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Great Debates SIP

Great Debates SIP

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.

IN THIS ISSUE

BETTER SEASON

BENN VS. TURCO Jamie Benn had the best regular season in Dallas Stars franchise history in 2015-16. That’s an interesting claim when you consider his 89 points don’t even rank in the top 10 Minnesota/Dallas seasons, but Benn’s accomplishments go way beyond goals and assists. For starters, those 89 points ranked second in the NHL, and Benn was named the first team all-star at left wing. That was his second first-team award, and no other player in franchise history has done it once. In addition, those 89 points helped the Stars post the best record in the Western Conference at 50-23-9. What’s most impressive, though, is the team didn’t make the playoffs in 2014-15 and Benn had hip surgery after the season. The Stars captain set up camp in Dallas and rehabbed almost the…

IN THIS ISSUE

BIGGER SURPRISE SEASON

MASON VS. BOBROVSKY Expectations were modest for Steve Mason in 2008-09. The Blue Jackets weren’t expected to sniff the playoffs, either. That Mason – a bright-faced, cocksure 20-year-old – led a city and a franchise to its first berth in the post-season is almost unfathomable. The Blue Jackets had sputtered behind Pascal Leclaire and Fredrik Norrena at the start of the season, so as soon as Mason’s twice surgically repaired left knee was healthy – he’d made only three AHL starts in Syracuse – he was summoned to Columbus by early November. He never went back. Mason was the hottest goaltender in the league for long stretches, single-handedly carrying the Blue Jackets – the NHL’s lovable, chronic losers – to their first winning season and first taste of the playoffs. Mason led the league with 10…

IN THIS ISSUE

BETTER PLAYER

SAKIC VS. FORSBERG Longevity and excellence. Joe Sakic is regarded as the Colorado Avalanche’s all-time best player in just about every capacity. And in comparison to Peter Forsberg, it’s not even close. Here’s a handful of criteria: Sakic started and ended his career with the same organization – Quebec in 1988, moving with the team to Colorado in 1995 and retiring in 2009. He played nearly twice as many games as Forsberg (1,378 to 708) and produced nearly twice as many points (1,641 to 885). In scoring, Sakic was around longer to light the lamp more than twice as much (625 to 249). The only thing in Forsberg’s corner was his 690 penalty minutes (Sakic had 614). Sakic also ranks third all-time – behind Wayne Gretzky or Brett Hull – in playoff gamewinning…

IN THIS ISSUE

SAY NO TO ANTHEMS

DURING THE 2004 U.S. election campaign, we ran a story on Democratic nominee John Kerry and his hockey ties. Kerry played varsity in high school and pickup regularly as an adult, and we thought it would be relevant to our audience that the potential most powerful man in the world knew how to go five-hole. To our surprise, we received a barrage of angry letters. We were accused of all sorts, but the overriding message was clear: get the puck out of politics. The Hockey News was among our readers’ real-world diversions, an escape, and that’s the way they liked it. Fast forward to 2016. The NFL’s Colin Kaepernick stoked discussion for weeks when he decided he wouldn’t stand for the national anthem. Eventually, inevitably, the issue reached hockey’s borders when Team…