Zach Parise 'ran the show' + 30 Thoughts

Elliotte Friedman, CBC.ca Sports, July 18, 2012



During the Stanley Cup playoffs, I had time to read Behind the Moves, which is basically a 252-page oral history of hockey's general managers. It's written by Jason Farris, who is now a Dallas Stars executive vice-president.

The book is outstanding. Over the next few weeks, I'm going to re-read it, this time putting together a structured notes package on its subjects.

One of the best things about working at HNIC is the access it allows. However, Farris, who has more of a business background than a sportswriting one, got these guys to reveal quite a bit about their philosophies and thought processes. That includes guys who tend to be quite secretive, like Lou Lamoriello and Pierre Lacroix. The group was also very honest about each other.

It is available solely through a website called nhlgms.com. There will be a little bit of sticker shock, but I'd absolutely recommend it. Even if you're not a total hockey puck, the insight into how GMs think probably applies to other sports.

Quite honestly, I'm jealous I'm not the one who got to write it.

THE DYNAMIC DUO

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune's Michael Russo received great praise for his coverage of the Zach Parise/Ryan Suter free-agent extravaganza, especially for his wrap-up of how the deal went down.

Have had a chance to talk to several different sources over the last little while, and here are a few other details:

*Sounds like the bidding on Parise was instantly insane, with multiple immediate $100 million US bids. (Suter was slightly less crazy, lots of suitors but fewer nine-figure ones.) In horse racing, those that jump out to a quick pace are called "rabbits," and there were multiple hares here. Philadelphia's interest has been heavily reported, and at the end of the day, was the probably the highest bidder. But it's believed Buffalo also let both players know they would get $100 million apiece to dress for the Sabres. (Darcy Regier politely declined to comment.) There may have been others.

*What those initial offers did was force some of the teams who were legitimately in the race to increase their own proposals. The Wild were one. According to one source, Suter's agent, Neil Sheehy, called Minnesota on the evening of July 1, asking if the team was willing to adjust its package. (Sheehy did not want to discuss individual offers, saying it was unfair to the other teams involved.) Hearing that, GM Chuck Fletcher wisely increased his offer to Parise, too.

*On his July 4 conference call, Devils GM Lou Lamoriello said Suter wasn't interested in going to the Eastern Conference, a fact the defenceman later confirmed. Suter was made aware of every offer he received, but, by July 2, other teams were convinced the choice was between Minnesota and Detroit, both of whom made personal visits.

*Parise's situation was a little more complicated, at least for a while. It's believed he considered at least nine teams to various degrees -- New Jersey, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles. (Tried to press agent Wade Arnott for more detail, only to be told, "Zach would prefer to keep the process private.")

But, according to one source, after thinking about it, Parise eliminated the Eastern Conference, because, if he was to leave the Devils, he was unwilling to compete directly against them. Then, he dropped the other Western Conference teams and, as he later said on his conference call, it came down to New Jersey or his home state of Minnesota.

*Fletcher spent over a year working on a plan to get both players, but it became clear to several interested parties that, as Parise returned to his Minnesota home on July 3, "He was driving the bus," as one executive said. "It really became his process." Parise was down to two teams, and you have to believe he knew Suter was in the same position -- with both players having one of them (the Wild) in common. Suter was unwilling to go to the Devils. At that point, Parise basically had three choices: going back to New Jersey, going to Minnesota without Suter or convincing the defenceman to join him there. As Russo reported, he and Arnott did a lot of research into Minnesota's highly rated prospect pool, but Parise knew it would be much harder to win there without Suter.

*About 24 hours before the duo made it official, the Wild signed free-agent forward Jake Dowell. Dowell and Suter are close, represented by the same agent. When that happens, opponents tend to think, "Uh oh, they've landed the big fish."

*There's been a lot written and said about Detroit no longer "being a destination point" for players, but that's oversimplifying. If anything, the Red Wings were hurt by the fact Parise was the one who, at the end, took control over the situation. They worked Suter much harder. Think even the Wild were surprised (and impressed) at how Parise ran the show.

*It's been reported several times, but it's pretty impressive that Parise did, very late in the process, ask for the deals to be altered so that he and Suter would have the exact same financial structure. He took less -- and made his buddy a little bit more.

30 THOUGHTS

1. Right now, the owners on the NHL's negotiating committee are Jeremy Jacobs (Boston), Murray Edwards (Calgary), Ted Leonsis (Washington) and Craig Leipold (Minnesota). (Brian Burke, Jim Rutherford, Bill Daly and Brendan Shanahan also attended last Friday's meeting.) If Leipold is there when negotiations resume Wednesday, it's going to be very interesting. I have no problem with what he did in free agency. But, players, agents and even NHL execs found it funny he could be part of a group asking for such huge concessions after handing out $196 million to two players. Wouldn't be surprised if someone asks him if he knew about the NHL's opening salvo when he offered those contracts, or what he intends to propose with the 13-year deals should there be a five-year limit on term.

2. The idea of term limits led to a lot of discussion about what that would mean for Shea Weber, Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, all of whom are scheduled to be unrestricted next year. But, if you really go through the list (capgeek is a good resource) the list of potential UFAs/RFAs is staggering. Alex Edler, Joffrey Lupul, Kari Lehtonen, David Clarkson, Milan Lucic, Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin, Alex Pietrangelo, Brad Marchand, Zach Bogosian, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Max Pacioretty, Jeff Skinner and Jordan Eberle. How many of them will want to get deals done under the current rules?

3. One agent explained, though, that the dilemma will be whether or not you think there will be a salary rollback. Some players who signed after the 2005 settlement made more money because they weren't affected by the 24 per cent drop. Not sure that's relevant to a superduperstar like Weber, but to some of the others, it would be.

4. Couple other things: The plan to prevent any player from reaching unrestricted free agency until after 10 NHL seasons did not include an age limit. For example, Jason Garrison would have had to wait until 2020, when he would be 35, to hit the market.

5. Also, while the rookie contracts were to be extended to five years, they weren't necessarily guaranteed. They were set up as two guaranteed seasons, with three more one-year club options. So, if you're a star, you're locked up long-time. If you're a bust, you're done quick. In theory, this makes some sense, but, as part of the overall package there's no sale.

6. People rooting hardest for a settlement? Coaches. Some of them have 50 per cent pay cuts in their contracts should there be a lockout. It depends on the team, but some executives are to be shaved approximately 25 per cent. Don't think there are many teams who keep staff-wide salaries at regular levels.

7. Enough labour. One more note about Parise: Seven days after the Cup Final, he attended a charity game for "Defending the Blueline" -- an organization he supports in Minnesota. That's a tough time for a player, one week after your season ends -- most charities don't like to schedule events around then, because they understand guys need to decompress. But Parise kept his commitment, creating a tonne of media interest. Great stuff.

8. While Minnesota's strong group of prospects appealed to Parise, Fletcher made some smart moves in signing Dowell, Zenon Konopka and Torrey Mitchell. Adding that depth means the Wild won't have to rush the Granlunds, the Coyles and the Brodins (although he's a defenceman). It will be critical for those players to make an impact on their rookie-level contracts. You want to make sure they're ready when you start the contract clock, although those guys are pretty close.

9. Good line about the Wild: "They probably want rookie contracts to last forever," one GM laughed.

10. Had some good conversations with other teams about Minnesota's moves. The thing they all talked about is how some organizations will always be where people want to go. (New York Rangers, for example.) Others have to work hard at it. Minnesota and Carolina made themselves "destination teams" this summer. Players look at Parise, Suter and Jordan Staal -- three respected guys -- and say, "Hmmmm...what attracts them? What should I be seeing here?"

11. Dallas quietly did a decent job, too. Getting Ray Whitney and Jaromir Jagr did not go unnoticed.

12. The Stars were willing to give Whitney a second year, which separated them from the pack. Couldn't reach him to ask about it, but people who know Whitney say he has this hilarious theory that it's easier for small guys to play into their 40s. Apparently, he's quite the convincing salesman.

13. Luke DeCock of The Raleigh News & Observer had a great note about how the Hurricanes immediately named Staal an assistant captain. Why? Because fans wanted to order jerseys and you've got to make them accurate.

14. Speaking of jersey sales, called a Canuck store (don't ask) and was told there is big demand for Garrison's in Vancouver. He hasn't been given a number yet. The Canucks don't like going too high, which makes me wonder if it's not going to be "52." When Sidney Crosby is available in 2025, it's "8" or "7" for you, buddy.

15. 125,000 YouTube hits for this superb Ducks video announcing Teemu Selanne's return. They filmed it in May, with the understanding that if Selanne retired, they'd "burn" the footage. It's great stuff.

16. Had a lengthy conversation Monday with new Oilers coach Ralph Krueger. Talked about some of his ideas and learned he thinks similarly to two successful bench bosses, Mike Babcock and Ken Hitchcock.

17. Red Wings players will tell you Babcock's belief is that "when we're defending, you do it my way. When we have the puck, you can create." (He laughed when asked about that.) Krueger's plan for Edmonton will be along those lines. "The only way we're going to learn to win is by having a solid team structure," Krueger said. "We had a lot of 'immature games' last season...they were fun to play and watch, but we lost. We need to learn to manage the game better -- play to the score, the clock, the situation."

18. Krueger added the critical thing will be "finding a team defensive structure that works for the whole game, but allows players to use their intuition offensively." He explained that when it comes to that part of the game, he believes more in "principles" than a set system. An example would be always having a net presence on the power play. As long as those principles are followed, the Halls, Hemskys and Nugent-Hopkinses of the world can create.

19. The Hitchcockian stuff came when we discussed Edmonton's forward lines. In Dallas, Hitchcock once explained how he believed more in forward "pairs" than trios. For example, Mike Modano always played with Jere Lehtinen. The third could be rotated. Krueger wants to see if he can create a flexible, dangerous lineup that way.

20. He explained that he liked Jordan Eberle with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Sam Gagner with Ales Hemsky. That not only allows him to move Hall around the lineup, but also rotate others depending on the situation -- Ryan Smyth, Ryan Jones, Ben Eager and potentially even Shawn Horcoff on the wing. I'm really curious to see this. This stuff fascinates me.

21. Some of you will be wondering: what about Nail Yakupov? Krueger wants to see how the number one pick looks on the left side. Yakupov is used to the right, but with Eberle and Hemsky there, it's pretty jammed. Finally, Krueger closed by saying one of the most important things moving forward for the Oilers will be the group "demanding more from each other and the team right from the beginning."

22. Couple other Edmonton notes (should point out Krueger is not the source for any of this): think the Oilers, desperately searching for defencemen, took a long look at Islander Mark Streit. Garth Snow would not address that, but did say via text message, "I have no intention to trade Streit."

23. Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey got a lot of attention for helping recruit Justin Schultz to Oilertown, but do not underestimate the role Hall played. Word is his sales pitch was extremely impressive, because he was unafraid to discuss the tough things the team has gone through -- and how he believes those will be fixed.

24. Sam Gagner's arbitration is tentatively scheduled for Friday. This one's going to be interesting if it gets that far. The Oilers are probably thinking David Perron ($3.8 million AAV) while agent Jeff Jackson is likely looking at Brandon Dubinsky ($4.2M). Saw-off in the middle?

25. Let's look at some player situations. First, Roberto Luongo. It's not exactly a state secret that he wants to go to Florida and in a perfect world, the Canucks would send him there. There's a bit of a stalemate now, as the Panthers feel Vancouver is asking too much and the Canucks feel Florida is squeezing too hard. One of the issues is prospects. Florida, which has done a great job stocking the system, is understandably unwilling to move Jacob Markstrom, Erik Gudbranson or Jonathan Huberdeau. An educated guess is that Vancouver has inquired about the "next level" of talented youth, like a Nick Bjugstad or Quinton Howden. Don't think Florida likes that, either. So, between that and the fact the Canucks don't want to take bad salary in return, things aren't really moving at this time.

26. The endgame for Luongo? If it doesn't happen with Florida, they'll ask him for more destinations. Eventually, he's going to have to play along, because he has "no-trade," not "no-move" protection. But, there's no real deadline now except for fan and media impatience.

27. Have to believe that, yes, Toronto's inquired about Jonathan Bernier. Brian Burke isn't doing his job if he doesn't. But there are doubts Burke is incredibly serious about him. Was he serious about Martin Brodeur? Yes. Is he more serious than he lets on about Luongo? Yes. Bernier doesn't really fit Toronto's stated criteria of a veteran in goal.

28. Shea Weber: the Predators met with Weber this week. Ultimately, they're going to have to say, "Look, we just went through this with Ryan Suter. We need an honest answer." If the response is anything less than a near-immediate signature on a long-term contract, David Poile's probably going to have to trade him -- barring severe CBA changes. Even if the owners got no free agency for 10 years (as in last week's proposal), Weber's played seven. So three more seasons is a best-case scenario for Nashville without a renewed commitment.

29. Been a lot written about a one-year, huge-money offer sheet. Think a couple of good teams have at least thought about it. Look, if you really believe getting Weber is going to mean giving up four 27th picks, he's worth it. Now, I know the counter: what if he leaves you after just one year? This is the dicey part: you almost need a nudge-nudge, wink-wink "understanding" that he's going to stay. And, if Gary Bettman finds out, he's going to CRUSH the team that does it. Google "David Stern Joe Smith Timberwolves."

30. So, if it does happen (and most GMs are skeptical), the more likely scenario is this: a team calls Poile and says, "We're going to offer sheet him if you won't make a deal." (Phil Kessel to Toronto followed this path.)

BONUS END-OF-SEASON THOUGHTS

31. Rick Nash: MLive's Ansar Khan reported Tuesday night that Detroit made a run at the Columbus captain, speculating that Johan Franzen and/or Valtteri Filppula would be the centrepiece. For what it's worth, I'd heard the latter but not the former (although Khan is much closer to it than I am). Scott Howson's getting critiqued for his stubbornness, but what if the trade proves that to be the right play?

32. Think the Red Wings are very confident that they can go in different directions because Babcock can coach multiple styles and systems. He didn't exactly preach puck possession in Anaheim, but showed up in Detroit, saw who was on his roster and realized, "We can do that here." If the roster dictates another adjustment, he can deliver.

33. Shane Doan: ESPN's Craig Custance quoted a GM as being "90-per-cent sure" Doan will turn to the Coyotes. That's probably true, but I really wonder how much he's being tempted. Only a fool underestimates the Coyotes on-ice, a brilliantly run and coached organization full of players who compete beyond belief. But, Doan's getting great offers to play with the Sedins or Pavel Datsyuk or Sidney Crosby or Claude Giroux or Joe Thornton. He'll be 36 in October. How hard is he thinking about trying to win a Cup on a high-revenue team for the first time in his career?

34. Multiple reports the Stanley Cup winners are looking at Doan, too. Get the sense Dean Lombardi is one of those guys who believes it's not a good idea for a champion to come back intact. It's hard enough to repeat without being a little stale.

35. Think the Coyotes, who are looking for offensive help, really like Boston's David Krejci. I'm not as certain the Bruins are shopping Krejci, but they are loaded down the middle -- especially as Tyler Seguin readies for an expanded role. That is probably where all the Keith Yandle rumours come from.

36. The only reason I'd trade Yandle is, at the All-Star Game, he knew all the words to Drake's songs.

37. Alex Semin: you try to be careful with Semin, because, it reaches a point where it's like piling on. But, here's the issue: he always seems unhappy. Last year's playoffs weren't easy on either him or Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin, though, decided to put on the best possible face because the team eliminated the defending champs and pushed the Rangers to seven games. Semin didn't do that. It's a long season and it's hard on teams when guys are like that. He's got incredible talent, and if he ever showed a little more warmth (for lack of a better term), opinions might change.

38. Patrick Kane: Teams have been told he's not going anywhere. (Thoughts like this one scare me, because I worry he gets dealt tomorrow.) Think some of it comes down to Stan Bowman feeling a real sense of responsibility towards a player who used to live with him, and making sure everything is okay. Good on Bowman if that's the case.

39. Dan Boyle: Name that has popped up a few times. At 36, can still carry the puck, run a powerplay and has some of the best head-fakes in the NHL. (Only offensive concern: has trouble getting his shot through.) He just lost full no-trade protection (now limited), so it sounds like teams are calling about him.

40. As the Sharks looked at adding another coach, some sources were saying, "They are going to add someone with lots of bench experience." Others swore it was about "getting someone who had a lengthy NHL career." After hearing the choice was Larry Robinson, you understood the confusion. He qualifies under both guidelines.

41. Some Canadiens fans were upset their team didn't approach Robinson, but one thing the organization did was improve its coaching depth. Obviously, the hope is Michel Therrien is a success. But they've added Gerard Gallant and Sylvain Lefebvre, both of whom will be bench bosses some day.

42. Thought it was interesting that Montreal wasn't really interested in extending Carey Price beyond six years. God only knows what the new rules will be, but when Price is done, he'll be 31. That's the age both Ilya Bryzgalov and Roberto Luongo signed their big deals. There's another big contract in Price's future.

43. Two last notes on the Stanley Cup Final: When the Kings scored three goals in their five-minute Game 6 power play, wondered when was the last time a team did that. Had to be a long time, right? Not so much. Ace stat man Jeff Girodat snared the answer: Columbus did it against Nashville on December 22. Jeff Carter had two of the goals.

44. Also, the Kings became the first champion to use only six defencemen the entire playoffs since the 1980 New York Islanders. When you're that healthy and that consistent, you're laughing.

THANK YOU

This is the final 30 Thoughts Blog of the 2011-12 NHL season. Wanted to thank all of the players, coaches and executives who answer my annoying questions; the reporters around the league whose work creates ideas; the media relations people who help set up the necessary interviews; the poor cbc.ca editors who comb through these inane ramblings; and, most importantly, the readers. If you weren't interested, there'd be no point in writing it.

I am very fortunate to cover hockey for a living.

Vladislav Tretiak: A True Game-Changing Guru
http://thehockeywriters.com/overtime/vladislav-tretiak-game-changing-guru/

Over the last few decades, individuals such as Vladislav Tretiak have shaped the game of hockey in unbelievable ways. It has often been noted that Tretiak never had a fair shot to compete in the NHL back in the 1980s, but the Russian netminder changed the face of the game for future goaltenders in his fifteen-plus seasons with the Russian Red Army Team, CSKA Moscow.

Tretiak?s appearances and play in the Olympics, World Championships, Canada Cup, and Summit Series will always be engrained in hockey history and the goalie?s name is rightfully enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame as a result of his hard work. Politics and stubbornness (on the part of the Soviet Government) were probably the biggest factors that prevented Tretiak from making an impact at the NHL level, but the goalie managed to cement himself in hockey lore by being a pioneer of the goaltending position and revolutionizing the way that goalies play the position in the modern day.

The Butterfly Guy
The story of the butterfly style of goaltending cannot be told without mentioning names such as Glenn Hall, Tony Esposito, and Patrick Roy.

Hall is widely considered by many to be the first goalie to employ and perfect the use of the butterfly style. While others improved on his style of play over the decades, being nicknamed ?Mr. Goalie? goes to show how much Hall impacted the game during his career. Hall?s achievements in the NHL speaks for itself, but it is safe to say that North Americans were not prepared to see a Russian goalie take center stage at the World Championships, Olympics, and a plethora of other popular hockey events.

Unlike modern butterfly goalies, Tretiak played a style where he combined new aspects of getting low to the ice with classic stand-up methods. The result was outstanding as the goalie vaulted himself into notoriety during the 1972-1973 hockey season as he put on quite a show during the first Summit Series between Russia and Canada. Fans expected Canada to win handily, but Canadians left the series with a great amount of respect for Tretiak who wowed the crowds with his unbelievable style of play against some of the world?s greatest hockey players.

Tretiak?s use of the butterfly style earned him accolades and recognition around the world as one of the most feared, skilled, and intelligent netminders to have never played a single game in the NHL. Even though Canada emerged victorious against the Soviets, Tretiak dispelled any notion that he was a B-rate goalie as he used a mixture of the butterfly and stand-up styles to distinguish himself from the rest of hockey?s elite netminders.

Statistical Success and the Impact of the Summit Series
Not much was known about Tretiak before the 1972 Summit Series, but it is safe to say that many North American hockey fans underestimated the skills of the Russian goalie. Even though Tretiak, who was only 20 years old at the time, played to the tune of a 3.87 GAA and .884 Save Percentage during the 1972 Summit Series, the goalie impressed many Canadian hockey fans as he stole games from a Canadian team that had an all-star laden lineup. While Tretiak fared a little better during the 1974 Summit Series, it should also be of note that Ken Dryden (4.75 GAA, .838 Save Percentage) and Tony Esposito (3.33 GAA, .882 Save Percentage) did not do much better statistically than Tretiak did in the ?72 Summit Series.

After a hotly contested 1972 matchup between Canada and Russia, the hockey world was not satisfied with just one set of games between the dominant hockey forces of the world. The 1974 Summit Series featured the same home and away format as four games would be played in Canada and the other four in the Soviet Union. After leaving Canada, both teams had a victory and two ties, but it would be the USSR that emerged victorious as the Soviets won three of four games in Russia. Tretiak appeared in seven of the eight games and managed to keep his GAA to a 3.57 clip, but the hype surrounding Russia?s netminder was only starting to grow.

While the USSR dispatched Canada in the ?74 Summit Series, Tretiak?s reputation overseas only grew stronger. The Russian goalie went from a relative unknown to a feared stalwart within a matter of years and it was the goalie?s play that enabled many hockey fans to change their outlook on Russian hockey. Not only did the Summit Series illustrate that future international opponents would have to be much more prepared against the Russian National Team, it provided some much needed relief during a time when the Cold War crisis was at its peak. Cold War tensions persisted for more than a decade after Tretiak?s Summit Series debut in 1972, but international hockey provided the USSR and Canada a chance to display their hockey skills to the world. Even if the Summit Series did little to change the perception of the Soviet Union, the play of Tretiak endeared him to hockey fans across the world.

Players such as Valeri Kharlamov, Alexander Gusev, Valery Vasiliev, Boris Mikhailov, Alexander Yakushev, and Vladimir Petrov were just some of the players that dazzled Canadian players and fans with their crisp passing and precision scoring opportunities, but Tretiak certainly came away garnering some great respect from the adversaries and their crowd. Tretiak?s efforts in the Summit Series and in international play merited him a seventh round selection by the Montreal Canadiens at the 1983 Draft, but a career in the NHL was not in the workings for the Russian goalie. Even though the two extensive appearances at the ?72 and ?74 Summit Series exposed Tretiak?s abilities and potential, the goaltender put in quite an effort between the ?74 Summit Series and the 1983 Draft to cement his reputation as one of the great goalies of the late twentieth century.

Aside from playing a multitude of games for CSKA Moskva in the ?70s and early ?80s, Tretiak?s resume included a variety of success on an international level:



Tretiak?s performances on various stages illustrated that the goalie had what it took to compete in Russia and across the world in unfamiliar territory and surroundings. The netminder?s accomplishments included three gold medal victories as an Olympian, ten World Championships appearances that resulted in gold medals, and a gold medal in the 1981 Canada Cup and 1979 NHL Challenge Cup. While Tretiak was no stranger to winning gold medals, the netminder?s resume was all the more impressive because of the fact that he had only won silver (1980 Lake Placid Olympics, 1972 & 1976 World Championships) and bronze (1977 World Championships) a combined four times during a hockey career that wasn?t played to its fullest.

As the years passed by in Russia, Tretiak seemed to improve every year for CSKA Moskva and the same applied to the international tournaments that the goalie participated in. Tretiak was undoubtedly an Iron Man for the Russian National Team, but the goalie was not given a fair opportunity to test his abilities overseas as the Soviet government prevented Tretiak from going abroad to play in the NHL. Even though Tretiak prematurely retired after he was denied the opportunity to play for the Canadiens, the goalie?s legacy still lives on to this day and is illustrated in various forms.

Transcending the Craft

Belfour was coached by Tretiak (JON SALL/SUN-TIMES)
After retiring in the mid 1980s, Tretiak finally appeared in the NHL in the 90s with the Chicago Blackhawks. While hockey fans did not get to see Tretiak play any hockey upon his arrival to the NHL, his impact was felt during the 1990-1991 season as Chicago?s goaltending coach. While Belfour made it apparent that Tretiak was a boyhood idol for him and other Canadian kids growing up, the goalie mentioned how Tretiak had an impact on him during the ?90-?91 season despite not knowing the English language.

It was in Chicago where Tretiak embarked on the next phase of his career, as Belfour detailed the coach?s impact by saying:

?I had to teach myself for the most part, but we had Tretiak as our goalie coach in Chicago and he wasn?t real technical with us, but we did a lot of drills,? said Belfour, adding it was his first time in a decade of stopping pucks that he did position-specific drills.

Part of Tretiak?s game was based largely on the goalie positioning himself in the most optimal spots in his crease. By cutting down angles, playing deeper in his crease, and being able to incorporate elements of the butterfly and stand-up style, Tretiak was able to put himself in a position where he could react to most of the shots or plays thrown his way. Despite having a slight language barrier, Tretiak was able to impart his knowledge on Belfour, who had an outstanding ?90-?91 season with the Blackhawks as he went 43-19-7 with a GAA below 2.50.

Belfour went on to achieve a great amount of success in the NHL and the tutelage under Tretiak was undoubtedly a boost to ?The Eagle? as he commented:

?We had an interpreter but through body language I knew what he wanted me to do,? Belfour said. ?He?d put the pads on and go out on the ice with us. In fact, he had the pads on in practice one day and nobody could score on him. And Keenan wanted to start him. But he turned it down and said this is Eddie?s time. I?m still thankful for that, too.?

While some may happen to catch a glimpse of the back of Evgeni Nabokov?s jersey these days and see the number 20 being worn as a modern day tribute to Tretiak, Belfour was another netminder that wore the same number in honor of his childhood idol. Even though Belfour and Tretiak were only united for one season with the Chicago Blackhawks, positional play became one of the strongest aspects of Belfour?s game as the goalie continued his NHL career with other teams. Tretiak might have only been around for one year with the Blackhawks, but Belfour refined his game throughout the years to become a better positional netminder, much like Vladislav Tretiak.

Former greats such as Phil Esposito have gone on record to say that Tretiak played too deep in his own crease, but the Soviet style of hockey (particularly goaltending) dictated that a goalie should stay in their own crease and rely on lateral movements and reflexes rather than coming out of the net to challenge a shooter. Fusing elements of the butterfly and stand-up style allowed Tretiak to be a very successful goalie for CSKA Moskva as well as the Russian National Teams that he played for, but it was the goalie?s ability to show others the tricks of the trade that registered within the hockey community.

Not Just A School of Thought
After his time with the Chicago Blackhawks, Tretiak established a goalie school where he tutored the likes of Martin Brodeur and Jose Theodore. While teaching older goalies that were coming into the NHL seemed to be a forte of Tretiak?s, he also established a goalie school for young children. The Vladislav Tretiak Elite School of Goaltending continues to be considered one of the best and most challenging goalie schools in Canada and across the world.

Teaching younger kids the craft of hockey goaltending can be a great reward for some and it should come as no surprise as to why Tretiak?s school has been consistently attracting young kids that want to learn the art of netminding. Tretiak?s name has always been mentioned alongside the goaltending greats of the ?70s and ?80s, but his impact on the hockey community has been just as powerful. Aside from working with elite goalies such as Belfour, Brodeur, Hasek, and Theodore, Tretiak has chosen to dedicate his life to enriching hockey foundations for young kids that want to make it to the NHL some day.

Teaching young kids can be a fulfilling venture for any individual whose heart is in the right place, but Tretiak has made it his goal to share his knowledge with a wide array of individuals.

Being named the President of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation was undoubtedly a huge honor that was bestowed on Tretiak during the mid 2000s and fans should expect the former netminder to avenge Team Russia?s quarterfinal ousting at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Under Tretiak?s tutelage, the Russian Team has won bronze and gold at the men?s ice hockey World Championships and hockey fans should expect some adjustments to be made in order to give Team Russia the best chance of succeeding at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Careful Considerations?
Vladislav Tretiak?s historic career as a hockey player has been hotly contested by hockey fans throughout the last few decades. Some have argued that the hockey world was never able to see Tretiak?s abilities on full display against NHL talent for the course of a full season, but it was Soviet politics that prevented the netminder from ever playing overseas. While Tretiak?s inability to play in the NHL was not done through his own volition, the former goalie has done everything that he can in order to teach his trade to those willing to learn.

Tretiak was surrounded by talented forwards when he played for CSKA Moskva as well as the Russian National Teams of the 70s and 80s, but one also has to take into consideration that the goalie was put into some of the most pressure packed situations at a very young age. With Cold War tensions at a high level, Tretiak was thrust into the thick of things during the 1972 Summit Series at a mere 20 years of age. Even though the Russian teams that Tretiak played for were stacked with great offensive talent, the goalie was also exposed to a North American style of play that he was not accustomed to playing against.

After playing in the ?72 and ?74 Summit Series, Tretiak earned his stripes with a good portion of the North American hockey fan-base and he never looked back. During a time when individuals were on their heels because of a possible World War between the world?s superpowers, Tretiak, the Soviet Team, and Team Canada gave hockey fans across the world an outlet through which differences were set aside for the sake of competition. Not only did Tretiak play himself into hockey lore during the late 1970s, he opened the door for North Americans to adopt a view of Russian hockey players that had never been imagined.

Bob, I don't think it is an either or question. Malkin and anyone else that goes trough a gruelling pro season where they play about 100 games in 8 months and are on the ice for regular and pre game practices almost every day needs to take off a few months for physical and mental recovery. He will be doing off ice training and probably playing tennis etc.

If an on ice spring or summer program is well run and the kid's have fun I don't understand why there is anything wrong with it.

I have had experience all over the world with off season programs (Finland, Austria, Czech Republic, USA, Canada, Norway, Korea, Mexico) running camps, hockey schools and pro guest coach. The players at these camps want to get better and have fun while learning from good coaches, which they don't always have in the regular season. Most of these players do other sports at the same time.

You can get carried away like a Korean pro team I worked with whose schedule was like this. Monday to Saturday. 4 week camp
Wake up 6:30
-morning 30 min. Light run
-breakfast
-8-10 on ice practice
-rest
-lunch
-2-4 on ice practice
-supper
7-9 m,w,f weights
7-9 t,th,sat plyo's
Sunday off.

This was a 4 week camp and they got 96 hours on the ice. A few benefits. 1. We beat the U of Calgary 2 of 3 games and Dany Heatley practice every afternoon and went from being a non drafted bantam to the best AAA midget player in the country. (plus he grew about 6 inches)

My grandson who is 10 didn't want to play soccer this spring. He didn't enjoy it. Instead he spent April and May in a spring program that was really well run by one of my former university players who is a teacher. He ran very good practices with good technique and a lot of competition. They played a few games but it was mostly practices. He loved it.

He bikes and plays with his friends all of the time.

Now he is in a summer sports camp for his day care and they do many sports. He will be at our hockey camp in Jasper in a few weeks and get an Olympic skating coach for 7 sessions and me and my son for another 7 sessions. Between sessions he will play in the skateboard park and do a lot of biking with his parents. I can't think of any negatives. He loves it.

So I don't think you can say that summer hockey is bad or always good. If the kid wants to do it, it is a good program and he has fun and a chance to get better what more can you ask for.
Tom

Malkin is bringing his trainer to Russia again this summer. He said Malkin won't get on the ice until August!!!!! If it is good enough for Malking, why do we insist on getting kids on the ice in the summer?

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=637783

Bob

Vintage baseball cards found in Ohio attic could be worth millions

By JOHN SEEWER, The Associated Press, July 10 2012


TOLEDO, Ohio • Karl Kissner picked up a soot-covered cardboard box that had been under a wooden dollhouse in his grandfather’s attic. Taking a look inside, he saw baseball cards bundled with twine. They were smaller than the ones he was used to seeing.

But some of the names were familiar: Hall of Famers Ty Cobb, Cy Young and Honus Wagner.

Then he put the box on a dresser and went back to digging through the attic.

It wasn’t until two weeks later that he learned that his family had come across what experts say is one of the biggest, most exciting finds in the history of sports card collecting, a discovery probably worth millions.

The cards are from an extremely rare series issued around 1910. The few known to exist are in so-so condition at best, with faded images and worn edges. But the ones from the attic in the Ohio town of Defiance are nearly pristine, untouched for more than a century. The colors are vibrant, the borders crisp and white.

"It’s like finding the Mona Lisa in the attic" Kissner said.

Sports card experts who authenticated the find say they may never see something this impressive again.

"Every future find will ultimately be compared to this," said Joe Orlando, president of Professional Sports Authenticator.

The best of the bunch - 37 cards - are expected to bring a total of $500,000 when they are sold at auction in August during the National Sports Collectors Convention in Baltimore. There are about 700 cards in all that could be worth up to $3 million, experts say. They include such legends as Christy Mathewson and Connie Mack.

Kissner and his family say the cards belonged to their grandfather, Carl Hench, who died in the 1940s. Hench ran a meat market in Defiance, and the family suspects he got them as a promotional item from a candy company that distributed them with caramels. They think he gave some away and kept others.

"We guess he stuck them in the attic and forgot about them," Kissner said. "They remained there frozen in time."

After Hench and his wife died, two of his daughters lived in the house. Jean Hench kept the house until she died last October, leaving everything inside to her 20 nieces and nephews. Kissner, 51, is the youngest and was put in charge of the estate. His aunt was a pack rat, and the house was filled with three generations of stuff.

They found calendars from the meat market, turn-of-the-century dresses, a steamer trunk from Germany and a dresser with Grandma’s clothes neatly folded in the drawers.

Months went by before they even got to the attic. On Feb. 29, Kissner’s cousin Karla Hench pulled out the dirty green box with metal clips at the corners and lifted the lid.

Not knowing whether the cards were valuable, the two cousins put the box aside. But Kissner decided to do a little research. The cards were at his office in the restaurant he owns when he realized they might have something. He immediately took them across the street and put them in a bank vault.

Still not knowing whether the cards were real, they sent eight to expert Peter Calderon at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, which recently sold the baseball that rolled through the legs of Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner in the 1986 World Series for $418,000.

Calderon said his first words were "Oh, my God."

A Kiwi in Paris

ALISTAIR McMURRAN, IIHF.com, 05-07-12


DUNEDIN, New Zealand – Paris Heyd’s venture into European ice hockey has raised his expectations and made him a potential super star of the sport in New Zealand.

He was a talented New Zealand ice hockey player before his seven-month stint with the Cergy-Pontoise Jokers in France.

The constant play and more time on the ice have honed his skills and he is now demonstrating this in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League as the new hockey season has started in the southern hemisphere.

Heyd, 21, is the best ice hockey player in the country and the first New Zealander to get an overseas professional contract.

He recently returned to his home town of Dunedin after his time with the Cergy-Pontoise Jokers, a team from the second tier about 40 kilometres northwest of Paris.

Heyd was a first-line member of the Jokers and played in all 26 games and scored 28 points – 13 goals and 15 assists.

The standard of the ice hockey league in France was a step up from the experience he had in New Zealand. The consistent hockey at a high level week by week has added a new dimension to Heyd’s game.

His start to the New Zealand Ice Hockey League was delayed because of an ankle sprain.

But he returned in style to score a hat trick to help Dunedin Thunder beat defending champions Botany Swarm 8-2 at Auckland before winning 6-1 in the second game against the same opponent.

He has teamed up with the three Finish imports to give the Thunder its second double header in the league when it beat the Southern Stampede 4-2 and 6-3 last weekend.

It was a record fourth straight win by the Thunder and keeps it at the top of the New Zealand league.

Heyd’s European experience has sped up his skating and he is using it to help the Dunedin Thunder to its best ever performance in the New Zealand league. The time spent in the French league was an eye opener for Heyd.

“They play a different style of ice hockey in France. It is a lot faster and not as rough,’’ he said. “It is typical of European hockey. It is a lot more skill-based rather than physicality and contact. There is more finesse and they skate faster. The reaction time is quicker and the execution of shots and passing is more accurate.”

For Heyd it meant adjusting to the new environment and style of play à la française.

“More thought and preparation is needed for each game. You have to keep playing at a top standard. You can’t slack,” he said. “You are held accountable for the work you do and you learn not to make mistakes.’’

Dunedin Thunder Finnish import Matti Haapakoski has described ice hockey in New Zealand as a rough and tumble physical game that is played in a rugby style.

New Zealand ice hockey has adopted the more physical North American style of ice hockey where players are more frequently pushed into the boards.

It is different in Europe.

“In France it is all skills with few physical clashes,'' Haapakoski said. “It is a bit more physical in Finland.'”

The Jokers team finished 13th of the 14 teams in the competition.

“But there was only three points between eighth place and 13th. We were only three points off the play-offs,” Heyd said. “We played one game each week and we trained on another three days.”

“It has always been my dream to make a living playing hockey. It came true in France,” Heyd said after his one-year contract had expired. “It was what I expected it would be. They have more depth in Europe. We lack depth in New Zealand.”

His talent was recognised last year by the Dunedin Thunder assistant coach Kevin Arrault, who coaches professional hockey in France. He recommended Heyd to the Jokers.

It was a better deal than he ever had in New Zealand.

His accommodation and flights were paid by the Jokers and he got enough “pocket money” each month to enjoy his overseas experience.

A couple of inline hockey players from New Zealand have made the trek to Europe to play in leagues but Heyd was the first ice hockey exponent to blaze the trail. It was a reward for six years of hard slog.

“I hope it has opened the doors for others,” he said. “The game is a lot faster and more serious over there. It's been the dream of my life. I just love playing hockey on the ice.”

Heyd’s early form in the New Zealand league indicates that the standard of his hockey has improved after his intense period in France.

“I was on the ice four times a week for seven months,” he said. “I’ve had a lot more time to build up my skills. I’m now faster on skates and it has helped my shooting accuracy, stick handling and puck control.”

Heyd’s French was non-existent before he left. It is not much better now but he can make himself understood by French shop keepers.

“I found it so hard to learn the language before I left New Zealand and I didn’t pick up that much over there,” he admitted. “The French speak too quickly and I still can’t follow a full conversation.”

He was lucky that the Jokers had a French-Canadian coach who could speak English.

“The young French guys in our team spoke English and I could get by,” he said.

He was invited back to the Cergy-Pontoise Jokers for next season but put the invitation on hold to concentrate on his university studies.

Heyd also gave up the chance of representing the Ice Blacks at the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group A in Reykjavik, Iceland, in April. He did not want to miss the first four weeks of his second-year business management and tourism degree course at the University of Otago in Dunedin.

“It was also the cost,” he said. “I had to save my money for university. I want to advance my degree. Playing for the Ice Blacks is a massive financial commitment, so a lot of people can’t play. It’s all funded privately, by our parents, our summer jobs, however we can get the money.”

Knowing there is a life after ice hockey, he wants to advance his university degree first.

“I’m taking the year off international hockey to get my study going and then go back to Europe to gain more ice hockey experience and finish my degree by a correspondence course,” he said about his future plans

The plight of talented New Zealand ice hockey players has been highlighted by the three Finnish imports playing for Dunedin Thunder in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League this season.

Haapakoski, Jussi Vähämaa and Joni Nukari play semi-professional ice hockey in Finland and have come to New Zealand to gain more experience.

When playing in Finland they need a part time job to supplement their income from ice hockey. In New Zealand they have to pay to play for Dunedin Thunder. There are no free rides in New Zealand ice hockey.

“Kiwis even have to pay to play for the Ice Blacks,” Haapakoski said. “I just play for the experience. I don’t get paid. I came because I want to play all year round. The team organises me a job while I am playing.

“The reason I came to Dunedin is because they have a great rink. When I was coming here we could tell that everything is done with passion and love for the sport.”

It is different in Finland with elite players earning hundreds of thousands Euros a year.

“Young players have two dreams – to play for Finland and then play in the NHL,” Nukari said.

The situation in New Zealand is different. Rugby is the national sport and any player contracted for the All Blacks (the national team) is paid a minimum of $NZ 250,000 a year. The super stars get paid more and with endorsements could be paid over one million each year.

International cricketers are also well paid in New Zealand with rates of around $NZ 180,000 a year. The best players can also get short-term contracts with the lucrative Indian league.

Rowing is New Zealand’s most successful Olympic sport and international rowers get all their expenses paid and earn a comfortable wage to train fulltime.

But elite performers in other sports have to juggle their careers with their sport.

For Paris Heyd, ice hockey has been his passion since he was a kid.

“It has been his dream since he started playing ice hockey at the age of five," his father Maurice Heyd said. His family have backed him and given him financial help to represent New Zealand internationally.

His father, mother Ushi and sister Cuba (11) were at the Dunedin Ice Stadium last year when Heyd was one of the star players for New Zealand at the New Zealand Winter Games. He scored a hat trick in the 6-1 semi-final win against China.

Heyd was born in Alexandra but he grew up in Christchurch, before spending the last three years of his school days in Canada.

“I went to secondary school in Montreal to improve my hockey,” he said.

Heyd has played for the Ice Blacks for the last three years and now feels confident on the international scene.

Heyd got his start in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League as a 15-year-old for the Southern Stampede. He spent 2006 training and watching from the bench.

But a shift to Christchurch saw him start to get regular ice time for the Canterbury Red Devils.

For the next three consecutive New Zealand summers he attended an ice hockey school in Montreal, Canada, to hone his craft.

Heyd shifted back to Dunedin where he was raised to begin a degree in business management at the University of Otago in 2010 and joined the Thunder.

Some strong performances in the league propelled him from the national under-20 side to the Ice Blacks, playing for the senior national team at the 2011 IIHF World Championship Division II Group A. It was his first time, but it will likely not be his last time, despite his break.

Bob, Tom,

Good comments. Sad that people who are certifying other professionals are enabling this culture of entitlement as it doesn't promote the characteristic of perseverance - which people need a lot of to survive and succeed in 'real life'! This perpetuates this unfortunate cycle.

You guys should read Carol Dweck's book, "Mindset".

Bob, stick to your guns. It is the better way!

Bob,

This era of forced positive reinforcement has been around since the 80's at least. I remember taking a summer graduate level course on effective teaching and the only thing the professor used to evaluate teacher effectiveness was to count how many positive things the instructor said to the students. This model led to forcing the teacher to give a lot of empty praise instead of really evaluating what the learner was doing and giving helpful input.

I had a player last season who has heard nothing but compliments about her play and I found that when I had the team doing exercises that really challenged her skill level she bailed and went back to what she could do well. i.e. carry the puck while skating in a figure eight but only use the forehand part of the blade: repeat but only use the backhand side of the blade. It requires the player to loosen the shoulders and separate the movement of the torso and the waist down. I see this reluctance to meet a new chanllenge a lot when I do camps etc.

I have also seen that the players who want to improve and are willing to try new and chanllenging things go past the early achievers.

This is a fantastic study that was done a few years ago. While it doesn't mention hockey, it specifically speaks about praising a child's effort not the result. This is the very reason why there should be no "participation" trophies in sports.

Bob

-----------------------------------
Bob great to see another coach contributing ideas.
Tom

I will toss in some of my favorite articles.
Bob

Edmonton Oilers set to name Ralph Krueger new head coach

John MacKinnon, Postmedia News, Jun 27, 2012


Sometimes those internal promotions can be the trickiest things, apparently.

When the Edmonton Oilers make it official Wednesday morning at Millennium Place in Sherwood Park that the 10th head coach in franchise history will be Ralph Krueger, it will mark the end of a seemingly torturous, 80-day process from season’s end to official announcement.

All to promote from within a 52-year-old, professional coach with a two-year body of NHL work, a living resume, if you will, right at the club’s fingertips.

Due diligence is crucial, of course, but the line between prudence and downright dithering can be hard to discern with the Oilers.

The club’s sixth straight non-playoff season ended on April 7; on May 17, general manager Steve Tambellini announced that Tom Renney, the head coach the past two years, would not be returning; and 40 days after that, Krueger, Renney’s hand-picked associate coach the last two seasons, was officially installed as the head man.

In roughly the same time span, newly installed Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin has hired Michel Therrien as his head coach, Sylvain Lefebvre as his farm club’s head man, not to mention hockey operations staff that includes Rick Dudley, Patrice Brisebois, Martin Lapointe, Gerard Gallant, Scott Mellanby and Ethan Moreau.

All of whom, it should be noted, were working for other organizations; not an internal promotion in sight.

If the Oilers were thinking boldly outside the box, hiring a brilliant but unknown coach from Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League, say, or from deep in the minors, or the U.S. college ranks, well, the hesitancy would be understandable.

Which is not to say the well-respected Krueger is an uninspired choice. He’s a rock-solid choice; it remains to be seen whether his tenure as head coach will be inspired. The proof will be in the performance of the talented young team he takes over.

The work history of the Winnipeg-born career coach sure is impressive. Krueger probably came to the attention of Canadian students of international hockey back in 1998, when he coached Switzerland to fourth place at the world hockey championship in Zurich, Switzerland.

Krueger coached the Swiss national team from 1977 to 2010, making him the longest-serving national team head coach in the modern era of international hockey.

During that span he guided Switzerland to 12 world championship tournaments and three Olympic Games, including a sixth-place finish in 2006 at Turin, Italy.

He’s a cerebral coach who is also the founder and owner of the motivational speaking company, Teamlife (From Failure to Success), which is also the title of a book he wrote.

“If I had to characterize his style, I would say he’s ‘in charge,’ ” said former NHL and Canadian national team coach Andy Murray, a fellow Manitoban who coached against Krueger at a number of world championships. “He’s in charge of all facets, he’s a take-charge person who played the game at a high level and has certainly coached at a high level.

“This is what he was hoping for when he came over from Europe, was a chance to coach an NHL team, so I’m happy for him.”

Krueger is as approachable as he is thoughtful. Observant hockey fans may well have seen him after Oilers practices, a backpack strapped on, walking from Rexall Place through the river valley to his downtown condo, all the while talking to his wife or kids on his mobile phone.

Whatever phase of development the rebuilding Oilers are in, it comes with rising fans’ expectations, especially given all the excitement over the selection of Russian sniper Nail Yakupov first overall in the NHL entry draft, not to mention the league-wide romancing of free-agent defenceman Justin Schultz.

Krueger will be expected to help narrow the gap between the fans’ soaring expectations and the club’s recent bottom-feeding reality.

It’s fitting that a man who wrote a book about the journey from failure to success in life is taking charge of the once-dominant Oilers. If anyone can find some answers to lift the club in the direction of respectability, you have to think he can.

Time to free up NHL free agency + 30 Thoughts

Elliotte Friedman, CBC Sports, June 26, 2012


Highly coveted 21-year-old Justin Schultz is now a free agent, having declined to sign a contract with the Anaheim Ducks. He can't officially join a new team until July 1, but is free to listen to offers and enjoy tea with potential suitors, which he will do this week.

Here's the question: Why can't every free agent do this?

What if the NHL had a similar system to the NBA, where everyone without a contract can talk to any interested party for, say, a week before new deals are allowed to be signed? Basketball free agency begins Sunday -- just like hockey -- but no one can officially commit until July 1.

The No. 1 reason for this suggestion is cutting down on mistakes for both the teams and the players. Free agency is where the most errors are made and it usually comes down to fit.

For NHL brass, there's a rush to make contact, toss out your best offer, get something done before you lose your target and overpay another guy you really don't like. For players, it can overwhelming. You're either flattened by multiple offers or panicked that you aren't getting enough.

And even if you do find something that makes you happy, do you really know what you're getting into? How much knowledge is there about the organization or the city? And if you're married, heaven help you if your wife is unhappy (I'm speaking from personal experience).

One former player disliked the idea because he thinks the current set-up favours his active brethren.

"The system forces teams to overpay," he said.

That's true. But after thinking about it, I'm not sure things would be any different. Let's say, for argument's sake, the "courting period" began a day or two after the draft. That could keep July 1 as the signing date and prevent things from dragging further into summer.

During that time, free agents could visit as many cities or talk to as many teams as they wished, chat face-to-face, look around, see where they're going to live, etc. Just because you can't sign for a few days doesn't mean the pressure eases on the teams.

Imagine the reports: "Zach Parise to visit Pittsburgh today, Detroit tomorrow and Minnesota Thursday" or "Ryan Suter leaves Detroit, heads to Chicago."

That's not going to cool down fan or media expectations.

It could also benefit organizations like the Carolina Hurricanes, a team without a huge free-agent history but with a core of players that love living in the area. Bring someone down, show them why everyone stays there and maybe you get lucky.

Of course, this isn't foolproof. Last year, the Philadelphia Flyers acquired Ilya Bryzgalov on June 7 and that didn't go exactly as planned. Yet despite that spectacular implosion, more mistakes occur because life-altering decisions are made with so little time to think.

Maybe it's better for everyone if things are done differently.

30 THOUGHTS

1. Wrote a little bit yesterday about the New York Islanders' offer to trade all of their selections in last weekend's draft to the Columbus Blue Jackets for the No. 2 overall pick.

After posting it, a few people pointed out that this was likely Islanders owner Charles Wang's idea more than general manager Garth Snow's. That's probably true. Wang wields great influence in hockey decisions, even though ownership interference in such matters is rarely a good idea (see Rick DiPietro or Alexei Yashin contracts).

Asked a few draft gurus what they thought of the idea. Two said they could see a situation where it could make sense.

"[It's] only a seven-round draft now," said one. "If you've traded a few of your picks and don't have many, maybe you try it for a top player."

New York did have seven choices, though.

Meanwhile, another exec said his organization joked about offering all of its selections for a certain prospect, but discarded the idea when internal discussions turned serious.

A few teams wouldn't consider making such an offer because, even though you may not find more than two or three players per draft, what are you going to do?

Get up and leave without trying?

"Talk about a way to piss off your scouts," said an exec.

The math in Monday's article showed there is some logic to the Islanders' offer -- and the Blue Jackets' refusal -- because of the success rate of the picks in question. Later picks are especially unlikely to succeed. Of the 57 men chosen either 125th, 155th or 185th from 1990-2008, just seven even played an NHL game (Three reached 100, the other four played a combined 22).

A few readers pointed out on Twitter that all those extra picks would give the Blue Jackets greater flexibility to make other moves and more chances to hit the jackpot.

There's great disagreement with that thinking. The trades at this year's draft were hockey deals, not about flipping picks. The Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames made their first-round swap, while the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks did a small one involving the 109th and 191st choices. Other than that, it was so quiet that just one timeout was called. Everything was done by approximately 3 p.m. ET Saturday.

This wasn't the draft to be stocking selections, never mind the fact that so many picks could cause headaches with a team's 50-contract limit. When it was all over, Columbus got two players it wanted -- Ryan Murray (second) and Oscar Dansk (31st) -- and the Islanders can't be too upset with Griffin Reinhart as so many teams raved about him in the last few weeks.

2. Schultz's suitors are wondering if Anaheim still plans to file tampering charges the moment someone actually signs him. It's a tough process. You're obligated to hand over whatever correspondence the NHL desires.

3. Reports indicate Roberto Luongo only wants to waive his no-trade for Florida, but that's a tough one for the Panthers to pull off. You could see how they would want him, hoping to grow momentum from a Southeast Division title. Florida's goaltending wasn't great in the playoffs and he could serve as a bridge while Jacob Markstrom gets ready.

4. Here's the problem, though. The Panthers believe Markstrom will be a difference-maker. What makes more sense, then, for a non-cap team: Re-acquiring Luongo or (eventually) handing the job to the younger man? Even if you get the Vancouver Canucks to take expensive bodies in return for Luongo, it's still easier to build around Markstrom because he will have a lower salary. For a budget-conscious team, that's critical.

5. Luongo might not prefer Toronto, but he knows it makes a lot of sense for everyone involved -- even him. Several reports indicated Luke Schenn was offered for the goalie, but think Canucks GM Mike Gillis countered by asking for Toronto's fifth-overall draft pick. The Maple Leafs and Canucks are playing a macho game right now, but things will eventually get serious. Hopefully soon.

6. Will the seriousness begin with a Cory Schneider offer sheet? There's a lot of debate about this, but remember one thing: While Leafs GM Brian Burke has railed against this process in the past, he has stated his anger stemmed from the fact that the Edmonton Oilers didn't warn him in advance of the Dustin

Penner move. He did threaten to do it to the Boston Bruins, when chasing Phil Kessel. He doesn't like long-term deals, either. But he just added a guy (James van Riemsdyk) under contract until 2018. You assume, it if does happen, it would be modelled on the Niklas Hjalmarsson-Antti Niemi affair.

7. Generally, offer sheet talk is a waste of time. But I'm curious to see if two other players get any action. One is is Sam Gagner. He'll be 23 in August and the fit hasn't always been good in Edmonton. You're not going to throw $5 million at him, but is he worth a first- and third-round pick? (That's between $3,364,391 and $5,046,585.) There are a lot of teams looking for centres.

8. The other is Shea Weber and that probably depends on where Parise and Suter end up. The Pittsburgh Penguins have the rest of the league, especially the Eastern Conference, a little spooked. If they get one or both of them, other contenders are going to be desperate to do something. Desperate enough to make all-world defender Weber an offer?

9. Have always believed Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson's best opportunity to deal Rick Nash will be after Parise's decision. Think some other teams hoped their first-round picks would really appeal to Columbus, but that wasn't the case. My guess is that Nash and Bobby Ryan, if Anaheim wants to do it, get dealt after Parise signs. If Pittsburgh doesn't get Parise, Nash makes sense -- assuming it has what the Blue Jackets want.

10. One GM (no one quoted here) says there are about "8-10' good players available via trade. Of course, he was not willing to name them.

11. If Ducks GM Bob Murray wants to repair the organization's relationship with Ryan, all he has to do is look 31 miles northwest to Staples Center. The Kings had an awkward exchange with Dustin Brown at the deadline. He still captained them to a Stanley Cup championship. It's not ideal, but things can be fixed.

12. Two months after their opening-round loss to Philadelphia, it's still a painful memory for Pittsburgh. But the lessons are being learned by Penguins GM Ray Shero. "The Kings won the Stanley Cup allowing 30 goals the entire playoffs," he said Monday. "We scored 30 in the first round and lost (Actually, they scored 26, but you get the idea). "We played so well when [Sidney] Crosby came back that we lost our identity a little bit ... We became a more run-and-gun, off-the-rush team. Look at the penalty kill. We were first [in 2010-11] and third this year. In the playoffs, the Flyers scored at will." Pittsburgh's penalty kill was 47.8 per cent against Philadelphia, by far the worst of any playoff team.

13. What does all of this mean? Shero is targeting players like Brandon Sutter because "he is comfortable defending anywhere on the ice. You have to be able to defend to win. And not just your defencemen, but your forwards as well." Hockey analyst Darren Pang made a great point about Sutter on Twitter. Sutter's a right-handed shot -- a balance for lefty centremen Evgeni Malkin and Crosby.

14. Shero might not have been happy Jordan Staal turned down a 10-year offer, but he did two important things for his franchise. He showed the fans the Penguins did everything possible to keep him. And he didn't punish Staal by sending him somewhere the forward didn't want to go. Players notice when teams do right. Sending Zbynek Michalek back to the Phoenix Coyotes didn't hurt Pittsburgh's image, either.

15. Heard a lot of praise for Brian Dumoulin, the Boston College defenceman Pittsburgh got in the deal.

16. Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford handled this very smartly. He called Shero once after Pittsburgh was kayoed, promising not to be a bother, but admitting his interest. He called a second time six days before the draft. Then, when the Penguin GM was ready last Friday, Rutherford didn't fool around and made a serious deal. The head Hurricane had great incentive to get it done. Jordan's a terrific player. Also, why screw around, risk him getting sent elsewhere, thereby annoying your franchise player and captain?

17. It's well-known by now that the New York Rangers and Toronto talked to Pittsburgh. All Shero would say is there were two other legit suitors. Wondering if one was Minnesota because a couple of teams said they believed the Wild chased hard.

18. Last point on Staal. I think there was one team which considered going after him, but pulled back because of a potential lockout. Here's why. If you're not Carolina, it's not set up well for you to keep him if he's not showing up in your city until December. You lose the ability to really build a bond in the one year you have to convince him. Never thought of that until it was explained to me.

19. Finally, have to think there's no way Shero does this deal now without believing Crosby is healthy and locked-up long-term. All Shero would say is he hopes to get something done with his captain over the next couple of weeks.

20. Do believe the report that the Ottawa Senators is not on Rick Nash's list, but this would be a really good fit. He'd look great with Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson creating opportunities. The Senators will need a top winger to replace Daniel Alfredsson (how could Alfredsson retire if Nash actually did show up?). This is a team with the assets to close a Columbus deal. Don't know how flexible Nash is willing to be, but it wouldn't hurt to consider this.

21. Another attraction to Ottawa would be that the team is on the rise. Senators GM Bryan Murray didn't want to discuss Nash, but did slightly temper things: "We've got a lot of good young players, but we have to see which ones take the next step and which ones 'flatten out.'"

22. One of the keys for Ottawa will be finding a new partner for Karlsson. Filip Kuba, as it stands now, is unlikely to return. Jared Cowen would be a good fit, but Murray doesn't see any reason to split up the successful Cowen-Sergei Gonchar pairing.

23. A lot of questions about Karlsson's new seven-year, $45.5-million contract. It was a bit of a surprise because there was a minimal bonuses and no lockout protection. Karlsson did the Senators a favour by taking less cash with Gonchar's and Spezza's current contracts still on the books, providing flexibility. Murray and Senators owner Eugene Melnyk repaid him with a longer term than they initially wanted. Plus, if the age of unrestricted free agency rises in a new collective bargaining agreement, they'll be forced to qualify Karlsson at $7.5 million -- the final-year salary of this deal. Fair deal for both sides.

24. The biggest test for the Flames now belongs to their player development staff. Whatever anyone thinks of 21st-overall selection Mark Jankowski no longer matters. They've made the pick and must make sure their investment is properly cultivated. You've heard all the adjectives: "raw," "project," etc. Now you've got to make sure he gets from point A to point Z. One scout compared him to Blake Wheeler, a surprise pick at fifth overall in 2004, which isn't too shabby.

25. A few Flames fans asked about Jay Bouwmeester. There are teams who do like him. He plays 26 minutes a night and is incredibly durable -- having played 588 straight games. He can skate the puck of out trouble. "People have to realize he may never be the second coming of Bobby Orr or Paul Coffey, but he's still very useful," one exec said. 'So why don't you go get him?" I asked. There was a pause. "That cap hit." At $6.68 million, it's tough.

26. Wrote a couple of weeks ago that Brent Sutter would have received "official" permission to talk to Edmonton if he wanted (his contract with Calgary ends this week). Think I was wrong about that one. Sounds like the Flames weren't happy with the public dalliance between their former head coach and the Oilers. It's tough because we all understand the rivalry. But Calgary did fire Sutter and you can't blame a guy for looking at new work.

27. A lot of debate about Ondrej Pavelec's new deal in Winnipeg. Even though it turned out he wasn't serious about the KHL, he had leverage because the Jets are organizationally thin in goal. If he did leave or the team decided to trade him, the alternatives were not guaranteed to be better. By the time that Carey Price, Devin Dubnyk and Schneider are signed, this deal will look fine.

28. Besides being traded for each other, Schenn and van Riemsdyk have something in common: both needed a change of scenery. As I've written before, many teams believe Schenn will be better off outside Toronto and now we find out if that's right. The Flyers just seemed unhappy with van Riemsdyk as he was constantly included in trade discussions. He's more than capable of being a difference-maker, but must stay healthy.

29. Sharks GM Doug Wilson hates July 1, but does he make an exception for Ryan Suter? Maybe try to sell him on the fact uncle Gary Suter loved finishing his career there?

30. The Blackhawks were thrilled to get Teuvo Teravainen 18th in the draft. A few teams tried to move in from No. 12 on to get him, but couldn't get it done. The clubs in those positions would say, "If our guy isn't available, we'll make the deal," but always seemed to get their man. Chicago's gain.

Wayne Gretzky honoured with inaugural Order of Hockey in Canada

Tyler Harper, The Canadian Press Jun 25, 2012


TORONTO — As he received yet another award honouring his career, Wayne Gretzky said he had no regrets about leaving hockey.

No, he isn’t returning to the sport he conquered — not now, anyway. Instead, Gretzky was content to say he did all he could for the sport during his career.

He recounted his last game as a 10-year-old when his team was beat 8-1 that capped a season he scored 400 goals.

“On the car ride home my dad asked me if I was OK and I said, ’Yeah, I’m fine.’ And he said, ’Well, you ruined your whole year … people are going to come and watch you play. You have to play hard every night,”’ said Gretzky.

After that, Gretzky said he tried to play hard whether he was in an exhibition game or in the Stanley Cup final.

“I had a lot of bad games like every other player, because you can’t play well every single night. But I know I tried hard every game.”

The Great One was one of five people to receive the inaugural Order of Hockey In Canada on Monday for being an individual who made a significant impact on the sport in the country.

Gretzky was joined by Cassie Campbell-Pascall, who captained Canada’s women’s team to a pair of Olympic golf medals.

Campbell-Pascall said the award showed “a tremendous amount of legitimacy and respect for our sport of female hockey.”

Gord Renwick, who helped establish what is now known as Hockey Canada and spent two decades as a board member with the International Ice Hockey Federation, was also honoured.

Hockey legends Jean Beliveau and Gordie Howe were also given the award, although neither were present.

Gretzky, Campbell-Pascall and Renwick were surrounded on stage by members of Canada’s under-18 women’s team and the senior women’s team. Both teams were awarded rings for each capturing gold at the world championships.

Future classes will include just three people honoured annually for the award, which is voted on by a 12-member selection committee.

“For us to be the first ones, it’s a great honour,” said Gretzky. “Everyone’s tickled to be here and be part of this. This is a wonderful night for all of us.”

Gretzky retired from the NHL in 1999 after a long career that included four Stanley Cups and later an Olympic gold medal as manager of Canada’s men’s team at the 2002 Winter Games.

But he was still thrilled to share his latest award with Beliveau and Howe, two of his childhood heroes.

Gretzky said he was home Sunday visiting his father when he found one of the few pictures he has of meeting Beliveau.

“So I brought it up to show my son and I think my dad thought somebody was stealing it. He immediately took it back downstairs and put it back,” said Gretzky.

As for Howe, the player who Gretzky said is still his idol made an early impression when he was 17 and the Edmonton Oilers were playing the New England Whalers.

Gretzky remembered Whalers coach Harry Neale being asked by a trainer about what to do about a pair of skates.

“[Neale] said, ’Those are Gordie’s skates. If I don’t hide them, he won’t take a day off.’ And I remember thinking at 17 years old, wow, he’s 48 years old and he’s still the same player and the same person he was.”

Gretzky’s playing days are over, and, following his tenure as head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, he said a return to hockey “isn’t in the cards.”

But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future.

“Everything I have in my life is because of hockey and everything I have in my life is because of the National Hockey League,” he said. “Simple as that. It’s the greatest game in the world.”

Gretzky champions physical side of hockey

TORONTO — Robert MacLeod, The Globe and Mail, Jun. 25 2012


When it comes to the raging debate on whether tougher restrictions are necessary on when bodychecking is first introduced to minor hockey league players, the game’s greatest offensive force does some adept verbal stick-handling on the subject.

Wayne Gretzky was in Toronto on Monday where he was among the first individuals appointed to the Order of Hockey in Canada, a new initiative through which Hockey Canada recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions or service to the growth of the sport in Canada.

The NHL’s career scoring leader with over 2,800 points, Gretzky was never known as a punishing physical player and one who, later on in his career, spoke out against escalating violence in the game.

“Most people probably think that I think there shouldn’t be hitting in hockey,” Gretzky said when asked what he felt the proper age to introduce bodychecking to players at the minor hockey level. “But I think that in the game of hockey, the physical side of the game is very important.”

To Gretzky, who retired following the 1998-99 season after a 20-year NHL career, said players at a young age not only need to be taught how to check but also how to take one.

“It’s just as important for players like myself to learn how to take bodychecks,” Gretzky said.

However, Gretzky admitted he was uncertain at what age in a player’s minor hockey development that bodychecking should first be introduced.

“Obviously at the age of 11 or 12 years old. … If you’re going to continue on that path and become a junior player or college player, that you have to learn how to take bodychecks,” he said. “Not only give bodychecks but take bodychecks.

“So maybe we redefine leagues. Maybe there’s kids that don’t want to pursue it as a career but like playing it for the enjoyment of the sport and for the recreation of the game. Maybe down the road there’s two different categories.”

The debate on bodychecking in minor hockey continues to be a hot-button topic across Canada as parents look to better protect their children in a sport where the documented cases of concussions has risen to an alarming rate.

Over the weekend in Alberta, Hockey Calgary voted against a motion that would have banned bodychecking at the peewee level.

“It’s a real physically demanding sport and it’s never going to change,” Gretzky said. “The players are better athletes today, they’re bigger and stronger. And I understand why parents and some people have apprehension about when hitting should become part of the game.

“So I guess through all that I really don’t have a real answer for you.”

Gretzky was one of five people appointed to the Order of Hockey in Canada, along with former NHL greats Jean Béliveau and Gordie Howe, although neither was present.

Former women’s national team member Cassie Campbell-Pascall, who captained Canada to two Olympic gold medals in Salt Lake City in 2002 and Turin, Italy, in 2006, was also honoured along with Gordon Renwick, a long-time Canadian amateur hockey executive.

Bob Nicholson, the president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada, said the issue of when to start introducing bodychecking to younger players is a complex issue.

He said the most important thing is that younger players, no matter what the age, receive the proper coaching on bodychecking techniques.

“There’s no magical age,” Nicholson said. “Kids start playing hockey at different ages, their skill levels are different. We just have to emphasize with coaches how to teach the skill of checking.”

Sunday Night Hockey in Canada, anyone?

BRUCE DOWBIGGIN, The Globe and Mail, Jun. 24 2012


The possibility of a second network night in the next Canadian TV broadcast contract due in 2014 might be the NHL’s solution to extending its brand in Canada while keeping as many Canadian TV partners in the game. The idea emerged after a discussion this weekend at the NHL Draft in Pittsburgh with NHL Chief Operating Officer John Collins.

Relaxing on a sofa beneath the stands of the Consol Center just prior to the start of Round One of the draft, Collins was asked what new possibilities exist for media initiatives. “I like the fact that Sunday Night Football has become the No. 1 show on television in the U.S.,” Collins said. “Not just the No. 1 football program in America, but the No. 1 television program overall. That gives us lots of hope for our upcoming Canadian TV rights discussions.”

Collins, a product of the NFL, didn’t elaborate, but Hockey Night In Canada already owns Saturdays. But the thought naturally occurs, why not a second night in an age when sports remains TV’s go-to property? The NHL grows ever more popular in Canada, experiencing saturation coverage on TSN and Sportsnet, with CBC and other networks not far behind in trying to exploit the stickiness of hockey as a Canadian broadcast property. Could the NHL emulate the NFL’s push to expand its brand in football-crazy America?

Monday Night Football was the dominant football program (and overall program) for decades. When the NFL decided to create a special Sunday night platform for a national game, many scoffed. Monday’s the night with the history, status and viewership. After seven or eight hours of football already on Sundays, who was going to stick around for more?

Apparently, everyone. NBC is now king of the networks on Sunday, no small thing in the era where networks are seeing their traditional advertiser-driven schedules abandoned for PVR, AppleTV and a host of new media alternatives. So could we see a second featured night of network hockey in Canada? If it means the NHL keeping Bell, Rogers and CBC all writing big cheques for its rights, look for the NHL to provide platforms to satisfy their needs.

Quick cuts

Collins hit on a number of other TV subjects in an exclusive chat.

On the importance of the Los Angeles Kings making L.A. a hockey market: “We were in the market last year doing focus groups in major cities to understand how high is the bar for casual fans. In Los Angeles, no one could identify a Kings player. [Anze] Kopitar was maybe the one guy they were trying to mention. This was last summer. Game 6 of this year’s final, they did a 25 share in L.A. It was really important. And once you come off a Stanley Cup run your ratings are better from then on.” (Plus, former Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson says he watched the NHL, not NBA, playoffs this spring.)

On Canadian antipathy toward the final rounds with no Canadian teams: “It was a tough road for CBC, coming off the highest-rated final in decades with Boston/Vancouver (in 2011). That was as good as it gets. So nothing else could be as good as that.”

On programming differences between Canada and the United States: “We had a lot of things to work out in terms of schedule, with games overlapping. In the U.S. that didn’t seem a problem. They were looking at ratings cumulatively, like [NCAA basketball] March Madness. But in Canada, our broadcasters didn’t want overlap. We learned a lot, and we’ll spend time in the summer trying to figure it out.”

On the positives from the 2012 playoffs: “The first two rounds were great quality, with great buzz . We had almost a New York City final with the Rangers and New Jersey in the Eastern final. We lost a little bit when the Devils won, because even though they have the championship legacy of Stanley Cups, they’ve still not got the tradition like the Rangers. By most measurements it was a pretty successful final, coming off the greatest rated final in a long time.”

On the NHL awards, which (aside from Will Arnett’s killer Brendan Shanahan impersonation) tanked again: “It’s tough. Players like it. I’d love to figure it out, I’d love to have more fun, I’d love for the players to be more comfortable. I’d like to get more fans in. It is what it is. We’ll keep working on it.”

Finally, on Rangers coach John Tortorella’s feelings about the HBO cameras invading his dressing room for the cable channel’s 24/7 series. “The last filmed session, just before the team was going on ice, he turned to the HBO camera and said, ‘I want to talk to you guys.’ ... He went on to say how much he respected HBO, that they had respected him and his players, and he said he spoke on behalf of everyone. ‘You guys have been welcomed into the hockey family, you have built the relationships. I just want to thank you. Now, after the game, don’t let the door hit you in ass on the way out.’”