The Big Red One

The Detroit Red Wings made it really hard for visiting Tampa Bay as they held on to the puck for pretty much the whole game. In the first period they outshot the Lightning 17-1. Tampa Bay, who are 0-16 against the Wings, were not having the greatest night. It's really tough to play a team like Detroit that don't give you anything. And if you don't have the puck, you can't score. Simple as that.

The Red Wings are currently first in the NHL, and if it weren't for the red jerseys, they could easily be mistaken for the Swedish Olympic Gold-winning team. I try not to dwell on the Swedish players in the league, there are plenty of blogs that do just that, but when it comes to the Wings it's kind of hard not to. Henrik Zetterberg leads in points and goals, Nicklas Lidstrom leads in assists and plus/minus, and Tomas Holmstrom, who, like a red wine, only gets better with years, leads in power-play goals. By the way, these three players are a great example of how far you get with good scouting and clever drafting. The Maple Leafs should watch and learn.

Though the Central division has gotten a lot better this year, it's the only division where all teams are .500 or better, Detroit still sit a solid eight points ahead of the nearest competitors, St. Louis and Chicago.

Yet for some reason, a lot of seats at the Joe Louis Arena have been empty this season. I spoke to a friend back in Michigan about it and he thought it was the poor economy in the region that was to blame. He also suggested people might be missing Steve Yzerman. Though that explanation may sound unlikely, or down right silly to some, it is hard to understand what an impact Steve Yzerman had on this franchise. During his era the Red Wings, a winless and mediocre team for decades, resurged as powerhouse franchise that won three Stanley Cups in six years. He is by far the most popular player ever in Michigan and these new kids certainly have a lot to live up to.

Perhaps there is another reason why people don't show up for games as much any more, I don't know. What I do know is that it's a shame, because this is a great team to watch. Zetterberg may not be the new Yzerman, or maybe he will. Either way, fans should grab any chance they have to watch this guy play.

People of Detroit, it's time to show the rest of the NHL why it's called Hockeytown!

Tonight's games

Here's a quick look at tonight's action and how I predict they will end.

St. Louis - Buffalo
The Sabres are looking to extend their winning streak to six games, but they will have to work hard for it against the hot Blues.

Playing at home tips the scale in Buffalo's favor.

Philadelphia - Carolina
The Flyers, with just two wins in the last six games, are fresh off a stinging loss to Boston, and will be looking to rebound against Carolina. Last time they met in Raleigh, the Flyers won 6-3 and Daniel Briere had a hat trick. The Canes lost their last game to Washington.

Another show from Danny Briere and the Flyers may take this one too.

Dallas - New Jersey
This could very well be tonight's top game. Two of the hottest teams in the NHL square off at the Prudential Center. Dallas are after their seventh straight victory, and the Devils are looking for their fifth. The surging Devils seem to have found their old machine-like groove and they will be a serious threat to the Flyers and Rangers if they keep it up.

I can't really see any team beating Dallas right now.. except maybe New Jersey. I'm still going with the Stars.

Ottawa - NY Islanders
What's wrong with Ottawa? After their third straight loss, the latest of which was handed to them by Philadelphia, the Senators are looking for answers. They still lead all teams in the East and will get a chance to end their skid at the Coliseum, where they have won four straight against the Islanders, who have lost three of their last four games.

Ottawa have won eight straight against the Isles, so if the are going to stop this skid, this is a good a chance as any. Also Daniel Alfredsson will be back in the line-up, which should do the trick.

Florida - Washington
The Panthers are hot. The win against the New York Rangers was their third straight. Panthers goalie Tomas Vokoun is looking better after a slow start to the season. After winning the first two games with the new coach, they dropped a game against Buffalo. They need to find some consistency if they want to avoid the last place in the East.

Everything tells me Florida should win this one, so I'm going with the boys from D.C.

Phoenix - Minnesota
Since picking up goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, the Coyotes are 4-0 and currently sit just four points behind eighth placed Anaheim. Can Minnesota stop the Ugly Coyotes? If so, they will have to get their power-play working. They have scored just once in the last 16 opportunities.

Five stright victories for Bryzgalov. Yes that has a nice ring to it.

Tampa Bay - Chicago
Vincent Lecavalier is racking up league-leading number, but the Lightning can't seem to take advantage of it. They have been handed four straight losses as the head for Chicago. Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are glad to have Martin Havlat and Jason Williams back in their line-up.

Tough one. Khabibulin will probably shut the door on his old buddies from Florida.

Edmonton - Colorado
The Oilers, who were terrible early in the season, have now won two straight, while also handing over the last place to Los Angeles. Colorado are 9-2-0 at home, but dropped their last home game against Calgary. Jose Theodore have four straight losses.

I don't think Colorado will give up two straight at home.

Los Angeles - San Jose
The Kings have just one win on their five-game road trip and they have lost six of their last seven games. Fortunately the lone win came against San Jose, who they face again tonight. The Sharks have dropped two straight and have not played since the loss against LA.

The well rested Sharks will get their revenge on the Kings, sending them back to LA as losers.

The End is near in T.O.

"Hiring John Ferguson Jr was a mistake". This is what Richard Peddie, the President of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, told the Toronto Sun. To me that spells the beginning of the end for JFJ as the Toronto Maple Leafs GM. But this statement also raises a couple of questions.

Hiring Ferguson, who had no prior experience as a GM at the time, was a mistake, I agree. But it seems more people than JFJ are at fault here. Peddie also said, "To be honest, it was a mistake on my part for not fully understanding at the time what the job of being (the Leafs GM) in this market fully entailed," Why is this guy calling the shots when hiring a new GM if he doesn't know what the job means? At the same time he says, being a GM in Toronto means you are under the constant microscope and scrutiny, because the Leafs is the top hockey market there is. Then why the heck did they hire a rookie for the job?

This summer they were looking for senior adviser to help out Ferguson. Now Peddie says they are not about to make any hasty decisions. It seems to me the Toronto Maple Leafs are tip-toeing around, trying to push back the inevitable.

The fans are angry (they have been for some time now), the media is calling for change, heck, people who don't even care about the Leafs are yelling for them to do something.

After this I think it will be hard for the organization to just keep going in the same direction much longer. It is time to clean out and start over. This organization has been mishandled for way too long now. A team of such great history and tradition deserves better than the incompetence that pervades the Maple Leaf's front office.

Coyotes dismiss funky Leafs

Hockey is sizzling in Arizona and the Phoenix Coyotes are red hot. Since adding goalie Ilya Bryzgalov from Anaheim they have won four straight games and Bryzgalov has given up just six goals in that span. The visiting Toronto Maple Leafs, losers in four of their last five games, were no match for the Coyotes, and were comfortably dismissed 5-1.

During Coach's Corner, hockey analyst Don Cherry once again took his beloved Leafs veterans in defense. When pretty much everyone else can see that the Toronto Maple Leafs are in desperate need of a complete overhaul, he is convinced it's just a goaltender issue. When Bryan McCabe, among others, is caught sleeping in his own zone, Cherry still goes after poor Vesa Toskala.

* * *

Bad news for the rest of the NHL, the duo of Nylander and Backstrom are really starting to click. In the win against Carolina they had a goal and four assists between them, and Jaromir Jagr is sulking back in New York.

What a birthday!

Two goals and the game-winning goal in OT, what a way to celebrate your 20th birthday! Nicklas Backstrom who, much the rest of the Washington Capitals, has had a somewhat slow and disappointing first quarter of the season, showed us a glimpse of his talents and what is to come. Trust me, who have seen him play both in Sweden and at the World Champs, this kid will be cause for celebration in Washington for years to come. And could he have a better teacher than Michael Nylander?

Sure, it still looks pretty gloomy in Washington, but they're not dead in the water yet. Yes, they are currently last in the NHL, but the last playoff spot is just a measly five points away. Out west, Edmonton and Los Angeles are seven points behind. So, there is still hope for the Caps and their new coach, Backstrom-fan Bruce Boudreau.

Hall of Fame-worthy?

ESPN's John Buccigross has put together a list of players in the NHL who will be, or could/should be, worthy of a Hockey Hall of Fame induction. The list is done team by team, some teams have a few chosen ones while some have none. It is not a scientific list, it's just for fun, and here are some of the funniest on the list.

Dominik Hasek: For the "Hey There Delilah" crowd, he has won six Vezinas and two MVPs.

Chris Drury: It's my column and my rules. I make them up. He is clutch and, in life, clutch is everything. Move on.

Anze Kopitar: Like Van Halen after their first album. You just knew.

Montreal's favorite Fin, Saku Koivu, was left in the dust, as was Flyer Daniel Briere. If it were my list (who knows, one day I might make such a list) they both get nods.

Rookie Enstrom carrying the Thrashers

I didn't get to watch any games live last night, because I was at a kickass Fu Manchu concert, but I did manage to catch most of the last period of the Lightning-Thrashers game. That was quite a comeback they pulled out of their hat. Ilya Kovalchuk turned out to be all he was said to be a few years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if he will receive the Maurice Richard Trophy when we wrap up this season.

What really strikes me watching the game though, is the way Tobias Enstrom is playing against some of the best players in the league. I caught about 15 minutes of the 3rd plus OT, and I can't really recall this rookie not being on the ice. Coach Don Waddell is giving him a ton of responsibility and Enstrom is thriving it seems. Playing with the poise reminiscent of Nicklas Lidstrom, Enstrom is leading all rookies in ice-time with a whopping 22 minutes. And this kid is only warming up, getting accustom to the NHL, and will only get better with time . Be sure this rookie will be there to pick up the Norris Trophy when Lidstrom is done with them.

Lindros and Forsberg meet again

In his column on TSN.ca Dan Pollard brings up the Lindros/Forsberg debate. With Peter Forsberg closer than ever to the end of his career, the question is raised whether neither, both or just one of them should be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Pollard wants them both in, and so do I.

Pollard points out some of the similarities and differences between Eric Lindros and Forsberg, and there are of course many. Expectations from others fall in both categories, if you ask me.

The high expectations Lindros had to carry early in his career, being named "The Next One", are now becoming a yet another burden as he is seen almost as a failure for not living up to those impossible standards. But I don't agree that Forsberg didn't have very high expectations on his shoulders when entering the NHL back in 1994. Compared to those resting on Lindros I guess no one really has any expectations to talk about. However, Peter Forsberg has lived with people anticipating greatness since he was 15 and those hopes sure didn't diminish as he got cracking in the NHL.

During a period in the mid-nineties Eric Lindros was one of the most dominant players in the NHL and that is what he should be judged by. The same goes for Peter Forsberg. Not that his stats are bad, but goals and assists aside, Forsberg is arguably one of the best, if the not the best, two-way hockey player the NHL has ever seen.

When comparing the two it is often stated that Forsberg played on a better team, thus earning him 144 playoff games and two Stanley Cups. I'm not buying that argument. Lindros played on a great team for most part of the 90s. They got close to drinking from the cup, but a lot of great teams have lost in the Stanley Cup Final. You want to talk about someone who performes greatness on a bad team, it's not Eric Lindros, but perhaps Mats Sundin. But we will deal with him when the time comes.

I would say there are more than enough resons to induct both these great players. And if they for some reason decide not to, they will have to explain to future fans why those two hockey icons of the 90s aren't in the Hall of Fame.

Payback is sweet

Four games suspension without pay. That's what Vancouver defenceman Mattias Ohlund got for the slash on Minnesota's Mikko Koivu on Friday. Meanwhile, Koivu, who has been one of Minnesota's best players so far, is out with a broken bone in his leg.

Four games? Could have been more if you ask me. That two-handed baseball swing by Ohlund was vicious and stuff like that does not belong in hockey.

It will be interesting to see how the Wild will respond when the Canucks visit St. Paul on Wednesday. They are sure looking forward to it.

Don Cherry, seriously

While watching Hockey Night in Canada, one question pops into my head; When are they going to get rid of Don Cherry? Don't misunderstand me here, I'm not suggesting this because of his old "chicken Swedes" comments, I just think he is a clown and the show would be better off without his antics. Over the years Don Cherry has generated significant controversy about both hockey and politics, as the exhibitionist he is, and I have never understood why Canadians (not French Canadians, I guess) like him so much. I am sure some of you will point that out to me if you read this. Please do.

I can take his stupid shirts and ties, but the jacket he wore last night is by far the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. I respect Veterans day as much as the next guy, but I seriously doubt that Cherry does. Wearing a pin shows you care, wearing that jacket, not even sure I can call it that, is bordering on mocking it.

And please, I realize Coach's Corner is supposed to provide a bit of comic relief. I just don't find his crap funny.

Bryzgalov heads for the desert

Just like someone commented here earlier today, the Phoenix Coyotes claimed Ducks goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov off waivers. After the deal they waisted no time as they let him start against the Los Angeles Kings today. He has been solid and shut out the Kings with 09.20 minutes to go in the 3rd period.

I like the fact that Phoenix picked up Bryzgalov because they see him as a number one for the future, and not just a trade object for later in the season (no pun intended, Mike). Ilya Bryzgalov could be the goalie to take the Coyotes to that next level. He is a very talented netminder who is just reaching his prime. He also proved, while with the Ducks, that he is more than capable come playoff time.

Just one win away

Win number 500 continues to elude Martin Brodeur. In spite of a stellar performance from Brodeur, the New Jersey Devils lost 1-0 to the New York Islanders. It is interesting how much harder it seems to be reaching that milestone the closer you get, especially when you're just one point or one game away. Of course, reaching 500 career wins is no small task, Brodeur will join Patrick Roy as only the second goalie in NHL history to pass the mark, but with the growing pressure from the surrounding media-hype that last little step has a tendency to become a giant hurdle.

In the 1980-81 season with the Calgary Flames, centre Kent Nilsson was just one goal shy of the 50-goal mark with ten games left. What seemed like a sure thing, turned to nothing as Nilsson failed to score that one goal he needed to reach the mark.

Martin Brodeur will of course get his 500th win eventually and make history. But if he can somehow manage to get his focus away from the 500 mark, it will come sooner rather than later. For both his sake and the New Jersey Devils.

Bryzgalov up for grabs

The Anaheim Ducks have put goalie Ilya Bryzgalov on waivers, and the question is who will land him. Expect both Toronto and Pittsburgh not to waste any time claiming the Russian. A while back I was hoping for Ken Holland to make a move to get Bryzgalov to Detroit, but, considering the stellar performance of Chris Osgood so far I doubt the Red Wings will get involved in this. I still think the Wings should have traded for Bryzgalov instead of what turned out to be a goalie-tandem with Osgood and a tired-looking Hasek.

The Phoenix Coyotes might be another team interested in the Ducks backup, and if so, their claim will be favored because of their poor results last season. There are probably a few more teams out there willing to take on the 27-year old, but I have a feeling he will end up in Pittsburgh. They sure need him.

Rangers roll into Philly

Fresh off their first road win, 18 games into the season (which still amazes me), the New York Rangers are looking to keep the momentum as they take on the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wachovia Center. Of course this is easier said than than done as the Flyers are a perfect 6-0 at home.

* * *

Poor Detroit Red Wings. As if dropping two straight games on a very disappointing road trip wasn't enough, the plane got stuck in mud on the way home from St. Louis. The team was supposed to have Wednesday off, but instead they had to suit up for practice. The reason for this was, according to The Detroit News, that there is nothing else to do in St. Louis. The Chicago Blackhawks are due in the Motor City on Friday, let's hope the Wings are back by then.

Streaks

All streaks will eventually end. Just like the Detroit Red Wings winning streak ended against the Chicago Blackhawks, so did the scoring streak of Henrik Zetterberg yesterday, against the St. Louis Blues.

Not knowing when the inevitable end will come is part of the fascination we have with streaks. Of course there are both good and bad streaks and they all have a tendancy to create psychological obstacles for the players. The media thrives on them, while players, fearing a jinx, try not to think about the streak at all.

The bottom line is, the rest of us love them, it is an exciting ingredient that elevates the sport. Some streaks become records and the player or team responsible for it are remembered forever. Here are three of my favorite streaks. They are all impressive, some perhaps more so than others, but more importantly, they are all part of NHL history.


Brian Boucher
Longest shutout streak by a goalie

As a rookie he led the Philadelphia Flyers to within one game of the Stanley Cup Final in 2000. After a few less than successful seasons, where he struggled to regain his rookie form, he was finally traded off to the Phoenix Coyotes. His problems with consistency continued but in 2005 his five consecutive shutouts shattered Bill Durnan's 56-year-old record, set with the Montreal Canadiens. The record, set during 332 minutes secured Boucher a place in history.


Montreal Canadiens
10 consecutive OT wins in playoffs

In the 1993 playoffs the Montreal Canadiens were down 2-0 in the first round to the Quebec Nordiques, but then snatched Game 3 in overtime. After eliminating the Nordiques by winning the next three, they went on to face Buffalo in the second round. Montreal swept the Sabres in four, but needed OT wins in three of them. Montreal racked up a record 11 straight playoff wins, including two more OT wins in the first three games against the New York Islanders in the Conference Final. The Stanley Cup Final, against Wayne Gretzky's Los Angeles Kings, was won in five games, three of which were in OT.


Wayne Gretzky
Longest consecutive point-scoring streak

With Zetterberg's point streak fresh in everyone's mind this record is hard not to include. In 1983 Gretzky had at least one point in each of the first 51 games, before the Los Angeles Kings put an end to the longest scoring streak in history. During that span Gretzky racked up a total of 61 goals and 92 assists.

Big feet, small skates

Here are some fun facts on a relatively slow day. I am not sure if this is well known, but most hockey players wear skates a few sizes under what they wear in normal shoes. The reason is of course to keep the foot from sliding around in the skate. I think even my skates were one or two sizes smaller than my shoes.

Chris Pronger, apparently, is a size 9 or 10 in regular shoes, but he wears a size 6 in skates! It almost makes me think of those little girls (not that Pronger makes me think of little girls) in China who were forced to tuck in their feet to fit those tiny shoes because it was fashionable to have extremely small feet back then. Their feet would be deformed and they'd even have trouble walking.

Having skates that fit perfectly is of course essential. The greatest defenseman of all time, Bobby Orr, didn't even wear socks. That doesn't sound very comfortable, but it clearly worked for him.

Larry Brooks on Eric Lindros

In yesterday's New York Post, sportswriter and columnist Larry Brooks takes on the Eric Lindros in the Hall of Fame issue. While he mentions that Lindros' stats may not be Hall of Fame numbers, but favorable compared to some recent inductees, he more strongly stresses another aspect of the man and player that is Eric Lindros, making him a no-brainer for the Hall of Fame.

Read Larry Brooks' column here

Streak comes to a halt against Hawks

It is no big surprise the Chicago Blackhawks would be the team to finally end the Detroit Red Wings winning streak at nine games. And I am not saying that because this years Chicago is way better than they have been in years. No, I am saying that because the Blackhawk-Red Wings rivalry is alive and well and has been for years. Eventhough the Hawks game in resent years has been mediocre at best, they have always found a way to give their central division neighbor a good fight.*

In the Wing's cup-winning 2001-02 season I was at the Joe Louis Arena to watch Detroit take on the visiting Blackhawks. The Red Wings, boasting more future Hall of famers than I can count, managed to get away with a 3-3 draw. In goal for Chicago that time was backup Steve Passmore, and the reason was simply that the Red Wings would always have trouble facing him. And why mess with what works? Passmore played all games against Detroit that season.

Even though they ended the Red Wing's winning streak, it is great to see that Chicago has finally turned the corner, and I am looking forward to more great games between the two classic teams.

The Detroit winning streak may have ended, but the point streak of Henrik Zetterberg just keeps going. His assist against Chicago took his streak to 17 games.

* In 1934 the Chicago Blackhawks won the first of three Stanley Cups, defeating the Detroit Red Wings in the final.

And the most underrated are...

Since I took the trouble of naming three overrated (don't confuse overrated with bad, these are all good players or they at one point used to be) NHL skaters, I should perhaps do the same for the underrated ones. So here it goes.

Jason Smith (Philadelphia Flyers)
I cannot stress enough how much this guy means to the Philadelphia Flyers. The way he plays the game, with heart and determination, sets a standard for the whole team to follow. He is a true leader and all heart on the ice.

Sean Avery (New York Rangers)
I think it is plain to see to everyone how much better the New York Rangers are with Avery in the line-up. He gets the opponents off balance with his gritty in-your-face playing style and also puts up numbers on the scoring board. He is definitely hard to handle, I think most NHL teams will agree.

Matt Stajan (Toronto Maple Leafs)
He has gone from the forth-line to seeing close to 19 minutes a night for the Leafs. He's very tough to knock off the puck and he is only 23 years old. This guy will only get bigger and better.

And just outside of the top-3 are...

Mike Fisher (Ottawa Senators), Mikko Koivu (Minnesota Wild), and Michal Rozsival (New York Rangers).

Who's most overrated?*

*Interesting that no one pointed out that the title read "Who's most underrated" before.

Right now the Ottawa Senators are hosting the Montreal Canadiens at the Scotiabank Place in a game where the guests are better at pretty much everything. While I'm waiting for the third period to start I thought I'd make a list of the most overrated players in the NHL right now. This is never an uncomplicated task but here is my shot at three of the top names on this unflattering list.

Scott Gomez (New York Rangers)
The Rangers are forking out a cold $10 million this year for a guy who does nothing. How can it possibly be that complicated to play with Jaromir Jagr, one of the greatest goal scorers ever?

Dustin Penner (Edmonton Oilers)
The Anaheim Ducks chose not to match to $4,3 million offered by the Edmonton Oilers, and I doubt they are regretting that decision now. Penner has 3 goals and is a -1 in 16 games.

Bryan McCabe (Toronto Maple Leafs)
And this is not just because he is putting the puck in his own net, but this guy, who is supposed to anchor the Leafs defense, is costing Toronto roughly $7 million this season and is not exactly a guy you can lean on.

You have a different opinion? Let's hear it.

* * *

The Ottawa-Montreal game just finished and the Sens turned things around in the final period to win it 3-1. Daniel Alfredsson scored two and Chris Neil got the winner to save the team from what looked like a second straight loss.

Domination in Detroit

How good are the Detroit Red Wings? I would say, with out a doubt, that currently they are the best team in the NHL. When they rolled over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 yesterday it was yet another exhibition of how to play the game to the very best of your ability. The Red Wings have such a well composed team and they are really getting the best out of the entire roster, which is essential when battling through the 82 game grind that is the regular season. After a few struggling seasons they have found the right combination of flare (Pavel Datsyuk) and grit (Dan Cleary).

They have a backup goalie in Chris Osgood who is 8-0 this season, and unbeaten in regulation time in his last 20 games. That is not bad when you also have Dominik Hasek as your number one man.

They have the league's best blue-line pair in Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski, who more than enough makes up for the loss of Mathieu Schneider, not to mentioned players like Niklas Kronvall, Brett Lebda, and the ageless Chris Chelios. The Wing's D lacks nothing.

Dan Cleary, as I mentioned earlier, brings such a vital ingredient to the Wings game, and his gritty and uncompromised style is something the Red Wings of resent years have lacked. Add to that the workhorse Tomas Holmstrom and you have a team that is really tough to play against.

The icing on the cake is the top duo of Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk. When the career comes to an end for these two, they will be remembered as two of the best to ever play the game. When Lidstrom retires, at some point in the future I suppose he has to, my money is on Zetterberg to take over the captaincy. I actually though they would give to him when Steve Yzerman hung up his skates, and I was not alone in assuming that.

Eventually the Wings will lose, perhaps in the next game against the sizzling Blackhawks, but when they do it won't be for the lack of effort. During practice, coach Mike Babcock does not talk a lot about work ethics because he believes his group of players are professional enough to know the importance of it. And they do, and it is one of the biggest reason they are the best team in the NHL right now.

Caps snap Senators streak

What better way to get out of a slump than to take on the best team in the league at their own court? That is what the Washington Capitals did at the Scotiabank Place yesterday. They proved to any doubters, and there must be a few by now, they are not as bad a team as their record might suggest. The fact is that the Caps have been playing some great hockey while putting up these losing numbers. Perhaps the 5-1 win over the seemingly unbeatable Ottawa Senators will give them enough spark to turn this thing around.

Man, are the New York Rangers a different team with Sean Avery back in the lineup. In yesterday's 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins he scored one goal and also fed Scott Gomez for his forth tally of the season. The Rangers have now won six of their last eight games. But even though they are 8-2 at home they are still without a single win on the road. The offense is looking better now than it did a few games back, but they will have to start racking up some wins away from home if they intend to make the playoffs.

Also, the Phoenix Coyotes are shaken things up down in the desert. After scoring six goals to beat the Ducks, they put up another five to dismiss the Dallas Stars for their first home win in seven games. Looks like Gretzky's bunch could could create more than a little trouble for the rest of the teams in the Pacific division. They are suddenly a .500 team and currently the only team in the division with a winning streak.

Big E calls it a day

After 14 injury-filled seasons in the NHL Eric Lindros is finally hanging up his skates for good. What will his legacy be? I guess time will tell.

A more interesting question is whether or not he should be inducted into the Hall of Fame. If you ask me, the answer is yes.

Why, you might ask. And I can totally see where those are coming from who say he shouldn't. Eric Lindros is not the greatest advocate for the game, nor is he a great team player. He isn't the most liked guy in the league, and he constantly put himself ahead of his team, twice refusing to play for the team that drafted him.

The simple reason that I believe he should be a member of the Hall is that Cam Neely is. Neely was a fantastic power forward, much like Lindros, and his career stats are about the same as those of Lindros, but he never got to hoist the Stanley Cup with his beloved Bruins, just like Lindros never did with any team he played for. I think it will be hard to keep Lindros out since they did induct Neely.

I also think one reason that the Boston center was inducted was much thanks to his popularity. Cam Neely was a gentleman player who was well liked all around the NHL by both fans and players, which again, can't be said about Big E. But surely that is not reason enough to not grant him a place in the Hall of Fame.

* * *

Some facts about Big E,

In 1990 he refused to play for the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds in the Ontario Hockey League and was traded off to the Oshawa Generals. Then in 1992, after being drafted by the Quebec Nordiques, he once again refused to play (he even refused to wear the Nordiques jersey at the draft). This eventually led to one of the most one-sided transfers in NHL history as Lindros was shipped off to Philadelphia for, among others, Ron Hextall, Peter Forsberg, Chris Simon, Mike Ricci, a couple of draft picks, and $15 million.

In his first five seasons with the Flyers he was a dominant presence on the ice, averaging around a pointy per game. He was awarded both the Hart Trophy, as the league MVP, and the Lester B. Pearson Award in the shortened 1995 season. In 1997 he captained the Flyers to the Stanley Cup final, where they were swept by the Detroit Red Wings in four games.

Eric Lindros also played with the New York Rangers, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Dallas Stars and has 372 goals and 865 points in 760 games between 1992 and 2007.

Melrose regretful

ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose apologized for his plump remark about not stepping outside the Prudential Centerin in Newark in fear of being mugged. The mayor of Newark, Cory A. Booker, said it was a shame the way Melrose made New Jersey's largest city sound like a bad place and upsetting its population of 300,000. Melrose, who admitted the comment on the "Murder capital of the eastern seaboard" was a joke, now wants to come to Newark for lunch and a personal tour of the city. Way to go Barry! Face your fears!

* * *

Except for that incident nothing out of the ordinary really happened yesterday.

The Ottawa Senators keep winning. Last night they smashed the Toronto Maple Leafs for their eight straght win this season.

The Washington Capitals keep losing. Even the Atlanta Thrashers playing with a back-up goalie managed to get the better of the Caps (who also sported a back-up in their net), who find them selves in a very deep slump.

Never say never again

As much as I am hoping that Peter Forsberg's foot will finally heal, I have to admit it is not looking very good at the moment. In fact things are looking more bleak than ever. When he stepped off the ice, ending practice with the national team early, the look on his face said it all. When asked by a Swedish reporter, "Had he ever been closer to retiring than now", Forsberg just answered "No".

It seems likely this was the end of the line for the guy who just a few years ago was considered the best all-round player in the known universe, but one should keep one thing in mind, this guy is as stubborn as they come. In fact, what brought him to the top, got him two Stanley Cups, Olympic golds, the Hart Trophy and so much more was, except his amazing talent, also his stubbornness. Peter Forsberg is a winner and he absolutely hates losing, and even though he is probably contemplating retirement now more than ever before, it seems unlikely he would let someone or something other than him self decide when it is quitting time.

When reading all the papers and hockey reporters it is quite clear that most of them are now ready to write him off, and perhaps this is the end of the line for the future Hall of famer. It is just that when it comes to Forsberg I refuse to say it's over before I hear the words coming out of his mouth, "This is it. I quit." Until that happens, I will continue to hope for more magic.

Satan saves the day

Thanks to two goals from Miroslav Satan, legendary coach Al Arbour got his long awaited 740th win with the New York Islanders in his 1,500th game. Arbour, who returned to coach for one more game since retiring in 1994, holds the record for most games and wins with one team. A new banner with his name and the number 1,500 was lowered at the Nassau Coliseum.

People who enjoy sports often like milestones and nice round numbers. Players and coaches striving to reach milestones creates a sort of sport romaticism and mystic, which is one of the very reasons why people love sport. Being a great sport fan myself I guess I am also, to some degree, a sucker for this sentimental love for people giving everything to reach their goals and dreams.

However, even though it was a nice gesture by Islanders coach Ted Nolan to invite Arbour back to round up his game tally to a even 1,500, we have to remember that what really matters are those 1,499 games that he actually coached and 739 of those that he won while leading the Isles to four consecutive Stanley Cups. Those are remarkable figures by a remarkable coach. Coming back to stand by Nolans side for another game is, to be honest and unsentimental, just a bit of unnecessary make-up.

Can we expect to see Mark Messier return to score six more for an even 700 goals, or perhaps Steve Yzerman who quit while still on 692. Maybe the St. Louis Blues or the Edmonton Oilers (who got to enjoy the most of his better days as a player) ought to invite Glenn Anderson back to score two more so he can retire with 500 goals. Don't laugh, it could so happen!

Interestingly, on the All-time goal leaders top 50 list there is only one player with an even hundred number of goals, Hall of famer Lanny McDonald, who retired with 500 goals. He also has the very cool 1,111 career games played.

Koivu under fire

In Montreal Saku Koivu is taking some heat because of his poor French. According to CBC News the Habs captain was criticized in front of a "reasonable accommodation" commission hearing. Apparently there is a bill in Quebec that insures people the right to be addressed in French.

The leader of the Parti Québécois, Pauline Marcois, even proposed that all non French-speaking Canadiens players should perhaps take lessons.

There are many foreign players who have had to take English lessons when coming to the NHL, not because of a law made to preserve the English language or to protect the people from being subjected to a strange language, but for the simple reason that they'd understand the coach and teammates. The interesting thing here is that in the Montreal dressing room, even though most players speak two or even three different languages, they communicate in English.

Koivu, who admits his French is sub-par at best, said that in no way should that reflect his commitment to the city of Montreal or the club. Vive le Fin!

Read more at CBC News

New Flyers rebound in D.C.

Last season the Washington Capitals were 4-0 playing the Philadelphia Flyers. That's not going to happen this season. It can't happen. This team is so far from last years sad bunch, and I say this because if there is anything one expects from the guys from Broadstreet, it is that they play with heart. Last year they weren't even close.

Trading for Jason Smith and also making him the captain is the smartest move the Flyers have done in years. Smith personifies the Philadelphia Flyers with his ability to play through pain and block shots. Last night he wore the marks of a puck to his face from the previous game. That sort of thing earns you respect.

Capital's goalie Olaf Kolzig, who faced 23 shots in the last two periods, said these Flyers were a very different team from last season, something his coach, Glen Hanlon, also had pointed out before the game.

But, Philadelphia isn't the only team to improve from last season, the Capitals, too, are vastly better, and they raced out of the gates against taking a first period 1-0 lead, outscoring the guests 14-6. Then, late in the first period, Mike Richards took a 5 minute penalty for fighting which seemed to ignite his team. He later returned, with 12 stiches on his nose, to score the tie-breaking 2-1 goal.

Daniel Briere, booed every time he had the puck for the second straight game, later put the Flyers up 3-1 before Alexander Ovechkin got the Caps within one goal with a blast from the point. A late surge from the hosts didn't result in any more goals and Philadelphia stood as victors with a 3-2 score.

The Flyers continue to impress and Washington continue to play well but lose.

Wanna be like Mike?

Scott Gomez is not Michael Nylander, but boy, is he wishing he were. He and Jagr are desperately trying to replicate the on-ice chemistry that the Czech shared with Nylander. However, with two players that similar in style it has been more difficult than perhaps the Rangers expected. So while they carpool to and from practice every day, trying to figure out a way for this to work, Nylander is doing fine in Washington and the New York Rangers are trying to forget the $10 million they pissed away.

Busy night

Two thirds of the league's teams were in action last night and here are some thoughts.

The Colorado Avalanche remain strong on home ice (6-0 so far) as they rallied from a 0-2 deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. The Penguins continue to struggle with inconsistency.

Henrik Lundqvist took all 31 shots fired at him by the Washington Capitals to, once again, bail out his team. The Rangers managed to score a goal in each of the last two periods to seal a 2-0 win. Forward Brendan Shanahan said, "You have to give all the credit to Hank...in the first period it was really just him." Couldn't have said it better myself.

The seemingly unstopable Henrik Zetterberg was named NHL's player of the month for October, and against the Calgary Flames he just kept on rolling. The visiting Red Wings won the game 4-1 and Zetterberg was credited with two goals. Chris Osgood was solid in goal. After his 26 save, .963 night in Alberta he is a perfect 7-0 this season.

The Nashville Predators were looking for their first win on the road, and who better to get it from than the hopeless Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks were 1-5 in their own building and of course they lett this one slip through their fingers as well as the Preds won it 3-0.

What is going on with the Minnesota Wild? After the beating at home against St. Louis, they have no wins in the last five games. That 7-0-1 season start seems ever so distant right now.

In Ottawa the Senators collected their fifth straigh win after a close call with the Atlanta Thrashers. Sens were up 5-0 after two periods, but then saw the Thrashers come within a goal before Daniel Alfredsson scored a short-handed goal to seal the win. Three of Atlanta's goals came from Ilya Kovalchuk who appeared in his 400th NHL game.

Mathieu Schneider made his long awaited debut for the Anaheim Ducks in a 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. To top it off he also scored the game-winner in the shoot-out. Rob Niedermayer, who returned after missing three games (groin), also scored for the Ducks.

Philadelphia are 4-0 at home this season, but on the road they have now dropped three of the last four games. After losing twice down in Florida and then winning in Beantown, they fell short 5-2 against the Montreal Canadiens. Flyers forward Daniel Briere, who turned down an offer from the Habs to sign with the Philadelphia, was booed every time he touched the puck throughout the night.

The Boston Bruins bounced back from their only loss on home ice, against Philadelphia, to beat visiting Buffalo. Marco Sturm got the winner in overtime.

Brodeur reaches 900 games

Wouldn't it suck to lose in your 900th career NHL game? Well, Martin Brodeur didn't. Instead he turned in a solid performance, racking up 21 saves to help his New Jersey Devils to a 6-1 win over Tampa Bay. The win was also the first ever at the new Prudential Center. Perhaps this will help the Devils, so far a league worst 3-6-1 for seven points, gain some momentum and some ground.

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The Chicago Blackhawks beat the Dallas Stars 5-4 and Jason Williams notched the winning goal, his second game-winner against the Stars this season. For Mike Modano it was not a night to remember. Not only did the team lose, he was also awarded an assist on Sergei Zubov's power-play goal, tying him with Phil Housley for most points by an American-born NHL player, only to have it taken away afterwards. Modano, aware of the official's mistake, was hesitant to acknowledge the cheering crowd at first.

Modano was drafted 1st overall by the Minnesota North Stars in 1988. The year after Mats Sundin was picked by Quebec Nordiques, also as number one overall. Now, almost twenty years on, they are both having record-breaking seasons. Sometimes the draft picks really come through.

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According to sources the Philadelphia Flyers are looking to strengthen their blueline. This, once again, raises the question why they traded Kim Johnsson off to Minnesota.