NHL FanHouse

Georges Laraque Suspended Five Games After Kneeing Incident

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:45:00 EST

Filed under: Canadiens, Red Wings, NHL Injuries, NHL Videos, NHL Discipline

While the NHL still tries to figure out a way to handle hits to the head, they are also trying to curb other dangerous hits plaguing the game.

Saturday night, we saw this kind of hit in Montreal. Georges Laraque took out the knee of Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall. Despite pleading innocence and claiming it was an accident, Laraque was suspended five games on Monday.

Here's a look at the video.

If that's an accident, Wayne Gretzky was a goon. Laraque stuck his leg out and deliberately hit Kronwall's knee.

Despite all the (justified) talk about hits to the head, these types of hits are just as dangerous. They're also equally disrespectful, and they have no place in the sport.

If you can't hit a guy clean, don't hit him. There is no need to try to take someone's knee out because you're either unable or unwilling to line him up and hit him properly.

Kronwall has an MCL injury and is expected to miss at least a month.

Georges Laraque Suspended Five Games After Kneeing Incident originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Blood Sport

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Maple Leafs, Penguins, Rangers, Senators, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Sometimes, we scour the internet looking for the best fight, only to be left underwhelmed. There are other weeks where this job couldn't possibly be any easier. The good fights jump at you, and the players involved are the guys you would expect to see in the big fights. This week's winning fight has some blood in it, so use caution as you proceed.

Punch of the Week: Colton Orr vs. Matt Carkner

Poor Carkner. He did the right thing, he thought, in going after Orr. He didn't have a chance, however, in this fight. Orr got him with a right, and Carkner's night was over -- or, at least this fight was. Orr got a very easy win in a fight that wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining without Joe Bowen at the mic. Watch it here.

Runner-Up: Krys Barch vs. Brad May

When a fight like this is a runner-up, you know you're in for a good week. Barch and May are both good fighters, and while May has many years on Barch, he held up well, and this one only ended when May lost his footing. Watch the video here.

Runner-Up: Eric Godard vs. Chris Neil

Godard is no stranger to the fisticuffs. Having Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as teammates can keep an enforcer busy. Meanwhile, Neil doesn't like having fights stopped. This particular bout looked to be ending a couple different times, only to have Neil keep things going by throwing a shot or two. Check it out by clicking here.

Fight of the Week: Matt Bradley vs. Aaron Voros

Bradley got a couple shots in, but he clearly took the worst of this fight. You simply can't win a fight most of the time when you're wearing the crimson mask at the end of it. However, Bradley got the last laugh. After getting cleaned up from his bout with Voros, he returned and was credited with the game-winning goal as the Capitals beat the Rangers.

Fight of the Week: Blood Sport originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red Wings Get Robbed on What Might Be Worst Call of the Season

Adam Gretz — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:10:00 EST

Filed under: Stars, Red Wings, NHL Videos

The Detroit Red Wings lost to the Dallas Stars, 3-1, on Wednesday night, and it's possible that the game could have had a far different outcome had the referees not taken a goal away from Brad May at the 6:40 mark of the third period.

I'm not one to blame officials for teams losing games, but every once in a while the men in stripes make a call that defies all reason and logic, and this is one of those moments.

Video after the jump.

Referee Denis Larue's explanation? "The whistle had blown to kill the play." Well, there is some truth to that statement: the whistle did blow ... it's just that it didn't occur until three seconds after the puck was already in the net for what would have been a game-tying goal.

This appears to be the "Intent to blow" rule at work.

Rule 32.2 of the NHL rule book: The Referees shall have general supervision of the game and shall have full control of all game officials and players during the game, including stoppages; and in case of any dispute, their decision shall be final. As there is a human factor involved in blowing the whistle to stop play, the Referee may deem the play to be stopped slightly prior to the whistle actually being blown. The fact that the puck may come loose or cross the goal line prior to the sound of the whistle has no bearing if the Referee has ruled that the play had been stopped prior to this happening. In the event of any dispute regarding time or the expiration of penalties, the matter shall be referred to the Referee for adjustment and his decision shall be final. He may use the Video Goal Judge to assist in rendering the final decision. See Rule 39 - Video Goal Judge.

The only problem, of course, is that unless Larue was intending to blow the whistle while the puck was still on a flight path to the net, that's just an awful ruling on his part.

It's not like the puck was covered up by goaltender Alex Auld or there was a massive scrum in the crease; The shot simply went in the net.

It was a goal. And it should have counted.

Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock on the call in his post-game press conference: "It wasn't blown dead. It was a goal. The guy never meant to blow the whistle. It was a shot.''

Red Wings Get Robbed on What Might Be Worst Call of the Season originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chelios Fights Father Time for Last Shot

Greg Couch — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Red Wings, NHL Free Agency, Minor League Hockey

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- You park your car, walk in the side door of the Hoffman Estates Community Center in suburban Chicago, and the first thing you see is some gray-haired, slightly hunched guy standing under a sign that says, "Senior Center. 50+ club."

Chris Chelios is not aging well.

What? Oh, wait, that wasn't Chelios. Chelios was around the corner, a mere 47 years old, still 26 months from 50+ eligibility, not playing checkers, but instead playing in a hockey scrimmage with the Chicago Wolves minor league hockey team.

That's Chelios' team now. Yes, a surefire Hall of Fame defenseman, mostly with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, is riding the bus from town to town with a bunch of NHL hopefuls.

He was finished in Detroit after last season.

He wants back in to the NHL.

He'll be 48 in January.

"I love playing the game," he said. "This seemed like a perfect fit for me. It's been a real long time since I've played 20, 25 minutes a game. It's been great."

How do you feel about seeing an all-time great doing this? Maybe it's a little sad watching a former star risking his legacy by staying too long and going back to square one. Or maybe you can respect that he wants to get every last drop from a career he has worked so hard for, and has loved.

For now, I'm going with the second one. He's doing it because he can, and because this is the life he knows.

In nine games, Chelios has multiple assists four times and has one goal. The Phoenix Coyotes have shown interest, and others surely will when the playoffs get closer, injuries pile up and teams realize he's an in-shape, experienced defenseman who can help kill penalties.

Still, last time I saw him was at the Final Four in Detroit, where he was sitting at a table in his own bar, chatting with Michael Jordan. Chelios is a year older than Jordan, and it wasn't fun watching Jordan play too long.

"Yeah, but I went to a game and he scored 45 points," Chelios said. "The biggest issue for me is enjoying myself. I'm not worried about my legacy.

"I'll know when to quit. I'm not going to embarrass myself."

The Wolves flew from Chicago to San Antonio on Friday, and played Friday night. After the game was an hour-long bus ride to Austin, where they played on Saturday night. Then, a 3-hour ride to Houston, sandwiches along the way, arriving at 2 in the morning for Sunday's 4 PM game.

Brett Sterling, a promising 25-year old teammate who has had a taste of the NHL, said they play cards, listen to music, watch movies, sleep on the bus.

"Yeah, he plays cards with us sometimes," Sterling said. "He pretends he doesn't know how to play."

Then, he cleans up.

A little advice to Chelios' young, green teammates: Don't play cards with a guy who has millions of dollars.

Sterling said he has been a fan of Chelios' since he was 3 years old, and I'm sure Chelios thinks it's just great hearing that kind of stuff. A song from the 1950s came over the locker room the other day, and the team started yelling, "Chelios. Is that your iPod?"

Very funny. Fourteen players on the Wolves' roster, including Sterling, weren't born when Chelios started in the NHL.

Now, he shares a hotel room on the road, unless an odd number of players go. Then he gets his own.

Chelios has played in the Olympics. He has won the Stanley Cup. He has earned millions.

He is living with his mom and dad, and his son, in Chicago while his wife and two daughters are back in Detroit.

You should have seen Chelios in practice Tuesday. The entire team was packed onto half of the ice at the same time, playing a game, having fun. The head coach was in Buffalo because he was about to become a grandpa.

He's eight years older than Chelios.

But too many kids were packed onto too small a spot, and everyone was laughing and high-fiving and hugging. At one point, they all tackled each other, wrestling around. Chelios, with a little gray mixed into his 5 o'clock shadow, just watched that part.

"They're keeping me young," he said. "It's fun to be around kids just breaking in."

Chelios is one of the faster guys on this team, according to Sterling, and among the best in shape. He has signed a 25-game contract in a league where players make mid five-figure salaries.

"You grow up on the South Side of Chicago like I did," he said, "and you don't have ego."

Guys tend to love these old-athlete stories. It makes us feel that if we put in the work, we could still find the old glory, whatever level that was.

Let me say this: I am apparently a hideous monster. Bent to the left, hobbling. People stare with horror or pity. This morning, my wife held onto my shoulders while my kid pushed my hips to the left, to break them free. Success.

"You grow up on the South Side of Chicago like I did and you don't have ego."
-- Chris Chelios The problem? Well, two, really:

1) I played tennis three weeks ago, and was the wind. The wind! On the drive home, I turned into a pretzel.

2) I am not much younger than Chelios.

"Ah, you just don't play every day," he said, brushing it off. Someone forgot to tell Chelios that bodies don't work the same after a certain point. In Andre Agassi's new book, he talks about dealing with his back in his mid-30s, when he was playing every day. He said it was like playing tennis with a steering-wheel locking device on.

Playing tennis with the Club.

Chelios said he tries to eat right and stay in shape. After practice Tuesday, he worked out, as usual, and then sat in the sauna.

For some reason, playing too long doesn't have the same meaning in hockey as in other sports. A baseball player hangs on too long, and it's sort of pathetic somehow. In hockey, it just seems that these guys are cherished for the fight, for the commitment.

But it's hard to know what more Chelios would hope to get from the game, other than the knowledge that he didn't leave anything behind. But from here, he puts off his personal life a little longer.

He says he still calls to check on the families of the former manager and chef of his restaurant, who were stabbed to death a few years ago. "They'll never be the same," he said.

He has one son playing for Michigan State and another playing for another pro team in Chicago. He felt it would be unfair to try to uproot his daughters in Detroit, especially the older one, who is a junior in high school. So he continues a life on the road.

Who knows how he'll take retirement, when that finally happens. But he said he isn't going to play professionally with either of his sons. By the time they reach the NHL, if they get there, he'll surely be in the 50+ club.

They'll call him kid there.

Email me at gregcouch09@aol.com

Chelios Fights Father Time for Last Shot originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brendan Shanahan Retires: Great Player, Entertaining Person

Adam Gretz — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:20:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Devils, Rangers, Red Wings, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

Brendan Shanahan announced his retirement on Tuesday afternoon, ending a 21-year career that saw him finish with 656 goals (11th all time), 698 assists and 1,354 points with the New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils.

He was a member of three Stanley Cup winning teams (all in Detroit), an eight-time All-Star and a two-time 50-goal scorer.

Not only was he a dominating player on the ice, he was also an extremely entertaining person off of it.

Said Shanahan in a statement: "I would like to thank my family and all of the friends who have helped me achieve and maintain my childhood dream of playing in the National Hockey League. I am enormously grateful to all of my coaches and teammates I've had the privilege of learning from and playing along side of, throughout my career. While I always dreamed of playing in the NHL, I can't honestly say that I would have ever imagined that I'd be this fortunate and blessed. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped me fulfill this dream."

The only question remaining now is: how long will he have to wait before he takes his inevitable spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame? It won't be long.

******

While searching for the proper video tribute for such a world-class player, I happened to stumble upon some gems for your enjoyment.

Remember the old ESPN show, Teammates? You're forgiven -- and probably fortunate -- if you don't, but the premise was centered around two players on the same team being asked random questions in an effort to see how much they knew about one another. Shanahan, along with former Red Wings teammate Darren McCarty, were guests on one episode, which led to McCarty revealing Shanahan's bad habit of stretching naked. Hilarity ensues in what is probably the only funny moment the show ever produced.

And my personal favorite, a classic commercial from the days when ESPN televised NHL games in which Shanahan discusses the giant melting pot the Red Wings locker room was (and yes, we've posted this before, but it's always worth another look):

Brendan Shanahan Retires: Great Player, Entertaining Person originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Cam Janssen Edition

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Canucks, Flyers, Rangers, Thrashers, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

If last week seemed a little bit light, we're going to make up for it now. There is no shortage of fights to choose from this week, and we had some really good ones that had to be left on the proverbial cutting room floor. We've also added to our series of rather unlikely scraps. To top it all off, we had an easy choice for the week's best bout.

"Why Are We Fighting?" Fight of the Week: Zach Bogosian vs. Ryan Callahan

Apparently, Callahan really took exception to a bit of a cross-check by Bogosian. Instead of sending a goon after the young defenseman, Callahan took matters into his own hands. This wasn't a great fight by any means, but it was a bit of a head-scratcher. Video can be watched here.

Runner-Up: Rick Rypien vs. Brad May

Vancouver's game against St. Louis Wednesday became a fight-fest (more on this in a bit), but Rypien showed that he had some energy left over to take on one of the league's real veteran heavyweights. This isn't a terribly long fight, but it's intense, and it's not a surprise the guys seemed to wear out a bit. Check it out here.

Runner-Up: Cam Janssen vs. Arron Asham

Janssen looked for a moment to have an easy one here, as Asham struggled from the opening bell. The home crowd inspiring him, Asham pulls off an impressive comeback, and you could argue he at least gave himself a chance to "win the fight." Click here to watch the video.

Fight of the Week: Tanner Glass vs. Cam Janssen

Here's Janssen again. This one's a legitimate candidate for Fight of the Year, not that we're contemplating such an honor at the end of the season. The Canucks were in the midst of getting blown out by St. Louis on Wednesday, but Glass took a shot at injecting some life into his team, which hadn't shown much in the first game of a back-to-back. Janssen got a rousing ovation, and responded to it, after his performance in this fight.

Fight of the Week: Cam Janssen Edition originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brett Hull Shows Michael Jordan How to Give Hall of Fame Speech

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:15:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame, NHL Videos

In September, former NBA superstar Michael Jordan raised more than a few eyebrows. The speech he gave at his Hall of Fame induction quickly turned into a vengeful gong show in which His Airness blasted virtually anyone who he even perceived to be guilty of a slight.

Monday night, the Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed its class of 2009. The ceremony's very first acceptance speech was given by former St. Louis Blue, Dallas Star, and Detroit Red Wing Brett Hull. It was a stirring example of how to give a Hall of Fame speech.

Here is the video of Hull's speech.

In case you've forgotten, here's MJ's idea on a Hall of Fame address. You'll notice a stunning difference in the attitudes shown by both.

Hull was followed by Brian Leetch, Lou Lamoriello, Luc Robitaille, and Steve Yzerman, all of whom gave similarly classy and dignified acceptance speeches.

Hockey players have generally developed a positive reputation over the years by showing a great amount of respect for their sport and its wonderful history. It's the kind of behavior that makes events like Monday's so much fun to watch. While these guys are all legends, there's an obvious acknowledgment of the honor they have received. It's a concept people like Jordan apparently don't understand. If they do, they have a weird way of showing it.

Brett Hull Shows Michael Jordan How to Give Hall of Fame Speech originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brett Hull: Bulldog, Blues and Beyond

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame, College Hockey

In 1984, a kid with a famous name and loads of potential in his game showed up on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth. The Calgary Flames had drafted the kid, but they knew he wasn't ready to play.

After two years at UMD, Brett Hull -- son of the great Bobby Hull -- was ready to tear up the NHL. Boy, did he ever do that.

Turns out Hull was quite the impact player at every level he ever played at. He finished his career as the only player to ever score 50 goals in college hockey, the minors, and the NHL.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

With his 2009 Hockey Hall of Fame induction, Brett joins Bobby as the only father-son combination to be inducted into the Hall. One year ago, the pair became the first father-son tandem to make the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, as Brett was inducted.

Before signing with the Flames, Hull set records that will never be touched at UMD. He scored 32 goals as a freshman, then answered that with a 52-goal season as a sophomore. With Hull on campus, the Bulldogs went an incredible 62-22-6, making the Frozen Four in 1985. It was unprecedented success for the program at the Division I level, as UMD qualified for back-to-back Frozen Fours. They wouldn't make another one until 2004.

Kids who grew up in the 1990s likely tried to emulate Hull's huge shot in their driveways, basements, and at the local rinks. When it came time to choose numbers on youth hockey teams, they always wanted No. 16 more than anything, because Hull was their favorite player. While Hull would go on to great professional success, most of his teammates weren't so lucky. While Norm Maciver (500 games) and Jim Johnson (829 games) had long careers in the NHL, they were the only ones to come close to Hull's long run as a pro. No one on that UMD team could claim the kind of fame Hull enjoyed in the NHL. The stigma in the 1980s was that college players were not good enough to make it in the NHL. Fans who think the major junior/NCAA debate is bad now should have been around back then, when there really was no debate to be had.

Everyone knows Hull's impact on the NHL. Over 21 years in the league, Hull amassed 741 goals, nearly 1,400 points, scored over 100 career playoff goals, and was one of the most entertaining players in the sport -- both on and off the ice. Hull's willingness to share his opinions on any subject left him equal parts loved and disliked. When he felt unwanted on the Canadian national team, Hull instead became a mainstay on United States international teams. He took part in two Olympics, two World Cups, and one Canada Cup, all for Team USA.

His 86 goals in the 1990-91 season rank him second all-time to Wayne Gretzky. Two times, Hull matched Gretzky's achievement of 50 goals scored in 50 games or less. He and Gretzky, who did it three times, are the only players to score 50 goals in 50 games more than once.

Fans would find it difficult to not respect Hull's game. Everywhere he went, he scored goals. Hull practically patented the one-timer, using his deadly release to be an absolute force on the ice. He was the kind of player you could never truly stop, because he could launch a hard shot from just about anywhere in the offensive zone. Sometimes forgotten in all the talk about Hull's ferocious shot was his accuracy. In his prime, Hull shot the puck where he wanted it to go. When he missed, it was still effective.

Kids who grew up in the 1990s likely tried to emulate Hull's huge shot in their driveways, basements, and at the local rinks. When it came time to choose numbers on youth hockey teams, they wanted No. 16 more than anything, because Hull was their favorite player.

In 2006, after his playing career had ended, UMD became the first team to retire Hull's jersey number. He wore No. 29 during his years at UMD, and it now hangs in the rafters at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. Hull has spoken highly of the Duluth area ever since he left, and he still maintains a home at a lake near the city. Proving his tremendous impact on the game, Hull has since had his jersey retired by the St. Louis Blues, and he is a well-known figure in the Dallas Stars organization.

Hull played a long time -- and achieved a lot of individual success -- before ever achieving the ultimate team goal. His first college team fell painfully short of a national title, and he never was able to get the Blues to the Stanley Cup Finals. In 1999, the Stars had a special season under coach Ken Hitchcock. They made the Finals against Buffalo, and rallied nicely after losing the series opener at home. With a chance to clinch the Cup in Buffalo in Game 6, the teams battled into a third overtime before Hull scored a controversial goal. He appeared to have his skate in the crease before the puck was there, but the play was allowed to stand, and Hull had his first championship. After moving to Detroit, Hull added another Cup title in 2002. He retired while a member of the Phoenix Coyotes after the 2004-2005 lockout.

Players on the team that wins the Cup are allowed to have the trophy for a single day.

Both times that Hull played for a championship team, he brought the Cup back to Duluth.

Brett Hull: Bulldog, Blues and Beyond originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve Yzerman: Most Gracious Superstar

Susan Slusser — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame

In an age of look-at-me professional athletes, full of boasting, silly taunting and big celebrations over routine plays, Steve Yzerman is a reminder that the best and most talented shine all the brighter for humble behavior.

The longtime Red Wings captain, and a three-time Stanley Cup winner as a player, enters the Hall of Fame as a winner on the ice and off, a gentleman respected by his peers and adored by his fans.

Yzerman was, and is, classy and understated, the embodiment of old-fashioned values of sportsmanship and personal accountability.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

He was also an outrageously great hockey player: the sixth all-time scorer in NHL history, a skilled skater and puck-handler with a sharp shot and beautiful passing ability, plus smarts and savvy. That alone would be enough to earn him Hall of Fame honors. His long service with one club, which includes the longest stint as team captain in North American sports history and those three championships, is equally impressive.

For sheer graciousness, nothing tops Yzerman's speech the night his jersey was retired at Joe Louis Arena. I was there, on Jan. 2, 2007 and remain struck at how in 20 minutes, seemingly straight from the heart and unrehearsed, Yzerman simply thanked others and repeatedly emphasized how lucky he was to have represented such a great organization. He said "grateful" over and over.

He's thoughtful and deliberate, and Canada could not have made a better choice. Nor could the Hockey Hall of Fame. Endearing himself to the Red Wings' faithful even more that evening, Yzerman appeared most overcome when thanking the fans, halting briefly and needing a sip of water before continuing. Several lengthy ovations brought a tear to his eye, too.

This is one superstar athlete who absolutely gets the connection with fans -- and he understands that many of the most dedicated are hyper-critical and driven to win. Some players and team officials don't appreciate that, resenting criticism from any corner, but in his speech, Yzerman acknowledged the Red Wings' rabid fan base for inspiring him. Then he went on to urge the Detroit fans to "keep demanding excellence."

Yzerman did put up with some brief criticism in Detroit, particularly as a young player whose offensive skills were obvious but who had not honed an all-around game. The Red Wings once came close to trading him, unthinkable as it sounds now. When Scotty Bowman came in and urged Yzerman to become a more selfless player, he did so, and that's when Detroit climbed into the upper level of the league and remained there for more than a decade. Yzerman became such a strong defensive player that he won the Selke Trophy in 2000; he was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner in 1998 as the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

In 23 years in the league, Yzerman had his share of injuries and played through severe pain, like all hockey players, and he fought back from a few problems that might have ended others' careers. After participating in the Red Wings' 2002 Cup-winning campaign on a right knee that barely functioned, Yzerman had an osteotomy, a procedure rarely done on active athletes; Yzerman likened it to having his leg sawed in half and repositioned. Then, during the playoffs in 2004, Yzerman took a puck to the face and nearly lost the vision in his left eye. He didn't return for the rest of that run, but he did play one more season before retiring in 2006.

Now he's part of Detroit's front office, trying to fulfill those fan demands for excellence from that spot. Yzerman is also Team Canada's general manager, charged with one of the biggest task of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, selecting the players for the host country's national sport. He's thoughtful and deliberate, and Canada could not have made a better choice. Nor could the Hockey Hall of Fame.

One last note: a fellow sportswriter tells a story about once flying to Detroit to do a story on Yzerman, who was pleasant and helpful, if typically self-effacing.

Afterward, the reporter was standing in the parking lot at the Joe, waiting for a taxi that was late and getting anxious about missing his flight. Yzerman exited the building and asked him what he was doing. When the writer said he was waiting for a cab to go to the airport, Yzerman said, "Oh, that's no problem, I'll take you," and whisked him off to his flight.

That's not superstar behavior in the sense most of us know it; most superstar athletes have little but contempt for sportswriters. But it's superstar behavior as a person. Typical class from the Captain.

Congratulations, Stevie, for this latest honor in a career defined by excellence. It's a well-deserved moment for celebrating your personal achievements -- not that you ever would.

Steve Yzerman: Most Gracious Superstar originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Luc Robitaille: The Ultimate Steal

Adam Gretz — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Kings, Penguins, Rangers, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame

It doesn't matter how good your team's front office is, the NHL draft can still be a complete shot in the dark in which the most highly-touted, can't miss prospect can miss, and ninth-round picks that sneak under the radar because of concerns about their ability to skate at an NHL level can end up scoring over 600 goals and tallying nearly 1,400 points in a 19-year career -- kind of like Luc Robitaille.

Robitaille was passed over 170 times during the 1984 NHL Entry Draft (a class that featured Mario Lemieux going No. 1 overall, and fellow 2009 Hall of Fame Inductee Brett Hull being taken at No. 117) before being selected in the ninth round by the Los Angeles Kings.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

Twenty-five years later, "Lucky Luc" is going into the Hall as the NHL's all-time leading scorer among left-wingers, and should forever be remembered as one of the greatest draft steals in the history of the sport.

Since the draft was implemented in 1963, there have only been two players selected in the ninth round (the NHL draft is now only seven rounds) or later and went on to record at least 1,000 points in the NHL, and they were both picked by the Los Angeles Kings: Dave Taylor, who scored 1,069 points after being taken 210th in 1975, and Robitaille, who finished his career with 668 goals, 726 assists and 1,394 points.

A quick look at some of the players (and we'll limit it to forwards, just to keep the comparison simple) who can challenge for the title of greatest draft steal:

The Greatest Draft Steals
Player	Pick	Goals	Assists	Points
Luc Robitaille	171	688	726	1,394
Theo Fleury	166	455	633	1,088
Dave Taylor	210	431	638	1,069
Doug Gilmour	134	450	964	1,414
Daniel Alfredsson*	133	357	568	925
Peter Bondra	156	503	389	892
Igor Larionov	210	169	475	644
Henrik Zetterberg*	210	183	225	408
Pavel Datsyuk*	171	171	353	524

(* still active, and what's the deal with pick No's. 171 and 210? )

Robitaille is best known as a member of the Kings, having spent three different stints in Los Angeles from 1986-1994, again from 1997-2001, and finally 2003-2005. He's still the franchise's second-leading scorer (trailing only the legendary Marcell Dionne) with 1,154 of his career points coming as a member of the Kings. No small feat considering a man named Gretzky spent parts of eight seasons as a member of the Kings.

The only thing his career is lacking is league-issued, individual hardware, having only the 1986-87 Calder Trophy as the league's rookie of the year. Considering that he played in an era with the Gretzkys, Lemieuxs, Hulls, and Yzermans, that's not much of a surprise, and it doesn't take away from the fact that no left wing has ever scored more goals or totaled more points.

As a member of the 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings (which could have given that year's All-Star teams a run for their money in terms of pure talent) he became a Stanley Cup Champion for the first time, while he finished his career as an eight-time 40-goal scorer, a three-time 50-goal scorer, and netted a career-best 63 goals during the 1992-93 season. He finished in the top-10 in goals scored nine times, and is currently 10th on the all-time list.

Luc Robitaille: The Ultimate Steal originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jason Williams Suffers Broken Leg In Loss to Toronto

Adam Gretz — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: Red Wings, NHL Injuries, NHL Videos

Not only did the Detroit Red Wings suffer a 5-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night, ending a three-game winning streak, they also lost yet another forward when offseason acquisition Jason Williams slid awkwardly into the end boards and fractured his right fibula.

According to head coach Mike Babcock, he could be out for as long as eight weeks, joining forwards Johan Franzen and Valtteri Filppula who are also out of the lineup with injuries.

When it rains, it pours.

Also: Cam Ward Taken to Hospital With Cut on Leg

Warning! Before watching the video, you should know that Williams leg bends in ways the human leg is not supposed to bend. You've been warned.

Head coach Mike Babcock on the injury, From Ansar Kahn of Mlive:

"Losing Willy was a blow to us," Babcock said. "He was playing in more minutes and more situations than we anticipated, but that's just the way it's gone. No sense worrying about the guys that aren't available. We got to find a way as a group to dig in. "We don't have the ability to score like we did. We're going to have to do a real good job defensively, get good goaltending and have good specialty teams."

Williams has two goals and five assists in 15 games for the Red Wings this season after scoring 19 goals a year ago with Atlanta and Columbus.

I think my FanHouse colleague, and loyal Red Wings fan, Chris Burke said it best last night: "if you know any forwards, tell them to pack their things and fly to Detroit."

Jason Williams Suffers Broken Leg In Loss to Toronto originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Heavyweights

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Canucks, Ducks, Flames, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

It's no secret what we're looking for in a good fight. It needs to have intensity, some good back-and-forth action, and there is some longevity needed. If two guys trade a flurry of punches for seven seconds, it's not nearly as impressive as a high-quality 30-second fight.

This week's top fight has a little bit of everything.

Beatdown of the Week: Krys Barch vs. D.J. King

King played in just one game last season, but he showed no rust in this quick putaway of Barch. Watch the fight here, but don't blink, because you might miss the action.

Runner-Up: Colton Orr vs. George Parros

While the fight itself was okay, the news happened when Orr shoved the linesman who appeared to be trying to break up the bout prematurely.

(Orr, by the way, is not going to be punished any further for that, beyond the misconduct penalty he got at the time.)

Orr and Parros are experienced at this sort of thing, and it's no surprise they can get together and give the fans a good slugfest. Watch the video here.

Runner-Up: Brad May vs. Tanner Glass

May held a real heavy edge in experience on Glass, so you might think he would control this fight. Instead, the youngster did very well against May, even ducking out of the way as May threw a roundhouse that would have knocked Glass into the middle of the Olympic break. Watch the video here.

Fight of the Week: Steve MacIntyre vs. Brian McGrattan

This was easily the best dance of the week. McGrattan is the better fighter, and he won this one hands-down. But it wasn't just about that. MacIntyre made a good showing of himself by simply competing, and he showed he can hang with one of the league's better fighters.

It's not hard to fathom that these two -- playing on division rivals -- will go again this season.

Fight of the Week: Heavyweights originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Puck Talk: Heading Out West

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Ducks, Kings, Sharks, Red Wings, Western

There are a number of compelling stories in the NHL's Western Conference. Not only are the Colorado Avalanche off to a ridiculous start, but the Los Angeles Kings are playing great, San Jose is lurking, and Anaheim is still plagued by bad penalties and not enough offense.

FanHouse's Susan Slusser joins us from her West Coast perch this week, as we examine these issues and talk about her beloved Red Wings' slow start. Listen after the jump.

Listen to the podcast above, or click here to download the file.

Puck Talk: Heading Out West originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another Milestone For Nicklas Lidstrom: 1,000 Points

Adam Gretz — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Canadiens, Capitals, Kings, Sharks, Red Wings

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Red Wings 5, Kings 2: Four Stanley Cups, six Norris Trophies, a Conn Smythe Trophy, 10 All-Star games, and now ... 1,000 career points. With his assist on Henrik Zetterberg's goal at the 3:24 mark of the third period (his second assist of the game), Nicklas Lidstrom recorded the 1,000th point of his remarkable career, joining fellow rearguards Paul Coffey, Ray Bourque, Al MacInnis, Phil Housley, Brian Leetch, Larry Murphy, and Denis Potvin as the only defensemen to reach such a mark. As for the rest of the Wings, they pulled out a 5-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings, and did so in shorthanded fashion, playing without the services of not only injured forward Johan Franzen, but also Pavel Datsyuk.

After the jump: Video of Lidstrom's milestone, Ovechkin scores two, and more

Capitals 4, Sharks 1: Alex Ovechkin entered Thursday's game riding a three-game goal-less streak, which seems like an eternity for him. It goes without saying that he was probably due for a goal or two, and, hark, that's exactly what he provided in a 4-1 win against San Jose, while also recording 13 of Washington's 36 shots on goal. Alexander Semin and Matt Bradley also filled the net for Washington, while Semyon Varlamov stopped 15 shots. Varlamov took over for Jose Theodore when he left with an injury following the first period.

Avalanche 3, Canadiens 2: After a five-game road trip to open the season, the Montreal Canadiens finally had their home opener on Thursday night and the surprising Colorado Avalanche managed to crash the party with a 3-2 win. The Avs received goals from Milan Hejduk, Kyle Cumiskey and Ryan O'Reilly, while Craig Anderson continued to shine by stopping 29 of 31 shots. Despite a rare 7-on-5 power play to close out the game, Montreal's final push came up just short.

Thursday's Other Games

Hats off to Milan Michalek for his hat trick in Ottawa's 7-1 win over Tampa Bay. [Box Score, Recap]

Chicago improves to 5-1-1 with its win in Nashville. [Box Score, Recap]

Phoenix beats St. Louis in overtime. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- Vancouver Canucks forward Pavol Demitra is dealing with shoulder tendinitis. [Nucks Misconduct]

-- The Phoenix Coyotes sent 2008 first-round pick Mikkel Boedker to San Antonio of the AHL. [Arizona Republic]

-- Don't look now, but Marc-Andre Fleury is 6-0. [Pensburgh]

Video Of The Day

Nice work, Mr. Lidstrom.

Friday's Key Games

Islanders vs. Sabres: The Islanders haven't won in four games, and all four have been decided by one goal, including three overtime decisions. They travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres who have yet to lose in regulation.

Flyers vs. Panthers: Florida hasn't won since its season-opening win against Chicago in Finland. The Panthers have another tough game on Friday when they host The Broad Street Bullies.

Canucks vs. Flames: After opening with three straight losses, the Canucks have won two in a row. The Flames, after opening with four straight wins, have now lost three in a row. The two teams meet Friday in Calgary.

Another Milestone For Nicklas Lidstrom: 1,000 Points originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blues, Wings Flat Since Sweden

Susan Slusser — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Red Wings, FanHouse Exclusive

Niklas Kronwall and Erik Johnson, defensemen for the Red Wings and Blues respectively, both enjoyed opening the season in Sweden. Like many of Detroit's players, Kronwall is from there, while Johnson was happy St. Louis took both games and that he's healthy after missing most of a year.

Since returning to the U.S., however, the Red Wings and Blues have been less than sharp. And Detroit wasn't any great shakes in Sweden, either, dropping both games despite holding leads in each.

The two teams, both expected to be contenders, are at the bottom of the Central Division going into play Thursday night.

"We've stumbled of late," Johnson told FanHouse by phone. "I think maybe we got a little ahead of ourselves, thought we were better than we were because we beat the Red Wings twice."

Kronwall said the opening games in Stockholm were well-received by the local fans and that it was "surreal" to dine with the entire Red Wings team at a restaurant he frequents during the summer. But, he said, "We went there with one goal, to win those games, and we didn't. It was a great experience - except for the outcome."

After getting smoked 6-2 at Buffalo on Tuesday, Detroit is 2-3 and the annual whispers wondering if the Wings are finally on the downswing have begun. With the offseason exodus of Marian Hossa, Jiri Hudler, Mikael Samuelsson and Tomas Kopecky, the team lost 88 goals - and Johan Franzen's recent injury pushes that number to 122 goals gone from last year's tally. Hossa and Franzen led the team in that category last year.

Franzen is expected to miss four to six months with a torn ACL. Describing his loss, Kronwall told FanHouse, "I don't know if I can put it in words. He's one of the leading players in the league and this would have been a big year for him. He would have been one of the top goal scorers in the league. for sure. But this will give other people opportunities."

The annual doubts about Detroit? "That's kind of how it is year after year when we lose a few games," Kronwall said. "But the feeling in our dressing room is the same. We still believe in our team and the way we play. We just have to get back on track, work harder - not that we haven't been working hard, we have to just work harder together in the same direction - and we'll be fine."

The Blues, seen as real up-and-comers after winning nine of 11 last spring to finish the regular season, have dropped two in a row since toppling the Wings twice. They've scored three goals, total, and they've gone 0 for 8 on the power play in losses to Atlanta and L.A.

Johnson said the Blues just need to relax and prepare themselves the way they usually do - and to realize that not every game is going to be easy. The team also needs to shoot the puck more, he said, and the defensemen need to work on ensuring good gaps in the neutral zone to improve the transition game.

Steady veterans Keith Tkachuk and Paul Kariya are leading the Blues in scoring, and Johnson, 21, said it's time for the club's younger players to step it up, too. "If we're not going," he said, "that's a big chunk of the team."

Expectations are higher, and Johnson likes that. "It's a good thing," he said. "There's pressure on us now to fail, but we set a standard of how we want to play in the second half last year, and everyone here wants to win."

Blues, Wings Flat Since Sweden originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vanek Scores 2, Likely Out 'Weeks' With Upper Body Injury

Adam Gretz — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Flames, Sabres, Red Wings, NHL Injuries

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Sabres 6, Red Wings 2: The Sabres scored four goals in seven minutes during the second period of their 6-2 win against the Red Wings on Tuesday, chasing Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood after he surrendered five goals on just 22 shots. Leading the way for Buffalo was Thomas Vanek with two goals, including what turned out to be a costly score when he was injured falling into the boards after poking in a rebound. He left the game and did not return with an "upper body injury" that appears to be fairly serious.

After the jump: Vanek's status, hit of the day, and more

Following the game, Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said his All-Star winger could be out "weeks" with the injury.

Vanek missed nine games a season ago, which played a big role in the Sabres missing the playoffs as they went 3-5-1 in his absence and fell short of the postseason by just two points.

Drew Stafford, Patrick Kaleta, Clarke MacArthur and Paul Gaustad also scored for Buffalo, while Ryan Miller stopped 23 shots.

Blue Jackets 2, Flames 1: Columbus continued its fast start with a 2-1 win over Calgary on Tuesday. Anton Stralman scored his first goal as a member of the Blue Jackets, while Kristian Huselius' marker two minutes later proved to be the game-winner. Steve Mason turned aside 22-of-23 shots for Columbus as Calgary dropped its third game in a row, ending what turned out to be a disappointing -- and at times embarrassing -- two-game road trip.

Tuesday's Other Game

Toronto continues its early season struggles. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- Go Green Nights return in Tampa Bay. Own a bike? Have a phone book you're looking to get rid of? Then you can see some free (or discounted) hockey on October 22 against the San Jose Sharks.

-- Gabriel Desjardins takes a look at Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala and asks the question we're all asking after his first four starts: does he really suck this much? [Behind The Net]

Video Of The Day

Patrick Kaleta, meet Niklas Kronwall.

Wednesday's Key Games

Pittsburgh vs. Carolina: The Penguins are unbeaten away from Mellon Arena this season and look to go a perfect a 4-0 on their current road trip. It's a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Final. No word on whether or not Bill Cowher will be sounding the Hurricane warning siren.

Edmonton vs. Chicago: Chicago returns to the ice after its record-tying come-from-behind win against Calgary on Monday. The Blackhawks will be taking on their former goaltender, Nikolai Khabibulin, as they host the Edmonton Oilers.

Los Angeles vs. New York: The Kings enter Madison Square Garden riding a four-game winning streak, including three-straight one-goal games. Ryan Smyth looks to be rejuvenated in Los Angeles with eight points (four goals, four assists) in his first five games.

Vanek Scores 2, Likely Out 'Weeks' With Upper Body Injury originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Craig Anderson's Impressive Debut

Adam Gretz — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Blues, Red Wings, NHL Videos

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

After all 30 teams hit the ice on Saturday, there were zero games on the schedule for Sunday. So, let's rewind back to some of the bigger performances and stories of the weekend, starting with Colorado Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson. Not much is expected from the Avalanche this year, as most preseason predictions -- including yours truly -- have them pegged as the No. 13, 14, or 15 team in the Western Conference.

You wouldn't know it by watching their first two games, as first-year head coach Joe Sacco and his group have stormed out of the gate with a 2-0 mark, knocking off Western Conference powers San Jose and Vancouver. Leading the way is Goaltender Craig Anderson.

After the jump: St. Louis' quick-strike offense, video of the day, and more

After turning aside 38 of 40 shots Thursday's season opening win against San Jose, Anderson one-upped himself on Saturday by blanking the Vancouver Canucks. Through two games the 28-year-old netminder has stopped 73 of 75 shots for an impressive .973 save percentage. A former third-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2001, Anderson spent the past three seasons as a backup in Florida, posting a .928 save percentage in 43 starts.

It's still early, and we're still dealing with a relatively small sample size when it comes to Anderson's performance in goal (only 90 starts in seven years), but Colorado couldn't have asked for a better start from their free agent goaltender.

Speaking of fast starts. At the start of the 2008-09 season, the St. Louis Blues would have been considered a long shot to qualify for the postseason before they lost a number of key players (Andy McDonald, Erik Johnson, and Paul Kariya, just to name a few) to injury. The fact they not only made the playoffs, but finished in the top-six of the Western Conference, made them one of the best stories of the season. They're off to a fantastic start this year, winning back-to-back games against the Detroit Red Wings, the team that's represented the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons, in Stockholm, Sweden, and doing so in impressive fashion.

After falling behind, 3-1, in the second period on Friday, the Blues rebounded with three goals in five minutes, including a pair from Kariya, and held off the Red Wings for a 4-3 win. On Saturday, they were once again scoring goals in bunches as they beat Detroit backup goaltender Jimmy Howard twice in 14 seconds to take a 4-3 lead, before going on to win 5-3 to complete the weekend sweep.

For Detroit, the goaltending duo of Chris Osgood and Howard surrendered nine goals on just 55 shots (.836 save percentage), and will likely be under the microscope much of the regular season - until April rolls around and Osgood once again flips the switch and turns into a brickwall in net.

Loose Pucks

-- During Pittsburgh's 4-3 shootout win against John Tavares and the New York Islanders on Saturday, defenseman Brendan Witt leveled Penguins forward Ruslan Fedotenko with a clean, legal, open-ice hit at the blue line. Almost instantly, Witt was under seige from Penguins Jay McKee and Evgeni Malkin, challenging him to a fight, and continuing a disturbing -- and, frankly, a very annoying -- trend in the NHL where every clean hit must be answered with a fight. Why? Why should Witt, or any player, have to stand up for himself, and defend himself, for playing within the rules? As a result of the actions of Malkin and McKee, the Penguins handed the Islanders a full two-minute, two-man advantage, resulting in New York's first goal of the night. [Video of the Hit]

-- Was the instigator rule used improperly in the Daniel Carcillo vs. Tim Gleason bout Friday night? [Broad Street Hockey]

Video Of The Day

Tomas Vokoun makes the best of his 52 saves in Florida's season opening 4-3 win against Chicago in Helsinki, Finland.

Monday's Key Games

New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils: Always a good time when the Rangers and Devils get together. The Devils dropped their opening on Saturday to the Flyers, while the Rangers are coming off their first win of the season, a 5-2 victory against Ottawa.

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Vancouver Canucks: Vancouver has dropped its first two games of the season, losing at Calgary and Colorado. The Canucks open their home schedule against Steve Mason and the Blue Jackets.

Craig Anderson's Impressive Debut originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hudler's Deal Approved By IIHF; Neighborhood Chooses Rink Over Church

Adam Gretz — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Red Wings, NHL Fans, NHL Free Agency, NHL Videos, NHL Economics

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our daily look at the previous night's action. During the offseason, it's our occasional link dump that looks at some of the storylines and moves taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

The Jiri Hudler saga came to an end on Wednesday when the IIHF approved his two-year, $10 million pact with Moscow Dynamo of the KHL. The IIHF ruled that even though Hudler's agent filed for salary arbitration in the NHL, it was invalid because Hudler himself never signed the filing notice opening the door for him to take his game to Russia. This, of course, led to George James Malik of Mlive's Snapshots blog going somewhat biblical on the ruling.

From Malik:

What a steaming load of bull crap. The IIHF's endorsed the KHL's actions on the teeniest and tiniest of technicalities, and this press release essentially drives home Fasel's suggestion that the NHL, despite its numerous European-born players, is essentially an "American" league that is, "Not part of the IIHF family." Fine. The next time an NHL team decides to sign a Russian-born player whose contract expires before the age of 28, and has to, per the KHL's rules, automatically re-sign with his team, the NHL can look at this ruling and tell the KHL to get stuffed because even the IIHF refuses to recognize the validity of the restricted free agent status. If the IIHF is truly an "International" ice hockey federation, it should recognize the interests of all its member countries, not simply its European members, and until that time, the NHL should not feel obligated to enter into transfer agreements or abide by any IIHF bylaw, because the de-facto European Ice Hockey Federation is nothing more or less than a joke.

In semi-related news, here's a list of people not on George James Malik's Christmas card list this upcoming year: 1) IIHF.

Neighborhood Chooses Ice Rink Over Church

Township supervisors in Warrendale, Pennsylvania -- a Pittsburgh suburb -- unnamisouly voted on Tuesday to oppose a request made by Grace Community Church that would have taken the Blade Runners Ice Rink and transformed the property into a new church. Fascinating, if not sacrileges. [WPXI]

Loose Pucks

... Here's video of an incredible between-the-legs goal scored by Richard Panik of the Windsor Spitfires during the Ontario Hockey League preseason [H/T Puck Daddy]:

... "I don't think the Blues should rebuild somebody else's franchise." -- St. Louis Blues president John Davidson addressing rumors that his team might be interested in acquiring disgruntled Ottawa Senators forward Dany Heatley. I'll take that to mean he has no interest in making a bid for Heatley's services. [Ottawa Citizen]

... The proposed deal to sell the Florida Panthers has hit a road block, according to the Miami Herald. [Miami Herald]

Hudler's Deal Approved By IIHF; Neighborhood Chooses Rink Over Church originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reactions to Bertuzzi Signing; Prospal 'Ticked Off' About Tampa Buyout

Adam Gretz — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Red Wings, NHL Fans, NHL Free Agency

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our daily look at the previous night's action. During the offseason, it's our link dump that looks at some of the storylines and moves taking place around the league three times per week. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Todd Bertuzzi played eight games with the Detroit Red Wings during the 2006-07 season, scoring two goals (and three playoff goals) after being acquired from the Florida Panthers for former second-round pick Shawn Matthias, and a second-round pick in the 2007 entry draft.

After spending the past two seasons with Anaheim and Calgary, Bertuzzi returned to the Motor City this week on a one-year deal, sending the blogosphere in motion with a variety of reactions.

-- First, George James Malik of the Mlive.com Snapshots blog gives some much deserved glove-taps to the Red Wings' blogosphere for breaking the news about the team's interest in Bertuzzi, and following through with the story. [Snapshots]

-- Christy at Winging It In Motown writes that the key to the signing is Bertuzzi remaining healthy, and if he does, it should be a nice band-aid for this season until the team gets some cap relief with expiring contracts. [Winging It In Motown]

-- Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News claims the "Big Bert Curse Will Do In The Wings." [The Hockey News]

-- Matt Saler disagrees with the Red Wings' most recent signings (Jason Williams being the other), but is still confident in the team going forward. [On The Wings]

John Tortorella Claims Vaclav Prospal Is "Ticked Off"

The New York Rangers continued their latest offseason overhaul this week by signing winger Vaclav Prospal to a rather reasonable one-year contract. He's being reunited with his former head coach from his Tampa Bay days, John Tortorella, who claims that the 34-year-old winger is "ticked off" about being bought out by the Lightning earlier this summer. From Damian Cristodero: "He's (ticked) off," Tortorella said. "He was bought out. He has something to prove and that's a really good situation. This guy has something to prove and he's a pretty good player when he has that attitude."

Prospal scored just 19 goals this year after lighting the lamp 33 times during the 2007-08 season. [Lightning Strikes]

Loose Pucks

... Veteran Stephane Yelle signs a one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. [TSN]

... Apparently, there is hockey in Israel. [The Hockey Writers]

... This is from Tuesday, but Chris Chelios has offers on the table from two Russian clubs [Pierre Lebrun]

Reactions to Bertuzzi Signing; Prospal 'Ticked Off' About Tampa Buyout originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL's Top 50: Pavel Datsyuk (No. 4)

Adam Gretz — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:10:00 EST

Filed under: Red Wings, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 4 is Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk.

The Detroit player development system strikes again. When discussing the best players in the league the names Ovechkin, Crosby and Malkin are usually the ones that get mentioned. I consider Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk to be part of that group, and there's not much of a gap between him at No. 4 and the No. 3 player on my list.

The NHL's Top 50 Players: See the Entire List

A sixth-round pick in 1998, Datsyuk, like his teammate, Henrik Zetterberg, is one of the NHL's all-time great draft steals, selected by the Red Wings with the 171st overall pick. (Just a quick random note that I found somewhat interesting -- when looking over past drafts to find other late-round gems, the first name I looked up was 2009 Hall of Fame inductee, and former Red Wing, Luc Robitaille, and I noticed that he too was selected 171st overall in his draft class. Just seemed like an odd spot to find two incredible talents).

There may not be a better puckhandler in the league, and he is always capable of doing something you've never seen before on any given shift. Over the past four years he's developed into one of the top scorers in the league, registering 87, 87, 97, and 97 points in each season, finishing in the top-five two times. He's become a consistent 30-goal scorer, and has also averaged over 60 assists per season, finishing in the top-10 four years in a row. He also has his moments where he can dish out some surprisingly crushing hits given his size -- just ask Todd Marchant and Ryan Malone.

As for his hardware: his name is on the Stanley Cup twice, he's owned the Lady Byng Trophy the past four years, and has won the Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward twice.

And for your obligatory YouTube video, it's Datsyuk's signature shootout move.

NHL's Top 50: Pavel Datsyuk (No. 4) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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