Shanny calls it a career: The lone member of the NHL's 600 goal/2000 PIM club, Brendan Shanahan, announces his retirement after 21 seasons. Could head of the NHLPA be in his future?

posted by MeatSaber to hockey at 08:07 PM - 1 comment

Hull of a Career: On Monday, November 9th, The Golden Brett joined his father in the NHL Hall of Fame. His career included 741 goals - only two players have more, Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe - and 1391 points over 20 NHL seasons ranking Hull 21st on the all time points list. In the early 1990's Brett Hull was one of the most feared snipers in the league tallying 86 goals in the 1990-91 season. He is one of five players on the 50-50 list, an 8 time all star and an Olympian. He has won the Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP), the Lady Byng and scored a Stanley Cup clinching goal in 1999.

posted by BoKnows to hockey at 06:03 PM - 1 comment

All-Out Brawl Breaks Out at IHL Game: Saturday night's game between the International Hockey League's Muskegon Lumberjacks and Fort Wayne Comets featured a massive brawl that included referee spills, enforcers going after skilled guys and players leaving the penalty box to resume fighting (video, beginning at 1:10). "Broom County is just visibly upset by this display," said announcer Jim Carr. "Come on down and get places for the home games. Bring the kids."

posted by rcade to hockey at 08:01 AM - 6 comments

The Fall and Rise of Theo Fleury: With a "tell-all" book hitting the shelves this week (Playing with Fire, HarperCollins Canada), Fleury goes on the record with the fifth estate and candidly discusses the dark issues that haunted him during the glory years, including the sexual abuse he experienced as a teenager at the hand of the now notorious junior hockey coach, Graham James. Behind the public bravado was a man struggling to shake off his demons. He found his release in increasingly erratic behaviour on and off the ice, fuelled by addictions to alcohol, drugs, sex. The fifth estate's Bob McKeown talks to those who know Fleury best -- both personally and professionally. We'll meet Sheldon Kennedy -- Fleury's childhood friend, Calgary Flames teammate, and a victim of the same junior hockey coach. And the fifth estate talks with Fleury's wife, Jennifer, who married Theo in September 2006, following a year of sobriety, and with whom he credits turning his life around.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 10:51 PM - 3 comments

Dan Snyder's dream to come true in Elmira: It's been six years. Sunday, the Atlanta Thrashers honor their former player by skating at the new Dan Snyder Memorial Arena in his hometown 90 minutes west of Toronto, Graham Snyder will no doubt have a heavy heart, but he will also know that his son will be looking down with a big smile on his face.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 08:20 PM - 1 comment

Gretzky leaving the Coyotes: 99 Done in Desert: Gretzky announced that he was stepping down as the Coyotes' coach, effective immediately. In a statement he released on his own website, Gretzky.com, the Great One said he thought "long and hard" about his decision and had hoped for an earlier resolution to the Coyotes' ongoing ownership woes. However, Gretzky said he was able to read the writing on the wall, noting that "since both remaining bidders made it clear that I don't fit into their future plans, I approached Don Maloney and suggested he begin looking for someone to replace me as coach. The Coyotes missed the playoffs in each of Gretzky's four years as a coach, although last year, showed signs of life and were firmly in the playoff mix at the All-Star Game at the end of January. The team faded in the final third of the season, in part because of injuries to key young players; in part because of the decision to jettison expensive contracts, such as those of Olli Jokinen and Derek Morris.Curiously, Gretzky concluded by saying: "I'm confident the best is yet to come for hockey in Phoenix."

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 01:11 PM - 3 comments

Pixelated Glory: Penguins at the North Stars, Game 6, NHL Finals. Dramatically reenacted with pixels. via MeFi

posted by geekyguy to hockey at 07:58 PM - 3 comments

Phil Kessel is finally traded to the Maple Leafs: A high price to pay for the sniper they desperately needed; first and second round picks in 2010 and a first round pick in 2011.

posted by dfleming to hockey at 09:33 PM - 16 comments

30 dirty players in 30 days: "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."..... 18. CHI Bobby Hull - Nice guy on the ice. Too bad his wife didn't play hockey. 22. VAN Todd Bertuzzi - In this case, one cheapshot does make you a dirty player. 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. And 26 others ...

posted by rumple to hockey at 12:33 PM - 19 comments

Heatley traded to Sharks : The Ottawa Senators have thrown disgruntled winger Dany Heatley to the Sharks. San Jose gave up Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo and a second-round pick for Heatley. Ottawa, which confirmed the deal Saturday, threw in a fifth-round pick on its side of the deal. The trade — on the opening day of training camp — ends a festering dispute that has overshadowed the Sens in recent months.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 03:17 PM - 4 comments

Too dainty to hit : The GM Place crowd roared with approval when Canadian players Gillian Apps and Becky Kellar slammed opponents into the boards in the first period of their game against the United States on Wednesday. But the cheers turned suddenly to jeers after the referee's whistle, as the Canadians sulked to the penalty box. The Norwegian referee made the proper call in both instances, yet, to the crowd and to a small but growing number of critics inside the women's game, the penalties appeared to contravene the spirit of hockey. With the sport struggling to build a fan base, some insiders are beginning to ask whether the time has come for women's hockey to amend its rules and allow bodychecking. Many believe that allowing bodychecking would address the inconsistent officiating that plagues the women's game, and reduce the number of penalties. Canadian captain Hayley Wickenheiser, who has played in a men's professional league in Finland, says she "would love" to experiment with bodychecking, particularly in a game against the rival Americans.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 11:41 PM - 4 comments

'We're really ecstatic': Roberto Luongo, Canucks agree to 12-year contract extension: An "ecstatic" Roberto Luongo has agreed to a 12-year contract extension through the 2021-22 National Hockey League season worth $64 million US with the Vancouver Canucks, saying he looks forward to the opportunity to bring a Stanley Cup title to the West Coast. The deal breaks down like this: in 2010-11, the first season of the extension, Luongo will earn $10 million. In 2011-12, he will make $6.716 million. From the 2012-13 to the 2017-18 seasons, he will earn $6.714 million each campaign. In 2018-19, Luongo will make $3.382 million, which will drop to $1.618 million in 2019-20. In the final two seasons of the contract -- the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns -- he will earn $1 million each. For the Canucks, the annual salary cap hit will be $5.33 million.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 06:17 PM - 10 comments

NHL players fire union chief: Once again, the National Hockey League Players' Association is looking for an executive director. The NHLPA said in a release Monday that its executive board "voted overwhelmingly to relieve Paul Kelly of his duties as executive director, effective immediately." No reason was given, but it's believed the union executive felt that Kelly did not take enough of an adversarial stance with league management. Kelly succeeded Ted Saskin, who was let go in May 2007 amid allegations of monitoring players' email. Saskin had taken over when Bob Goodenow stepped down under pressure from the players on July 28, 2005, only two weeks after a collective bargaining agreement was signed to end the lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 02:07 PM - 6 comments

NHL places bid to buy Coyotes out of Bankruptcy: "In the event the League's bid proceeds forward and ultimately is the one approved by the Court, we intend to conduct an orderly sale process to a third party buyer outside of bankruptcy."

posted by apoch to hockey at 05:58 AM - 7 comments

New Jersey Devils Cut Down the Nets: After the New Jersey Nets decided to take Jersey off their road jerseys, the New Jersey Devils have responded with a new billboard: "We Proudly Wear Our State On Our Chest."

posted by rcade to hockey at 10:57 AM - 22 comments

Theo Fleury is coming back?: At 41 years young, Theo Fleury says he is fit enough to play in the NHL and has hired a personal trainer. He last played in 2003. Six years ago, Fleury was suspended by the NHL for violating the substance abuse program. So now, after playing in Europe, pitching Reality TV shows, playing baseball and a clothing line, Theo plans on returning to the NHL. Right now, his life has never been better.

posted by BoKnows to hockey at 07:03 PM - 5 comments

Ted 'Teeder' Kennedy, 83: Captain of Maple Leafs: Come on, Teeder! Next to Foster Hewitt's "Hello Canada'' to open his radio broadcasts of Maple Leafs games, those were the most famous words heard at Maple Leaf Gardens in the glory years after World War II. The man who shouted the encouragement from the green seats in quiet times during Leafs games was John Arnott, and the man for whom he was cheering was perhaps the quintessential Maple Leaf, Ted (Teeder) Kennedy. Kennedy was a Leaf centre for 12 seasons with five Stanley Cup wins, team captain from 1948 to '57, and the last Leaf to win the Hart Trophy in 1955 as the National Hockey League's most valuable player.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 02:55 PM - 2 comments

Blackhawks' Patrick Kane arrested: Blackhawk star winger and U.S. Olympian Patrick Kane gave the team a black eye and even caught his mother off guard early Sunday when he and cousin, James M. Kane were arrested in his hometown of Buffalo, N.Y., at 4 a.m. for allegedly assaulting a cab driver and grabbing back the $13.80 fare when the driver said he was 20 cents short of giving them change for $15.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 06:13 PM - 6 comments

Coyotes judge permits Baisallie bid: Hope I didn't spell his name wrong. The judge in the Coyotes' case said he will allow the co-CEO of Research in Motion to stay in the bidding process.

posted by jjzucal to hockey at 08:26 PM - 5 comments

The best player from EA Sports' NHLPA '93 calls it quits: I couldn't be happier. In fact, I'm going to hook up my Genesis, and hit him till he bleeds all over the ice, for old times sake...

posted by MeatSaber to hockey at 09:23 PM - 6 comments

Reindorf future Coyotes' owner?: NHL accepts a bid from Jerry Reinsdorf as a possible owner of the Phoenix Coyotes.

posted by jjzucal to hockey at 11:06 PM - 12 comments

Kai Kantola a North Carolina hockey trailblazer: After the Whalers moved south to North Carolina and became the Hurricanes, youth leagues saw explosive growth. Led by Kai Kantola, there now several prospects from the Triangle area that moving up the game's ladder, getting closer to playing in the NHL.

posted by NoMich to hockey at 09:27 AM - 2 comments

Hockey Night in Israel : The United States defeated Canada Wednesday evening to claim the championship of the World Jewish Ice Hockey Tournament – staged for the second time in this northernmost of Israeli towns. The event was the creation of Canadian Sydney Greenberg, head of Astral Media and, while homespun at times, it displayed tremendous professionalism. Like most of the players, officials were drawn from major junior hockey leagues in Canada and from the American Hockey League.........The 10-day tournament had been a great success with teams from five countries (Canada, the United States, Russia, France and Israel) taking part in both senior and junior divisions. There were several close games with two being decided by shoot-outs.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 01:56 PM - 0 comments

NHL Schedules Bruins Game at Fenway Park: The Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers will play at Fenway Park on Jan. 1, the fourth Winter Classic that brings the sport outdoors for a day.

posted by rcade to hockey at 11:46 PM - 8 comments

Fiery end for Hawks' Dale Tallon; Stan Bowman named GM: The Blackhawks confirmed the firing of general manager Dale Tallon and replaced him with assistant GM Stan Bowman on Tuesday. Tallon will stay on as senior advisor of hockey operations. Apparently the Hawks’ blunder of last week, in which the contractual procedures involving eight restricted free agents wasn’t handled properly, cost Tallon his job. President John McDonough said as much during an afternoon press conference at the United Center to introduce Bowman. Asked if the change in leadership would have been made without last week’s fiasco, McDonough said "probably not."

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 07:36 PM - 1 comment

Joe Sakic Announces his Retirement: After 20 years, 1600+ points, and 2 Cups, one of hockey's good guys hang up the skates.

posted by MeatSaber to hockey at 05:08 PM - 11 comments

Mikael Samuelsson Signs With Canucks: Free-agent forward Mikael Samuelsson has signed a three-year deal with Vancouver Canucks after four years with the Detroit Red Wings, where he scored 67 goals and helped the team win a Stanley Cup. Samuelsson becomes the first pro athlete in free agency history to admit that he signed with a team for the money. "Obviously that was the key," he said.

posted by rcade to hockey at 05:51 PM - 6 comments

Marian Hossa signs 12-year deal with Chicago: One year after taking a less-money shortterm contract in Detroit, Hossa signs a looong term deal with the Blackhawks, for even less average money...

posted by MeatSaber to hockey at 03:31 PM - 11 comments

A stone-cold lock: The New York Islanders didn't shock anyone by picking OHL star John Tavares first overall on Friday night. In fact, most of the draft went pretty much according to the script. Second-round continues today with the rights to deal with Florida free agent Jay Boumeester swapped to Calgary.

posted by wfrazerjr to hockey at 10:33 AM - 2 comments

The Captain, the Golden Brett, 'Lucky' Luc, and , well, Brian Leetch are the 2009 HHOF inductees.: Don't think there was a doubt on any of them making it. All are first-ballot HOFers. But names like Bure, Ciccarelli, and Gartner have to wait again to be called...and it could be longer for some...

posted by MeatSaber to hockey at 07:54 PM - 5 comments

Gillett reaches deal to sell Habs to Molson family: The Molson family has emerged as the winner in the bidding war for the Montreal Canadiens. The two sides are to hold a news conference to announce the sale as soon as the deal is finalized. They didn't reveal the sale price or any other details, but reports said Gillett's 80.1-per-cent interest in the team and 100 per cent stake in its arena, the Bell Centre, and event promotion company Gillett Entertainment Group should exceed $500 million and could even top $600 million. Gillet paid $275 million for that package in 2001 and has built it into one of the NHL's most profitable clubs. He is also co-owner of soccer giant Liverpool FC with Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 08:40 PM - 1 comment

Penguins hold off Red Wings to take third Stanley Cup: The Penguins rang in a new era tonight, winning the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1992 and the third time in franchise history. Max Talbot scored two second-period goals, and the Penguins overcame the loss of captain Sidney Crosby and a whole lot of history to beat the defending champion Detroit Red Wings 2-1 on Friday night in Game 7 and win the Stanley Cup for the third time.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 11:00 PM - 23 comments

Close but no cigar: One of the biggest stories of this year's Stanley Cup Finals is if Hossa made the right decision to go to the Red Wings to get his name etched on the Stanley Cup. We have to wait until Friday to find out that answer. The question though inspired the Bleacher Report to compile a list of 40 great players who have not had their names engraved on the silver chalice. [via Puck Daddy]

posted by MrFrisby to hockey at 01:45 AM - 4 comments

Dallas Stars Fire Dave Tippett Despite His Clean, Close Shave: The Dallas Stars have fired head coach Dave Tippett and are seeking permission to talk to former Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche coach Marc Crawford. Tippett led the team to a respectable 271-156-28-37 record, but during each of his seven years another team hoisted the Stanley Cup that by all rights should have belonged to Dallas. During Tippett's years in Big D, he had an on again, off-again relationship with upper lip facial hair that may have played a role in the Stars' late-season swoon this year. "The late '80s, all the guys had those in hockey," said GM Les Jackson. "It was cool back then, but now that he hasn't had if for a while, it looks good."

posted by rcade to hockey at 10:19 PM - 7 comments

Dany Heatley: wants out of Ottawa. With 5 years @ 7.5 Million a season left and complete control over his destination with a no-movement clause, it's hard to imagine Bryan Murray's feeling good about his job right now.

posted by dfleming to hockey at 02:38 PM - 2 comments

NHL's secret constitution revealed: All the secrets are out. The NHL constitution is now a matter of public record, as is the fact that Toronto Argonauts co-owners David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski are among four different bidders looking to buy the Phoenix Coyotes. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman revealed the groups in a court filing today, arguing to bankruptcy court judge Redfeild Baum the team should not be sold because owner Jerry Moyes is ignoring the league's constitution. Attached to the article are PDF's of the N.H.L.'s Bylaws, and Constitution.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 11:42 PM - 0 comments

Zezel gave Maple Leafs (and hockey) more than puck skills: Proud local ex-Leaf dead at 44 after battle with blood disorder. The matinee idol looks, and his fierce pride in wearing the Maple Leafs' jersey, won him countless fans in this city. Zezel, only 44 when he died yesterday of complications from a blood disorder, will always be remembered for being part of that 1992-93 Leafs team that took Toronto on a delirious run through the 1993 playoffs. The roller-coaster ride of emotion fell one game short of an appearance in the Stanley Cup final but Zezel's relentless checking, his faceoff prowess and his dogged penalty killing came to symbolize the individual sacrifice required to go deep in the playoffs. For two years – the Leafs returned to the Western Conference final in 1994 – Zezel was a hugely popular fixture on one of the best teams in hockey. "When it came to charity work, if anybody called him to do anything, he was there to do it," recalls former teammate Bob McGill. "That's how he was in hockey too. He'd do whatever was needed."

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 06:39 PM - 4 comments

Pat Quinn takes over as Oilers head coach: "If I think of leadership, I think of Pat," Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini said during a news conference. "If I think of the way you want to be treated as a player, I think of someone like Pat Quinn. If I think of someone who sets an example morally for an organization of how to go forward, I think of a man like Pat Quinn." The Oilers will be the fifth NHL team coached by Quinn, who succeeds the fired Craig MacTavish. The two-time NHL coach of the year has 657 career wins in 1,318 games behind the bench with Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Toronto.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 04:06 PM - 1 comment

Historic Memorial Cup win for Spitfires: The Windsor Spitfires took a road never travelled in the 91-year history of the Memorial Cup. No team had a won a title after losing the first two games of the tournament and having to play the entire field again starting with a tiebreaker. After stumbling at the start, the Spitfires reeled off four straight wins to earn the first championship in the 34-year history of the franchise.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 11:33 PM - 0 comments

Toronto Maple Leafs Facebook page hacked!: A terrific tongue-and-cheek look at how social networking might work for the storied NHL franchise.

posted by wfrazerjr to hockey at 09:08 AM - 5 comments