CrashingTheGoalie

by Ron Spence
There’s been a recent trend: when a player is hit – cleanly by NHL standards – his teammates go after the hitter.
This accounts for many of the NHL’s fighting majors.
Our penal systems are based on deterrence and punishment.
Beating up a player is a punishment, but is it a deterrent?

courtesy of cbc.ca
The Daily Herald’s [...]

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by Ron Spence
NHL goaltenders may travel a direct – or circuitous route – to the Big Tent.
Cory Schneider’s journey is tending towards the latter.
He has played in 76 AHL games – during the regular season – and 28 during the playoffs. He has only played in 8 NHL games and is 23-years-old.
CORY SCHNEIDER – AHL [...]

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by Ron Spence
Cory Schneider was presented with the “Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award” as the AHL’s best goalie for 2008-09.
Canucks’ fans believe that he will thus become the next Roberto or Martin, but the history of the award doesn’t support this belief:

A few of the Baz winners have become good NHL goalies.
Most teams today would take [...]

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by Ron Spence
As I read about Cody Hodgson and Patrick Kane, I think of Stan Mikita. 
Mikita played in 1394 NHL games – over 22 seasons – and scored 541 goals along with 926 assists for 1467 total points. 

courtesy of blackhawks.nhl.com
He tops the Blackhawks in many categories – except goals – as Bobby Hull scored 604 [...]

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“One thing that happened for sure with the tough guys is their salaries have gone down because people don’t want to spend as much on them because they need the money for more talent. The next step is, do we really need it at all, or should we take a page from Detroit’s book and [...]

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by Ron Spence
There’s been considerable bashing of Brian Burke’s and Dave Nonis’ draft selections.
I would start off by saying that it’s unfair to lump Nonis in with Burke. 
Also, Nonis oversaw four drafts, and had to work around Burke’s trades in his first – 2004.
In August, 2003 Vancouver acquired Johan Hedberg for a second round pick. [...]

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by Ron Spence
Washington acquired our friend, Brendan Morrison. Good for Morrison and good for the Caps. 
And potentially good for the nucks.
According to Corey Masisak of the Washington Times:

“…the Capitals already control seven NHL-caliber defensemen (eight if you count Karl Alzner),” wrote DMG of Japers’ Rink. 
And Washington has some good dmen in the minors.
“The Caps have a myriad of [...]

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by Ron Spence
Dale Tallon was in the news at the beginning of the 2008-09 season, and he’s back in the news in the crazy season.

“Chicago may have failed to provide a number of its players with a completed copy of the Qualifying Offer notice referenced in Article 10.2 (a) of the CBA (i.e. Exhibit 19),” [...]

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by Ron Spence
Ohlie was a ‘nucklehead last week and now he’s a poster boy for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
It’ll take some getting used to:
 

*****
Mikael Samuelsson is leaving the Detroit locker room on June 12th – after Detroit’s loss to Pittsburgh in game 7.
 

courtesy of the detroitnews.com
Did he know that he’d never return?

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by Ron Spence
Look for San Jose’s Doug Wilson to make some major trades at the draft.
Why? 
Well the former Norris Trophy winner knows that his team needs some tinkering, plus a shaking up. 
They were too good a team for their brief skirmish in the post-season.
The other reason for some big trades is that Doug only has [...]

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