From The Rink: FanShots

It was really weird how it happened. We were maybe 15 games into the season, and they started...

2009-11-05T22:13:13Z

It was really weird how it happened. We were maybe 15 games into the season, and they started healthy scratching our captain last year. One day I came in for the game, and I had a 'K' on my jersey. I was like, "What the heck?" The coach came over to me and said "cap-tain," and everyone started clapping. And that was it.

— Former NHLer Kevin Dallman on life in the KHL

There was not a single person in sections 330 and 334 a few minutes into the game tonight. Not one....

2009-11-05T19:08:24Z

There was not a single person in sections 330 and 334 a few minutes into the game tonight. Not one. I think a couple souls showed up a while later and sat there, but that was…it.

You definitely did not dissuade critics who say Denver is just a bandwagon hockey town tonight, folks. The announced attendance was definitely not the actual number in the building either. I’d say the real number was about 8,500, maybe a bit less actually.

— Adrian Dater, All Things Avs

IIHF announces roster deadlines for Olympics

2009-11-04T18:17:17Z

IIHF announces roster deadlines for Olympics

On the following dates the teams will announce the names of 20 skaters and three goaltenders who will go to Vancouver. Teams are listed in alphabetical order:

Belarus: December 23
Canada: December 31
Czech Republic: December 30
Finland: December 30
Germany: December 30
Latvia: December 29
Norway: December 29
Russia: December 25
Switzerland: December 30
Slovakia: December 29
Sweden: December 27
USA: January 1 (during NHL Winter Classic)

NOTE: There will be no so called "taxi-squads" in Vancouver 2010. This means that injured players can not be replaced.

The NHL team theme song to end all theme songs

2009-11-03T23:47:47Z

The NHL team theme song to end all theme songs

This popped up on YouTube a few weeks back when Quebec fans were all giddy at the prospect of a new arena. It's horribly dated and very 80's, but I guarantee you'll be singing it in mangled pseudo-French tomorrow. You're welcome.

In Philadelphia, where a do-or-die game in the baseball World Series was about to start right...

2009-11-03T23:09:42Z

In Philadelphia, where a do-or-die game in the baseball World Series was about to start right across the parking lot, the Flyers sold 18,667 tickets, about 96 percent of capacity. (The Flyers game started at 5 p.m.; the baseball game at 8 p.m.) On Long Island, home to many fans of the New York Yankees, the other team in the World Series, 10,846 tickets were sold, or about 67 percent of capacity at Nassau Coliseum. (The Isles game started at 7 p.m.)

And then there was Phoenix, where the Coyotes were bought out of bankruptcy earlier in the day. An occasion for joy among local fans? Maybe, but only 5,855 tickets were sold for the game at Jobing.com Arena — a record low for the franchise, breaking the old mark of 6,495 set in the previous game.

— The New York Times

Based on the actions that have been taken to date with respect to my employment, including the...

2009-10-30T23:11:56Z

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.

— Ian Penny, former interim executive director of the NHLPA

NHLPA Leadership Shake-Up Part 2

2009-10-30T19:38:28Z

NHLPA Leadership Shake-Up Part 2

This is getting ugly....

"Poor Pat." Give me a freakin' break. I would agree to get kicked in the face once a month if I...

2009-10-30T14:04:26Z

"Poor Pat." Give me a freakin' break.

I would agree to get kicked in the face once a month if I could get back on the ice in the National Hockey League.

— For First Time, Dapuzzo Reveals Anguish, Depression After Skate Severs His Face

Toronto Argonaut co-owners Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon are considering making a bid for the...

2009-10-29T17:20:36Z

Toronto Argonaut co-owners Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon are considering making a bid for the Phoenix Coyotes and plan to meet city officials next week.

Sokolowski and Cynamon had been linked to Ice Edge Holdings, a group of eight Canadian and U.S. businessmen who have made a pitch for the club. But their involvement with Ice Edge ended several weeks ago, according to sources familiar with the bidding.

— Paul Waldie and Stephen Brunt, The Globe and Mail

It was announced today that Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby will carry the Olympic Torch in the V...

2009-10-27T15:40:53Z

It was announced today that Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby will carry the Olympic Torch in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay on November 18 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

"I am honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame in my home province of Nova Scotia," said Crosby. "The torch relay will pass through so many communities and hands on the way to Vancouver and I’m privileged to be part of that special group as the Olympic Flame makes its way to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games."

Crosby, originally from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, will be one of 12,000 torchbearers taking the Olympic Flame 45,000 kilometers across Canada.

>> team release

In a memo to the league's 30 player reps, Penny accused Chelios, a supporter of Kelly who tried to...

2009-10-26T18:36:03Z

In a memo to the league's 30 player reps, Penny accused Chelios, a supporter of Kelly who tried to stop the middle-of-the-night vote to oust Kelly, of using union staffers to spy on other union officials.

Penny wrote: "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."

— Scott Burnside, ESPN.com

The Penguins' Eric Godard has his costume picked out early.

2009-10-26T16:35:05Z

The Penguins' Eric Godard has his costume picked out early.

6:41 Total amount of time, in minutes and seconds, that Leafs have actually led in a hockey game...

2009-10-26T16:30:41Z

6:41

Total amount of time, in minutes and seconds, that Leafs have actually led in a hockey game this season.

— Toronto Sun

The Lightning's Martin St. Louis plays a little strip shootout.

2009-10-21T06:46:05Z

The Lightning's Martin St. Louis plays a little strip shootout.

"One of the great tragedies that happened over the summer with respect to the Coyotes and Hamilton...

2009-10-16T18:10:57Z

"One of the great tragedies that happened over the summer with respect to the Coyotes and Hamilton and, before that, with respect to the Predators and Hamilton, is that expectations were built up. I don't want to do that to people.

"The fact is, the lines of communications are open. We understand the possibilities but we're not in position to make any promises at this time other than: If we're going to be in a situation either by relocation or expansion where a franchise is a possibility, these are markets that are going to be looked at seriously."

— Commissioner Gary Bettman

"Well, I think it's absurd. This guy has coached over 1,000 games in the NHL. Did he suddenly...

2009-10-14T18:40:22Z

"Well, I think it's absurd. This guy has coached over 1,000 games in the NHL. Did he suddenly forget how to coach? I can tell you this, there will be numerous, multiple player changes before the coaching staff would even be looked at, let alone considered. The players are at fault here. We're not getting it done. It's not the coaching staff. It's the players not executing."

— Brian Burke on his coach, Ron Wilson

The Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bears announced today a historic partnership between the two...

2009-10-14T15:27:28Z

The Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bears announced today a historic partnership between the two franchises, marking the first of its kind between an Original Six National Hockey League team and a founding franchise of the National Football League.

The cross-branding promotional initiative includes commercials, representation inside the United Center and Soldier Field during home games for each team and a wealth of other activities. The five sets of commercials that will be released this fall feature one Blackhawks player and one Bears player, emphasizing the mutual support between each organization and the city of Chicago. Blackhawks Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Brent Seabrook and Brian Campbell will join forces with Bears Jay Cutler, Devin Hester, Robbie Gould, Lance Briggs and Greg Olsen in these spots.

>> team release

Ron Wilson Meltdown

2009-10-13T04:07:54Z

Ron Wilson Meltdown

Ron Wilson never got along with the Bay Area media, that's why him accepting the Toronto job never made sense to me.

I was trying to get a quote on Pavel Datsyuk from Ovechkin for an upcoming issue of Sporting News...

2009-10-10T21:02:26Z

I was trying to get a quote on Pavel Datsyuk from Ovechkin for an upcoming issue of Sporting News magazine but I don't think I'll be able to use what he said.

I asked what Pavel Datsyuk brought to the table as a player. Ovechkin's answer?

"He's won a Lady Byng trophy a lot," Ovechkin said. "So, probably ladies love him."

That's it?

"Yeah."

Thanks, Alex. Not usable for the magazine, but pretty funny.

— Craig Custance, Sporting News (via Kukla's)

"Over the coming season, the NHLFA will focus on these two issues...The fans have spoken. Television broadcasting in the U.S. must be improved and Bettman must go."

2009-10-10T16:53:26Z

"Over the coming season, the NHLFA will focus on these two issues...The fans have spoken. Television broadcasting in the U.S. must be improved and Bettman must go."

Jim Boones, the co-founder of the NHL Fan's Association, discusses the current primary concerns of the 30,000 fans in the association, saying that the NHLFA will be acting on these issues this year.
Main concern for American fans: getting better NHL coverage on television. They hate what they're getting right now, and want more of the quality of Canadian coverage (CBC, TSN, RSN, french-language RDS)
Main concern for Canadian fans: firing Gary Bettman. They believe he is now doing more harm than good for the league, and the time has come for a fresh, new commissioner.

I agree with both these concerns. Some things need to be done. Thank you NHLFA for looking into this.