SB Nation - Claude Lemieux

Ian White is Moustachulent, Blake Wheeler Should Be Suspended, and Hockey Night in Canada Hates Us

PPP — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:30:13 -0000

Glove tap to Belligerent Burkie for finding the incident in question

This has nothing to with this post other than I love posting Ian White kicking ass
The Man, The Myth, The Moustache

17. Bill McCreary apologized to Ian White for missing Blake Wheeler’s push from behind that sent White hard into boards. White said after the game, "I was lucky." Obviously, you’d love McCreary to see it and call it live, but good on him for manning up.

- Elliotte Friedman, 30 Thoughts

How long r we going to treat refs like they're above the law, above being questioned by the media? It's an outdated concept that needs 2 die

- Jason Whitlock, Twitter

Those two tweets, the latter re-tweeted by yours truly, were enough to sitr me from my blogging slumber. As usual, my muse Godd Till, was on gchat immediately to kick-start the creative process:

Till: AH YES, BECAUSE THE STANDARD OF OFFICIATING WOULD CERTAINLY BE IMPROVED BY SUSTAINED, INTELLIGENT CRITICISM BY THE HOWARD BERGERS OF THE WORLD

PPP: Not from the dumbasses of the world but the refs should have to answer for why they screwed up like with that White hit.

Till: UH HUH. 'REPLAYS SHOW THAT I WAS BLOCKED OUT ON THE PLAY' Remember that? Can't wait for more of that standard of ass-covering. This should be great.

Obviously, the fact that Bill McCreary missed the hit is mind-blowing. I won't beat around the bush, Ian White is bang on: he is very lucky. If he had been hit a half a stride or so sooner he could have woken up Sunday with a halo and paralysed from the waist or neck down. Blake Wheeler laid an absolutely filthy hit and the fact that he isn't suspended and that there was no call on the ice highlights the massive trouble the league faces in trying to cut dirty play out of the game.

The more upsetting part was that Blake Wheeler didn't stand up to Colton Orr when it came time to pay the piper. Normally, non-fighters obviously don't have to fight enforcers but 'The Code' is supposed to keep players from making those kinds of hits because they'll have to fight the Colton Orrs of the world. Instead, we saw Wheeler pull his best Claude Lemieux impression while the Bruins were rewarded with a powerplay. Of course, I don't want Orr to pull a Carcillo but is it to much to ask that Blake Wheeler man up? And if he won't, would it kill the league to dish out some punishment? I guess so.

There was obviously a lot of ugly things in a broadcast that features the Leafs losing 7-2 in Phil Kessel's first trip back to Boston but one we could both agree on was that Mike Milbury's presence was the straw that broke the camel's back. How bad was it? Godd Till actually wrote a post about how it made him realise Pierre McGuire's genius. Put aside the fact that the very idea of having him present his opinions on anything related to the NHL is laughable.

Till: And what the fuck was with having Mike Milbury in the booth? That POS defended Wheeler on that play.

PPP: WASN'T THAT PAINFUL?

Till: Fuck, Hughson and Simpson are bad enough but that addition was so fucking bad.

PPP: Yeah, it was disgusting.

Till: Hmm, let's put a grating loudmouth Bruins homer in the booth.

PPP: Yeah, this is genius. Ok, next we're going to put a West Coaster with an inferiority complex about Toronto.

Till: Check!

PPP: And some twit that didn't want to play in Toronto because he was a pussy.

Till: GREATTTTT IDEA!

PPP: This is going to be awesome
/scribbles HNiC script

Till: THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS ARE PROUD TO SELECT, FROM SASKATOON OF THE WHL, D WENDEL CLARK! FUCK YOU SIMPSON!

PPP: THEN FUCKING BENEDICT CHERRY WEARS A FUCKING BROOONS TIE!

Thanks to a quirk in the schedule the Maple Leafs are back in Boston on Thursday night for a rematch. This is probably a great thing for Phil Kessel in terms of facing a pressure-packed environment. It also lets the Leafs work on the things that killed them on Saturday night: their lack of attention to detail, their lack of offensive desire, and their lack of passion. The one advantage they have is that the Bruins won't be getting shellacked by the Habs Wednesday night because anyone that watched Friday's 100th anniversary game knew what was going to happen:

The Bruins are going to be flying tomorrow night. Freaking bums
- Some Guy On Twitter

God, I hate it when randoms on Twitter are right.

Habs Spank Bruins, Celebrate Centennial In Style

Robert L — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 09:23:06 -0000

As it turned out, it was one of those games, and one of those days, that a fan could watch over and over, and relive many times again.

Like many of you, I watched much of the televison coverage and centennial tributes in the hours leading up to the game. Indulging in the Canadiens history will always be a riveting experience, and it is these moments that we as fans are reminded why it is so hard to separate past and present.

Perhaps it cannot be explained to fans of other teams. Maybe Leafs fans in the fifties and sixties can relate, but when watching reel upon reel of memories stream by, it's hard to remain unmoved. Your youth is flashing before your eyes, great times being relived.

I explained this to my kid, and you've maybe done this too, that I watched the Canadiens win the Cup for the first time when I was seven, and it made me interested in hockey. I saw them win again at age nine and eleven. During my four years of high school, the Habs won every year. I'm not sure if that experience can be conveyed to anyone who hasn't experienced the exact same thing.

But of course, the present is always in play. A successful past is a constant reminder of how things should be done right, a brutal loss to the Buffalo Sabres the night before is a wake up call, whose alarm sounds alert that the 2009-10 edition of the Habs are not the 1970's dynasty.

The scenario for the centennial game, the celebration to literally end all celebrations, had arrived at a very defining time.

Honestly, things looked bleak with the Canadiens riding a four game losing streak. A loss to Boston in the centennial game held the promise of things turning terribly ugly on the ice and in the stands. Blow this one, atop the stage of all stages, and the repercussions for the Canadiens seasons were scary proposition.

All day long, mixed in with visions of Stanley Cup triumphs, was a gnawing premonition that in a few hours, the Canadiens would be booed leaving the ice. Elongated pre-game celebrations tend to bring out the worst in the home team, and combined with a game the evening before in which the Habs were seemingly already at their worst, it appeared a script of doom was carved in stone.

By the middle of the afternoon, the centennial pre-game ceremonies were still a mystery. Little had been revealed as to how the Canadiens organization planned to celebrate the landmark. Soon, news came that the festivities would involve the retirement of Elmer Lach and Butch Bouchard's jersey numers.

High time, I thought, for the Habs two oldest warriors to receive their due.

Former broadcasters Dick Irvin and Richard Garneau give a crash course in Habs history 101 as clips on the big screen played Peter Gabriel's "Salsbury Hill" and U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". Owners, coaches, managers and players who have departed, are listed through the strains of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord". The first image is of J. Ambrose O'Brien, who found the club in 1909, and last two images are of Newsy Lalonde, the team's first Flying Frenchman, and Maurice "Rocket" Richard, its most heralded.

Intrigue soon grasped imagination, as I sat watching the procedings. I was captivated by the image of former long time Canadiens trainer Eddy Palchuk dropping buckets of pucks on the ice.

As an intro to a very special evening, such iconic subtlety had the desired effect. I can only imagine that fans inside the Bell felt their hearts swell when Patrick Roy, in full goalie gear, first stepped onto the ice.

I, myself, could not believe my eyes!

What came next tugged at heartstrings, as former Habs players, from legends to role players, strode out onto the ice, unnanounced. The images were jolting.

How better to celebtrate and summarize a glorious 100 years than with the actors who made it happen?

Roy was followed by Lafleur, Gainey, Robinson, Mike McPhee, Stephane Lebeau, Mike Keane, Odelein, Nilan, Claude Lemieux, Shutt, Lapointe, Savard, Richer, Eric Desjardins, Damphousse, Turgeon, Pete and Frank Mahovlich.

Ken Dryden, who had not worn goalie equipement since his last game on May 18, 1979 donned for goalie gear and joined the skate.

The oldtimers were in the pre-game warmup, passing the torch to today's players. Subtle, it didn't require an explanantion!

Current Habs soon joined in, and additional oldtimers and coaches were all introduced to the crowd. This is what the Canadiens do better than anyone else, they do not forget their heritage. In savouring it, they pass it on, reminding us all of the players in the play.

This is Doug Jarvis, NHL ironman....

This is Yvon Lambert, who scored the game winning goal in...

This is Karl Dyhuis....

Legends Lafleur, Savard and Roy introduced icons Gordie Howe and Jean Beliveau.

Lach and Bouchard, who only found out in the realy afternnon that their jerseys would be retired as part of the festivities who brought out, treumpeted and feted. All gathered for a team picture that summed up a hundred seasons of glory.

There wasn't a burning torch to be seen, but in each of the multitude of players gathered, there were many still burning on this night. A subtle message, loud and clear.

Between the end of the ceremonies and the start of the game, it was later learned that one current Canadiens player made it a point to meet each of the past Habs legends and shake their hand.

His name - Michael Cammalleri.

As the game began, it was figured that the Canadiens would come out firing, and that if the Bruins were able to hold off an initial onslaught, they would be well placed to conquer.

It never came to be.

The Canadiens came out guns a-blazing, and it seemed that if they could only grab the lead early, scoring first for a change, the boost and the crowd would provide the needed lift.

Awarded a rare first powerplay six minutes in, the Habs were poised to convert early momentum into the man advantage and grab the lead, when the Bruins' Marco Sturm stripped the puck off a comprised Andrei Kostitsyn to break in alone on Carey Price. A Boston shorthanded goal early on would have been deadly, but Price came up big, kicking a leg out lying on his stomach to make the save.

It proved to be a first turning point, and defenseman Jaroslav Spacek, with Max Pacioretty screening from the crease, made it 1-0 Habs, four seconds after the Bruins penalty expired.

The lead held up while Boston fought back. A little over five minutes into the second period, Maxim Lapierre and Spacek were sent off simultaneously, giving Boston a two minute 5 on 3.

It looked like doom scripted.

Habs defenders Paul Mara and Roman Hamrlik, aided by centers Tomas Plekanec and Glen Melropolit took turns creating an impenetrable triangle while Price held fort. The Bruins would not score.

The kill turned out to be turning point number 2, as the Canadiens went up by a pair on Cammalleri's first of the game, 45 seconds after the penalties expired.

The blow took all wind out of the Bruins, as Montreal went on to a second period in which they would score four goals in a 9:19 span, essentially putting the game away.

Cammalleri's second hat trick of the season, combined with former Bruin Glen Metroploit's sixth of the year sealed the deal on this game before the second period siren sounded.

85 Reasons to Hate the Canadiens

Stanley Cup of Chowder — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:57:01 -0000

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

Browse more photos »

The Bruins will be in Montreal tomorrow night to face-off against the Canadiens. The Habs will be celebrating their 100th anniversary tomorrow night, which is weird because they have been milking this 100th season thing for 2 years now. Instead of doing my typical game preview, I thought I would do something ~~completely unoriginal and hacky~~ different. TSN recently came up with a list of 100 reasons to love the Canadiens, so I decidedly to come up with a rebuttal. The following are 85 reasons to hate the Montreal Canadiens (in no particular order) to celebrate 85 years of Bruins hockey.

1. Almost all of their Stanley Cup wins were a direct result of an unfair player allocation system

2. 2008

3. 2004

4. 2002

5. 1989

6. 1987

7. 1986

8. 1985

9. 1984

10. 1979

11. 1978

12. 1977

13. 1971

14. 1969

15. 1968

16. 1958

17. 1957

18. 1955

19. 1954

20. 1953

21. 1952

22. 1947

23. 1946

24. 1931

25. 1930

26. Their lame fans that flood the streets of Boston

27. Their fans celebrated a first round win over an 8 seed by set their own city's police cars on fire

28. One of their greatest players ever has a nickname that sounds like a sex toy

29. One of their former "coaching masterminds" can't even read a children's book

30. Their fans are living in the past.

31. Ken Dryden F__ that guy!

32. Patrick Roy Just a poor man's Marty Brodeur

33. They are a bunch of purse snatchers

34. They have better diving form than Rodney Rangerfield in "Back to School"

35. Guy LaFleur His son is a creep and the old man isn't much better

36. Ole! Ole! Ole! Ah how cute. You got a little song you sing.

37. I feel guilty every time I order a Molson

38. Who calls for a stick measurement in the Stanley Cup Finals?

39. Their dumb fans that would rather have a team of French Canadians than a competitive team

40. Their jailbird throwback jerseys

41. I hate any team that has a Gionta on it

42. The Habs couldn't give the B's much of a series last year and I think it hurt the B's in Round 2

43. They love to play chippy, but rarely answer the bell

44. Maxim Lapierre's gutless late hit on #81 last year

45. Mike Komisarek's eye gouge on Matt Hunwick

46. George Laraque's idle threats

47. They are the NHL team of choice for Vermont's dirty hippies

48. Most of their forwards aren't tall enough to ride most of the rides at the amusement park

49. Their fans think it is classy to boo the American national anthem

50. They undeservedly got a bunch of their players in the All-Star Game last year.

51. To quote Bill Burr: "their silly little fans who act like they live in Paris even though you can see the place from Vermont"

52. Celine Dion almost bought the team and nobody in Montreal seemed to be embarrassed about this

53. Habs fans boo Chara every time he touches the puck and even the most die hard Habs fan couldn't tell you why.

54. I need to use a passport and my poor high school French to see them play in Montreal

55.

56. They used to employ Mike Ribiero (Timmy's pick)

57. They used to employ Shayne Corson (Timmy's pick)

58. Ryan O'Byrne's turtle move

59. Claude Lemieux gutless puke

60.

61. Guy Carbonneau looks like a movie villain

62. They won the majority of their Stanley Cups in the Original 6 era

63. They thought Hal Gill was a solid off-season pick-up

64. "Too Many Men on The Ice"

65. Red, White, and Blue used to respectable colors

66. The Habs 164 different retro jerseys they have used to commemorate

67. This has been the longest "year" ever

68. Youppi That thing is just flat out creepy

69. They are own by a Brewery, but they can't figure out how to control their team like Doug and Bob McKenzie in "Strange Brew"

70. They hate Michael Ryder

71. They are the only team to get Patrice Bergeron to drop the gloves

72. They cut Mr. Kathryn Tappen

73. Carey Price's haircut

74. Kovalev faking an injury in the 2004 playoffs

75.

76. 1 beer per person limits at The Garden for B's-Habs games

77.

78. The Habs went to a Christian retreat called "Teen Ranch" for team bonding

79. This Guy who took his wife's name and wears a personalized Habs jersey with his new last name on it.

80. Their confused fans

81. Tom Kostopoulos' flying elbow

82.

83. Glen Metropolit used to be a guy you could root for

84. No matter where the B's finish they always seem to draw the Habs

85. Because they are the Habs. You are supposed to hate them.

New Jersey Devils Morning News, Nov 17

TibbsBeastoftheEast — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:10:02 -0000

Devils notes - (The Bergen Record)
Devils’ road winning streak ends in Philly - (The Bergen Record)

Elias gets on the score sheet - (Fire & Ice)
Devils’ streaks ended in Philly; Langenbrunner "sucker punched" - (Fire & Ice)
Live post: Van Riemsdyk’s goal ups Flyers lead to 3-1 in third - (Fire & Ice)
Big night for Sestito family - (Fire & Ice)
Devils aiming for record-tying 10-0 road start with win tonight in Philadelphia - (Fire & Ice)
Even in loss, NJ Devils' Patrik Elias confidence increasing after first points of season - (The Star Ledger)
Falling behind again, NJ Devils paid the price - (The Star Ledger)
NJ Devils see a pair if impressive winning streaks end in Philadelphia - (The Star Ledger)
NJ Devils road winning streak ends at the hands of Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2 - (The Star Ledger)
NJ Devils-Philadelphia Flyers: As they played - (The Star Ledger)
Ilkka Pikkarainen sits again for NJ Devils; Jacques Lemaire ailing - (The Star Ledger)
NJ Devils prospect Tyler Eckford named AHL Player of the Week - (The Star Ledger)
NJ Devils playing down chance to tie NHL road winning streak record in Philadelphia - (The Star Ledger)
Flyers snap Devils' eight-game win streak - (The New York Daily News)
Road kill: Devils' run at record ends - (The New York Post)
Flyers snap Devils' eight-game win streak - (The New York Post)
N.H.L. Scoreboard: Flyers End Devils' Quest for Record - (The New York Times)
Devils-Flyers Game Info - (Msgnetwork)
Watch Chico Eats Segments - (Msgnetwork)
Flyers 3, Devils 2 - (NewJerseyDevils.com)
Devils notch 1,000th win since N.J. arrival - (NewJerseyDevils.com)
Devils recall their first goals - (NewJerseyDevils.com)
Free Youth Jerseys - 11/28 - (NewJerseyDevils.com)
Children 13 and under at the Devils vs Isles game on Saturday, Nov. 28
Devils' road streak admired by many - (NHL.com)
Brodeur's success intimately tied to Philadelphia - (NHL.com)
NHL Standings - (Yahoo NHL)
Devils' players stats - (Yahoo NHL)
Devils Team Report - (Yahoo NHL)
The Devils' work falls flat in a loss to Flyers - (Delaware County Daily Times)
Flyers to Devils: No record in our house - (Philadelphia Daily News)
Flyers Bounce Back, Beat First-Place Devils - (Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia)
Flyers deliver message to Devils in victory - (Cherry Hill Courier Post)
Flyers put end to Devils' schemes - (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Streak busters - (phillyBurbs.com)
Is Martin Brodeur still the NHL's best goaltender? - (Philly.com)
How the devil do New Jersey do it? - (The National)
NHL Rankings: Lemaire's Devils not what you would expect - (National Post)
Jersey Boy James van Riemsdyk does in Devils to halt road streak at 9 - (Examiner.com)
2-on-1: Same Old Devils - (FanHouse)
Devils vs Flyers - Road Warriors vs Broad Street Bullies - (hockeybuzz.com)

LOWELL DEVILS
Lowell Defenseman Tyler Eckford Named Reebok/AHL Player of the Week - (LowellDevilsHockey.com)
Lowell Devils Welcome New England Patriots Lineman Jarvis Green on November 21 - (LowellDevilsHockey.com)
Devils star nets award - (The Lowell Sun)
A Devil Of A Start In Lowell - (OurSports Central)
Lowell's Eckford Named Reebok/AHL Player Of The Week - (OurSports Central)

TRENTON DEVILS
Devils Start Trip With A.M. Puck Drop - (TrentonDevils.com)

AROUND THE NHL
Atlantic: Pens unwrap an early Xmas gift in Malkin - (NHL.com)
Power Rankings: Buffalo soldiers - (The Hockey News)
Taking stock of playoff contenders at the quarter pole - (SI.com)
NHL Power Rankings (November 16): "Cup Favorites" List Looking Clearer - (BleacherReport)

MISCELLANEOUS
Will Claude Lemieux be crowned king of ex-NHL figure skaters? - (Yahoo NHL)
Opportunity knocks for hockey's Carpenter family - (The Salem News); Bobby Carpenter working for Toronto?
Middletown school opens $50000 playground that is result of fundraising - (Asbury Park Press); Ken Daneyko

Flames and Habs Always a Heartwarming Duel

Robert L — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:46:18 -0000

When I think of the Calgary Flames, (in town to play the Habs tonight), thoughts of 1986 and 1989 immediately spring to mind. There are great memories, some not so good, but hearing someone say the Flames name is like playing word association with the hockey flashpoints of my brain.

A friend actually wanted to try this once with hockey terms and name. It went something like:

Friend: "Boston Bruins?"

Me: "Too many men".

"Mark Messier?"........."Bag of chips".

"Guy Lalfeur?"........"50 X 6".

"Tiger Williams?"......."Paper bags".

"Calgary Flames?"......."Brian Skrudland".

Both the 1986 and 1989 Stanley Cup finals were classics in my mind, as it was the last time two Canadian teams met for the Cup.

Montreal and Calgary (the Tigers) first met for the Cup in 1924 - in an NHL East versus WHL West format.

Jean Perron, probably one of the most disliked coaches the Canadiens have ever had, started a Habs coach trend in '86, as he was the first of three successive first year Habs coaches to go straight to the Cup. Pat Burns in 1989 lost to Calgary, Jacques Demers won it in 1993.

So I have a soft spot in my heart for the Flames, and that's not to be confused with a hard spot in my pants. I'm not in love with 'em, but I sure do appreciate them.

It probably started back when they held off the Oilers in Game 7 of the second round in 1986, after Steve Smith did every Habs' fan a favor by banking the series' winning goals off the back of goalie Grant Fuhr's leg.

By 1989, the Flames were a better team than Montreal. They had Lanny McDonald, Gilmour, Fleury, Nieuwendyk, McInnis, Suter, Joel Otto, Joe Mullen......a freaking powerhouse!

The one edge the Habs might have had was in goal - Patrick Roy over Vernon in a heartbeat, right?

After that '89 final the Flames fell into some sort of abyss for a dozen or so years, only to rise like a phoenix in 2004.

Okay, that anology was odd, but in the 2004 finals, I was cheering badly for Calgary, desperately not wanting to see a team from Tampa win the Cup.

The Flames were screwed over big time in Game 6 of those finals, when officials completely missed a chance review a Martin Gelinas shot that skimmed just under Nikolai Khabibulin's pad past the goal line.

The third period goal would have given the Flames the lead at a crucial time in the contest. Had they held on, it would have been game over for Tampa. A different camera angle caught the puck, clearly in the white behind the goal line five minutes too late. and the Lightning went on to tie the game and sending it into overtime. Tampa wound up winning Games 6 & 7 and the Cup in the process.

Not to take away any merit from a hardworking Lightning bunch, but there ought to be a Stanley Cup Champions 2004 banner hanging from the roof in Calgary, next their lone 1989 one.

The 1989 Cup loss in coach Burns' rookie season was the only time ever in Forum history that an opponent won the Cup on Montreal ice.

For most of this generation of Habs fans, that 1986 season is perhaps their Canadiens watershed moment. Montreal, after years of Islander and Oiler dominance, were back on top of the hockey world, albeit briefly.

Those were great times to be a Canadiens fan. Montreal would reach the final again three seasons later, before heading back to win it all in 1993. This was the last period that the Canadiens stood amongst the league elite.

Going back to '86, what a team of warriors that was.

Skip the elite players for a sec and check this list of muckers.

Bob Gainey, Brian Skrudland, Mike McPhee, Ryan Walter, Claude Lemieux, Rick Green, Craig Ludwig, Lucien Deblois, Mario Tremblay, Chris Nilan.

There was scoring finess with Naslund, Bobby Smith, Kjell (Flash In The Pan) Dahlin, and young Richer.

The blueline had a pair of Hall of Famers in Larry Robinson and Chris (He'll get in!) Chelios, rounded out by three guys who could move the puck in Gaston, Svobado and Kurvers.

The role players were Kordic, Lalor, Rooney and Maley, and each had their moments that spring.

But it's that Skrudland goal....

Who can forget the overtime winner in Game 2, scored nine second into extra play?

Pure....bliss!

We'll always have the Flames to thank for those great memories, with an ackowleging nod to Steve Smith. Calgary has always brought the best out in the Canadiens.

Just for fun, here's a list of 29 former Flames and Canadiens who have worn both the burning "C" and the "CH" in their time.

Betcha didn't think there were so many!

Steve Begin, Randy Bucyk, Valeri Bure, Mike Cammalleri, Andrew Cassels, Eric Charron, Guy Charron, Tom Chorske, Craig Conroy, Jim Dowd, Brian Engblom, Doug Gilmour, Roman Hamrlik, Mark Lamb, Eric Landry, Gary Leeman, Jocelyn Lemieux, Bill Lindsay, Bob Murdoch, Ric Nattress, Yves Racine, Rob Ramage, Doug Risebrough, Yves Sarault, Todd Simpson, Brian Skrudland, Alex Tanguay, Rick Wamsley, Zarley Zalapski.

Somewhere in my collection of Habs memorabillia, lies a copy of the 1986 Sports Illustrated issue with Larry Robinson holding the Cup high above his head at Calgary's Saddledome. Luckily, I was able to access the actual pages online for reprint here. The print text is small, but clicking on them enlarges the page for better reading. Enjoy the flashback!

Below: A post game brawl from 1986 and the Flames Cup win in1989

Images courtesy of Getty / Sports Illustrated

Two recaps of 1986 from the Canadiens official site

A pinnacle moment from the Legends of Hockey site

Matchsticks and Gasoline

Today in Colorado Avalanche History

David Driscoll-Carignan — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:46:41 -0000

November 3rd, 1999 - Claude Lemieux was traded to the New Jersey Devils. The Avalanche sent Lemieux, a 1st round pick (David Hale) and a 2nd round pick (Matt DeMarchi) to the Devils for Brian Rolston and a 1st round pick (Martin Samuelsson). Lemieux was just 13 games into his 5th season with the Avalanche.

Rolston would not spend much time in Denver. He and that first round pick (and Martin Grenier and Sammy Pahlsson) were traded to Boston just 4 months later for Ray Bourque and Dave Andreychuk.

On Rivalry, Trolls, and Being an Adult

Joe Dunman — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:31:42 -0000

More photos » by Jerry S. Mendoza - AP

Browse more photos »

Though many people will deny it to the end, the rivalry between the Colorado Avalanche and the Detroit Red Wings may never die. It certainly has not died yet. Here at MHH, we make no effort to hide this, as last night's game thread will attest. Watching the Avs beat the Wings will always bring us joy, will always make us proud, and will always feel like good triumphing over evil.

There's no doubt that the rivalry is not the same as it was before. The Blood Feud days are over. But even though the original players are nearly completely gone, and though the teams have transitioned or are transitioning into less-dominant positions in the league, the deep hatred between their fan bases persists.

Red Wings fans would have you believe that hatred for the Avalanche is now below them. Their team has become so dominant, and the Avs so terrible, that Colorado is now unworthy of their ire. Why would a team so consitently atop the Western Conference stoop to worry about a former rival suffering through the darkest days of their franchise's history?

While most Wings fans seem to live in denial of the rivalry's persistence, there is little doubt many of them harbor the same hatred for us that we still hold for them. What else would inspire a Detroit fan to visit the blog of the Avs' newspaper beat writer just to publicly ridicule and disparage the family of the other team's star 18 year-old rookie? Maybe Detroit fans are just so bored that they literally have nothing else to do, but I doubt it. In Detroit, there's always a fire to set or a house to bulldoze. In truth, those hateful, juvenile comments left by Wings fans on Adrian Dater's recent blog post were motivated by their deep hatred for anything having to do with the Colorado Avalanche.

Those comments, now deleted despite Dater's initial failed attempts to erase them, were typical of the kind of petty, juvenile hatred we're used to seeing on Wings' blogs and message boards. They're really nothing new. The controversy, if there is one at all, arose from Dater's inability to effectively moderate his blog's comments section. He felt forced to harshly respond to trolls and he subsequently alienated some of his readers by doing so.

One of the strengths of Mile High Hockey, I think, has been our willingness to shut down trolls when they appear. Blatantly hateful and petty comments by fans of opposing teams are erased and the writers are banned. Sometimes we've been able to do this so quickly that most readers and commenters never knew they were there at all.

While this may strike some as heavy-handed or contrary to higher standards of free speech, it works very well at maintaining order and civility. And let's not kid ourselves, Mile High Hockey is not a democratic society. It's a community of fans, but a heavily-moderated community. While we foster spirited discussions and disagreements, we do not tolerate hateful comments from trolls just looking for an angry reaction. This policy, which has worked very well for more than two years, will never change.

I believe, from both experience and faith, that Avalanche fans as a whole are more mature and more civil than Red Wings fans. I also believe that our team's recent troubles have made us more humble and also more appreciative of any small victories our boys in Burgundy and Blue may achieve throughout the season. Wings fans have not had to endure the indignity of missing the playoffs or finishing near the bottom of the pile in many, many years. They've become spoiled and obnoxious because of it. This fact rears its ugly head periodically, as it did on Dater's blog, when Wings fans ridicule Steve Moore, the victim of a shameless attack, a broken neck, and a ruined career. It also becomes apparent when Wings fans criticize the physical appearance of the women in Matt Duchene's family.

It's one thing to make fun of the opposing team's city, or their arena, or their players on the ice, or their fans as a whole. It's another to stoop so low as to make fun of serious injuries* or make sexist jokes at the expense of family members. We here at MHH will continue to hate the Wings, always and forever, but we'll do so without shedding our dignity.

*In the past, some MHH members have made fun of the major injuries suffered by Kris Draper in 1996 when he was hit from behind by Claude Lemieux. I discourage these kinds of jokes and will continue to do so. I hate Kris Draper and think he's one of the dirtiest players in recent league history, but I'll never wish injury or suffering on anyone, even a Red Wings player.

Kovalev Return Recalls Lafleur's Forum Comeback

Robert L — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:36:14 -0000

There is little doubt - love him or loathe him - that Alex Kovalev has been one the most popular Montreal Canadiens over the past four seasons. This past summer, complicated negotiation breakdowns lead to Kovalev signing with the nearby rival Ottawa Senators club.

It was a moment in recent Canadiens history that left many Habs fans transfixed. The thought of Kovalev, a fan favorite, in any other uniform other than the bleu, blanc rouge was quite hard to imagine. Just days prior to signing with the Senators, a protest of sorts was held outside the Bell Centre, demanding that GM Bob Gainey make a last ditch effort to retain Kovalev in the Canadiens fold.

The show of love seemed to touch Kovalev, and he passed along a note of appreciation to fans in Montreal for the support he felt during his time with the team.

During a charity golf tournament in Montreal this past summer held in his name, Kovalev, just days after becoming a Senator, seemed transfixed himself. For long stretches of an interview held on the links, he seemed caught up in his Montreal time, discussing the team and his departure at length. At one moment, he even went as far as stating how much it would appeal to him to finish his career in Montreal.

Everyone knew Kovalev could be candid, but this was quite a statement. Evidently, Kovalev was having as much trouble turning the page on Montreal as Canadiens fans were in letting go of Kovalev.

Kovalev, as a Senator, plays his first game in Montreal tonight.

What had always been special about Kovalev, was the manner in which his offensive artistry captured the imaginations of Habs' fans. An exclusive, and sometimes elusive talent, Kovalev kept fans on the edge of their seats. His allure was always a tease of promises - blink and you could miss that split-second highlight reel moment waiting to happen.

There were many great Kovalev moments during his time. Fans will forever recall his goal against the Rangers - the Canadiens fifth of the game - on February 19, 2008, that sent Montreal into overtime in a 6-5 game they eventually won.

It has been called the most dramatic come from behind win in Habs history, and the memory of it is captured in the vivid image of Kovalev, seconds after unleashing a patented wrister, sliding on his back, all fours kicking into the air in a joyous celebration.

Who can forget the passion Kovalev brought to game against the hated Leafs, and that viscious elbow he served to an unsuspecting Darcy Tucker.

One of my favorite plays involves Kovalev losing a glove, then the puck, behind the Bruins goal one night, before first retrieving the lost disc, then the glove, and spiraling back towards an embarrased Zdeno Chara to make a pass to a player in the Boston goal crease.

There were other great moments, and every fan has their favorite recollection.

Throughout his Montreal time, Kovalev has been electrifying, charismatic, enigmatic and candid. He has often reminded long time Hab supporters of Guy Lafleur, who in fact also fits the adjectives listed above to a T.

Like Kovalev, Lafleur was outspoken, dramatic, effervescent, and spectacular. He had left the game in 1984, and returned to NHL action in 1988, giving the Forum one of it's most memorable evenings in its history - in the uniform of an opponent.

The legendary Lafleur had abandonned the game in December of 1984 as a Canadien, unable to play in Habs' coach Jacques Lemaire's tight defensive system.

The saddest of times for Habs fans has little in common with the departure of Kovalev on the surface, but it is in the highly anticipated return that the two may share history.

On February 4, 1989, Lafleur played his first game in Montreal against his former mates and in front of legions of supporters thrilled at the promise of seeing him play one more time. Earlier in the season, on December 17, scalpers had done brisk business leading up to Lafleur's return date. Anticipation had driven up ticket prices for a moment that ultimately failed to materialize. Lafleur had been injured the game before, and history was postponed until the later February date.

All season long, the press filled the Montreal papers recounting Lafleur's each and every exploit in a Ranger uniform. GM Phil Esposito had brought him aboard, at the request and curiosity of coach Michel Bergeron. Many doubted, and few believed that Lafleur could make the team after four seasons away from the game. As hopes held up, fans in Lafleur's corner increased. At camp's end, he made the cut. He was to be united with a peer in center Marcel Dionne, while rejoining former teammates Chris Nilan as a Ranger.

A shadow of his former self, but still capable of squeezing out sparks, Lafleur was on his way to an 18 goal, 27 assist season, playing on a line with center Kelly Kisio for the better part of 67 games. The peak of his season by the time he had set foot in Montreal, was a three goal effort against the Washington Capitals.

Highlight reels testified that on certain nights, Lafleur still had the stuff!

When February 4 finally rolled around, fans inside the Forum were as lit up as Lafleur could have been, and the anticipation inside the building was like no other evening in Canadiens history.

Support was clearly in Lafleur's corner, and everyone knew it. The drama was thick as a brick, and the tension could be cut with a knife.

How would Guy play?

What would be the fan's reaction to him?

Would he score?

Could there be an ovation for Guy if he did?

All these questions remained unanswered at game time, but as the evening unravelled, the events of the game were testimony to both the fan's and player's passion for the sport.

Lafleur, as a hockey God in the city of Montreal, had reached and sealed status previously reserved for only the likes of Maurice "Rocket" Richard and Jean Beliveau, neither of whom had ever returned to Montreal in a different jersey.

The Rocket in Leafs' colours - God help us all!

Beliveau as a Bruin - unthinkable!

The night, should Lafleur live up, would be both momentous and revealing.

Come game time, there was the obvious higher than usual anticipation, in the sense that rarely did fans pack the Forum with all on eyes on an opponent.

The Rangers that season were merely a .500 hockey club, while the Canadiens - packed and loaded - for destined for a Stanley Cup final date they would achieve.

In the Habs lineup were a bevy of talents, including former Lafleur mates Gainey and Robinson, as well as stars such as Patrick Roy, Chris Chelios, Claude Lemieux, Stephane Richer and Shayne Corson, to name but a handfull.

The Canadiens at the time, had hit a bit of a rough patch, having tied games against lowly Minnesota and Washington recently among scattered wins. They were coming off a 6-4 loss to the Quebec Nordiques two nights earlier, and coach Pat Burns had been loudly grumbling about team effort.

While the Canadiens were seesawing, fan's expectations were hopeful of a Montreal win with a strong showing from Lafleur.

The contest began with a loud and lengthy ovation for Lafleur the moment he hit the ice for his first shift. In a unique way, it resounded and caught many off guard, including the game's participants.

The unhelmetted Lafleur, streaking mane on a balding head, could still captivate. After registering an assist on a linemate's goal, all eyes in the building were on him.

The announcement of Lafleur's helper generated an unexpected fan response, and the usual calm in the building after an opponent's go ahead goal was replaced by an amplified hum. Inspired by this, the Rangers were taking the play to the Canadiens, and they quickly took hold of the game and the lead.

The Habs were not having a good night. Commentators describing the game noted that Habs players tended to watch Lafleur's every move, in a peculiar sort of way. For a bit, the Canadiens became spectators within their own game. Guilty as they were of watching Lafleur, he soon proved as elusive and slippery as ever.

With this, momentum shifted, and in a distracted moment, Lafleur uncovered by defensemen Chelios and Ludwig, burst towards Roy's goal and popped a rebound past the future legend.

The Forum went beserk. It was a scene many might have imagined, but few could have impactfully felt. Lafleur clearly, still held his mass of fans captive.

Perhaps sensing as much, the Canadiens players let down some. With every Lafleur shift from then on, the Forum faithful, on the dge of their seats, held their collective breath.

Could Guy do it again?

What else did he have reserved for this special evening?

With the Habs playing on their heels, Lafleur was poised to make something happen. His instinctive intuition from past glories seemedly revived, Lafleur sprouted wings. Soon, he was all over. As the Rangers were up, and with Lafleur having threatened to increase the lead with a pair of chances, a moment in time seemed chosen for Lafleur to create some magic.

Accepting a pass at the Canadiens blueline, Lafleur was confronted by Petr Svobado and Rick Green to his left. Sprightly, Lafleur barely handled the feeding pass, instead tipping it past Svoboda, as he elected not to play the body. Lafleur skipped past him and broke loose, nothing but net in his sights.

The Canadiens defensemen gave chase. As Lafleur broke away, they came within a stride of him, when he decided to shoot. With space ahead of him, Lafleur caught Roy off guard with a 20 foot wrister bound for the top corner.

The Forum erupted with unpredictable decible vibration. Fans cheered the goal with as much added verve as one could imagine. It was a though the goal had placed the home team in the playoffs.

While the Lafleur comeback performance became the headline, the byline of the game told that the Habs came back from a 5-2 deficit to win the game 7-5. Burried in the historic night, was a Shayne Corson hat trick that spurred the comeback. Regardless, the Lafleur highlights were the game's most lasting and telling tale.

In the distinct 100 year history of the hockey club, no opponents' goal would ever be cheered as much.

It all had to do with a twisted sort of vindication.

Lafleur had left the Canadiens four seasons earlier, still feeling in his heart that he could play and help the team. Fans did not want him gone, knowing he could still contribute. They felt every shred in Lafleur's soul as the Canadiens decision ate at him. By the time of his comeback, there was hardly a hockey fan not behind him.

The February 4, 1989 game represented in sorts, a moment of truth for both Lafleur and his fans. This would in essense be the day that fans were assured that Lafleur could have belonged in a Canadiens uniform all along, and that he should never have been forced to retire.

The ovations afforded to Lafleur's performance that evening were a vindication of their beliefs.

It boiled down to Habs fans versus management, with Lafleur in the middle. Habs fans won.

In the days ahead, then GM Serge Savard uncomfortably tiptoed around past actions, kindly offering good wishes to Lafleur, perhaps admitting that the scenario four years prior were unsuitable to the star at that particular career stage.

All told, it was both a unique time in Habs fans' relationship with their team, and a frozen moment in a spectacular player's career. Those witnessing it, will never forget it.　

Now it should be understood that in all of this recounting, the Lafleur / Kovalev comparisons pale somewhat against one another. Times have changed of course, and with that the obvious should be noted. Yes, Kovalev's hardware cabinet as a Canadien is nowhere near as full as Lafleur's in terms of accomplishments. A listing of such would be futile.

Despite that note, it could be said that between 2005 and 2009, Kovalev meant as much to Habs fans as Lafleur meant in the heyday of the last Canadiens dynasty. The similarities between their persona's have been noted, as were the fans affection for both on those terms.

As Lafleur was in his time, Kovalev is the focal point gone missing presently in Habs fans' hearts.

Will Kovalev's return to the Bell Centre prove to be as captivating?

The possibility is definitely there.

That's why we will all be intently watching as Kovalev returns in those Godawfuls Sens duds.

Maybe you are just like I am, unable to wish that Kovalev plays poorly!

It should be an intereting evening.

Today in Colorado Avalanche History

David Driscoll-Carignan — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:00:35 -0000

October 3rd, 1995 - On the eve of the season (man, don't you wish deals still happened right before the start of the season?), the Avalanche acquired Claude Lemieux from the Devils in a 3-way deal. The Avalanche sent ~~Mats Sundin~~ Wendel Clark to the Islanders, the Islanders sent Steve Thomas to the Devils and the Devils sent Lemieux to Denver. Interestingly, Clark was traded again later that year to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the draft pick that would become...today's likely starter, Roberto Luongo. As for Lemieux? Hmmm, I don't really recall anything memorable about his stay in Colorado.

2009-10 NHL Season Preview: San Jose Sharks

James Mirtle — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:00:19 -0000

More photos » by Adrian Wyld - AP

Browse more photos »

Who's in: Dany Heatley, Manny Malhotra, Scott Nichol, Jed Ortmeyer
Who's out: Brian Boucher, Jonathan Cheechoo, Christian Ehrhoff, Marcel Goc, Mike Grier, Claude Lemieux, Brad Lukowich, Milan Michalek, Travis Moen, Tomas Plihal, Jeremy Roenick, Alexei Semenov

Outlook: Pressed flush against the salary cap all summer, the Sharks stood pat well into August, adding only checker Scott Nichol via free agency and locking up Rob Blake, Kent Huskins and Ryane Clowe on new contracts. Exiting stage left were really only minor parts, however, with Mike Grier and Travis Moen constituting the biggest losses in the early going.

GM Doug Wilson swung for the fences in September, however, landing sniper Dany Heatley in exchange for similar salaries in Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo, and his presence up front gives Joe Thornton an elite trigger man. In order to ease the cap crunch, Wilson also dumped some major salary in a deal to Vancouver, shuttling out defencemen Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich for depth prospects.

A lot went right for San Jose last season, including the fact seven players topped 50 points, so much of coach Todd McLellan's challenge will be in simply getting his troops to perform up to the same level. This is a team down considerable depth throughout the lineup, and injuries to key performers could potentially be devastating given how top heavy this crew is. The signing of Manny Malhotra will help, especially defensively, but how players like Torrey Mitchell and Jamie McGinn fare in much larger roles will be a factor.

(Not having a veteran backup for Evgeni Nabokov could also come back to bite the Sharks, although that's a sacrifice more and more teams are making due to the salary cap.)

Ultimately, because of what's happening with the teams in the Pacific Division, however, San Jose is the easy favourite to again win the division and finish near the top of the Western Conference. Bringing in Heatley could be a home run if he pots 60 goals alongside Thornton, but his salary and recent history brings along with it some cause for concern.

Make no mistake, this is a good team — but one not without some warts.

X-factor: Joe Pavelski

For a more in-depth Sharks preview, visit Fear The Fin
For more NHL analysis, check out the McKeen's Hockey Yearbook

Poll

Where will the Sharks finish in the Western Conference this season?

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163 votes

2

99 votes

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38 votes

4

16 votes

5

8 votes

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4 votes

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0 votes

8

5 votes

9

1 votes

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2 votes

11

1 votes

12

0 votes

13

0 votes

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0 votes

15

12 votes

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