The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.

January 17, 2011

The Hockey News - Jan-17-11

<div class="byline">BY KEVIN WOODLEY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0034-03" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-03774/9504084-1-eng-US/f0034-032.jpg"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-011405/9504098-1-eng-US/f0034-012.jpg" title="f0034-01" width="76" height="88"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-02973/9504091-1-eng-US/f0034-022.jpg" title="f0034-02" width="197" height="133"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>I</span></b>t didn&rsquo;t take Canucks coach Alain Vigneault long to figure out how serious free agent addition Manny Malhotra was about becoming part of the leadership dynamic.</p><p>&ldquo;The first time I saw Manny myself was when the players were skating on their own prior to training camp and he was running the drills,&rdquo; Vigneault said before adding, &ldquo;as a matter of fact I picked up a couple good drills.&rdquo;</p><p>Malhotra&rsquo;s August arrival was more about getting then-pregnant wife Joann Nash &ndash; the sister of NBA star Steve &ndash; and their young son settled in their new home for the next three seasons. But it also gave Malhotra an early chance to meet his new teammates as they arrived before training camp. &ldquo;I got to know guys on a much more personal level as they trickled in,&rdquo; Malhotra said. &ldquo;It helped me get comfortable (speaking up), but being a more veteran guy, just feels normal, anyway. It feels natural. It doesn&rsquo;t feel too awkward.&rdquo;</p><p>Neither did seeing Malhotra, 30, named one of four rotating alternate captains so early in his first season. &ldquo;You can see pretty fast what a guy is made of,&rdquo; said veteran Mikael Samuelsson, who played with Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom in Detroit. &ldquo;It comes with how you carry yourself, how you approach things. He&rsquo;s very serious and focused to do the right things all the time. He doesn&rsquo;t speak all the time &ndash; he&rsquo;s not just throwing words out there &ndash; but the things he says are usually right on.&rdquo;</p><p>Malhotra, who earns $2.5 million, has brought more obvious assets to the Canucks, too. He was No. 2 league-wide in faceoff percentage  at around 63 percent and key to a penalty kill near the top of the NHL after being mediocre at best the past two seasons.</p><p>Malhotra, who manages to come across as serious and laid back at the same time, is also on pace for a career-best 15 goals and 41 points, despite little power play time. But the biggest thing he has added is size, speed and a shutdown presence to a third line previously anchored by Kyle Wellwood.</p><p>After years of being dominated by big-bodied Western centers and after watching Chicago&rsquo;s third-line pivot, Dave Bolland, torment their top players in two straight playoff exits, upgrading the third line was a summer priority. &ldquo;A guy like (Joe) Thornton, I&rsquo;d bet he&rsquo;d rather play against Wellwood than Malhotra,&rdquo; Samuelsson said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s harder to match up when you have a big body who knows what to do and is fast and is strong. It&rsquo;s hard to beat him 1-on-1.&rdquo;</p><p>It wasn&rsquo;t always that way for Malhotra. Drafted seventh overall by the Rangers in 1998, he struggled to meet scoring expectations for four years in New York and parts of three seasons in Dallas before re-inventing himself as a two-way player under Ken Hitch-cock in Columbus. But after almost five seasons there, he still had to settle for a late one-year, $700,000 contract after a tryout in San Jose last season. All of which gives the veteran a career perspective other players appreciate. &ldquo;Going through so much at an early age weathers you and trains you to deal with what guys are going through in different situations,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>Malhotra, a native of Mississauga, Ont., appreciates the stability Vancouver offers, including a no-trade clause. In addition to having his in-laws nearby, brother Martin recently retired as captain of the Whitecaps soccer team to take a coaching job as the club moves to MLS. &ldquo;It does affect you on the ice,&rdquo; Malhotra said of knowing his wife and now two children always have friends and family close. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a very settling feeling.&rdquo;</p><p>A lot like the effect Malhotra is having on the Canucks.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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IN THIS ISSUE

Manny Being Manny

<p>&bull; <b>RYAN MURRAY</b> 17, DEFENSEMAN, EVERETT</p><p><i>Murray misses being eligible for the 2011 draft by just 12 days, but has been identified as one of the leading candidates for No. 1 overall in 2012.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS</b> 17, CENTER, RED DEER</p><p><i>There&rsquo;s a lot of hockey left to be played, but there are scouts who believe Nugent-Hopkins will be the first player taken &ndash; by the New York Islanders &ndash; at the 2011 draft.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>RYAN BOWNESS</b> 27, MGR. OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT, ATL.</p><p><i>The son of former NHL coach Rick Bowness is charged with working with Thrashers prospects and coordinating the team&rsquo;s scouting efforts.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>JUDD MOLDAVER</b> 29, PLAYER AGENT, CAA</p><p><i>From a family of lawyers, Moldaver isn&rsquo;t a litigator, but he is the right-hand man of Pat Brisson, one of the most powerful agents in the business.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>JIRI FISCHER</b> 30, DIRECTOR OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT, DET.</p><p><i>Health issues forced Fischer out of the NHL, but he is learning a new craft in Detroit. He&rsquo;s also an assistant coach for the Czech world junior team.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>EVAN GOLD</b> 31, HOCKEY OPS ASSISTANT, WASHINGTON</p><p><i>Gold once worked at the largest law firm in Canada, but has been doing vital contract work for Washington Capitals GM George McPhee.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>GORDIE DWYER</b> 32, INNOVATOR</p><p><i>The former NHL enforcer is a Jr. A coach in P.E.I. and one of the driving forces behind Tuff-N-Lite, which produces cut-resistant socks for hockey players.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>CHRIS NOWINSKI</b> 32, CONCUSSION EXPERT</p><p><i>The Harvard grad and former WWE wrestler is president of the Sports Legacy Institute and has been instrumental in having hockey players agree to donate their brains after death.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>ANDY O&rsquo;BRIEN</b> 32, PERSONAL TRAINER</p><p><i>The former strength and conditioning coach for the Florida Panthers has worked with Sidney Crosby for eight years and is now guiding the off-ice regimen for Hayley Wickenheiser.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>JESSE WALLIN</b> 32, COACH, RED DEER</p><p><i>The former Detroit Red Wings prospect has been key component in transforming the Rebels from Western League doormat to legitimate contender.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>JULIEN BRISEBOIS</b> 33, ASSISTANT GM, TAMPA BAY</p><p><i>A contract wizard and legal expert who is on the GM fast track.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>BEN COOPER</b> 33, VIDEO COACH, HOCKEY CANADA</p><p><i>An assistant coach at the South Alberta Institute of Technology, Cooper has been Captain Video for Hockey Canada since 2008 and was a key part of the 2010 Olympic gold medal team.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>STEVE MCARDLE</b> 33, V-P STRATEGIC PLANNING, NHL</p><p><i>Hired away from Bain Capital, one of the world&rsquo;s largest investment firms, McArdle is the point man for all business initiatives at the NHL&rsquo;s head office. He works closely with commissioner Gary Bettman, deputy Bill Daly and COO John Collins.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>RYAN RISHAUG</b> 33, REPORTER, TSN</p><p><i>The former Kamloops Blazer represents a triple threat for TSN in that he can anchor, host and do play-by-play. He understands the game, digs for stories and is ambitious.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>D.J. SMITH</b> 33, ASSOCIATE COACH, WINDSOR</p><p><i>After six seasons as an assistant in Windsor, the former toughas-nails D-man was named associate coach when Bob Jones was promoted to head coach after Bob Boughner left over the summer.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>JASON BOTTERILL</b> 34, ASSISTANT GM, PITTSBURGH</p><p><i>Former player is Pittsburgh&rsquo;s main cap guy.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>PHILIPPE JEAN</b> 34, DIRECTOR OF DESIGN, BAUER HOCKEY</p><p><i>Rival companies have tried to lure him away, but Jean is happy designing products for the world&rsquo;s largest hockey manufacturer.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>JEFF KEALTY</b> 34, HEAD AMATEUR SCOUT, NASHVILLE</p><p><i>Kealty was a first-round bust as an NHL player, but he has an eye for talent. He has been with the Predators since 2001 and has been their head scout since 2007.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>RYAN HUSKA</b> 35, COACH, KELOWNA</p><p><i>The assistant for Canada&rsquo;s world junior team has been involved in seven Memorial Cups &ndash; three as a player, three as an assistant and one as a coach.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>JOHN HYNES</b> 35, COACH, WILKESFBARRE/SCRANTON</p><p><i>After six years with the U.S. national team development program, Hynes made the jump to pro hockey. He won gold as an assistant with the 2004 world junior team and as coach of the 2006 under-18 team.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>DEAN STORK</b> 35, COACH, GREENVILLE</p><p><i>A longtime player and assistant coach in the ECHL, Stork took over the Road Warriors this season and had them riding a 9-0-1 streak and in first place overall in mid-December.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>KEVIN WEEKES</b> 35, ANALYST, HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA</p><p><i>HNIC&rsquo;s color analyst for its Saturday night west coast games has grown into his role and is getting more comfortable and insightful.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>SETH APPERT</b> 36, COACH, RPI</p><p><i>After nine years as an assistant with the powerhouse Denver program, Appert moved to RPI in 2006 and, after a rough start, is rebuilding the program with sound recruiting.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>JEFF BLASHILL</b> 36, COACH, WESTERN MICHIGAN</p><p><i>A year after leading the Indiana Ice to the Clark Cup as a rookie coach in the USHL, Blashill has taken over a floundering program at Western Michigan this season.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>BRENT FLAHR</b> 36, ASSISTANT GM, MINNESOTA</p><p><i>Has worked in NHL hockey operations and business for some great teachers.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>RYAN JANKOWSKI</b> 36, SCOUT, MONTREAL</p><p><i>It didn&rsquo;t take Jankowski long to land on his feet after being fired as assistant GM of the Islanders over the summer. He oversees the west for the Canadiens now.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>CHRIS PRONGER</b> 36, DEFENSEMAN, PHILADELPHIA</p><p><i>If you don&rsquo;t know who Pronger is, we hope you&rsquo;ve enjoyed living under a rock. It&rsquo;s certain Pronger will get involved at the management level as soon as he retires as a player.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>ROLAND LEE</b> 37, ASSOCIATE COUNSEL, NHLPA</p><p><i>A former member of THN&rsquo;s top 100 POP club, Lee is the union&rsquo;s point man when it comes to contracts and arbitration. Look for him to return to the main list.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>MIKE YEO</b> 37, COACH, HOUSTON</p><p><i>The former minor league defenseman won a Stanley Cup as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, but moved to the AHL to get head coaching experience.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>ENRICO BLASI</b> 38, COACH, MIAMI (OHIO)</p><p><i>Blasi was instrumental in transforming Ohio&rsquo;s Miami University into a national powerhouse and is one of the top-paid U.S. college coaches at $300,000 a year.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>PAUL CAPIZZANO</b> 38, PLAYER AGENT, MFIVE</p><p><i>A former Division II college player, Capizzano is director of recruiting for MFIVE Sports, but is now doing some junior and NHL deals for the agency.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>EUSTACE KING</b> 38, PLAYER AGENT</p><p><i>The former Miami University goalie has built up an impressive array of clients &ndash; including Wayne Simmonds, Chris Stewart and Tyler Ennis &ndash; and is the NHL&rsquo;s only African-American agent.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>ROD PASMA</b> 38, EXECUTIVE V-P HOCKEY OPERATIONS, AHL</p><p><i>Essentially the Colin Campbell of the American League, Pasma is in charge of everything from scheduling to officiating to discipline. He held the same post with the ECHL for seven years.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>BRIAN RENFREW</b> 38, ASSOCIATE COACH, MICHIGAN STATE</p><p><i>A former goalie in every minor pro league known to man, Renfrew is Rick Comley&rsquo;s right-hand man at Michigan State. He is a sharp recruiter and works with goalies and defensemen.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>MARCUS VINNERBORG</b> 38, REFEREE</p><p><i>Earlier this season, Vinnerborg became the first European-born and trained official to work an NHL game. The former teacher officiated the final of the 2007 World Championship.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>BOB BOUGHNER</b> 39, ASSISTANT COACH, COLUMBUS</p><p><i>Boughner would have been with Canada&rsquo;s world junior team had he not been hired by Columbus after successive Memorial Cups.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>CHARLIE JACOBS</b> 39, ALTERNATE GOVERNOR, BOSTON</p><p><i>The son of Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs is the day-to-day face of the family in Boston and heir apparent to the owner&rsquo;s chair.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>KEITH PRIMEAU</b> 39, RETIRED NHL PLAYER</p><p><i>Primeau was one of the first athletes to agree to donate his brain post-mortem to the Sports Legacy Institute and has emerged as a leading voice on concussions.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>ROGER RONNBERG</b> 39, COACH, SWEDISH JUNIOR TEAM</p><p><i>Ronnberg faces a huge challenge in taking over for Par Marts and trying to win Sweden&rsquo;s first gold medal at the World Junior Championship in 30 years and only its second ever.</i></p><p>&bull; <b>SCOTT SALMOND</b> 39, DIR. HOCKEY OPS., HOCKEY CANADA</p><p><i>Piling up an impressive array of gold medals, Salmond has been the manager of Canadian national teams at all levels since 2003.</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

The Top 40 Under 40

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YOURINSIDEEDGE

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-012135/9502798-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg" title="f0007-01" width="523" height="686"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(POLL: GRAIG ABEL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>No 57%</b></p><p>Yes 43%</p><p><b>Vote on polls from everything top to bottom in the world of hockey at <a href="http://thehockynews.com">thehockynews.com</a></b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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POLLRESULTS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0003-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-012142/9502660-1-eng-US/f0003-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDY DEVLIN NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>City of Cheerleaders</b></h2><p><b>Winter got a little warmer in Edmonton after the Oilers opted for a new form of in-house entertainment.</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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THEBIGPICTURE

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-012167/9502705-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg" title="f0004-01" width="991" height="630"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JAMIE HODGSON/THN)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-021840/9502698-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="284" height="294"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>W</span>eexpect now</b> that No. 1 has been admitted into the club, he&rsquo;ll be in regular communication with No. 2, working towards, we hope, ways to keep Nos. 3-100, and far beyond, regularly employed beyond 2012.</p><p>The clock is ticking towards the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement and our top honchos of power and influence, Donald Fehr and Gary Bettman, are tasked with the weighty responsibility of making their shared business healthy while keeping their constituents happy.</p><p>But the CBA won&rsquo;t be their only agenda item in the coming months. At some point, they&rsquo;ll need to meet with No. 18, Rene Fasel, to discuss the international game and, most notably, NHL participation at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.</p><p>Chances are very good we&rsquo;ll see Nos. 4, 6, 19 and 37 (see the list beginning on pg. 20 for their identities) vying for gold in a few years because it&rsquo;s what the players want and it&rsquo;s hard to argue against a best-on-best event on the world&rsquo;s grandest stage. But I&rsquo;ll give it a shot.</p><p>Perhaps I&rsquo;m old, jaded and cynical, but I&rsquo;d be OK if the NHL took a pass on Sochi. The reasons are multiple. Vancouver was brilliant because it was in our backyard. Cast your mind to Turin and the experience didn&rsquo;t come close from a North American perspective. My gut tells me 2014 would more closely resemble 2006 than 2010. Then there&rsquo;s the issue of closing down the league for nearly two weeks and the fallout of a compressed schedule. No other major professional league acquiesces to the Olympic movement like the NHL does. Basketball plays its tournament in the Summer Games, soccer is a de facto junior event that doesn&rsquo;t overshadow the World Cup. Baseball was ejected after 2008 in Beijing and football doesn&rsquo;t register internationally.</p><p>The popularity bump pundits projected Olympic hockey would give the game has been more a blip and, from what we can tell, not worth the expense. As for cries from the likes of Alex Ovechkin that he&rsquo;d go regardless, power to him, but not my sympathies. He has had his turn and then some.</p><p>How about handing the baton off and, every four years, making the World Junior Championship an Olympics spectacle? Best-on-best could be saved for a World Cup of Hockey. Just a thought from No. NR &ndash; (not ranked).</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-031481/9502691-1-eng-US/f0004-032.jpg" title="f0004-03" width="456" height="245"></div><p><b>NEXT</b>&nbsp;<b>ISSUE</b> JANUARY 24, 2011</p><p><b>CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TO SUBSCRIBE:</b> <a href="http://THN.com">thn.com</a></p><p><b>CONTACT US:</b> <a href="mailto:editorial@thehockeynews.com">editorial@thehockeynews.com</a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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An Olympic Movement

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0006-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-012394/9502767-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>H</span>ere&rsquo;s an example of why hockey is the greatest game on Earth. On Dec. 2, when the Bruins hosted the Lightning, my daughter brought a sign and held it up to the glass during warmups.</b></p><p><b>Within minutes, Mark Recchi, one of the game&rsquo;s classiest players made a seven-year-old&rsquo;s entire year and turned her into a Bruins fan for life when he tossed a puck over the glass to her.</b></p><p><b>I want to thank Mark for solidifying why I love the game and the great players who play it.</b></p><p><b>My daughter will probably never truly understand the greatness of a player like Recchi, but she has a new favorite player and team now.</b></p><p><b><i>Anthony Martucci, Winthrop, Mass.</i></b></p><h2><b>Broken Wing</b></h2><p>When THN prints an article like Getting His Game Back (NHL Team Reports, Dec. 20), about the struggles and renaissance of a man who ended a fellow player&rsquo;s career in a careless and profoundly unnecessary way, what exactly are you trying to say? That it&rsquo;s been long enough and people should get over it?</p><p>Bertuzzi&rsquo;s actions on the ice that March night in 2004 demanded so much more than &lsquo;Big Bad Bert&rsquo; has ever given. Aside from a teary press conference, during which Bertuzzi was probably more concerned about his future than Steve Moore&rsquo;s condition, Bertuzzi has been unrepentant, refusing to discuss what happened or why, snapping at anyone who asks about it.</p><p>It&rsquo;s not enough. What happened that night still matters. One man lost his livelihood and pieces of his health and one team lost a teammate. Forgive me if I find it impossible to celebrate Bertuzzi &ldquo;getting his game back&rdquo; despite barely recognizing the game he stole from another.</p><p><i>Shaela Moen, Denver, Colo.</i></p><h2><b>Keep it On Ice</b></h2><p>I&rsquo;m tired of hearing about player salaries and the salary cap. Does the amount of money a player makes really make him a better player?</p><p>All the talk about money is what is killing hockey. Everything I read is about how much money players and I&rsquo;m sick of hearing it. Talk about something else for a change; possibly the game for once. I love the game, not the money.</p><p><i>Garrett LaFrance, Port Stanley, Ont.</i></p><h2><b>Pain? No Gain</b></h2><p>Regarding the cover story by Ken Campbell in the Dec. 20 issue about the dwindling number of kids playing: A reason why parents may be reluctant to register their children is the violent aspects of the sport. Concussions and other injuries are common and the fact fighting continues to be allowed is detrimental to the sport&rsquo;s image.</p><p>Hockey&rsquo;s violent nature is one reason why I was fine with my sons no longer wanting to play hockey after trying it for one year.</p><p><i>Trevor De Ryck, Winnipeg, Man.</i></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-021620/9502760-1-eng-US/f0006-022.jpg" title="f0006-02" width="498" height="683"></div><h2><b>Dollars and Sense</b></h2><p>Anyone who doesn&rsquo;t believe hockey is dying in Canada should try these two things:</p><p>1. Visit a local arena on a game night and see what kind of cars are parked in the parking lot (Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, etc&hellip;).</p><p>2. Drop by a hockey shop or sports store and see how much space is reserved for inexpensive wooden hockey sticks (very little).</p><p>Clearly, the game we call our own is no longer our own. It seems as though hockey is no longer Canada&rsquo;s game, but rather a rich-man&rsquo;s game.</p><p><i>Terry Kim, North York, Ont.</i></p><h2><b>Noir et Blanc</b></h2><p>I would like to congratulate THN on its Nov. 22 cover story on P.K. Subban for portraying a fair, unbiased account of a young man trying to make his way in the NHL by being a tough, fierce competitor.</p><p>Subban has become an unpopular character, receiving criticism for being disrespectful, with veiled threats and warnings against him and comments of &ldquo;he&rsquo;s getting what he deserves&rdquo; when someone takes a run at him.</p><p>In a league where guys like Chris Pronger and Sean Avery are gainfully employed, with no one making public warnings against them, it sickens me that this is not being called what it is: racism.</p><p>People need to understand racism does not just come in the form of name-calling, but systemic racism that makes people ignorant and complacent to what is happening right in front of them.</p><p>Subban should be lauded for having the courage and confidence to be what a defenseman is supposed to be: difficult to play against.</p><p><i>Phil Rivoire, Arviat, Nunavut</i></p><p><b>Submit your letter at: <a href="http://THN.COM/LETTERS">thn.com/letters</a></b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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HOLIDAY TREAT

<p><b>Adam, has the Canadiens&rsquo; Andrei Markov played his last game with the team?</b><br><i>Shai Reef, Toronto</i></p><p>Shai: I doubt it. Markov&rsquo;s injuries have raised some questions whether he&rsquo;s worth a long-term investment, but like any other NHLer, Markov&rsquo;s own opinion of his value will be a factor in whether he stays. The team appreciates him and he loves Montreal. My guess is they&rsquo;ll eventually get a four-or five-year contract done.</p><p><b>Hi Adam. Why does the home team always elect to go first in the shootout?</b><br><i>Amy Gosda, Newburgh, N.Y.</i></p><p>Hi Amy. Home teams are opting to go first about 75 percent of the time this season. Coaches feel if they shoot first, they have a better chance to score first and win the game. They may want to re-think that strategy as teams that shoot first are actually winning less than 40 percent of the time.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-021446/9502829-1-eng-US/f0007-022.jpg" title="f0007-02" width="826" height="761"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>ANDREI MARKOV</b> <span class="photo-credit">(FRANCOIS LACASSE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Adam: What city do you think gets an NHL franchise first? I&rsquo;m hoping Winnipeg does.</b><br><i>Colin Chartier, Ste-Anne, Man.</i></p><p>Colin: I&rsquo;d guess Quebec City gets a franchise first. It&rsquo;s not that I don&rsquo;t believe the passion of Winnip-eggers is equal to the fine folks in Quebec, but there appears to be much deeper corporate interest (including media company Quebecor) right now in <i>La Belle Province</i> than I&rsquo;ve seen coming out of Manitoba.</p><p>Read more <b>&lsquo;Ask Adam&rsquo;</b> every Friday at <a href="http://TheHockeyNews.com">thehockeynews.com</a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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ASK ADAM

<div class="byline">&#x2013; RYAN DIXON</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-012284/9502888-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="340" height="220"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-021738/9502881-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg" title="f0008-02" width="391" height="111"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>W</span>hen it</b> comes to hockey&rsquo;s place on television in the United States, uncertainty is tempered by some unique content and a tinge of excitement.</p><p>The NHL&rsquo;s contracts with both Versus and NBC expire at season&rsquo;s end. That has led to inevitable speculation with regard to what the league&rsquo;s future on U.S. television is and if there&rsquo;s a chance the sport could re-emerge on ESPN, which carried NHL games during the first half of the decade.</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-031225/9502874-1-eng-US/f0008-032.jpg" title="f0008-03" width="122" height="139"></div><p>Just as GMs and agents don&rsquo;t get very verbose when it comes to contract negotiations, both the networks and the league were understandably tight-lipped about the next step.</p><p>However, commissioner Gary Bettman endorsed the job being done by the NHL&rsquo;s current carriers. &ldquo;Both Versus and NBC have been extraordinarily good partners and if people get behind the rhetoric, they&rsquo;ll understand that Versus and NBC give us great exposure, great promotion and great coverage,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>Another layer to the conversation is provided by the fact Comcast and General Electric were, as 2010 drew to a close, at the government ratification stage of a merger that would result in Comcast managing both Versus, which it already owned, and NBC. The potential for synergy was not lost on Bettman. &ldquo;The prospect of the NBC-Comcast merger is very exciting, with the prospect of (NBC Sports chairman) Dick Ebersol running both of our national networks,&rdquo; he said.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-04686/9502867-1-eng-US/f0008-042.jpg" title="f0008-04" width="384" height="398"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-05485/9502860-1-eng-US/f0008-052.jpg" title="f0008-05" width="1127" height="1010"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>WINDS OF CHANGE</b></p><p><b>Having a big-market team like the Blackhawks in the Cup final gave the NHL a ratings bump.</b></p><span class="photo-credit">(JONATHAN DANIEL/GETTY IMAGES ELLIS: SCOTT AUDETTE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES; ALL OTHERS: GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Some are of the belief the NHL must get back on ESPN to increase exposure, but Bettman used strong post-season numbers to paint a different picture. &ldquo;Last season&rsquo;s playoffs, our viewership on Versus was higher than our last year on ESPN,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>A number of factors, from the success of the Winter Classic on NBC to some compelling Cup final series featuring classic markets such as Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, have helped drive ratings to high-water marks for specific events.</p><p>But Michael Hiestand, a sports media columnist for <i>USA Today</i>, noted it&rsquo;s important to keep the big picture in mind when analyzing overall viewership.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s really easy to say ratings have gone up some because they&rsquo;re so small,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s like if I have a quarter in my pocket and I get another quarter, the wealth of my pocket has gone up 100 percent.&rdquo;</p><p>The NHL supplemented the Winter Classic this year with a four-part behind-the-scenes primer on HBO leading up to the big event. Hiestand warned one-off events like that or the Olympics, even when they generate a big following, don&rsquo;t always translate to increased ratings for regular season games.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s sort of like the outdoor game on New Year&rsquo;s,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It gets a little bit of attention and publicity beyond the regular hockey reporting, but the question is, does that translate to people watching games day in and day out?&rdquo;</p><p>Cable wars in the U.S. have resulted in some fans being unable to see their desired team due to blackouts. Bettman indicated that&rsquo;s a reality all sports &ndash; not just hockey &ndash; have to live with. &ldquo;Carriage disputes happen and I guess continue to be fairly commonplace for all sports,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The terms under which either cable or satellite providers are carrying these networks &ndash; and there are more networks than ever before &ndash; is something that continues to evolve and you&rsquo;re going to see disputes.&rdquo;</p><p>Bettman is banking on hockey&rsquo;s &ldquo;compelling content&rdquo; to ensure there&rsquo;s always an audience for the game, but Hiestand isn&rsquo;t sure a jump in everyday viewership is around the corner. &ldquo;Hockey has been given a good crack on a few networks and ratings haven&rsquo;t really budged,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;So really, what&rsquo;s going to change?&rdquo;</p><p>113.411 Attendance for &lsquo;The Big Chill at the Big House&rsquo; in Ann Arbour, Mich., the largest crowd to ever watch a hockey game. Michigan beat Michigan State 5-0<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0008-01

Interest In the U.S.?

<div class="byline">By Charlie Teljeur</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0009-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-012052/9502919-1-eng-US/f0009-012.jpg"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0009-01

The Instigator

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-021429/9502950-1-eng-US/f0009-022.jpg" title="f0009-02" width="470" height="658"></div><h2><b>+ PLUS</b></h2><h3><b>LOGAN TAKES OFF</b></h3><p><i>Sharks sniper</i>&nbsp;<b>Logan Couture</b>&nbsp;<i>shoots to the top of the rookie goal-scoring chart, making himself a favorite for the Calder Trophy.</i></p><h2><b>&ndash; MINUS</b></h2><h3><b>COUNTDOWN IN COWTOWN?</b></h3><p><i>Flames&rsquo; play this year leaves little doubt it&rsquo;s time to tear it down; only question is, who does the rebuild?</i></p><h2><b>+ PLUS</b></h2><h3><b>COLORADO KEEPS IT UP</b></h3><p><i>Many people expected young Avs to fall back after overachieving last year, but they&rsquo;ve stayed in the thick of it despite a rash of key injuries.</i></p><h2><b>&ndash; MINUS</b></h2><h3><b>TURCO TANKS</b></h3><p><i>Things have certainly not gone the way Marty Turco or the defending Cup-champion Hawks had hoped in the crease.</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0009-02

PLUS MINUS

<div class="byline">BY MACKENZIE LIDDELL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-03881/9503030-1-eng-US/f0009-032.jpg" title="f0009-03" width="206" height="230"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>MILLER</b></figcaption></div><h2><b>RBK</b></h2><h3><b>21 GOALIES</b></h3><p>COMBINED STATS 133-104-32/2.88/.903/18</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-04667/9503023-1-eng-US/f0009-042.jpg" title="f0009-04" width="206" height="229"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>PRICE</b></figcaption></div><h2><b>VAUGHN</b></h2><h3><b>16 GOALIES</b></h3><p>COMBINED STATS 152-90-31/2.48/.919/18</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-05502/9503016-1-eng-US/f0009-052.jpg" title="f0009-05" width="205" height="230"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>LUNDQVIST</b></figcaption></div><h2><b>BAUER</b></h2><h3><b>10 GOALIES</b></h3><p>COMBINED STATS 72-66-14/2.88/.908/15</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-06406/9503009-1-eng-US/f0009-062.jpg" title="f0009-06" width="206" height="228"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>BRODEUR</b></figcaption></div><h2><b>SHER-WOOD</b></h2><h3><b>4 GOALIES</b></h3><p>COMBINED STATS 20-30-6/2.98/.902/3</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-07349/9503002-1-eng-US/f0009-072.jpg" title="f0009-07" width="206" height="228"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>ROLOSON</b></figcaption></div><h2><b>WARRIOR</b></h2><h3><b>2 GOALIES</b></h3><p>COMBINED STATS 4-14-2/3.03/.886/1</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-08308/9502995-1-eng-US/f0009-082.jpg" title="f0009-08" width="206" height="229"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>HILLER</b></figcaption></div><h2><b>KOHO</b></h2><p><b>1 GOALIE</b> STATS 14-11-3/2.78/.917/1</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-09291/9502988-1-eng-US/f0009-092.jpg" title="f0009-09" width="206" height="230"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>HALAK</b></figcaption></div><h2><b>BRIAN&rsquo;S</b></h2><h3><b>1 GOALIE</b></h3><p>STATS 12-7-4/2.24/.916/3</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-10268/9502981-1-eng-US/f0009-102.jpg" title="f0009-10" width="205" height="229"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>THOMAS</b></figcaption></div><h2><b>MISMATCHED EQUIPMENT</b></h2><h3><b>7 GOALIES</b></h3><p>COMBINED STATS 41-20-11/2.71/.914/9</p><p><b>* 62 GOALIES (MIN. 5 GAMES PLAYED) CATEGORIZED BASED ON FULL SET OF EQUIPMENT, NOT INCLUDING STICK.</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0009-03

By the NUMBERS

<div class="byline">&#x2013; RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-012256/9503068-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg" title="f0010-01" width="848" height="719"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>he denim jacket</b> is officially one-half of a &lsquo;Canadian Tuxedo,&rsquo; so when the Western League&rsquo;s Saskatoon Blades wanted to have some fun, they crafted a jersey that appeared to be made out of blue jeans material. Then, for good measure, they had a couple bona fide celebrities drop by for the game as the icing on the cake.Promotions have always been a part of sports, but are becoming more integral due to the glut of entertainment options available and the dwindling amount of dollars people spend on said diversions.</p><p>For the Blades, that meant denim jersey night &ndash; inspired by a Professional Bull Riders event happening around the same time &ndash; featuring KISS rock icon Gene Simmons and his actress-wife Shannon Tweed, who went to high school in the Saskatchewan city. The couple, now a reality TV fixture thanks to <i>Gene Simmons&rsquo; Family Jewels</i>, was taping segments of the show in Saskatchewan and when they asked Saskatoon Tourism what the average &rsquo;Tooner&rsquo; likes to do, a Blades game was the answer. &ldquo;Obviously, we jumped all over that,&rdquo; said Brittany Loraas, manager of game day operations and merchandise for the team.&rdquo;</p><p>Simmons and Tweed sat in the stands, posed for pictures and signed autographs. During the first intermission, Simmons even donned the pads for a special fan shootout on the ice. &ldquo;Everyone just loved it,&rdquo; Loraas said. &ldquo;Nobody left their seats.&rdquo;</p><p>And that&rsquo;s gold for a hockey team. From the NHL to the low minors, keeping the punters around is key and bringing in new fans is even more important. &ldquo;I enjoy doing things that are a little different,&rdquo; Loraas said. &ldquo;Because it brings in people that wouldn&rsquo;t normally come out and maybe this will get them out more regularly.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-021645/9503061-1-eng-US/f0010-022.jpg" title="f0010-02" width="1126" height="909"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>HOMETOWN GIRL</b></p><p><b>Shannon Tweed drops the puck during the Saskatoon Blades&rsquo; &lsquo;Denim Jersey Night&rsquo;</b></p><span class="photo-credit">(BLADES: STEVE HISCOCK; DEL ZOTTO: SCOTT LEVY/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>In the North American League, the first-year Michigan Warriors made sure they got their name out by drafting a couple reality TV stars of their own this season. <i>Jersey Shore</i> stars Ronnie, Pauly D and &lsquo;The Situation&rsquo; made appearances at Warriors games and fans had the chance to buy a $50 VIP ticket that included mingling access to the celebs and free autographs.</p><p>Down in the Southern Pro League, the Louisiana IceGators riffed off a popular American pseudo-holiday with a &lsquo;Black Friday&rsquo; promotion that encouraged fans to wear all black to a game against the Huntsville Havoc. They offered prizes such as black pearls and an Xbox 360, which came with the popular new game <i>Call of Duty: Black Ops</i>.</p><p>But in the big leagues this season, the promotions have all been about value (except the Florida Panthers&rsquo; Hanukkah night, which was all about yarmulkes). Family ticket packages and discounted seats have been all the rage, with bonuses such as Tim Horton&rsquo;s donuts (Columbus) or McDonald&rsquo;s (Nashville) thrown in for good measure. In Detroit, a lucky season ticketholder is picked at random and rewarded with a limo ride to the game and a jersey from their favorite Red Wing.</p><p>In Washington, the premium &ldquo;fan experience package&rdquo; comes with a jersey, a post-game photo of the fan on the ice and a penalty box seat for warmups.</p><p>A recent clever Atlanta promotion saw the Thrashers mascot &ldquo;arrested&rdquo; for stealing a Zamboni, with the hook being that &lsquo;Thrash&rsquo; would be held in jail until 5,000 more tickets were sold to Atlanta&rsquo;s remaining December games. Tough luck for the mascot, but a team&rsquo;s gotta do whatever it can to sell tickets these days.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0010-01

Reeling in The Fans

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ML</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-031051/9503127-1-eng-US/f0010-032.jpg" title="f0010-03" width="483" height="591"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>W</span>hen</b>&nbsp;<b>Rangers</b> defenseman Michael Del Zotto was a healthy scratch in December for a game against the Senators, it gave him the chance to get acquainted with the life of an average 20-year-old just before the holiday season.</p><p>Coach John Tortorella assigned the slumping sophomore an essay to be written from the press box evaluating the team&rsquo;s paltry power play.</p><p>Seems Professor Tortorella gave Del Zotto a pass. He was back in the lineup the following game, a 3-1 loss to Columbus. The Rangers lone goal came with the man advantage.</p><h2><b>Nord of 49&deg;</b></h2><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-04729/9503120-1-eng-US/f0010-042.jpg" title="f0010-04" width="101" height="67"></div><p>&lsquo;Nordiques Nation&rsquo; filled 22 buses and invaded an Islanders game to support an NHL return to Quebec. The Nords left for Denver in 1995; the stats suggest things might be better a second time around.</p><p><b>1995 vs. 2011</b></p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-05530/9503113-1-eng-US/f0010-052.jpg" title="f0010-05" width="90" height="167"></div><p><b>$0.73</b></p><p><b>$0.99</b></p><p><b>CDN DOLLAR VALUE</b></p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-06396/9503106-1-eng-US/f0010-062.jpg" title="f0010-06" width="96" height="206"></div><p><b>671,889</b></p><p><b>717,600</b></p><p><b>QUEBEC CITY POP.</b></p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-07279/9503099-1-eng-US/f0010-072.jpg" title="f0010-07" width="179" height="179"></div><p><b>10.3%</b></p><p><b>4.7%</b></p><p><b>UNEMPLOYMENT RATE</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0010-03

But Did He Spellcheck?

<div class="byline">&#x2013; JOHN GRIGG</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0012-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-012202/9503165-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-021728/9503158-1-eng-US/f0012-022.jpg" title="f0012-02" width="638" height="457"></div><h2><b>COACH SAYS:</b></h2><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he left wing lock (which Detroit has made famous) is established when forward No. 1 (F1) splits the defense making sure not to allow any &ldquo;D-to-D&rdquo; passes. F1 then skates hard to apply back pressure when the puck moves up the ice.</p><p>F2 stays on the defensive side of the opposition&rsquo;s center. His job is to take away the center of the ice and hold up on any dump-ins. The left winger (LW) then picks up the left lane and closes the gap on the opposing winger.</p><p>The right defenseman (RD) closes the gap on the opposition&rsquo;s left winger. The LD plays it safe in the middle, making sure no one gets behind him and generally being first back to retrieve dump-ins. If there is a stretch man, the LD is responsible for him and the LW and RD hold their lanes.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-01

CHALKTALK

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ML</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-031109/9503196-1-eng-US/f0012-032.jpg" title="f0012-03" width="605" height="405"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>H</span>ockey is reaching</b> new heights in India as the Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to construct a state-of-the art hockey rink in the Leh district of Ladakh region.</p><p>But if you&rsquo;re thinking of making the trip, you might want to consider doing some altitude training beforehand. The Leh district is situated approximately 11,500 feet above sea level, more than double the elevation of mile-high Denver, Colo., where the NHL&rsquo;s Avs play. Better be careful with those post-game beers.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-03

Hockey’s New High

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ADAM STEISS</div><p><b>Europe&rsquo;s top hockey clubs</b> will again vie for continental supremacy, as the Champions League returns for 2011-12.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-04661/9503227-1-eng-US/f0012-042.jpg" title="f0012-04" width="220" height="414"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(CHRISTIAN PETERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>After a two-season hiatus due to lack of funding, the IIHF has made a three-year commitment and is again betting that a competition featuring the continent&rsquo;s best clubs will fill a need in Europe for high-quality hockey beyond domestic leagues. Should it gain support from fans and sponsors, the CHL could be a precursor to the establishment of a pan-European league.</p><p>Meanwhile, Sweden&rsquo;s ice hockey federation is trying to stem the flow of its young prospects to North America. The federation will ask all prospects born in 1993 and later to sign a contract that keeps them from joining an NHL team until they turn 23. The contract will only be enforced if the federration&rsquo;s current transfer agreement with the NHL isn&rsquo;t renewed when it runs out after 2011-12. Prospects who don&rsquo;t sign will not be eligible for Sweden&rsquo;s development program, which includes the national junior teams. A breach of the contract will cost the player 45,000 euros.</p><p>The decision sparked criticism from Swedish players and their agents. They claimed the contract doesn&rsquo;t give players enough rights and that the out clause &ndash; which says that if a player hasn&rsquo;t been picked to a national team in 24 months, he&rsquo;s free &ndash; is far too long.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-04

Return of The Champs

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ANTHONY LOPOPOLO</div><p><b>Most</b>&nbsp;<b>hockey teams attract</b> fans to the stands to turn a profit. One ECHL squad uses them to fund a charity of sorts: itself.</p><p>The Toledo Walleye, who are affiliated with the NHL&rsquo;s Red Wings and Blackhawks, are operated by Toledo Arena Sports Inc., a not-for-profit corporation that resuscitated the city&rsquo;s hockey franchise last season after a two-year hiatus from the league.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-011943/9503258-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="367" height="318"></div><p>The Walleye play in the 7,431-seat Huntington Center, a new $98-million arena. The fans ordered a second helping of hockey in 2009, but they&rsquo;ll have to pay the bill, with all ticket revenue and net proceeds going toward the mortgage on the rink. Fan support is the lifeblood of the team.</p><p>&ldquo;Because there&rsquo;s not one owner of the team, there&rsquo;s a source of pride in the community,&rdquo; said Jason Griffin, Toledo&rsquo;s director of public and media relations. &ldquo;They all feel like they have a stake in it. Fans come to the rink just because it&rsquo;s the place to be.&rdquo;</p><p>The Walleye finished second in attendance in last season, averaging 6,294 fans per contest, drew 226,000 spectators in 36 home dates and sold out a third of those.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0013-01

Having a Stake in Fish

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ANTHONY PETRIELLI</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-021357/9503289-1-eng-US/f0013-022.jpg" title="f0013-02" width="264" height="264"></div><p><b>Looks like the brawn</b> finally caught up to the brain.</p><p>The Yale Bulldogs, the oldest existing intercollegiate hockey program, having played their first game in 1896, were ranked No. 1 in the nation for the first time in the 14-year history of the <i>USA Today</i> NCAA hockey rankings.</p><p>Led by top scorers Andrew Miller and Broc Little, the 11-1-0 (6-0-0 in the ECAC) Ivy League school also boasts NHL draftees Gus Young (Colorado) and Kenny Agostino (Pittsburgh). As a topper to the talent, Yale&rsquo;s coach, Keith Allain, guided Team USA at the 2011 World Junior Championship.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0013-02

It’s About Time

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ML</div><h2><b>BARGAINS</b></h2><p><b>JEFF HALPERN</b>&nbsp;<i>MTL 6G, 10A &ndash; $600K</i>&nbsp;$37,500/POINT</p><p><b>BRENDAN MORRISON</b>&nbsp;<i>CGY 4G, 13A &ndash; $725K</i>&nbsp;$42,647/POINT</p><p><b>CLARKE</b>&nbsp;<b>MACARTHUR</b>&nbsp;<i>TOR 9G, 13A &ndash; $1.1M</i>&nbsp;$50,000/POINT</p><p><b>ALEX TANGUAY</b>&nbsp;<i>CGY 8G, 15A &ndash; $1.7M</i>&nbsp;$73,913/POINT</p><p><b>ANTERO NIITTYMAKI</b>&nbsp;<i>SJ 9-3-3, 2.43, .910 &ndash; $2.0M</i>&nbsp;$222,222/WIN</p><h3><b>HONORABLE MENTION</b></h3><p><b>JORDAN LEOPOLD <i>BUF 7G, 10A -</i></b>&nbsp;<i>$3.0M</i>&nbsp;<b>$176,470/POINT</b></p><h2><b>LEMONS</b></h2><p><b>SHAONE</b>&nbsp;<b>MORRISON</b>&nbsp;<i>BUF 0G, 2A &ndash; $2.075M</i>&nbsp;$1,037,500/POINT</p><p><b>DEREK BOOGAARD</b>&nbsp;<i>NYR 1G, 1A &ndash; $1.625M</i>&nbsp;$812,500/POINT</p><p><b>ALEXEI PONIKAROVSKY</b>&nbsp;<i>LA 2G, 2A &ndash; $3.2M</i>&nbsp;$800,000/POINT</p><p><b>ZBYNEK MICHALEK</b>&nbsp;<i>PIT 0G, 5A &ndash; $4.0M</i>&nbsp;$800,000/POINT</p><p><b>ILYA KOVALCHUK</b>&nbsp;<i>NJ 5G, 9A &ndash; $6.6M</i>&nbsp;$476,190/POINT</p><h3><b>DISHONORABLE</b>&nbsp;<b>MENTION</b></h3><p><b>BRETT LEBDA <i>TOR 14GP, 0PTS, MINUS-11</i></b>&nbsp;<i>$</i><b><i>1.45M</i> $131,818/MINUS</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Buks AND Pucks

<p class="dropcap"><b><span>W</span>e&rsquo;ll be the first</b>&nbsp;to admit that in any other year, grinder Matt Cooke of the Pittsburgh Penguins would never be on our list of the Top 100 People of Power and Influence in hockey.</p><p>But his thunderous and clean-at-the-time check on Marc Savard last season got him there. That&rsquo;s because it provided the impetus for the NHL to institute a more rigid head-shot rule with greater consequences. That&rsquo;s influence.</p><p>But perhaps nobody embodies the spirit of the list more than Terry Pegula, who comes in at No. 65. A year ago, nobody in hockey knew who this guy was. But then he donated $88 million to Penn State University to build a rink and establish a hockey program. That&rsquo;s influence. Then reports surfaced that he&rsquo;s about to buy the Buffalo Sabres. That&rsquo;s power &ndash; or at least it will be.</p><p>The &ldquo;why&rdquo; is different for each member of our Top 100 list, but one thing is constant: they&rsquo;ll dictate the future of the game.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

100 People of Power & Influence

<div class="byline">BY KEN CAMPBELL</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0015-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-011911/9503368-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>FEHR FACTOR</b></p><p><b>As head of the NHLPA, Donald Fehr and his past labor success cast an imposing shadow.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGESO)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>O</span>urs</b>&nbsp;<b>is a world</b> where perception and reality rarely meet. In fact, they often scurry off in completely opposite directions. Just ask Tiger Woods. Or for that matter, talk to Donald Fehr.</p><p>Perception: Fehr is an autocratic, confrontational strike monger who loves nothing more than to lock horns with management and do whatever it takes to bring it down a notch or three. With his ascension to the executive directorship of the NHL Players&rsquo; Association, there&rsquo;s no reason to believe the same isn&rsquo;t in store for hockey and that another labor disruption is inevitable.</p><p>Reality: Baseball has enjoyed 16 years of labor peace since the 1994 strike that wiped out the season, well over half of his 23-year tenure as executive director of the Major League Baseball Players&rsquo; Association. Two collective bargaining agreements were successfully struck with Fehr at the helm and the union managed to avoid a salary cap. When you look at the state of relations between management and players in the other big three professional sports, none enjoys the sense of labor peace MLB does.</p><p>&ldquo;Since 1995, I think it&rsquo;s pretty clear that on the central economic issues baseball has been far and away the least contentious of the four,&rdquo; Fehr said. &ldquo;As far as the suggestion that I&rsquo;m the boogeyman or something like that, I would just say a couple of things. Since the short (NHL) strike in the early &rsquo;90s, there have been two stoppages in hockey, both initiated by management. The second thing is that while there is no denying there were contentious times in baseball, I think if you look at it closely, you can see that it was pretty much forced on the players. In 1995, the strike ended because the owners were found by the courts to have violated federal law and were bargaining in bad faith.&rdquo;</p><p>Dismissing the notion that he is the boogeyman might, in fact, be the least of Fehr&rsquo;s worries as he takes over the highest post in the NHLPA and the mantle as No. 1 on THN&rsquo;s list of the Top 100 People of Power and Influence. The reasons for his designation are clear, not only for what Fehr has accomplished already, but for the impact he will undoubtedly have in the hockey world in the next 18 months.</p><p>You want power? All right then. Fehr was brought in as an advisor to the broken down NHLPA and has emerged as the overwhelming choice of the players to guide them into the next collective bargaining agreement. He was also the lead figure in reconstructing an NHLPA constitution that effectively neutered his predecessor, Paul Kelly.</p><p>You want influence? Every time Fehr opens his mouth during a meeting with players and agents they come away more impressed. That Fehr was able to get the job despite some very contentious demands in terms of salary and employment terms speaks volumes of the sway he now holds.s</p><p>But you wouldn&rsquo;t know by talking to him or those who know him best, and that&rsquo;s where the perception-reality thing comes in again. Those who have worked with him in baseball contend that Fehr truly believes it is not all about him. His job, as he sees it, is to always and without fail represent the interests of the players. Those who lived through Bob Goodenow&rsquo;s autocratic stranglehold over the NHLPA and Ted Saskin&rsquo;s attempts to gain power will probably see a big difference in their new leader.</p><p>&ldquo;As (MLBPA founder) Marvin Miller taught me years ago, the way a union is successful is to have a knowledgeable, participating, cohesive, unified membership,&rdquo; Fehr said, &ldquo;and that means they not only have to have a say, but they basically have to have <i>the</i> say. You hire staff and that&rsquo;s what I am &ndash; I&rsquo;m staff. Anyone who doesn&rsquo;t skate in this business is replaceable and that certainly includes me or anybody else who sits in an office.&rdquo;</p><p>Fehr will do a lot more than occupy a desk. He has a mammoth task ahead of him. First, he has to learn the business, get a handle on the current CBA, develop an effective strategy for approaching the next round of negotiations and change the culture at the NHLPA&rsquo;s head office and among the rank and file, many of whom are not near enough engaged in the process.</p><p>One thing is for sure. The appointment of a heavyweight of Fehr&rsquo;s nature is enough to get the NHL&rsquo;s attention. With both Saskin and Kelly, the league seemed to be out for blood. So in a roundabout way, perhaps having Fehr leading the union will force the league to be less confrontational and more realistic in its demands.</p><p>Many will portray the next 18 months as Fehr vs. Gary Bettman. But before he can take Bettman on, Fehr has to get to know him in a professional setting. &ldquo;I do know Mr. Bettman, I&rsquo;ve known him for 30-some years,&rdquo; Fehr said. &ldquo;But we&rsquo;ve never sat on opposite sides of the same table except in a restaurant.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0015-01

Donald Fehr: The New No. 1

f0016-01

100 People of Power + Influence

<div class="byline">BY KEN CAMPBELL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-011409/9503486-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg" title="f0024-01" width="477" height="695"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>JULIEN BRISEBOIS</b></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>welve</b>&nbsp;<b>years after</b> becoming a lawyer, Julien BriseBois is finally where he wants to be. All through law school, BriseBois had visions of living life as a tax attorney in Florida. So when he closed the deal on his new home in Tampa Bay in mid-December, his boss Steve Yzerman made an observation. &ldquo;Steve was telling me that I was halfway to my goal,&rdquo; BriseBois said.</p><p>The career path has changed and so, likely, will the destination. But you can bet BriseBois, 33, is a lot more than halfway to his goal. For that reason, Yzerman&rsquo;s assistant GM with the Tampa Bay Lightning heads our list of hockey&rsquo;s Top 40 Under 40. If BriseBois were a player, he&rsquo;d be in the twilight of his career. But in the small and sometimes incestuous world of hockey management, he&rsquo;s a babe in arms. But that hasn&rsquo;t prevented him from being on the fast track. &ldquo;He could be a GM in the league today,&rdquo; Yzerman said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no doubt in my mind about that.&rdquo;</p><p>Even more impressive is that BriseBois didn&rsquo;t come into the NHL&rsquo;s executive suite still smelling of hockey equipment. Growing up in suburban Montreal, BriseBois was an elite-level shortstop who played high school baseball with future big-leaguers Eric Gagne and Steve Green and attended regional tryout camps for the Montreal Expos, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-011250/9503479-1-eng-US/f0025-012.jpg" title="f0025-01" width="1033" height="1135"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>TRAILBLAZER</b></p><p><b>Ex-NHL goalie Kevin Weekes made history as hockey&rsquo;s first black national analyst.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(BRAD WATSON/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Even his first exposure to professional sports management was in baseball. After jumping directly from high school to law school (something possible for extra-sharp cookies in Quebec), BriseBois was working for a Montreal law firm that was doing some arbitration work for the Kansas City Royals. Baseball has a much more league-based approach to arbitration than hockey, so all the teams get together to argue their cases. &ldquo;I was at a Major League Baseball GMs meeting before I was at an NHL GMs meeting,&rdquo; BriseBois said. &ldquo;All these guys were in the room and I was just this punk kid. When it came time to present our case, the GM (Allard Baird) turned to me and said, &lsquo;You go ahead.&rsquo; &rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-011424/9503472-1-eng-US/f0026-012.jpg" title="f0026-01" width="1033" height="1297"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>JACK OF ALL TRADES</b></p><p><b>A successful player, coach and owner, Bob Boughner was also executive VP of the NHLPA.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(DAVE REGINEK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>BriseBois represents something of a new breed of NHL executive. They&rsquo;re really young, highly educated, supremely confident and unafraid to accept heavy lifting and lots of responsibility. Pittsburgh Penguins assistant GM Jason Botterill and Minnesota Wild assistant GM Brent Flahr are on much the same career path as BriseBois. In fact, it wouldn&rsquo;t be a surprise to see all three occupying GM chairs in the not-too-distant future.</p><p>One of the first moves Yzerman made when he took over the Lightning last summer was to hire BriseBois away from the Montreal Canadiens. BriseBois had been with the Canadiens since 2001 and there were some in the industry who were surprised when he wasn&rsquo;t named to succeed Bob Gainey as GM after Gainey resigned abruptly last year. That had little bearing on BriseBois&rsquo; decision to leave, since he was going to a job with much more responsibility in Tampa.</p><p>Yzerman leans heavily upon BriseBois for contract work and cap management, two assets that will come in handy when they do the mega-deal for Steven Stamkos. He also runs the Lightning&rsquo;s minor league team in Norfolk, as he did for Montreal with the Hamilton Bulldogs. BriseBois also earned an MBA while working for the Canadiens, but his learning curve when it comes to what happens on the ice has been a short one.</p><p>&ldquo;It was important for me to have someone who not only knows the CBA, but has had to apply the CBA,&rdquo; Yzerman said. &ldquo;Because you can read it over and over, but until you&rsquo;re actually applying it, you don&rsquo;t understand it. But the other thing I&rsquo;ve appreciated is he knows the game. He comes from a business background, but when we sit around and watch hockey and we talk about players, he knows what he&rsquo;s talking about.&rdquo;</p><p>BriseBois has benefited not only from working with some great people in Montreal, but from being able to accept responsibility without having his bosses worry about the job he&rsquo;s doing. By the time he left Montreal, he was running its minor league operation and had taken a lead role in building its practice rink.</p><p>&ldquo;What I&rsquo;ve found is if you don&rsquo;t screw up,&rsquo; BriseBois said, &ldquo;you can put yourself on the fast track.&rdquo;</p><p><b>Casual fans</b> may not have much of an idea who Brent Flahr is, but people in NHL circles certainly do. That&rsquo;s largely because he&rsquo;s probably worked for or with them at some point during his career.</p><p>The Wild&rsquo;s assistant GM is just 36, but he&rsquo;s already with his fourth organization, has worked under NHL GMs Bryan Murray, Rick Dudley, Brian Burke and Chuck Fletcher and earned a Stanley Cup ring with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-011331/9503465-1-eng-US/f0027-012.jpg" title="f0027-01" width="327" height="468"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>BRENT FLAHR</b></figcaption></div><p>The way Flahr tells it, there wasn&rsquo;t much of a market for undersized, slow-footed Ivy League defensemen when he graduated from Princeton with a degree in psychology in 1996, so he took a job working in the ticket sales department for the Florida Panthers.</p><p>&ldquo;Princeton was pretty much a pipeline to Wall Street, but honestly, I didn&rsquo;t really think New York was a good fit for me,&rdquo; Flahr said. &ldquo;Out of the blue, my coach, Don Cahoon, told me about a job with the Panthers on the marketing side and I just kind of went with the flow. Being 22 and living in South Florida and working in hockey sounded pretty good.&rdquo;</p><p>Funny thing about South Florida, you actually have to sell hockey there and Flahr turned out to be pretty good at it. The Panthers were coming off a surprise appearance in the Stanley Cup final and were a couple of years away from getting their new rink. Times were good.</p><p>&ldquo;I guess he was one of the best ticket sellers they had down there,&rdquo; said Fletcher, who was working under Murray with the Panthers at the time. &ldquo;We kept hearing rumors about this young guy in the ticket department who had a lot of answers for all our perceived ailments. Bryan Murray and I heard about him and we met with him and he was a pretty intelligent kid, so we brought him into our office.&rdquo;</p><p>Since taking a job as a scouting and video coordinator with the Panthers, it has been a progressive climb for Flahr. He went to the Ducks with Fletcher and Murray and stayed in Anaheim to work under Burke, until he was lured by Murray to Ottawa. When Fletcher took the Wild job before prior to last season, he convinced Flahr to join him.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>What I&rsquo;ve found is if you don&rsquo;t screw up, you can put yourself on the fast track</b><br><b><i>&ndash; Julien BriseBois</i></b></blockquote><p>With Minnesota, Flahr is responsible largely for the Wild&rsquo;s scouting efforts on both the pro and amateur sides and does some entry level contract work. &ldquo;He has a terrific eye for the game and he really knows players,&rdquo; Fletcher said. &ldquo;He gets it. He can look at a situation and come up with intelligent answers very quickly.&rdquo;</p><p>Even though Flahr already has a Stanley Cup ring, he does not have his name engraved on the chalice because the scouts in Anaheim did not get their names on the Cup. &ldquo;I was already leaving for Ottawa anyway,&rsquo; Flahr said, &ldquo;and I don&rsquo;t think that was a real popular move with Burkie.&rdquo;</p><p><b>It wasn&rsquo;t</b> until three years after his playing career ended in 2005 that Jason Botterill was able to do things as simple as work out or shovel snow. The fourth concussion of his career was so serious it forced him into retirement, but did not dull his passion to stay in the game.&ldquo;I was fine day-to-day so I had no problem going to school,&rdquo; Botterill said. &ldquo;But every time I would elevate my heart rate I would see black spots and the room would be spinning.&rdquo;</p><p>So the three-time world junior champion decided to return to the University of Michigan to get an MBA and followed that up by working in the NHL&rsquo;s Central Registry office, where he got an on-the-job tutorial on all the intricacies of the salary-capped CBA. He did some part-time scouting for the Dallas Stars while at Michigan, but their were no openings in their front office. Then-Stars GM Doug Armstrong suggested new Penguins GM Ray Shero speak to Botterill about a position.</p><p>Shero had no intention of filling his capologist post for another year because the Penguins were not yet a cap team. But he was so impressed after speaking with Botterill that he convinced Penguins CEO Ken Sawyer to find some room in the budget to hire him. Since then, Botterill has jumped into his job with both feet. He remains an expert on the CBA and contracts, but has taken on more responsibility with Shero&rsquo;s full backing. After working under former assistant GM Chuck Fletcher, Botterill is now running the Penguins&rsquo; successful minor pro team and contributes to both pro and amateur scouting efforts.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-011405/9503458-1-eng-US/f0028-012.jpg" title="f0028-01" width="1128" height="1422"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>BRASH AND BOLD</b></p><p><b>Don&rsquo;t expect Chris Pronger&rsquo;s headline-making ways to end when his playing days are over.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(STEVE BABINEAU/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;I was supposed to be the salary cap guy, but then you start doing some amateur scouting and then pro scouting,&rdquo; Botterill said. &ldquo;Then you&rsquo;re going down to Wilkes-Barre. The best thing is Chuck and Ray head up an environment where they wanted to hear your opinion on things, they wanted you to be a part of things.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-02989/9503451-1-eng-US/f0028-022.jpg" title="f0028-02" width="341" height="496"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>JASON BOTTERILL</b></figcaption></div><p>And it could not have worked out better for both Botterill and the Penguins. He experienced the Stanley Cup victory in 2009 and has used his triumphs and travails as a first round pick and a player in both the NHL and the minors to good use.</p><p>Botterill, Flahr and BriseBois are undoubtedly on their way to bigger things, but the schedule is not the least bit certain. If we had put this list together 10 years ago, there&rsquo;s little doubt Shero would have been on it, but it took eight years working under David Poile in Nashville for Shero to get a chance to run his own operation.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s good for these guys to get the experience of the good and the bad,&rdquo; Shero said. &ldquo;Having him realize it&rsquo;s not as easy as winning 12 in a row all the time is important. You have to manage through the tough times as well, things like making a coaching change. All those experiences add up for a young guy.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0024-01

TOP 40 UNDER 40

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0029-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-02853/9503541-1-eng-US/f0029-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>HEAD HONCHOS</b></p><p><b>Rene Fasel worked with Gary Bettman to make NHL players at the Olympics the standard.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-011240/9503548-1-eng-US/f0029-012.jpg" title="f0029-01" width="207" height="245"></div><p><b>In</b>&nbsp;<b>his 16 years</b> as president of the International Ice Hockey Federation, Rene Fasel has had his share of successes.</p><p>I Most notably, the Swiss-born power broker helped usher in the era of NHLers playing at the Winter Olympics, an experiment that has been a boon in celebrating the sport. And he has helped negotiate transfer agreements between IIHF member countries that have expanded the playing field for talented players from all countries.</p><p>But he still has significant challenges to deal with, including the lack of competitiveness in the women&rsquo;s game &ndash; a problem that caused International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge to warn he may remove it as an Olympic sport &ndash; as well as the NHL&rsquo;s reluctance to send its players to the 2014 Games in Russia.</p><p>In regard to the latter issue, Fasel believes the IIHF can work with the IOC to address some of the NHL&rsquo;s concerns (for example, its desire to have more promotional/editorial access to players during the tournament) and continue the tradition that began at the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan. But he also is clear about who is retaining control of the process.</p><p>&ldquo;For sure, we can do better working together with the NHL and IOC,&rdquo; Fasel said. &ldquo;Gary (Bettman) believes we could allow better access for <a href="http://NHL.com">NHL.com</a> to be integrated with the rightsholders, for instance. Accessibility for (NHL) owners and things like that are something I think will be very easy to handle.</p><p>&ldquo;But as for the rest, the tournament will be in the hands of the International Federation. We are working together with the NHLPA and NHL, but it still is an IOC/IIHF tournament.&rdquo;</p><p>Fasel is cautiously optimistic women&rsquo;s hockey will become more competitive across the board, not just the domain of Canada and the United States. He points to the $2-million investment in improving the women&rsquo;s game internationally as a sign of the IIHF&rsquo;s commitment to narrowing the gap in what is the sport&rsquo;s fastest-growing element.</p><p>&ldquo;I think removing (the women&rsquo;s game from the Olympics) is not an issue for the IOC at the moment,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We got this alarm from president Rogge in Vancouver, but we have to work very hard to improve the women&rsquo;s game. On the other hand, we know Europe isn&rsquo;t North America and women&rsquo;s sport in Europe is a challenge. Even in soccer, the No. 1 sport all over the world, the women&rsquo;s game has a tough challenge.&rdquo;</p><p>A conversation with Fasel is refreshing when the topic turns to the strain of conservative and provincial thinking that afflicts a certain element of the Canadian population and has made the NHL and most North American hockey leagues slow to respond to change.</p><p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s a typical Canadian way to think,&rdquo; Fasel said of those who believe hockey is Canada&rsquo;s game alone. &ldquo;Sometimes I think they are like the English people when they speak about soccer &ndash; they are the guardians, the game is theirs. Canadians are the same with hockey. The removal of the red line offside, it took me and the federation nearly eight years to (get the NHL to) change that rule. They are very conservative and on the one hand I think that&rsquo;s good. But for sure, they think they are the guardians of the grail. It&rsquo;s unbelievable, but it&rsquo;s OK.&rdquo;</p><p>Fasel is equally admirable in discussing the need to continue efforts to reduce the role of fighting in hockey. &ldquo;(Many) think fighting is part of the game,&rdquo; Fasel said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not. It&rsquo;s bad for the game, it&rsquo;s also bad for recruitment. I have nothing against sometimes having a fight that comes from emotion. That&rsquo;s part of the game. But this stuff where it&rsquo;s staged, going to the middle of center ice, you take off your helmets &ndash; bah. For me, this is not hockey.</p><p>&ldquo;The NHL should have the courage to say, &lsquo;Hey, come on, guys, it&rsquo;s so much better to have a big save or a nice goal or a hard bodycheck.&rsquo; If people like to fight, they should go into boxing or kickboxing. But not our game, no.&rdquo;</p><p>Very few things in life are a lock to take place, but Fasel is determined not to linger in his position until the organization&rsquo;s bylaws force him out of office.</p><p>&ldquo;Our regulations still say I can run before I&rsquo;m 72, but I can promise you I will not be here until I&rsquo;m 72,&rdquo; said Fasel, who turns 61 in February. &ldquo;When I was young, I was always fighting against the old guys holding on to their position forever. My wife asked me the other day how long I had been with the federation and I told her 16 years as president and 24 years in the council. My wife said, &lsquo;Rene, remember what you said when you were young?&rsquo; &lsquo;Ah,&rsquo; I said, &lsquo;I&rsquo;m an old fart and maybe it&rsquo;s time to leave.&rsquo; We need young people with new ideas and new directions. But I still enjoy it.&rdquo;</p><p>WANT MORE PROTEAU? READ ADAM&rsquo;S BLOG ONLY ON <b><a href="http://TheHockeyNews.com">THEHOCKEYNEWS.COM</a></b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0029-02

Taking Stock Of Rene’s Reign

<div class="byline">BY KEN CAMPBELL</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0030-03" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-03713/9503579-1-eng-US/f0030-032.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">MARTIN ST. LOUIS<span class="photo-credit">(ST. LOUIS: HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES; HOWE: BRUCE BENNETT STUDIOS/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-02970/9503593-1-eng-US/f0030-022.jpg" title="f0030-02" width="76" height="88"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-011414/9503586-1-eng-US/f0030-012.jpg" title="f0030-01" width="195" height="131"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>W</span></b>ith Steven Stamkos receiving the lion&rsquo;s share of attention for the Tampa Bay Lightning this season, you could understand if Martin St-Louis was feeling a little like a forgotten man.</p><p>Well, as forgotten as one of the league&rsquo;s top point-producers can feel. But as it turns out that&rsquo;s certainly not the case &ndash; at least within the confines of the Lightning dressing room and the St-Louis household. &ldquo;My wife, my kids, they love me,&rdquo; St-Louis said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s all I need. I don&rsquo;t really care.&rdquo;</p><p>St-Louis, 35, has won just about every individual honor known to man, but now the perception is that he has been relegated to the role of helping Stamkos win them. That is true to a degree, but you might be surprised to learn that, of Stamkos&rsquo; 24 goals on the season, St-Louis had assisted on just 13 of them and just eight of those helpers are first assists. By contrast, Stamkos had assisted on eight of St-Louis&rsquo; 11 goals, with six of those helpers counting as first assists.</p><p>So it&rsquo;s not as though St-Louis is riding on Stamkos&rsquo; scoring coattails. But there is little doubt St-Louis has had to put his ego aside in the later years of what could be rounding into a Hall of Fame career. That would be a problem if St-Louis actually had an ego.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s not a forgotten man with us,&rdquo; said Lightning coach Guy Boucher. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s Mr. Warrior. He&rsquo;s an incredible leader and people who have seen him play tell me he&rsquo;s better this year than the year he won the MVP. And he&rsquo;s the most unselfish guy around. For him, everything is about the team.&rdquo;</p><p>Boucher might be onto something when he says St-Louis is playing better than he did in 2003-04, when he won the scoring championship and the Hart Trophy. With 37 points through 30 games, St-Louis was on pace for a career-high 71 assists and 101 points, only one less than his career best set in 2006-07. &ldquo;For me, it&rsquo;s about consistency,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I think I&rsquo;ve been a player who has been in the mix for a while. Winning the trophies I&rsquo;ve won, they kind of came out of nowhere, but I think since then I&rsquo;ve been a guy who has been in the mix.&rdquo;</p><p>There are those who will argue St-Louis is more important to the Lightning&rsquo;s fortunes than Stamkos. The two are obviously inexorably linked, but there might be something to that. Stamkos has rounded out his game, but he remains a dynamic, explosive talent who can change the game in a millisecond. St-Louis, on the other hand, seems to control the tempo of the game more with his playmaking and puck-carrying abilities.</p><p>As teams key in on Stamkos, it leaves St-Louis free to make more plays and create offense. Opponents have attempted to focus on Stamkos and take away his onetimer, but in those games St-Louis has often capitalized.</p><p>Should it hope to join the East&rsquo;s elite, Tampa will need more of the same from both St-Louis and Stamkos in the second half. The good news is they have a favorable schedule with the majority of games on home ice. In fact, the Lightning will have 26 of their 41 road games out of the way by Jan. 9. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s tired,&rdquo; Boucher said of Stamkos. &ldquo;The same thing with Marty. He&rsquo;s tired. They&rsquo;ve had to play so much. We&rsquo;ve played basically three lines because we feel having seven defensemen gives us an edge.&rdquo;</p><p>Through the fatigue and the triumph, you can be assured St-Louis will not go looking for the spotlight the way he does the net and his teammates&rsquo; sticks. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not looking to get credit,&rdquo; St-Louis said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m just trying to help my team win. The less attention, the better.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0030-03

Shucking The Spotlight

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-04529/9503624-1-eng-US/f0030-042.jpg" title="f0030-04" width="242" height="537"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>GORDIE HOWE</b></figcaption></div><p><b>G.</b>&nbsp;<b>Howe</b>&nbsp;<i>&rsquo;52, &rsquo;53, &rsquo;57, &rsquo;58, &rsquo;60, &rsquo;63</i></p><p><b>G. Lafleur</b>&nbsp;<i>&rsquo;77, &rsquo;78</i></p><p><b>M. Richard</b>&nbsp;<i>1947</i></p><p><b>A. Bathgate</b>&nbsp;<i>1959</i></p><p><b>B. Geoffrion</b>&nbsp;<i>1961</i></p><p><b>Brett Hull</b>&nbsp;<i>1991</i></p><p><b>J. Jagr</b>&nbsp;<i>1999</i></p><p><b>M. St-Louis</b>&nbsp;<i>2004</i></p><p>4 <b>NHL seasons St-Louis has averaged more than a point-per-game.</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0030-04

MIGHTY Righty

<div class="byline">&#x2013; RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-07287/9503725-1-eng-US/f0031-072.jpg" title="f0031-07" width="657" height="785"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>ANDREAS NODL</b></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-011295/9503767-1-eng-US/f0031-012.jpg" title="f0031-01" width="76" height="88"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-02869/9503760-1-eng-US/f0031-022.jpg" title="f0031-02" width="196" height="130"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-03665/9503753-1-eng-US/f0031-032.jpg" title="f0031-03" width="196" height="129"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-04517/9503746-1-eng-US/f0031-042.jpg" title="f0031-04" width="192" height="131"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-05412/9503739-1-eng-US/f0031-052.jpg" title="f0031-05" width="195" height="130"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-06348/9503732-1-eng-US/f0031-062.jpg" title="f0031-06" width="198" height="131"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>H</span>aving already surpassed his previous NHL bests in offense by a wide margin, Andreas Nodl was feeling pretty good about his work with the Philadelphia Flyers this campaign. &ldquo;I think he&rsquo;s really comfortable,&rdquo; said coach Peter Laviolette. &ldquo;Sometimes it just takes a player a few years.&rdquo;</p><p>Nodl, a right winger who has always been defensively sound, but wasn&rsquo;t setting the scoresheet on fire, has blossomed this season and even earned ice time beside captain Mike Richards. The 23-year-old Austrian couldn&rsquo;t claim culture shock for the slow start to his career, however; he played two years in the United States League for Sioux Falls before heading to St. Cloud State in Minnesota for another two seasons.</p><p>&ldquo;My mom was always big on education,&rdquo; Nodl said. &ldquo;So I went the USHL route and then the college route. It seems to be paying off.&rdquo;</p><p>The inspiration for the path was fellow Austrian Thomas Vanek. The Buffalo Sabres sniper is a few years older than Nodl, 23, and wanted to help out a kid he saw with potential. Vanek also played for Sioux Falls before the University of Minnesota.</p><p>&ldquo;We were on a team together once,&rdquo; Nodl said. &ldquo;He pulled me aside and said, &lsquo;You should really consider going to America. It&rsquo;s way better for your hockey career.&rsquo; He hooked me up with a tryout in the USHL and he knew the coach. Without him, there&rsquo;s no way I&rsquo;d be here.&rdquo;</p><p>With Nodl Flourishing, the Flyers might owe Vanek one.</p><h2><b>FOR THE RECORD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-08231/9503718-1-eng-US/f0031-082.jpg" title="f0031-08" width="754" height="605"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-1375/9503711-1-eng-US/f0031-132.jpg" title="f0031-13" width="326" height="550"></div><p>The number 13 is considered unlucky &ndash; and it seems to be so for <b>Jason Arnott</b> and the Devils. Barring a miraculous turnaround, the Devils&rsquo; streak of 13 consecutive playoff appearances will be snapped this year. The streak is the second-longest in the NHL; the Red Wings are first, having qualified for 19 straight seasons.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-09193/9503704-1-eng-US/f0031-092.jpg" title="f0031-09" width="730" height="602"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-1464/9503697-1-eng-US/f0031-142.jpg" title="f0031-14" width="322" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(TAVARES: MIKE STOBE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The first fight of <b>John Tavares&rsquo;</b> career (NHL or otherwise) took place Dec. 11 when he took on Atlanta&rsquo;s Alexander Burmistrov, who also was engaged in his first fight. Tavares&rsquo; penalty totals have dropped each season since 2007-08 &ndash; from 69 to 54 to 22 in his rookie NHL campaign. The fight gave him 17 PIM in 25 games this year.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-10154/9503690-1-eng-US/f0031-102.jpg" title="f0031-10" width="753" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-1556/9503683-1-eng-US/f0031-152.jpg" title="f0031-15" width="327" height="548"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(NODL+BIRON: GRAIG ABEL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Goalie <b>Martin Biron</b> has played his entire 12-year NHL career in the Eastern Conference, but this season, he&rsquo;s had more success playing Western Conference squads. In four games vs. the East, Biron had an .892 save percentage and 3.10 goals-against average; in five games vs. the West, he has a 1.99 GAA and .924 SP.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-11121/9503676-1-eng-US/f0031-112.jpg" title="f0031-11" width="753" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-1648/9503669-1-eng-US/f0031-162.jpg" title="f0031-16" width="323" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(SHELLEY: CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Enforcer <b>Jody Shelley</b> was suspended two games Dec. 13 for a hit from behind on Boston&rsquo;s Adam McQuaid. It was the fourth suspension of his NHL career, but the first for an actual hit. All three of Shelly&rsquo;s other suspensions &ndash; the longest of which was three games in 2004 &ndash; were the result of his involvement in fights.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-1291/9503662-1-eng-US/f0031-122.jpg" title="f0031-12" width="753" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-1744/9503655-1-eng-US/f0031-172.jpg" title="f0031-17" width="327" height="545"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(TALBOT: GREGORY SHAMUS/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The 12-game win streak posted by <b>Max Talbot</b> and the Penguins was impressive, but so was the manner in which they dominated during it. The Pens trailed their opponents for just 28:53 of those 12 games and allowed two or fewer goals in 11 of them, a 5-4 shootout victory over the Hurricanes Nov. 19 the lone exception.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0031-07

Austrian Understudy

<div class="byline">&#x2013; JOHN VOGL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-07282/9503868-1-eng-US/f0032-072.jpg" title="f0032-07" width="789" height="846"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>RYAN MILLER</b></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-011389/9503910-1-eng-US/f0032-012.jpg" title="f0032-01" width="76" height="88"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-02935/9503903-1-eng-US/f0032-022.jpg" title="f0032-02" width="195" height="129"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-03686/9503896-1-eng-US/f0032-032.jpg" title="f0032-03" width="196" height="130"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-04520/9503889-1-eng-US/f0032-042.jpg" title="f0032-04" width="196" height="129"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-05406/9503882-1-eng-US/f0032-052.jpg" title="f0032-05" width="196" height="132"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-06345/9503875-1-eng-US/f0032-062.jpg" title="f0032-06" width="193" height="131"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>M</span></b>ost of Ryan Miller&rsquo;s early-season problems revolved around the lower part of his body. The Sabres goaltender tweaked his knee in training camp, strained his hip in October and had groin tightness in November. Despite all the ailments to his base, Miller insists the biggest detriment to his play involved the mouth and ears.</p><p>The Sabres overhauled half their defensive corps, with three new players joining the blueline. The additions of Shaone Morrisonn, Jordan Leopold and Mike Weber forced fresh pairings and stale conversations. Communication wasn&rsquo;t sharp, and neither were Miller&rsquo;s numbers.</p><p>The defending Vezina Trophy winner started just 3-5-2 with a 2.71 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. After sitting out six games with the groin strain, Miller returned to form with a 6-2-0 run that improved his numbers to 2.26 and .922 and included a career-best shutout streak of 161:35.</p><p>&ldquo;Everyone wants to talk about if I&rsquo;ve started playing better, but I think it&rsquo;s a case where the whole team&rsquo;s playing better,&rdquo; Miller said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m feeling better, but I think it&rsquo;s a case where the communication has been better with the &lsquo;D.&rsquo; &rdquo;</p><p>The puck began leaving the zone cleaner; defensemen were in the right spots, passes were crisper and as a result Miller&rsquo;s goal light, flashed less frequently. &ldquo;You can make a difference,&rdquo; Miller said, &ldquo;but ultimately you&rsquo;ve got to have everyone around you on the same page.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-08240/9503861-1-eng-US/f0032-082.jpg" title="f0032-08" width="731" height="602"></div><h2><b>FOR THE RECORD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-1397/9503854-1-eng-US/f0032-132.jpg" title="f0032-13" width="327" height="551"></div><p>Moving Marco Sturm to L.A. for nothing but cap space means &ndash; if you follow the lineage &ndash; the only roster player Boston has to show from the Joe Thornton trade five years ago is <b>Andrew Ference.</b> That initially seems disastrous, but consider the B&rsquo;s may never have been able to ink Zdeno Chara as a free agent without dealing Thornton.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-09193/9503847-1-eng-US/f0032-092.jpg" title="f0032-09" width="753" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-1483/9503840-1-eng-US/f0032-142.jpg" title="f0032-14" width="327" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MCCORMICK: PHILLIP MACCALLUM/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The Sabres are getting the most anybody&rsquo;s has gotten from <b>Cody McCormick</b>. The gritty fourth-liner, who spent the entire regular season in the AHL last year, has already equalled his career high with four goals. The 27-year-old was on pace to play 81 games this year, easily besting his previous high of 55 with Colorado.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-10155/9503833-1-eng-US/f0032-102.jpg" title="f0032-10" width="735" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-1575/9503826-1-eng-US/f0032-152.jpg" title="f0032-15" width="327" height="548"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ELLER: FRANCOIS LACASSE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Keeping Carey Price has proven to be a great decision by Montreal, but the players it got for Jaroslav Halak sure aren&rsquo;t producing. <b>Lars Eller</b> was on pace for fewer than 20 points as the Habs&rsquo; third-line center, while Ian Schultz, also acquired from St. Louis, had failed to register a single point in the AHL and was a healthy scratch a few times.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-11127/9503819-1-eng-US/f0032-112.jpg" title="f0032-11" width="752" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-1670/9503812-1-eng-US/f0032-162.jpg" title="f0032-16" width="325" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MILLER+ALFREDSSON: ANDRE RINGUETTE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>How gruesome is the goal-getting  situation in Ottawa this year? Consider the team&rsquo;s leading scorer through a third of the season, <b>Daniel Alfreds</b>-<b>son</b>, was on pace to register fewer than 50 points. That would represent the lowest full-season total to lead the Sens since the club&rsquo;s modern era began in 1992-93.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-12111/9503805-1-eng-US/f0032-122.jpg" title="f0032-12" width="753" height="596"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-1754/9503798-1-eng-US/f0032-172.jpg" title="f0032-17" width="325" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(FERENCE+MACARTHUR: GRAIG ABEL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Colby Armstrong and <b>Clarke MacArthur</b> come from the same town, but different provinces. Lloydminster straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan border and Armstrong is from the Saskatchewan side, while MacArthur is an Albertan. Beyond that, their fathers actually faced off against each other as players in a senior league.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0032-07

Talking The Walk

<div class="byline">&#x2013; RYAN DIXON</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-07338/9504011-1-eng-US/f0033-072.jpg" title="f0033-07" width="750" height="811"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>TOMAS VOKOUN</b> <span class="photo-credit">(VOKOUN 1: FRANCOIS LACASSE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-02851/9504053-1-eng-US/f0033-022.jpg" title="f0033-02" width="197" height="132"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-03670/9504046-1-eng-US/f0033-032.jpg" title="f0033-03" width="196" height="131"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-04545/9504039-1-eng-US/f0033-042.jpg" title="f0033-04" width="196" height="132"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-05461/9504032-1-eng-US/f0033-052.jpg" title="f0033-05" width="191" height="132"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-06403/9504025-1-eng-US/f0033-062.jpg" title="f0033-06" width="196" height="130"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-011238/9504018-1-eng-US/f0033-012.jpg" title="f0033-01" width="76" height="88"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span></b>he Florida Panthers&rsquo; annual underwhelming play and the fact Tomas Vokoun is a UFA at season&rsquo;s end have led many to speculate the Cats will be looking to deal their creaseman before the Feb. 28 trade deadline.</p><p>That, in turn, has led to questions about whether the 34-year-old has the stuff to take a contending team to the top. Because there&rsquo;s no debating Vokoun can make a bad team respectable, which is what he&rsquo;s done since he was traded from Nashville to Florida before 2007-08.</p><p>The Panthers, who haven&rsquo;t made the playoff since 2000, surrendered the second-most shots per game that year and have allowed the most average rubber against each of the past two seasons.</p><p>Even with Florida playing a bit more stingy this year, some observers suggest Vokoun, who had a 3-8 playoff record with the Preds, thrives when facing a flurry of shots, but may not have the Ken Dryden gene that would allow him to excel on a team where he sees less action. Glenn Healy is not one of those people. &ldquo;I would say he&rsquo;s a top-flight goal-tender,&rdquo; the CBC analyst said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got a sound positional game; he&rsquo;s got quiet feet and quiet hands. He doesn&rsquo;t chase the game. He lets the game come to him. Over the course of his career he&rsquo;s proven to be a consistent goalie who can handle a heavy workload.&rdquo;</p><p>Healy, a former NHL goalie himself, also likes Vokoun&rsquo;s mental make up: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a no-maintenance, plug-and-play guy.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-08272/9504004-1-eng-US/f0033-082.jpg" title="f0033-08" width="753" height="602"></div><h2><b>FOR THE RECORD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-13121/9503997-1-eng-US/f0033-132.jpg" title="f0033-13" width="327" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ANTROPOV: GRAIG ABEL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Don&rsquo;t like how your favorite player &ndash; say, <b>Nik Antropov</b> &ndash; is being portrayed? Here&rsquo;s a chance to change that. Atlanta is running an essay contest with the winner granted a player interview and a feature for the Thrashers website (plus tickets to a game). The entry deadline is Jan. 10, the winner will be announced Jan. 13.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-09219/9503990-1-eng-US/f0033-092.jpg" title="f0033-09" width="753" height="602"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-14102/9503983-1-eng-US/f0033-142.jpg" title="f0033-14" width="327" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(CARTER: GREGG FORWERCK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>One reason Carolina was sitting outside the playoffs: the Canes are brutal at faceoffs. Fourth-liner <b>Ryan Carter</b> was bringing the percentage up after arriving from Anaheim, but fellow pivots Eric Staal, Brandon Sutter and Tuomo Ruutu were all under 45 percent and the team was a league worst 41.7 percent overall.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-10186/9503976-1-eng-US/f0033-102.jpg" title="f0033-10" width="753" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-1584/9503969-1-eng-US/f0033-152.jpg" title="f0033-15" width="327" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(VOKOUN 2: ELIOT J. SCHECHTER/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Netminder <b>Tomas Vokoun</b> became the 41st NHL goalie to record 250 wins and the seventh active player. Vokoun got his start in Montreal and it&rsquo;s Habs goalies Frank Brimsek and Ken Dryden who are next on the all-time wins list. Of Panthers goalies who&rsquo;ve played 54 or more games, Vokoun is tops in GAA and save percentage.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-11164/9503962-1-eng-US/f0033-112.jpg" title="f0033-11" width="753" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-1674/9503955-1-eng-US/f0033-162.jpg" title="f0033-16" width="327" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(TAMPA: ELSA/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The two-headed crease monster of <b>Dan Ellis</b> and <b>Mike Smith</b> both ranked in the NHL&rsquo;s bottom three in save percentage. The team also sported the worst GAA of any playoff-positioned team. Only seven NHL teams are spending less than the Lightning ($3.7 million cap hit) on goaltending this season.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-12146/9503948-1-eng-US/f0033-122.jpg" title="f0033-12" width="753" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-1769/9503941-1-eng-US/f0033-172.jpg" title="f0033-17" width="326" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(KNUBLE: GERRY THOMAS/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>When <b>Mike Knuble</b> scored his 250th career goal in December it was a nice accomplishment met with little fanfare. But what was noteworthy is that 200 of those goals came after Knuble&rsquo;s 30th birthday. The 38-year-old never scored 20 while in his 20s, but has managed at least that many every year since turning 30.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0033-07

Would Tomas Tank?

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-04625/9504129-1-eng-US/f0034-042.jpg" title="f0034-04" width="242" height="520"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>JONATHAN TOEWS</b> <span class="photo-credit">(BOTH: JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES))</span></figcaption></div><p><b>D. Steckel</b></p><p><i>63.7 percent</i></p><p><b>M. Malhotra</b></p><p><i>62.5 percent</i></p><p><b>P. Gaustad</b></p><p><i>60.5 percent</i></p><p><b>J. Toews</b></p><p><i>59.9 percent</i></p><p><b>Z. Konopka</b></p><p><i>58.8 percent</i></p><p><b>R. Kesler</b></p><p><i>58.4 percent</i></p><p><b>J. Stoll</b></p><p><i>58.2 percent</i></p><p><b>T. Zajac</b></p><p><i>58.0 percent</i></p><p><b>R. Peverley</b></p><p><i>57.8 percent</i></p><p><b>J. Halpern</b></p><p><i>57.0 percent</i></p><p>244 <b>Malhotra&rsquo;s career points (95-149-244) in 734 NHL games during 14 seasons</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0034-04

Draw MEN

<div class="byline">&#x2013; TIM SASSONE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-06484/9504230-1-eng-US/f0035-062.jpg" title="f0035-06" width="639" height="811"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>BRIAN CAMPBELL</b> <span class="photo-credit">(CAMPBELL: JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-011309/9504272-1-eng-US/f0035-012.jpg" title="f0035-01" width="195" height="131"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-02926/9504265-1-eng-US/f0035-022.jpg" title="f0035-02" width="197" height="131"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-03767/9504258-1-eng-US/f0035-032.jpg" title="f0035-03" width="195" height="131"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-04629/9504251-1-eng-US/f0035-042.jpg" title="f0035-04" width="197" height="131"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-05536/9504244-1-eng-US/f0035-052.jpg" title="f0035-05" width="194" height="130"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-2069/9504237-1-eng-US/f0035-202.jpg" title="f0035-20" width="76" height="88"></div><p><b>B</b>rian Campbell knows some simply see him as the guy with the $7.1-million cap hit, rather than a key to Chicago&rsquo;s defense.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s always fun to get accolades, but if our team is winning that obviously means the most,&rdquo; Campbell said. &ldquo;Maybe it&rsquo;s the contract. My first year here it bothered me, but there are things out of your control.&rdquo;</p><p>Campbell&rsquo;s worth to Chicago has been put to the test twice in the past year. When a broken collarbone side-lined him late last season, the Hawks weren&rsquo;t the same team. They trailed their opening-round series against Nashville 2-1 without Campbell, but he returned for Game 4 to help lead the Hawks to three straight wins.</p><p>The Hawks then struggled out of the gate defensively this season, with a sprained knee costing Campbell 13 games. Things settled down when he returned and he was a team-best plus-10 through his first 20 games.</p><p>&ldquo;Soupy&rsquo;s play is not only measured by how he plays in his own end, but he really helps our puck movement, our puck possession game and our offensive zone time,&rdquo; said Hawks coach Joel Quenneville.</p><p>Campbell takes pride in his plus-minus knowing there has been a knock on him defensively since his days in Buffalo. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s something you always watch and look at,&rdquo; the 31-year-old said. &ldquo;I had a tough first period in Toronto one time (while with Buffalo) and got the stat sheet thrown at me by the coach asking, &lsquo;Have you seen this lately?&rsquo; That really makes you think.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-07414/9504223-1-eng-US/f0035-072.jpg" title="f0035-07" width="753" height="602"></div><h2><b>FOR THE RECORD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-12193/9504216-1-eng-US/f0035-122.jpg" title="f0035-12" width="327" height="551"></div><p>The old, dependable <b>Niklas Hjalmarsson</b> was starting to reappear for the Hawks. Hjal-marsson, who told reporters he was &ldquo;awful&rdquo; to start the season, was a plus player just once in Chicago&rsquo;s first 18 games. He followed that stretch being even or plus in nine of 10 games and also chipped in his first goal of the campaign.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-08356/9504209-1-eng-US/f0035-082.jpg" title="f0035-08" width="753" height="598"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-13166/9504202-1-eng-US/f0035-132.jpg" title="f0035-13" width="327" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(VORACEK: GRAIG ABEL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Columbus got off to its best start ever thanks in part to a startling turnaround in close games. The club was 4-2 in overtime/shootout contests compared to 5-15 last season. <b>Jake Voracek</b> is also emerging as a good luck charm. The team was 13-1-0 in games when he recorded at least one of his 17 points.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-09308/9504195-1-eng-US/f0035-092.jpg" title="f0035-09" width="753" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-14143/9504188-1-eng-US/f0035-142.jpg" title="f0035-14" width="325" height="542"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(FLIPPULA: CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The Wings would like more offense and jam from <b>Valtteri Filppula</b>. The skilled center gets the third most minutes among Wings forwards, behind the big two of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, but ranked sixth among that group in shots on goal. Filppula&rsquo;s 19-goal pace this season would match his career best.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-10265/9504181-1-eng-US/f0035-102.jpg" title="f0035-10" width="753" height="598"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-15125/9504174-1-eng-US/f0035-152.jpg" title="f0035-15" width="325" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(LINDBACK: FREDERICK BREEDON/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>An injury to Pekka Rinne put <b>Anders Lindback</b> back in the Calder Trophy race. While Lindback trailed Sergei Bobrovsky in wins and games, the big Swede led all freshmen netminders in goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts. The question is, will he play enough to stay in contention when Rinne returns?</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-11224/9504167-1-eng-US/f0035-112.jpg" title="f0035-11" width="753" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-16113/9504160-1-eng-US/f0035-162.jpg" title="f0035-16" width="327" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(HJALMARSSON+MCCLEMENT: ANDY DEVLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The 2010-11 season hasn&rsquo;t been <b>Jay McClement&rsquo;s</b> best, but don&rsquo;t overanalyze his team-worst plus-minus mark. A highly regarded checker, McClement draws tough assignments and has been good on the PK. His contributions, already key, became more critical with the Blues suffering a run of injuries to offense-minded forwards.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0035-06

Soup’s on For Hawks

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ROB TYCHKOWSKI</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-07362/9504373-1-eng-US/f0036-072.jpg" title="f0036-07" width="658" height="818"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>RYAN WHITNEY</b></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-011305/9504415-1-eng-US/f0036-012.jpg" title="f0036-01" width="76" height="88"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-02876/9504408-1-eng-US/f0036-022.jpg" title="f0036-02" width="195" height="132"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-03722/9504401-1-eng-US/f0036-032.jpg" title="f0036-03" width="195" height="128"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-04575/9504394-1-eng-US/f0036-042.jpg" title="f0036-04" width="194" height="132"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-05488/9504387-1-eng-US/f0036-052.jpg" title="f0036-05" width="196" height="129"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-06431/9504380-1-eng-US/f0036-062.jpg" title="f0036-06" width="193" height="131"></div><p><b>I</b>f he had time to clean the ice, Ryan Whitney would do it, but he doesn&rsquo;t. He&rsquo;s too busy being Mr. Everything for the Edmonton Oilers.</p><p>He&rsquo;s their minute man and their set-up man, was leading the team in points and fifth in the NHL in ice time. He&rsquo;s lead D-man on the power play and penalty kill and one of the most respected voices in the room.</p><p>That he hasn&rsquo;t scored since last season &ndash; that kind of gets lost in the shuffle. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m the reverse Cy Young winner,&rdquo; said the 27-year-old, who sat at at 0-21 in the goals-assists column as the Oilers closed in on Christmas. &ldquo;If I was a pitcher I&rsquo;d be in single &lsquo;A&rsquo; by now.&rdquo;</p><p>Not that anyone was complaining. He was seventh in scoring among NHL defensemen and seemed to factor in on just about every second goal the Oilers scored. &ldquo;If you look at his assists you can understand he&rsquo;s moving the puck up and that&rsquo;s huge,&rdquo; said coach Tom Renney. &ldquo;He goes north-south with good passes as well as anybody in the league, we think, so that&rsquo;s been really, really important to us. It just enhances our attack game. We&rsquo;re spending less time in our end when he&rsquo;s moving it.&rdquo;</p><p>Renney and his staff laid out exactly what they expected from Whitney at the start of the year and he&rsquo;s stepped up, playing 26 minutes a game. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s been excellent. He becomes a little economical as the game goes on, but who can blame him. (With the amount he&rsquo;s playing) the guy is going to be 175 pounds by the end of the year.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-08307/9504366-1-eng-US/f0036-082.jpg" title="f0036-08" width="750" height="602"></div><h2><b>FOR THE RECORD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-13183/9504359-1-eng-US/f0036-132.jpg" title="f0036-13" width="326" height="548"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(BOUWMEESTER: GERRY THOMAS/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Jay Bouwmeester</b> has led his team in ice time each season since he finished second to Mike Van Ryn in Florida in 2004. Bouwmeester and Chris Pronger are the only defensemen to finish top 10 league-wide in TOI each season since the lockout. Bouwmeester sat fourth with 26:16 this year; Pronger was 45th with 22:25.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-09263/9504352-1-eng-US/f0036-092.jpg" title="f0036-09" width="753" height="602"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-14169/9504345-1-eng-US/f0036-142.jpg" title="f0036-14" width="326" height="548"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(FOOTE: CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Long-time Nordiques/Avalanche defenseman <b>Adam Foote</b> passed Sandis Ozolinsh in November to become the franchise&rsquo;s all-time leading scorer among D-men. It didn&rsquo;t last long, though, as John-Michael Liles passed Foote with a goal and an assist against Florida Dec. 7. Ozolinsh held the record since 2000.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-10233/9504338-1-eng-US/f0036-102.jpg" title="f0036-10" width="753" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-15164/9504331-1-eng-US/f0036-152.jpg" title="f0036-15" width="327" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(WHITNEY+ PAAJARVI: ANDY DEVLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Two rookie Swedes drafted by Edmonton have suited up for the team this season: <b>Magnus Paajarvi</b> and Linus Omark. But the Oil aren&rsquo;t known for their Swedish connection. The only other Swede drafted by the Oilers to play for the NHL club is Peter Eriksson (the 64th overall pick in 1987), who appeared in 20 games in 1989-90.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-11213/9504324-1-eng-US/f0036-112.jpg" title="f0036-11" width="753" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-16159/9504317-1-eng-US/f0036-162.jpg" title="f0036-16" width="325" height="547"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(BURNS: RICH LAM/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>While it&rsquo;s no surprise Marian Gaborik&rsquo;s 219 goals and 437 points are franchise records, it&rsquo;s interesting to note he sits second on the franchise list in game-winning OT goals to a blueliner. <b>Brent Burns</b> scored his first GWG of the season Dec. 11, giving him five OT winners all-time with the Wild, surpassing Gaborik&rsquo;s four.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-12197/9504310-1-eng-US/f0036-122.jpg" title="f0036-12" width="753" height="601"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-17150/9504303-1-eng-US/f0036-172.jpg" title="f0036-17" width="327" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(SCHNEIDER: JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Cory</b>&nbsp;<b>Schneider</b> became the first Canucks goaltender to register two assists in a game in a Dec. 11 loss to Tampa Bay. With those helpers, Schneider had three assists on the season, which equals Roberto Luongo&rsquo;s highest single-season mark. The most assists in one game by an NHL goalie is three by Jeff Reese in 1993.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0036-07

Who Can? Whitney Can

<div class="byline">&#x2013; JONATHAN DAVIS</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-011165/9504558-1-eng-US/f0037-012.jpg" title="f0037-01" width="242" height="161"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-02812/9504551-1-eng-US/f0037-022.jpg" title="f0037-02" width="242" height="161"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-03650/9504544-1-eng-US/f0037-032.jpg" title="f0037-03" width="243" height="161"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-04555/9504537-1-eng-US/f0037-042.jpg" title="f0037-04" width="243" height="162"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-05501/9504530-1-eng-US/f0037-052.jpg" title="f0037-05" width="242" height="162"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-06443/9504523-1-eng-US/f0037-062.jpg" title="f0037-06" width="96" height="111"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-07378/9504516-1-eng-US/f0037-072.jpg" title="f0037-07" width="818" height="991"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>LUBOMIR VISNOVSKY</b></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>I</span></b>t&rsquo;s hard to believe entering his 10th NHL season that consistently productive blueliner Lubomir Visnovsky finds himself flying under the radar. But on a Ducks team featuring household names Ryan Getzlaf, Teemu Selanne, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan, it&rsquo;s not surprising.</p><p>Visnovsky has typically found himself playing second fiddle. First there was Rob Blake in Los Angeles, then Sheldon Souray during a brief stint in Edmonton and finally Scott Niedermayer in Anaheim.</p><p>But with Niedermayer&rsquo;s retirement, Visnovsky landed himself the leading role on the Ducks blueline. He&rsquo;s their power play quarterback and was inching towards 25 minutes of ice time per night. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s playing more minutes than we thought he would, but I think as the season wears on those numbers will drop as our defense becomes more of a cohesive unit,&rdquo; said GM Bob Murray.</p><p>Though some around the league feel Visnovsky&rsquo;s 5-foot-10, 197-pound frame isn&rsquo;t suited for playing against the opposition&rsquo;s best night-in and night-out, he has enjoyed the added responsibility and has been solid at both ends of the ice, playing the third-most even-strength time in the league. Through 32 games Visnovsky was plus-1 and fourth among NHL defenseman in scoring. Surprisingly, however, he had yet to score a power play goal. &ldquo;Lubo makes that first pass as well as anyone and quarterbacking the power play you have to respect his shot,&rdquo; Perry said.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-08292/9504509-1-eng-US/f0037-082.jpg" title="f0037-08" width="937" height="750"></div><h2><b>FOR THE RECORD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-13124/9504502-1-eng-US/f0037-132.jpg" title="f0037-13" width="407" height="686"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(VISNOVSKY+PERRY+GREENE: HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>In his young career, <b>Corey Perry</b> has experienced quite a few highs. The right winger has a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medal, a Memorial Cup and a World Junior Championship gold medal. But despite having great offensive acumen, it took until his 401st NHL game before notching his first hat trick, vs. the Wild Dec. 12.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-09236/9504495-1-eng-US/f0037-092.jpg" title="f0037-09" width="936" height="749"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-14113/9504488-1-eng-US/f0037-142.jpg" title="f0037-14" width="407" height="686"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(WOYWITKA: PHILLIP MACCALLUM/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>What the Dallas defense corps lacks in name recognition, it makes up for in depth. As a recent injury replacement, <b>Jeff Woywitka</b> proved he still has some NHL game left in him, playing solidly on the back end after being a healthy scratch in 16 of the Stars&rsquo; first 19 games. Prospect Philip Larsen is another option when needed.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-10198/9504481-1-eng-US/f0037-102.jpg" title="f0037-10" width="937" height="750"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-1597/9504474-1-eng-US/f0037-152.jpg" title="f0037-15" width="407" height="686"></div><p>The Kings have a steady hand on the blueline in <b>Matt Greene,</b> but the veteran also has another duty: dressing room DJ. Greene, along with Jarrett Stoll, picks the tunes for the Kings and his choices cross a wide variety of genres. After every victory, however, the same song is blared: &ldquo;All I Do is Win,&rdquo; by DJ Khaled.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-11162/9504467-1-eng-US/f0037-112.jpg" title="f0037-11" width="937" height="749"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-1685/9504460-1-eng-US/f0037-162.jpg" title="f0037-16" width="407" height="686"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(DOAN: DAVE SANDFORD/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The Coyotes are coming together to help out a fallen member of their family. Longtime massage therapist Jukka Nieminen passed away unexpectedly in the summer and money is now being raised for his two daughters&rsquo; college funds. <b>Shane Doan</b> and 26 other NHL captains are auctioning off game-worn jerseys.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-12139/9504453-1-eng-US/f0037-122.jpg" title="f0037-12" width="937" height="750"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-1777/9504446-1-eng-US/f0037-172.jpg" title="f0037-17" width="406" height="686"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MCGINN: ANDY DEVLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The Sharks have used the Ottawa 67&rsquo;s as a pipeline. <b>Jamie McGinn,</b> Logan Couture and Derek Joslin all played for the 2006-07 edition of the junior team and McGinn and Couture are now road roommates. The love shouldn&rsquo;t be surprising; GM Doug Wilson averaged 85 points a year as a defenseman for the 67&rsquo;s in the mid-1970s.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0037-01

Top of The Flock

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0038-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-02867/9504596-1-eng-US/f0038-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>HELPING HANDS</b></p><p><b>Thanks to some big numbers, Ty Rattie has jumped up in the 2011 NHL draft rankings.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(BRYAN HEIM/PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-011264/9504603-1-eng-US/f0038-012.jpg" title="f0038-01" width="95" height="111"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p><b>Ty</b>&nbsp;<b>Rattie</b> is no longer a question mark. He&rsquo;s developed into a bona fide prospect.</p><p>There were concerns about the Portland Winterhawks right winger entering his NHL draft year, but with 45 points in 35 games, he has quieted the noise.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-03697/9504589-1-eng-US/f0038-032.jpg" title="f0038-03" width="244" height="185"></div><p>Rattie comes with an impressive pedigree. The six-foot, 170-pound native of Airdrie, Alta., was the second overall pick in the Western League&rsquo;s 2008 bantam draft, right behind Red Deer&rsquo;s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. But while Nugent-Hopkins has been projected as a top-three pick for the 2011 NHL draft for more than a year, Rattie was always way out of the picture. That he struggled last season on an otherwise loaded Portland team didn&rsquo;t help matters. &ldquo;Rookie years are always tough,&rdquo; Rattie said. &ldquo;Moving to a different country, leaving my family and friends&hellip;I got a little homesick.&rdquo;</p><p>In his first full &lsquo;Dub&rsquo; season, Rattie tallied just 37 points in 61 games. But Winterhawks coach Mike Johnston was quick to point out minutes were tough to come by on Portland, especially with forwards such as Ryan Johansen, Nino Niederreiter and Brad Ross on the depth chart. &ldquo;We had two top lines and he played a third-line role,&rdquo; Johnston said of Rattie. &ldquo;He had almost no power play time, but he worked on other parts of his game. It&rsquo;s a tough league, so it&rsquo;s not that easy for a 16-year-old.&rdquo;</p><p>Particularly a teen who isn&rsquo;t built like a fridge. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s not a heavy kid,&rdquo; Johnston said. &ldquo;He has trouble keeping weight on, so he gets knocked around a bit.&rdquo;</p><p>But Rattie has risen above the adversity this season with his dynamic offensive game. Using vision, puck skills and instincts, he has dazzled for the Hawks, working in tandem with fellow draft-eligible winger Sven Bartschi (himself only 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, but scoring like a demon). &ldquo;The biggest thing for me now is confidence,&rdquo; Rattie said. &ldquo;I know how to find the net, I know how to find the open guy through skates and sticks.&rdquo;</p><p>He&rsquo;s also a lot more comfortable in his surroundings. Rattie is still in Grade 12, meaning the Alberta kid is attending high school in Oregon. That means a whole new level of learning, since math courses are now in imperial instead of metric and history is U.S., not Canadian.</p><p>Rattie, who wants to graduate with his friends back in Alberta, jokes that he just tries to remember the stuff he needs to know depending on what country he&rsquo;s in at the time.</p><p>One table that crosses the border is the draft ranking. Entering the season, International Scouting Services ranked the left winger 40th overall. But his fireball start to the season, which saw him score 23 points in 15 games to end October (and being held off the scoresheet just twice in that span), sent Rattie soaring into the first round, landing him 25th overall. &ldquo;I know of it, obviously I&rsquo;m aware of it,&rdquo; Rattie said. &ldquo;Those are the kinds of things that motivate me.&rdquo;</p><p>And he&rsquo;s not alone. Great starts from a number of players have meant a shifting in the draft rankings early on in the season. Players such as Niagara&rsquo;s Ryan Strome and Saint John&rsquo;s Jonathan Huberdeau parlayed eyecatching performances into big jumps in the ISS rankings, so Rattie isn&rsquo;t the only one making a name for himself.</p><p>Fortunately for Portland&rsquo;s coach, his gifted charge isn&rsquo;t one to be mouthy about those sorts of things.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a quieter guy off the ice,&rdquo; Johnston said. &ldquo;I think he&rsquo;s all about hockey. He watches the game, he studies the game&hellip;he&rsquo;s great from my perspective, just a low-maintenance kid.&rdquo;</p><p>And one with some high-end skill, at that.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote">29 <b>Rattie&rsquo;s assists total through 35 games this season, good for fifth in the WHL</b></blockquote><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0038-02

Rattie’s Rating Gets a Boost

<div class="byline">BY NEIL HODGE</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0039-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-02762/9504641-1-eng-US/f0039-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>WINNING RESUME</b></p><p><b>Christopher Gibson has won a medal for Finland and the Canadian midget title.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(DOMINIQUE B. GAGNÉ/CHICOUTIMI SAGUENEENS)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-011160/9504648-1-eng-US/f0039-012.jpg" title="f0039-01" width="92" height="112"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>C</span>hristopher Gibson</b> was born and raised in Finland, but a small taste of Canada, as 10-year-old in a Toronto hockey tournament, left a big impression.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-04499/9504634-1-eng-US/f0039-042.jpg" title="f0039-04" width="246" height="224"></div><p>&ldquo;I liked how big hockey is in Canada and the style of play here,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Everyone lives for the game here. It was amazing for me. After that, I wanted to move here to play hockey.&rdquo;</p><p>Gibson, 18, is now a Chicoutimi Sagueneens sophomore who&rsquo;s making a big impression on Canada as major junior&rsquo;s No. 1-rated goaltender for the 2011 draft.</p><p>His father is from England, his mother from Finland and he grew up speaking English and Finnish. Now, he&rsquo;s learning French. Gibson&rsquo;s play also speaks volumes &ndash; through mid-December he led the Quebec League with a 2.20 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage. He also had two shutouts and a 7-6-3 record in 16 games.</p><p>&ldquo;I think he&rsquo;ll go in the first two rounds of the draft,&rdquo; said an NHL scout. &ldquo;He moves well post-to-post, competes hard and reads the play well. He&rsquo;s square to the shot and controls rebounds. He&rsquo;s big, has very good net coverage and tracks the puck well. He leads the league and plays on a club near the bottom of the standings, so that says a lot.&rdquo;</p><p>Gibson played at famed Saskatchewan prep school Notre Dame in 2008-09, backstopping the club to the Canadian midget AAA championship.  &ldquo;It was an unbelievable experience at Notre Dame,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I still don&rsquo;t have the words to describe it. It made me a better goalie and a more mature person because you have to be disciplined with school.&rdquo;</p><p>Gibson, 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds, also helped Finland win the bronze medal at the 2010 world under-18 championship. Chicoutimi claimed him 16th overall in the 2009 CHL import draft. He&rsquo;s athletic, positionally sound, has a good glove hand and good overall quickness. Gibson also has a solid butterfly style, but acknowledges the need to improve his lateral movement and be more aggressive in some situations.</p><p>&ldquo;He has the physical attributes,&rdquo; said Chicoutimi goal-tending coach Marc Denis, a former NHL goaltender. &ldquo;His size and athletic ability are two of his big strengths and he&rsquo;s very mature for his age.&rdquo;</p><p>Denis compares Gibson to Montreal&rsquo;s Carey Price in that they share a methodical and technical style. &ldquo;He also has a winning background,&rdquo; Denis said. &ldquo;You can&rsquo;t buy that kind of experience.&rdquo;</p><p>Soccer was Gibson&rsquo;s main sport as a youngster, but he fell in love with hockey and switched his focus.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s got the proper technique,&rdquo; Denis said. &ldquo;He needs to work on how he explodes going from post to post. He&rsquo;s got lots of potential, he wants to learn and I know he&rsquo;ll improve the parts of his game that need it. He&rsquo;s determined. I&rsquo;m fortunate to start my goaltending coach career working with a prospect like him.&rdquo; Gibson feels fortunate, to have Denis, too.</p><p>&ldquo;Marc Denis played in Chicoutimi and went on to the NHL,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m trying to do the same thing. I&rsquo;m learning a lot from him. He&rsquo;s a role model for me.&rdquo;</p><p><b>For more on the future, check out: <a href="http://thn.com/prospects">thn.com/prospects</a></b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0039-02

Last Line Of Defense

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-03598/9504679-1-eng-US/f0039-032.jpg" title="f0039-03" width="600" height="774"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>JOHN GIBSON</b> <span class="photo-credit">(GRAIG ABEL/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>1. CHRISTOPHER GIBSON</b></h2><p>Chicoutimi (QMJHL)</p><p><i>Great size and a calm demeanor make the Finnish kid a winner; faces a lot of shots and can steal games</i></p><h2><b>2. JOHN GIBSON</b></h2><p>U.S. NTDP (USHL)</p><p><i>Takes up a lot of net with his 6-foot-3 frame and moves quite well in the crease, too</i></p><h2><b>3. SAMU PERHONEN</b></h2><p>JYP (Fin. Jr.)</p><p><i>Another lanky Finnish wunderkind, Perhonen is considered the top goalie prospect in Europe and boasted a .933 SP in Finland&rsquo;s top junior loop</i></p><h2><b>4. ERIC WILLIAMS</b></h2><p>Prince Albert (WHL)</p><p><i>Raiders have leaned on Williams, whose .911 save percentage is solid based on the amount of shots he faces</i></p><h2><b>5. MARCUS DUE-BOJE</b></h2><p>Djurgarden (Swe. Jr)</p><p><i>Swedish keeper boasting some of the best stats in his junior league with a 1.94 GAA and .934 save percentage</i></p><p>Read more of Ryan Kennedy&rsquo;s <b>&lsquo;The Hot List&rsquo;</b> Tuesdays at <a href="http://THN.com">THN.com</a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0039-03

Net Gains

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0040-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-02537/9504717-1-eng-US/f0040-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>QUICK STUDY</b></p><p><b>Philippe Hudon valued a mix of education and athletics when picking his high school.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(HUDON:COURTESY SELECTS HOCKEY)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-01858/9504724-1-eng-US/f0040-012.jpg" title="f0040-01" width="97" height="113"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>he</b>&nbsp;<b>story</b> is one Philippe Hudon has explained to people many times, but for the purposes of a mass audience, he answers the question again: How did a French-Canadian kid wind up playing prep school hockey in Connecticut? Simple.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-04334/9504710-1-eng-US/f0040-042.jpg" title="f0040-04" width="211" height="254"></div><p>Hudon, a gifted student who spent his middle school years in an enriched program at a French-speaking private school, was poised to play midget AAA in his home province of Quebec. But the teams in the league are based around high schools, so Hudon would have had to transfer. &ldquo;The issue was I would be moving out of a very good school to one that was&hellip;not what I was looking for,&rdquo; Hudon said. &ldquo;It didn&rsquo;t suit me because I knew I was a good student.&rdquo;</p><p>Good is putting it lightly. With the help of a family advisor, Hudon went looking for a bastion of learning that combined excellent academics and competitive hockey. He found it in Connecticut&rsquo;s Choate Rosemary Hall, which competes against other elite New England prep schools in the Founder&rsquo;s League (rival schools such as Nobles, Deerfield and Cushing were also considered). &ldquo;The first thing I want kids to realize about Choate is that it&rsquo;s about education,&rdquo; said coach Pat Dennehy. &ldquo;In Phil&rsquo;s case, he did the research on us.&rdquo;</p><p>Now in this third year at the school, Hudon has become a dominating presence on the right wing. At nearly 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, he knows how to use his frame to make things happen. &ldquo;What sticks out for me is that he is a physically impressive athlete,&rdquo; Dennehy said. &ldquo;For a bigger guy he moves extremely well and he&rsquo;s got great feet. He can change the complexion of the game with his physical presence.&rdquo;</p><p>And even though he&rsquo;s tucked away in New England, Hudon has not gone un-noticed. He was one of the select group of 2011 draft prospects chosen to demonstrate potential new rules at the NHL&rsquo;s summer research and development camp. &ldquo;I took the camp as something to show everyone that even though I come from a prep school and a league that may not be able to compete with, say, the Western League, that I can compete with those players,&rdquo; Hudon said.</p><p>And competitiveness is not a problem for Hudon. He likes to model his game after Boston Bruins power forward Milan Lucic. &ldquo;Not that I watch the Bruins a lot,&rdquo; he said mischievously, &ldquo;being from Montreal and all&hellip;&rdquo;</p><p>Hudon does want to improve upon is positioning. After starting his career on defense, he played most of his youth as a center and still has that pivot mindset on the wing. &ldquo;The problem is I have a tendency to be everywhere on the ice,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>But with Hudon&rsquo;s smarts, he&rsquo;s bound to nail that down quickly. Dennehy characterized him as very academically determined and the youngster recently received his letter of acceptance from Cornell. And he&rsquo;s not going there to major in basket weaving. &ldquo;My strong subjects have always been math and science,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But I may go the economics or business management route. Fields are open. I do have strong taste and capabilities in science.&rdquo;</p><p>Based on his play for Choate, it&rsquo;s safe to say Hudon already has the force-equals-mass-times-acceleration part down; it&rsquo;s how he schools his opponents regularly.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0040-02

Smarts and Size A Great Combo

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-03413/9504755-1-eng-US/f0040-032.jpg" title="f0040-03" width="598" height="714"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>MIKE McKEE</b></figcaption></div><h2><b>1. PHILIPPE HUDON, RW</b></h2><p>Choate (Conn.)</p><p><i>Ranked 82nd overall by ISS, Quebec native can skate and change the complexion of a game</i></p><h2><b>2. PETR PLACEK, C</b></h2><p>Hotchkiss (Conn.)</p><p><i>Harvard-bound Czech has size, skating and sniping abilities</i></p><h2><b>3. MATT KILLIAN, D</b></h2><p>Delbarton (NJ)</p><p><i>Excellent point shot; blueliner skates well and did some duty with Team USA U-18s as a call-up</i></p><h2><b>4. CHARLES ORZETTI, C</b></h2><p>New Jersey Hitmen (EJHL)</p><p><i>Huge kid is the catalyst for a very good Hitmen team; two-way forward plays with discipline</i></p><h2><b>5. STEVEN MICHALEK, G</b></h2><p>Loomis Chaffee (Conn.)</p><p><i>Member of Team USA&rsquo;s Ivan Hlinka team over the summer boasted a 2.02 GAA last season</i></p><h2><b>6. MIKE MCKEE, D</b></h2><p>Kent (Conn.)</p><p><i>Already nearly 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, the big blueliner has displayed nice passing acumen early on this season</i></p><p>Read more of Ryan Kennedy&rsquo;s <b>&lsquo;The Hot List&rsquo;</b> Tuesdays at <a href="http://THN.com">THN.com</a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0040-03

East Siders

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-03386/9504793-1-eng-US/f0041-032.jpg" title="f0041-03" width="270" height="99"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-01744/9504800-1-eng-US/f0041-012.jpg" title="f0041-01" width="97" height="113"></div><p><b>There&rsquo;s</b>&nbsp;<b>no</b> such thing as an instant rebuild, but the Ontario League&rsquo;s Sarnia Sting have come pretty close this year.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>With the No. 1 pick in the OHL Draft and the No. 2 pick in the CHL Import Draft, the Sting immediately armed themselves with Russians Alex Galchenyuk and Nail Yakupov. Galchenyuk, who was born in the U.S. while his father of the same name played minor pro, was raised in Europe but returned to the U.S. last year to play for the Chicago Young Americans.</p><p>As a teen, his Moscow team had come over to play a Silver Stick tournament in Ontario and the squad took in an Oshawa Generals game during the trip. The star of that team was John Tavares and the large and boisterous crowd at GM Place convinced Galchenyuk that the OHL was the place to be.</p><p>Yakupov came in as a traditional import, helped over by the fact he would have a Russian-speaking buddy and a fellow client represented by Hall of Famer Igor Larionov. Also, Galchenyuk&rsquo;s entire family moved to Sarnia this year and act as Yakupov&rsquo;s billets. It&rsquo;s been a match made in heaven for Sarnia already.</p><p>&ldquo;They&rsquo;ve both obviously adjusted very well,&rdquo; said coach-GM Dave MacQueen. &ldquo;Nail has come across and normally it takes Europeans a little bit of time to make the adjustment, but he lives with Alex Galchenyuk at his house, they&rsquo;re a Russian family and I think that transition has gone great. But on the ice, he&rsquo;s been phenomenal. I don&rsquo;t know if I&rsquo;ve had a (17-year-old) player like him who&rsquo;s come in and done the things he&rsquo;s done right off the bat.&rdquo;</p><p>Speedy and dynamic, Yakupov has challenged for the OHL scoring crown all season and his excited reactions after potting one are reminiscent of Alex Ovech-kin, even if Yakupov is a few inches shorter. &ldquo;When he gets the puck on his stick, his eyes just light up,&rdquo; MacQueen said. &ldquo;He loves scoring goals, he&rsquo;s excited when he scores, he&rsquo;s excited for his teammates when they score. He&rsquo;s just a pleasure to have around.&rdquo;</p><p>No one knows that more than Galchenyuk. &ldquo;We joke around, we live with each other, we are good friends,&rdquo; Galchenyuk said. And with Yakupov&rsquo;s very limited grasp of English (though he heroically gives it a go when interviewed), having the skilled and cerebral Galchenyuk on the roster is a double-bonus for the Sting. &ldquo;He translates for me,&rdquo; Yakupov said &ldquo;I like him, he&rsquo;s a very good boy. Very good teammate.&rdquo;</p><p>A late birthday, Yakupov isn&rsquo;t draft eligible until 2012, just like the younger Galche-nyuk. That means the Sting can bank on another year of high-octane offense from the pair before an NHL team even gets a crack at them &ndash; and MacQueen does believe he could lose one or both after next season and the experts agree, particularly in Yakupov&rsquo;s case. &ldquo;He will go straight to the NHL,&rdquo; said one scout. &ldquo;You can&rsquo;t teach what he does.&rdquo; The scout sees Yakupov as having the smaller frame and active effort of Atlanta rookie Alexander Burmistrov and the ebul-lience of Ovechkin. Back in Sarnia, there&rsquo;s another heady comparison to make.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-02474/9504786-1-eng-US/f0041-022.jpg" title="f0041-02" width="1391" height="1878"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>YAK ATTACK</b></p><p><b>Russian import Nail Yakupov has dazzled Sarnia fans right from the start of his first year.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(CHL IMAGEST)</span></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;We had Steven Stamkos here a couple years ago and Yakupov is every bit as exciting as Stamkos was at that age,&rdquo; MacQueen said. &ldquo;He makes different moves in practice, he makes different moves in games that make you say, &lsquo;Wow, where did that come from?&rsquo; There&rsquo;s always something different.&rdquo;</p><p>Yakupov will likely battle fellow Russian Mikhail Grig-orenko for the honor of being drafted first overall in 2012, but only Sarnia&rsquo;s kid is giving North America a free preview and Yakupov is glad he made the trek across the ocean to the OHL from Russia. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a very good hockey league,&rdquo; said the Nizhnekamsk native. &ldquo;Very good speed, I like it. Good people play in the OHL.&rdquo;</p><p>And based on Yakupov&rsquo;s play so far, he knows exactly of what he speaks.</p><p>46 <b>Yakupov&rsquo;s point total after 31 games (21-25-46), seventh in OHL scoring</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0041-03

Sarnia Rookie ‘Nails’ Landing

<div class="byline">BY NICOLAS CHABOT</div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>R</span>YAN</b>&nbsp;<b>KESLER</b> of the Vancouver Canucks knows how to step it up down the stretch. The 26-year-old has had a better points-per-game production in the second half of every season since the lockout (except in 2007-08, when he dropped by a measly 0.05 points/game played). Over the past five seasons, Kesler managed 89 points in 203 games in the first half while earning 121 points in 171 games in the second half, an increase of .27 points per game. Among current players, no one can touch Kesler&rsquo;s mark, certainly not fellow 2010 Olympian Ilya Kovalchuk. The Devils sniper brings up the rear by seeing his production drop by an average of more than a quarter point over the season&rsquo;s final 42 contests since 2004-05.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0042-01784/9504845-1-eng-US/f0042-012.jpg" title="f0042-01" width="403" height="616"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(KESLER: JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0042-02501/9504838-1-eng-US/f0042-022.jpg" title="f0042-02" width="551" height="687"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0042-03392/9504831-1-eng-US/f0042-032.jpg" title="f0042-03" width="1457" height="806"></div><p>CAN&rsquo;T GET ENOUGH NUMBERS?</p><p>VISIT OUR ONLINE <b>&lsquo;STATS&rsquo;</b> SECTION EVERY DAY AT <b><a href="http://TheHockeyNews.com">THEHOCKEYNEWS.COM</a></b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0042-01

STRETCH DRIVE HEROES & ZEROS

<div class="byline">By Larry Humber</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0045-04" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0045-04279/9504876-1-eng-US/f0045-042.jpg"></div><p><b>ANSWERS AVAILABLE IN THE NEXT ISSUE AND AT</b> <a href="http://THN.com/">THN.com/</a><b>xword</b></p><h2><b>ACROSS</b></h2><p>1 Hall went first overall in 2010</p><p>4 He went second in 2010</p><p>9 Substitute for</p><p>10 Toronto&rsquo;s WHA team</p><p>11 One-sided trade</p><p>12 Cammi ___ is new to the Hall of Fame</p><p>13 Commissioner ___ Bettman</p><p>15 Be pulled, get the ___</p><p>18 Injure an opponent badly</p><p>21 Dennis Hextall was Ron&rsquo;s ___</p><p>23 Relaxed</p><p>24 ___ Brisebois played 1,009 NHL games</p><p>25 Nickname shared by Mike Walton, Neil Young</p><p>26 ___ James is also new to the Hall</p><h2><b>DOWN</b></h2><p>1 Atlanta&rsquo;s mascot</p><p>2 Stephane ___ helped the Avs to two Cups</p><p>3 Ryan ___ is a Colorado sophomore, pictured</p><p>5 A sixth skater is an ___ attacker</p><p>6 Gene ___ was Pittsburgh coach before &lsquo;Badger Bob&rsquo;</p><p>7 Fan who doesn&rsquo;t appear: 2 words</p><p>8 Catch Bill ___ on the NHL Network</p><p>14 State that got NHL hockey in 1996</p><p>15 Where Gordie and the boys played</p><p>16 Sells tickets at inflated prices</p><p>17 Swiss city with pro hockey</p><p>19 Make partial contact with, get a ___ of</p><p>20 Phil Esposito&rsquo;s nickname</p><p>22 Blame</p><p><b>LAST WEEK&rsquo;S CROSSWORD SOLUTION ACROSS</b> 1. MAINE, 8. MEMORIAL, 9. STALL, 10. JASON KAY, 11. SOUND, 14. ROVER, 15. BRIAN, 20. USAir, 21. NUISANCE, 22. KEVIN, 23. KAZMAIER, 24. STING <b>DOWN</b> 2. ANTROPOV, 3. NYLANDER, 4. TEXAS, 5. MOTOR, 6. HICKS, 7. FLOYD, 12. PROSPECT, 13. MAGICIAN, 16. SNAKE, 17. PIZZA, 18. JAPAN, 19. ACTED<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0045-04

CROSSWORD

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0045-02375/9504914-1-eng-US/f0045-022.jpg" title="f0045-02" width="909" height="1184"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Boston Bruins center Andre Savard is sent sprawling in a mid-1970s tilt against Toronto.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(BLAST: HHOF IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0045-05248/9504907-1-eng-US/f0045-052.jpg" title="f0045-05" width="149" height="148"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></div>

f0045-02

Blast from the Past from The Hockey Hall of Fame

<div class="byline">&#x2013; RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0045-03315/9504945-1-eng-US/f0045-032.jpg" title="f0045-03" width="842" height="913"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JERSEY: GREGORY SHAMUS/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The largest game in hockey history deserved a special jersey and the University of Michigan delivered.</p><p>Worn during &lsquo;The Big Chill&rsquo; outdoor game against Michigan State, the Wolverines rocked these throwback duds in front of 113,411 fans. The jersey&rsquo;s lineage goes back to the late 1940s and clearly possessed some magic; the Maize and Blue whipped their rivals 5-0. The shoulder striping and the full wolverine on the front are the best elements of this sweater and, hey, the maize base even made them easier to see at night.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0045-03

JerseyHound

<div class="byline">BY KEN CAMPBELL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-01577/9504983-1-eng-US/f0046-012.jpg" title="f0046-01" width="391" height="674"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>A</span>s</b>&nbsp;<b>you&rsquo;re reading this</b>, there&rsquo;s a good chance you&rsquo;ve already tucked into the all-you-can-eat buffet that is the World Junior Championship.</p><p>We know this because: (a) you&rsquo;re a hockey fan; (b) there&rsquo;s a good chance you&rsquo;re Canadian; and, (c) it&rsquo;s that time of year.</p><p>A It all started 20 years ago, Jan. 4, 1991 at 14:47 of the third period, to be exact. That was when John Slaney scored to give Canada a 3-2 victory over the Soviet Union, touching off a coast-to-coast celebration and planting the seeds for what has become Canada&rsquo;s version of March Madness. Since then, the WJC has grown into a massive event, with TSN setting viewership and profit records seemingly every year and organizers, Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League bringing in tens of millions of dollars in revenues when it is held here (without a penny going to the kids who devote a month of their lives to the tournament, I might add).</p><p>Yes, the WJC is a gargantuan, maple leaf-emblazoned hockey orgy, the ultimate fix for a hockey fanatic during a soft time in the NHL schedule. So why exactly is it I get less and less excited about it with every passing year?</p><p>In the interests of full disclosure, part of it is that I&rsquo;m becoming a crotchety old man. I recall covering this tournament for the Toronto <i>Star</i> when it was actually held it in Europe every once in a while. There would be a half dozen reporters with essentially unfettered access to the players and coaches. Now you jockey for space in the mixed zone with every amateur from Podunk with a microphone or notepad &ndash; many of them there on their own dime &ndash; to get a couple of generic quotes from robotic young men who watch every syllable.</p><p>Truth be told, the reason why the WJC appeals to me less is because it has become too large, too much a victim of its own success. There was a time when the WJC tournament was a little secret among us hockey geeks. And let&rsquo;s face it, something is always more enjoyable when you can be all uppity about it and feel like you understand something in a way other people can&rsquo;t.</p><p>It also used to be that the world junior was something you woke up early to watch on a grainy feed from Europe, not something in prime time on high definition. In fact, the most enduring and precious memory I have of my late father &ndash; aside from watching him witness the Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup in 1971 &ndash; was sitting beside him on New Year&rsquo;s Day in 1988 in Sudbury to watch Canada defeat the Soviet Union 3-2 in a game in which Jimmy Waite was spectacular and Canada was outshot 17-4 in the second and third periods. Not sure what was more entertaining, the game or the fact an exuberant Waite dropped an &lsquo;F&rsquo; bomb on national television in a post-game interview.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>The world juniors is a gargantuan, maple leaf-emblazoned hockey orgy</b></blockquote><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-02366/9504976-1-eng-US/f0046-022.jpg" title="f0046-02" width="1075" height="1153"><figcaption class="caption-body">RYAN ELLIS <span class="photo-credit">(RICHARD WOLOWICZ/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>But the quaintness isn&rsquo;t the only thing missing from the modern-day WJC. Including 2012, when the event will be played in Calgary and Edmonton, it will have been hosted by Canadian or Canadian-border cities in six of eight years. Do you have any idea how much of an advantage that gives the Canadians? Ask anyone associated with the tournament and he&rsquo;ll tell you winning gold in Russia or the Czech Republic is far more difficult than doing it in front of friendly fans and surroundings.</p><p>Lastly, there&rsquo;s the problem that the hockey world is getting smaller, not bigger. While Canada and USA continue to pour millions of dollars of resources into their junior programs with the aim of winning gold medals, infrastructure is falling apart in Europe and the junior programs are a far less important priority.</p><p>There used to be a time when a Canada-Slovakia or Canada-Czech Republic game meant something and there was actual anticipation and uncertainty surrounding it. Now games like that are just a round-robin tune-up for the Canadians, Americans, Russians and Swedes and any success other countries have is the result of a confluence of superhuman goaltending, a Herculean effort and a smattering of good luck. There was a time not long ago when the Czechs were a juggernaut in this tournament, but this year THN is predicting they will finish last and be relegated in 2012.</p><p>In some ways, the WJC has become as predictable as women&rsquo;s hockey. In the past four tournaments, no country other than Canada, USA, Russia and Sweden has won a medal.</p><p>But when the puck drops for the gold medal game Jan. 5, I&rsquo;ll be there to breathlessly chronicle it. It will undoubtedly be exciting and the hockey will be played at an incredibly high level. It will be intense and riveting and as entertaining as any game you&rsquo;ll see.</p><p>And above all, it will be huge north of the 49th parallel. But that doesn&rsquo;t mean it will be as compelling.</p><p>CAN&rsquo;T GET ENOUGH CAMPBELL? CLICK ON <b><a href="http://THN.com">THN.COM</a></b> FOR KEN&rsquo;S EXCLUSIVE BLOG<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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January 17, 2011

Manny Being Manny

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