLE …
CERTAINLY RE-LOCATION IS AN OPTION…
SOUTHERN ONTARIO “CAN AND WILL” SUPPORT ANOTHER TEAM…
BUT AFTER THAT…THE NHL IS LOOKING AT A LONG LIST OF CITIES THAT HAVE ALREADY FAILED…
INCLUDING…KANSAS CITY…CLEVELAND…HARTFORD…WINNIPEG…AND QUEBEC CITY…
MORE AND MORE THE ANSWER IS…“CONTRACTION”…
LASTNIGHT COMMISSIONER GARY BETTMAN WAS IN EDMONTON...
AS USUAL…HE HAD LITTLE TO SAY ABOUT ANYTHING…
AND THE “C” WORD WAS NOT EVEN SPOKEN…
WHY BOTHER???
BETTMAN HAS REPEATEDLY STATED “CONTRACTION” IS NOT AN OPTION…WITH GOOD REASON…
THIS 30 TEAM LEAGUE…IS BETTMAN’S IDEA…
EARLIER THIS WEEK…NBA LEGEND JERRY WEST…STATED HE SUPPORTS “CONTRACTION” FOR THAT LEAGUE…IN ORDER TO CREATE A SMALLER “SUPER LEAGUE”…
AND CHARLES BARKLEY BACKS THAT UP...BARKLEY CALLS TODAY’S NBA PRODUCT…”CRAP”…
SO WHY NOT THE NHL???
JUST ASK YOURSELF ONE SIMPLE QUESTION…
HOW MANY TIMES A SEASON…DO YOU REALLY NEED TO SEE…THE DALLAS STARS???

Michael Peca

TODAY MIKE PECA MADE IT OFFICIAL…
AT 35…AND AFTER 13 SEASONS IN THE NHL MIKE PECA HAS RETIRED…
ALL OF THIS IS NOT A SURPRISE…
PECA HAS NOT PLAYED SINCE LAST SEASON…
AS HE PUT IT…”I GUESS PEOPLE WILL STOP ASKING ME NOW”…
TO HIS TEAMMATES AND HIS FANS PECA WAS KNOWN AS…
“CAPTAIN CRUNCH”…
A NICK NAME HIS FIRST EARNED…RIGHT HERE IN VANCOUVER…IN HIS ROOKIE SEASON…
IN FEBRUARY OF 1995…AT THE PACIFIC COLISEUM…TEEMU SELANNE OF THE WINNIPEG JETS WAS CRUISING AT CENTER ICE…
HE MADE BEAUTIFUL PASS…AND THEN MADE THE MISTAKE OF TAKING SOME TIME TO ADMIRE IT…
BIG MISTAKE!!!
PECA CAUGHT HIM WITH ONE OF THE MOST “DEVASTATING” OPEN ICE HITS OF ALL TIME…
UNLIKE THE CHEAP SHOT HANDED OUT BY “PATRICE CORMIER” EARLIER THIS WEEK…
THE PECA HIT ON SELANNE WAS CLEAN…
THERE WAS NO ELBOW…AND NO SHOT TO THE HEAD…
IT SHOULD HAVE CONVINCED CANUCK MANAGEMENT…THEY HAD SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THEIR LINE UP…
NOT THE CASE…
INSTEAD LATER THAT YEAR…THE CANUCKS DEALT PECA TO THE BUFFALO SABRES AS PART OF A DEAL THAT BROUGHT ALEXANDER MOLGINY TO VANCOUVER…
IN 1997 PECA WON THE FIRST OF TWO SELKE TROPHIES…AS THE NHL TOP DEFENSIVE FORWARD…
AND AS CAPTAIN…HE LED THE SABRES TO THEIR FIRST STANLEY CUP FINAL IN 24 YEARS…
THE CANUCKS WITH MOLGINY…NEVER GOT PAST THE FIRST ROUND…
IN 2002…MIKE PECA HELPED CANADA WIN IT’S FIRST OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL IN MEN’S HOCKEY…IN 50 YEARS…
AND THEN IN 2006…HELPED THE EDMONTON OILERS GET TO GAME 7 OF THE CUP FINALS…
THESE DAYS PECA AND HIS FAMILY STILL CALL BUFFALO HOME…
AS HE PUTS IT…”ITS A GREAT PLACE LIVE…I HAVE NOTHING BUT GREAT MEMORIES”…
BUT ON A DAY LIKE TODAY…IT’S HARD FOR VANCOUVER HOCKEY FANS NOT TO STOP AND WONDER…
WHAT IF???

Pittsburgh Penguins

IT’S LIKE WATCHING GARY BETTMAN GO OVER A THOUSAND FOOT CLIFF…IN YOUR BRAND NEW MERCEDES…
YOU ARE GONNA HAVE MIXED FEELINGS…
THAT’S WHAT’S IN STORE FOR VANCOUVER HOCKEY FANS TOMORROW NIGHT…
THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS ARE IN TOWN…
TWO YEARS AGO…THESE FANS BOOED SIDNEY CROSBY…
BUT NOW…LESS THAN A MONTH FROM THE OLYMPICS…
MAYBE…HE’S NOT SUCH A BAD GUY…
IT’S THE SAME STORY WITH MARC ANDRE FLEURY…WHO HAS STRUGGLED THIS SEASON…
FLEURY IS 18TH IN THE NHL…IN GOALS AGAINST…
TWO YEARS AGO…THAT’S A GOOD THING…
LIKE I SAID…“MIXED FEELINGS”…
LASTNIGHT PHOENIX DROPPED NEW JERSEY 4-3…
IN ANY OTHER YEAR…HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY WOULD NOT GIVE A DAMN…
BUT IN THAT GAME…MARTIN BRODEUR GAVE UP 4 GOALS ON 19 SHOTS…
YIKES!!!
ADD TO THAT ON WEDNESDAY IN MINNESOTA…ROBERTO LUONGO PLAYED HIS WORST GAME OF THE SEASON…
LUONGO WAS PULLED AFTER GIVING UP 5 GOALS…
TIME TO LOOK FOR THE PANIC BUTTON…
THERE’S ALSO A LOT OF SECOND GUESSING GOING ON RIGHT NOW…
LASTNIGHT IN EDMONTON…JORDAN STAAL SET UP 3 GOALS AS THE PENGUINS DROPPED THE OILERS 3-2…
STAAL DID NOT MAKE TEAM CANADA…
HOWEVER…JEROME IGINLA DID…AND HE HAS NOT COLLECTED A POINT IN 5 GAMES…
HIS LONGEST DROUGHT IN 9 YEARS…
IN ALL THERE ARE 7 CANADAIN PLAYERS THAT WERE NOT NAMED TO TEAM CANADA…WHO ARE NOW IN THE TOP 30 IN NHL SCORING…
IT’S NOT AN ISSUE NOW…
BUT…IF THE CANADIANS HAVE TROUBLE SCORING NEXT MONTH…
YOU’LL HEAR THE CRIES FOR MIKE GREEN…AND STEVEN STAMKOS…FROM HERE…TO ST. JOHNS…
OFFICIALLY…THE OLYMPIC TOURNAMENT BEGINS ON FEBRUARY 16TH…
NOW TRY AND SELL “THAT” TO CANADIAN HOCKEY FANS…

Canucks Toughness

THE HEADLINE IN THE PROVINCE SAID IT ALL…
“VANCOUVER STILL LACKING IN THE GRIT DEPARTMENT”…
SATURDAY AT GM PLACE…THE CALGARY FLAMES KICKED SAND IN THE FACES OF THE CANUCKS…
AND OUT HIT THEM…39-22…
AS A RESULT…THE CANUCKS 4 GAME WINNING STREAK IS OVER…
THIS FROM A CALGARY TEAM THAT WAS PLAYING ITS 4TH GAME IN 5 NIGHTS…
HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT WAS NOT MAKING ANY EXCUSES…
“CALGARY HAD MORE BITE!!!”
“WE HAD TOO MANY GUYS WHO JUST DID NOT PUT THEIR “A” GAME ON THE ICE”…
THAT CRITISIM CLEARLY DID NOT APPLY TO EVERYONE…
RICK RYPIEN SQUARED OFF WITH BRANDON PRUST…NOT ONCE BUT TWICE…
AND WANTED TO DANCE FOR A THIRD TIME…BUT IN THE WORDS OF RYPIEN…
“HE DIDN’T GO FOR IT”…
BUT THE GAME PLAN TO BEAT THE CANUCKS APPEARS TO BE RATHER SIMPLE…
PUT PRESSURE ON THE CANUCKS DEFENCE IN THEIR OWN ZONE…
AND MAKE LIFE MISSERABLE FOR THE SEDINS…
TO THEIR CREDIT…THE SEDINS…ALONG WITH ALEX BURROWS…ARE INCREDIBLY TOUGH…
AND THEY CONTINUE TO PRODUCE AT AN AMAZING RATE…
PERHAPS ASSISTANT COACH RICK BOWNESS PUT IT BEST WITH THIS QUOTE…
“THE MORE THEY CHASE THEM…THE HAPPIER THE TWINS ARE”…
SOUNDS GOOD…BUT THE LAWS OF PHYSICS SAY THAT…WHEN AN “IMMOVABLE OBJECT…MEETS AND UNSTOPPED FORCE”…
SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE…
WHAT IS REQUIRED HERE IS A “DETERRENT”
IN FAIRNESS TO RYPIEN…THAT JOB IS SIMPLY OUT OF HIS WEIGHT CLASS…
THE CANUCKS DO NOT HAVE A LIGITIMATE HEAVY WEIGHT IN THEIR LINE-UP…
A PLAYER CAPABLE OF GETTING THE ATTENTION…OF SOMEONE…SAY LIKE…DION PHAHEUF…
THE NORTHWEST DIVISION COULD EASILY BE DECIDED BY THE TWO REMAINING GAMES BETWEEN THESE TWO TEAMS…
THAT INCLUDES…THE LAST GAME OF THE REGULAR SEASON…
SO PERHAPS IT WAS FITTING LASTNIGHT…THAT THE MOVIE “SLAP SHOT” WAS ON TV…
HOPEFULLY THE CANUCKS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT WERE WATCHING…

Alex Burrows

ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING…
TODAY ELVIS PRESLEY WOULD HAVE BEEN 75…
BUT IN THIS TOWN…THE KING IS DEAD…
LONG LIVE…ALEX BURROWS…
LASTNIGHT BURROWS SCORED HIS…SECOND STRAIGHT…HAT TRICK…
6 GOALS IN 2 GAMES…
THE LAST PLAYER TO PULL THAT OFF...WEARING A VANCOUVER JERSEY…WAS PETRI SKRIKO…
THAT WAS 22 YEARS AGO!!!
FOR THOSE KEEPING SCORE…
BURROWS NOW HAS 7 GOALS…IN HIS LAST 3 GAMES…AND 17 ON THE SEASON…
THERE’S NO SECRET TO HIS SUCCESS…
A LOT OF HARD WORD AND THE SEDINS…
IN THE 26 GAMES THIS SEASON…THIS TRIO HAS BEEN TOGETHER…BURROWS HAS PRODUCED 15 GOALS…
HOWEVER…IN THE 18 GAMES DANIEL MISSED WITH BROKEN FOOT…
BURROWS MANAGED JUST 2…
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING NEW…
IN THE FIRST TWO FULL SEASONS BURROWS PLAYED WITH THE CANUCKS…HE COLLECTED A MERE 15 GOALS…
BUT IN JANUARY OF LAST SEASON…HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT TOOK A GAMBLE…
AND PUT BURROWS ON A LINE WITH THE SEDINS…
”VIVA LAS VEGAS”…
BURROWS FINISHED THE SEASON WITH A CAREER HIGH 28 GOALS…
AND AS LONG AS THE SEDINS STAY HEALTHY…
THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HE CAN NOT SCORE 35 THIS SEASON…
MAYBE MORE!!!
NOT BAD FOR A KID THAT WAS NOT DRAFTED…
WHO FOUGHT HIS WAY THROUGH THE EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE…
PLAYING FOR…THE GREENVILLE GROWL…
THE BATON ROUGE KINGFISH…
AND THE COLUMBIA INFERNO…
LASTNIGHT HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY THREW OVER 50 HATS ONTO THE ICE TO CELEBRATE WHAT HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED…
ALTHOUGH TODAY…PERHAPS IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR THOSE FANS…TO SIMPLY SAY…
“THANK YOU…THANK YOU VERY MUCH” …

Phoenix Coyotes

WHO ARE THESE GUYS???
HALF WAY THROUGH THE SEASON AND THE PHOENIX COYOTES ARE STILL WINNING HOCKEY GAMES…
LAST WEEK THESE SAME DESERT DOGS…DROPPED THE CANUCKS 3-2 IN A SHOOTOUT…
WHICH JUST HAPPENS TO BE…THE ONLY GAME THE CANUCKS HAVE LOST…IN THEIR LAST 7…
VANCOUVER IS NOT THE ONLY TEAM LOOKING UP TO THE COYOTES…
THERE’S ALSO:

1) DETROIT…
2) ST. LOUIS…
3) ANAHEIM…AND…
4) COLUMBUS…

ALL 5 OF WHICH “MADE” THE PLAYOFFS LAST SEASON…
SO QUESTION STANDS…
HOW ARE THEY DOING IT???
JUST LOOK AT THEIR ROSTER…
THEIR POINTS LEADER IS SHANE DOAN…WITH A MERE 28…
GOOD ENOUGH FOR 76TH PLACE IN THE SCORING RACE…
AND THEIR LEADING GOAL SCORER IS…SCOTTIE UPSHALL WITH JUST 14…
GOOD ENOUGH FOR 38TH PLACE…
YET…IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY THE COYOTES WOULD GO IN AS THE NUMBER 4 SEED…
NOT BAD FOR A TEAM THAT HAS NOT BEEN TO THE DANCE IN 8 LONG YEARS…
IT WAS NOT SUPPOSE TO BE THIS WAY…
THE FRANCHISE SPENT ALL OF LAST SUMMER IN BANKRUPTCY COURT…
IT STILL DOES NOT HAVE AN OWNER…
EVEN HEAD COACH WAYNE GRETZKY WALKED AWAY…
HIS REPLACEMENT…DAVE TIPPETT DID NOT ARRIVE AT TRAINING CAMP UNTIL SEPTEMBER THE 24TH…
BUT IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A TURNING POINT…THAT APPEARS TO BE IT…
TIPPETT HAS BROUGHT STRUCTURE TO THIS TEAM…
AND AS A RESULT…THE COYOTES HAVE SURRENDERED JUST 103 GOALS…
ONLY CHICAGO HAS GIVEN UP FEWER IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE…
THAT DEFENSIVE STYLE HAS RESULTED IN A CAREER YEAR…FOR GOALTENDER ILYA BRYZGALOV…
WHO’S GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE IS NOW 4TH BEST IN THE NHL…
IT IS UNREALISTIC TO BELIEVE THE COYOTES CAN MAINTAIN THIS PACE…IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON…
BUT AS FANS IN PHOENIX HAVE LEARNED…
IF THE CARDINALS CAN GET TO A SUPER BOWL…ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE…

Henrik Sedin

AS A RULE…ON A SPORTS TALK SHOW…IT IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA TO QUOTE FROM THE BOOK OF JONI MITCHELL…
BUT IN THE CASE OF HENRIK SEDIN…THIS IS “THE” EXCEPTION…
“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT ‘TILL IT’S GONE”…
LAST SUMMER THE HENRIK AND DANIEL SEDIN CAME WITH IN A FEW HOURS OF BECOMING UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS…
HAD THAT HAPPENED…ODDS ARE GOOD…THEY WOULD HAVE SIGNED WITH ANOTHER TEAM…
THAT TEAM…PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN TORONTO…
AS YOU KNOW…
THE LEAFS GENERAL MANAGER BRIAN BURKE WAS ALREADY ON A PLANE HEADED TO STOCKHOLM WHEN THE SEDINS SIGNED THEIR NEW 5 YEAR CONTRACTS…
ON SATURDAY IN DALLAS…THE CANUCKS SKATED OFF THE ICE WITH A 3-1 WIN OVER THE STARS…
HENRIK SEDIN PICKED UP 2 ASSISTS…AND AT THAT TIME…WAS TIED WITH JOE THORNTON FOR THE SCORING LEAD IN THE NHL…WITH 55 POINTS…
THORNTON HAS SINCE ADDED 2 POINTS…AND NOW LEADS WITH 57…
NOT SINCE MARKUS NASLUND IN 2003…HAS ANY CANUCK CHALLENGED FOR THE ART ROSS TROPHY…
BUT THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HENRIK SEDIN IS DOING…
TODAY THE NHL NAMED HIM AS THE FIRST STAR FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER…
HE LED THE LEAGUE IN POINTS WITH 25…AND COLLECTED POINTS IN 14…OF 15 GAMES…
AS A RESULT…THE CANUCKS WENT 10-4-1 AND ARE NOW JUST 3 POINTS BACK OF COLORADO FOR FIRST PLACE IN THE NORTH WEST DIVISION…
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IN HIS GAME…HAS BEEN HIS WILLINGESS TO SHOOT THE PUCK…
HENRIK IS ON PACE FOR 170 SHOTS…
AS A RESULT HE HAS ALREADY SCORED 19 GOALS AND COULD WIND UP WITH AS MANY 40…
HIS PREVIOUS BEST IS JUST “22”…
NEVERTHELESS…FOR WHATEVER REASON…MANY HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY STILL DO NOT FULLY APPRECIATE JUST HOW GOOD BOTH HENRIK AND DANIEL SEDIN ARE…
BUT TRY AND IMAGINE…IF THEY HAD SIGNED IN TORONTO…
TRY AND IMAGINE…IF THE LEAFS WERE HEADED TO THE PLAYOFFS…AND THE CANUCKS WERE SITTING IN 14TH PLACE IN THE CONFERENCE…
THINK ABOUT IT…
MAYBE…JUST MAYBE…JONI MITCHELL KNEW WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT…