You know there will be plenty of debate as to whether or not all these players deserve to be in the starting lineup for their respective conference All-Star teams, but the voting is done and the verdict is in. The National Hockey League made the announcement this afternoon as unveiled by Montréal Canadiens legend Jean Beliveau (see the video below) and in print by NHL.com writer Adam Kimelman.
video courtesy: NHL Productions
Here are your starters for the upcoming 2009 NHL All-Star Game in Montréal. The total number of votes for each player is listed.
Eastern Conference All-Stars
Sidney Crosby, C; Pittsburgh - 1,713,021
Evgeni Malkin, C; Pittsburgh - 1,585,936
Alexei Kovalev, RW; Montréal - 1,343,301
Andrei Markov, D; Montréal - 1,443,091
Mike Komisarek, D; Montréal - 1,373,628
Carey Price, G; Montréal - 1,515,885
Western Conference All-Stars
Patrick Kane, RW; Chicago - 917,551
Jonathan Toews, C; Chicago - 809,599
Ryan Getzlaf, C; Anaheim - 716,569
Brian Campbell, D; Chicago - 784,476
Scott Niedermayer, D; Anaheim - 637,316
Jean-Sebastien Giguere, G; Anaheim - 617,241
Only four NHL teams are represented by the two starting lineups, namely the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Montréal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Can somebody explain to me how Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin isn't in the starting lineup here? I know that statistics alone doesn't automatically warrant you such a spot on the All-Star team, but entering tonight, this player is second in the NHL in points (52) and goals (26). That's a pretty strong case right there. Yet Canadiens fans stuffed the ballot box to vote in the enigmatic Alexei Kovalev, a forward who has just 9 goals and 19 assists for 28 points in 38 games. Those 28 points places him 75th in the league in point scoring. And that makes him worthy of a starting spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team?
I know that people will say that just because Ovechkin is a superstar, he doesn't deserve to get the automatic nod. Well guess what, there's a glaring difference to what impact Ovechkin has on the Capitals even this year compared to what Kovalev has been for the Canadiens. At times, Kovalev has even struggled to produce, just like he did for the New York Rangers in his career. Not that there is anything personally against Kovalev, but this player doesn't deserve to be starting instead of someone like Ovechkin. Here's what is even more disturbing. Ovechkin finished 20th overall in the Eastern Conference in the voting. It just doesn't make sense.
Here's what makes even less sense. Forget about him being in the starting lineup, how is Mike Komisarek even in the All-Star Game, period? You think the ballot box stuffing was obvious with Kovalev, this was about as much the case as you seeing an oncoming freight train down a busy railroad line in the northeast corridor. Komisarek has just two points (that is right, TWO) for the whole season and missed a chunk of it due to a shoulder injury suffered from a fight with Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic in November. That's good for 200th among NHL defensemen in points. Yet he's an All-Star starter. Way to go, Montréal fans.
How does Jonathan Toews crack the starting lineup? He only has 29 points on the season, just one more than Kovalev. I know that he is the one half of the exciting young dynamic duo (with Patrick Kane) for the resurgent Chicago Blackhawks. Don't get me wrong, he's an exciting player to watch if you're a Blackhawks fan. We've seen that NHL.com commercial where Ed Olczyk's pretending he's re-living Toews' highlight goal from last season with a livecall of his own. Okay, that's been drilled into our brains enough. But does that make us believe we should give him a starting job? Maybe Pavel Datsyuk, a highly productive forward for the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings should've been voted in? Just a thought.
I understand that the starting lineup isn't all that meaningful in hockey. We see line changes occur roughly once every 30 to 90 seconds over the course of a game, so it's not like we'll see the other All-Stars get quality ice time in what is just a showcase event.
Normally I don't get real opinionated here, but in looking at the starting lineups and seeing just four teams represented, it has me scratching my head. Ovechkin in all likelihood will be selected as an All-Star reserve, but the fact of the matter is, the All-Star voting is nothing more than a popularity contest. It cannot be more blatantly obvious Montréal fans stuffed the ballot box to try to get all their players to start for the East squad if they had it their way. Yet the NHL had encouraged fans to vote as often as they liked. Did that backfire? It's hard to say as there are many different opinions out there about what people think of the final vote totals and who is starting.
But the bottom line is, we'll get to see the second NHL All-Star Game in Montréal in the last 16 years, the first one at the Bell Centre as this is an historic Centennial year for the Canadiens franchise. Hopefully any dissatisfaction over the starting lineups doesn't hang over the event like a dark cloud. It is doubtful it will. Once the game is played, it won't matter much. But for right now, it does make people wonder why certain players were voted in.
The NHL will announce the All-Star reserves for the Western Conference on January 7th and for the Eastern Conference the following day on January 8th.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
What city should be the next host for an outdoor NHL game?
Now that second installment of the Winter Classic has been played with the success of Wrigley Field in Chicago being an historical stage for the event, now it's time to ponder THE question.
What city should be the host for the next outdoor National Hockey League game? Whether this game would take place in 2010 or a year or two after that, it would be on the minds of many that enjoyed each of the first three outdoor games the NHL has staged in its history.
Here are my top five cities for whom I want to be the next host city...
1. New York City (Yankee Stadium) -
It was the original city of choice for the NHL in each of the first two Winter Classic events that were planned and held, but logistics got in the way of finalizing them as the host city. The Big Apple lost out especially for yesterday because it would not have been possible to hold the Winter Classic now and then have enough time for the original Yankee Stadium to be torn down and area cleanup and renovation done before the Yankees' 2009 opening day at the new ballpark. The same issues exist now for Citi Field with the demolition of Shea Stadium.
Being the largest city in the United States and among the top four hockey markets in the NHL, this is a no-brainer. With the Original Six franchise and high marquee value New York Rangers as the host, this would potentially provide the kind of media exposure for the NHL last seen since the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. The one difference is that the Rangers aren't the caliber team they were 14½ years ago. From revenue generated from ticket sales to sponsorships to fan interest, it would likely be the biggest financial boost for the sport and the NHL. This is despite being a close second behind the Toronto Maple Leafs on the 2008 Forbes franchise value list.
If it is in 2010 or 2011 (depending on if it is not held during the same time period as the 2010 Winter Olympics), the Rangers should host either the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, Montréal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs or either of the two local rivals in the Islanders or New Jersey Devils. Sean Leahy of his Going Five Hole blog had made the suggestion the Rangers should host the Washington Capitals (obviously to do with showcasing Alexander Ovechkin). I doubt that would fly because the Capitals aren't the same kind of rival as the other Atlantic Division teams and Original Six foes. The problem with the Rangers playing the Islanders or Devils is that it would not appeal well with a national audience as it would locally. Look at the 2000 World Series between the New York Mets and New York Yankees for example.
2. Minneapolis (TCF Bank Stadium) -
Given the State of Hockey is considered to be the largest regional hockey market in the country, having the Minnesota Wild host an outdoor game would be perfect for a place that celebrates its favorite sport outside in the cold. The team already connects with its fans and what better way to bring more out than to have it at the new TCF Bank Stadium, the future home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team.
Perhaps a game against the Dallas Stars would help drive interest through the roof immediately given the Wild would facing the former Minnesota North Stars. Other opponents I'd like to see considered that haven't participated would be the Canadiens, Rangers, Maple Leafs, St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins or any of Minnesota's other Northwest Division rivals (except the Edmonton Oilers since they participated in the first ever outdoor NHL game in 2003).
3. Boston (Fenway Park) -
The Boston Bruins resurgence this season may have helped recapture interest in their team at about the perfect time that the other Beantown teams are flourishing. The state of Massachusetts is among the top three hockey areas in America and the best way to help get the Bruins and the city of Boston in the spotlight nationwide is to host an outdoor game at Fenway Park, home of the 2004 and 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox. It would serve a very similar purpose as Wrigley Field did this year. If the logistics aren't there, the Bruins could always settle with Gillette Stadium in nearby Foxborough, Massachusetts, home to one of the powerhouses in the National Football League in the New England Patriots.
A matchup against the Canadiens, Maple Leafs or Rangers would be a logical selection. The Wild should be considered as well given the idea of bringing two prominent hockey areas onto the same stage would be a winner with the NHL.
4. Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field) -
With the Philadelphia Flyers returning to respectability after a disasterous 2006-2007 season that saw them finish dead last in the entire league, they are a contending hockey club with marketable players such as Jeff Carter, Mike Richards and Scott Hartnell, it is a great sports town and plenty of hockey tradition with the famous Broad Street Bullies era. The Flyers facing teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins as a Keystone State rival, the Rangers (as the New Jersey Turnpike separates the two cities by a mere 85 miles), Capitals (with Alexander Ovechkin), Wild or Canadian team like the Maple Leafs that has a rivalry with the Flyers makes for good picks as opponents.
5. Toronto (Rogers Centre) -
Even though the home of Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays is played on Field Turf, the playing area to build an outdoor hockey rink would still work just fine. Maple Leafs fans as well as others from all over Canada and even parts of the United States would come to Toronto to see an outdoor NHL game. For Canadian fans, obviously they'd salivate over a matchup against the Canadiens, but they are celebrating their Centennial with their own showcase event in the 2009 NHL All-Star Game this month. Plus, the Canadiens were in the original outdoor game in 2003. Facing the Bruins, Rangers, Flyers, Wild or Ottawa Senators would make the most sense in terms of matchup interest for both countries. If the Leafs hosted one of the other five Canadian clubs, it would bode well for fans north of the border, but how much would American fans still be interested?
I would give honorable mention to these cities. They would be Denver, Montréal and Pittsburgh.
What city should be the host for the next outdoor National Hockey League game? Whether this game would take place in 2010 or a year or two after that, it would be on the minds of many that enjoyed each of the first three outdoor games the NHL has staged in its history.
Here are my top five cities for whom I want to be the next host city...
1. New York City (Yankee Stadium) -
It was the original city of choice for the NHL in each of the first two Winter Classic events that were planned and held, but logistics got in the way of finalizing them as the host city. The Big Apple lost out especially for yesterday because it would not have been possible to hold the Winter Classic now and then have enough time for the original Yankee Stadium to be torn down and area cleanup and renovation done before the Yankees' 2009 opening day at the new ballpark. The same issues exist now for Citi Field with the demolition of Shea Stadium.
Being the largest city in the United States and among the top four hockey markets in the NHL, this is a no-brainer. With the Original Six franchise and high marquee value New York Rangers as the host, this would potentially provide the kind of media exposure for the NHL last seen since the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. The one difference is that the Rangers aren't the caliber team they were 14½ years ago. From revenue generated from ticket sales to sponsorships to fan interest, it would likely be the biggest financial boost for the sport and the NHL. This is despite being a close second behind the Toronto Maple Leafs on the 2008 Forbes franchise value list.
If it is in 2010 or 2011 (depending on if it is not held during the same time period as the 2010 Winter Olympics), the Rangers should host either the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, Montréal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs or either of the two local rivals in the Islanders or New Jersey Devils. Sean Leahy of his Going Five Hole blog had made the suggestion the Rangers should host the Washington Capitals (obviously to do with showcasing Alexander Ovechkin). I doubt that would fly because the Capitals aren't the same kind of rival as the other Atlantic Division teams and Original Six foes. The problem with the Rangers playing the Islanders or Devils is that it would not appeal well with a national audience as it would locally. Look at the 2000 World Series between the New York Mets and New York Yankees for example.
2. Minneapolis (TCF Bank Stadium) -
Given the State of Hockey is considered to be the largest regional hockey market in the country, having the Minnesota Wild host an outdoor game would be perfect for a place that celebrates its favorite sport outside in the cold. The team already connects with its fans and what better way to bring more out than to have it at the new TCF Bank Stadium, the future home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team.
Perhaps a game against the Dallas Stars would help drive interest through the roof immediately given the Wild would facing the former Minnesota North Stars. Other opponents I'd like to see considered that haven't participated would be the Canadiens, Rangers, Maple Leafs, St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins or any of Minnesota's other Northwest Division rivals (except the Edmonton Oilers since they participated in the first ever outdoor NHL game in 2003).
3. Boston (Fenway Park) -
The Boston Bruins resurgence this season may have helped recapture interest in their team at about the perfect time that the other Beantown teams are flourishing. The state of Massachusetts is among the top three hockey areas in America and the best way to help get the Bruins and the city of Boston in the spotlight nationwide is to host an outdoor game at Fenway Park, home of the 2004 and 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox. It would serve a very similar purpose as Wrigley Field did this year. If the logistics aren't there, the Bruins could always settle with Gillette Stadium in nearby Foxborough, Massachusetts, home to one of the powerhouses in the National Football League in the New England Patriots.
A matchup against the Canadiens, Maple Leafs or Rangers would be a logical selection. The Wild should be considered as well given the idea of bringing two prominent hockey areas onto the same stage would be a winner with the NHL.
4. Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field) -
With the Philadelphia Flyers returning to respectability after a disasterous 2006-2007 season that saw them finish dead last in the entire league, they are a contending hockey club with marketable players such as Jeff Carter, Mike Richards and Scott Hartnell, it is a great sports town and plenty of hockey tradition with the famous Broad Street Bullies era. The Flyers facing teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins as a Keystone State rival, the Rangers (as the New Jersey Turnpike separates the two cities by a mere 85 miles), Capitals (with Alexander Ovechkin), Wild or Canadian team like the Maple Leafs that has a rivalry with the Flyers makes for good picks as opponents.
5. Toronto (Rogers Centre) -
Even though the home of Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays is played on Field Turf, the playing area to build an outdoor hockey rink would still work just fine. Maple Leafs fans as well as others from all over Canada and even parts of the United States would come to Toronto to see an outdoor NHL game. For Canadian fans, obviously they'd salivate over a matchup against the Canadiens, but they are celebrating their Centennial with their own showcase event in the 2009 NHL All-Star Game this month. Plus, the Canadiens were in the original outdoor game in 2003. Facing the Bruins, Rangers, Flyers, Wild or Ottawa Senators would make the most sense in terms of matchup interest for both countries. If the Leafs hosted one of the other five Canadian clubs, it would bode well for fans north of the border, but how much would American fans still be interested?
I would give honorable mention to these cities. They would be Denver, Montréal and Pittsburgh.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
"Greatest Days Hockey: Epic Endings" premieres November 30th on MSG Network
Usually one would think this kind of sports program would air during the summer months to help ease hockey withdrawal between the night the Stanley Cup champion is crowned to when training camp begins to prepare for the following season. That is what Fans' Most Wanted: Rangers did for New York Rangers fans last summer on MSG Network.
Another such series on MSG Network is set to debut on November 30th (this coming Sunday) at 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. Titled as Greatest Days Hockey: Epic Endings, it covers the memorable New York City metropolitan area hockey teams and games they played which many local National Hockey League fans will remember forever.
The first installment of this series focuses on the Rangers' epic battle and triumph over the New Jersey Devils in Game 7 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. For a very quick sneak peek, take a look at a video clip by clicking on the hyperlink below.
MSG Network (November 27):
Matteau's Goal Wins It
Another such series on MSG Network is set to debut on November 30th (this coming Sunday) at 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. Titled as Greatest Days Hockey: Epic Endings, it covers the memorable New York City metropolitan area hockey teams and games they played which many local National Hockey League fans will remember forever.
The first installment of this series focuses on the Rangers' epic battle and triumph over the New Jersey Devils in Game 7 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. For a very quick sneak peek, take a look at a video clip by clicking on the hyperlink below.
MSG Network (November 27):
Matteau's Goal Wins It
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
latest NHL.com article on alternate jerseys
I read a feature article posted earlier today by Dan Rosen on the National Hockey League's official web site (NHL.com) and he tells us how much fans seem to be more embracing to throwbacks of yesteryears these days. Some teams have listened.
For example, given just a subtle change or two from originals, the Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks gave that nod to the past with their new alternate jerseys they began wearing this season.
This evening the Philadelphia Flyers will join this group of teams as they will unveil to season ticket holders at the Meet The Team! event at the Wachovia Center a new alternate 1970s retro orange jersey.
The Chicago Blackhawks just brought back their popular black version to the primary home and away jersey design we've seen for many years, only in this case it was fit into the jersey template that is now in its second season of use. Along with the Detroit Red Wings, they each will wear for one-time only a very retro jersey during the upcoming Winter Classic in Chicago on New Year's Day. Here, both teams will show fans what they once wore during the early years of their franchise's existence.
However, the Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues went in a different direction with new looks and even new alternate crest logos. About to be unveiled are the Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning where like the Stars and Thrashers, they will simply have a glorified wordmark across the front of their jerseys. The Anaheim Ducks were the first to start this trend two years ago when they broke away from the original Disney-themed look, including the familiar duck mask crest logo.
Icethetics site founder and blog author Chris Smith was asked by Rosen to weigh in on what fans seem to prefer nowadays in jersey designs.
"Overwhelmingly fans seem to love the throwback third jerseys. They don't sound happy about the new-style jerseys we're seeing with Atlanta and Ottawa (what's been leaked anyway) though fewer complaints for Tampa Bay's," Smith said. "They love what the Oilers, Islanders, Canucks, Penguins and Sabres are doing and I can't say I disagree."
I can truly say I enjoy the amount of work Smith has dedicated to giving fans a destination where they can talk about team logos, uniform designs and anything in between. In recent months, his site has become a popular place to find out the latest scoop on new NHL team logos and alternate jerseys. From the NHL Tournament of Logos blog to the Icethetics blog to now the new Icethetics web site, we have been able to find the latest news updates on such items.
Smith posted a new entry on his web site about Rosen's article.
After taking a vacation for the 2007-2008 campaign as Reebok Hockey took care of meeting production demand of the primary home and away jersey sets for the 30 teams, the third jersey program is back. How well the other alternate jerseys to be unveiled in the immediate future will be received by the fans remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure, there will be plenty of opinions to be said.
For example, given just a subtle change or two from originals, the Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks gave that nod to the past with their new alternate jerseys they began wearing this season.
This evening the Philadelphia Flyers will join this group of teams as they will unveil to season ticket holders at the Meet The Team! event at the Wachovia Center a new alternate 1970s retro orange jersey.
The Chicago Blackhawks just brought back their popular black version to the primary home and away jersey design we've seen for many years, only in this case it was fit into the jersey template that is now in its second season of use. Along with the Detroit Red Wings, they each will wear for one-time only a very retro jersey during the upcoming Winter Classic in Chicago on New Year's Day. Here, both teams will show fans what they once wore during the early years of their franchise's existence.
However, the Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues went in a different direction with new looks and even new alternate crest logos. About to be unveiled are the Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning where like the Stars and Thrashers, they will simply have a glorified wordmark across the front of their jerseys. The Anaheim Ducks were the first to start this trend two years ago when they broke away from the original Disney-themed look, including the familiar duck mask crest logo.
Icethetics site founder and blog author Chris Smith was asked by Rosen to weigh in on what fans seem to prefer nowadays in jersey designs.
"Overwhelmingly fans seem to love the throwback third jerseys. They don't sound happy about the new-style jerseys we're seeing with Atlanta and Ottawa (what's been leaked anyway) though fewer complaints for Tampa Bay's," Smith said. "They love what the Oilers, Islanders, Canucks, Penguins and Sabres are doing and I can't say I disagree."
I can truly say I enjoy the amount of work Smith has dedicated to giving fans a destination where they can talk about team logos, uniform designs and anything in between. In recent months, his site has become a popular place to find out the latest scoop on new NHL team logos and alternate jerseys. From the NHL Tournament of Logos blog to the Icethetics blog to now the new Icethetics web site, we have been able to find the latest news updates on such items.
Smith posted a new entry on his web site about Rosen's article.
After taking a vacation for the 2007-2008 campaign as Reebok Hockey took care of meeting production demand of the primary home and away jersey sets for the 30 teams, the third jersey program is back. How well the other alternate jerseys to be unveiled in the immediate future will be received by the fans remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure, there will be plenty of opinions to be said.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Lightning fire head coach Barry Melrose
With the Tampa Bay Lightning overhauling their roster from last season's failure and the drafting of a potential superstar in Steven Stamkos, management thought the hiring of Barry Melrose as their new head coach would help turn the franchise fortunes around.
But 16 games into this 2008-2009 season, Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton pulled the trigger in relieving Melrose of his duties. First-year associate coach Rick Tocchet takes over on an interim basis. This comes on the heels of the Lightning's 4-3 home loss to the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings last night.
A pure indicator of Tampa Bay's slow start would be how Melrose was unable to get more production from Stamkos, a player with high expectations that had just 4 points in his 16 NHL games. Both goals he scored were in Tampa Bay's 5-2 road victory over the Buffalo Sabres on October 30th.
"This was a tough decision to make," Lawton stated in the team news release. "Barry is a good man and we have a great deal of respect for him. We wish him nothing but success. However, the results were unacceptable and the players have to understand that we need to be better. Hopefully this change helps push them."
This will be Tocchet's first head coaching job in the National Hockey League. Following an 18-year playing career and being an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche and Phoenix Coyotes over a five-year period, he was hired by the Lightning on July 9th to be a part of Melrose's coaching staff.
But Tampa Bay's 5-11 start (that is identically matched by the Dallas Stars) appeared to signal at least to the front office that Melrose wasn't the right fit at this point in time to help right their season. Lawton believes now is Tocchet's proving ground.
"As for Rick Tocchet, we think this is a great opportunity for him and we believe he's the type of coach who can take the team to the next level. Our players have a great deal of respect for him."
Melrose had led the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, but wasn't able to duplicate that success before he was fired two years later. He would not return to the coaching ranks until this past summer when the Lightning brought him into the fold. For the 13 years in between, he was the lead NHL analyst on ESPN and ESPN 2, including the successful NHL 2Night show.
Tocchet's head coaching debut will be on Sunday when the Lightning visit the Carolina Hurricanes.
But 16 games into this 2008-2009 season, Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton pulled the trigger in relieving Melrose of his duties. First-year associate coach Rick Tocchet takes over on an interim basis. This comes on the heels of the Lightning's 4-3 home loss to the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings last night.
A pure indicator of Tampa Bay's slow start would be how Melrose was unable to get more production from Stamkos, a player with high expectations that had just 4 points in his 16 NHL games. Both goals he scored were in Tampa Bay's 5-2 road victory over the Buffalo Sabres on October 30th.
"This was a tough decision to make," Lawton stated in the team news release. "Barry is a good man and we have a great deal of respect for him. We wish him nothing but success. However, the results were unacceptable and the players have to understand that we need to be better. Hopefully this change helps push them."
This will be Tocchet's first head coaching job in the National Hockey League. Following an 18-year playing career and being an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche and Phoenix Coyotes over a five-year period, he was hired by the Lightning on July 9th to be a part of Melrose's coaching staff.
But Tampa Bay's 5-11 start (that is identically matched by the Dallas Stars) appeared to signal at least to the front office that Melrose wasn't the right fit at this point in time to help right their season. Lawton believes now is Tocchet's proving ground.
"As for Rick Tocchet, we think this is a great opportunity for him and we believe he's the type of coach who can take the team to the next level. Our players have a great deal of respect for him."
Melrose had led the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, but wasn't able to duplicate that success before he was fired two years later. He would not return to the coaching ranks until this past summer when the Lightning brought him into the fold. For the 13 years in between, he was the lead NHL analyst on ESPN and ESPN 2, including the successful NHL 2Night show.
Tocchet's head coaching debut will be on Sunday when the Lightning visit the Carolina Hurricanes.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Michelle and Dave's wedding featured on Capitals web site
Back on July 10th, I wrote a very special blog entry about an Arlington, Virginia couple that tied the knot earlier this year. But it was not your average wedding.
Michelle and Dave are two very dedicated Washington Capitals fans who wanted to make their special day a spectacular one. They pulled out all the stops to have the wedding tailored to a theme that was all Capitals. This included their wedding cake made into a life size mold of the Stanley Cup as created by Duff Goldman. The cake itself was featured on the August 28th episode of Ace of Cakes on Food Network.
As I had mentioned in my original blog entry, the Washington Capitals organization had a production crew film the festivities. I am now giving you a heads up that the fruits of their labor is now complete and was posted today on their official web site.
Gustafsson at On Frozen Blog also made mention with a blog post about the video posting.
The video is beyond worth checking out. I got goosebumps and held back tears from seeing this. It inspired me then and it sure does now. Undoubtedly, Michelle and Dave have got to be one proud couple today to see what their team has put together for them and Capitals fans everywhere.
video courtesy: Washington Capitals
Michelle and Dave are two very dedicated Washington Capitals fans who wanted to make their special day a spectacular one. They pulled out all the stops to have the wedding tailored to a theme that was all Capitals. This included their wedding cake made into a life size mold of the Stanley Cup as created by Duff Goldman. The cake itself was featured on the August 28th episode of Ace of Cakes on Food Network.
As I had mentioned in my original blog entry, the Washington Capitals organization had a production crew film the festivities. I am now giving you a heads up that the fruits of their labor is now complete and was posted today on their official web site.
Gustafsson at On Frozen Blog also made mention with a blog post about the video posting.
The video is beyond worth checking out. I got goosebumps and held back tears from seeing this. It inspired me then and it sure does now. Undoubtedly, Michelle and Dave have got to be one proud couple today to see what their team has put together for them and Capitals fans everywhere.
video courtesy: Washington Capitals
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Sad news about a Minnesota Wild fan
When read this today on the Star Tribune's web site, I was heartbroken to hear this about a dedicated Minnesota Wild fan who also loves the Phoenix Coyotes (love that fan combination!).
Wild beat writer Michael Russo wrote on his Russo's Rants blog about a woman named Lori Luoma he recently met at Tom Reid's Hockey City Pub in St. Paul. But now Russo informed us that he received an e-mail from one of Lori's friends telling him that Lori suffered a major brain hemorrhage and won't survive.
It is truly heartbreaking to hear of this. If Lori is unable to make it, I do wonder and hope the Wild are able to acknowledge her in some way.
Star Tribune's Russo's Rants blog (November 11):
Sad news about a Wild fan
Wild beat writer Michael Russo wrote on his Russo's Rants blog about a woman named Lori Luoma he recently met at Tom Reid's Hockey City Pub in St. Paul. But now Russo informed us that he received an e-mail from one of Lori's friends telling him that Lori suffered a major brain hemorrhage and won't survive.
It is truly heartbreaking to hear of this. If Lori is unable to make it, I do wonder and hope the Wild are able to acknowledge her in some way.
Star Tribune's Russo's Rants blog (November 11):
Sad news about a Wild fan
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