From The Rink: FanPosts

NHLPA votes to establish committees to review constitution and find new executive director

2009-11-12T21:58:29Z

The following is a press release from the NHLPA:

TORONTO (November 12, 2009) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) today announced that the NHLPA Executive Board has voted to establish two committees. The first committee will review the NHLPA’s constitution. The second committee will begin the search process for a new Executive Director.

The Executive Board, which is comprised of one Player Representative from each of the 30 NHL clubs, has appointed four NHLPA members to serve on the Constitution Committee: Steve Montador of the Buffalo Sabres, Dominic Moore of the Florida Panthers, Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins, and Marty Turco of the Dallas Stars. The Constitution Committee will review the terms and operation of the NHLPA constitution, and will report its recommendations back to the Executive Board.

A second committee will initiate the search process for a new NHLPA Executive Director. This Search Committee will develop and recommend appropriate criteria for the candidate search and, after consultation with the Executive Board, initiate the search process. The Search Committee will consist of up to five NHLPA members to be appointed by the Executive Board. The selection process is underway and the committee members will be named shortly.

After discussions with the NHLPA Executive Board, outgoing MLBPA Executive Director, Donald Fehr, offered to work with members of the Constitution and Search Committees. The Executive Board voted without objection to authorize the committees to work with Mr. Fehr, who has served as MLBPA Executive Director since December 1983.

Both committees will work concurrently with and have access to information from the recently formed NHLPA Review Committee.

Jhonas Enroth gets first career start in 4-2 loss

2009-11-08T03:39:08Z

With the Buffalo Sabres and the Boston Bruins playing each other, seeing the top two goaltenders for Team USA play against each other was a likely scenario, but instead both coaches played their backup. Due to an injury to Lalime, for Buffalo that meant starting Jhonas Enroth for the first time in his career.

This resulted in a 4-2 loss for Enroth, but he looked good in net. None of the goals against were due to mistakes on his part, and while allowing four against will never be outstanding he did rather well. He stopped at least three breakaway chances and quite honestly looked better than Patrick Lalime usually does.

A Double-Tiered NHL: How (and Why) It Could Work

2009-11-07T14:09:24Z

As an American, the most foreign part of international soccer isn't the game nor the players: it's the promotion/relegation system that means a team can, theoretically, be playing in the top division one season and be in the regional minor leagues in a decade (and vice-versa). In that system, it doesn't matter where a team plays or how big it's home market is, performance is the only yardstick. It's a scary thought to those of us used to the franchise system, to think that our respective teams not only wouldn't be playing for the big prize, but that it could be years or even decades until they were.

So, why then, would I ever in my right mind suggest that the NHL move to such a system?

Because, quite clearly now, the NHL is already in two tiers. It's plenty obvious that Phoenix, Columbus, Nashville, et. al. are not capable of competing with Philly, Montreal, etc. while still being financially viable. So, by separating the two groups out, the competition overall would improve, and both tiers would produce a more compelling product.

So, let's set up the system: as said, there would be two levels of NHL hockey. It'd be a good time to dip into some history - the top level could be the Prince of Wales Conference, and the lower level could be the Campbell Conference. Each tier would be divided then into East and West divisions - we'll call them the Adams and the Norris respectively for the Wales, and the Patrick and the Smythe respectively for the Campbell.

The major changes then come in the number of teams and how they are distributed: the league would expand to a total of 40 teams - 20 in each tier, 10 in each division. For the first year, the Wales contenders would be the top 10 in each existing conference, Eastern teams in the Adams, Western teams in the Norris. The Campbell teams would then be the bottom 5 in each existing conference, with 5 new expansion teams joining them. Based on the 08-09 season, this year would theoretically look like this:

Wales Conference

Adams Division: Boston, Washington, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Carolina, New York Rangers, Montreal, Florida, Buffalo

Norris Division: San Jose, Detroit, Vancouver, Chicago, Calgary, St. Louis, Columbus, Anaheim, Minnesota, Nashville

Campbell Conference

Patrick Division: Ottawa, Toronto, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, New York Islanders, Quebec City, Hartford, Norfolk, Cleveland, Indianapolis

Smythe Division: Edmonton, Dallas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Colorado, Winnipeg, Houston, Seattle, Kansas City, Las Vegas

After the first year, relegation/promotion are introduced. The bottom 2 in each Wales division are relegated (4 total), and the top 2 in each Campbell division are promoted. The Patrick would promote to the Adams, and the Smythe to the Norris. The key to all this is the salary cap levels: the Wales is higher than the Campbell. Say, $60m to $45m, or similar. This allows smaller teams to be competitive within their conference, while still at least breaking even.

At the end of the season the top 8 in each conference (4 from each division) have traditional, 7-game playoff series to determine the winner of the respective titles. By default, the Wales trophy becomes the primary NHL prize. But what of Lord Stanley? Simple - every year, at a neutral site, the Stanley Cup is awarded to the winner of a 4 team tournament, consisting of the playoff finalists from each conference. There's a round robin, with the best 2 records going to a 1 game playoff for the Cup. Sound familiar? Yep, it's effectively the Memorial Cup in the pro ranks.

Now, I know what you're saying to yourself. You're saying, Arenacale (which is a funny thing to say to yourself), doesn't that mean that the Cup can be won by even the bottom tier? And that, therefore, the system is pointless? Well, conceded, maybe a bit. I see benefits, however, to the Campbell teams: They still get to play for the Cup, which helps their marketing schemes and getting fans to care despite being in the lower tier, and the 2 teams that will play for it will both be in the Wales the next year, so they're effectively premiere league calibre at that point, anyhow. The other thing is, because of the lower salary cap, they're at a distinct disadvantage to the Wales teams, and that's just enough of an ice tilter to establish the Wales as the premiership.

There are still some negatives to the system: it would be difficult to avoid the gulf between the two leagues that has seemed to develop in UK soccer; the smaller market owners aren't going to like suddenly being second class citizens, and this would be devastating to the existing AHL system (although, they could always develop into a 3rd tier...). Also, I'm sure everyone is going to let me know about other problems below. But, think of the initial publicity bump the league would get from announcing this (guaranteed lead on SportsCenter, not to mention PTI and others), and the long term stability that could result for the currently struggling franchises. A healthy league, bringing competitive, entertaining, and financially sustanable hockey to the widest number of people in North America. Isn't that supposed to be the NHL's goal in the first place?

Ian Penny's letter to the NHLPA

2009-11-02T06:10:37Z

This was originally up at cbc.ca, but because it's apparently been removed, I'll post it in its entirety below.

This is a letter written by Ian Penny, former interim executive director of the NHLPA on October 23, 2009 to the organization's player executive board. It details reasons why he believes he was constructively dismissed by the NHLPA. It was obtained by CBCSports.ca

Executive Board Members: I am writing to the Board in my capacity as Interim Executive Director to share my concerns about a number of very troubling issues, including surveillance activities at the NHLPA office; the leaking of confidential information from Board meetings; fatal flaws with the review of operations; and my personal situation. I recognize that I am in a conflicted position when I comment on the review and some of the other office issues that concern me, but it remains my duty to advise the Board on these types of matters.

1. Poisonous Office Environment: In recent weeks, there have been a series of hostile and intimidating acts taken against members of the NHLPA staff. These acts are contrary to the legal obligation of the NHLPA to create a safe work environment that is free of harassment. Unfortunately, this obligation is not being fulfilled because of these acts, which include the following:

- Chris Chelios is using staff members inside the office to monitor the meetings and discussions of their fellow employees and report back to him on their activities

- Chelios has confronted multiple employees and interrogated them about why they were meeting with other staffers and what was said in their discussions

- The most recent example of this surveillance campaign occurred on Tuesday, when Chelios sent me the following text message while I was meeting with four other managers in a board room:

"Ian when you r done can you please call me and let me know what you 5 staff members are discussing with each other i would like to know being your guys Emplyer."

It is obvious based on this text message and other recent incidents that Chelios has staff members spying on their colleagues so that he can intimidate and harass the targeted staffers. This completely inappropriate conduct has created a hostile, fractured and distrustful work environment. It is the type of environment that exists in repressive, totalitarian regimes - not work places. It must stop immediately.

Chelios' suggestion that he is the employer and that he is entitled to engage in this form of harassment is simply wrong. No employer is entitled to intimidate employees in this manner. In addition, this view reflects a misunderstanding of the relationship between the Executive Board and the staff. There are over 700 NHLPA members who dictate the union's course through 30 Player Reps acting as a group. No single Player and no single Player Rep directs the day to day management of the NHLPA or its staff. Not only would that be a recipe for chaos, it would allow a single Player to engage in activities that may create legal liability for the entire membership.

Because I am a target of Chelios' surveillance activities, I strongly recommend that the Board seek guidance from other counsel regarding the legal exposure that these activities may have created for the NHLPA.

2. Leaking of Internal Information: The hostile work environment that currently exists has been made significantly worse by the consistent leaking of information, including information from our recent Executive Board calls. Sensitive, confidential union information is appearing in the media within minutes of the meetings' conclusions. These leaks have resulted in a siege mentality among staff and have created the perception that we are an ineffectual organization that is incapable of governing itself. The NHLPA and the Board owe a duty to maintain the confidentiality of the matters discussed in Board meetings and they also owe a duty of confidentiality to staff. Now that the Board has authorized a review of operations, this practice of leaking information significantly raises the risk of legal exposure for the NHLPA. As I discuss more below, it will be the Board's responsibility to make sure that appropriate steps are taken to prevent the release of confidential information relating to the review.

3. Review of Operations: Consistent with my fiduciary duty to the Board, I am compelled to advise you that the review of operations is fatally flawed as it is currently designed. The key flaw is the well-established bias of Chris Chelios - one of the four committee members conducting the review. That bias is demonstrated by the following:

- In a conversation several weeks ago Chelios urged me to tear up my contract extension and then threatened me by claiming that I would not survive a review. This indicates that he has prejudged the matter and will not approach a review with the necessary balance and objectivity.

- As discussed above, Chelios has demonstrated his bias and hostility towards me and other staff by engaging in the surveillance of our activities at the office.

- During the September 28 and October 4 Board calls Chelios made false and misleading statements about my compensation history and my record. These statements, which Chelios admitted making, not only showed his personal bias, but created a false sense of distrust among other Board members and Players that prevents them from approaching a review with an open mind. This manufactured distrust also led to the improper reduction of my role in union affairs.

- Chelios has communicated with a number of Certified Agents in developing the presentations to Board members that have portrayed me in a negative light. Chelios' statement on Thursday that the review committee may seek assistance from Agents creates the appearance that the review will be dominated by individuals harbouring an improper bias.

- Following Paul Kelly's termination and prior to the Board's approval of the review, Chelios engaged in an unauthorized, personal investigation of my conduct during which he solicited negative information about me from staff and others. These efforts demonstrate a substantial, pre-existing bias towards me.

- Shortly after Paul Kelly's termination, Chelios and several other Board members received a written communication from Kelly encouraging him to investigate me and other staff. Since that time Chelios has continued to communicate with Kelly. These contacts create the appearance that the review is being coordinated with Kelly and that the review will target certain staff, while steering clear of Kelly's conduct and the conduct of his allies. That appearance was reinforced when Kelly recently offered public praise for the creation of the review committee and when Glenn Healy stated on the radio Wednesday that Players on the review committee want to bring Kelly back to the NHLPA (see summary of radio interview below).

Because of these significant flaws, the results of the review will be placed in doubt and the Board will be prevented from taking effective action.

The Board should also be concerned with the possibility that the review will result in breaches of privacy that would violate applicable privacy legislation. This concern should be heightened in light of Chelios' recent statement that he may involve Agents and individuals from other sports in the review process. To guard against privacy violations and to comply with the duty of good faith owed to staff, the Board needs to have effective controls in place to insure that information is not accessed by unauthorized individuals or otherwise leaked.

Given all of these circumstances, I recommend that the Board retain an independent, objective professional to conduct the review and that Chris Chelios have no further involvement. If those steps were taken, I would welcome the review and the opportunity to work with the independent professional in reaching a fair and balanced assessment based on all of the evidence.

Due to the fact that I am in a conflicted position in rendering this advice, I further recommend that the Board seek advice from other legal counsel. This advice should address whether the review committee is properly constituted given the strong appearance of bias and whether the review will allow the Board to meet its legal obligations with respect to privacy, confidentiality and good faith.

4. Ian Penny: Based on the actions that have been taken to date with respect to my employment, including the ongoing surveillance of my activities at the office and the reduction of my role through the circulation of false information, it is my view that I have been constructively dismissed by the union. However, what is more important to me is that it has simply become impossible to work for the Players in the environment that has been created. It is also unfair to the hard-working, dedicated staff of the NHLPA to have my untenable situation negatively impact them in any way.

Due to this unacceptable work environment, I am prepared to resign from the NHLPA subject to certain reasonable conditions being met. At the present time there is no person with whom I can discuss the situation. I therefore recommend that the Board appoint counsel who can handle such a discussion. If you appoint a representative, I will appoint someone to represent my interests. If an amicable resolution cannot be worked out, I will consult my representative about next steps.

In the meantime I intend to continue to perform my duties on behalf of the NHLPA. However, I will not respond to Chris Chelios' demands for information about my meetings and discussions with staff unless directed to do so by the Executive Board.

For those who want to believe that this memorandum is an attempt to undermine or avoid the review process, I suspect they cannot be convinced otherwise. The truth of the matter is that I would have no difficulty being held accountable in an environment where a fair and balanced assessment can be made. Unfortunately, that environment does not exist. This is due to the steady campaign of misrepresentations that has impaired the trust that needs to exist between me and the membership.

Please give these matters your prompt attention.

In solidarity,

Ian

For those who really, really like SBN Hockey blogs

2009-10-30T05:16:10Z

Take the quiz and see how well you know our blogs.

Thanks to Chris for putting this thing together (and having too much time on his hands). Let me know how you scored below.

What constitutes goaltender interference these days?

2009-10-29T16:33:22Z

To break from our favorite topic of predicting the demise of the upstart Avs for a bit here, I have witnessed a disturbing trend in this year's games of goalies getting run, tackled, backed into, pushed into the net, hacked with sticks, guys standing with both feet in their crease butt to mask .... all without any calls of goaltender interference. I'm actually starting to miss the "in the crease" rule.

Is it just me or are the refs just not calling goaltender interference this season? Seems like a very dangerous development. Does anyone think it is some sort of edict from the NHL front office to try to increase scoring?

What constitutes a clean hit?

2009-10-26T16:49:52Z

In the past week all hockey fans have witnessed some of the most brutalizing and consequential hits seen in a while. Was Tuomo Ruutu's hit on Darcy Tucker over the line? Sure but was it any different than the hit David Booth received from Mike Richards? How about Willie Mitchell's hit on Jonathan Toews? We all agree that as hockey fans we love the open-ice hit as it brings a sense of excitement to the game but at what price? What constitutes going to far?

Remember Brian Campbel's hit on R.J. Umberger? Niklas Kronwall's hit on Martin Havlat? Both hits were deemed clean but both victim's were left unconscious on the ice all the while a meley broke out around them that could've made things a whole lot worse. Which begs the question should a suicide pass lead to such a destructive hit?
What about Chris Neil's hit on Chris Drury? Was that going to far? That was also deemed clean however that hit ultimately led to a line brawl on the next shift. Should a player when admiring a pass deserve to be knocked unconscious?

The debate is at what point will there be a line drawn on whether or not a hit is not longer deemed legal. There are way too many hits occuring in the NHL that are going beyond the boundries of the game and there has to be a time where "it's part of the game" shtick is no longer acceptable. Concussions are becoming a major epidemic in the game and if the NHL continues to turn a blind-eye to this situation it may lead to a catastrophic result-death. Do we have to wait until something like this happens or wait until it happens to Sydney Crosby? Either way something needs to be done for as of right now nothing is being done and that's the worst thing possible. It won't get any better by just closing their eyes and hoping it will go away.

Some Facts on Arena Readiness and New Markets

2009-10-19T08:31:18Z

There's been a lot of discussion here at From The Rink lately concerning expansion/relocation and possible arenas for NHL use. However, few arenas/locations that have been tossed around are checked against the following criteria:

1.) Is there a current arena ready for use?
-This is important to note. No matter the passion or fanbase in a given area, there must be up-to-date facilities for any NHL-caliber club to use should an owner expect a market to be viable and profitable. Given the trickiness of public funding for sports facilities, nothing is guaranteed (if you think otherwise, I'd suggest a case study of the 1976 Winter Olympics that were supposed to be held in Denver).

2.) Does the arena in this location have a suitable capacity *for hockey*?
-As some of you have noted, many people seem to be looking at a map of current/past NBA locations and throwing darts. What people forget (and Phoenix is a good example of this, given their original arena) is that not all arenas that have a high capacity for basketball can be configured in a manner that produces a high enough capacity for hockey to meet NHL standards. Conseco Fieldhouse (in Indianapolis), for example, loses nearly 4,000 seats in its configuration for hockey, which is about 2,000-2,500 more than most arenas lose between set-ups (in Toronto, the Air Canada Centre only loses 1,000 seats when crossing from basketball to hockey).

3.) Was the arena constructed or significantly renovated in the past 20 years?
-An arena should have been constructed or renovated in the past 10-15 at the latest, given the many changes that have been applied to arena architecture in the most recent building boom. Ideally, the arena will have been built in the past 10 years (or under construction now) to ensure it doesn't become outdated quickly.

Now, after using just those 3 criteria, I was able to run through the 29 largest U.S and 3 largest Canadian markets without NHL clubs, and narrow the list of NHL-ready arenas down to the following:

Houston
Portland
Cleveland
Orlando (arena under construction)
Kansas City
Oklahoma City

Now, James and many others have suggested that non-hockey-crazed American markets should ideally have a metropolitan area of at least 2 million to support a hockey club. Myself and a few others have argued that market saturation is also a critical element, as there are only so many entertainment dollars to go around. As such, sometimes smaller markets can support a team if it's not trying to support many (or any) others, and larger markets sometimes can support many, many teams (such as New York or Los Angeles) due to their massive size. To put this argument in terms of the '2 million' figure, Cleveland, for example, has over 2 million people, but is still about 450,000 people smaller than Denver, which is the smallest metropolitan area to have a team in all 4 'major' North American sports leagues. Notably, Denver also has an MLS team and numerous outdoor opportunities to distract, so it's probably safe to say that any area smaller than Denver shouldn't have a team in each major sport. As such, I'd subtract Cleveland from that discussion. Comparatively, Portland has about 150,000 people more than Cleveland (and is still roughly 300,000 people smaller than Denver), but only has 1 'major' sports team - the Trail Blazers - with an MLS team on the way. Without a team in the NFL or MLB, Portland is a much more viable market than Cleveland, despite similarly-sized metropolitan areas. It's also worth noticing that Portland is growing at a decent clip, with 14.5% growth between 2000 and 2008, which is above average.

Obviously, these factors aren't limited to their ability to host teams in the 'major' (NHL, NBA, MLB, NFL) sports - Miami is the 7th largest metropolitan area in the U.S./Canada, but has trouble drawing fans in anything that's not the Dolphins, a fact perhaps attributed to the South Beach lifestyle. Las Vegas is under the heralded '2 million' mark, but just barely. In fact, it is the first metropolitan area under this mark, and will likely surpass the 2 million mark in the next 5 years or so, growing at a 35.6% clip in 2008 before the economic turndown. It also doesn't have a major professional sports franchise, but it does have about a million other options for consumers to spend their disposable income on, not to mention it lacks an NHL-ready arena. This whole issue is an imperfect science, but the point is that many things aren't always immediately evident in looking at just arenas and population size. Some areas are major college football crazy (Austin), some places have major NASCAR events all over the calendar (Charlotte), and some places are just too dreamy (Miami, San Diego). Not that anyone's suggesting such places (and Miami, for example, already has the Panthers), but it's worth noting nevertheless.

As such, let's re-visit the markets that passed the first 3 criteria:

Houston: the 6th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. and Canada combined, Houston has a metro population of 5.728 million and an arena (the Toyota Center) built in 2003 with a hockey capacity of 17,800. There aren't a terrible number of non-sports distractions in this area, and only Texas A&M (which is a healthy drive away) has major college football nearby. The area is also incredibly wealthy and continues to grow. Sunbelt-haters will rip on me for it, but this is a solid, solid market if done right (worth saying given the Phoenix clusterf*ck).

Portland: Portland is the 7th-largest U.S./Canadian metropolitan area without an NHL team, and the 25th largest metropolitan area on the continent north of Mexico. It only has 1 'major' sports competitor for sporting dollars, but it's arena is already 14 years old. The Rose Garden was notably renovated in 2007, however, and it has a hockey capacity of 18,280. Yes, it doesn't have a deep hockey history, but it's still much larger than many markets where NHL hockey currently resides, and it doesn't have near as much competition as many of those markets. It's also a relatively wealthy area with crazy population growth. Portland would definitely be a wise place to look.

Cleveland: Cleveland fits the '2 million' mark, but just barely. It's also shrinking and has teams (unsuccessful ones, at that) in all 3 other 'major' sports. Sadly, Cleveland has also taken an economic beating in recent years, with the current recession falling particularly hard on the area. On a positive note, Quicken Loans Arena is one of the U.S.'s nicer arenas despite being built in 1994, and it had recent renovations in 2007. It's hockey capacity is 19,941, which is amazing, but unfortunately not enough to overcome Cleveland's shortfalls. As mentioned above, the area is smaller than Denver, which is currently the bar for 4-sport markets - a bar Cleveland, most likely, won't surpass.

Orlando: Orlando is a tricky market. It's getting ready to have a beautiful new arena, but it has entertainment options galore (admittedly, however, mostly for tourists). It's also very near the Tampa market, despite being a separate metropolitan area. Notably, Orlando only has 1 'major' sports franchise, but enthusiasm for even this team (the Magic) is tepid at times it isn't experiencing great success. Orlando is likely a great fall-back option for a re-location of the Lightning or Panthers, should that ever happen.

Kansas City: With all the press this market receives, it probably surprises some to learn the facts on KC. This area has just the 13th-largest metropolitan population without an NHL team, and is the last market to be over the '2 million' figure. It does have a beautiful arena (the Sprint Center), which holds 17,752 for hockey, but the pre-season draw was mild at best. I'm not terribly sure this market can handle 3 franchises, as it would be the smallest market attempting to do so (if you don't count Milwaukee and Green Bay as the same area, which the census bureau doesn't), but the area seems Hellbent on filling their white elephant of an arena somehow. Basketball seems like a much better fit for this area given the deep basketball tradition in the area (rock, chalk, Jayhawk), and maybe they can even have their Kings back (?). Currently, Cleveland is the smallest area to host 3 'major' sports teams, with Pittsburgh running second (again, without counting Milwaukee and Green Bay as one), and both of those areas are larger than KC.

Oklahoma City: No. No, no.... no. I don't even think Oklahoma City is kidding itself on this one. Despite steady population growth and a nice arena (that can hold 18,036 for hockey), OKC is still a green market for the 1 'major' team it does have. Nor does it have much of a hockey tradition. And, it would easily be the smallest market not hit by Hurricane Katrina to attempt to have 2 'major' teams. If you subtract New Orleans (and, I do), Milwaukee is the smallest metropolitan area with 2 'major' teams, and it has about 350,00 more people than OKC. As such, 1.5 million appears to be the threshold for 2 teams.

Notable things I found while researching this:
Denver is the smallest area with 4 'major' teams and has a metro pop. of 2.506 million.
Cleveland is the smallest area with 3 'major' teams and has a metro pop. of 2.088 million.
Milwaukee is the smallest area with 2 'major' teams and has a metro pop. of 1.549 million.
Perhaps a basic formula for team support in an area (other factors aside) is 500,000 + (500,000 x # of teams)?

Now, what does all this seem to prove? Basically, what James has been saying (in a roundabout way). Houston is currently the best market for an NHL team that doesn't already have one. As always, these things can't be decided by pure numbers. I certainly think a team in Southern Ontario would be a force to be reckoned with, but without an NHL-ready arena, this area can't honestly claim to be the best prepared (for now). Portland is also an important market to monitor, as it has incredible potential and continues to grow. Cleveland's at it's limit, and Orlando has a lot working against it due to extraneous factors (proximity to Tampa, entertainment options, being in Florida) despite a beautiful new arena on the way. Kansas City has a white elephant in its hands and egg on its face. I can only hope for its sake that it gets a basketball team. It can probably host a 3rd team (it's only marginally smaller than Cleveland, and KC's still growing), but I doubt a hockey team is more ideal than a basketball team. Oklahoma City? No.

But what about everywhere else? As you may recall, I said at the beginning that I looked at 29 U.S. markets and 3 Canadian markets at the start of my research. Well, I'd say they're all non-factors without an arena or a guarantee to build one. A lot of the places at the '2 million' mark don't have the plans or the desire to build a new arena, especially not for a hockey team. In my best estimation, I'd say Houston and Portland have the best shots inside the United States, with situations in Southern Ontario and possibly Quebec City worth monitoring in Canada. It's worth noting, however, that no matter how hockey-mad Quebec City is, it's still ultimately the 77th-largest metropolitan area in the United States and Canada combined. And no, I don't care to hear, "but... but... if you include X, X, and X nearby...." because you could do that with just about any metropolitan area. At the end of the day, Quebec City is slightly smaller than the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission (TX) metropolitan area, and slightly larger than the Greensboro, NC area. Haven't heard of those areas? That may be your sign.

This isn't to damn Quebec City. Nor is it to defend the Sunbelt (Houston) or the emerging (Portland) over the proven. Nor is it to damn or support Southern Ontario. Honestly, I think Southern Ontario's a non-issue without an arena and some sort of word on the resistance Toronto and Buffalo might be able to provide.

So, then what's the point? Basically, to give you something to think about. We can argue 'til the cows come home about the most viable markets for NHL teams, but having an actual NHL-ready arena and a sizeable population will always be important contributions to the discussion, as well other market factors (wealth, enthusiasm, saturation, etc.).

Donald Fehr to become the leader of the NHLPA?

2009-09-10T19:39:53Z

This from Darren Dreger from TSN this morning:

Donald Fehr's days as head of Major League Baseball's players' association are winding down.

Fehr announced his retirement in June after 25 years of service to the MLBPA.

Fehr is considered one of the most powerful men in professional sports, so it should come as no surprise the National Hockey League players association has reached out to him.

Fehr wouldn't comment on any discussions he's had with the NHLPA, nor would he discuss the potential of any future role he may have with the PA when recently contacted by TSN.

So is this good or bad for the NHL as the next CBA approaches? Interested to hear what everybody thinks.

Poll

What do think of the possibility of Donald Fehr becoming the new head boss for the Player's Union?

He's exactly what the NHLPA needs

8 votes

Good

4 votes

Bad

9 votes

Keep him away from the NHL

16 votes

37 votes | Poll has closed

30 Dirty Players in 30 Days.

2009-09-10T08:20:30Z

I have finished my 30 Dirty Players in 30 Days feature. Over the month of August, we featured the all-time dirtiest player from each NHL Team - From Anaheim to Washington.

The entire feature can be found here in my archives.

The list below is my ranking of the dirty players that we featured. Click on the player's name below to read his specific article.

1. NJD Claude Lemieux - Cheap hits, big turtles and justifies it with religion.

2. PHI Bobby Clarke - Canadian hockey's biggest embarrassment.

3. SJS Bryan Marchment - You can't you argue with his rap sheet.

4. PIT Ulf Samuelsson - Think Samuelsson's gone? Don't be so sure.

5. ANA Chris Pronger - Crosscheck, elbow, foot stomp, he does it all.

6. DAL Steve Ott - Voted dirtiest in the league by his peers. No argument here.

7. TOR Darcy Tucker - Watch your knees, here comes Crazy Tucker.

8. STL David Frost - Not a player, but wouldn't we all like to see him play just one game in Junior?

9. BOS Ken Linseman - He was "the Rat".

10. CGY Gary Suter - Mr. Career Ender

11. LAK Marty McSorley - Dirty players sometimes dress like enforcers.

12. NAS Jordin Tootoo - The heartwarming story is looks like it will have a dirty ending.

13. TAM Steve Downie - Was one of the leagues dirtiest even before his first NHL game.

14. NYI Chris Simon - A tortured soul that had to be on the list.

15. MON Chris Nilan - If you need an enforcer (or a free bathing suit), call "Knuckles" Nilan.

16. WAS Dale Hunter - one-dirtyplayer, two-dirtyplayer, three-dirtyplayer.

17. EDM Peter Pocklington - Your dad's name on the cup? Peter, come on.

18. CHI Bobby Hull - Nice guy on the ice. Too bad his wife didn't play hockey.

19. OTT Jarkko Ruuto - "Who me?"

20. NYR Sean Avery - This agitator plays "sloppy seconds" to no one.

21. DET Chris Chelios - Dirty old man?

22. VAN Todd Bertuzzi - In this case, one cheapshot does make you a dirty player.

23. MIN Derek Boogard - This enforcer's dirtiest play is spawning his trade.

24. COL Krzysztof Oliwa - Is dirty the same as really, really mean?

25. PHO Tyson Nash - Dirty player, bad hair.

26. ATL Eric Boulton - Makes the list because there was no one else on Atlanta.

27. CAR Jesse Boulerice - He's played for many teams, but I stuck Carolina with him.

28. BUF Brad May - "It will be good when we get him." Hmm, maybe not so much.

29. FLA Brian McCabe - This "Flying Ass" was the inventor of the "Can Opener".

30.COL Steve Moore - Of course he didn't deserve it, but his hit on Naslund was dirty.

Russia: The New Land of the Free for Hockey Players?

2009-09-09T10:35:00Z

Russia: The New Land of the Free for Hockey Players?
By, Brendan McIntyre

The year was 1980 and the United States had just beaten the Soviet Union to win the Olympic gold medal in one of the biggest upsets in sports history. All hockey fans know the story. The underdog group of young Americans managed to beat the powerful, skilled, and experienced Soviets, thought to be a team destined to win gold.

1980 was also the year that free-market capitalist Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States. Throughout the 80’s, Reagan worked to set the United States on course to some of the most prolific years in our nations’ history through tax cuts and an overall reduction in the size and control of government. In sharp contrast, the 80’s were dark years in Russia’s history. The Soviet Union, as it was known then, faced a stagnant economy and steep unemployment, leading the near bankrupt government to raise tax rates in an attempt to keep itself afloat, only to collapse in 1991.

Throughout that time, the NHL was experiencing a "European Invasion" of young, fresh, highly-skilled, motivated players. The athletes came to the North America from the Soviet Union, Czech Republic, Germany, and other European nations to not only play hockey in the most notable league in the world, but in many situations, they came to avoid oppression from their governments, to safely make a living for their families, and exploit their God-given talents.

Now, just 30 years later, a role-reversal is beginning to occur. Talent is beginning to leave North America, finding home in a league operated under a government that once drove players from their own nation to North America’s hockey league, the NHL. A new Russian-based hockey league was created in the post-Soviet Union nations in the fall of 2008, the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The league has attracted some fine talent, including youngsters trying to break into the NHL as well as former stars trying to regain some of their past glory. But this is not the only caliber of player moving to Russia to play in the KHL.

Some of the world’s top Russian talent has been leaving the NHL to play in the KHL, despite having many years to play in their careers which could have been spent in the NHL. The players include Sergei Fedorov, Sergei Zubov, Dmitri Kalinin, Viktor Kozlov, and Alexei Zhitnik. These departures are not surprising to most though, because of the opportunity for Russian players to return to their own nations to earn similar salaries they could abroad.

But the most shocking part of the story is the growing list of big name former NHL stars that have signed contracts to play in the KHL despite not being Russian nationals. Notable names include superstar Jaromir Jagr (Czechoslovakian), Jiri Hudler (Czechoslovakian), Jozef Stumpel (Slovakian), Bryan Berard (American), Trevor Letowski (Canadian), Richard Zednik (Slovakia), Radek Bonk (Czechoslovakian), and tough-guy Chris Simon (Canadian).

What could have drawn such a big number of high caliber former NHL players from around the world to a newly established league? Especially considering the number of players complaining of poor playing conditions and traveling arrangements, difficulty adjusting to a new Russian culture and language, and rumors of payment problems on top of requirements that Russian teams have a maximum of five non-Russian players? Why would any player suffer through conditions in the KHL when the hallowed NHL still has room for players like Jagr and Federov? The answer is of course, is money.

Many former NHL players are transferring to the KHL for lucrative, big dollar contracts, bringing instant recognition and publicity to the new league. Many NHL supporters are not concerned about this sudden drain, believing that the problem will balance itself out. They feel that such a young league can not continue to outspend a better established, better organized, higher quality, and better marketed league. The thought is that the KHL will either go bankrupt, or will have to choose between a rock and a hard place: either spending all of their money on a few high caliber players or spending their money prudently by creating a more balanced team, made up of players that can’t make the NHL. These are all good points, but the overarching problem is not that simple.

A major factor that NHL supporters who dismiss this seemingly temporary shift in the tide have been neglecting is the government and its role in the United States. The Russian government has learned many valuable economic lessons from the fall of the Soviet Union, including the need to maintain low tax rates in order to promote long-term economic growth. In response to the same set of events, the United States government has slowly made our nation less competitive in the global marketplace by maintaining high business and individual tax rates, in turn dramatically affecting all parts of the economy, now including the NHL and its stars.

The top Federal Income Tax Rate in the United States in 2009 is 35%, beginning at $372,950 of income (when filing as "married filed jointly", "single", or "head of household") or $186,475 of income (when filing as "married filed separately"). The NHL collective bargaining agreement has the minimum salary for NHL players for the 2009-2010 season at $500,000, so every player in the NHL will be subject to the 35% Federal Income Tax. On top of this, states like NY and California charge another 10% on top of the federal rate, with even some cities (like New York City) having further income taxes.

In contrast, after Russia’s 2001 Tax Reform, the Federal Income Tax Rate for 2009 is 13% for an individual that is a Russian resident. 13% across the board, flat tax rate, no matter how much you make. Non-resident Russians are taxed at a Federal Income Tax Rate of 30%, still lower than the top American tax burden.

The difference between the two tax rates is astonishing when applied to hockey players’ salaries. Jaromir Jagr is reportedly making US$10 million annually in the KHL. After taxes, he will be charged US$1.3 million dollars annually in tax. If playing in the NHL under the same salary, Jagr would be charged at least an additional US$1.7 million in tax, plus additional income taxes from his state and/or city. Where would you play? Could you deal with a slightly less luxurious locker room or hotel room over the course of a season for at least an additional US$1.7 million dollars? The reality is that many NHL players, all of whom have limited careers, would take the tradeoff to make the jump to the KHL.

You are likely used to seeing franchises deal with tax implications by doing things like shopping around for the best location for their stadiums based on tax breaks and the like. Unfortunately, the tax burden on players is a heavy one that isn’t possible to avoid. A new factor in top hockey players’ decision-matrix about to where to play is now what the nations’ tax policies are and how they will affect that all-star’s income.

As for the leagues themselves, although the NHL is not to be operated for profit, it is subject to the United States Federal Corporate Tax Rate of 35%, lowered to that rate by Ronald Reagan in the 80’s and remaining unchanged since, despite nations around the world seeing the advantages of low corporate tax rates. On top of the federal rate, the NHL, LP is registered in my home state, New York State, a state which since 1977 has had the dubious distinction of having the highest or second highest state/local corporate tax burden in the nation. While in sharp contrast, the KHL is subject to the standard Russian Corporate Profit Tax in 2009 of 20% and local tax rates based on property ownership. Companies also may pay a 9% tax on dividend income.

Over the years, Americans have been getting used to seeing the best players in the world and with good reason, as we pay a high premium for our entertainment. But seeing the best players in the world play hockey is an even higher priority for Russians. As the Russian economy continues to grow and high tax rates continue to put the NHL and its teams at a competitive disadvantage, NHL players will continue to realize a greater draw to play in the KHL. As a result, National Hockey League fans are in jeopardy of losing the best players in the world to leagues that can better compete in the global marketplace for players because of their nations’ lower tax rates.

So yes, politics is now involved in every aspect of our lives, but if you care about the NHL or your franchise, you’ll begin to get involved in politics to work to keep the top players here in the NHL. The same problem will also occur in other sports, as various leagues around the world begin to take advantage of their built-in government benefit of a hospitable money-making climate for businesses and individuals. From MLB players heading to leagues in Japan (federal individual tax rate of 5% lower than in the US) to soccer leagues keeping the majority of stars in European leagues (Germany: 19% lower federal income tax rate, UK: 7% lower, Spain: 5% lower), American sports leagues need the federal government to lower income tax rates to have a chance at competing in the global marketplace. As the world continues "to shrink", it becomes more and more essential to maintain low income tax rates to attract the best talent. If the government fails to make significant changes, the departure of top quality players from the NHL will continue to happen until none are left.

Copyright ©2009 Brendan McIntyre. All rights reserved.

Ted Lindsay has harsh words for NHLPA

2009-09-03T22:09:12Z

Since the first couple of posts aren't about NHLPA right now and no-one has mentioned this in previous comments, I figured this warrants a fanpost just for visibility for whoever's interested.

Seeing that it isn't on the TSN front page, someone may have missed this article.

Notably, Ted Lindsay called this "the biggest scam job, execution, that I've ever seen in my life", among other nice quotes of the same sort and comparing the ousters to Alan Eagleson. These are pretty big words from someone who has an immense role in the history of the Union and, notably, was there for the meetings and listened to the discussions.

If this whole thing smelled fishy before, this sure as hell doesn't help.

The Myth of the "NHL Arena" Argument

2009-08-22T23:38:03Z

via upload.wikimedia.org

As to be expected, the Coyotapocalypse has sparked much talk about relocation and potential markets for NHL franchises. Everyone is chiming in with their favorite "city or region without a team that should get a team" (Hamilton! KC! Winnipeg! Hartford! Seattle! Quebec! Whitehorse!) , and the bickering about the most deserving has settled into three basic tracks - market size, potential love for major league hockey, and whether or not the market has an "NHL caliber arena". The first is a sheer numbers argument, and the second has no quantifiable means of measurement. The third, however, should be pretty easy to suss out. That is, as long as what constitutes a "NHL arena" has been defined, and whether one is really needed initially - and I'm not sure on either yet.

What got me thinking about this was a commenter on Puck Daddy suggesting that the Coyotes move to Milwaukee, however unlikely such an idea might be, and use the University of Wisconsin Madison's Kohl Center as a temporary solution until a full NHL arena was built in the big city. According to Wikipedia, the capacity listed for that venue (for hockey) is 15,237, and as that's well less than the roughly 18,000 magic number being thrown around for a potential NHL venue, so I dismissed the idea. But then, I took a look at the photo in the article:

via upload.wikimedia.org

Does that look any less like an NHL rink than any arenas the league currently uses? It has 2 levels of suites, 3 levels of seating, and a modern jumbotron scoreboard, just like the big boys. As it's a college venue, it would only be a stop-gap, but it wouldn't look so out of place. This led me to question why a city needs a 17,000 seat arena right now to get a team.

The general consensus is that the most NHL-ready arena in the US or Canada is currently Kansas City's Sprint Center, an 18,555 seat gleaming new venue. It has all the amenities and wouldn't require much work at all to host a team long-term. Thus, KC jumps to the top of the list. Jim Balsillie's current Hamilton plan involves playing in the 17,500 Copps Coliseum; but as it stands, the Copps is an outdated relic, the last of the pre-Palace of Auburn Hills major arenas built. It will likely take several years to convert it into the modern facility a team would need long-term, especially considering any work would need to take place in the short offseason. Still, the capacity would seem to make it a front runner, even in a temporary facility sense.

Meanwhile, both sit empty. Both were built to entice the NHL to either expand or relocate franchises, and neither has happened. Such is the risk of building a major league arena without a team signed on to play there. It's worked in some places - Nashville, for example - but Oklahoma City's venue took essentially an act of thievery to bring the NBA there. With no guarantee of a team, most cities won't build new arenas...and with no new arena, most cities won't get teams. It becomes a circle of status quo.

But it wasn't always that way. Back in the early 1990s, when the NHL was busy growing it's league divisions at a time, teams were often born without arenas ready, leading them to debut in venues that, while being only temporary homes, were still not places you'd expect to find a major league franchise. The San Jose Sharks came into being in San Fransisco, in the small (and old) Cow Palace, while the Senators first apartment was the bizzare half-NHL/half-OHL Ottawa Civic Center. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, played out of a baseball stadium converted to a hockey rink that has since returned to being a baseball stadium. Granted, the mid-90s brought new teams largely to existing NBA arenas that were reconfigured to hold hockey, and the latest round of expansion resulted in entirely new facilities. But, in the Coyotes situation, if someone was willing to take an initial loss to have the team play in a smaller facility temporarily while a new one was built, why should the NHL stop them?

In some sense, it might actually be better for such a situation to occur. As a new team is trying to gain traction in the market, a slightly smaller (around 15,000 seats) venue would be easier to sell out, and provide a better atmosphere for those getting their first taste of the professional game. Also, those sellouts are great for PR. It didn't look good on Peter Karmanos to have thousands of empty when the Hurricanes played in the cavernous Greensboro Coliseum the first few years in Carolina.

Again, this only goes for temporary homes, while larger arenas are constructed. Let's take a few examples. No one would mistake Hartford's much-maligned XL (nee Civic) Center for a long-term NHL rink. It's too cramped, has too few amenities, and not enough suites. But, at only 600 seats lower capacity than the existing Nassau Coliseum, would it look so out of place for 2 or 3 years? Seattle's KeyArena has only 15,000 seats for hockey, and just wouldn't fit the bill as a permanent solution, but it'd certainly keep a team afloat while a new venue was built. And, the MTS Centre in Winnipeg would be more than adequate while awaiting a renovation.

There are, of course, other issues with those markets getting teams. That brings me back to the Coyotes, though. To say that KC and Hamilton are the sole candidates for relocation based on their arenas isn't quite a convincing argument to me, and I believe that existing arenas shouldn't be as much of a factor in any relocation or expansion discussion. Market size and potential should still be the primary metrics. If the NHL or a franchise owner were to come to a city and say, "We're going to put team here," most places would trip over themselves to get an arena built somehow. As long as an available interim space is moderately sized and near the core of the market, a new/relocated team should be in good standing short-term.

Proof positive that they don't make 'em as tough as they used to

2009-08-21T15:55:43Z

http://www.vancouversun.com/Legendary+hockey+coach+Ernie+Punch+McLean+found+alive+northern/1914195/story.html

Legendary former WHL Coach Ernie "Punch" McLean was found after spending four days without food in the mountianous terrain of northern British Columbia. Upon a medical examination, the 77 year old was deemed to be in good health and quickly released. It's not McLean's first close call, as he once survived a plane crash in the middle of winter in northern Saskatchewan. Another time, he got run over by a bulldozer. This time, however, he not only survived a fall into a crevasse, but he got out of it, and started walking around, only to get lost. Did I mention he's 77?

Obviously the man had a lot of success as a coach with New Westminster, winning back-to-back Memorial Cups in the 1970s. But could you imagine playing for this guy? I'd imagine his teams were ridiculously tough, as no scrawny teenager could dare challenge him.

Although apparently his wife will challenge him when he gets home: "When I see him, I'm going to smack him."

Great story.

Trade: Lightning acquire Miller from Ducks for Artyukhin

2009-08-13T20:42:27Z

Press release:

The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired left wing Drew Miller and a third-round draft choice in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for right wing Evgeny Artyukhin today, Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced.

"In acquiring Drew Miller today, we were able to add a character individual, a versatile player with good size and the ability to kill penalties," said Lawton upon making the announcement. "Drew finished the season nicely in Anaheim a year ago and he has played well for the Ducks in the postseason over his career. We'd like to thank Evgeny for his hard work in Tampa Bay and his diligence to improve as a player. We wish him all the best moving forward."

Miller, 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, has played in 53 NHL games in his career, all with the Ducks. He has recorded six goals and 15 points in those games. Miller made his NHL regular season debut on October 6, 2007 and netted his first NHL goal on October 17, 2007. He has played in 16 career Stanley Cup Playoff games with Anaheim, recording two goals and three points. He made his playoff debut in the 2007 NHL Playoffs, including Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals against Ottawa as Anaheim went on to win the Stanley Cup.

A native of Dover, New Jersey, Miller played in 27 games with the Ducks in 2008-09, recording four goals and 10 points. He appeared in a career high 13 playoff games, recording two goals and three points. He also spent 53 games with the Iowa Chops of the American Hockey League, recording 23 goals and 38 points. He was tied for the team lead in goals and was fourth in points.

Miller has played in 163 career AHL games with Iowa and the Portland Pirates, recording 55 goals and 110 points. In 2007-08 he helped Portland to the Eastern Conference Finals by registering a goal and eight points in 16 games. Miller made his professional hockey debut with the Pirates in 2006-07, finishing tied for first on the team in rookie scoring and tied for third in overall scoring.

The 25-year-old played his college hockey at Michigan State University, where he was the 10th member of his family to play for the Spartans, including brother Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres. He amassed 39 goals and 86 points in 125 career games with the Spartans. Miller served as team captain during his junior year while leading the club in scoring with 18 goals and 43 points. He was also named Michigan State's Most Valuable Player and was honored as the CCHA's Best Defensive Forward. He was recognized as the CCHA's 2006 Illitch Humanitarian Award winner and was nominated for the Hockey Humanitarian Award in 2005 and 2006.

How do you see the Coyotes saga playing out?

2009-08-06T20:28:39Z

We had our windup BBQ last night for my summer league baseball team. Given yesterday's goings on in the Phoenix Coyotes saga, I was not at all surprised to find a long and involved conversation going on about the situation even though this was a gathering of baseball players (and families). What did surprise me is that the Rotary group in the next picnic area joined right in, so in the end we had about 70 people (some -- including my wife -- who do not follow NHL hockey) all championing one view or another.

Eventually our first baseman's daughter asked for predictions (and volunteered to record and tabulate them) of the outcome of the whole situation.

Here they are in no particular order. Vote for your favourite or check "none of the above" and put your prediction in the comments if none of these fit.

(There were other predictions -- two in particular were very funny -- but these got a minimum of 4 votes each.)

Poll

What's your scenario?

JB gets the Coyotes, has to stay in Phoenix this season.

19 votes

JB gets the Coyotes, is able to move to Hamilton this season.

4 votes

JB does not get the Coyotes.

9 votes

Coyotes stay in Phoenix for at least 5 years.

14 votes

GB retires for family/health reasons.

4 votes

GB forced to resign/BOG asks for his resignation.

1 votes

GB gone one way or the other, Daly is new commissioner.

0 votes

NHL operates team for this season regardless of court decision.

17 votes

NHL appeals if JB gets the Coyotes.

13 votes

JB does not appeal if he does not get the Coyotes.

0 votes

JR gets the Coyotes and stays in Phoenix for maximum of 5 years.

4 votes

Coyotes play either this season or next somewhere other than Phoenix or Hamilton.

2 votes

Combination of 2 of the above.

7 votes

Combination of more than 2 of the above.

9 votes

None of the above -- my prediction in the comments.

1 votes

104 votes | Poll has closed

Roenick retires from NHL

2009-08-06T18:19:04Z

From the San Jose Sharks:

San Jose Sharks forward Jeremy Roenick today formally announced his retirement from the game of hockey, following 20 remarkable seasons in the National Hockey League.

Roenick, 39, crafted a legacy as not only one of the best U.S.-born players to skate in the NHL but one of the all-time top players to ever play the game. He leaves ranked 36th on the NHL's all-time goals list with 513, 48th on the all-time assist list (703) and tied for 39th on the NHL's all-time points list (1,216). Among U.S.-born players, he's third in goals, points and sixth in assists. He also ranks fourth in all-time games played by a U.S.-born player.

"I am not only happy but proud of the 20-year career that I have had in the National Hockey League," said Roenick. "To end my career on my terms was very important to me and I must thank Doug Wilson and the San Jose Sharks organization for providing me that opportunity.

"I also want to thank all of the teams and players that I have been associated with for making my career much more exciting than I could have ever dreamt."

In his two seasons as a member of the San Jose Sharks organization, Roenick notched some of the most memorable milestones of his NHL career, including his unforgettable 500th NHL goal on Nov. 10, 2007 vs. Phoenix. He also skated in his 1,300th NHL game on Feb. 9, 2008 at Nashville, posted his 1,200th career point on March 28, 2008 at Anaheim and collected his 700th NHL assist on Feb. 21, 2009 vs. Atlanta.

In 2007-08, Roenick finished eighth on the team with 33 points (14-19=33) in 69 games. His 10 game-winning goals (2nd-NHL) and three shootout winners led the team and his combined 12 game-deciding goals led the League. He also authored a "Cinderella story"-like performance in Game Seven of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Calgary Flames. After sitting out Game Six, he dominated in the deciding game at HP Pavilion, netting four points (2-2=4) in one of the most inspiring performances in Sharks franchise history.

In 2008-09, Roenick suffered two separate shoulder injuries, allowing him to play in only 42 games on the Presidents' Trophy winning club, posting 13 points (4-9=13).

"Jeremy Roenick will be remembered as one of the most dynamic players to ever play in the NHL," said Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson. "The level of passion he brought to the ice in his final game was just as high as the first time he laced up his skates over 20 years ago. We thank him for his contributions to the San Jose Sharks organization on- and off-the-ice over the last two seasons and for all he has given to the game of hockey. I know he will be successful in whatever ventures he pursues in the future and am sure those ventures will be numerous."

The former first round selection of the Chicago Blackhawks in 1988 (8th overall) played in 1,363 NHL games with Chicago, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Jose, ranking 39th all-time on the NHL's games played list.

The nine-time NHL All-Star is the only player in League history to lead his team in goals, assists, points and penalty minutes in two different seasons (1999-00, 2000-01 with Phoenix).

In 154 Stanley Cup Playoff games, Roenick posted 122 points (53-69=122) and 115 penalty minutes. He appeared in the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals with Chicago.

In his six career Game Seven's in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Roenick has six goals, tying him for second-most in NHL history, along with Wayne Gretzky, Wendell Clark and Trevor Linden. Only Glenn Anderson (seven) has more.

Roenick also established a tremendous career representing Team USA on the International stage. He was a member of the U.S. teams at the 1998 and 2002 (silver medal) Olympic Games, 1992 Canada Cup, World Championships (1991, runner-up) and World Junior Championships (1988 and 1989).

The only thing that could match Roenick's appeal on the ice was his image off the ice. Known as one of the game's greatest ambassadors, Roenick is beloved by fans for his leave-it-all-on-the-ice mentality and his willingness to sign autographs or spend a few minutes chatting. Members of the media knew "JR" was their go-to guy win, lose or otherwise. Never one to shy away from speaking his mind, Roenick was one of the few NHL players to transcend their personality to mediums outside the hockey and sporting worlds, including pursuing an acting career, launching a successful fashion line, Muze Clothing, and his own website www.roenicklife.com

He was immortalized in the world of pop-culture in the 1996 movie "Swingers," which featured the character of Trent, played by Vince Vaughn, pummeling his friend at SEGA's NHL ‘94 video game, saying, "It's not even so much me as it is Roenick, he's good."

Roenick will be eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.

ROENICK'S MILESTONES:

First NHL game - Oct. 6, 1988 vs. New York Rangers (with Chicago)
First NHL goal - Feb. 14, 1989 at Minnesota (with Chicago - Kari Takko)
First NHL assist - Feb. 15, 1989 vs. Washington (with Chicago)
Most points, game - 5, 2 times, most recent - Feb. 24, 1994 vs. Winnipeg (with Chicago)
Most goals, game - 4, 2 times, most recent - Feb. 24, 1994 vs. Winnipeg (with Chicago)
Most assists, game - 4, 8 times, most recent - Dec. 19, 1997 at Anaheim (with Phoenix)
400th NHL goal - Feb. 23, 2001 at Buffalo (with Phoenix)
500th NHL goal - Nov. 10, 2007 vs. Phoenix (with San Jose)
700th NHL assist - Feb. 21, 2009 vs. Atlanta (with San Jose)
500th NHL point - Jan. 1, 1995 vs. Los Angeles (with Chicago)
1,000th NHL point - Jan. 30, 2002 at Ottawa (with Philadelphia)
1,200th NHL point - March 28, 2008 at Anaheim (with San Jose)
500th NHL game - Jan. 6, 1996 at Detroit (with Chicago)
1,000th NHL game - Nov. 16, 2002 vs. Boston (with Philadelphia)
1,300th NHL game - Feb. 9, 2008 vs. Nashville (with San Jose)
Hat Tricks - 10, most recent - Dec. 30, 2006 vs. San Jose (with Phoenix)
Most consecutive games played - 327, Dec. 15, 1990 thru April 2, 1995
NHL All-Star Games - 9 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004)
World Junior Championships - United States (1988, 1989)
World Championships - United States (1991)
Canada Cup - United States (1992)
Olympics - United States (2002, 1998)

Players with 500+ Goals & 700+ Assists

(Retired or Currently Not in NHL)

Goals Assists

Wayne Gretzky 894 1,963

Gordie Howe 801 1,049

Marcel Dionne 731 1,040

Phil Esposito 717 873

Mark Messier 694 1,193

Steve Yzerman 692 1,063

Mario Lemieux 690 1,033

Luc Robitaille 668 726

Jaromir Jagr 646 953

Joe Sakic 625 1,016

Jari Kurri 601 797

Guy Lafleur 560 793

John Bucyk 556 813

Ron Francis 549 1,249

Stan Mikita 541 926

Bryan Trottier 524 901

Dale Hawerchuk 518 891

Pierre Turgeon 515 812

Jeremy Roenick 513 703

Gil Perreault 512 814

Jean Beliveau 507 712

Active Players with 500+ Goals & 700+ Assists

Goals Assists

Mats Sundin 564 785

Mark Recchi 545 897

Mike Modano 543 786

US-BORN PLAYERS BY GOALS
Active Players In Italics
	PLAYER	GP	G	A	PTS
1	Mike Modano	1400	543	786	1329
2	Keith Tkachuk	1134	525	508	1033
3	Jeremy Roenick	1363	513	703	1216
4	Joe Mullen	1062	502	561	1063
5	Pat LaFontaine	865	468	545	1013
6	Tony Amonte	1174	416	484	900
7	Bill Guerin	1185	408	403	811
8	John LeClair	967	406	413	819
9	Eddie Olcyzk	1031	342	452	794
10	Scott Young	1181	342	415	757

US-BORN GAMES PLAYED
	Player	GP
1	Chris Chelios	1644
2	Phil Housley	1495
3	Mike Modano	1400
4	Jeremy Roenick	1363
5	Mathieu Schneider	1264
6	Craig Ludwig	1256
7	Brian Leetch	1205
8	Bill Guerin	1185
9	Doug Weight	1184
10	Scott Young	1181

Belfour named Blues goaltending consultant

2009-08-06T17:03:29Z

From the St. Louis Blues today:

St. Louis Blues President John Davidson announced today the club has named former NHL goaltender Ed Belfour as a goaltending consultant.

"Ed is one of the winningest goaltenders in National Hockey League history and we're thrilled to have him on our staff," said Davidson. "His knowledge of the position will be invaluable for our goaltenders in Peoria and our young goalies in our organization."

The two-time Vezina Trophy winner played 18 seasons in the NHL with Chicago, San Jose, Dallas, Toronto and Florida, backstopping 963 games, posting a 484-320-125 record, a 2.50 goals against average and 76 shutouts. He currently ranks third all-time among NHL goaltenders with 484 wins, tied for ninth with 76 shutouts and tied for fourth with 88 playoff wins.

The Carman, Manitoba native was signed by Chicago as a free agent on Sept. 25, 1987 and made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks on Oct. 18, 1988. During his first full NHL season with Chicago in 1990-91, he led all goaltenders in games played (74), wins (43), minutes played (4,127) and goals against average (2.47). For his efforts, he won the Calder Trophy as the League's Outstanding Rookie, the Vezina Trophy for the League Best Goaltender and the William M. Jennings Trophy for fewest goals against. In addition, he was nominated for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the League's Most Valuable Player.

Belfour appeared in three Stanley Cup Finals (1992 with Chicago, 1999 and 2000 with Dallas) and won the Stanley Cup in 1999. In his 18 seasons, he played in five All-Star Games (1992, 1993, 1996, 1998 and 1999), named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1991 and 1993, named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1995, named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1991, captured the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1991, the William M. Jennings Trophy in 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1999 and the Vezina Trophy in 1991 and 1993.

Prior to playing in the NHL, Belfour played one season with the University of North Dakota, helping the school win the NCAA Tournament in 1987 and was named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team and WCHA First All-Star Team.

Former Winnipeg Jets Defenseman Teppo Numminen Packs It In

2009-08-06T05:24:56Z

Former Winnipeg Jet, Teppo Numminen, Retires After Making It A Twenty-Year Career In The NHL

Thanks Teppo for your 8 wonderful years playing for the Jets in Winnipeg, you were such a dependable , durable, defenseman and yet so consistent in our back-end. You were such a smooth skater it was nice to see. You often led by example with your consistent hard work you did. Your exemplary attitude off and on the ice made you a fan favorite amongst us here in Winnipeg. I remember the '95-96 season you put up your best offensive numbers by scoring 11 goals and 43 helpers when you were playing in this city and twice led the team in plus/minus. And for awhile you were up for an iron man award, if there was such a thing for playing the most consecutive in the NHL.

Devils re-sign Shanahan

2009-08-05T18:46:27Z

Press release from the Devils:

The New Jersey Devils today re-signed forward Brendan Shanahan to a new contract. The announcement was made by Devils’ President/CEO/General Manager Lou Lamoriello. As per club policy, no further terms were disclosed.

"Brendan Shanahan is an experienced veteran who can play in all situations, and accepts any role to help the team win," said Lamoriello. "We are delighted to have him back."

Shanahan will enter his 22nd National Hockey League season in October, including his sixth season with the Devils. He re-joined the club last season after signing as a free agent on January 15, 2009. The three-time Stanley Cup Champion saw action in 34 regular-season games last season, recording six goals and eight assists for 14 points and 29 penalty minutes, and added one goal and two assists for three points and two penalty minutes in seven post-season contests. He has career totals of 656 goals and 698 assists for 1,354 points and 2,489 penalty minutes in 1,524 regular-season games with New Jersey, St. Louis, Hartford, Detroit, and the NY Rangers. Shanahan also has 60 goals and 74 assists for 134 points and 279 penalty minutes in 184 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances. He ranks 11th all-time in games played, first among active players/11th all-time in goals, tied for 49th all-time in assists, and second among active players/23rd overall in points. The 6-3, 220-lb. forward is a two-time 50-goal scorer, has reached the 40-goal mark six times, 30-goal mark 12 times, and has scored 20 goals on 19 occasions.

Shanahan has 94 goals and 134 assists for 228 points and 553 penalty minutes in 315 regular-season games with the Devils. He has also seen action in 32 playoff games with New Jersey, recording nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points and 78 penalty minutes. The native of Mimico, Ont. returned to the lineup on January 19 at Nashville, becoming the 17th player in team history to re-join the organization. At 6,504 days since his previous appearance March 31, 1991, he established an NHL record for the longest gap between regular-season games with one team. On February 11 vs. the NY Islanders, he became just the 12th player in NHL history to reach the 1,500 games-played mark. Shanahan has appeared in eight NHL All-Star Games and was named to the league’s First All-Star Team in 1994 and 2000, as well as its Second All-Star Team in 2002. He was the recipient of the 2003 King Clancy Memorial Trophy for leadership and humanitarian contributions. Born January 23, 1969, he represented Canada at the 1987 World Junior Championships, 1991 Canada Cup, two World Championships, the 1996 World Cup, and two Olympic Winter Games. He was New Jersey’s first choice and second overall selection in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft.