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.

February 14, 2011

The Hockey News - Feb-14-11

<div class="byline">PHOTOGRAPH BY PHILLIP MACCALLUM</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0003-04" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-04564/9457130-1-eng-US/f0003-042.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>Close Call in the Crease</b></h2><p><b>Calgary&rsquo;s Henrik Karlsson makes a save and, just as importantly, avoids the skate of Senator Chris Kelly.</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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IN THIS ISSUE

THEBIGPICTURE

<div class="byline">&#x2013; MICHAEL TRAIKOS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0050-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-01349/9458237-1-eng-US/f0050-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-02250/9458230-1-eng-US/f0050-022.jpg" title="f0050-02" width="1087" height="1259"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MACARTHUR+PHANEUF: GRAIG ABEL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>A</b>sk Clarke MacArthur about his shooting accuracy and he assumes you mean video games.</p><p>That&rsquo;s because MacA rthur &ndash; or &lsquo;The General&rsquo; as he&rsquo;s known online &ndash; is addicted to the war simulator <i>Call of Duty: Black Ops</i>. He and teammates log on and play for hours, pausing only to go to the bathroom.</p><p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got half the dressing room talking about <i>Call of Duty</i>,&rdquo; the Toronto left winger said. &ldquo;Dion (Phaneuf) called me the other day and said, &lsquo;I just picked up that game.&rsquo; A nd he was a guy who was saying, &lsquo;you guys are a bunch of nerds.&rsquo;&rdquo;</p><p>As deadly as MacA rthur is with a joystick, however, he has been even better with a hockey stick in his hands. A fter 44 games, he had scored 14 goals and recorded a career-high 37 points. MacA rthur will tell you his success on the scoresheet is a product of playing with Mikhail Grabovski (18 goals, 35 points) and Nikolai Kulemin (16 goals, 33 points), but there is more to it than that. &ldquo;I think he has really great vision,&rdquo; Grabovski said. &ldquo;European-style. He always works hard, too.&rdquo;</p><p>And when MacA rthur or his teammates aren&rsquo;t working hard, the straight-shooting MacArthur is not afraid to tell it like it is. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a guy who says what&rsquo;s up, when&rsquo;s up, where it&rsquo;s up,&rdquo; said teammate Kris Versteeg, echoing the thoughts of reporters. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s what you need, especially in this marketplace.&rdquo;</p><p>If that fails to get the message across, a shot to the pixilated head might do the trick.</p><h2><b>FOR THE RECORD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-03142/9458223-1-eng-US/f0050-032.jpg" title="f0050-03" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-04112/9458216-1-eng-US/f0050-042.jpg" title="f0050-04" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MCQUAID: FRANCOIS LACASSE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Adam McQuaid</b> has gone from scratch to scrappy blueliner. McQuaid, who sat for 12 of the B&rsquo;s first 22 games, has taken a regular shift since Dec. 1, proving himself a reliable defender and loyal teammate. He quickly stepped in for Mark Stuart when the latter, just back from a broken hand, was challenged to fight recently.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-0574/9458209-1-eng-US/f0050-052.jpg" title="f0050-05" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-0662/9458202-1-eng-US/f0050-062.jpg" title="f0050-06" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(HECHT: BILL WIPPERT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Derek Roy&rsquo;s absence from the lineup left a massive hole up the middle. Through Jan. 19, four Sabres middle men &ndash; Tim Connolly, <b>Jochen Hecht</b>, Paul Gaustad and Rob Niedermayer &ndash; combined to produce just 17 goals and 58 points in 159 games. Making matters worse, the foursome, collectively, was a sickly minus-18.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-0744/9458195-1-eng-US/f0050-072.jpg" title="f0050-07" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-0832/9458188-1-eng-US/f0050-082.jpg" title="f0050-08" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(SPACEK: CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>It&rsquo;s bad enough Andrei Markov and Josh Gorges are both gone for the season with knee injuries, but the timing is especially unfortunate considering Markov (ufa) and Gorges (rfa) can both become free agents on July 1. In fact, the only Habs D-men under contract for next season are <b>Jaroslav Spacek</b> and P.K. Subban.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-0921/9458181-1-eng-US/f0050-092.jpg" title="f0050-09" width="1130" height="902"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-1017/9458174-1-eng-US/f0050-102.jpg" title="f0050-10" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(FOLIGNO: ANDRE RINGUETTE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>After one round of NHL action, father still knows best. <b>Nick Foligno</b> was coached by his dad, Mike, for three years when the senior Foligno guided the OHL&rsquo;s Sudbury Wolves. Mike is now in his first year as an assistant with Anaheim and the Ducks topped the Sens 2-1 when the Folignos faced off for the first time as pros.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-1113/9458167-1-eng-US/f0050-112.jpg" title="f0050-11" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-1211/9458160-1-eng-US/f0050-122.jpg" title="f0050-12" width="490" height="826"></div><p><b>Dion Phaneuf</b> was acquired by Toronto on Jan. 31 of 2010. Through Jan. 19 of this year, the Maple Leafs are 26-24-5 with their captain in the lineup. While the record is decent, Phaneuf has just three goals and 15 points (55 games) in blue and white. His third goal as a Calgary Flame came 14 games into his rookie season.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Straight Shooter

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-02145/9458859-1-eng-US/f0057-022.jpg" title="f0057-02" width="721" height="1177"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(RUNDBLAD:H&Aring;KAN NORDSTR&Ouml;M)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>1. DAVID RUNDBLAD, D</b></p><p>Skelleftea</p><p><i>An offensive defenseman who plays a high-risk, high-reward style, Rundblad leads the league in scoring by a blueliner with 30 points in 38 games. Ottawa traded for him from St. Louis.</i></p><p><b>2. CALLE JARNKROK, C</b></p><p>Brynas</p><p><i>With nine goals and 19 points in 33 games, the Red Wings pick leads all Elitserien junior-agers.</i></p><p><b>3. TIM ERIXON, D</b></p><p>Skelleftea</p><p><i>Calgary prospect has a great point shot; his 15 points tied for second among junior-agers.</i></p><p><b>4. PATRICK CEHLIN, RW</b></p><p>Djurgarden</p><p><i>Nashville pick was a point-per-gamer for Swedes at world juniors.</i></p><p><b>5. MATTIAS EKHOLM, D</b></p><p>Brynas</p><p><i>Preds very high on top goal-scoring blueliner with a plus-9 rating.</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>

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Elite Kids

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-021353/9457720-1-eng-US/f0013-022.jpg" title="f0013-02" width="831" height="581"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>N</span>othing says outdoor</b> hockey like frozen feet, a cup of hot chocolate and a bunch of people from Puerto Rico. Or the Netherlands. Or Libya. Plaster Rock, a small village in northwestern New Brunswick, will once again host the World Pond Hockey Championship from Feb. 10-13. The kitschy event, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, has captured the imagination of skaters from all over the world. This year&rsquo;s derby features 120 teams in the open division, plus a 10-team ladies division, all hoping to have their names engraved on Stanley&rsquo;s little cousin, the Goodwill Cup. The only continent that&rsquo;s never been represented is Antarctica.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Pond-ering Something Fun

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0004-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-012156/9457175-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-021831/9457168-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="436" height="457"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>S</span>idney Crosby was the hands-down</b> favorite for the Hart Trophy until he ran into a Steckel wall at the Winter Classic. Even still, if &lsquo;The Kid&rsquo; rebounds from his concussion issues and approaches the performance he gave in the first half, he&rsquo;ll take home his second big fish. But what if he doesn&rsquo;t? The battle for the NHL&rsquo;s most coveted individual award suddenly becomes wide open and we&rsquo;d start to hear lobbying for players such as Nicklas Lidstrom, Steven Stamkos, Tim Thomas, Brad R ichards, Martin St-Louis and the Sedins, the guys at or near the top of the statistical leader-boards in the obvious categories.</p><p>One name highly unlikely to merit consideration, that perhaps should, is our cover boy R yan Kesler (<i>pg. 18</i>). Some observers believe he has been Vancouver&rsquo;s most valuable player this season; that his true worth extends beyond goals and points (though he&rsquo;s doing OK there, too). He has blossomed into one of the best two-way players in the game, leading Canucks forwards in ice time this season thanks to his fiendish penalty-kill skills. He also sees time on the first power play unit, is a double-digit plus-player and is among the top 10 in the league in faceoff proficiency. That he&rsquo;s on pace for roughly 45 goals puts him in rarefied air as a power forward with soft hands.</p><p>But Kesler simply doesn&rsquo;t fit the mold of a Hart Trophy recipient. More specifically, he doesn&rsquo;t accumulate quite enough points. Every forward who has been named MVP since 1993 has finished either first or second in the Art Ross race. In fact, just once in league history has a forward finished outside the top 10 and still won the Hart; Toronto&rsquo;s Ted Kennedy was one point out of 10th in 1955. Kesler stood 15th in league scoring through mid-January.</p><p>For better or worse, the Hart has become a symbol more of brilliance than value, though the two aren&rsquo;t necessarily mutually exclusive. That&rsquo;s not a commentary, but a reflection of reality. Unless it&rsquo;s a rare year when a goalie or defense-man is honored, the Hart goes to the season&rsquo;s premier offensive force. In this case, that could be one of Kesler&rsquo;s mates, Daniel or Henrik Sedin. For the former to do it, he&rsquo;d have to buck some history of his own. Not since 1970 have two different players from the same team won the Hart in back-to-back years (Boston&rsquo;s Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr). And, yes, technically, the Sedins are two players.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-031473/9457161-1-eng-US/f0004-032.jpg" title="f0004-03" width="684" height="366"></div><h2><b>NEXT</b>&nbsp;<b>ISSUE FEBRUARY 21, 2011</b></h2><p><b>CUST O MER 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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Who Says it’s Rude to Point?

<p class="dropcap"><b><span>A</span>dam Proteau&rsquo;s recent claim that Devils GM Lou Lamoriello was among the elite <i>(Ask Adam, <a href="http://THN.com">THN.com</a>, Jan. 14)</i> left me confused, to say the least. How is it that a GM who can spend up to the cap limit, demote multi-million-dollar players and not get anywhere close to the Cup final since the lockout be mentioned in the same breath as Ken Holland? How about Nashville&rsquo;s David Poile, who has had the same success post-lockout as Lou, spending at the cap floor?</b></p><p><b>Lou has proved himself irresponsible in the new NHL and should be in the running for worst GM in the league along with Glen Sather.</b></p><p><b><i>Brandon Sparks, Fredericton, N.B.</i></b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-012383/9457237-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg" title="f0006-01" width="987" height="1158"></div><h2><b>Talk of the Town</b></h2><p>I believe Montreal Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec is underrated.</p><p>He&rsquo;s an incredible all-around player and he&rsquo;s arguably the Habs&rsquo; best play-maker. He also knows how to score and is excellent defensively on the penalty kill.</p><p>On top of all that, he&rsquo;s also a great team player.</p><p>When asked to take up a more defensive role at the expense of points during last season&rsquo;s playoffs, he agreed without any complaint for the good of the team.</p><p>Why aren&rsquo;t people outside Montreal and Quebec talking about him more?</p><p><i>Corey Pechousek, Montreal</i></p><h2><b>Lookin&rsquo; Sharp</b></h2><p>Patrick Sharp is finally getting some recognition.</p><p>After winning the Stanley Cup last season in Chicago, being top three in goals-scored through the first half of the 2010-11 campaign and being selected for the All-Star Game, &lsquo;Sharpie&rsquo; is finally getting the attention he deserves.</p><p><i>Matt Pascuzzo, Thunder Bay, Ont.</i></p><h2><b>Santa &lsquo;Cros&rsquo;</b></h2><p>I&rsquo;ve been a diehard Sidney Crosby fan since his days in the Quebec League and I have passed this obsession on to my little brother. I figured tickets to a Penguins game in nearby Ottawa would make a good Christmas gift, so on Boxing Day, in our Crosby jerseys, we made the trip.</p><p>He was excited to see Crosby for the first time and we went down to watch the warmup from the front row.</p><p>Guess who we saw first? Crosby, taping his stick, right on the bench. Not only that, but he signed my brother&rsquo;s new hat, also a present. I got the whole thing on camera. Thanks, Sid, for making this a present my brother, and I, will never forget.</p><p><i>Levi Hill, Athens, Ont.</i></p><h2><b>Sour Carolina</b></h2><p>The NHL All-Star Game?</p><p>It hasn&rsquo;t really been a &ldquo;game&rdquo; since the all-stars played the Cup champions.</p><p>I look forward more to the skills competition, which is sad to say.</p><p><i>Al Salecker, Des Plaines, Ill.</i></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-021614/9457230-1-eng-US/f0006-022.jpg" title="f0006-02" width="458" height="625"></div><p>LAMORIELLO: ANDY MARLIN/GETTY IMAGES</p><h2><b>Junior Mints</b></h2><p>As I flipped through the pages of my Jan. 17 edition, I came across the Ken Campbell&rsquo;s Overtime column regarding the World Junior Championship getting too big. I have to admit I was disgusted.</p><p>The whole thing came across as one giant complaint about not being the only guy out there who knows about the event anymore.</p><p>This tournament is a great thing for hockey; it shows off all the talent that will likely be seen in the NHL within the coming years and for some kids it&rsquo;s their only chance to play for their countries.</p><p>To suggest that it&rsquo;s not special anymore because the whole world is able to enjoy the festivities is ridiculous.</p><p><i>Nicole Brodzik, Canton, Mich.</i></p><h2><b>No Fun, No Gain</b></h2><p>In regards to &ldquo;Is Hockey Dying in Canada?&rdquo; from the Dec. 20 issue, I believe Bobby Orr said it best: &ldquo;If the kids are not having fun&hellip;&rdquo; Our local minor hockey governing bodies continue to force our kids into playing at levels that far surpass their skill, talent and physiology.</p><p>What ensues are injuries and blowout losses of outstanding proportions. How fun is that? Continuous thrashings deter and depress kids; they know they can&rsquo;t compete and it&rsquo;s not fun.</p><p>The governing bodies insist that our numbers dictate fielding higher-level teams and will not bend. This is illogical when the kids just don&rsquo;t have the skill, talent or physical size to compete.</p><p>This inanity continues to occur throughout the country, yet Hockey Canada wonders why kids don&rsquo;t want to play.</p><p><i>Allison Phillips, Penticton, B.C.</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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LEMON LOU

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-021441/9457268-1-eng-US/f0007-022.jpg" title="f0007-02" width="784" height="879"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PARISE: GRAIG ABEL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-012127/9457275-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg" title="f0007-01" width="132" height="132"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p><b>Zach Parise 31%</b></p><p>Patrick Kane 28%</p><p>Ryan Kesler 25%</p><p>Bobby Ryan 9%</p><p>Dustin Byfuglien 6%</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="f0007-03" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-03899/9457306-1-eng-US/f0007-032.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CORY SCHNEIDER</b> <span class="photo-credit">(SCHNEIDER: JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>What&rsquo;s up, Adam? Why do the Avalanche keep returning to Craig Anderson in net?</b></p><p><i>Josh Hardy, Strathmore, Alta.</i></p><p>What&rsquo;s up, Josh? The reality is, the difference in the Avs&rsquo; play is negligible whether either Anderson or Peter Budaj has been between the pipes. And when the result is basically the same, you stick with the guy who has given you the best stretch of hockey in recent memory. That&rsquo;s Anderson &ndash; and that&rsquo;s why he&rsquo;ll continue to get chances.</p><p><b>Hey Adam. Has there ever been talk of not counting empty net goals in a player&rsquo;s stats?</b></p><p><i>Royal Rarick, Chicago</i></p><p>Hey Royal. To my knowledge, the NHL never has seriously considered it, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean your idea isn&rsquo;t without merit. In fact, I quite like the concept, as it adds another wrinkle for stats geeks and provides a more honest glimpse into an NHLer&rsquo;s true worth.</p><p><b>Hey Adam. What do you think of Cory Schneider this year? Do you think he can win the Calder Trophy as top rookie?</b></p><p><i>Colin Chartier, Ste-Anne, Man.</i></p><p>Hey Jasper. I like what I&rsquo;ve seen from Schneider this season, but I&rsquo;m afraid he&rsquo;ll be over-shadowed in Calder voting because he isn&rsquo;t a frontline, full-time player. I think a rookie who plays every night &ndash; such as Carolina&rsquo;s Jeff Skinner &ndash; has a much better shot at winning.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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ASK ADAM

<div class="byline">&#x2013; KEN CAMPBELL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-021732/9457358-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg" title="f0008-02" width="450" height="436"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-012274/9457351-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="557" height="801"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>I</span>f the kinder, gentler</b> post-lockout NHL is all about scoring points and playing with a certain amount of discipline, Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks clearly isn&rsquo;t buying in.</p><p>Nor should he. In fact, chances are he&rsquo;ll continue to be his fractious self, based on his career trajectory so far.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-031219/9457344-1-eng-US/f0008-032.jpg" title="f0008-03" width="183" height="207"></div><p>Many players come into the league trying to establish themselves from a physical standpoint, then begin to produce more offense when they tone down their rambunctiousness. But Perry hasn&rsquo;t taken that route. Both his offensive output and his penalty minute totals have risen each season and, barring a serious injury in the second half, this one will be no exception. Through mid-January, the Ducks right winger had 82 PIM and his 50 points through 50 games made him a very good bet to finish among the league&rsquo;s top 10 scorers. In the past 14 years, only one top-10 scorer, Todd Bertuzzi of the Vancouver Canucks with 144 in 2002-03, has earned more PIM than the 134 Perry is projected to record this season.</p><p>Coincidence? We think not. Neither do the Ducks, who are of the opinion that the nastier Perry is, the more offensive success he&rsquo;s going to enjoy. It would be folly to suggest Perry&rsquo;s points-to-PIM trend will continue much longer, but there&rsquo;s no reason why he can&rsquo;t become a player in the mold of a Brendan Shanahan or Kevin Stevens, elite scorers who were also among the league leaders in PIM.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-04681/9457337-1-eng-US/f0008-042.jpg" title="f0008-04" width="1690" height="1514"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>ANGER IS A GIFT</b></p><p><b>Corey Perry is on pace to increase his points and penalties minutes once again.</b></p></figcaption></div><p>That&rsquo;s because an elevated PIM total is indicative of a player who goes to the areas of the ice where you have to take &ndash; and occasionally give &ndash; abuse in exchange for scoring opportunities. &ldquo;Corey Perry has led our team in grit and determination and scoring prowess,&rdquo; said Ducks coach Randy Carlyle. &ldquo;He goes to those dirty areas and he has been a huge leader for our team. He plays the rough and dirty minutes because he&rsquo;s the guy in front of the net retrieving the pucks and taking the beatings.&rdquo;</p><p>One of the indicators of Perry&rsquo;s emergence as a power forward are the kinds of penalties he&rsquo;s getting this season. There are very few restraining penalties &ndash; just three minors for holding, two for interference and one for tripping &ndash; the kinds that indicate the player has been caught out of position or lagging behind the play. Instead, Perry had eight minors each for roughing and slashing and a total of four for interference with the goaltender, which is an obvious indicator of his battles in front of the net.</p><p>For his own part, Perry realizes he won&rsquo;t be near as effective a player if he treads lightly around the crease and in the corners. The reason why Perry has a 40-goal season within range is because he has created more space for himself. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not going to change the way I play,&rdquo; Perry said. &ldquo;I have to do what has been successful for me and if I don&rsquo;t do that, I&rsquo;m not going to be the kind of player I can be.&rdquo;</p><p>Perry has also had success without his regular center Ryan Getzlaf. Taken nine picks apart in what has turned out to be an outstanding first round crop of players in 2003, Perry and Getzlaf have shared a unique chemistry in Anaheim.</p><p>In the first 10 games Getzlaf missed with a facial injury, Perry had four goals and eight points. Playing with an out-of-position Bobby Ryan at center and primarily Matt Beleskey on the left side, the Ducks&rsquo; top line was still making a valuable contribution without Getzlaf. &ldquo;Losing Getzlaf last year (to an ankle injury) was more of an issue for Corey Perry,&rdquo; Carlyle said. &ldquo;I think Corey Perry has taken another step as a hockey player.&rdquo;</p><p>Some of those steps will continue to be toward the box, but if it means he continues to produce, the Ducks sure won&rsquo;t complain.</p><p><b>45</b> Dominik Hasek&rsquo;s age when he recorded a recent KHL shutout, the oldest man to do so in a major pro league since Jacques Plante in 1974-75 (WHA Oilers).<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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He Slashes, He Scores!

<div class="byline">By Charlie Teljeur</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-012044/9457389-1-eng-US/f0009-012.jpg" title="f0009-01" width="858" height="1442"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0009-01

The Instigator

<h2><b><i>The Best & Worst OF</i> THE HOCKEY WORLD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-03878/9457420-1-eng-US/f0009-032.jpg" title="f0009-03" width="752" height="1066"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE KLUCKHOHN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>+ PLUS</b></h2><h3><b>MINNESOTA ON THE MOVE</b></h3><p class="dropcap"><i><span>A</span> healthy</i>&nbsp;<b><i>Brent Burns</i></b>&nbsp;<i>is just one reason the Wild have pulled themselves into the playoff race after two seasons on the outside looking in.</i></p><h2><b>&ndash; MINUS</b></h2><h3><b>OLD SEN-SATION</b></h3><p><i>Ottawa was on pace for 70 points after 48 games, its lowest total since 1995-96, Daniel Alfredsson&rsquo;s rookie year.</i></p><h2><b>+ PLUS</b></h2><h3><b>SETTING THE TONI</b></h3><p><i>Toni Lydman was plus-24 after 46 games. His next closest Duck teammate was plus-6.</i></p><h2><b>&ndash; MINUS</b></h2><h3><b>NEW YEAR, SAME STORY</b></h3><p><i>Since 2011 began, three players &ndash; Toronto&rsquo;s Mike Brown, Tom Kostopoulos of Calgary and Shark Scott Nichol &ndash; have received suspensions for head shots.</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0009-03

PLUS MINUS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-021425/9457451-1-eng-US/f0009-022.jpg" title="f0009-02" width="702" height="708"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>B</span>y request of</b> the Ncaa, North Dakota&rsquo;s Fighting Sioux nickname and logo will be forced into extinction come April. But a pair of word-wise alums launched <a href="http://suhaki.com">suhaki.com</a>, facetiously dedicated to saving the &lsquo;suhaki,&rsquo; a &ldquo;medium-sized hoofed animal&rdquo; often &ldquo;mistaken for a legendary collegiate ice hockey team.&rdquo;</p><p>New Jersey winger and former UND star Zach Parise endorsed the cause with a public service announcement. &ldquo;That tradition we have all taken for granted is about to be lost,&rdquo; Parise said. &ldquo;The identity stripped away, the meaning blown away by the winds of change.&rdquo;</p><h2><b>HE SAID What!?</b></h2><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b><i>When the guy in Toronto making the decisions on the goals, in Ottawa and the one tonight, wanted the GM&rsquo;s job in L.A. and was not happy about not getting it, you have to assume you are going to get those type of calls.</i></b><br><b><i>&ndash; L.A. GM DEAN LOMBA RDI REFERRING TO NHL SR. VP OF HOCKEY OPERAT IONS MIKE MURPHY AFTER VIDEO REVIEW DECISIONS IN TWO GAM ES THIS SEASON DIDN&rsquo;T GO THE KINGS&rsquo; WAY</i></b></blockquote><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0009-02

Program’s Fighting Tradition

<div class="byline">BY RON MACLE AN </div><div class="byline">In the First Person</div><p><b>I was a child</b> of the Air force. In 1964, when I was four, Ron Sr. was transferred from Victoria, B.C., to CFS Whitehorse, Yukon.</p><p>We moved into public married quarters of Quonset huts with two apartments per unit. In winter, frost built up on the inside walls wherever there were bolts or metal struts behind the drywall. Within a year I had made new friends; a requirement of military life and the first lesson of team.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-021638/9457489-1-eng-US/f0010-022.jpg" title="f0010-02" width="263" height="283"></div><p>My neighbor at the base, Dwight Riendeau, invited me to play shinny across the street in the Clements-family backyard rink with short boards and floodlights. It&rsquo;s funny, I&rsquo;ve heard I took to it quickly and I know I became a fine skater, but I forget details of my first games.</p><p>The rink was surrounded by spruce trees and I remember we used to chip the frozen sap off the bark and enjoy it as chewing gum. Throughout my childhood, I&rsquo;m not sure if I walked miles to buy hockey cards for the cards themselves or the pink bubble gum that came with them. That started at the Clements&rsquo;.</p><p>My folks weren&rsquo;t sports enthusiasts, although they got hooked by osmosis. (It spilled over, Grapes). They loved the arts and explained to me that writers Pierre Burton and Robert Service were Yukoners. In <i>Spell of the Yukon</i>, Service wrote:</p><p><i>I wanted the gold,</i><br><i>and I got it&ndash;</i><br><i>Came out with a fortune last fall,&ndash;</i><br><i>Yet somehow life&rsquo;s not</i><br><i>what I thought it,</i><br><i>And somehow the Gold isn&rsquo;t all.</i></p><p>That verse sums up my take on life. And so when we Canadians, albeit good naturedly, were chanting &ldquo;We want Gold&rdquo; in the first period of the 2011 world juniors final in Buffalo, I felt as the bard of the Yukon may have &ndash; winning gold grips you like some kind of sinning.</p><p>I joined organized hockey in Whitehorse. I have team photos in which I&rsquo;m the only kid with a mouth guard. Blessings, mom, for your foresight and curses for that photo.</p><p>In 1966, I asked Santa for the new Coleco table hockey game. Christmas eve after we turned down the heat and went to bed, I lay overexcited. I ran my fingers over the frost heaves on the wall beside my bed and peered out the window for a glimpse of that sleigh. A few hours later, I heard footsteps coming down the hall. I squeezed my eyes shut, fearing that if Santa saw I was up late, I would be struck from the good boys list and lose that table hockey game.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-012245/9457482-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg" title="f0010-01" width="1033" height="1342"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>BACK IN THE DAY</b></p><p><b>Ron MacLean returns to his Whitehorse roots for Hockey Day in Canada Feb. 12.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(LIBBY STUNT)</span></figcaption></div><p>When I awoke Christmas morning, there was a miniature replica of the Stanley Cup on my night stand. I knew at once what was under the tree. The Anik satellites gave the CBC the ability to reach the Canadian north with live television. But they were not up in 1967. I watched the Leafs win their last Cup on video tape one week after it occurred. The following year, I bet my Grade 2 teacher, Miss McKenzie, the Habs would win. I wanted Toronto, but was hedging my joy. Habs won. I took the gold. Awful!</p><p>In the summer of 1968, the ghost of Robert Service kicked me out of the Yukon. We were transferred to Nova Scotia. I suppose the spell of <i>Hockey Night in Canada</i> was the only one more powerful than that which created so many prisoners of the north.</p><p>What the Yukon gave me was a realization that someone could give you the game. The Clements, Dwight Riendeau, the CBC, my parents.</p><p>What a gift.</p><p><b>&ndash; RON MACLEAN IS THE HOST OF CBC&rsquo;S <i>HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA</i></b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0010-02

Golden Memories

<h2><b>MIKE BOSSY</b></h2><p><b>1,126</b> PTS 1977-87 <b>NY ISLANDERS</b></p><p><b>FIVE</b></p><h2><b>JAROMIR JAGR</b></h2><p><b>1,599</b> PTS 1990-2008 <b>PIT, WSH, NYR</b></p><p><b>FOUR</b></p><h2><b>GUY LAFLEUR</b></h2><p><b>1,353</b> PTS &rsquo;71-85, &rsquo;88-91 <b>MON, NYR, QUE</b></p><p><b>THREE</b></p><h2><b>MAURICE RICHARD</b></h2><p><b>965</b> PTS 1942-60 <b>MONTREAL</b></p><p><b>TWO</b></p><h2><b>GORDIE HOWE</b></h2><p><b>1,850</b> PTS &rsquo;46-71, &rsquo;79-80 <b>DET, HFD</b></p><p><b>ONE</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Starting FROM 5

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0012-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-012192/9457551-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-021719/9457544-1-eng-US/f0012-022.jpg" title="f0012-02" width="622" height="476"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PAUL BERESWILL/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>GOAL: TAKE AWAY CENTER OF THE ICE</b></h2><p class="dropcap"><span>F</span>orward 1 (F1) splits the opposing D-men to take away the pass and steer play towards boards. F2 encourages the boards pass, but takes it away as it&rsquo;s being made. F3 then skates through the middle of the ice, covering the opposing center and taking away any cross-ice plays. F3, D1 and D2 ensure three men are always back. D2 is the safety, responsible for cross-ice passes; D1 controls the gap and holds the blueline, careful not to pinch up.</p><p>If they do manage the &ldquo;D-to-D&rdquo; pass, F1 re-attacks while F2 and F3 adjust to the flow and exchange roles; D1 and D2 do the same.</p><p>If a back pass from the boards is made, F1 attacks if not totally committed to the boards. If so, F2 attacks, F1 becomes F3 and F3 takes F2 back-pass responsibilities. D1 and D2 adjust their gaps.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-01

CHALKTALK

<div class="byline">&#x2013; MACKENZIE LIDDELL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-031103/9457589-1-eng-US/f0012-032.jpg" title="f0012-03" width="421" height="533"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Alex Ale ardi</b> <span class="photo-credit">(ALEARDI: AARON BELL/OHL IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>P</span>lymouth Whalers</b> center Alex Aleardi and Saginaw Spirit blueliner Ryan O&rsquo;Connor became the first Ontario League players to be disciplined under the CHL&rsquo;s anti-doping program.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-07309/9457582-1-eng-US/f0012-072.jpg" title="f0012-07" width="211" height="111"></div><p>Each was slapped with eight-game suspensions after traces of the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine was found in urine samples collected in November.</p><p>Aleardi served his sentence before the Jan. 14 public announcement while O&rsquo;Connor&rsquo;s start-date began Jan. 12.</p><p>&ldquo;We are completely satisfied that the players used a supplement that they had purchased over the counter at a local retail outlet and had no knowledge that it contained a stimulant,&rdquo; said OHL commissioner David Branch.</p><p>A league insider called the policies &ldquo;a touch heavy-handed,&rdquo; but added the OHL does an excellent job educating players and ultimately the onus falls on them.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-03

Banned for Stimulants

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-04656/9457620-1-eng-US/f0012-042.jpg" title="f0012-04" width="483" height="443"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>COREY LOCKE</b> <span class="photo-credit">(LEMAIRE: ANDY MARLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><span>C</span>orey Locke can&rsquo;t stick. The prolific junior scorer is now a seven-year pro, but had just seven NHL games with three franchises under his belt. Locke&rsquo;s first NHL point (a first assist on Nick Foligno&rsquo;s game-winner against the Islanders) came with Ottawa Jan. 13, but he was sent back to AHL Binghamton Jan. 17, where he had 55 points in 38 games.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-04

FOR THE Record

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-06375/9457651-1-eng-US/f0012-062.jpg" title="f0012-06" width="340" height="416"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-05461/9457658-1-eng-US/f0012-052.jpg" title="f0012-05" width="230" height="301"></div><p><b>Shawn Horcoff</b></p><p><i>The Oilers captain and highest-paid player has seen his team bomb in recent years and get the playoff boot.</i></p><p><b>Wade Barrett</b></p><p><i>The WWE star is a former bare-knuckle boxer. His signature moves include the &lsquo;Powerbomb&rsquo; and the &lsquo;Big Boot.&rsquo;</i></p><p><i>Submitted via email</i> by Ryan Keating<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-06

SEPARATED AT Birth

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ANTHONY PETRIELLI</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-011934/9457689-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="483" height="634"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>RON WILSON</b> <span class="photo-credit">(WILSON: BILL WIPPERT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>WINS</p><p><b>1. SCOTTY BOWMAN (STL, MTL, BUF, PIT, DET) 30 SE ASONS, 9 STANLE Y CUPS</b>&nbsp;<b>1,244</b></p><p><b>2. AL ARBOUR (STL, NY I) 23 SE ASONS, 4 STANLE Y CUPS 782</b></p><p><b>3.</b>&nbsp;<b>DICK IRVIN SR. (CHI, TOR, MTL) 27 SE ASONS, 4 STANLE Y CUPS 692</b></p><p><b>4.</b>&nbsp;<b>PAT QUINN (PHI, LA, VAN, TOR, EDM) 20 SE ASONS, 0 CUPS 684</b></p><p><b>5. MIKE KEENAN (PHI, CHI, NY R, STL, VAN, BOS, FLA, CGY) 20 SE ASONS, 1 STANLE Y CUP 672</b></p><p><b>6. BRYAN MURRAY (WSH, DET, FLA, ANA, OTT) 17 SE ASONS, 0 STANLE Y CUPS 620</b></p><p><b>7. RON WILSON (ANA, WSH, SJ, TOR) 17 SE ASONS, 0 STANLE Y CUPS 601</b></p><p><b>8. JACQUES MARTIN (STL, OTT, FLA, MTL) 16 SE ASONS, 0 STANLE Y CUPS 582</b></p><p><b>9. BILLY REAY (TOR, CHI) 16 SE ASONS, 0 STANLE Y CUPS 542</b></p><p><b>10</b><b>. GLEN SATHER (EDM, NY R) 13 SE ASONS, 4 STANLE Y CUPS</b>&nbsp;<b>497</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0013-01

Making History

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0014-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-012164/9457786-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>BIG STICK</b></p><p><b>Matt Duchene&rsquo;s NHL career is taking flight, but it didn&rsquo;t start quickly, which bothered him.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(DOUG PENSINGER/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-021626/9457793-1-eng-US/f0014-022.jpg" title="f0014-02" width="106" height="90"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>his summer at Matt Duchene&rsquo;s</b> home in Southern Ontario cottage country, the young Colorado Avalanche center worked out in his basement under the intimidating gaze of Jonathan Toews. True, the Blackhawks captain wasn&rsquo;t really there, but he was represented by a hastily printed-out image of Toews hoisting the Stanley Cup. It was torn from Duchene&rsquo;s computer printer the night the Hawks won the title and replaced the previous motivational item, an image of Pittsburgh&rsquo;s Sidney Crosby lifting the Cup.</p><p>Though he just turned 20, Duchene is serious about his success in the NHL. His 24 goals and 55 points last season earned him a spot on the NHL&rsquo;s all-rookie team and went a long way in getting the surprising Avs into the postseason. At times, it even looked as if Colorado would best the heavily favored San Jose Sharks in the first round, but the Avs instead fell in six games. No matter what the predictions had been, Duchene liked his team going into the series. &ldquo;When we got put out,&rdquo; Duchene said, &ldquo;it was like, &lsquo;how the heck did that happen?&rsquo; And it&rsquo;s no disrespect to that team, we were just confident in our own abilities. God knows what would have happened if we went back there for Game 7.&rdquo;</p><p>That drive and confidence is one of the reasons Duchene is looking like a future captain and all-around star in the NHL.</p><p>&ldquo;What he has is the ability to want to make a difference,&rdquo; said Avs coach Joe Sacco, himself a sophomore with the Avalanche. &ldquo;I think Matt definitely needs to be a leader on this team in the near future. He has the instincts and the right attitude. I think he desperately wants to win and he competes.&rdquo;</p><p>Duchene also doesn&rsquo;t have to look too far when it comes to motivation. Though his Stanley Cup posters are still in Ontario, he can simply walk around the Pepsi Center to see memories of what winning the ultimate prize looks like from a Colorado perspective (and as an added bonus, Duchene grew up as a fan of Joe Sakic, Patrick R oy and the Denver crew). If he needs to see a Stanley Cup ring on off-nights, he can simply ask his landlord/billet, hardened veteran blueliner A dam Foote.</p><p>&ldquo;It stabilizes everything for Matt,&rdquo; Sacco said of the living arrangements. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s in a family environment where he can just focus on hockey. I think it&rsquo;s been a positive situation.&rdquo;</p><p>Duchene plans on moving out of the Foote residence soon, perhaps for next season, but his growth as a player has already been exemplary.</p><p>&ldquo;The thing with Matt is that he plays at both ends of the ice,&rdquo; said Stan Butler, Duchene&rsquo;s junior coach with the Ontario League&rsquo;s Brampton Battalion. &ldquo;I was pretty confident he would be a pretty good player and probably better than some guys that people thought were better than him.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s in great shape, he&rsquo;s a great kid, very coachable. What separates him from other kids is his skating and you know what? He hasn&rsquo;t missed a beat at the NHL level.&rdquo;</p><p>Expectations were lofty for Duchene. At third overall in 2009 he was the highest pick the Avs have had since coming to Colorado in 1995 and as the draft neared, there were whispers he might usurp John Tavares as No. 1 overall.</p><p>His speed and focus made him a legitimate NHLer straight from the draft, but his first goal didn&rsquo;t come until game No. 8 in Detroit. With his family watching from a box with Gordie Howe (one of the reasons Duchene wears No. 9, no less, along with Rocket Richard), Duchene broke the goose egg with a wrister past Chris Os good. Duchene admitted he had been stressing over the goal and his coach has seen what self-imposed pressure can do to a youngster. Dealing with it is one of the big strides Duchene made this season from his rookie year.</p><p>&ldquo;If you go back,&rdquo; Sacco said, &ldquo;the biggest change is Matt&rsquo;s ability to understand how important consistency is. Until you&rsquo;ve gone through it, it&rsquo;s hard to explain, but he&rsquo;s managed those bumps and hurdles this year and he&rsquo;s not so streaky.&rdquo;</p><p>Over the summer, the rookie-turned-sophomore also honed one of his best skills in junior, the lights-out blazing stride that propelled him to back-to-back 30 goal seasons in Brampton. &ldquo;If you can train your muscles to fire or react in a certain way, you can get a lot done on the ice,&rdquo; Duchene said. &ldquo;Last year, I could get a step on a guy, but I found I couldn&rsquo;t quite pull away.&rdquo;</p><p>This season, it&rsquo;s less of a problem and his responsible nature means that speed can end up with Duchene throwing some solid hits on the fore check as well.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-011906/9457779-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="1547" height="1031"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(DYLAN LYNCH/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-03939/9457772-1-eng-US/f0015-032.jpg" title="f0015-03" width="1127" height="779"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>DOING WHAT IT TAKES</b></p><p><b>Duchene&rsquo;s first NHL fight came against St. Louis Blue Vladimir Sobotka in mid-November.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(DOUG PENSINGER/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>He has the instincts and the right attitude. He desperately wants to win</b><br><b><i>&ndash; Joe Sacco</i></b></blockquote><p>Duchene also keeps an open mind. While some NHLers scoff at the idea of lauding opponents, Duchene freely admits to studying the players he thinks are exceptional, no matter what color their jersey is. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s good to understand that other players do things better than you,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Whether I&rsquo;m on the ice with them or watching from the bench, I try to incorporate parts of their game into mine. With Patrick Kane, it&rsquo;s taking time and space out there; Jonathan Toews, he&rsquo;s just a great all-around player; Pavel Datsyuk, he might be the most fun guy in the league to watch.&rdquo;</p><p>It&rsquo;s a mature approach, something of a theme in Duchene&rsquo;s life. Attendance at Colorado games has gone down every season since the lockout and while part of that was performance-based, last season&rsquo;s surprising squad played in front of an average of just 13,947 fans. With the wins coming a little more frequently lately, numbers are slightly up this season, but Duchene has been trying to do his part both on-ice and online.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-011933/9457765-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg" title="f0016-01" width="1805" height="1756"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-021486/9457758-1-eng-US/f0016-022.jpg" title="f0016-02" width="798" height="575"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-031090/9457751-1-eng-US/f0016-032.jpg" title="f0016-03" width="1106" height="774"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>JACK OF ALL TRADES</b></p><p><b>Duchene regularly studies opponents to glean the best of what they offer; creating time and space, all-around play and just having fun.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(MICHAEL MARTIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>He recently started a Twitter account and has been using the medium to forge relationships with fans both old and new. &ldquo;I saw how powerful it can be,&rdquo; Duchene said. &ldquo;I watch ESPN here and they show the tweets from basketball players and football players. I thought, &lsquo;what could I do to get butts in the seats?&rsquo;&rdquo;</p><p>While Duchene is always thinking, he&rsquo;s no hockey automaton, either. He picked up guitar over the summer and also likes drawing. He even designed the hockey sweater for his hometown high school&rsquo;s team, the Haliburton R ed Hawks. In the off-season, fishing is also a big passion both as an opportunity for peace of mind and also the adventure of the unknown outcome. &ldquo;I try to leave (hockey) it at the rink,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Otherwise, you&rsquo;re a roller coaster.&rdquo;</p><p>The philosophy is working. Duchene&rsquo;s first goal this season came in the first game and he wasn&rsquo;t held off the scoresheet until more than a week after. He led the Avalanche in points through the midway mark of the season and, ironically, had more points than his study subjects &ndash; Toews, Kane and Datsyuk. That play helped him garner his first selection to the NHL All-Star Game and went a long way in keeping the Avalanche in a playoff position despite a raft of injuries surrounding him. In the tough Western Conference, Colorado will fight tooth and nail to make the post-season again, but Duchene is confident his team is more experienced, even if the Avs are technically younger than the 2009-10 edition.</p><p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had our ups and downs this year, but when it counts I really think we&rsquo;re going to crank it up,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I look at it like a set of stairs; you want to keep climbing.&rdquo;</p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>When it counts we&rsquo;re going to crank it up</b><br><b><i>&ndash; Matt Duchene</i></b></blockquote><p>Which is music to the ears of those who coach him and who have in the past. The commitment Duchene has shown early on in his career is a harbinger of just what the speedy center can become and it&rsquo;s obvious to those in the know.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s always been an extremely motivated guy,&rdquo; Butler said. &ldquo;He knew what he had to do, he knew what his focus was and that&rsquo;s what he does, all the time.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0014-01

High Ceiling for Young Av

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-021298/9457831-1-eng-US/f0017-022.jpg" title="f0017-02" width="309" height="367"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-011694/9457824-1-eng-US/f0017-012.jpg" title="f0017-01" width="2120" height="1074"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>CRUMPLED KID</b></p><p><b>Sidney Crosby has taken some unfair flak for speaking his mind after being concussed.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(BRIAN BABINEAU/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>B</span></b>y now it should be common knowledge the Internet isn&rsquo;t exactly a bottomless wellspring of empathy and good graces. But even my low expectations for decency were disappointed by the bitterness displayed toward Sidney Crosby following his recent concussion.</p><p>To many Twitterers, the fact Crosby dared to express any anger or concern over the issue of head shots after being laid out by Washington&rsquo;s David Steckel at the Winter Classic Jan. 1 &ndash; and subsequently forced from Pittsburgh&rsquo;s lineup due to post-concussion symptoms &ndash; was a grievous insult.</p><p>&ldquo;What a whiner! What a hypocrite!&rdquo; They shrieked through their keyboards and BlackBerrys, even as Crosby&rsquo;s concussion threatened to keep him out of the 2011 All-Star Game. &ldquo;Where was Crosby when his Penguins teammate Matt Cooke concussed Boston&rsquo;s Marc Savard with dangerous play? A real leader would&rsquo;ve spoken out about concussions before he suffered one, not after!&rdquo;</p><p>There are so many things wrong with that backwards attitude, it&rsquo;s tough to know where to begin. But let&rsquo;s start with the idea people should be fighting against sickness and wrongdoing before any misfortune befalls them.</p><p>If that&rsquo;s not blatant disregard for human nature, I don&rsquo;t know what is. People almost always have to experience a particular pain before becoming an enthused advocate against that pain; and by those miserable standards, Terry Fox&rsquo;s legendary crusade against cancer would&rsquo;ve been more credible if he ran across Canada while he still had both his legs.</p><p>Then there&rsquo;s the notion Crosby is a hypocrite because he failed to vociferously condemn Cooke at the time Savard was manhandled. For starters, Crosby did express concern at the time, telling reporters &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t like to see anyone, their own teammate or an opposing player, lay on the ice like that. That was scary.&rdquo;</p><p>And beyond that, when has any player torn into a teammate for a hit on a member of the opposition? It&rsquo;s a cardinal sin to seriously rip a guy in your own room.</p><p>Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller has spoken out against blindside hits, but he never referenced the regularly over-the-line play of teammate Patrick Kaleta.</p><p>Crosby&rsquo;s agent, Pat Brisson, was careful to note his opinions aren&rsquo;t necessarily the same as the players he represents (not only Crosby, but Jonathan Toews, who also has been concussed in his brief NHL career), but said the need for more change regarding the head-shot issue is readily apparent.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>Another adjustment is going to be needed</b><br><b><i>&ndash; Pat Brisson</i></b></blockquote><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just trying to look at it logically,&rdquo; said Brisson, one of a growing number of agents who would like to see an automatic suspension for any hit to the head, intentional or otherwise. &ldquo;The human brain is the same size, but the game is much faster, the players are stronger, and the hits are much, much harder. And players are falling like flies. And you look at this and say there&rsquo;s going to be a need for another adjustment.&rdquo;</p><p>In his more than 15 years as an agent, Brisson has realized the folly of trying to figure out a player&rsquo;s intent any time borderline play leads to a head injury.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not fair to (chief NHL disciplinarian) Colin Campbell or even a referee to have to judge whether a hit was intended or not,&rdquo; Brisson said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re not psychic.&rdquo;</p><p>And Brisson believes a total ban on head shots wouldn&rsquo;t slow down the game, as some argue: &ldquo;If anything, players are going to be even more compelled to avoid those hits, because they wouldn&rsquo;t want to be suspended.&rdquo;</p><p>The game shouldn&rsquo;t be as cannibalistic of its top talents as it is today. There is a fine line between rugged play and a Mad Max Thunderdome of never-ending carnage and cut-short legacies &ndash; and we bulldozed that line many years ago.</p><p>Head-shot apologists are quick to claim any additional steps to remove those unwanted hits will result in the eradication of physical play from the sport.</p><p>But if the course continues as it presently does, physical mayhem is all the game will be about.</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>

f0017-02

Give the Kid a Break

<div class="byline">BY KEN CAMPBELL</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0018-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-011813/9457890-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>he trade demand,</b> if you could call it that, was short and to the point and came from a pay phone in a suburban Detroit rink. &ldquo;Come and get me,&rdquo; the player said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not playing for this asshole.&rdquo;</p><p>Ryan Kesler was a petulant, obstinate teenager back then. So the fact he developed into a petulant, obstinate adult came as no real surprise to Mike Kesler, who is Ryan&rsquo;s father and was the asshole in question. Mike played at Colorado College and has coached youth hockey in the hotbed of Detroit for more than 30 years, but he had always steered clear of coaching the youngest of his three children. That all changed in Ryan&rsquo;s first year of bantam hockey, when Ryan had been cut by six minor bantam AAA teams in Detroit and was faced with going down a level or playing high school hockey or even quitting the game altogether. But the Detroit Little Caesars major bantam team was in disarray and needed a coach. The organization approached Mike Kesler to take the job, which gave Ryan a place to play a year ahead of his age group. The team was a rag-tag bunch of castoffs that was supposed to be terrible, with its cornerstone player an underage kid who had just been cut by every team in the city.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-011567/9457883-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg" title="f0020-01" width="1582" height="968"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>RYAN EXPRESS</b></p><p><b>Vancouver is loaded with skill, but Ryan Kesler is often the engine that drives the bus.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(TOP: JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;I told Ryan, &lsquo;You&rsquo;ve got two choices,&rsquo;&rdquo; Mike Kesler said. &ldquo;&lsquo;You can quit hockey and all you&rsquo;ve done is proved all these people right. Or you can turn around and stick it in their faces and know you&rsquo;re better than this and prove them all wrong. But you have to make that decision and whatever decision you make, I will support you 100 percent.&rsquo;&rdquo;</p><p>But there were ground rules. Mike made it clear he would hold his son to a higher standard than other players when it came to effort. And there would be no mocking him or making faces during practice. So, what happened? In the team&rsquo;s first practice, Mike was drawing up a drill and when he turned around, Ryan was making faces at him. &ldquo;I basically said to him, &lsquo;Kesler, get your ass off the ice. You&rsquo;re done with my practice,&rsquo;&rdquo; Mike said. &ldquo;And somehow he found 20 cents at the rink and called his mom to come and pick him up.&rdquo;</p><p>Mike and his wife, Linda, had learned to live with their son&rsquo;s emotional outbursts and on-ice indiscretions right through to the best league in the world, even though it made them cringe or yell at the television at times. Linda refers to Ryan as, &ldquo;our little surprise.&rdquo; He was intense from the beginning and being nine years younger than his brother and seven years younger than his sister, he was allowed to win at everything from mini-sticks to backyard hockey.</p><p>&ldquo;We kind of created a monster,&rdquo; Linda said.</p><p>More than a decade later in his sixth full season in the NHL, Kesler has become a monster all right. His Vancouver Canucks are looking  every bit the Stanley Cup contender THN predicted they would be and Kesler is putting together a season for the ages. The defensive awareness and tireless work ethic that have made him a Selke Trophy finalist the past two seasons has not let up one iota, but Kesler has displayed an offensive prowess few thought he possessed. He is one of those rare players who is a staple of every aspect of his team&rsquo;s game plan &ndash; from providing equal amounts of offense and defense to playing on the power play and the penalty kill. And coincidentally, he is displaying a level-headedness and maturity even fewer thought he possessed.</p><p>At 26, he&rsquo;s also become something of a teen idol/sex symbol in Canucks-crazed British Columbia. A buffed-up photograph of Keslerin his gitch to publicize his clothing line has been all the rage in Vancouver; more on that later.</p><p>As wonderfully talented as the Sedin twins are, as dominant as Roberto Luongo can be in goal, Kesler is in many ways the engine that drives the Canucks. The only problem is the engine often overheated and blew a gasket. Teammates nervously fidgeted and looked away when Kesler smashed his stick at the bench, unsure of whether he was angry with them, himself or the officials. Veterans rolled their eyes when Kesler set his mouth moving before engaging the brain off the ice. His mood swings and broodiness after losses irked some people.</p><p>When Luongo relinquished the captaincy of the Canucks after last season, reigning MVP Henrik Sedin was the obvious choice to replace him. He&rsquo;s low maintenance, unflappable and uniquely equipped to deal with the white-hot spotlight in the hockey fishbowl that is Vancouver. Even though Kesler supplies so much energy and emotion and has outstanding leadership qualities in his own right, the organization felt he was simply too volatile and unpredictable to carry the weight of the captaincy.</p><p>During Kesler&rsquo;s exit interviews last year, both coach Alain Vigneault and GM Mike Gillis made it clear to him that he wasn&rsquo;t doing anybody any favors by allowing his emotions get the better of him and there was a much better way to channel his energies rather than wasting them on self-recrimination and yapping at opponents and referees.</p><p>&ldquo;I just thought it would make me a better player and a better person if I stopped chirping and really just stayed positive and didn&rsquo;t let things affect me as much,&rdquo; Kesler said. &ldquo;And it has really helped me on and off the ice. I&rsquo;m a more positive person now. It was a matter of me maturing a little bit and kind of respecting the game a little more.&rdquo;</p><p>Kesler seemed, in fact, to relish making himself the center of attention for the wrong reasons. Whether it was discussing David Backes&rsquo; wife on the ice or telling the world he hated Canadians during the Olympics last year, controversy never seemed far away. Two years ago, when the Sedins were entering a crucial stage of negotiations for new deals with Vancouver, Kesler publicly said the Canuck players, including himself, should be prepared to accept lower than market value to keep the team together, a remark that drew recriminations from team-mates and the NHL Players&rsquo; Association alike.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-011267/9457876-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg" title="f0021-01" width="1822" height="1622"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>&lsquo;KES&rsquo; OF DEATH</b></p><p><b>Kesler is scoring more because he&rsquo;s going to dirty places as opposed to using his wrist shot.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(JESSICA HAYDAHL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>On the ice, Kesler has always seemed to have a bull&rsquo;s-eye on his back. Jesse Boulerice earned what was at the time a tie for the longest suspension in league history when he was banned for 25 games for viciously crosschecking Kesler in a game in the 2007-08 season. Later that year, Chris Pronger received the longest suspension of his career, eight games, for stomping on Kesler&rsquo;s leg.</p><p>During the peak of his career, Hall of Famer Stan Mikita underwent an even more dramatic metamorphosis, going from leading the league in penalty minutes to a two-time Lady Byng winner, in large part because of the observations of a small family member. Mikita likes to tell how his young daughter confronted him one day after coming home from a road trip.</p><p>&ldquo;She said to me, &lsquo;I watched you last night and you were really good,&rsquo;&rdquo; Mikita once told THN. &ldquo;Then she asked me, &lsquo;When the man with the stripes on his sweater blew the whistle, why did Uncle Bobby and Uncle Kenny (Mikita&rsquo;s linemates, Bobby Hull and Kenny Wharram) go one way and you went the other way and sat down all by yourself? Were you being a bad boy?&rsquo;&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-011454/9457869-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg" title="f0022-01" width="1047" height="818"></div><p>Kesler is in no danger of winning a Lady Byng Trophy anytime soon, but his first Selke is simply a matter of time. And you could certainly envision him winning a Conn Smythe if the Canucks can fulfill their Stanley Cup destiny, can&rsquo;t you? But there is no doubt his change of outlook has a lot to do with little Makayla Kesler, a precocious two-and-a-half-year-old who knows when her father is on TV and monitors his behavior on the ice.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>Kesler is in no danger of winning a Lady Byng T rophy anytime soon, but his first Selke is simply a matter of time</b></blockquote><p>&ldquo;It really hit me this year in the pre-season,&rdquo; Kesler said. &ldquo;I got into a fight against Corey Perry in an away game and when I came home, my daughter was all upset with me and said, &lsquo;No fighting.&rsquo; She hates fights. That was really when it hit me that, &lsquo;Wow, she gets it. She knows what&rsquo;s going on out on the ice,&rsquo; and now I have the mindset with everything I do, &lsquo;What would your kid think of you if they saw you doing this?&rsquo;&rdquo;</p><p>Presumably, his kids would be pretty impressed with the transformation. Kesler admits the whole positive attitude thing was beginning to sound like a bunch of psychobabble when the Canucks came out of the gate 0-2-1 and Kesler was looking for his first goal. But he refused to give in to his old ways and scored late in Game 5 and hasn&rsquo;t stopped scoring since. Another big part of the reason for that is Kesler is now playing a much more effective power game and instead of using his lethal wrist shot to score from the hash marks, more goals are coming from the greasy areas.</p><p>Playing wing beside Mats Sundin two years ago began to bring out a creativity and vision for the game in Kesler that has surprised many hockey observers and only been accentuated since he moved to center in 2009-10. This year, he&rsquo;s playing primarily with Mason R aymond and Jeff Tambellini on what might be the fastest line in the NHL. Kesler himself thought he could be a decent playmaker who was capable of scoring maybe 25 goals a season, but certainly not 25 by just over the halfway point.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-021071/9457862-1-eng-US/f0022-022.jpg" title="f0022-02" width="1033" height="800"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>POSTER BOY</b></p><p><b>Kesler&rsquo;s skill and determination allow him to be a dominant player in every facet of the game.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(BOTH: JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>And he probably never envisioned that he would become Vancouver&rsquo;s version of David Beckham either. After his impressive performance in the Olympics, he was chosen as the cover boy for NHL 2K11. But the poster boy quickly became a pin-up boy when a beefcake shot of Kesler appeared in the Vancouver <i>Sun</i> in November. Kesler has his own clothing line with a small company called Firstar Sports in Vancouver and part of the promotion included a photo of him modeling his RK-17 absorbent underwear.</p><p>Firstar president John Catliff, a former Canadian Olympian in men&rsquo;s soccer, said the picture has been downloaded from the company&rsquo;s website more than 2,000 times and he suspects most of them have come from women. Kesler was named one of Vancouver&rsquo;s &ldquo;hot bodies for 2010&rdquo; and was also on a list of the most beautiful people in B.C. The underwear is apparently flying off the shelves and many of the buyers are women. While many are no doubt purchasing them for men, some women are shelling out $24.99 for the picture on the front, while others are wearing the underwear themselves. &ldquo;Apparently they like to lounge around in them,&rdquo; Kesler said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re actually really comfortable boxers. They have some kind of material in them and I don&rsquo;t know the word to describe them, but it feels really good on the skin, let&rsquo;s just say that.&rdquo;</p><p>The term to describe the material in the underwear is actually J-Skin, which is a jadestone-infused polyester microfiber that has a cooling effect. When they did the photo shoot, Kesler was reticent until he was told the photo would only be used if it were really, really necessary. Yeah, that&rsquo;s the ticket. We&rsquo;ll only use it if we have to. &ldquo;He has a certain sort of seriousness and Beckham-like good looks that make him appealing,&rdquo; Catliff said. &ldquo;He has chick appeal, for lack of a better expression. We have a large gay and lesbian community in Vancouver and that picture has appeared in some of those magazines as well. I don&rsquo;t think Ryan knows about that.&rdquo;</p><p>The Canucks certainly don&rsquo;t and hockey players being hockey players, the ribbing will likely be even more intense than when the photo appeared in the newspaper. All the notoriety makes Kesler a little anxious, but it certainly beats the kind he was getting until this season. &ldquo;That picture has gotten me a lot of recognition and it&rsquo;s helping the clothing sales, so it&rsquo;s all good,&rdquo; Kesler said. &ldquo;Some day I can show my kids and say, &lsquo;See, your dad wasn&rsquo;t too bad looking back in the day.&rsquo; They&rsquo;ll probably laugh at me.&rdquo;</p><p>As the progeny of a guy who was once kicked out of practice for making faces at his coach, the Kesler kids would simply be following a time-honored tradition.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0018-01

QUIET RIOT RK17

<p class="dropcap"><span>A</span> convincing case could be made the 2003 draft that produced Ryan Kesler 23rd over-all is the best of all-time. Yes, even better than 1979 talent bonanza.</p><p>Regardless of where it ranks, the 2003 first round is mind-blowing, whether you want to measure by qualitative or quantitate standards.</p><p>You want quality? Well, a full one-third of the first round played in the 2010 Olympics and five own Stanley Cups. You want quantity? More than seven years after the draft, 28 of the 30 players taken have played on an NHL roster at some point this season and 26 of them are NHL regulars. The only player not to have played a single NHL game from the 2003 first round is Hugh Jessimen, who went 12th overall to the New York Rangers.</p><p>In fact, you could make a jaw-dropping NHL roster out of the 2003 first round:</p><h2><b>FORWARD LINES</b></h2><p><b>1</b>&nbsp;Zach Parise eric Staal corey Perry</p><p><b>2</b>&nbsp;Thomas Vanek Ryan Getzlaf dustin Brown</p><p><b>3</b>&nbsp;Jeff Carter Ryan Kesler nathan Horton</p><p><b>4</b>&nbsp;Brian Boyle mike Richards anthony Stewart</p><h2><b>DEFENSE PAIRS</b></h2><p><b>1</b>&nbsp;Ryan Suter Brent Seabrook</p><p><b>2</b>&nbsp;Braydon Coburn Brent Burns</p><p><b>3</b>&nbsp;Dion Phaneuf mark Stuart</p><h2><b>GOALIES</b></h2><p><b>G</b> Marc-Andre Fleury corey Crawford*</p><p>* For our backup, we&rsquo;ll borrow Corey Crawford, the second goalie taken in the draft, 52nd overall by Chicago.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Best. Draft. Ever.

<div class="byline">BY ANDREW GOYENS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0047-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0047-01521/9457945-1-eng-US/f0047-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>WEE GIANT</b></p><p><b>Stephen Lynch, right, poses with former NHLer &ndash; and Belfast Giant &ndash; Theo Fleury.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(COURTESY OF STEPHEN LYNCHI)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>I</span>t&rsquo;s tough</b> to be a hockey fan in Ireland. Sure, the Belfast Giants of the United Kingdom&rsquo;s Elite Ice Hockey League are always competitive, but their arena &ndash; the Odyssey &ndash; is the only rink in the country. There are inline hockey leagues for those who want to play, but they don&rsquo;t number many; between 600 and 700 players in the country of more than six million.</p><p>It&rsquo;ll take a real fanatic to get the game going. Luckily, Ireland may just have one.</p><p>Stephen Lynch eats, sleeps and breathes the game. He&rsquo;s the chairman of &ndash; and plays defense for &ndash; the Armagh Stars inline team. He even met his future wife at practice and when they married this past June, their cake was made to look like the Stanley Cup.</p><p>Now, Lynch wants all of Ireland to share in his love for hockey. &ldquo;I feel very passionately about it,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I believe very strongly that you can sit around and mope and complain or you can make something happen.&rdquo;</p><p>Lynch started Love Hockey Ireland in February 2010. He said hockey has the potential to bring people of different backgrounds and ethnicities together. &ldquo;Northern Ireland was a war zone 12 years ago,&rdquo; Lynch said, referring to the religious tension between Catholics and Protestants. &ldquo;Then, Belfast got ice hockey and it didn&rsquo;t matter which religion you were &ndash; you wear team colors and no one says anything to you about it.&rdquo;</p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>Belfast got hockey and it didn&rsquo;t matter which religion you were</b><br><b><i>&ndash; Stephen Lynch</i></b></blockquote><p>The first step towards growing hockey in a nontraditional market is getting kids interested and involved. Lynch has a plan to make that happen. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to go to 12 schools and make four teams (of 15 kids),&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;ll be five kids (apiece) from Catholic, Protestant and Eastern European backgrounds. We&rsquo;ll take them to a sports hall, kit them out and teach them how to play and work as a team&hellip; After three months, we&rsquo;ll have a school cup final (tournament) and their school friends can come watch.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;Kitting them out&rdquo; is proving difficult, though.</p><p>Lynch wants to provide schools with the equipment the kids need to get started, so they can afford to play regardless of parents&rsquo; finances.</p><p>However, LHI can&rsquo;t afford to buy that much equipment. It&rsquo;s a not-for-profit organization that isn&rsquo;t big enough to qualify for government funding or register in the Irish public eye.</p><p>Lynch began to look toward the NHL for help. He called teams up and down the U.S. east coast without much luck.</p><p>Then he found a kindred spirit in an unlikely place. &ldquo;Stephen and I were talking on Facebook,&rdquo; said Philip Atkinson, president of Windsor Sports USA &ndash; a company that sells hockey sticks at discounted rates. &ldquo;We wanted to get him some equipment to take back (to Ireland).&rdquo;</p><p>The conversation turned to promoting Lynch&rsquo;s organization. Atkinson had a friend who could help: Mark Sofia, the manager of community hockey initiatives for the Tampa Bay Lightning.</p><p>Charged with growing the game in a non-traditional market himself, Sofia was willing to help and the three set about finding a way the Lightning could help raise LHI&rsquo;s profile. &ldquo;Stephen wanted some Lightning guys to fly to Ireland for an appearance,&rdquo; Sofia said. &ldquo;We said, &lsquo;No, we can&rsquo;t go there, but do you guys want to come here?&rsquo;&rdquo;</p><p>They did and are headed there in March. Lynch has put together a team of senior inline players &ndash; it was too short notice to bring kids, but he hopes to do so next year &ndash; who will fly to Tampa Bay and tour the area, playing games against all-star teams from local rinks. The team will also attend the Lightning&rsquo;s March 7 game against the Capitals &ndash; the Bolts&rsquo; &ldquo;green&rdquo; theme night.</p><p>Sofia says the Lightning will roll out the red carpet for LHI. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a perfect idea to do something cool,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ll be recognized&hellip;and get lots of exposure during the game.</p><p>&ldquo;(Stephen) wants to grow the sport and get exposure. Why wouldn&rsquo;t we give him the opportunity to come in?&rdquo;</p><p>The Tampa tour is just one of the projects Lynch has going. The school tournament is scheduled to take place in September and Lynch is also working to get charitable status for LHI, something he hopes will be done soon.</p><p>For Lynch, all the work is worth it if the sport catches on in his country.</p><p>&ldquo;If we get genuine hockey lovers who are willing to work hard, we can grow the sport here.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0047-01

Emerald Isle Ice Times

<div class="byline">BY RORY BOYLEN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-02253/9457983-1-eng-US/f0048-022.jpg" title="f0048-02" width="374" height="277"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-01400/9457990-1-eng-US/f0048-012.jpg" title="f0048-01" width="115" height="133"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-03175/9457976-1-eng-US/f0048-032.jpg" title="f0048-03" width="1945" height="1787"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>DYL AN MCIL RATH</b> <span class="photo-credit">(MCILRATH: NOAH GRAHAM/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>G</span></b>one are the days when GMs from big-market teams could spend as much as they pleased to build rosters with bucks. With the institution of the salary cap in 2005-06, new game plans were thrust upon team builders and anyone who wasn&rsquo;t going to adapt would be left behind.</p><p>At the head of that class were the New York R angers, which used to have payrolls approaching $80 million. New York was often chided for inflating salary levels and patching holes in the lineup by overpaying aging players, ignoring the team&rsquo;s long-term needs.</p><p>From 1998 to 2004, the Rangers were shut out of post-season play. They brought in players such as Bobby Holik (five years for $45 million), Theo Fleury (three years, $21 million) and Darius Kasparaitis  (six years, $27 million) via free agency, but also traded gobs of picks, prospects and young players to acquire Pavel Bure and Eric Lindros, who, between them, had one 20-goal season in New York.</p><p>That most of the players who were traded out didn&rsquo;t go on to accomplish much in the NHL is a testament to how poor the Rangers draft record was. But when the NHL&rsquo;s free-market philosophy was changed into a salary-capped, equal-opportunity formula, the R angers changed with it, for which they deserve credit.</p><p>Gordie Clark, New York&rsquo;s&rsquo; director, player personnel is in charge of the draft table. He was one of the key additions to a front office staff that has turned New York&rsquo;s prospect fortunes. &ldquo;When I sat down with Glen (Sather) and Don Maloney at that time,&rdquo; Clark said, &ldquo;they made it evident that with the way everything was going with the cap and the future, everybody was going to be somewhat equal.&rdquo;</p><p>Stocking up on valuable off-ice assets is the one way teams can gain some leverage in the salary capped NHL and that&rsquo;s something the R angers have taken advantage of. A side from Clark, the R angers also employ Jeff Gorton, former assistant GM in Boston; Mike Barnett, former GM in Phoenix; Doug Risebrough, former GM in Minnesota; Tom Thompson, former assistant GM in Minnesota; and Anders Hedberg, former assistant GM of the Swedish national team, among others. &ldquo;It was a commitment at that time with the R angers,&rdquo; Clark said. &ldquo;They thought everyone would be equal with the cap and a lot of teams would be maxed out. You&rsquo;re not going to be able to make trades the way you used to and acquire guys. (Sather) made a real decision to say, &lsquo;the way you can try and outdo the opposition is hopefully draft properly and then raise them. Can we do that better than other teams?&rsquo;</p><p>&ldquo;Maybe that&rsquo;s the way you have to be better nowadays.&rdquo;</p><p>The Rangers currently have eight roster players who were drafted by the team, plus another three who were signed as free agents after they were passed over at the draft. Six of them were in the top 10 for team scoring.</p><p>In THN&rsquo;s 2010 F uture Watch, Derek Stepan, Evgeny Grachev, Chris Kreider and R yan McDonagh were listed as New York&rsquo;s top four prospects and their system was ranked fifth overall in the NHL, the team&rsquo;s highest-ever ranking.</p><p>And after taking the rough-and-tumble Western League D-man Dylan McIlrath 10th overall in 2010, New York&rsquo;s system will continue be strongly rated this year. &ldquo;We really felt we wanted to have one of those, as I called it on draft day, old-time Canadian defenseman who plays a rough style,&rdquo; Clark said. &ldquo;When an opposition comes in and they have to look across and say, &lsquo;Oh my god I have to play against that guy again tonight.&rsquo; We&rsquo;ve never really had that.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0048-02

These Aren’t Dad’s Rangers

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-04142/9458021-1-eng-US/f0048-042.jpg" title="f0048-04" width="505" height="620"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>DAN GIRARDI</b> <span class="photo-credit">(GIRARDI: JOEL AUERBACH/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>NYR GAMES BY PLAYER S DEVELOPED SINCE 2004</p><p><b>Dan Girardi</b></p><p><i>329 GP</i></p><p><b>Marc Staal</b></p><p><i>293 GP</i></p><p><b>Brandon Dubinsky</b></p><p><i>286 GP</i></p><p><b>Ryan Callahan</b></p><p><i>256 GP</i></p><p><b>Artem Anisimov</b></p><p><i>132 GP</i></p><p><b>Matt Gilroy</b></p><p><i>102 GP</i></p><p><b>Michael Del Zotto</b></p><p><i>115 GP</i></p><p><b>Derek Stepan</b></p><p><i>49 GP</i></p><p><b>Michael Sauer</b></p><p><i>46 GP</i></p><p><b>Mats Zuccarello</b></p><p><i>14 GP</i></p><p>*THROUGH JAN. 21</p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>185</b><br><b>Points by the above players for the Rangers this season; 68 goals, 117 assists</b></blockquote><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0048-04

Pipeline TO BROADWAY

<div class="byline">&#x2013; RICH CHERE</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0049-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-01366/9458129-1-eng-US/f0049-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-02270/9458122-1-eng-US/f0049-022.jpg" title="f0049-02" width="985" height="1200"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>PATRICK ELIAS</b> <span class="photo-credit">(ELIAS: GRAIG ABEL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>I</span></b>t is a hopeless feeling, one that Patrik Elias never before experienced in his decade and a half with the Devils, as hopes for a lengthy playoff run disappeared before the season was even half gone.</p><p>Elias, 34, called his all-star selection &ldquo;weird&rdquo; because of the Devils&rsquo; standing, but his passion and wisdom made him the team&rsquo;s best player in coach Jacques Lemaire&rsquo;s eyes.</p><p>&ldquo;All of life changes,&rdquo; said Elias, healthy finally after hip/groin surgery in 2009 and a concussion last season. &ldquo;You go through a hockey life and there is change. Hopefully you keep having success with different guys. We had a core here for a long time and did have success. Obviously it&rsquo;s different this year.&rdquo;</p><p>Jamie Langenbrunner waived his no-trade clause and Jason Arnott was willing to do so, but Elias cannot see himself playing for another NHL team. &ldquo;Not right now, no,&rdquo; the Devils&rsquo; all-time scoring leader said. &ldquo;I made a decision to be here. Just because the team is going through a rough time doesn&rsquo;t mean you leave.&rdquo;</p><p>Elias believes this is a one-year blip and sees the Devils bouncing back in 2011-12. He also sees a younger generation leading the way and isn&rsquo;t counting on being appointed captain. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think so,&rdquo; said Elias, who captained for two years before former coach Brent Sutter gave it to Jamie Langenbrunner in 2007. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think it would be the right place for me.&rdquo;</p><p>Elias believes Zach Parise should be named captain.</p><h2><b>FOR THE RECORD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-03208/9458115-1-eng-US/f0049-032.jpg" title="f0049-03" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-04190/9458108-1-eng-US/f0049-042.jpg" title="f0049-04" width="490" height="826"></div><p><b>Jason Arnott</b> recorded his 500th career assist in mid-January. It moved the 17-yearveteran ahead of Boston&rsquo;s Marc Savard for 12th place among active NHLers and within shouting distance of Calgary&rsquo;s Jarome Iginla (502) and Flyers star Chris Pronger (522). Bruins greybeard Mark Recchi is No. 1 with 942.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-05150/9458101-1-eng-US/f0049-052.jpg" title="f0049-05" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-0680/9458094-1-eng-US/f0049-062.jpg" title="f0049-06" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ARNOTT+JURCINA: PAUL BERESWILL/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Milan Jurcina</b> and his teammates need to be outshot in order to win games. The Islanders were the only team not to have so much as a single win (0-16) when they outshoot their opponents. With Dwayne Roloson traded and Rick DiPietro&rsquo;s health in question, they&rsquo;d better capitalize on the days they do fire more rubber at the net.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-0758/9458087-1-eng-US/f0049-072.jpg" title="f0049-07" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-0838/9458080-1-eng-US/f0049-082.jpg" title="f0049-08" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(GABORIK: SCOTT LEVY/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Marian</b>&nbsp;<b>Gaborik&rsquo;s</b> four-goal performance against Toronto Jan. 19 was the biggest offensive outburst from any NHL sniper this season. However, it wasn&rsquo;t the most dangerous Gaborik has been in a game. As a member of the Wild in 2007-08, the 28-year-old scored five in a single game&hellip; against the Rangers.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-0930/9458073-1-eng-US/f0049-092.jpg" title="f0049-09" width="1130" height="902"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-1025/9458066-1-eng-US/f0049-102.jpg" title="f0049-10" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PRONGER: ABELIMAGES/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>When <b>Chris Pronger</b> was knocked out of the lineup with a broken foot, some predicted the Flyers would suffer. However, in the month he missed before returning Jan. 20, the team posted a stellar 9-4-0 record. Just as impressive, the Flyers&rsquo; penalty kill, of which Pronger is a big part, remained near its regular 82.5 percent.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-1117/9458059-1-eng-US/f0049-112.jpg" title="f0049-11" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-1215/9458052-1-eng-US/f0049-122.jpg" title="f0049-12" width="490" height="825"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MALKIN: JAMIE SABAU/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Evgeni Malkin</b> is having a sub-par season and not just in terms of his offense. He led all his teammates in giveaways by a wide margin (Malkin had 40; the next closest was Kris Letang, with 29). On the bright side, Malkin was leading the Pens in takeaways (29). His PPG this season was 0.88, the worst of his career.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0049-01

Blip on the Radar

<div class="byline">&#x2013; GEORGE RICHARDS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0051-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-01297/9458345-1-eng-US/f0051-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-02214/9458338-1-eng-US/f0051-022.jpg" title="f0051-02" width="985" height="1215"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(DADONOV: JUSTIN K. ALLER/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>A</b>ll Evgeny Dadonov wanted was a chance to play in the NHL, but he spent most of last season playing for R ochester in the A HL.</p><p>He was the last forward recalled by F lorida and played in the Panthers&rsquo; final four games of the season, the playoffs long out of reach.</p><p>Looking back, Dadonov says spending a season in the minors was a blessing. &ldquo;Last year was my first year in North America,&rdquo; the 21-year-old from Chelyabinsk, R ussia said. &ldquo;I spoke English bad. I couldn&rsquo;t understand anything. I couldn&rsquo;t understand the system. It was different hockey, a different life. I wanted to be in the NHL, but I had to take those first steps.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><p>Dadonov didn&rsquo;t make the Panthers out of training camp this year and was returned to R ochester, but was recalled Dec. 7 and scored his first NHL goal four games later. Through his first 18 games, Dadonov scored four goals and 11 points &ndash; and was tabbed to represent the Panthers organization at all-star weekend.</p><p>The Panthers like his offensive skill as well as his defensive tenacity.</p><p>He has been a boon to the Panthers power play, but would really like to be on the penalty kill, too. &ldquo;To be on the PK,&rdquo; said Dadonov, the 71st pick of the 2007 draft, &ldquo;that means I help the team everywhere.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><p>A dded coach Peter DeBoer: &ldquo;Once he got here, he made it so we can&rsquo;t take him out of the lineup. He&rsquo;s strong, he&rsquo;s skilled, he&rsquo;s good on the puck. He creates offense, but is strong defensively.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><h2><b>FOR THE RECORD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-03151/9458331-1-eng-US/f0051-032.jpg" title="f0051-03" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-04121/9458324-1-eng-US/f0051-042.jpg" title="f0051-04" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(SOPEL: KEVIN C. COX/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The Thrashers were giving up the most shots per game overall, but were also blocking the most pucks in the NHL. At fourth overall, <b>Brent Sopel</b> led the way, Tobias Enstrom was seventh and Ron Hainsey 10th. No other team could even boast three players in the top 20 in blocks; Johnny Oduya at No. 20 gave Atlanta four.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-0586/9458317-1-eng-US/f0051-052.jpg" title="f0051-05" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-0672/9458310-1-eng-US/f0051-062.jpg" title="f0051-06" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(RUUTU: GRAIG ABEL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The Canes were staying in the playoff hunt thanks to being a tough team to play against. Led by <b>Tuomo Ruutu</b> (No. 2 in the NHL with 175), Carolina sat fourth overall in hits, averaging more than 27 per game. All those checks also meant the Canes had a lot of takeaways; eight-plus per contest, also fourth in the NHL.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-0751/9458303-1-eng-US/f0051-072.jpg" title="f0051-07" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-0835/9458296-1-eng-US/f0051-082.jpg" title="f0051-08" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MCCABE: ELIOT J. SCHECHTER/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Already sporting a broken finger, captain <b>Bryan McCabe</b> took a puck in the face Jan. 15 that broke his jaw. He missed one shift before returning, but less than 12 hours later underwent surgery and was sidelined for at least two weeks. McCabe hadn&rsquo;t missed a game since March 2009 when a broken nose cost him three contests.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-0929/9458289-1-eng-US/f0051-092.jpg" title="f0051-09" width="1130" height="902"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-1024/9458282-1-eng-US/f0051-102.jpg" title="f0051-10" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ST. LOUIS: JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Proving once again that size really doesn&rsquo;t matter, <b>Marty St-Louis</b> became the first NHL forward this season to reach 50 points and 40 blocked shots. He&rsquo;s also fourth on the current NHL iron man list. St-Louis had played 435 consecutive games, making it nearly five-and-a-half seasons since he&rsquo;d missed one.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-1118/9458275-1-eng-US/f0051-112.jpg" title="f0051-11" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-1215/9458268-1-eng-US/f0051-122.jpg" title="f0051-12" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(OVECHKIN: GREG FIUME/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Not since Alexander Semin scored two against the Lightning Nov. 26 had the Caps managed multiple power play markers in a game. One reason: <b>Alex Ovechkin</b> was on pace for four ppGs (13 is his career low). The drought, which hit 24 contests in January, was the longest such streak in nine years for the Caps&rsquo; power play.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0051-01

Finally Arriving

<div class="byline">BY BOB DUFF</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0052-03119/9458383-1-eng-US/f0052-032.jpg" title="f0052-03" width="374" height="277"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0052-01292/9458390-1-eng-US/f0052-012.jpg" title="f0052-01" width="115" height="133"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0052-02179/9458376-1-eng-US/f0052-022.jpg" title="f0052-02" width="1945" height="1699"><figcaption class="caption-body">HENRIK ZETTERBERG <span class="photo-credit">(ZETTERBERG: CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>P</span></b>erhaps Henrik Zetterberg&rsquo;s sore back &ndash; which caused him to ask out of the NHL All-Star Game &ndash; was the result of him carrying the Detroit R ed Wings.</p><p>While a platoon of Detroit&rsquo;s core was shipped to sick bay, Zetterberg kicked it into overdrive, racing up the NHL scoring ladder and keeping the Wings afloat minus such regular contributors as Pavel Datsyuk (broken hand), Dan Cleary (broken ankle) and Tomas Holmstrom (broken hand), among seven R ed Wings idled by injury.</p><p>In 14 games since Datsyuk went down Dec. 22, Zetterberg had points in 13, garnering 18 overall. The Wings went 8-4-2. &ldquo;It seems like he&rsquo;s taken it upon himself to step it up another notch in Pav&rsquo;s absence,&rdquo; said captain Nicklas Lidstrom.</p><p>Detroit&rsquo;s Brad Stuart, himself out with a broken jaw, took descriptives of Zetterberg&rsquo;s brilliance a rung higher. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s been big, battling hard,&rdquo; Stuart said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a leader for us. He&rsquo;s really stepped up and taken it to another level.&rdquo;</p><p>Zetterberg, the last person to ever blow his own horn, downplays his recent success, deflecting credit to all. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think one player can take (Datysuk&rsquo;s or Cleary&rsquo;s) spot,&rdquo; Zetterberg said. &ldquo;Everyone has to fill in and chip in. I&rsquo;m one of those guys who needs to really play better if we want to win games.&rdquo; That&rsquo;s Zetterberg. He delivers the goods, then leaves the superlatives for others.</p><p>Coach Mike Babcock isn&rsquo;t the least bit surprised to see the 30-year-old Swedish center stepping it up when Detroit needs him the most. &ldquo;I believe he has a will tank deeper than anybody I&rsquo;ve ever been associated with,&rdquo; Babcock said. &ldquo;His drive train is fantastic.&rdquo;</p><p>What makes this performance by the soft-spoken, 5-foot-11, 195-pounder even more remarkable is that he&rsquo;s equally dominant when the other team has the puck. It wouldn&rsquo;t be at all outrageous to suggest Zetterberg is the best two-way forward in the game. &ldquo;He sets an example with his work ethic and making plays with the puck, getting it out or dumping it in,&rdquo; Lidstrom said. Like Zetterberg&rsquo;s game, admiration comes from both sides of the ice.</p><p>Pittsburgh center Jordan Staal, one of the league&rsquo;s top checkers, marvels at Zetterberg. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s such a smart player on both sides of the puck,&rdquo; Staal said. &ldquo;He doesn&rsquo;t make too many risky plays. It&rsquo;s tough to get chances on him when he&rsquo;s playing that way. A nd the offense is there as well, so it&rsquo;s a challenge.&rdquo;</p><p>The Penguin noted he&rsquo;s even studied the way &lsquo;Z&rsquo; plays to gain an edge. &ldquo;His positioning is amazing,&rdquo; Staal said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s in the right spot at the right time. He&rsquo;s always on the right side of the puck and works hard on his defensive game. He&rsquo;s got a complete game. That&rsquo;s something I want to follow and learn from.&rdquo;</p><p>Pens captain Sidney Crosby, who has faced Zetterberg&rsquo;s defensive prowess in a pair of Stanley Cup finals, knows that he needs to bring his A-plus game against Detroit. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a challenge,&rdquo; Crosby said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no surprise there. When I play against him, I expect to be tightly checked.&rdquo;</p><p>Some of the most talented and determined players have sought to solve Zetterberg, but most are about as successful as they are at deciphering a R ubik&rsquo;s Cube.</p><p>Meanwhile, with three of their top six goal-scorers idled, enemy checkers are free to focus their sights on the Swede. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think that way,&rdquo; Zetterberg said. &ldquo;Whoever they put against us, we go out and play against them. We&rsquo;re used to playing like that.&rdquo;</p><p>Just as the Wings are used to Zetterberg&rsquo;s play going above and beyond the call of duty.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0052-03

Doing it All in Detroit

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0052-0497/9458421-1-eng-US/f0052-042.jpg" title="f0052-04" width="551" height="699"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>MATS SUNDIN</b></figcaption></div><p>ALL-TIME HIGHE ST SCOR ING SWEDES</p><p><b>Mats Sundin</b></p><p><i>1,349 points</i></p><p><b>Nicklas Lidstrom</b></p><p><i>1,088 points</i></p><p><b>Daniel Alfredsson</b></p><p><i>1,019 points</i></p><p><b>Peter Forsberg</b></p><p><i>885 points</i></p><p><b>Markus Naslund</b></p><p><i>869 points</i></p><p><b>Tomas Sandstrom</b></p><p><i>856 points</i></p><p><b>Thomas Steen</b></p><p><i>817 points</i></p><p><b>Borje Salming</b></p><p><i>787 points</i></p><p><b>Kent Nilsson</b></p><p><i>686 points</i></p><p><b>Michael Nylander</b></p><p><i>679 points</i></p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>195</b><br><b>Shots on net this season by Zetterberg, placing him third in the league</b></blockquote><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0052-04

SWEDE HANDS

<div class="byline">&#x2013; DAVID BOCLAIR</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0053-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-01272/9458529-1-eng-US/f0053-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-02180/9458522-1-eng-US/f0053-022.jpg" title="f0053-02" width="1183" height="1196"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>SERGEI KOSTITSYN</b></figcaption></div><p><b>S</b>ergei Kostitsyn came face-to-face with his past when Nashville visited the Montreal Canadiens early in the season.</p><p>But it wasn&rsquo;t until a heart-to-heart with coach Barry Trotz a short time later that the prospects for the 23-year-old&rsquo;s future became much brighter. &ldquo;He was really close to losing out on playing time and possibly even a position on the roster,&rdquo; said Trotz, the only coach in Nashville&rsquo;s 13-year history. &ldquo;We talked about some things and he really started to trust us and what we were saying. He finally started to come around to the Predators&rsquo; way.&rdquo;</p><p>In part because of a broken toe sustained in training camp, Kostitsyn had not outrun the questions about character and work ethic that dogged him his first three NHL seasons early in the year. Maybe his last chance with Nashville came in early December when injuries allowed for more ice time and was preceded by the chat with Trotz. Kostitsyn responded with a career-high eight-game point streak (the longest by any Preds forward this season), which included five straight with a goal.</p><p>A little more than a week before the all-star break he led the league in shooting percentage (22.0) and already had a career-high in goals (11). And with 23 points in 41 games he was battling for the team scoring lead. &ldquo;He was a little bit of a risk,&rdquo; Trotz said. &ldquo;We had heard about some of the problems in Montreal.&rdquo;</p><p>But that was before he decided to listen to his coach.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-03127/9458515-1-eng-US/f0053-032.jpg" title="f0053-03" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-04109/9458508-1-eng-US/f0053-042.jpg" title="f0053-04" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(BOLLAND+LIDSTROM: JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The Hawks don&rsquo;t count on <b>David Bolland</b> to carry the offense, but occasional contributions are important from the third-line center. That&rsquo;s why his stretch of eight goals and 16 points in 18 games came as a relief after he started the year scoring just once in 22. One curiosity: All Bolland&rsquo;s goals had come at home.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-0582/9458501-1-eng-US/f0053-052.jpg" title="f0053-05" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-0671/9458494-1-eng-US/f0053-062.jpg" title="f0053-06" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(CLITSOME: JAMIE SABAU/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Rookie defenseman <b>Grant Clitsome</b> has been a revelation since his recall from AHL Springfield in early January. The 25-year-old was getting ice time in critical situations, including the power play where his strong shot is featured. In his first three games, he had two goals; no Jackets blueliner had more than three all season.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-0755/9458487-1-eng-US/f0053-072.jpg" title="f0053-07" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-0830/9458480-1-eng-US/f0053-082.jpg" title="f0053-08" width="490" height="826"></div><p>Vegas ought to start taking bets on whether any Wing will appear in all 82 games this season; only five had played in each of the first 46. One of the last men standing, <b>Nick Lidstrom</b>, is no surprise. The 40-year-old marvel has missed just 32 regular season games in his 19-year career, playing in 98 percent of Detroit&rsquo;s tilts.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-0920/9458473-1-eng-US/f0053-092.jpg" title="f0053-09" width="1130" height="902"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-1018/9458466-1-eng-US/f0053-102.jpg" title="f0053-10" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(RINNE: JOHN RUSSELL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Keep an eye on the Predators during the stretch run when they&rsquo;ll play 12 of their final 15 games at home. A decent road team, Nashville has been impressive in Bridgestone Arena, securing points in 16 of 20 games in their own barn, while goalies <b>Pekka Rinne</b> and Anders Lindback had surrendered a league-low 40 goals at home.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-1116/9458459-1-eng-US/f0053-112.jpg" title="f0053-11" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-1215/9458452-1-eng-US/f0053-122.jpg" title="f0053-12" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(OSHIE: MARK BUCKNER/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>If the Blues are going to make a playoff push, they&rsquo;ll need to improve their special teams. After a stretch in which they scored one man-advantage goal in seven games, the power play ranked 26th and the penalty-kill 20th. The earlier-than-expected return of <b>T.J. Oshie</b> from a broken ankle will provide a spark to the PP.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0053-01

Finding His Way

<div class="byline">&#x2013; BRIAN COSTELLO</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0054-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-01281/9458637-1-eng-US/f0054-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-02163/9458630-1-eng-US/f0054-022.jpg" title="f0054-02" width="1183" height="1265"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>TOMAS FLEISCHMANN</b> <span class="photo-credit">(FLEISCHMANN: MICHAEL MARTIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span></b>he loss of left winger Tomas F leischmann to season-ending pulmonary emboli in his lungs put an end to a successful 22-game stint with the Avalanche.</p><p>The good news in this alarming medical shocker is that Fleischmann&rsquo;s setback isn&rsquo;t expected to be career-threatening. The 26-year-old Czech complained about a shortness of breath following a morning skate Jan. 20. Trainer Matt Sokolowski sent Fleischmann to Dr. David Mellman, who made the diagnosis. Fleischmann missed the first 11 games of the 2009-10 season with Washington because of a blood clot in his leg.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s obviously a serious condition, but it&rsquo;s fortunate for Tomas that Dr. Mellman discovered it,&rdquo; Avs GM Greg Sherman told the Denver <i>Post</i>. &ldquo;A ll indications from our doctors are that he can live a quote, normal life, unquote, and it&rsquo;s something that can be treated through medication.&rdquo;</p><p>Fleischmann will remain on blood-thinners for several months, which will prevent him from playing. Blood-thinners make a person prone to bleeding and bruising when involved in body-contact sports.</p><p>Fleischmann had played well since arriving via trade in November for defenseman Scott Hannan. He had eight goals and 21 points in the 22 games. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a guy who we thought could give us something and I think he has,&rdquo; said coach Joe Sacco before Fleischmann&rsquo;s setback. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s helped win us some games.&rdquo;</p><p>Fleischmann will be an unrestricted  free agent in July.</p><h2><b>FOR THE RECORD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-03108/9458623-1-eng-US/f0054-032.jpg" title="f0054-03" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-0481/9458616-1-eng-US/f0054-042.jpg" title="f0054-04" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(BOURQUE: GERRY THOMAS/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Calgary&rsquo;s offensive woes can be attributed to the fact 10 of its top 12 producers (the top nine forwards and three offensive D-men) have shooting percentages below their career average. Only <b>Rene Bourque</b> and Curtis Glencross have a positive differential. The Flames have scored two or fewer goals 23 times in 47 games.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-0562/9458609-1-eng-US/f0054-052.jpg" title="f0054-05" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-0645/9458602-1-eng-US/f0054-062.jpg" title="f0054-06" width="490" height="825"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(FOOTE: DOUG PENSINGER/GETTY IMAGES; COGLIANO: ABELIMAGES/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Defensive defenseman <b>Adam Foote</b> recently passed the 100-game mark without a regular season goal and has just one in his past 216 games dating to 2007-08. The longest drought between goals is Ken Daneyko at 256 games. Foote, 39, had a career-high 11 goals in 2002-03 and has 66 in 1,141 career games.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-0726/9458595-1-eng-US/f0054-072.jpg" title="f0054-07" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-0818/9458588-1-eng-US/f0054-082.jpg" title="f0054-08" width="490" height="826"></div><p>The Oilers have been complete patsies in the faceoff circle this season, winning just 43.9 percent of their draws and getting outmuscled eight straight games in January. <b>Andrew Cogliano</b> sits at just 42 percent. The league low since the nhl start keeping faceoff stats in 1997-98 was Tampa Bay at 44.1 percent that first season.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-0913/9458581-1-eng-US/f0054-092.jpg" title="f0054-09" width="1130" height="902"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-1011/9458574-1-eng-US/f0054-102.jpg" title="f0054-10" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(O&rsquo;SULLIVAN: BRUCE KLUCKHOHN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Patrick</b>&nbsp;<b>O&rsquo;Sullivan</b> would love to see an nhl team in Houston. The one-time 22-goal man with L.A. scored a goal in each of his first two games with AHL Houston after netting just two goals in 31 nhl games this season. The demoted O&rsquo;Sullivan last played in Houston in 2005-06 when he had 47 goals in 78 ahl games.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-1111/9458567-1-eng-US/f0054-112.jpg" title="f0054-11" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-129/9458560-1-eng-US/f0054-122.jpg" title="f0054-12" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(BALLARD: JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Since being a healthy scratch for four games in November, high-priced defenseman <b>Keith Ballard</b> has improved his play and is a regular on Vancouver&rsquo;s third pairing. Earning $4.2 million, Ballard averaged 22 minutes per game the past four seasons, but is just over 15 minutes with the Canucks and sees virtually no power play time.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0054-01

Fleischmann Shelved

<div class="byline">&#x2013; JONATHAN DAVIS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0055-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-01249/9458745-1-eng-US/f0055-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-02163/9458738-1-eng-US/f0055-022.jpg" title="f0055-02" width="985" height="1209"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>JACK JOHNSON</b></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>N</span></b>ow into his fourth season on the Kings blueline, Jack Johnson is finally showing the promise that made him the third overall pick in the 2005 draft.</p><p>Through mid-January, Johnson was among the league&rsquo;s top 10 defenseman in assists (28) and points (32) and was on pace to set career highs across the statistical board. Johnson also led L.A. in power play points by a wide margin.</p><p>&ldquo;Jack has great skill in creating space for himself along the blueline and getting off that great shot of his,&rdquo; said coach Terry Murray. &ldquo;But where he has really made strides this season is his play without the puck.&rdquo;</p><p>The numbers definitely support Murray&rsquo;s claim. The 6-foot-1, 219-pounder has never finished a full NHL season at better than minus-15, but had a six-game stretch in December where he was plus-9. And though he was a minus player overall this season, the 24-year-old continues to impress the coaching staff by having better instincts for the game and much less hesitation.</p><p>With Johnson set to become a restricted free agent at season&rsquo;s end, the Kings locked him up with a seven-year, $30.5-million contract extension in January. It&rsquo;s a deal Johnson  negotiated without the help of an agent. &ldquo;It was a lot of fun,&rdquo; he said of the process. &ldquo;It was never a burden on me. Los Angeles is where I want to be, so signing for seven years was never an issue. It allowed us to come up with a number that would work for both sides.&rdquo;</p><h2><b>FOR THE RECORD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-03116/9458731-1-eng-US/f0055-032.jpg" title="f0055-03" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-0487/9458724-1-eng-US/f0055-042.jpg" title="f0055-04" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JOHNSON+LYDMAN+DOUGHTY: HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Brought in as a free agent to stabilize a defense corps that has lost a lot of skill in recent years, <b>Toni Lydman</b> has been well worth the investment. The Finnish veteran was on pace to destroy his career high in points, while his heavy ice-time workload (23:01 per game) didn&rsquo;t stop him from putting up a plus-25 as of late January.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-0560/9458717-1-eng-US/f0055-052.jpg" title="f0055-05" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-0641/9458710-1-eng-US/f0055-062.jpg" title="f0055-06" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(NEAL: PHILLIP MACCALLUM/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>To kick off the New Year, the Stars have been naming a &lsquo;Warrior of the Game,&rsquo; after each victory. The winner is rewarded with a Nerf sword, bought by Adam Burish, complete with a sheath fashioned from parts of an interview backdrop that was too big. <b>James Neal</b> was the first honoree and got to pick the next winner.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-0730/9458703-1-eng-US/f0055-072.jpg" title="f0055-07" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-0820/9458696-1-eng-US/f0055-082.jpg" title="f0055-08" width="490" height="826"></div><p>Known for his prolific puck skills, <b>Drew Doughty</b> is still a defenseman and, as such, contributes to the grittier side of the Kings, too. Despite missing six games with a concussion, Doughty was third on the team in blocked shots (60) and hits (81); the latter including a recent brawl-inducing demolition of Edmonton rookie Taylor Hall.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-0916/9458689-1-eng-US/f0055-092.jpg" title="f0055-09" width="1130" height="902"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-1014/9458682-1-eng-US/f0055-102.jpg" title="f0055-10" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(LABARBERA: RICH LAM/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>If you&rsquo;ve seen a dark sweater on <b>Jason LaBarbera</b> this season, chances are he was sitting down. The backup goalie set an nhl record by starting his first 12 games of the season on the road. Despite the hostile environs, he still had a .914 save percentage on the year. He finally started a game at home Jan. 8 against Buffalo.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-1115/9458675-1-eng-US/f0055-112.jpg" title="f0055-11" width="1130" height="903"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-1211/9458668-1-eng-US/f0055-122.jpg" title="f0055-12" width="490" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MARLEAU: ANDY DEVLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>In playing his 1,000th nhl game Jan. 17 &ndash; all with the Sharks &ndash; <b>Patrick Marleau</b> became the third-youngest player to ever achieve the feat, behind Dale Hawerchuk and Vincent Damphousse. The kicker? Had it not been for the lockout in 2004-05, Marleau would have been on track to be the youngest ever to reach the mark.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0055-01

Stud in Waiting

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0056-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0056-02145/9458783-1-eng-US/f0056-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>TWO-WAY THREAT</b></p><p><b>Kelowna defenseman Tyson Barrie can put up points and stop the opposition.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(MARISSA BAECKER/SHOOTTHEBREEZE.CA/KELOWNA ROCKETS)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0056-01220/9458790-1-eng-US/f0056-012.jpg" title="f0056-01" width="115" height="133"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>W</span>indsor&rsquo;s</b> Ryan Ellis has been a favorite of prospect followers for years now thanks to his offensively sizzling game and ability to control a power play from the point. But head out west and you&rsquo;ll find a very similar player blossoming in British Columbia to less fanfare.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0056-0387/9458776-1-eng-US/f0056-032.jpg" title="f0056-03" width="311" height="236"></div><p>Kelowna Rockets defenseman Tyson Barrie is also slightly undersized for an NHL blueliner at 5-foot-10, but sturdy at 190 pounds. That puts him at the same size as Ellis and the similarities between the two don&rsquo;t end there. Both have torn up their respective junior circuits and play with an offensive tilt to their game.</p><p>The fact Barrie got to suit up next to Ellis at the World Junior Championship in Buffalo this season for Team Canada made it easier to see just how dynamic the Rockets star was in comparison, but also provided the Colorado Avalanche draft pick (64th overall in 2009) with some insight into his national teammate&rsquo;s game. &ldquo;I can definitely take notes off him, he&rsquo;s a great player,&rdquo; Barrie said. &ldquo;The one thing he does really well that I&rsquo;d like to improve on is getting his shot through on the point. I&rsquo;ve never seen anyone do it better than him.&rdquo;</p><p>Not that Barrie is a slouch at putting up numbers. Last season he had career highs with 19 goals and 72 points in 63 games and he&rsquo;s had continued success in 2010-11. But a torn hamstring in September cut into his potential totals in Kelowna, not to mention a shot at catching on with the Avs, who also boast young blueliners such as Cameron Gaunce and Stefan Elliott in the system and Kevin Shattenkirk on the big squad.</p><p>Barrie returned in October and was certainly healthy enough to help Team Canada at the world juniors, where he tallied a goal and three points in seven games.</p><p>&ldquo;He played outstanding for me,&rdquo; said Team Canada assistant coach Andre Tourigny. &ldquo;I think his gap control is really good, he kept his game simple, moves the puck well and doesn&rsquo;t take chances. Sometimes we had to repeat that to him, to be patient, but he&rsquo;s learned that.&rdquo;</p><p>Playing in Kelowna can have that effect on a young defenseman. After all, the Rockets have graduated several big-name prospects on the back end in recent years, including 2010 Calder Trophy winner Tyler Myers, 2008 fifth overall pick Luke Schenn and, going a little further back, Shea Weber, Duncan Keith and Alex Edler.</p><p>&ldquo;They always have an awesome coaching staff there and they don&rsquo;t accept anything other than your best,&rdquo; Barrie said. &ldquo;They have a great winning tradition there and I think that&rsquo;s what makes guys good, is that if you play there, you&rsquo;re going to be on a winning team.&rdquo; And for a player who isn&rsquo;t necessarily the biggest kid out there, getting tested every night in the rough-and-tumble &lsquo;Dub&rsquo; has also benefitted Barrie.</p><p>&ldquo;We had a real good team there when I was 17,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We made the Memorial Cup final and unfortunately we didn&rsquo;t win it, but playing in the Western League and going through the grind of the playoffs and the Memorial Cup I definitely think it helps because you get a sense of what it takes to win.&rdquo;</p><p>Which is also music to Colorado&rsquo;s ears. Though the Avs have no shortage of young talent, they still have a vested interest in the puckmoving son of ex-Tampa owner Len Barrie. &ldquo;I thought he had a strong showing at the world juniors,&rdquo; said Colorado coach Joe Sacco. &ldquo;He looked like one of Canada&rsquo;s go-to guys on defense.&rdquo; And assuming he doesn&rsquo;t miss training camp due to injury again, Barrie will get a chance to show the Avs why they have another great young talent coming up.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>0.86</b><br><b>Points per game averaged by Barrie in his first three full WHL seasons</b></blockquote><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0056-02

Rocket Man on the Blueline

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0057-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-01206/9458828-1-eng-US/f0057-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>LEADER OF THE PACK</b></p><p><b>Anton Lander has had an &lsquo;A&rsquo; with Timra IK, a men&rsquo;s team, since he was 18 years old.</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(LANDER: PÄR OLERT/FOTOSTUGAN)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>I</span>t may seem</b> as if the Edmonton Oilers harvested their entire crop of youth this season, but there&rsquo;s actually still top talent left in the pipeline, maturing overseas until the time is right. Swedish center Anton Lander has been a top international player for several years and is in his third season playing against men in the Swedish Elite League.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-03107/9458821-1-eng-US/f0057-032.jpg" title="f0057-03" width="386" height="104"></div><p>With seven goals and 15 points in 33 games for Timra IK, Lander, 19, was tied for second among junior-aged scorers and on track to easily eclipse his previous totals.</p><p>But his true value comes in other areas, as evidenced by the fact he&rsquo;s been an assistant captain with Timra for two years. &ldquo;He takes responsibility on defense, backchecks hard and leads by example,&rdquo; said Tommy Boustedt, director of hockey development and national teams with the Swedish Ice Hockey Association. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a smart player, he&rsquo;s good at winning faceoffs and he&rsquo;s always in the right spot. When you play men&rsquo;s hockey you learn to do the right moves at the right place; if you don&rsquo;t, you lose.&rdquo;</p><p>And while Sweden lost a chance to play for gold at the world juniors in Buffalo when Lander&rsquo;s shootout attempt against the R ussians hit the post in the semifinal, he was still an integral part of the Tre Kroner. He also served as the team&rsquo;s captain. &ldquo;He almost got the captaincy last year, but he was a year too young,&rdquo; Boustedt said. &ldquo;He was a natural choice.&rdquo;</p><p>As for when Lander heads to North America, that&rsquo;s a timeline he wasn&rsquo;t quite ready to reveal. &ldquo;I try not to think too much about it right now,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>But if he needs any advice on the Oilers, who selected him with the 40th pick overall in 2009, he can simply ring up the kid they took 30 picks earlier: former Timra teammate Magnus Paajarvi. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s one of my best friends,&rdquo; Lander said. &ldquo;We talk a lot and he means a lot to me as a set of outside eyes. I ask him a lot of questions and we talk about everything.&rdquo;</p><p>Including Lander&rsquo;s potential North American home.</p><p>While Edmonton has taken its shots as an NHL city in recent years, Paajarvi has apparently been an excellent ambassador. &ldquo;He told me it&rsquo;s a really good city,&rdquo; the six-foot, 194-pound Lander said. &ldquo;The first time it was hard for him; new style, new country. But he loves the city and he loves the team.&rdquo;</p><p>Which is nice for the Oilers, because they have something special in Lander. At the world juniors, his faceoff win percentage came in at nearly 60 percent and even though his draw success in the Elite League is substantially lower (47 percent), it must be remembered that he&rsquo;s lining up against men.</p><p>Even so, the Timra brass trusts him, as he leads the team in faceoffs taken and is tied for sixth in team scoring, despite missing several games to take part in the mid-season junior classic. And when it comes to leadership, he&rsquo;s on a special track.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a guy like Alfredsson, Sundin and all the Swedes who became captains over here,&rdquo; Boustedt said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s not talking too much, but he says the right things. He&rsquo;s very focused on what he is doing and he&rsquo;s a real sportsman and athlete. And the guys really respect him.&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>

f0057-01

Captain in Waiting

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0058-02146/9458897-1-eng-US/f0058-022.jpg" title="f0058-02" width="418" height="129"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0058-01219/9458890-1-eng-US/f0058-012.jpg" title="f0058-01" width="1691" height="1626"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>IN THE FAST</b></p><p><b>lane Speed thrills for Sean Kuraly, even when he&rsquo;s not posting huge offensive numbers.</b></p></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>he buzz</b> around the NHL draft is often focused on the high-scorers. While Indiana Ice center Sean Kuraly has that capability, his talents skew towards other aspects of the game, such as shutting down the opposition. &ldquo;The defensive zone is really important to me,&rdquo; Kuraly said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always tried to play smart in the D-zone and not cheat to get offensive chances.&rdquo;</p><p>The result is a speedy, 6-foot-2, 193-pounder who has become his team&rsquo;s best penalty-killer. &ldquo;He knows when to go and when to stay back,&rdquo; said Indiana coach Charlie Skjodt. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s all about speed; he really gets on guys.&rdquo;</p><p>And that&rsquo;s by design. Kuraly takes a lot of pride in his penalty-killing abilities and he&rsquo;s even potted a couple of shorthanded goals this season. Since he also plays the point on Indiana&rsquo;s power play, he knows what to look for. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s about trying to take as much time away from their power play as possible,&rdquo; Kuraly said. &ldquo;When I see a forward playing the point, I try to pressure them as much as possible and make them turn the way I want them to.&rdquo;</p><p>Kuraly, 18, hasn&rsquo;t posted big offensive numbers this year, but contributes large in other ways. A nd he doesn&rsquo;t suffer from crisis of confidence. &ldquo;I had it last year,&rdquo; said Kuraly, ranked 56th among North American skaters by Central Scouting in its midterm report. &ldquo;So it&rsquo;s not like I don&rsquo;t have it.&rdquo;</p><p>Next year, Kuraly will be part of a big recruiting class for Miami University, one that will include two U.S. national team development program players, right winger Tyler Biggs (projected to be an NHL first-rounder) and defenseman Connor Murphy, who has missed most of the season due to injury. Kuraly and Murphy are best friends who grew up together in Columbus. Murphy&rsquo;s dad is Gord Murphy, the former NHLer and Blue Jackets assistant coach.</p><p>Kuraly&rsquo;s family has had season tickets to the Jackets since their first year and his friendship with Murphy also got him in the dressing room on occasion. That Kuraly will have Murphy in Miami with him is only one of the reasons he chose the rapidly rising program. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just something special they&rsquo;ve got going on,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It just seemed like a no-brainer and it&rsquo;s a good school academically. Nothing was missing.&rdquo;</p><p>A nd to put another cherry on top, just playing for the R edHawks will get Kuraly into the school&rsquo;s record books. His father, R ick, played three seasons with Miami in the early 1980s, averaging slightly more than a point per game in the process. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll be the first father and son to play there,&rdquo; Kuraly said.</p><p>While Rick never got a chance to play in the NHL, Sean&rsquo;s combination of size, speed and skill makes him one to watch. &ldquo;He is the prototype of the new power forward,&rdquo; Skjodt said. &ldquo;Outstanding speed, outstanding stamina, he comes with a positive attitude and handles the puck well. He&rsquo;s starting to put it all together.&rdquo;</p><p>That he&rsquo;s doing it in the United States League is another indicator of what a breeding ground the circuit has become in the past few years, especially since prospects aren&rsquo;t just coming out of the affiliated NTDP, but from across the league.</p><p>&ldquo;Being able to play in the USHL and live three hours from home, I just couldn&rsquo;t pass that up,&rdquo; Kuraly said. &ldquo;I definitely wanted to go to college and this seemed to be the place to go if you wanted to play college hockey.&rdquo;</p><p>Whether the NHL team that drafts him wants him sooner or later in the pros will likely decide how long Kuraly stays.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0058-02

Skate or Die Against Kuraly

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0058-0385/9458928-1-eng-US/f0058-032.jpg" title="f0058-03" width="783" height="747"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(BOTH: WHITESHARK PHOTOGRAPHY)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><span>I</span>t is rare for a 15-year-old to make an impact &ndash; or for that matter, even play &ndash; in the United States League, but left winger Adam Erne of the Indiana Ice is doing just that.</p><p>The 5-foot-11, 198-pound Connecticut native, who cites Alex Ovechkin as a favorite, put up seven goals and 11 points through 24 games. But he&rsquo;s more than just offense. &ldquo;I think he leads this team in hits,&rdquo; said Ice coach Charlie Skjodt. &ldquo;He is not afraid out there.&rdquo;</p><p>Erne is following in the foot-steps of Nick Ebert and Brady Vail, who were 15 last year when they played for Waterloo and are now in the OHL with Windsor. As for Erne, his coach would like to see him work on his initial burst when he&rsquo;s skating, but the shot and the hands are already coming around nicely. &ldquo;He should be a hell of a prospect in a couple years,&rdquo; Skjodt said. &ldquo;His whole life is hockey.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0058-03

Never Scared

<div class="byline">BY NICOLAS CHABOT</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0059-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0059-01185/9458959-1-eng-US/f0059-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(CLUTTERBUCK: BRUCE KLUCKHOHN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>H</span>OCKEY MAY BE</b> sold by the stars, but in many ways the soul of the game is comprised of the blue-collar guys who don&rsquo;t always get a ton of attention.</p><p>Cal Clutterbuck is having a breakout year offensively in Minnesota, but his bread and butter remains putting his body in painful positions. That&rsquo;s why he had more combined hits and blocked shots than any forward in the league.</p><p>The Canadiens don&rsquo;t get a ton of offense from their front-line players, but the role players are coming through. Benoit Pouliot had more points (17) in games in which he played 14 minutes or less, while teammate Mathieu Darche was fourth in that category. Time to show these guys some love.</p><p>Can&rsquo;t get enough numbers? Visit our online <b>&lsquo;Stats&rsquo;</b> sect ion every day at <b><a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a></b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0059-01

GETTIN’ GREASY

<div class="byline">By Larry Humber</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0061-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0061-01171/9458990-1-eng-US/f0061-012.jpg"></div><h2><b>ACROSS</b></h2><p>1 Canada&rsquo;s coach at the world juniors</p><p>4 Joe ___ was Colorado captain, pictured</p><p>7 Gordie Howe was a Houston ___</p><p>8 Paul Newman&rsquo;s hockey film</p><p>10 Shoot high: 2 words</p><p>12 An injured player may be ___-___-day</p><p>13 Mark closely: 2 words</p><p>14 A ___ team has unexpected success</p><p>18 Central ___ ranks draft-eligible players</p><p>19 Hall of Famer ___ Larionov</p><p>20 Pulls</p><p>21 A coach may ___ his bench late in games</p><h2><b>DOWN</b></h2><p>1 Ex-Oiler coach ___ MacTavish</p><p>2 Edmonton team that won Olympic gold</p><p>3 Donald Fehr now heads it: abbr.</p><p>4 Sidney Crosby and &lsquo;Ovie&rsquo; are two</p><p>5 A stick maker</p><p>6 The trailing team plays ___-___ hockey</p><p>9 Partners</p><p>11 Andre &lsquo;___ ___&rsquo; Racicot</p><p>12 The Habs had one in the 1950s</p><p>15 A Savard in the Hall of Fame</p><p>16 A Broten (or a baseball legend)</p><p>17 Coach ___ Tortorella</p><p><b>ANSWERS AVAILABLE IN THE NEXT ISSUE AND AT</b> <a href="http://THN.com/">THN.com/</a><b>xword</b></p><p><b>LAST WEEK&rsquo;S CROSSWORD SOLUTION ACROSS</b> 1. OTTAWA, 4. MODANO, 9. LINDSAY, 10. Visit, 11. reese, 12. NilssoN, 13. staN, 15. DISC, 18. timmiNS, 21. cooKE, 23. iroNS, 24. THE DUKE, 25. SNIPER, 26. Delays <b>DOWN</b> 1. oilers, 2. TENSE, 3. WesterN, 5. ORVAL, 6. assists, 7. OUTING, 8. ryaN, 14. tom POTI, 15. DucheNE, 16. striPS, 17. Demers, 19. issue, 20. sits, 22. ODUYA<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0061-01

CROSSWORD

f0061-02

Blast from PastThe 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/f0061-0383/9459052-1-eng-US/f0061-032.jpg" title="f0061-03" width="816" height="1097"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>A</span> staple of the United States League, Des Moines&rsquo; Buccaneer logo has seen a number of renovations over the years, but this version from the late-1980s and early-&rsquo;90s has a lot going for it.</p><p>For starters, having the name of the team emblazoned on two pirate cutlasses is a nice touch, particularly as they frame the mustachioed mascot. The Buc himself has a nice cartoonish feel and the crossed sticks on the hat are a fun detail. The team went with a New York Rangers-style color scheme back then as well, giving them solid striping.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0061-03

JerseyHound

<div class="byline">BY KEN CAMPBELL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0062-01175/9459090-1-eng-US/f0062-012.jpg" title="f0062-01" width="465" height="816"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>B</span>eing a 48-year-old white guy,</b> I&rsquo;m not quite as conversant in popular culture as, well, just about everyone else in the world. That must come as a shock. I didn&rsquo;t even know who Snooki was until recently. And even though <i>The Book of Awesome</i> has been on bestseller lists for nine months now, I had no idea what it was all about until I picked it up in THN&rsquo;s Toronto headquarters this week.</p><p>Returning to your warm and comfy bed after getting up to pee in the middle of the night is awesome, particularly for a 48-year-old white guy who does that with more frequency these days. So are the final seconds of untangling a really big knot, the first shower you take after not showering for a really long time and locking people out of the car and pretending to drive away. Clearly, this Neil Pasricha guy is onto something.</p><p>Near as I could tell, there&rsquo;s nothing about hockey in that book, which is a shame. So for those of you who think I whine too much, here is my Hockey Book of Awesome (abridged version):</p><p>&bull; The enduring excellence of Nicklas Lidstrom. No player, ever, has played at such a high level so late in his career. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; Talking to scouts at a junior game. You learn more in five minutes with these guys than you do with anyone else in the industry. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; Playing hockey outdoors with your 11-year-old son and noticing he&rsquo;s actually improving. A close second is watching him roof one in a select game and do a fist-pump celebration before one of his own teammates knocks him over. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; THN designer Erika Vanderveer, who is so devoted to the game that, after she was dumped by her Brampton team in the Canadian Women&rsquo;s League, she signed on with Boston and travels there to play on weekends&hellip;at her own expense. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; Watching an NHL game at ice level. Nothing gives you a better feel for the speed, skill and brutality of the game than a seat fewer than 10 rows up from the ice. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; Coming home after a hard day at work and realizing there&rsquo;s a doubleheader on TSN and you have no plans. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; A road trip to Washington. You can spend the day at the Smithsonian and the Holocaust museum, then watch one of the league&rsquo;s most dynamic teams at night. AWESOME!</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0062-02100/9459083-1-eng-US/f0062-022.jpg" title="f0062-02" width="880" height="1222"><figcaption class="caption-body">SNOOKI <span class="photo-credit">(NOEL VASQUEZ/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>The chaotic frenzy of it all makes it the most exciting time of the year</b></blockquote><p>&bull; Feel-good stories like that of Chris Tanev, who made his NHL debut with the Vancouver Canucks in mid-January. Tanev quit AAA hockey in Toronto to play high school at 15 because he was only a 5-foot-1 defenseman playing bantam. After growing six inches in his midget year, he was undrafted in the Ontario League, so he played Jr. A for three years before going to the Rochester Institute of Technology. After one year at RIT, he signed as a free agent with the Canucks and was called up from the Manitoba Moose at mid-season. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; Watching P.K. Subban play and hoping against hope the Luddites in the hockey establishment don&rsquo;t beat the emotion and spontaneity out of him. There hasn&rsquo;t been a defenseman since Chris Chelios who wants to make more of a difference on every single shift than Subban. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; The feeling of snug, tightly tied skates. Makes you feel like Paul Coffey. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; The first round of the NHL playoffs. The chaotic frenzy of it all and the possibilities for upsets make it easily the most exciting time of the year. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; Friday night games at the Sudbury Arena. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; The first waft of odor that hits you and fills your nostrils when you walk into a small community rink. Nowhere else in the world can the aroma of hot dogs, french fries, popcorn, coffee, Zamboni fumes and that ubiquitous hockey-bag smell combine to better soothe the olfactory senses. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; Realizing that the hockey played now is at a higher level than ever. Players are bigger, stronger, better coached and more prepared to play in the NHL at a young age than ever before. And 10 years from now, it will even be better. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; Guys such as Bryan Helmer, who has played for nine minor-league teams and had stints with four in the NHL over the course of an 18-year career. At 38, Helmer recently became the all-time leading scorer among defensemen in the American League. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; Getting a chance to watch Joe Thornton and Chris Pronger play as 15-year-olds in Jr. B and knowing they were destined for great things. AWESOME!</p><p>&bull; Waking up with the knowledge that you cover hockey and you really don&rsquo;t actually work for a living. AWESOME!<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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February 14, 2011

THEBIGPICTURE

Straight Shooter

Elite Kids

Pond-ering Something Fun