Articles

[hockeygod]

Punjabi Hockey Night in Canada back

Bill Kaufmann ,Calgary Sun, December 06, 2011

Following a second consecutive pre-season elimination, the puck is dropping again for CBC’s Punjabi hockey broadcast.

And the hockey fan possibly the happiest with the decision is Calgary CBC reporter Harnarayan Singh, who calls the play-by-play.

“It’s been quite a ride but we’re ecstatic to be back on the air,” said Singh, who’s been the heart of the broadcast since 2008.

When the program was cancelled in the fall of 2010 due to lack of funding, a petition signed by 4,500 people helped reverse its demise.

This time, there was no petition, said Singh, just plenty of pressure on CBC officials and politicians from Punjabi hockey followers. And the show landed a new sponsor — Chevrolet Canada, he said.

“I’m really amazed how passionate the South Asian community is about the show,” said Singh.

“It’s something the community’s really proud of and it makes them feel Canadian.

“There’s nothing more multicultural than having hockey broadcast like this.”

Singh, in his trademark dark-coloured turban, will take to the airwaves this weekend to call matchups between the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks and the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers.

“We’re the only broadcast team that does two games in a row — it’s a lot of fun to watch hockey and talk about hockey,” said the Alberta native.

The network is delighted to appeal once again to Canada’s diversity, said Julie Bristow, CBC’s executive director of studio and unscripted programming.

“Hockey is such a large part of our country’s culture and we’re very happy to continue to offer our national sport to even more of Canada’s diverse population on its biggest stage each week,” Bristow said.

Singh said he hopes that continues uninterrupted into next season as well and has some confidence it will. “That it’s come back twice says a lot,” he said.

Singh and an unnamed analyst will call two games a week during the NHL’s regular season and one series per playoff round this spring.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

NHL realignment a boon for broadcasters

BRUCE DOWBIGGIN, Globe and Mail Update, Dec. 07, 2011

In a career filled with negotiating consensus among squabbling owners, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s chef d’oeuvre might be the proposed new realignment. What was once thought to be a simple flip of Winnipeg to the Western Conference became a complete re-think of the NHL’s dynamics. If the NHL Players Association agrees, the league map will be re-written.

Said an impressed Brian Burke, GM of Toronto: “It was like a Chicago election in the ’30s. He knew where the votes were coming from.” As a result, the league can easily expand its playoff format and possibly add two expansion franchises to create two 16-team conferences. If Bettman is able to negotiate a new collective agreement as effortlessly he might be up for the Nobel Prize.

What does the new four-conference format promise for teams’ TV and radio? First, it means everyone gets to see the league’s reigning deities (and duds) play the locals on their home broadcaster. Hello Sidney, ciao Alex Ovechkin. More importantly, the new intra-conference playoff format will create a more equitable travel schedule for all teams, not simply Eastern teams whose limited travel gave them a huge advantage in the past.

So in the first two playoff rounds Vancouver wouldn’t be playing three times zones away in Detroit, or Edmonton would not have long trips to Nashville or St. Louis in the central time zone. Instead they’ll stay in their time zone, a boon for broadcasters and fans who are always accommodating odd start times. (Eastern teams will see little change in their postseason time zone coverage.)

The downside for the seven Canadian teams is that they’re almost all in two divisions, meaning that while CBC and TSN will have plenty of domestic matchups in the early rounds the teams could wind up eliminating each other before we get to the Conference Finals.

Better, the smaller pool of potential playoff opponents in those first rounds will promote more regional rivalries created by recurring series. Remember the old Norris or Adams Division hate-fests created by playing year after year? This new format will deliver more ready-made animosity for TV to exploit. A must considering the supposed Battle of Alberta hasn’t had a postseason edition since the early ‘90s.

As well, a typical team in the Northeast can currently expect fewer than 10 games outside its time zone all season; teams such as Detroit or Vancouver play twice as many of their games in another time zone. For teams such as Detroit or Columbus, the new format means fewer starts at 9:30 p.m. or 10:30 p.m. ET, a boon for their ratings. For Winnipeg, there is no possible playoff match with a Canadian team till the third round, but a guarantee that all Canadian teams come to the MTS Centre at least once a year.

In the regular season, the new home-and-home format for every opponent should deliver more Eastern games in radio prime time (4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.) for Western teams – a ratings plus. Conversely TV ratings would be hurt by more early starts when most people are in their cars coming home from work.

Adams Family Update: Best suggestion for names of the new conferences? Has to be characters from Slap Shot. Reg Dunlop, Ogie Oglethorpe, Dr. Hook McCracken and your choice of a Hansen Brother. Let the Americans say they’re confused by those names.

Burke’s Law: The pressure on an NHL general manager in a Canadian city is stifling. You are a combination of Wizard of Oz and Village Idiot in the eyes of most fans. The local media gives you greater scrutiny than Mark Carney gets as Governor of the Bank of Canada. In short, it can make you crazy.

So what do we make of profane, angry e-mails coming to media members from Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke? While contact by management figures unhappy with stories is acceptable (even encouraged) by most in the press, the tone is meant to be civil. Make the point, disagree, move on.

But Burke has gone beyond that standard in several of his missives to journalists. The best way to look at Burke’s broadsides? He wants his players to acquit themselves professionally with the media, but he wants to give himself an exemption from that self discipline. Leadership flows from the top. How can Burke ask his players for a level of civil discourse that he is unable to deliver himself?

Business As Usual: The news that ex-enforcer Derek Boogaard’s autopsy showed advance signs of apparent brain damage due to concussions sent a chill through hockey circles. Who might be next and how many players are carrying the same CTE signs already? It gave almost everyone pause.

Not a problem at TSN, apparently, where the network was blithely extolling fights on Monday night’s version of Sportscentre. Host Darren Dutchyshen was happily chortling about players “getting the flippers up” in the Rangers/Maple Leafs contest while co-host Kate Beirness joined in the yukfest, approvingly describing players on the Bruins and Penguins pounding each other in another highlight pack.

Counted Out: Speaking of NHL fighters, Matthew Barnaby is apparently not a quick study. The veteran of seven NHL clubs was fired by ESPN Monday after being pulled over by Erie County (N.Y.) sheriff's deputies who saw an SUV driving erratically without a front tire. The former Buffalo Sabre now faces DWI charges and possible deportation for violating an agreement reached to avoid potential deportation following an arrest on a domestic charge earlier this year.

Picture This: Lights, camera, action… hey, where’s the camera? “A hand held CBC TV video camera, was taken some time on the 4th of December from the Lake Louise Ski hill on the World Cup Race Course. The Camera was with a Skidoo and other equipment by the start line of FIS World Cup down hill. The camera is a specialized TV Camera and is un-usable to the general public and un-sellable. The CBC would like the camera returned by calling crime stoppers 1-800-222-8477, type at http://www.crimestoppers.ca or text at tttTIPS to 274637. The CBC Calgary can be contacted 403-521-6200 or to their website at http://www.CBC.ca .”

Louis, round up the usual suspects.

Punjabi HNIC Returns: CBC is bringing back Hockey Night In Canada in Punjabi on Saturday with an all-Canadian doubleheader.

The Punjabi Bob Cole, play-by-play voice Harnarayan Singh, returns for a third season. Two games will be available every Saturday night during the regular season, as well as one series per round during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Deserving honour: Finally, props to our colleague Bob Elliott, the long-time baseball writer for the Sun chain who was named the first Canadian winner of the Taylor Spink Award, presented annually by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America “for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.” After starting as a Montreal Expos reporter for the Ottawa Citizen Elliott joined the Sun chain in 1987 and covered his 33rd consecutive Opening Day in 2010.

It’s no exaggeration to call Elliott the dean of Canadian baseball writers. Now he’ll have his name recognized in Cooperstown. Well done.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

REPORT: FLEURY'S LOST STANLEY CUP RING POSTED ON CRAIGSLIST

TSN.CA STAFF, Dec 7 2011

It appears Theoren Fleury may get his Stanley Cup ring back after all.

Fleury lost his 1989 Stanley Cup ring at last year's Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium but now, according to the Calgary Sun, the ring is on the Craigslist website with a message that appears to be intended for Fleury.

"This item will only be released to a Calgary Flames Stanley Cup winner of 1989 … you know who you are," read the message on Craigslist.

The report indicates Fleury intends to follow up on the posting in hopes of getting the ring back.

"We're on it," Fleury wrote in a text to the Calgary Sun.

Fleury, who participated in the alumni game before the Heritage Classic, said the ring fell out of his pocket.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Hockey Day in Kyrgyzstan: Ambitious new IIHF member undergoes first hockey audit

MARTIN MERK, IIHF.com, Dec 8 2011

BISHKEK – Adam Sollitt, the IIHF’s Project Coordinator Research & Audit, recently travelled to Kyrgyzstan, the IIHF’s newest member nation.

The Central Asian country that lies between Kazakhstan and China was accepted as the 70th IIHF member by the IIHF Annual Congress in May. Last winter they won gold in the second-tier ice hockey tournament of the Asian Winter Games.

IIHF.com asked the Canadian based at the Vierumäki Sports Institute of Finland about his impressions from the recent trip and his work with the audits.

Tell us a bit about your recent trip for the audit to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

It was a well-organised audit by the local federation. You could see that they are excited to be a member of the IIHF and they really pushed to speed up the audit process and to have it early. After their success at the Asian Winter Games they’re now really motivated to do well internationally. That’s why they joined the IIHF. They want to compete in the IIHF World Championship and of course before they compete we need to understand their programs better. We need to understand what they have and what their current situation is. Because they really want to participate as fast as possible they pushed us to do the audit as quickly as possible, so I went there together with Harald Springfeld, our Asian Sport Development Manager.

What impression did you get?

It was only a three-day audit, but it was organised very well. They wanted to make a good impression and also organised meetings with various politicians like the Minister of Sports, the Prime Minister, the President of the Olympic Preparation Centre and the Mayor of Bishkek to discuss the future of Kyrgyz hockey. Our impressions were quite good. For a country that’s so young in the IIHF and rather small in the number of registered players they have a lot of attention right now because they won a gold medal in the Asian Winter Games. They have a lot of opportunities to develop because they have the commitment and backing of the political leaders. In this sense it’s a very promising nation because they have something that a lot of other countries don’t have and that’s really good communication lines with the political leaders.

What are Kyrgyzstan and its capital Bishkek like?

Bishkek is kind of a big city of about one million people. It is their largest city. It’s quite clean, with most buildings being from the Soviet times.

I didn’t see much of the country because we were only there for three days and it takes a lot of time to go through all the documents. But I heard that the country is very beautiful and they gave us a DVD so we can see what we missed.

In Bishkek we went to the ice rink and for lunch we went to these traditional yurts, some kind of tents, and we had horse meat, one of their national dishes. Once we also ate at the president’s building, which is also called White House in Bishkek.

Actually their one ice rink was pretty nice. It’s relatively new, just three years old, and it was in good condition. But they forgot benches for the players and officials. They have doors so the players have to sit in the stands, which might be interesting for the fans.

Did you watch a game there?

We did watch an exhibition game. Their league is split up into three mini-tournaments, but two of the teams that compete in this national championship played an exhibition game while we were there so we could get some kind of impression.

What’s most surprising is that there are also many older players who are still playing. A lot of players were over 40 years old and there was one player who was about 63. We have to keep in mind that there is only one indoor ice rink in operation right now. Therefore most of the teams are practising outdoor. That’s why their practice time and levels are not quite up to normal standards, although some of the players were pretty good.

There are also some Russian players who are playing in Kyrgyzstan and some of them are also living there.

Was it easy to communicate with the people during your trip?

We had a very talented translator in Kyrgyzstan, otherwise it would probably be difficult. Most time they spoke in Russian, but they also have their own language, Kyrgyz. When we were at the rink we also met some parents who were expats from North America. They and their kids are also playing ice hockey.

Did you have any special experiences during your time in Kyrgyzstan?

There was one evening we had a traditional Kyrgyz sauna night. The sauna was a bit like a Finnish sauna and they had a pool area where we were able to go. Afterwards they had set up a dinner where you could go between sauna and eat your food. And there it’s apparently a tradition to bring their guests of honour a head of a lamb. So they brought in a cooked head of a lamb and put it in front of us and asked us to cut up the head. This was an interesting experience. It’s something I haven’t been given before.

How many audits do you usually do per year?

It depends on the year. Last year was a rather quiet year, but we’re averaging about 20 audits per year. We’ve done totally 48 national association audits and seven female-specific audits for top countries.

What are you looking at when you go to a new country like Kyrgyzstan for an audit?

For a new member we’re mostly looking at what exists and what doesn’t. We need to know what opportunities there are for them and also for the IIHF. It’s a good opportunity for them to learn about our programs, not only the World Championship but also for example the Recruitment Program or the Learn to Play Program or that they can participate in Development Camps and look at our officiating manuals they haven’t been exposed to before. We’re also looking at their total structure and their organisation and strategies, their short-term and long-term goals. We are looking at all their programs and everything they do as a national association from organising their annual meetings to league operations. We’re giving them some directions on what they’re missing and what they could do and we give them some options and ask them to make decisions on where they want to improve and what is their priority and make it work together with us.

Do you actually rate the countries?

We give developing hockey nations a score based on what they have and what they do not have. We do that by going through their strategies and all their programs and give points for what they have and how it is used within their organisation. Like that we’re also giving them some kind of direction because all these programs are weighted according to importance.

What are the main goals of the audits?

The main premise in the end is to give us and our committees a better understanding of how the countries work and how we can better support them and develop programs that will address actual needs and not just perceived needs. Like that we can make decisions based on facts we know rather than what we think we know. At the same time we give countries a tool, the audit report, so they can address their weaknesses and address areas they want to focus on.

Which audits will follow in the next few months?

This year we are starting with the audit for the top-13 nations. These audits will be a little bit different. It will be more about benchmarking and collecting best practices and finding good examples that might benefit the other nations. And we want to analyse new trends and what the national associations identify as weaknesses and where they want to go.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Vote: Best NHL conference names

Luke Fox, Sportsnet.ca, December 7, 2011, 3:00 pm

It didn’t take long for the brainstorming and debates to commence.

Shortly after the NHL board of governors approved the league’s realignment into four conferences (see below), theories and arguments for the proper names of the new seven- and eight-team groupings abounded. (So far, the NHL has adorned the conferences with letters A to D. Baby steps, folks.)

NHL REALIGNMENT PLAN
Conference A Conference B
Anaheim Ducks Chicago Blackhawks
Calgary Flames Columbus Blue Jackets
Colorado Avalanche Dallas Stars
Edmonton Oilers Detroit Red Wings
Los Angeles Kings Minnesota Wild
Phoenix Coyotes Nashville Predators
San Jose Sharks St. Louis Blues
Vancouver Canucks Winnipeg Jets

Conference C Conference D
Boston Bruins Carolina Hurricanes
Buffalo Sabres New Jersey Devils
Florida Panthers New York Islanders
Montreal Canadiens New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators Philadelphia Flyers
Tampa Bay Lightning Pittsburgh Penguins
Toronto Maple Leafs Washington Capitals

A loud call, presumably from the guys who wear wool-knit retro jerseys, went out for a throwback to the old divisional titles (Smythe, Norris, Patrick, Adams), which were abolished during the previous realignment after the 1992-93 season.

A safe, practical but altogether yawn-inducing theory is sticking to geographical handles: Pacific, Central, Eastern, and Atlantic – or some variation thereof.

From the not-gonna-happen camp, Phoenix Coyotes player and tweeter extraordinaire Paul Bissonnette suggested naming the conferences after hip-hop legends (Tupac, Eazy-E, Notorious B.I.G., Big Pun). And now the trending hasthtag #NHLConferenceNames has spawned much fun and ridiculousness: True, North, Strong, Free; Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk; John, Paul, George, Ringo… you get the point.

One of the more compelling (and realistic) ideas is to christen the conferences after NHL legends who played or coached for one of the group’s teams. Another scenario that might appeal to commissioner Gary Bettman: name them after the four longest-serving league presidents (Calder, Campbell, Ziegler, Bettman). Perhaps the NHL should let the fans decide, as is the case with All-Star Game starters.

What would you name these new babies?

—–

I'd go back to the future… Adams, Norris, Smythe, Patrick – to honour the prople who really helped start the NHL!

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Kennedy: No room for politics when creating WJC rosters

Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News, 2011-12-07

Someone always has to stay home. It’s a fact of life a team can only have so many members and those talented enough to play outnumber the spots available. So with rosters for the World Junior Championship either set or getting pretty close, I just hope teams take the players they want and don’t discount anyone for political reasons.

The two countries that get brought up the most when this issue arises are the United States and the Czech Republic.

Starting off in the Czech Republic, the issue usually revolves around the talent drain leading players to major junior hockey in North America. This has been a serious problem for the Czechs, whose under-20 program has been flagging for years now. Top prospects leave for North America and the local teams don’t get the financial compensation they’re looking for in return – plus they’ve lost a marquee player that might attract some attention from Czech fans. In response, the Czech federation seems to have punished certain players who have jumped overseas.

“There’s the same chance it will happen again this year,” said one Czech scout. “They’re trying to keep the kids over here and they’ll do anything to stop them.”

Last year, Ottawa 67’s goaltender Petr Mrazek was left off the roster, despite being a Detroit Red Wings draft pick and one of the better netminders in the Ontario League, particularly in the playoffs the year prior. He’s there this year, but I have to wonder if it’s because the Czechs are in very serious danger of actually getting relegated and that would be worse than proving a point to a teenage eloper. The Czechs did, however, leave Patrik Bartosak off their preliminary roster. Bartosak happens to be one of the better netminders in the Western League this season and was even named Canadian League goaltender of the week in mid-October. Maybe the Czechs felt they only needed Mrazek for the tournament and Bartosak will get his shot next year. But wouldn’t Bartosak benefit from just being at the tournament? Curious.

With the Americans, there has long been the perception that Team USA punished kids who went the major junior route instead of the national team development program or college after that. Winnipeg’s Zach Bogosian, who played for the OHL ‘s Peterborough Petes, didn’t crack the 2008 squad, then promptly went third overall in the draft and straight to the NHL after that.

These days, it cannot be said the Americans discriminate. Nine players out of 30 on Team USA’s preliminary roster are from the CHL and both goaltenders are guaranteed to be OHLers in Jack Campbell and John Gibson (Andy Iles of Cornell has already been established as the emergency third-stringer). On top of that, both Campbell and Gibson famously dropped their commitments to the University of Michigan in successive years.

But one name that keeps coming up is Jared Knight of OHL London. Knight turned down the NTDP in 2008 to play for London and it seems to have haunted him ever since. This was his last year of eligibility for the world juniors and he is an integral member of the best major junior team in the nation. A high second round draft pick of the Boston Bruins, Knight seemed to have earned at least a shot at camp, but no invite came. For at least one NHL scout, there’s no conspiracy.

“There’s a lot of choices now for the U.S.,” he said. “It’s not like 20 or 30 years ago. Now there’s a larger pool, that’s just the reality. I’ve seen their staff at CHL rinks extensively. They don’t discriminate.”

Which I hope is the answer. Too much talent, only so many roster spots. The world juniors are something a player only gets a short window to participate in and then it’s gone forever. I hope politics don’t enter the equation when those tough decisions are made.

—–

I have coached lots if International kids the past few years (USA, UK, Swiss, Finnish, Swede, Belgian, German, Russian, Latvian, etc.) and I heard from the Latvian perspective (kids) that there is indeed money involved (allegedly) in the selection process. If you are a good enough player to be considered, money 'helps' ensure you get onto the roster. Not sure if this is true, but I have heard lots of stories about the countries who have splintered from the old USSR… so this wouldn't be surprising. With all the oil money and a few very rich people rising out of the ashes of Communism / a military-led nation, it truly seems as if it is the 'wild west' over there… read Dave King's book "King of Russia" to get more of a flavour of this…

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

NBA players agree to off-season tests for performance-enhancing drugs

Brian Mahoney,The Associated Press, Dec. 07, 2011

NBA players have agreed to additional drug testing, adding off-season screening for performance-enhancing drugs only.

Union executive director Billy Hunter sent a memo Wednesday, obtained by The Associated Press, to players detailing these and other changes of a new labour deal and recommended they ratify the agreement.

Less clear is a provision for human growth hormone testing.

According to the memo, an NBA-NBPA joint committee would study the “possibility of an HGH testing program.” NBA spokesman Mike Bass, however, insisted both sides agreed to HGH blood testing, subject to the process being validated by a “neutral committee of experts.”

It wasn't immediately clear who would be on that panel.

Major League Baseball and its players recently agreed to start HGH testing in spring training. The NFL's new labour contract included a provision for HGH testing as soon as this season — but only once the NFLPA approved the process. That hasn't happened, in part because the NFLPA says it needs more information about the test itself.

No matter what, players will face additional testing if the deal is ratified. According to the memo, beginning in the 2012-13 season, players can be tested up to two times during the off-season for steroids and performance-enhancing drugs only. They would not be screened for drugs such as marijuana.

Previously, the NBA did not test players during its July-September off-season. The memo said a majority of players will be tested no more than four times throughout an entire year, and that no tests could be given at the arena on the night of a game.

Players began voting electronically on the deal Wednesday night and could vote through Thursday afternoon, when owners will hold a meeting in New York to vote. If the deal is ratified by a majority on both sides, the NBA fully reopens for business Friday with the beginning of training camps and free agency.

Owners and players reached a tentative agreement on the main issues Nov. 26, and owners soon after opened up the arenas so players could begin workouts without coaches present. In the meantime, lawyers for both sides continued to negotiate a lengthy list of “B-list” items right into Wednesday.

Among the items agreed upon, per Hunter's memo:

— A joint NBA-NBPA committee will discuss the age limit, which for now remains 19 years and one year out of high school.

— Players with 3 years of service or less may be assigned to the NBA Development League, with no limit on the number of assignments. No player with more than three years of service may be assigned to the D-League without his consent.

—There will be a neutral review of any fines imposed by NBA Commissioner David Stern for players' on-court actions.

—Upon request, a player will wear a microphone for one nationally televised game per month, one locally televised game per month and up to two playoff games per round. The player must consent before the content can be aired live and can't be subject to discipline for content captured as a result of wearing a microphone.

—Neither the league nor a team may discipline a player solely based upon an arrest.

The division of basketball-related income and numerous issues related to the salary cap system were the biggest obstacles to reaching an agreement. Players were guaranteed 57 per cent of BRI in the old deal but will receive 51.15 per cent this season and will earn between 49 and 51 per cent during the remainder of the deal.

In giving up the guarantee, transferring about $250 million per year to owners, players were able to maintain the current soft salary cap system that allows teams to use exceptions to exceed the cap, rather than the hard cap the owners sought.

“Although the players made significant financial concessions, including taking a reduced share of Basketball Related Income, collective salaries will nonetheless increase over the course of the CBA, the players retained important system issues, and achieved gains on non-economic issues,” Hunter wrote in the memo.

If the agreement is ratified, a 66-game schedule will begin on Christmas. Players will receive a prorated portion of their 2011-12 salaries.

—–

Good news. When is Hockey going to do the same? This is when these guys dope (allegedly!) Long overdue in my opinion…

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Kirk Muller echoes Badger Bob

ERIC DUHATSCHEK, Globe and Mail, Dec. 08, 2011

The smile that creases Kirk Muller’s face is there perpetually, it seems, even in these hard, early days as the Carolina Hurricanes’ new head coach. The Hurricanes had lost four in a row under his guidance, after he replaced Paul Maurice behind the bench last week, until they slipped into Edmonton on Wednesday night and escaped with a 5-3 win, his first as an NHL head coach.

For Muller, whose Canes meet the Winnipeg Jets on Friday, retaining his good humour under trying circumstances is a personal strength and also something of a trademark. He is an eternal optimist – and even though there are no physical resemblances whatsoever, his bubbling cauldron of enthusiasm conjures up no less a figure than Bob Johnson, the Hall Of Fame coach, who memorably coined the phrase, “it’s a great day for hockey,” and made it true, even in the darkest of times.

Johnson once made a key distinction about coaching styles that is as true today as it was it in the 1980s – that you can coach by either emphasizing fear or stressing pride. Johnson cited Scotty Bowman, Mike Keenan and others of that ilk as disciples of the former approach – tough-love guys before the concept of tough love became an Oprah staple. Johnson put himself in the latter category, someone who emphasized pride, improvement, and helping the players get better every day.

Muller is in that category too, part of a generation of players that many thought would exit the game once their playing careers ended because they’d made their fortunes already. Just the opposite happened. Many became hockey lifers and Carolina boasts a star-studded front-office lineup that includes Ron Francis, plus assistant coaches Rod Brind’Amour, Tom Barrasso and John MacLean, all of whom would look good in Hurricane uniforms right now.

“I never took for granted a day I played in the NHL, I really didn’t,” Muller said of his desire to coach. “I just thought, ‘Man, are we lucky?’ Dad was a postman, a blue-collar mail carrier. My family is all blue collar. I had no problem when people said [about coaching], ‘Man, it’s a lot of hours.’ I love it.”

Muller says he received some good advice from former Montreal Canadiens’ general manager Bob Gainey upon his retirement, who suggested he take a full year off before determining what he wanted to do next in his life.

“I already knew before the year was out that I wanted to get back into it,” Muller said, “so I went to coach at Queen’s [in his hometown of Kingston, Ont.] because it was an opportunity to see if I liked it. There’d be 50 people in the stands, but you know what? It didn’t matter. There could have been 20,000. It was more about the competitive level and the teaching. I knew after that I was going to have fun with it. And from there, I just followed the path. I didn’t know where it was going to lead, but …”

But ultimately it led here – to Carolina, a small-market, low-budget team that puts a primary emphasis on building from within. Two blue-chip youngsters, Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk, came in the first two rounds of 2010 and are playing in the NHL as teenagers already. It is up to Muller to take the raw material at his disposal and craft it into a winner.

Muller was a mainstay on the Canadiens’ coaching staff up until last year, when he decided that to get a head-coaching job in the NHL, he would need to move to the minors to run his own team. Carolina plucked him out of Milwaukee, where he was guiding the Nashville Predators’ AHL affiliate and handed him the reins of a slumping, dispirited team. It’s been all Up With People ever since.

“I more or less said, ‘From today on, let’s clear the heads and move forward,’” Muller explained. “I don’t care who is minus-15. I don’t care who has one goal. Let’s look at today and how can we be better? And let’s do it together. Nobody has to be Superman. There is strength in numbers. So let’s come to the rink and have fun and play hard and see where we’re at.”

A sentiment that Badger Bob, if he were eavesdropping, would heartily echo and endorse.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Rogers, BCE on verge of deal for MLSE

Grant Robertson AND Tara Perkins, Globe and Mail, Dec. 08, 2011

Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI.B-T36.95-0.50-1.34%) and BCE Inc. (BCE-T40.600.421.05%) are on the verge of a deal to purchase a majority stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment for more than $1.3-billion in a deal that could be announced in a matter of days.

Sources say the telecommunications giants have reached a draft agreement with the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan to acquire about 80 per cent of MLSE, which owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and a host of other assets.

The deal has not been finalized and still may fall apart, but the companies were in talks late Thursday night, and sources close to the situation said most of the key details had been worked out.

In particular, Rogers and BCE have won the support of minority owner Larry Tanenbaum, who owns 20 per cent of MLSE and has right of first refusal on any offer. His support clears a major hurdle for any deal.

If finalized, the sale would be one of the richest sales of sports assets in North America. In addition to the Leafs and Raptors, MLSE also owns the Toronto FC soccer club, as well as broadcast properties such as Leafs TV and Raptors TV.

The deal gives MLSE an equity value of roughly $1.66-billion, not including debt. Of that, Rogers and BCE are said to be paying about $1.33-billion for roughly an 80-per-cent stake.

At that price, MLSE has a total enterprise value of $2.1-billion, including debt.

The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan could not be reached for comment.

The pension fund’s 80-per-cent stake in MLSE up for auction in March, but shut down the sale process on Nov. 25, after it didn’t receive any suitable offers for the assets. Teachers was said to be seeking between $1.6-billion and $1.8-billion for its stake, believing the marquee sports properties should fetch a premium.

Rogers and BCE, which owns Bell, came close to submitting an offer in late November that was believed to have been between $1.3-billion and $1.4-billion. However disagreements between BCE and Rogers on how to divvy up the assets – in particular the television rights to Maple Leafs games – killed the bid.

Though the pension fund said in a press release that it received inquiries from several interested bidders, sources indicate none of the bids were what Teachers thinks the assets should fetch in an auction.

Mr. Tanenbaum’s support of Rogers and BCE as majority owners is key because the companies are buying the assets in order to gain greater control over the broadcast rights of Leafs and Raptors games, which they want to show on their respective networks. BCE owns TSN and Rogers owns Sportsnet.

In addition to TV, the companies also want to stream that content over their wireless networks, though cellphones and tablet computers.

However, the previous shareholders agreement dictated that all broadcast rights must be put out to auction. Mr. Tanenbaum, as a 20-per-cent owner, could have prevented Rogers and Bell from having control over those rights.

For his support of the Rogers and BCE bid, sources indicate Mr. Tanenbaum will have his ownership stake sweetened, but it is not clear if that will be a direct cash payment or if he will receive a slightly larger share beyond 20 per cent.

As chairman of MLSE, Mr. Tanenbaum also carries considerable sway over key decisions made by the company.

The deal links the ownership of Toronto's three largest sports properties. Rogers Communications also owns the Toronto Blue Jays baseball club.

CBC, which carries Leafs games though Hockey Night in Canada, purchases the rights to those games directly from the NHL, so those games would not be affected, sources say.

The deal, if consummated, requires a variety of approvals from the NHL, NBA and Canada’s broadcast regulator before it could be closed.

Dean
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Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
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Billionaire keeps local hockey in play

Kerry Eggers, The Portland Tribune, Dec 8, 2011

He slips into Portland quietly at least a couple of times a month, tending to business in the Winterhawks’ office at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The Los Angeles resident is the emissary of Winterhawks’ owner Bill Gallacher, a bit of a mystery man in his own right.

He is Ken Stickney, 49, president of Avenir Sports Entertainment, an entity in Gallacher’s considerable financial empire.

Stickney and Gallacher, 50, work behind the scenes, helping team president Doug Piper and general manager/coach Mike Johnston with the reclamation project that is Portland’s Western Hockey League franchise.

Stickney has worked for Gallacher since 2008, when the Calgary oil magnate purchased a Winterhawks franchise that was the worst in the WHL by a long shot.

Last week, Stickney sat down for a half-hour interview with the Portland Tribune, his first with the city’s media in more than three years on the job.

“That’s by design,” Stickney says. “We try to put Doug and Mike up front. We don’t do interviews. We just want to get our business done.”

Stickney, a former shortstop at Cal Riverside, is former president of Mandalay Sports Entertainment. MSE owns or manages seven minor league teams, including a pair of Triple-A clubs — Scranton/Wilkes Barre (Yankees) and Oklahoma City (Houston).

Three years ago, Stickney and his father sold a majority interest in MSE to a private equity firm, and the junior Stickney joined Gallacher with the idea of similar pursuits in hockey.

“I represent Bill in anything he wants to do in the sports world,” Stickney says. “His primary focus right now is the Winterhawks. He has aspirations to go beyond that.”

Gallacher, who looked seriously into buying the Dallas Stars a year ago, would like to bring the NHL to the City of Roses.

“I would fully expect at some time in the future that would be something we end up doing,” Stickney says. “Our aspiration ultimately is to own a hockey team at every level, and Portland has a lot of attributes you’re looking at for an entry market.”

Gallacher is chairman of Athabasco Oil Sands Corp., a multi-billion-dollar business that owns leases and permits on more than 1 1/2 million acres in Alberta. The company’s reserves included an estimated 8.6 billion barrels of contingent resource in 2010.

PetroChina purchased 60 percent of AOSC’s assets in 2009, “so Bill is in Asia a lot,” Stickney says.

Gallacher also spends time watching Ohio State hockey. His son, Ben, is a freshman defenseman for the Buckeyes and was a fourth-round pick of the Florida Panthers in the 2010 draft.

Gallacher’s other passion is the Winterhawks, though he doesn’t often see them play in person and hasn’t been to a game in Portland since the 2009-10 season. Gallacher watches some games on the Internet, though, and is in constant communication with Stickney.

“Bill’s into it,” Stickney says. “We talk and text a lot. The other night, when we lost 7-6 in overtime, I got a text from him at 11:30 at night: ‘Dude, we gotta score eight goals to win?’ He’s a hockey guy.”

‘A great hockey town’

During the Gallacher era, the Hawks have gone from the worst record in the WHL to the league finals last season. They have seen a resurgence in attendance and corporate sponsorship. The scouting department has been revamped and improved. The Hawks expect to show a net profit this season for the first time in many years.

Gallacher’s role has been a key to all of this, though he is not a hands-on owner.

“It is more a vote of confidence than anything else,” Stickney says. “Doug is as good as it gets when it comes to hockey organization and management. Mike and Travis (Green, his chief assistant coach) are two pretty good hockey guys. (Gallacher) lets his people do their job.

“Bill says very little and does a lot. I’m not sure the people of Portland understand how tremendous he has been as an owner. He has been so responsive whenever we’ve needed resources.”

Gallacher, says Stickney, “is a simple guy, the most unlikely billionaire you’d ever meet. He is quiet and unassuming. He doesn’t say much, but when he speaks, you listen. He’s really smart and a kind person — a good man.”

Stickney and Piper are knee-deep into what they hope will be a public/private partnership with the city on a $33 million renovation of the coliseum. The Winterhawks seek an 8,000-seat multipurpose facility that would serve as their home.

The Hawks propose to contribute $10 million to the project. No money will come from Portland’s general fund, Stickney says. The majority of the rest of the project would be financed through the Portland Development Commission, however, including more than $7.5 million in Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Area funds.

The Trail Blazers, who manage the coliseum, would offer construction management services, but no cash. Winterhawks officials say that contribution is huge — a value in the seven figures.

Portland’s City Council has approved the concept, but a final vote is expected to come in January. Nearly two years ago the coliseum was named to the National Register of Historic Places, and is designated as a memorial for war veterans, meaning it won’t likely be demolished.

The renovation project “has to get passed,” Stickney says. “From my standpoint, the only way you lose is if you do nothing. You have a building that needs renovation.”

Key parts of the proposal include enlargement of seats from 19 to 22 inches and a state-of-the-art scoreboard.

“If we do nothing else but those two things, it would be fantastic, but we plan to do a lot more,” Stickney says. “We want to rebrand the coliseum. A lot of people have made up their mind not to go there. They’ll only go to the Rose Garden, but the coliseum can be a neat place to watch hockey.

“We want to create an intimate, different experience from the Rose Garden, which is a magnificent building — as good as any NHL building in the country. But (the coliseum) can be really cool. If not, we wouldn’t get involved.”

The Winterhawks’ coliseum lease expires after the 2013 season. If the renovation project is approved, the team will look to extend the lease at least through 2023, Piper says.

The Hawks want the coliseum renovated because they have to compete for dates in the Rose Garden with the Blazers and many other shows, including concerts.

“We could play (all) 36 (regular-season) games in the Rose Garden,” Stickney says. “But having Tuesday dates there — does that work out as well as having Saturday nights in the coliseum?”

But what if the coliseum gets renovated, and a year or two down the road, an NHL franchise goes up for sale, and Gallacher buys the club and moves it to Portland?

“We believe we would continue to operate the Hawks out of the coliseum,” Piper says. “There are lots of markets that have major- and minor-league teams.”

Piper points to Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver as examples. All, of course, are in Canada, where hockey is the national sport.

Stickney says it could work in Portland, too, envisioning a situation such as in Los Angeles, where the Staples Center and Nokia Theatre work in tandem for events.

“Portland is a great hockey market,” Piper says. “The Buckaroos were here before the Blazers, and they were extremely popular.”

Without Paul Allen?

The Hawks purchased the Valley Ice Arena in Beaverton last year.

“We’re trying to resurrect hockey here,” Piper says. “Five to 10 years from now, we see five more skating rinks in town and 5,000 kids playing youth hockey.

“We believe the Hawks could play in the coliseum and an NHL team in the Rose Garden, and both teams could do well. It wouldn’t kill the Hawks by any stretch to have both.”

I’m not sure I agree with that. My other concern is whether an NHL team not owned by Paul Allen could make it in town. He owns and operates the Rose Garden and controls all proceeds from events at the building, including parking, concessions and souvenir sales.

But Stickney says it works in other markets in North America, and a deal could be cut in Portland that would allow for Gallacher to own an NHL team and use the Rose Garden as its home arena.

“We have talked to the Blazers conceptually (about bringing an NHL team to Portland), but nothing in depth,” Stickney says. “You couldn’t make any moves to bring the NHL here without their support.”

Allen has had chances to land an NHL franchise and has always resisted them, ostensibly because he believes it would provide competition for fans and corporate support. The Rose Garden, though, would be a plum site for an NHL team. There’s no argument about that.

“It’s a Class A-plus building that’s hockey-ready,” Stickney says. “There aren’t a lot of those around that don’t have NHL teams.”

There are a lot of moving parts involved, and time will tell if it comes together if and when an NHL team goes up for sale.

“Timing is everything,” Stickney says. “If something opens up, you have to be ready. There are a multitude of things that have to fall into place.

“But I’m not getting any younger. I’d like to see it happen sooner rather than later.”

For now, Gallacher and Stickney are focused on the Winterhawks — again one of the WHL’s top clubs — bettering their performance of a year ago.

“We plan on winning the Memorial Cup this year,” Stickney says. “We don’t think about it in terms of rebuilding. We’re going to reload every year and go after it.

“A lot of teams run cyclically; we’re not looking at it that way. Our goal every year is to win it all, and we have a good shot this year.”

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

BCE AND ROGERS TEAM UP TO BUY 75 PERCENT OF MLSE

TSN.CA STAFF, Dec 9 2011

BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications announced Friday that the two companies have partnered together to acquire a majority share of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment for $1.32 billion.

The two companies will each pay the current owner – the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan – about $533 million for a 37.5 percent share and 75 percent combined.

"We will continue to cheer for the teams and look forward to celebrating their success, but after the summer, from the sidelines," Jane Rowe, senior vice-president of Teachers' Private Capital said at a news conference.

"MLSE teams are among the most popular major-league franchises in North America, iconic sports brands watched and loved by millions of fans across our nation," said George Cope, President and CEO of Bell Canada and BCE in a statement.

"As Canada's largest and most established communications company, Bell is proud to be part of this all-Canadian acquisition of a world leader in sports and entertainment. Bell's ownership in MLSE supports our promise to deliver the best content to Canadians across every screen. With our advanced broadband network investments, next generation Bell TV, Mobility and Internet services, and leading sports networks TSN and RDS, the Bell team looks forward to bringing the Leafs, the Raptors, the Marlies and Toronto FC to fans in new and innovative ways."

Bell's net cash commitment, following a planned leveraged recapitalization of MLSE, will total $398 million, representing a 28 percent equity interest in MLSE, and will be funded with cash on hand at closing. Through a co-investment arrangement with Bell, the BCE Master Trust Fund, an independent trust that holds and manages pension fund investments serving the pension obligations of BCE Group pension plan participants, will contribute $135 million toward the MLSE acquisition.

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment runs the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey club, the NBA's Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC of Major League Soccer, the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies and the Air Canada Centre.

The company also has real estate holdings and television properties that include Leafs TV and Raptors TV.

For BCE Inc., the deal also confirms the company's long-standing association with and ownership in the Montreal Canadiens. "Our investment in (the) Montreal Canadiens has been tremendous for Bell in our markets in Quebec and quite frankly that investment will be maintained," said Cope.

As part of the agreement, Kilmer Sports Inc. (KSI) – owned by Toronto businessman Larry Tanenbaum – will increase its current 20 percent stake in the company to 25 percent.

"I am excited to welcome our new partners Bell and Rogers," said Tanenbaum in a statement. "I am proud this is a Made-in-Canada deal that will bring resources and expertise to help us win on and off the ice, court and pitch. This is a terrific path forward for our teams and our fans. It will ensure MLSE continues to make a positive impact in Toronto and across this great country of ours."

Tanenbaum will also remain as chairman of MLSE and as a governor of the NHL, the NBA and Major League Soccer.

The transaction is expected to close in mid-2012 following required regulatory and league approvals.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

New rules for a Sens reporter

Ian Mendes, Sportsnet.ca, December 9, 2011

As a Rogers employee — and a guy who covers the Ottawa Senators for a living — I'm absolutely stunned by the news that we've purchased the Toronto Maple Leafs.

What does this mean for us in the field?

I'm fortunate enough to be able to share an internal memo that was sent out to us early this morning, just minutes after the sale was announced.

Dear reporters and on-air talent,

Congratulations on your recent purchase of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Here are some editorial guidelines to keep in mind, now that we own the most powerful sports franchise in this country:

No. 1: Going forward, Leafs GM Brian Burke will approve all of your scripts related to the Toronto Maple Leafs. So in short, this is business as usual.

No. 2: If Leafs coach Ron Wilson is surly and combative towards you in a press conference, you are free to tell him, "Don't make me take this up with HR."

No. 3: Speaking of HR, it's not permissible to access an employee's emergency contact information for the purposes of news gathering. (ie – James Reimer).

No. 4: Because of heightened sensitivity of two major cell phone companies owning the team, when reading highlights after a Leafs defensive breakdown, please do not use the term "poor coverage."

No. 5: On your next paycheque — in addition to federal tax, CPP, medical and other deductions — there will be a mysterious "JFD" of $3.24 per employee. This will be known as the Jeff Finger Deduction.

No. 6: Toronto FC will now be ahead of the Ottawa Senators in the news lineup. Once again, this is business as usual.

No. 7: Archived footage of the 1993 playoffs will only be permissible up to and including Game 5 of the Conference Final against Los Angeles.

No. 8: Every six weeks, anchors will be forced to fabricate a story about how Telus and Virgin Mobile are close to teaming up to buy the Toronto Argos. There will then be 15 seconds of canned laughter.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Rumor Focus: Six frequent trade topics

Lyle Richardson, The Hockey News, 2011-12-08

The Dec. 19 holiday roster freeze is less than two weeks away. That will generate an uptick in rumors involving players who've been frequent subjects of trade gossip this season.

Here's a look at several of those players and the reasons why trading them is easier said than done.

Alexander Semin (RW), Washington Capitals

He's been a fixture in the rumor mill since last season and with the Capitals collapsing in the standings, speculation over a Semin deal is on the rise.

While he's carrying an expensive cap hit this season ($6.7 million), he's eligible for unrestricted free agency in July, so there's no concern of a long-term deal adversely affecting future payrolls of interested clubs.

The other benefit is more than half of Semin's salary will be paid out by the trade deadline, making him more attractive as a rental player for teams seeking offensive depth down the stretch and into the playoffs.

What makes him a tough sell, however, is his poor performance this season (Only 10 points in 24 games) and his reputation for fading in the heat of post-season action.

Capitals GM George McPhee could attempt to move Semin early in the New Year, hoping a rival GM will gamble on the 27-year-old regaining his scoring touch.

But even if Semin’s performance doesn't pick up in the coming weeks, it's just as likely he’ll finish the season in Washington. What happens after is anyone’s guess at this point.

Derick Brassard (C), Columbus Blue Jackets

As the Blue Jackets continue to struggle, scarcely a week goes by without Brassard's name popping up in rumors that usually link him with the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames and other clubs in need of depth at center.

It's believed those teams are willing to roll the dice on Brassard because of the chance a change will benefit his play, the fact he's still only 24, and because his $3.2-million cap hit becomes more affordable as the season goes on.

The problem, however, is Brassard’s contract isn't just for this season, but through the end of 2013-14, making him an expensive gamble, especially for teams that have to watch their dollars in the face of a new CBA next season.

Tomas Kaberle (D), Carolina Hurricanes

The struggling Hurricanes have been shopping Kaberle, but aren't finding takers for his three-year, $4.25-million-per-season contract.

The Columbus Dispatch reported the Blue Jackets rejected an offer of Kaberle and a second round pick for Brassard last month.

The fact the most desperate team in the league wasn't willing to swap Brassard's bad contract for Kaberle's says all we need to know about the latter's trade value.

Jarome Iginla (RW), Calgary Flames

Iginla, his agent and Flames GM Jay Feaster have repeatedly (and in Feaster's case, vehemently) denied the trade rumors.

Though the denials won't fully put an end to the trade chatter, don't expect to see him wearing another team's jersey this season.

Roberto Luongo (G), Vancouver Canucks

Despite Luongo's expensive contract, some Canucks fans and rumor bloggers keep dreaming up trade scenarios whereby the Canucks could shed Luongo's contract and retain promising – and more affordable – Cory Schneider.

It's not the $5.3-million cap hit that makes Luongo impossible to move, nor his no-trade clause, but the term of the contract.

Luongo’s deal doesn't expire until the end of the 2021-22 season, when he'll be 43 years old. Even if he retires well before then, there aren't any GMs at this time willing to take on a contract of that length, especially considering no one knows what the next collective bargaining agreement will look like.

Scott Gomez (C), Montreal Canadiens

Gomez's declining production over the past two seasons have Habs fans calling for him to be dealt. The problem is his expensive contract makes him untradeable.

Those who refuse to believe his contract is an impediment to a trade point to the Canadiens acquiring him from the New York Rangers in June 2009. What they overlook, however, is his value as a playmaking center has significantly dropped since then.

In June 2009, Gomez was only one year removed from his fourth 70-point season. That summer, the Canadiens overhauled their lineup and the addition of a skilled playmaker with Stanley Cup experience was a necessary part of the equation, which is why they were willing to take on Gomez's hefty $7.4-million cap hit.

Two years later, Gomez's better days are over and he's been plagued by a nagging groin injury. When several teams last summer needed to spend considerable money to get above the salary cap “floor” of $48.3 million, none expressed interest in Gomez.

If there weren’t any takers for Gomez then, there certainly won't be any during the season, when teams have less cap space to work with and even less willingness to take on big contracts.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Dayn Belfour wants to be known for more than just being ‘Eddie's boy'

Eric Olson, The Associated Press, Dec. 09, 2011

Dayn Belfour walks and talks like his father.

He does not, however, play goalie like newly inducted Hockey Hall of Famer Ed Belfour.

That’s not a knock against Dayn. Few men have worked between the pipes the way “Eddie the Eagle” did in a 16-year NHL career highlighted by a Stanley Cup and two Vezina Trophies.

Dayn, however, won’t stop trying.

The 22-year-old, first-year walk-on at the University of Nebraska-Omaha is among three goalies competing to win the No. 1 job that’s still open even as the Mavericks (8-7-3) near the second half of the season.

Dayn has modest statistics in limited playing time and probably would go about his business drawing little notice if it weren’t for that last name, which has alternately opened doors for him and been a curse.

“I’ve got one of the greatest names in hockey history, and I wear it proudly,” Dayn said. “Hopefully, I can one day accomplish everything my father did and then some.”

UNO coach Dean Blais said there’s nothing wrong with Dayn wanting to chase the dream. But he recommended a dose of reality two years ago when Dayn considered going overseas to play professionally after spending five seasons in the junior ranks.

“I advised Eddie to have him to go to school,” Blais said. “Obviously, he wasn’t Eddie Belfour. He wasn’t as good as his dad. There are only a few of those guys who come along every so often, right?”

Dayn said his father didn’t push him into hockey. He couldn’t help but want to play after being around the NHL since he was a child. Chris Chelios is his godfather and Jeremy Roenick is one of his dad’s best friends.

He started out as a defenceman, because he wanted to be like Chelios. Then he played forward, because he wanted to be a goal-scorer like Roenick. And then, at about age 12, he wanted to be like his father.

“I asked my dad for goaltending equipment for Christmas,” Dayn said. “He knew what I was getting myself into.”

Blais and his junior coaches said being a goalie with the name Belfour might have allowed Dayn to get a tryout that he wouldn’t have got otherwise. Beyond that, they said, he’s earned everything he’s gotten through hard work.

Dayn’s name certainly drew the attention of Ernie Sutherland, the assistant general manager of the Winkler Flyers, who recruited Dayn out of Ontario to play for the Manitoba Junior Hockey League team. Sutherland was Ed Belfour’s coach when he played for Winkler in the ‘80s.

“Our evaluation of him was he was a goalie who deserved to be where he was,” Sutherland said of Dayn. “I took one look at him and said to myself that I want that kid in Winkler.”

Mark Thiessen, Ed Belfour’s teammate at Winkler and Dayn’s coach there, said Dayn made him do a double-take the first day he was on the team.

The team was on a bus, and Thiessen heard a familiar voice coming from the back.

“Dayn started talking, and I turned to Ernie and said, ‘Is that Eddie back there?”‘ he said. “He sounded just like Ed did years and years ago. And then to see Dayn on the ice. Just the way he goes about things is the same as Eddie.”

Dayn played three years in Winkler, and for part of that time the fans complained that he was given an unfair advantage over a local kid on the team because he was Ed Belfour’s son (and the elder Belfour also was part owner of the team).

North Dakota, Minnesota State-Mankato and Bemidji State showed some interest in Dayn, but were wary of his academic situation. Dayn is a solid student, but he was ineligible his first year of college because of an NCAA rule that required him to finish high school in four years. He needed five years because he moved a number of times.

The Belfour name helped Dayn in this instance, because Blais was an assistant coach at North Dakota when Ed helped lead UND to the national championship in 1986-87. Blais also remembered Dayn from scouting Winkler.

“I thought he had a little bit of hot and cold in him,” Blais said. “When he was hot, he was very, very good, capable of getting the shutout or one goal. Sometimes he’d have 45 saves, too. I’d seen him other games where he’d give up three or four weak ones. If you can play good one time, you can play that way all the time. Knowing Eddie, if Dayn was anything like him, the kid is going to have pretty good fundamentals.”

Dayn said his father has always talked about goaltending technique and training and mentored him on other aspects of the games. Dayn also has watched every bit of video of his father that he can find.

Ed Belfour, who lives near Dallas and didn’t respond to a message seeking an interview, attended a couple UNO games early in the season, but Dayn didn’t play in either.

Dayn has appeared in four games, started three and has a 2.30 goals-against average and .899 save percentage.

Blais said Dayn is under consideration to start one or both games in this weekend’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association series at North Dakota.

Dayn is ready for the inevitable comparisons when he shows up in Grand Forks with “Belfour” stitched to the back of his sweater with the No. 29, the same number his father wore at UND.

“One of these days I’ll make a name for myself,” Dayn said. “I want to be known as Dayn Belfour one day, not just Eddie’s boy.”

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Portland Winterhawks: Continued Success, Dejavu or Serious Business?

Jason Harrel, Bleacher Report.com, December 3, 2011

The Portland Winterhawks are making their presence known in the Western Hockey League and the city of Portand. The Winterhawks currently stand with a record of 18-9-1-1 and are in second place behind the Tri-City Americans, who hold a two point differential.

As the season began on Sept. 23, many fans were looking to have their hopes raised this with this years team. They are looking for them to erase the memories of the Winterhawks collapsing in the 2011 Western Hockey League Championship where the 2010-11 Portland Winterhawks team dominated throughout the later ends of the season and into the early rounds of the playoffs. However, in the championship round they lost four games to one, only to see them collapse almost as bad as the Boston Red Sox did this past September. Even with the bitter taste of last years defeat, this is still a new squad, new season, and new goals. As the season is only 10 weeks old, I would say that fans of this team can put their worries on the back burner, with how this has not disappointed anyone one bit.

The Hawks have won eight straight games at home, with their last win coming Friday (Dec. 2nd) with a 5-1 win over the Everett Silvertips. This game marked the return of Peter Gaberial who was a much anticipated addition for the Winterhawks. He returns as one of the oldest members of the team at 20 years old. Last time he laced up his skates and hit the floor at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, he scored 11 goals with 21 assists for 32 points in 44 games. However, he was sidelined with a season ending shoulder injury. Gabriel was drafted by the Columbus Bluejackets in 2010 and played 11 games with the Springfield falcons the American Hockey League team of the Blue Jackets.

As Portland is still in the early stages of its season, the team has a lot of promise with other members of their squad being a huge offensive force as forward Ty Rattie is blowing up the awards. Rattie scored his first hat trick of the season against Swift Current where he fired in four shots, received Western Hockey League Player of the Week and Canadian Hockey League Player of the Week honors. He was also invited to the Canadian Junior Championship games.

Now if we want to talk about the team in the matter of standings you can count on Rattie to lead the way. Currently he is in a first place tie with Emerson Etem (Medicine Hat Tigers) with 27 goals.

As the Winterhawks get set for their annual Teddy Bear Toss game tonight (December 3rd) against Interstate-5 rivals, Seattle Thunderbirds, they will look to not only get three points with the win but also continue their dominant season thus far, erasing fans fears of a collapse that happened only a mere few months ago.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

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