Off Wing Opinion

Labor and management sat down again yesterday in New York for four hours, with the league presenting six different proposals (check out Steve Ovadia for the inside details), all of which were shot down by the NHLPA as different versions of a salary cap. The two sides meet again on August 4.

One of the Rodent's field correspondents says Jaromir Jagr might have to keep his head up if he plans to play in Russia during a potential lockout:

"In the [Czech] ExtraLiga, JJ will command great respect, much as Wayne Gretzky received in North America. Nobody will touch Jaromir. But in Russia, anybody and everybody will take a run at him."

And speaking of the ExtraLiga, training camp has already opened. Jes Golbez is on the case.

Toronto's Tie Domi filed a $1.65 million (CDN) lawsuit against an Ottawa*-area radio personality who joked on the air last season that the Leafs enforcer was a wife beater. Domi is claiming loss of endorsement income.

Molson, the brewery who brought us Joe Canadian, one of the funniest beer ads of all time, may be acquired by Colorado-based Coors.
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*CORRECTION: I originally wrote that it was a Toronto-area host who made the remark.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 22nd, 2004 at 6:48 am by Eric McErlain and is filed under Hockey. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Bruins winger Sergei Samsonov has accepted a qualifying offer from the Boston Bruins, thus ensuring that Joe Thornton will have someone to play with in Boston next season. Brendan Shanahan will return to Detroit as well.

Serial agitator and between-periods comedian, Marcus Nilson, will return to the Flames next season. Locally, the pride of Potomac, Maryland, Jeff Halpern, has re-signed with the Capitals. Meanwhile, in the Caps rookie camp, Chris Bourque is impressing.

Unfortunately for Caps fans, he probably won't be ready for the NHL until 2008 at the earliest.

The Rodent discusses Gary Bettman's job security, or lack thereof.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 21st, 2004 at 12:59 pm by Eric McErlain and is filed under Hockey. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

The NHL today released the schedule for the season that may never be. Here in Washington, murals of the since-departed Jaromir Jagr and Peter Bondra still hang from the facade of the MCI Center.

Does that tell you anything?

When it comes to Andy Van Hellemond's banking habits, the NHL says there's nothing to see here.

Scott Gomez of the Devils will replace Jeremy Roenick on the roster of Team USA at the upcoming World Cup of Hockey. Roenick, who was injured so severely and so often last season he considered retirement, told USA Hockey that he just didn't know if he'd be healthy enough to play.

No shame on J.R.'s part, as he's done as much for Team USA's national program as any American hockey player. The real question ought to be why it took so long to get Gomez on the Team USA roster in the first place. In 2003-04, Gomez had 56 assists while averaging a little less than 16 minutes of ice time per game. Cleary Gomez, who won't turn 25 until December, has some playmaking ability. What puzzles me is why Devils head coach Pat Burns rationed his time so carefully.

NB: take a look at the Devils roster, which has to be one of the few in the league that boasts as many American-born players as Canadians. Which makes you wonder, does Devils GM Lou Lamoriello think he has something to prove about American hockey talent, or does he just know that talent fits his system best, and costs a whole lot less on the open market?

Looks like Rob Blake will be skipping the Cup too. TSN reports that Scott Hannan may take his Team Canada roster spot. Rumors of Scott Mellanby returning to the scene of the Rat Trick have been greatly exaggerated.

After a couple of decades in the league, Philadelphia finally signed a local. The Habs re-signed a bunch of players, including the surprising Mike Ribeiro.

And finally, the CBC has rescued Canadian Curling coverage from the clutches of corporate communications.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 14th, 2004 at 5:15 pm by Eric McErlain and is filed under Hockey. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Over the course of his NHL career, you can be pretty sure Tony Twist didn't make anywhere near $15 million. But now, thanks to a U.S. court, Twist could be $15 million richer. Click here to find out why.

On the signing front: Richard Matvichuk to New Jersey; Mike Sillinger stays in St. Louis.

Jose Theodore is attracting the attention of a number of teams in the Russian Elite League. Apparently, the contracts would be contingent on the NHL cancelling next season, but I have to wonder out lod about anybody who would go to Russia willingly these days. Nothing I've seen suggests to me that the hold that the Mob has on society has slackend at all, and with the Russian Mob's history of extorting NHL players, I would think that would be one league players would want to avoid.

Plenty of great stuff at The Rodent today, including news that Jaromir Jagr's balky groin is bothering him again.

With Steve Yzerman still recovering from the puck he took to the face during the playoffs, his Team Canada roster spot for the World Cup of Hockey will go to Vincent Lecavalier.

BTW -- Team Canada will win the World Cup of Hockey, and it won't even be close. Why? There's been a changing of the guard at USA Hockey, and the younger American players just aren't as far along as some of the greybeards were in 1996, when Team USA won the inaugural Cup -- a case that's no more apparent than in goal, where not one of Team USA's three goalies are anywhere near as good as the since retired Mike Richter.

In other news: George Laraque completed a triatholon (props to Steve Ovadia). At ESPN.com, Terry Frei deconstructs the Quenneville to Colorado deal. PJ at Sharkspage is depressed over Mike Ricci's departure for Phoenix.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 12th, 2004 at 12:17 pm by Eric McErlain and is filed under Hockey. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

The Toronto Star is reporting that the WHA wants teenage phenom Sidney Crosby to play for the Toronto Toros. Crosby's agent says it won't happen. But Halifax gets a team!

Recchi to Pittsburgh! Ricci to Phoenix! Reekie remains retired! Ringolivio!

Joe Thornton has signed a contract with Davos of the Swiss League. No word on whether or not his contract allows for a speaking slot at this year's World Economic Forum.

The headline on the Canadian Press story on the brief hearing in the Todd Bertuzzi case said that there was a "zoo-like atmosphere" at the courthouse.

There were all of 12 people outside. Then again, the press has covered anti-war protests that were smaller.

The Rodent has some comments about the ransom Dynamo Moscow wants to charge for Alexander Ovechkin. The Rodent seems to think Dynamo Mockba is only playing hardball like an NHL team with a restricted free agent might. Then again, I think we should wait until Alex gets an all-clear from his local draft board. And the Rodent also says Peter Bondra is going back to Ottawa, albeit at a significant discount to last season.

Sporsnet's Roger Millions (can that name be real?) says Craig Conroy got too much money to sign with the Kings. Then again, the forechecking demon I saw in the playoffs might flourish with another scorer on his wing.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 9th, 2004 at 4:52 pm by Eric McErlain and is filed under Hockey. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Will the last man out of Boston give Joe Thornton a hug? The latest player to announce his imminent departure: Brian Rolston. But at least the Bruins managed to retain Ian Moran.

Somehow I don't think that's going to cut it with Boston fans.

Thanks to Steve Ovadia for this list of rule changes they'll be experimenting with in the AHL next season.

Jes Gobelz has an informative take on Joel Quenneville's hiring in Colorado:

One of Coach Q's failing in St. Louis was his double-standards for his stars and his 'other' players, at least according to the reputation he developed.

While Tkachuk, Weight, Pronger, Demitra, and MacInnis weren't held accountable for some of their 'failings', Q held his 'other' players to stricter standards. Not only did this lead to the stars (except Big Mac, because he's the bomb) developing some undisciplined habits, but it aliented his 'other' players and a fractured team is not a successful team.

On a team like the Avs, with a few bright stars and a bunch of Garbage Pail Kids, he runs the risk of falling into the same trap.

He's a good coach...he's a smart dude...but he needs to hold his stars accountable.

The Devils resigned Jeff Friesen and Grant Marshall. Chris Chelios has resigned with the Red Wings, but it looks like Brett Hull might be returning to Dallas.

Jim Kelley has an interesting piece about U.S.-born and collegiate players in the NHL Draft, including this admission from Wayne Gretzky about Phoenix's top pick:

Gretzky acknowledged the Coyotes may have gone a bit off the board in taking Wheeler as high as they did. Central Scouting had the right winger rated 17th among North American skaters, but the Coyotes boss had him pegged as having tremendous upside.

"We really felt strongly as a collective group that, obviously, the first four guys that were drafted will play in the National Hockey League and will be a big influence on the NHL," he said. "From there, we felt there were a bunch of players that were kind of similar in as far as their 'upside,' and we just feel that this young man has tremendous upside. He's really only 17 years old and is a tremendous athlete."

Which begs the question: why not trade down and get an extra player or draft pick in return? Unless of course you caught wind of a rumor that someone else was going to take him.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 8th, 2004 at 3:51 pm by Eric McErlain and is filed under Hockey. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

The clock struck Midnight, and the free agent market got flooded. Click here for a roundup of all the big names available, as well as all the last minute signings.

Steve Ovadia likes what the Kings did (drop Adam Deadmarsh, Jason Allison and Anson Carter), but questions the sanity of the suits in Toronto. As we noted yesterday, the Rangers drop-kicked Eric Lindros out of town, and the Rodent has his own thoughts on their personnel strategy. Be sure to check out the Bird too.

Mike Danton's attorney's asked for a change of venue for his "murder for hire" trial, but the judge said no dice.

In a larger discussion about the CBA, PJ at Sharkspage posits an idea on how to make television coverage of the NHL more compelling:

My past solution to this was to have Hollywood directors guest-produce an NHL broadcast. It would create new ideas from the most creative people in the business, it would create an unusual NHL event mentality which would draw more viewers, and it might even sell a few more LA Kings tickets. Start with the Canadian directors.

This is a great idea, and one I've discussed with reader Jeff Grimshaw from time to time. Any American who's watched Hockey Night In Canada knows that the CBC's broadcast is radically different than what we see regularly here in the States. The way Jeff explained it to me, is that American television directors are chary to zoom in tight on the action, and will rely too often on the center ice "eye in the sky" shot that we know so well.

Why? For the most part, as Jeff explained to me, is that they're afraid of losing track of the action. Unfortunately, this leads to complaints over and over again that the puck is hard to see -- which is hard to dispute as the camera that provides that shot is hung in the rafters of the arena.

And lastly, click here for your Hockey Night In Canada wallpaper.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 1st, 2004 at 12:38 pm by Eric McErlain and is filed under Hockey. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.