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March 16, 2009
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.
The Swiss get going
The Swiss League A’s regular season ended in late February with a repeat win by SC Bern over the Champions League-winning Zurich Lions. The title guaranteed Bern a spot in the second qualification round of the 2009-10 Champions League. In the first round of the playoffs, coach John van Boxmeer’s Bern squared-off against eighth-placed EV Zug, coached by fellow Canadian Doug Shedden. Sean Simpson’s Lions met seventh-place Fribourg-Gotteron, coached by Serge Pelletier, while Chris McSorley’s Geneve-Servette HC took on Swede Anders Eldebrink’s Kloten Flyers. The fourth playoff pairing was Davos vs. Lugano, coached by Finnish Hannu Virta. Of the eight playoff teams’ coaches, only Davos’ Arno Del Curto is Swiss-born. Geneve’s Juraj Kolnik won the scoring title with 25 goals and 72 points in 49 games. Kloten’s Kimmo Rintanen (23 goals, 67…
GREEN MEANS GO!
EVER SINCE MIKE GREEN turned pro four years ago, he has been teaching himself how to play the guitar. Tried the drums. He’s brutal. Gave it up. But when it comes to the six-string, like Ferris Bueller, he never had one lesson. Just picked it up and started learning chords. “I like the old stuff like Staind or Goo Goo Dolls or the Foo Fighters,” Green says. “If somebody asked me to play the whole song for them, it’s tough, but I could probably play half or three-quarters of the song. I just pick it up and play for an hour a day if I’m home.” All right, we’re going to go out on a limb and assume Bruce Springsteen is not soiling himself as he reads this. But Paul Coffey? Now he…
Danes done
CANADA MANAGED TO WIN its fifth straight gold medal at the 2009 World Junior Championship despite being without eight of its best players, all of whom were in the NHL. The depth of Canada’s talent pool made the pro clubs’ refusal to release the teens a non-issue. However, that luxury was not the same for Denmark, where officials are suggesting the NHL and IIHF indirectly decided the final three participants for the 2010 Olympics by not having an agreement in place compelling clubs to release players for major international events. Three of the best Danish players (Phoenix’s Mikkel Boedker, Vancouver’s Jannik Hansen and the Isles’ Frans Nielsen) are NHL regulars, while Peter Regin, property of Ottawa, and Minnesota prospect Morten Madsen are in the AHL. None were released for the qualifying tournament in…
Deviant ways welcome
THE PREMISE FOR THIS ISSUE’S COVER STORY sounded like a solid one at the time. Mike Green was on a frantic goal-scoring pace, finding the net in a defensemen-record eight consecutive games, accomplishing the feat with a risky jump-in-the-play style that surely would entice imitation. Well, as it turns out, not so much. Not yet. Senior writer Ken Campbell couldn’t gain much traction in the hockey world with our Green-as-pioneer theme. The often conservative puck fraternity isn’t ready to go there. That could start to change if Green maintains his scoring prowess and the Caps make a deep run in the playoffs. The NHL is a copycat league and coaches, particularly those who want to keep their jobs, will mirror what is working elsewhere. Eventually. Let’s hope that transpires, because Green’s forays can…