Articles

[DaveM]

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.

[hockeygod]

Life after football harsh for some: Ex-Stamps star Johnson learned hard lesson at end of playing days

Allen Cameron, Calgary Herald July 17, 2012

Alondra Johnson faced his football mortality head-on in the most agonizing manner imaginable.

The Canadian Football League Hall-of-Fame linebacker was fighting for his job with the Calgary Stampeders at training camp in 2004 when, in the middle of a practice no less, new coach and GM Matt Dunigan told him he was being cut at the orders of team owner Michael Feterik.

And suddenly, Johnson was a man with a family to feed and no job, and very little money saved from his wonderful CFL career.

“I had no plan, no options,” recalled Johnson, over the phone on Monday from Gardena, Calif. “It was just the unknown factor, wondering how you’re going to take care of your kids, how you’re going to tell your wife that I don’t know how we’re going to pay the mortgage, and I don’t know how I’m going to pay these bills right now.

“I thank God for (then-president) Ron Rooke; he stepped up and helped me out financially because I had nothing at that point. I learned a lesson that day, and that lesson was that for all the time I was there, I should have had other things going on in my life outside of football. I should have got myself prepared better. I don’t blame Matt Dunigan and I don’t blame Michael Feterik — I blame myself because I should have taken the initiative to get myself established better.”

Which is why Johnson, along with other past and present Stampeders, is part of the Life Choice Dynamics team. Life Choice Dynamics is a program founded by Jack Fulton, a longtime friend of Johnson’s, who hopes to help CFL players make the transition to life after football.

It was Johnson’s plight after his retirement following the 2004 season (he would play out the string with the Saskatchewan Roughriders) that convinced Fulton there was a need for a transition program.

“With a lot of the stuff that’s happened to me, I understand how some of these guys feel,” said Fulton, a once-promising football player from Vulcan who dealt with addictions and various other demons before cleaning up his life. “I’ve dealt with depression in my life, and a lot of these things will keep you down if you let them.”

You can’t help but make the connection that former Stampeder running back Joffrey Reynolds might have benefited from talking with Fulton or Johnson (current Stamps Keon Raymond and Randy Chevrier, and alums Sheldon Napastuk and Herm Harrison also are advisors).

Reynolds, who faces criminal charges in relation to an incident on the weekend, had been waiting for a phone call from another CFL team, hoping to extend his career. But he also admitted last month that he’s seeing the prospect of so-called “real life” staring at him in the face.

“As much as I may or may not want it to be, and fortunately it came late in my career, but it’s something you have to come to grips with,” he said. “At some point in time, there’s going to be the Monday after football.”

Sadly, though, it seems that Reynolds hadn’t made any plans to cope with the very real prospect of having to make money outside of football.

That’s a familiar refrain to Johnson, who had his own off-field issues to deal with as he neared the end of his career.

“It’s unfortunate, the circumstances he’s going through and I can imagine the emotions he’s going through because . . . I know,” said Johnson. “It’s tough, when you don’t know how you’re going to take care of yourself and nobody’s giving you an opportunity and the doors aren’t opening the way you kind of figured. That’s the whole thing with Life Choice Dynamics, to raise the awareness factor that it’s time to start looking elsewhere.”

No professional athlete likes to come face to face with his or her own mortality. So much energy is poured into establishing a professional sports career that it’s tough to keep the flame lit for life after sports.

“I’m not planning on it any time soon, but you have to be ready, right?” said Chevrier, who’s involved in a real estate venture with Napastuk with Royal LePage Commercial. “I have a family to take care of and that’s the most important thing. They key is to be ready. I’ve been preparing for retirement since I started in the CFL, either teaching, sales jobs, doing mortgages, fitness training — I’ve always done something in the off-season. It’s nothing new to me, but you have to make sure guys are aware of that.”

Johnson is still paying the price for how much of his life revolved around football. He had odd jobs in the off-season, but nothing that led to anything. Today, he is a proud father and husband — his two sons are playing college football in the U.S. (he helped coach them last season), while three daughters are living with his wife Marguerite in Calgary — but he’s also out of work after being laid off recently.

“Jobs are very scarce in California, and a guy like me who’s going to be 47 this week, there’s not a lot of options for a person who doesn’t have a lot of work experience,” said Johnson, who plans to return to school in the fall to pursue a career. “Sometimes I wish I never played football; I wish I would have just stayed here and developed some kind of career here in California. I had a pretty decent job and I let it go to come to Canada because it was my lifelong dream to play ball. I don’t regret playing in Canada; I had some very memorable moments, and I think it was all in God’s plan for me to be there and to meet the people I met. But there’s always a price to be paid.”

And every player faces payment at some point, he said.

“I hope these guys understand that there’s no loyalty in the game of football, and you have to do what you need to do for yourself,” he said. “It’s a business. Straight up, it’s just a business.

“If you don’t believe that, then you’ll find out the hard way.”

—–

The same could be said for other pro (and amateur / Olympic) sports too… because there is life after a competitive sporting career!

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

[hockeygod]

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.

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

[hockeygod]

Preds face painful reality of being a small-market, small-revenue NHL franchise

DAVID SHOALTS, The Globe and Mail, Jul. 19 2012

The reality of being a small-market, small-revenue NHL franchise clubbed the Nashville Predators over the head in the wee hours of Thursday morning.

No matter how carefully you spend your money, how carefully and how smart you draft and develop players, build hope in your fan base for better days ahead, sooner or later one of the big boys is simply going to reach over and grab your lunch.

It happened for the second time in two weeks in the early morning hours of Thursday when the Philadelphia Flyers signed superstar defenceman and restricted free agent Shea Weber to a 14-year offer sheet worth $110-million (all currency U.S.), according to a TSN report. This came on the heels of seeing Weber's defence partner, Ryan Suter, depart as a free agent to the Minnesota Wild for a 13-year, $98-million contract.

The Predators' Big Three will become the Big One unless Nashville general manager David Poile convinces his owners to match the Flyers' offer. He has seven days to do so but this will be difficult, as the offer supposedly has $68-million in signing bonuses in the first six years, a big swallow for a perpetually scuffling franchise like the Predators.

In a statement released by the Predators Thursday afternoon, Poile repeated an earlier assertion that he would match any offer sheet extended to Weber. But, he added, "due to the complexity of the offer sheet, we will take the appropriate time to review and evaluate it and all of its ramifications in order to make the best decision for the Predators in both the short and long-term." Poile said he will have no further comment until a decision is made within the next seven days.

It seems it was only a few weeks ago that Poile stood up proudly at a press conference and announced goaltender Pekka Rinne just signed a seven-year, $49-million contract. Poile followed that by saying he planned to keep Weber and Suter in the fold by signing them to similar contracts.

This raised a number of eyebrows, given the Predators' commitment to building through player development rather than big spending because the owners do not have deep pockets. But Poile seemed sincere and he did try hard to keep Suter from leaving with what the player's agent called a substantial offer.

In the end, though, Suter's comments after he signed with the Wild made it look like he never intended to stay. And Poile's emotional reaction ("I will never, ever understand that.") underscored the frustration of all small-market operators in trying to compete with the big-money teams.

Now, less than two weeks later, Poile has the same old pain.

However, one way to look at this is Weber, 26, is making it easy for the Predators to keep him. By signing the Flyers' offer sheet, he created a contract for what he and his representative believe he is worth for the rest of his NHL career and all the Predators have to do to keep him is match it.

There is no doubt Poile wants to match it. He said one of the biggest regrets of his career as an NHL GM came in 1990 when he was running the Washington Capitals and let another superstar defenceman who was the prototype for Weber, Scott Stevens, depart through an offer sheet with the St. Louis Blues.

The fistful of first-round draft picks that came as compensation for losing Stevens never matched the departed star's value. If Weber leaves, the Predators can get four first-round picks in the NHL entry draft but that, too, is small beer for a defenceman who is among the best two or three at his trade. With Weber in the lineup as a way-more-than-adequate replacement for the concussed and aging Chris Pronger, the Flyers will finish high enough to leave Poile with four picks at the end of the first round.

But just as it is today, the Stevens decision was not in Poile's hands. Abe Pollin, who owned the Capitals at the time, did not want to pay Stevens the big money. The Predators owners may want to pay Weber but the question is whether they can. We will find out in seven days.

It can also be asked if Poile and his owners really want to match the offer. Another view, and the more likely one, is that by signing it Weber indicated he doesn't want to stay in Nashville. Weber's move indicates he knows the team will never move into the top echelon of contenders because it will never be able to afford the best talent.

This leaves the Predators facing another unpleasant reality. Just as the team seemed to be moving ahead as a playoff contender and the fans in another of the league`s non-traditional markets were responding, they were reminded the Predators are not a destination franchise for the best players.

On the Philadelphia side, the move is obviously one more effort by management to squeeze in one more rich, long-term contract on the chance such deals will be banned in the next collective agreement. It is also one more reminder hypocrisy comes easily to NHL owners.

Flyers chairman Ed Snider is an important member of the NHL`s bargaining team in the labour negotiations. This is the same group that presented the players with an offer last week that essentially said all of the economic fixes needed to shore up the small-revenue teams should come out of the players` pockets with about a 22-per-cent cut in their share of NHL revenue plus severe restrictions in their ability to sell their services on the open market.

This, of course, didn`t stop Snider from casually stepping on one of the poor relatives when he needed to replace Pronger.

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

[Author]

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