Wow Was the Skills Competition Poorly Run

Thirty minutes after the skills competition and I am still trying to figure out how Brian Campbell ended up as the East's representative in the fastest skater finals. I think he was the slowest guy out there!

How pathetic were some of the attempts on the Breakaway Challenge? Can someone tell Nabakov to back up in his crease and not stop Marty St. Louis before he even gets a chance to start his trick shot???

Oh yes, what was the score to the Young Guns game? Because someone was having a hard time keeping track during the game.

And please, can we ask Rick Depietro how he got so good at shooting the puck the length of the ice one more time???

Finally, never have the All-Star game in Hotlanta a game. You could hear a pin drop. Don't reward non-hockey towns with all-star games.... ever.

Georges Laraque Should Not Be Suspended

When you consider this just netted Ilya Kovalchuk and grand total of one game...


How does this earn anything more?


Laraque did not leave his feet as did Kovalchuk. Downie was also bent over and turned toward the boards at the last second. That was not the case with Roszival. By the way, Downie soon returned to the game and got into a fight the very next period. Yeah, he's was really hurt.

So I can't help but wonder... will the league will continue to play the star treatment?

NHL Fighting Majors Leaders with notes

Per hockeyfights.com:

Jared Boll - 18
Amazing fight total right now for the youngster. Boll has taken on all willing middleweights with a side of heavies mixed in.

Riley Cote - 15
Cote is the hottest fighter in the league right now, with the exception of his fight against Laraque last night. He has scored some good wins over Peters, Rupp, and "the newspaper yapper" McGrattan.

David Clarkson - 14
Is he a pest? Or is he a fighter? He's both. And he did NOT get scratched by Steve Downie the other night. Stop whining Devils fans!

George Parros - 14
"The stache" continue to rack up the fight totals. Coming back from a bummed knee, he had a nice showing against David "the nose" Koci last night.

Zack Stortini - 12
"The Hugger" has been very active of late, fighting some seven times in a two-week span!!!

Colton Orr - 11
Had a boring fight with against Boulton the other night. That being said, he is logging some great minutes in New York and is even seeing time to start the game and end the game.

Krys Barch - 10
If he played against the Ducks 15 times, he'd have 15 fights. Him and Brad May have something going, although there is a good amount of respect there as Barch pointed out a helmet below May's feet before they fought last time. May later said he appreciated that.

Daniel Carcillo - 10
Coming back from a knee injury, Carcillo will see a game or two in San Antonio before getting called back up. Carcillo is easily one of the most exciting young players in the game right now.

Eric Godard - 10
He can't skate, he can't score. But he can fight! We're all just waiting for him and Boogaard to hook up. Let's make that happen some time this year, eh?

Ian Laperriere - 10
Lappy continues to rack up the fight totals. This guy does not take a night off.

D.J. King - 9
Probably the best win percentage in the past two years, I had D.J. King at 17-2 (only losses to Boogaard) at one point. King is also one of the most exciting fighters in the league right now, showing a willingness to open up and go toe-to-toe with opponents.

Georges Laraque - 9
BGL (Big Georges Laraque) has been less than impressive this year. He has scored some wins, but in boring fashion for the once "heavyweight champ" of the league. His balance has been his achilles heal.

Milan Lucic - 9
A broken nose from hitting the end boards has sidelined the fighting side of the 19 year olds game as of late. But word has it that Lucic will be able to test it out some time after the all-star break.

Aaron Voros - 9
One of the most exciting young players in the game right now, Voros does it all. Fights, grinds in the corners, checks, and battles in front of the net. How can you not like this guy???

Adam Burish - 8
Who is Adam Burish? An American-born lightweight that has taken on the likes of Drake, Ritchie (anyone that fights him is okay in my book), and Lappy. Chicago fans have got to like this guy!

Tim Jackman - 8
The quiet giant (is 6'4" a giant these days?), Jackman is picking up the slack that Chrissy Simon has left.

David Koci - 8
"The Nose" has been fairly inactive as of late. Yawn.

Andrew Peters - 8
Easily the most disappointing fighter of the year, Peters throws and misses a couple of bombs every fight. It looks like the guy is afraid to take a punch.

Andre Roy - 8
Roy continues to quietly impress. He put the beat down on Luke Richardson last night.

Chris Thorburn - 8
Thorburn makes for a nice one/two punch in Pittsburgh, with guys like Armstrong and Malone rounding out a fine cast of brawlers.

Eric Boulton - 7
Boulton has been mad as of late, earning himself a much-deserved Game Misconduct for pounding on some Sabres the other night. See what happens when you don't dress your heavy Lindy Ruff???

Donald Brashear - 7
The current "Champ" of the NHL, with only one loss coming to Brian McGrattan, Brashear has been impressive again this year. His highlight fight came when he dropped BGL with two lefts to the noggin.

Long Time No Write

To my thousands of readers (or internet browsers looking for the latest/greatest hockey fight Youtube clip), I apologize for the recent lapse in posts. Word around my office, however, has it that we are all getting our own personal lap tops and crackberries; so access to the net will be a plenty, including my three hour commutes to and fro work and home. So that time will be used more for updating this blog and less for sleeping (except in the morning that is!).

A couple of updates on what I have been up to. A few weeks ago, I attended the Washington Capitals' Meet and Greet for season ticket holders. And, no, I am NOT a season ticket holder. If I wanted season tickets, I'd pay less going to the scalpers outside the Verizon Center and buying tickets before each game! But a friend of mine is and since he didn't care to go, I benefited. Apparently other teams don't do this for their season ticket holders. Montreal and Toronto would probably fill their arenas. But for the Caps, let's just say it was intimate atmosphere. It was cool seeing Leonsis announce OV's new contract. Then OV got up there and said his typical broken English "I love Washington. I bring you the Cup" speech that got the crowd pumped. After that, I was able to nab a couple OV autographs. I even met Ted and mentioned my blog. Ted no likey my blog because we've had some back-and-forth disagreements via email about the state of the league and a one Gary Bettman. I also got to tour the Caps' locker room, training room, etc. It wasn't near as nice as I thought it would be. But since the Verizon Center has some 15 different locker rooms, I guess it can't be that big. And the locker room itself smelled just like a high school locker room, complete with jock rot and body odor.

I've caught all the recent Caps' games; and one can't help but be excited about the Caps' fortunes under Coach Boudreau. The prime-time players are starting to play as such. And even Thomas Fleischmann has started to mold into the Flash he has been hyped to be at the AHL level. Ovechkin has gained the scoring lead over that cheap prick from Atlanta (recently suspended BTW... but not for long enough... cough cough... star treatment). Alexander Semin has also lit the lamp with some spectaular goals of late as well. Now if we could only teach him how to backcheck, we'd have a complete player. And while I like seeing Erskine in there, he has taken some bad penalties of late, almost as if he feels obligated to get out of position and haul down a player every game. Mr. Donny Brash (even though he dissed me at the meet and greet) has been skating solid shifts. He hasn't had any takers lately though. Hopefully that will change against the Leafs tonight should Paul Maurice leave his panties at home and dress Wade Belak (doubtful).

So that's it for now. I really do hope to get on here more and write more. When I was writing consistently, I had a nice following. So we'll see about picking the traffic back up in the near future.

Colton Orr Who? Let's Talk Maxim Afinegenov

With Damien Cox loitering the net with repetitive rants about enforcers, the instigator, and, you know, physical hockey, it's pretty easy to miss an actual NHL star involved in yet another cheap play.

Case in point... Maxim Afinegenov slew footing Scottie Upshall and attempting to step on him while he was down. Apparently Maxim didn't get word that stepping on your opponent gets you 30 games in the NHL. If he did, he would have surely been deterred and would not have tried a stunt like this some two weeks later. Right Gary and Collie?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qg-_LszVAtU - The embedded video was jamming up the blog. So try the link.

Of course, this is nothing new to the Sabres. Last year, then captain, Daniel Briere, speared Alexander Ovechkin in his groin in retalitation for a hit from behind the game before.

Nowadays, not even team captains are held accountable for being tough players. Forget dropping the gloves and acting like a team leader, ala Zdeno Chara taking on Georges Laraque, spearing and slew footing are the way to go when you won't fight.

Which, of course, begs the question, just how dangerous would this league be without fighting?

More for Cox over at Kuklas Korner. I left a nice comment for him there.

Crosby Beats Down Ference

Crosby is a natural. He gets the lid off, throws three rights, lands two, and bloodies Ference.

Youtube (Crosby -vs- Ference):



Laraque -vs- Chara:


Thanks to Dillon at Fried Chickens for his hard work in getting these clips up!

Punishment Fits the Crime for Simon

The NHL handed down a swift and severe decision to New York Islander Chris Simon today. The rugged winger will sit for a league record 30 games after stepping on Pittsburg pest, Jarkko Ruutu, with his skate blade last weekend. Simon has also been granted a leave of absence by the Islanders to attend counseling that, according to ESPN, is not related to drugs or alcohol.

This marks the eighth suspension of Simon's career. Simon's most notable suspensions include a stick swing to the face of Ranger's pest, Ryan Hollweg, last year. Simon was also suspended for a racial slur directed to Mike Grier. In the 2000 playoffs, Simon slashed Peter Popovic in the throat with his stick, earning him a one-game suspension. Simon has also been suspended for a variety of other elbow and fighting incidents.

While I think the league's decision to go to longer suspensions was a poor one (one that started with Steve Downie), I am convinced they got this suspension right. At this point, I'm not even that concerned with the length of the suspension. Chris Simon needs help, which I am glad to hear he is seeking. His inability to think before acting has caused him to use the two deadliest pieces of equipment a hockey player uses, a stick and razor sharp ice skates.

I do hope to see Chris Simon playing again on Long Island this year; but this time with a clearer mind. Simon is an offensively-gifted enforcer. And those types of players are few and far between these days. And although this might not be a popular thing to say, the next time a pest gets under your skin Chris Simon, drop your gloves, pick up an instigator, and go to town. Sitting out of a game for 17 minutes is a lot easier to handle then missing 30 games.

Ben Eager for Jim Vandermeer

The Blackhawks and Flyers swapped a rugged pair of players today. Philadelphia sent Ben Eager to Chicago for Jim Vandermeer.

Eager, who led the league last year in fighting majors, hasn't been quite so productive this year. The 23 year-old has 0 point and is a -8. Although I think the trade may have had more to do with his inability to generate offense, Eager's fate may have been sealed when the tough guy was beat up (or down) by 38 year-old Penguin Gary Roberts last week. Eager was able to pick up his first point of the season tonight, an assist, in Chicago's game against Nashville.

Vandermeer returns to Philadelphia where he was originally signed in 2000 and spent a few seasons playing for the Phantoms in the AHL. Hopefully this will light a spark under the once willing defenseman. Vandermeer has seen his fight totals drop each year since he came into the league in 05-06.

Tonight's Tickets Distributed is....

When the home team announces "tonight's home attendance is..." why don't they just start saying, "tonight's sold and distributed tickets is..."???

Anyone that follows the NHL knows that, on some nights, there is literally 1/3 of the announced attendance actually sitting in a seat.

Is it not embarrassing to turn on your favorite sport on a Wednesday night only to see countless empty seats? The Capitals and Islanders arenas are glaringly empty these days.

So while Gary keeps projecting record breaking attendance this year, why aren't fans actually showing up to games?

The Board of Governors should ask that very question the next time they talk about the state of the game.

So Now Teams are Going to be Penalized?

Brian Burke will love this one.

A week after calling an all-hands GM telecon to discuss why GMs were left out of the NHL's decision to tweak the rules and hand out bigger suspensions this year, Collie Campbell and Gary Bettman have warned Philadelphia Flyers GM, Paul Holmgren, that his team was "under watch" and there could be possible team ramifications for another on-ice lapse in judgement by a Flyers' player.

I can help but wonder if this is similar to those infamous pre-game phone calls teams get when there is build up to a game?

Does Dennis Miller Equal the NHL?

You can find both hiding on Versus these days.

Some think that the entertainment value of both are declining.

And both are led by guys that talk smart, but are from it.

Hmm...

The Instigator - Part XXXVII

What is that, part 37? It seems like that anyways.

So it seems like the instigator appears to be the hot button again with Kuklas Korner and James Mirtle lending some cyber space to the polarizing topic recently. Apparently, Eric Lindros has been visting teams and doing in-game interviews in which he has been bringing up NHLPA topics, most notably (to me anyways) the removal of the instigator.

Now I won't even go into some rant about how entirely removing the instigator would be great for the game... it isn't going to happen.

The best hockey fans, well that is the 95% of hockey fans that enjoy on-ice policing of the game, can hope for is some increase in the number of games before a player gets a suspension. And if that tickles your hiney, don't get so excited. Only a handful of players hit that magic mark of three last year, most notably Ben Eager. And while Eric Godard recently picked up his third (and had his suspension lifted by the NHL - my God!), it just doesn't happen too often these days that you should get excited about an increase in instigators before a suspension.

Now, what should the NHL really do to meet halfway? They should toss out the extra ten minute misconduct that accompanies an instigator. That way players only get a seven minute package rather than putting their team one player short for almost an entire period. They should also remove the game misconduct that accompanies a second instigator in a game. Finally, the horrid rule of an automatic suspension to the player and coach (plus a fine to the coach) for an instigator in the final five minutes of a game should be removed.

One notion as to why none of this will happen was voiced over at Kuklas. Basically they stated that the NHL wants to avoid ugly brawl that will delay a game and put the NHL is a negative light. Question - what are these cheap hits doing for the NHL that any different? Another question - have Collie and Gary's suspensions, you know... the ones that were never run by anyone before being implemented, really detering cheap hits this year? Half of the Philadelphia Flyers think not.

Then there are the pesimists that say it will never happen. Well, me thinks it might. I personally chatted with Ted Leonsis about it last year and he said the Board of Governors was very close to voting through the bumping up of games before a suspension was given. He said he voted in favor of modifying the rule himself. So we shall see. It doesn't appear to be on the radar this go around; but I am thinking we might see some talk happen in February.

And to the 5% of hockey fans that cover your eyes when a fight breaks out, relax. Modifying the instigator rule isn't going to send the NHL into thugdem. The enforcer that jumps a turtling yapper will still put his team at a man disadvantage for seven minutes. And in today's game, that usually spells a goal or two you just put your team down. It's too fine a line to walk for some players to do such a thing as they might find a one-way ticket to the AHL on their locker if they choose to deter with their knuckles.

One thing is for sure though, cheap hits are happening more and more these days. Maybe it's the new Reebok jerseys that are making players faster (8% apparently) and players can't pull up in time. Maybe it's a lack of respect amongst players. A GM even said that players were tight knit coming out of the lockout... not so much anymore. Whatever it is, the current system isn't working.
Time to make a rule change for another three years and see what happens. One things for sure, 95% of hockey fans will be a lot happier. And I'd bet the farm the NHL would bring in some new fans and start filling seats when things start to heat up between teams (man it was empty in Washington and on the Island last night).

And dare I say a rivalry might brew? It's been a long time since Detroit/Colorado. Wait a second, that started with a cheap hit... and oh yeah, the players took it upon themselves to straighten it out. Fans hated watching those fierce battles. Patrick Roy versus Chris Osgood? Darren McCarty versus Claude Lemieux? Oh terrible! Yeah right...

Colin Campbell Calls Derek Boogaard

Ring, ring, ring...

Minnesota Wild assistant: Wild locker room. Can I help you?

Collie: Yes. This is league disciplinarian, Colin Campbell. May I have a word with Derek Boogaard please?

Minnesota Wild assistant: Why sure... one minute please.

Third-party voice: [barely audible] Ask him why they call him "the Boogeyman" Collie... I like that nickname. It's scares me. Don't tell anyone I said that.

Collie: Shhhh Gare. Someone is picking up the phone.

Boogaard: This is Derek.

Collie: Derek, this is league disciplinarian, God I love saying that, ehem sorry, Colin Campbell. I wanted to speak with you before tonight's game and warn you that I will be watching you very closely.

Boogaard: I have a job to do. I really don't have time for this.

Collie: Understandable. But know that anything you do out there is considered pre-meditated. This whole "Itchy and Scratchy" thing has gone overboard. Fans are getting excited and we might even have a lot of people watch the game tonight. You best leave those, what did you call them, eh yappers, alone over there. The Sedin Brothers shall not be harmed! If you so much as scowl at Matt Cooke, I will give you five games. And if you even look at Kesler, you are finished for half the season. Aside from the Boulerice thing, he is a good kid that keep his nose clean. Yapping and cheap-shotting can be tolerated in this league. You policing the game cannot. I AM the police Boogaard... you hear me?!

Boogaard: Ohlund break our guy's leg and your yelling at me like this? Wait, what is that? Who is breathing heavy? Is someone else is listening to this? Gary, is that you?

Collie: No one else is on the call Derek! And one more thing... Mike Brown will only be fighting Aaron Voros tonight. You leave him alone. The Nucks called him up to play hockey and that is it. If you touch him, you are done for the year. You leave those gloves on, you hear? There will be no emotion in this game I say!

Boogaard: You and Gary hold hands and watch closely tonight. I am going to personally show you how to police a game. I'll be sure to send you an apple martini in the press box.

[click]

Collie: Don't you hang up on me Boogeyman! McGeough will be there tonight! No emotion I say! No emotion!!!

The Most Amazing Ending to a Game I Have EVER Seen

Woke up to stumble on to this gem this morning. Sure, it's only Division III football; but this easily the most exciting play I have ever seen end a sporting event.

LNAH Hockey Fights

With the NHL turning soft on us (actually fights are up this year, but its the "lesss than heavy" guys that are fighting), let's turn our attention to a league where you are almost guaranteed 2+ fights a night per game... the LNAH. A little about the LNAH for Wiki:

The Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey (LNAH) was founded in 2004 and is a low-level professional league based in the Canadian province of Quebec. It was called the Quebec Semi-Pro Hockey League from 1996 to 2004 when it turned pro. It has no connection with the similarly-named North American Hockey League (NAHL), an American junior league for players under twenty.

Unlike higher-level professional leagues, such as the American Hockey League or the ECHL, the LNAH is not known for its skill level. Its teams employ many enforcers and has a rather infamous reputation for on-ice antics that mostly include fisticuffs. The LNAH has the unofficial reputation as the world's roughest hockey league.

I really don't know where to start with the LNAH. There are line-brawls on a weekly basis. I would liken a lot of the tough guys to an early-version of Tie Domi, as they dust off their hands, shadow box, and do other entertaining things to play to the crowd before and after fights. You can expect a fight a night per tough guy. It's not like the NHL where 25 fights might lead the league at the end of the year. Some of these guys will have more than 25 fights midway through the year. There are a lot of goals scored in games which keeps things fun for the finesse fans as well.

But really, if you go to watch an LNAH game, you know what you are in store for. Former NHLers Link Gaetz and Gino Odjick have played in the league. It is rumored, although I don't think it is much of a rumor, that Link got paid by the fight. Legendary AHLer Frank "the Animal" Bialowas played in the LNAH. Caps tough guy Donald Brashear played in the LNAH during the lockout and was promptly banned from the league after punching his opponent multiple times while he was down. Former AHLers Brandon Sugden and Sean McMorrow currently play. Rumored-to-be a Hershey Bear last year, Steve Bosse, resides as the current champ of the league. Current Syracuse Crunch that can't find his way into a game, Jon "Nasty" Mirasty, is #2 behind Bosse and is probably the most entertaining fighter in the world today.

So the only way to really explain the LNAH is to watch some of these guys in action for yourself.... enjoy!