Brian Burke

TORONTO GENERAL MANAGER BRIAN BURKE HAS FINALLY MET A TV CAMERA THAT HE DOES NOT LIKE…
TONIGHT TSN WILL BROADCAST LIVE…THE NHL DRAFT LOTTERY…
HOWEVER BURKE NOW SAYS HE WILL NOT BE WATCHING…WITH GOOD REASON…
IT WAS BURKE WHO TRADED AWAY THE LEAFS FIRST AND SECOND ROUND PICKS THIS SEASON…
ALONG WITH THE LEAFS FIRST ROUND PICK NEXT SEASON…TO BOSTON FOR PHIL KESSEL…
IT NOW HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME THE WORST DEAL IN FRANCHISE HISTORY…
IMPRESSIVE WHEN YOU CONSIDER:
THIS IS THE SAME FRANCHISE…THAT DEALT ITS FIRST PICK IN THE 1991 DRAFT TO NEW JERSEY FOR TOM KURVERS…
THAT PICK TURNED OUT TO BE SCOTT NIEDERMAYER…
THEN IN 1996…THE LEAFS SENT THEIR FIRST ROUND PICK TO THE ISLANDERS…AS PART OF A DEAL TO AQUIRE WENDEL CLARK…
THAT PICK TURNED OUT TO BE ROBERTO LUONGO…
THE PRIZE TODAY IS EITHER TAYLOR HALL OR TYLER SEGUIN…
WITH A LITTLE LUCK BOSTON GENERAL MANAGER PETER CHIARELLI WILL WALK AWAY WITH ONE OF THEM…
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA…OF THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT A TOP 3 PICK CAN HAVE ON A FRANCHISE…
SIMPLY LOOK AT RECENT HISTORY…
LAST YEAR…MATT DUCHENE WAS TAKEN BY THE COLORADO AVALANCHE…
AND DREW DOUGHTY WENT TO L.A….
THIS SEASON BOTH TEAMS MADE THE PLAYOFFS…
IN 2008 STEVEN STAMKOS WENT FIRST OVER ALL TO TAMPA BAY…
THIS SEASON HE WON THE ROCKET RICHARD TROPHY…
IN 2006 THE CHICAGO BLACK HAWKS TOOK JONATHAN TOEWS THIRD OVER ALL…
THE FOLLOWING YEAR THEY TOOK PATRICK KANE FIRST OVER ALL…
THIS YEAR THE HAWKS ARE ONE OF THE FAVORITES TO WIN THE STANLEY CUP…
IN 2005…PITTSBURGH WON THE SIDNEY CROSBY SWEEPSTAKES…
IN 2004 THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS LANDED ALEX OVECHKIN WITH THE FIRST PICK OVER ALL…
LAST YEAR THE PENGUINS WON THE STANLEY CUP…
THIS YEAR THE CAPITALS FINISHED WITH THE BEST RECORD IN THE ENTIRE NHL…
NEVERTHELESS…BURKE INSISTS HE WOULD STILL MAKE THE KESSEL TRADE…
BUT ONLY A LEAF FAN WOULD BUY THAT…
HERE’S WHAT WE DO KNOW “IS” TRUE…
THE BRUINS ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS…
AND IN LESS THAN AN HOUR FROM NOW…
THEIR GENERAL MANAGER “WILL BE THE ONE” IN FRONT OF A T.V. CAMERA…

Tiger Woods

HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY “WILL” HAVE A REASON TO TURN ON THEIR TELEVISIONS THIS WEEKEND…
TIGER WOODS…
LASTNIGHT IN SAN JOSE THE CANUCKS DRESSED A LINE-UP THAT BELONGED IN A PRE-SEASON GAME…
AND IT SHOWED…
TOMORROW NIGHT WITH CALGARY IN TOWN…THOSE FANS CAN EXPECT MORE OF THE SAME…
NEVERTHELESS…WITH THE PLAYOFFS LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY…THIS IS THE SMART MOVE…
THIS TEAM SIMPLY CAN NOT AFFORD ANY MORE INJURIES…
ALL THE CANUCKS CAN DO NOW IS WAIT UNTIL SUNDAY TO FIND OUT…WHO THEY’LL MEET IN THE FIRST ROUND…
WHICH MEANS…
MOST OF THE ATTENTION THIS WEEKEND WILL FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS…
STARTING WITH HENRIK SEDIN…
WHO CAN BECOME THE FIRST CANUCK TO WIN THE ART ROSS TROPHY…
BUT HE’LL HAVE TO EARN IT…
ALEXANDER OVECHKIN IS JUST 2 POINTS BACK…WITH A GAME IN HAND…
AND SIDNEY CROSBY IS JUST 4 POINTS BACK…WITH A GAME IN HAND…
OVECHKIN…CROSBY AND STEVEN STAMKOS WILL ALSO DECIDE THE ROCKET RICHARD TROPHY…
CROSBY IS SITTING AT 49 GOALS…1 MORE THAN BOTH OVECHKIN AND STAMKOS…
SATURDAY NIGHT MAYBE THE LAST TIME YOU SEE JEROME IGINLA IN A CALGARY JERSEY…
RUMORS CONTINUE TO FLY THAT THE FLAMES WILL TRADE IGINLA IN THE OFF SEASON…
THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF PLAYERS WHO ARE EXPECTED TO FINISH THEIR CAREERS THIS WEEKEND…
THE LIST INCLUDES…
KEITH TKACHUK…
MIKE MODANO…
TEEMU SELANNE…
SCOTT NEIDERMAYER…
MARK RECCHI…
CHRIS CHELIOS…
ROB BLAKE…
DOUG WEIGHT…AND…
MATHIEU SCHNEIDER…
BUT PERHAPS THE BEST DRAMA WILL BE PLAYED OUT IN PHOENIX…
TODAY IS THE DEADLINE…THE CITY OF GLENDALE HAS SET…FOR POTENTIAL BUYERS TO SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING…
WHICH MEANS…BY MONDAY…WE COULD KNOW IF THE COYOTES HAVE A FUTURE IN THAT TOWN…
BUT WHEN YOU ADD IT ALL UP…YOUR BEST BET THIS WEEKEND…IS STILL…“TIGER WOODS”…

Canucks Playoffs

THE SKY IS FALLING!!!
THE SKY IS FALLING!!!
THE WARNING SIGNS CAN BE SEEN IN THE HEAD LINES IN THE LOCAL PAPERS…
“WAKE UP CALL”
“TROUBLE IN EVERY DEPARTMENT”
THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR…
IF YOU ARE A CANUCK FAN…WAITING FOR THE PLAYOFFS???
“BE AFRAID…BE VERY AFRAID”…
ONE OF THESE “DOOMSDAY PROPHETS” IS JASON BOTCHFORD OF THE VANCOUVER PROVINCE…
WHO IN THIS MORNINGS PAPER…WROTE…AND I QUOTE…
“THEIR GOALIE IS MIRED IN THE LONGEST SLUMP OF HIS CAREER’…
“THEIR DEFENCE HAS BEEN OVER WORKED”
“THEIR FORWARDS HAVE ADMITTTED THEY’RE UNMOTIVATED”
MAKES YOU WONDER WHY YOU GOT UP THIS MORNING…
TIME TO DO A REALITY CHECK…
TO START WITH…IN THE NEW NHL…GOALTENDING IS NOT EVERYTHING…
LAST SEASON…DETROIT AND PITTSBURGH MADE IT TO THE STANLEY CUP FINAL FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR…
THE PENGUINS WENT INTO THE PLAYOFFS WITH MARC ANDRE FLEURY…WHO HAD THE 23RD WORST GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE IN THE NHL…
THE WINGS HAD CHRIS OSGOOD…WHO HAD THE 40TH WORST GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE…
IN COMPARISON…THIS SEASON…ROBERTO LUONGO IS A MERE 17TH …
CANUCK FANS CAN TAKE COMFORT IN THE WORDS OF ALFRED E NEWMAN…”WHAT…ME WORRY???”
AS FOR THE THEORY…A TEAM MUST BE ON A ROLE AT THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON…
THE FACTS…DO NOT BACK IT UP…
LAST YEAR THE WINGS LOST 7 OF THEIR LAST 10…
IN 2008 THE PENGUINS LOST 2 OF THEIR LAST 3…
IN 07…ANAHEIM LOST 2 OF ITS LAST 3…
IN 06…EDMONTON LOST 3 OF ITS LAST 6…AND TAMPA BAY LOST 4 OF ITS LAST 5…
ALL OF THOSE TEAMS WENT ONTO THE STANLEY CUP FINAL…
THE TRUTH IS…GOOD TEAMS KNOW HOW TO TURN IT ON…WHEN IT MATTERS…
IN THE END…THAT AND THAT ALONE IS WHAT WILL DETERMINE THE FATE OF THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS IN THESE PLAYOFFS…
CHICKEN LITTLE BE DAMNED!!!

Canucks Playoffs

LADIES AND GENTELMEN…START YOUR WALLETS…
TOMORROW MORNING AT 10 AM…PRECISELY…
CANUCKS “SINGLE GAME PLAYOFF TICKETS” GO ON SALE…
ONLY ABOUT 1 THOUSAND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR EACH HOME GAME…
THERE’S A LIMIT OF 4 PER CUSTOMER…AND PRICES BEGIN AT $115 DOLLARS PER TICKET…
DESPITE THE PRICE…EVERY ONE OF THOSE TICKETS IS EXPECTED TO BE SOLD…WITHIN A MATTER OF MINUTES…
NOT SURPRISING WHEN YOU CONSIDER…
ON SUNDAY THE CANUCKS RECORDED THERE 300TH STRAIGHT SELL OUT…
ON THE SURFACE…THERE’S GOOD REASON FOR THESE FANS TO BE OPTOMISTIC…
THE CANUCKS HAVE JUST CLAIMED THEIR 3RD NORTH WEST DIVISION TITLE IN 4 YEARS…
THEY HAVE THE BEST HOME RECORD IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE…
HENRIK SEDIN HAS A 2 POINT LEAD ON ALEXANDER OVECHKIN FOR THE SCORING TITLE…
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES…THEY HAVE 6 PLAYERS WITH 20 GOALS OR MORE…
YET THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE NOT QUITE RIGHT…
IT STARTS IN GOAL WITH ROBERTO LUONGO…
WHO HAS BEEN PULLED OUT OF MORE GAMES THIS SEASON…
THAN SHANE O’BRIEN HAS BEEN PULLED OUT OF THE ROXY…
SO THERE’S THAT…
THANKS TO A CONCUSSION…WILLIE MITCHELL APPEARS TO BE GONE FOR THE SEASON…
RYAN JOHNSON IS OUT FOR THE NEXT 4 TO 6 WEEKS WITH A BROKEN FOOT…
AND NOW THE CANUCKS ARE SWEATING OVER A SPRAINED KNEE TO CHISTIAN ERHOFF…
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT ERHOFF MEANS TO THIS TEAM…
HE LEADS THE DEFENCE IN:
GOALS…ASSISTS…POINTS…POWERPLAY GOALS…AND PLUS MINUS…
ADD TO ALL THAT…
IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY…THE CANUCKS WOULD FACE DETROIT IN THE FIRST ROUND…
SINCE THE OLYMPIC BREAK…THE WINGS HAVE THE BEST RECORD IN THE NHL…GOING 13-3-2…
NEVERTHELESS…HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY STILL BELIEVE…
AND IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS THEY WILL KNOW FOR CERTAIN…
IF THEIR FAITH AND THEIR MONEY…HAVE BEEN WELL INVESTED…

Tiger Woods

WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR???
IN A WEEK FROM TODAY…TIGER WOODS WILL TEE IT UP AT THE MASTERS…
IT IS THE LATEST ATTEMPT TO RECLAIM HIS LIFE…
BUT NO MATTER HOW WELL HE PLAYS GOLF…
IT’S NOW CLEAR…THE WORLD HE KNEW IS GONE FOREVER…
AND ACCORDING TO THE STORY IN THE MAY ISSUE OF “VANITY FAIR”…
TIGER CAN THANK HIS CLOSE FRIENDS MICHAEL JORDAN AND CHARLES BARKLEY…
THE MAGAZINE CLAIMS…”WHEN TIGER SHOWED UP IN VEGAS…HE WAS ALWAYS WITH JORDAN AND BARKLEY”…
THE ARTICLE ALSO ALLEGES…TIGER’S ATTORNEY JOHN MERCHANT WARNED HIM YEARS AGO…ABOUT THESE TWO…
VANITY FAIR ALSO TALKED TO ONE OF HIS EX-GIRL FRIENDS…MINDY LAWTON…
WHO IS NOW ON THE RECORD AS CALLING TIGER A “CHEAP DATE”…
ACCORDING TO MINDY…THE ONLY THING HE EVER BOUGHT HER WAS A “CHICKEN WRAP” FROM SUBWAY…
SHE ALSO NOW CLAIMS…IN 2007 TIGER ONCE CALLED HE UP AT 5.30 IN THE MORNING ON HIS WAY TO A GOLF TOURNAMENT…
MINDY SAYS THAT MORNING THE TWO “GOT IT ON” IN A CHURCH PARKING LOT…
VANITY FAIR ALSO DESCRIBES TIGER’S FATHER EARL WOODS…AS A WOMANIZER AND A DRUNK…
AND THAT’S JUST THE START…
TMZ IS NOW REPORTING TIGER PAID RACHEL UCHITEL $10 MILLION DOLLARS IN HUSH MONEY…
AND THEN THERE ARE THE BOOKIES…
TIGER WILL GO INTO THE MASTERS AS A 4-1 FAVORITE…
BUT CHECK OUT THE LIST “OF PROP BETS”…
WILL TIGER WILL GET INTO A FIGHT WITH A FAN ON THE FIRST TEE…
WILL TIGER WILL KISS AN ANONYMOUS BLOND…
WILL HE THROW A CLUB???
WILL BE BREAK A CLUB???
WILL THERE BE A STREAKER ON THE FINAL GREEN…
AND NOW THIS FOR A SAFE BET…
WILL ELIN HOW UP???
SHE HAS NO PLANS TO BE AT THE MASTERS…
INSTEAD SHE AND THE KIDS WILL BE IN SWEDEN FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK…
BUT THAT SHOULD NOT CONCERN TIGER…
AFTER ALL…HE STILL HAS HIS FRIENDS…

Henrik Sedin

MVP…
IT HAS A NICE RING TO IT…ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE A CANUCK FAN…
LASTNIGHT HENRIK SEDIN PICKED UP 3 MORE POINTS TO GIVE HIM 104 FOR THE SEASON…
HENRIK NOW LEADS THE NHL SCORING RACE BY 3 POINTS OVER ALEXANDER OVECHKIN…
WITH JUST 6 GAMES LEFT IN THE REGULAR SEASON HENRIK SEDIN WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED THE FAVORITE TO WIN THE ART ROSS…
BUT THE HART TROPHY???
THAT’S A DIFFERENT STORY…
THE AWARD IS GIVEN TO THE PLAYER WHO IS…QUOTE…
“JUDGED TO BE THE MOST VALUABLE TO HIS TEAM”…
AND THAT GETS US TO “THE JOKER” IN THE DECK…
THE PEOPLE WHO DO THE JUDGING ARE THE PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF THE NHL…
THE PROBLEM IS…MOST OF THOSE WRITERS LIVE ON THE EAST COAST AND RARELY SEE HENRIK SEDIN…
IN FACT…IN THE LAST 15 YEARS…THE AWARD HAS BEEN GIVEN TO A PLAYER IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE 11 TIMES…
AND IN THE LAST 20 YEARS…ONLY 2 PLAYERS ON THE WEST COAST HAVE WON IT…
JOE THORNTON AND WAYNE GRETZKY…
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF JUST HOW DEEP THE “BIAS” GOES…
KEN CAMPBELL FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS HAS GIVEN HIS LIST OF REASONS WHY HENRIK SEDIN DOES NOT DESERVE TO WIN THE HART TROPHY…
ON THE TOP OF THE LIST…“TOO MANY ASSISTS”…
IF YOU CAN BELIEVE THIS…75 ASSISTS ARE NOW A BAD THING…
THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A SECOND…
LET’S SAY TORONTO GENERAL MANAGER BRIAN BURKE HAD SIGNED THE SEDINS LAST SUMMER…
AND LET’S SAY…THE HENRIK SEDIN PUT UP THE SAME NUMBERS IN THAT CITY…AND WAS ABOUT TO WIN THE ART ROSS TROPHY…
AND LET’S SAY…THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS WERE ABOUT TO WIN THEIR DIVISION…
IS THERE ANY QUESTION HENRIK SEDIN WOULD BECOME THE FIRST LEAF TO WIN THE HART TROPHY IN 55 YEARS???
THE TRUTH IS…THEY’D BE NAMING HIGH SCHOOLS AFTER HIM…
WHAT IS TRULY AMAZING ABOUT WHAT HENRIK HAS ACCOMPLISHED THIS SEASON IS THE FACT HIS BROTHER DANIEL HAS MISSED 18 GAMES…
IN A PERFECT WORLD…HENRIK SEDIN WINS THE HART TROPHY…
BUT AS WE ARE CONTINUALLY REMINDED…THE NHL IS FAR FROM PERFECT…

Phoenix Coyotes

THE FATE OF THE PHOENIX COYOTES MAYBE DECIDED BY AS EARLY AS THIS THURSDAY…
ACCORDING TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL…
THURSDAY IS THE UNOFFICIAL DEADLINE SET DOWN BY THE CITY OF GLENDALE TO GET A DEAL DONE WITH EITHER…
THE ICE EDGE HOLDING GROUP…OR JERRY REINSDORF…
THE ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED IS…AS ALWAYS…“THE LEASE” ON THE ARENA…
WHICH HAS ANOTHER 26 YEARS LEFT ON IT…
AT THIS POINT…THE FRONT RUNNER APPEARS TO BE REINSDORF…
WHO IS DEMANDING A SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT TO BE CREATED AROUND THE ARENA TO GENERATE REVENUE FOR THE TEAM…
HE ALSO WANTS AN ESCAPE CLAUSE…IF THE TEAM CAN NOT GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE…
WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME OFFER HE MADE LAST SEPTEMBER…
THAT DEAL WOULD HAVE HAD THE CITY…PAY REINSDORF $23 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN SUBSIDIES…
NO WONDER THEY TURNED IT DOWN…
INK THE MEANTIME…THE ICE EDGE GROUP INSISTS IT “IS” STILL IN THE GAME…
ON MONDAY THE HEAD OF THE COMPANY ANTHONY LEBLANC…QUOTED MARK TWAIN…BY SENDING THIS E-MAIL…
“REPORTS OF MY DEATH ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED”…
BUT ONCE AGAIN…UNLESS THERE IS A NEW LEASE…THERE IS NO FINANCING…AND THERE IS NO DEAL…
IT ALL LEAVES THE NHL IN A SERIOUS JAM…
THE LEAGUE OWNS A TEAM…WHICH IT CAN NOT SELL…AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO KEEP…
WHICH MAY EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED ON MONDAY…
THE PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL REPORTED THAT THE NHL HAS AN AGREEMENT IN PLACE TO MOVE THE FRANCHISE BACK TO WINNIPEG IF AN OWNER CAN NOT BE FOUND…
ALTHOUGH THE REPORT DOES NOT HAVE A SOURCE…CLEARLY THIS IS A GREAT BENEFIT TO THE NHL…
NHL DEPUTY COMMISSIONER BILL DALY WAS QUICK TO DENY THAT ANY SUCH DEAL EXISTS…
BUT DALY WAS ALSO JUST AS QUICK TO CONFIRM…
THE NHL IS INTERESTED IN MOVING A TEAM TO THAT CITY…
CALLING IT…”AN INTRIGUING POSSIBILITY”…
IT APPEARS AS IF THE NHL IS NOW TRYING TO USE THIS THREAT…TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE CITY OF GLENDALE…
IN THE END…THIS IS A HIGH STAKES POKER GAME…
AND LIKE THEY SAY IN VEGAS…
”IF YOU LOSE YOUR HEAD…YOU’LL LOSE YOUR CHIPS”…