Back on October 5, 2005, the New York Rangers played a game for the first time in over a year. The NHL was finally back after a lock-out that led to the cancellation of the entire 2004-05 season.

It had been 8 years since the Rangers had last made the playoffs--when they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1997 Eastern Conference Finals--and the idea that the Rangers were going to end the drought was ludicrous. That year, almost every "expert" had picked the Rangers to finish 30th in the NHL.

Honestly, did you have much faith in that team? Look at the lineup they sported for the 2005-2006 season opener against the Flyers:

Rucinsky-Nylander-Jagr
Straka-Ruccin-Hossa
Moore-Betts-Ward
Hollweg-Lundmark-Ortmeyer

Rozsival-Malik
Poti-Strudwick
Tyutin-Kasparaitis

Weekes
Lundqvist

Admit it. You looked at that team and thought, "We're screwed!" But Slats was keeping his word; the Rangers were rebuilding. We couldn't expect greatness in the first year. Honestly, I would have been content no matter what happened that season. But what happened that year stunned everybody.

The Rangers sat in first place in the Atlantic Division until the very last day of the season when they were passed by both the Devils and the Flyers. More importantly, for the first time since 1997, the Rangers had made the playoffs and Jaromir Jagr broke the Rangers single season records for both goals (54) and points (123).

Now fast forward to this season. The Rangers come into the game with a 2-0-0 record with two wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning last weekend in Prague.

Here is the line up that the Rangers sported for the first two games of the season:

Naslund-Gomez-Drury
Dawes-Dubinsky-Zherdev
Prucha-Korpikoski-Callahan
Voros-Betts-Orr

Rozsival-Redden
Girardi-Kalinin
Staal-Mara

Lundqvist
Valiquette

Only two, yes two, players from the 2005 opening night roster are still on the team. Only one of them actually played in that game! Petr Prucha was called up from Hartford soon after the start of the season and stayed up for most of it. But still that is only 3 players that remain from the October 5, 2005 to October 4, 2008. Speaking of Petr Prucha, of all the players currently on the roster, he has the most games played and most goals scored as a Ranger.

Looking ahead to this season, the Rangers are a younger, faster, more offensive minded team that can still shut things down when needed. The problem is that almost every offseason move the Rangers made is counting on the player playing better because of a change in scenery. So far, Naslund and Redden have scored goals. Zherdev has shown how wonderfully he can control the puck but has not finished. He does have the potential to set up many goals for Brandon Dubinsky. I really hope Zherdev doesn't end up like Matt Cullen did with the Rangers.

There were some questions heading into this season about Dubinsky. Would he have the dreaded sophomore slump? Would he be able to produce without Jagr on his wing? We're only 2 games into the season, but Dubinsky doesn't look like he's going to hit the proverbial wall any time soon. He was arguably the best player on the Rangers throughout the Preseason and has skated very well with new linemate Nikolai Zherdev.

Some other young players that must prove themselves are Nigel Dawes, Ryan Callahan, and believe it or not, Petr Prucha. Dawes and Callahan will most likely thrive in a faster and more offensive minded environment. As will Prucha who is scratched for tonights game. But Tom Renney has to give Prucha more ice time. At least some more time on the Power Play.

As for any predictions, I think the Rangers will fight for control of the Atlantic with the Penguins for the majority of the Season. They will probably end up finishing in second place in the division which is good enough for 4th or 5th in the Eastern Conference.

Tonight, the Rangers will hold their true home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks. This team made a big splash in the free agency market by signing Brian Campbell to an 8 year contract for about $56.8 million. They also improved in goal with the addition of Cristobal Huet. This team is young and looking to prove themselves. They were very close to making the playoffs last season and you can be sure that New Captain Jonathan Toews and Sophomore Patrick Kane will skate circles around our defense at least once.

Hopefully the Rangers can find their scoring and break out against Huet who they have been fairly good against in recent memory.

I will be at the game and I might snap some pictures. I'll post them later tonight if I can along with the recap.

It's always good to hear Mike Bolts' stories (the stanley cup handler)  from his travels around the world with the cup and players.  What an interesting job.  

Hey, I'm happy with a visit every few years.

Why is it hard for me to remember the Red Wings won it this year?

To no one's surprise media in Leaf Nation have jumped all over Ron Wilson's comments that wins and losses and won't matter to him this season. This only adds to Cliff Fletcher's earlier assertions that low expectations are the best expectations.

As just a hockey fan in Maple Laugh-land, management's approach makes sense. You look at the Leaf roster and for the first time decades, they are actually trying to rebuild for the future. They have kids, they may not all be top notch prospects, but there is a sense of rebuilding. Heck, they have our throw-away Grabovski.  This process won't deliver a cup anytime soon, but at least they are trying and Wilson is a good coach to have at the helm.

This rebuilding of the Leafs reminds me of the recent Hab dark days when were saddled with Rejean Houle at GM and Tremblay behind the bench. Things just went from bad to worse. We lost Patrick, had dead wood veterans and not enough kids playing. With some patience, shrewd scouting and Gainey at the helm, we have steered things around.

The Habs have never dabbled in the big free agent market as the Leafs for "quick fix" additions, so some serious foundation was set for our current turnaround and success. Leaf fans, prepare yourselves to see losses mount but at least the light at the tunnel is not a train anymore...from what we can tell!

The desertdawg referred to Howie Meeker in his previous blog.

Knowing that there will be a few readers who won't know Howie, I have dug up a short piece which I wrote on him a decade ago:

*************************************************************

Howie Meeker is hockey’s Renaissance Man. In his eight (plus) decades he has been: a soldier, a politician, a writer, a media personality, and of course a distinguished athlete.

Meeker played Junior B for Kitchener and Stratford in the Ontario Hockey Association. He led the league in scoring and later played for Brantford before enlisting in 1944. After two years in uniform - and a serious injury - Meeker left the service, and after recovering, played Senior A hockey for Stratford.

Meeker signed with the Leafs as a free agent and beat out Detroit’s Gordie Howe for the Calder Trophy. He played for eight NHL seasons, before a back injury shortened his career. In that short time, Howie played in three All-Star games and had his name engraved on four Stanley Cups.

Meeker went on to coach in the American Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Hornets. He was in Pennsylvania for two seasons before replacing King Clancy behind the Maple Leafs’ bench.

He was named the Leafs’ GM the next season, before moving to Canada’s right coast for a dozen years.

While playing hockey, Meeker had noted a void in hockey.

He wrote: “I was thirty years of age [had played at many levels of hockey] and no one ever attempted to improve my skating, passing, shooting, puck carrying, or my thinking skills. It was an accepted fact, back then, that you either had the skills or you didn’t.”

This resulted in the Howie Meeker Hockey School.

When the school was featured on CBC, Meeker was invited to hold his camps in many areas across Canada.

Then in 1976 after coming to Parksville, Howie and his wife bought a property in British Columbia and moved out a year later.

While Howie was in Montreal in 1968, he was asked to do colour work on a Hockey Night in Canada game between Montreal and Chicago.

Howie writes about his so-called "once only" effort: ”Knowing that it was a one-shot deal, I had fun with it. I was very critical on some plays and tremendously excited about others. Game over, show over, that was it - or so I thought.”

He was working fairly regularly by the 1969-70 season, then returning to the Rock.

“I’d watch my own video screen and, with an engineer, select the thirty or forty seconds I wanted, package it with a replay, and then describe what was happening or wasn’t happening, while the film rolled for TV audiences.”

Then he saw the technology being used in football.

“Thank God for the telestrator," he said. "The second I saw it used in a Canadian Football League game, I said, ’That thing’s for hockey.’”

Next, he was asked to work on the 1972 Summit Series.

He loved the Russians – how they skated, handled the puck, etc., and “talked about nothing but Soviets.”

But, sometimes his love of the game annoyed people.

Next he was offered a job as a CBC TV sports director.

When he moved west, he started working with Jim Robson and BCTV, and later in 1985 with the Sports Network.

Then Howie entered the field where he would have his greatest impact on hockey, and result in his nomination for the Foster Hewitt Award - selected by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association.

He worked on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, and later for TSN before retiring in 1998 - his telestrator in hand.

Up North, Wayne soared high like a great Eagle - way above other Canuck notables - such as Ann Murray, Wayne & Shuster, and William Shatner.

I fondly recall the mind-boggling day when one of my own art patrons - the high-flying Nelson Skalbania - sold Gretzky's hockey contract for $1 to Peter Pocklington (Edmonton Oilers).

The rest is hockey history, as they say!

And, when the great Gretzky flew south, there was a cry all over the land.

Canada lost its National Treasure, after all!

Would the patriots ever forgive?

Did the "Great One" really care?

Although Gretzky and I both owned cottage property among the picturesque pines outside of Port Carling (Muskoka) our paths never crossed.

And - in spite of the fact we lived in close proximity for a few years in the big bad orange after we both became U.S. transplants - still no cigar!

The closest I ever came to the ornately-tooled Stanley Cup was when it was being transported to a  Press Conference in San Francisco earlier this year on one of the local Cable Cars!

In the final analysis, though, you have to admire the guy.

After all, he's still undoubtedly the greatest hockey player to ever grace the ice.

Specifically, the "great one" scored the most goals in a season (92), most assists in a season (163), and most points in a season (215).

He also holds the record for the fastest 50 goals (accomplishing that feat in only 39 games) and has the record for most goals in a 50 game period (61) which he accomplished twice.

In 1983-84, he had a 51 game point-scoring streak that has been compared to "Joltin' Joe"  DiMaggio's streak in baseball, during which he scored 61 goals and received credit for 92 assists (153 points).

His 47 playoff points in 1985 and 31 assists in 1988 are still records for a single post-season round and he holds the record for career playoff goals (122), assists (260), points (382), hat tricks (10), and game winning goals (24)."

In sports circles, some say he had the killer instinct, in spite of the fact he was meek and mild in appearance.

But, if you study closely, you'll notice there's a flashy diamond ring on his finger which appears to be a little out-of-character; just maybe, there's a more exotic persona just below the skin waiting to bust out?

Obviously, he has something that keeps his trophy wife content - especially in a town where divorce is the norm - not the exception.

In recent years, Gretzky's come to be known as a bit of a cry baby.

But, when you're used to getting your way, what the heck!

I suppose the coaching job keeps him anchored, focused, whatever.

His appearance has been likened to that of a hip nattily attired college professor.

Tteaching Stanley Cup Playoff skills in Hockey 101, perhaps?

In spite of the excellent cudos for being - hardworking, on-top-of it, honest and unassuming - the caption for the profile that day in the daily had a negative bent.

"Now he needs a little more talent."

Yeah, it's like showbusiness - typecast - at the drop of a stick.

Once a great hockey player, never a great coach.

Is that because there's an insatiable yearning for an icon to boldly hop out on the ice and show 'em how it's done?

In Gretzky's case, maybe.

Perhaps that's what all the crying is about.

- The Stanley Cup is the oldest professional sports trophy in North America.

- The Stanley Cup was first purchased for $48.67 in 1892.

- The original bowl was made of silver and was 7.28 inches in height and 11.42 inches in diameter. The current Stanley Cup is made of silver and nickel alloy. It has a height of 35.25 inches and weighs 34.5 lbs.

- It is the only trophy in professional sports that has the name of the winning players, coaches, management, and club staff engraved on it.

- In 1919, the Spanish Influenza epidemic forced the Montreal Canadiens and the Seattle Metropolitans to cancel their series, marking the first time the Stanley Cup was not awarded. The series was tied at 2–2–1, but the final game was never played because Montreal players Joe Hall, Billy Coutu, Jack McDonald, Edouard Lalonde, and Manager George Kennedy, were hospitalized with influenza. Hall died four days after the canceled game, and the series was abandoned.

- There are several misspellings and illegitimate names on the Cup. Many of them have never been corrected. Examples include: Jacques Plante's name has been misspelled five times, Bob Gainey was spelled "Gainy" when he was a player for Montreal, Toronto Maple Leafs was spelled "Leaes" in 1963, One name was later scratched out: Peter Pocklington, a former Edmonton Oilers owner, put his father's name, Basil, on the Stanley Cup in 1984; today, there is a series of "X's" over Basil's name.

- No one name appears on the Stanley Cup more than Jean Beliveau. He appears 17 times: 10 as a player and seven as management. Henri Richard has won the most Stanley Cups as a player, with 11.

- Thirteen women have had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup.

- There are actually three Stanley Cups: the original bowl, the authenticated Cup, and the replica at the Hall of Fame. The original bowl purchased by Lord Stanley is currently displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario

- Players weren’t given a full day with the Cup until 1993.

- In 1907, the victorious Montreal Wanderers gathered for a team photo with the cup at a photographer’s house. They left the Cup behind and the photographer’s mother turned it into a flower pot. It wasn’t claimed for several months.

- Several members of the 1924 Canadiens team left it by the roadside after repairing a flat tire en route to celebrate their win at owner Leo Dandurand's home. The Cup was recovered exactly where they left it on the snow bank.

- In 1979 Guy Lafleur borrowed it for the weekend without telling anyone to show his friends back home in Thurso, Quebec where he set it out on his front lawn for all his neighbors to see.

- New York Islanders' Bryan Trottier admitted not only to sleeping with it but also to unscrewing the bowl as a food dish for his dog.

-  Martin Brodeur drove around Montreal when New Jersey won the Cup 1995 with the Cup in the passenger seat—wearing a seat belt

- The Stanley Cup served as an engagement ring bearer when André Roy of the Tampa  Bay Lightning proposed to his fiancée.

Maybe, as a goalie, you dreamed of lifting the Stanley Cup over your head, and then being honoured by winning a Vezina trophy as the best goalie in the league.

Well, that last bit of your dreams is now a reality.

The Vezina trophy Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante won in 1959-1960 season is now up for sale. That was the first year the Montreal Canadiens hall of famer wore his goalie mask, paving the way for the safety of goalies every where.

It was also the year the Habs won their fifth Stanley Cup in a row, an NHL record that still stands to this day.

The auction is on eBay and the trophy can be bought for $6,900.

A great buy for any Habs fan. And a way to live out one of your dreams.

"Big Bill" Durnan played brilliantly for a very short period of time. He was Montreal's goalie for only seven seasons, but won the Vezina Trophy six times (The year that he didn't win, he was named to the 1st All-Star team.).

Maurice "the Rocket" Richard said that: “Bill Durnan, was the best goaltender I ever played in front of.”

And, the Rocket had been a teammate of Jacques Plante's.

It is noted that Durnan was ambidextrous - but most important, he always had that second effort.

At the end of seven years with the Habs, he had injuries he couldn't shake, he was mentally tired and he wasn't making enough money to justify the pain and the stress that he had been going through.

***************************************************************************************

The following is a Time magazine article, "BIG BILL," March 21, 1949.

"Since a flying hockey puck travels a good deal faster than the human body, a topflightgoalie needs the knack of being in the right place at the right time. It also helps to have perfect balance, knowledge of the tactics of the opponent streaking down-ice toward the net and a thoughtfully padded uniform. In the National Hockey League, the man who seemed to combine the necessary qualities better than anybody else this season was Toronto-born William Ronald ("Big Bill") Durnan, 34-year-old veteran of the Montreal Canadiens.

Big Bill Durnan was not the most graceful man on the ice. With the padding they wear, goalies seldom are. He seemed to get out of position a lot. This was deceptive on Big Bill's part. "Durnan fools you," said another National Hockey League star last week. "One second he leaves a big hole on one side of the cage, but the next he's in there on top of the puck. He knows he can move fast."

By moving fast, Big Bill had won the Vezina Trophy (for the goalie playing the most games on the team which allows the fewest goals) for four straight years. Last year he lost the trophy to Turk Broda, rough-&-tumble goalie of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but had cinched it again this season. On top of that, last week he set a modern record for consecutive minutes of play (309 min. 20 sec.) without allowing a score, beating Boston Bruin Frankie Brimsek's old mark by 77 min. 26 sec. and topping by 19 min. 8 sec. the standard of his idol, the Chicago Black Hawks' late, great Charlie Gardiner.

Bill Durnan was one reason why the Montreal Canadiens were in third place in the league and awaiting a crack at the Stanley Cup playoffs, which begin next week. Despite the pell-mell style of postwar hockey, with the emphasis on five-man gang attacks and wild scrambles at the goalmouth, hard-working Bill Durnan has achieved ten shutouts.

Last week, Canadien Coach Dick Irvin, a veteran of 41 years in hockey, called Big Bill the greatest goalie in hockey history. Said Durnan: "The greatest I ever saw was Charlie Gardiner."

*********************************************************************

The preceding table courtesy of: goaliesarchive.com.

Just say it out loud, nice and slow or shout it out, shout it out loud;

"HABS ROCK- LEAFS SUCK!"

After a pretty high-tempo exhibition game against the Red Wings, which the Canadiens prevailed in via shootout, Don Cherry has given his stamp of approval to the Canadiens for this year.

For Cherry to do that and he is a die-hard Leaf boy despite his obvious love of the Bruins, that is a big deal here in the Big Smoke. The fact Mike Milbury essentially said the Leafs will suck this year, only made a good day better! Let's remember, even Macleans has weighed into why the Leafs stink.

"the heat should be on GM Cliff Fletcher to make sure the same opportunity isn't missed with Kaberle."

Damien comparing Kaberle to Sundin...Interesting to say the least...

"Along with Kaberle and Kubina, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Jason Blake, Jeff Finger and Vesa Toskala all could potentially be dealt. You know, for something more than nothing, the return for excising Darcy Tucker and Andrew Raycroft from the roster."

So let's see the worst d in the league has not one, not two but 3 defencemen that other teams will want, doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

I made the argument a few weeks ago that very few of the current Buds would be around when this team turns the corner, so I am on board with his assessment today that Cliff should move every asset possible today. Quite the 2-step by sir Damien today....

Here is an awesome photo of my brother-in law drinking from Lord Stanley's Cup, enjoy it...He did!

The story was well written with an interesting take on where the franchise has been post the 1970s dynasty.  The Habs have been a unifying force in Quebec and across Canada and their dominance during a 27 years span from the 1950s to late 1970s is unlike anything in North American sport.

My favourite quote from the piece is the following which made me howl but I do differ with:

The fans are different too, complains Robert Fisher, a lifelong Habs follower and former sportswriter and newspaper publisher in Lachine, Que.

“We've become Toronto Maple Leaf fans,” he said this week. “We're lost in the futility of the team and live in the hope that it will regain the past.”

The Canadiens have never really been futile, the rest of the NHL caught up and the great dynasties of the New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers earned and deserved their time. Strong franchises like the Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche and Pittsburgh Penguins developed into monsters as well. However, our Habs have at least won two cups since 1986 and have never been cellar dwellers when we did not, unlike the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Lastly, our fans are not afraid to call out the Habs when they have stunk up the joint and have stayed away when things deteriorated or became questionble- such as the horrible Rejean Houle and Mario Tremblay mini-era.

"Les Canadiens sont là!”

A team falters all season - mired in controversy - gets it together, squeaks into the playoffs, and then makes a run for the Stanley Cup....

A player improves, flourishes, falters, and then gains redemption, when he returns to his roots - to the team where he started his career - as he makes a comeback....

Most of us love these stories. They remind us of different elements of our own lives.

The NHL is playing out variations on the second plot line.

Jeff Friesen is trying to resurrect his career in San Jose, and Jeff O'Neil is attempting to return to the NHL, with Carolina.

Friesen was chosen 11th overall, in the 1994 Draft. He played part of the 1994-95 season with the Sharks, and full seasons until 2000-01, when he was part of the Selanne trade, with the Ducks. During his time in San Jose, he scored 22, 26, 28 and 31 goals.

Friesen played one season in Anaheim, and two in New Jersey, where he helped to win the Stanley Cup - by scoring 10 playoff goals. He played two part seasons for the Capitals and Ducks -  following the lockout - and one full year for the Flames.

Last season, he played in only five games in the AHL, before hanging up his skates due to injury.

Jeff O'Neil was selected 5th overall by Hartford, in 1994.

He started playing for the Whalers in 1995-96, and scored 8, 14 and 19 goals, before 25 goals, and 41 goals in 2000-01. He helped Carolina to win the Cup, and by 2002-03, he had his third consecutive 30 goal season.

O'Neil was injured and had a subpar year, there was the lockout, and then he was traded to the Leafs. In Toronto, he played for two seasons, and his production slowly fell off, largely due to personal problems.

Petr Nedved's colourful NHL career has been well documented. Sportsillustrated.cnn.com wrote.

The Sports Illustrated highlights didn't mention Nedved's unpopularity in New York - after he'd been sent there from St. Louis.

John Dellapina, of the Daily News, provides some details of Nedved's first tenure in the Big Apple:

People are pulling for the east and west Jeffs.

"What a great story it would be if Jeff could continue his career with the team he started with, and contribute and the team has success," the San Jose coach said. "But so many things have to happen prior to that."

"He did nothing to hurt himself," McLellan continued. "But did he climb the ladder to the top? No, he didn't do that either."

Bryan Thiel of the Bleacher Report wrote of O’Neil: “For his sake, I hope he can prove that he's earned a spot on the Carolina Hurricanes roster. Or at least proves to the league that, after everything he's been through, he can still play, and still be a factor, maybe prove that he's still that mullet-wearing, hockey-loving kid he used to be, with the same passion anyone brings to the game—just now with a little added fire.”

Friesen and O'Neil are still at the Sharks' and Hurricanes' camps, but Nedved has been released by the Rangers.

He played well enough, but there weren't any roster spots available.

But, had the talented Czech made the New York squad, it wouldn't have been a feel good story.

Friesen and O'Neil had lost their way - due to injuries and personal problems - whereas, Nedved has always been just plain greedy.

He has never had any loyalty.

He wasn't playing for redemption. He wanted more money.

Few have any sympathy for Petr Nedved. He has burned his many Karmatic bridges behind him, so to speak.

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P.S. And now, Claude Lemieux wants to make a comeback. Well, at least it won't be for the money.

The following from the newsobserver.com:

Alas, Jeff Friesen was in shape, but the San Jose Sharks were chockablocked full of forwards. It was the same sitaution, in a way, as Nedved's in New York.

The San jose Mercury reports:

Word is obviously already out that the Sharks ended Jeff Friesen’s tryout without adding him to the roster. I won’t pretend this is breaking news.

In hindsight, there were hints along the way that was how this might wind up, but I know a lot of longtime Sharks fans were hoping it would work out differently.

Midway through training camp, for example, Todd McLellan said he recognized what a good story it would be if Friesen could continue his career where it began, if he’d be able to contribute to the Sharks’ season much the same way Dallas Drake did in his homecoming to Detroit a year ago. Then the coach added: “But it’s up to Jeff.”

Coaches are rarely forthcoming with detailed explanations when players are cut or benched. They’ve got their reasons, but it’s usually not in their best interest to spell them out.

Today, McLellan seemed to be following the traditional tack.

“We now went through a couple days where we sorted out as an orgazniation where we wanted to be and made a decision on the 23-man roster,” the coach said. “In fairness to Jeff, he had a good camp, he competed very well, he did everything he could. But for us to continue to hold onto him and to linger with hm wasn’t going to help him in his attempt to come back.”

GM Doug Wilson said earlier in the week that the staff was waiting for a medical update on Marcel Goc’s injury before having to make a decision on Friesen. McLellan said today that Goc was back on the ice for a light skate today, but that his possible availability was only “somewhat” of a factor in the Friesen decision.

I’m trying to reach Friesen. So far, no luck."

"Are you excited?"

"Yeah." (lie)

Then they get a huge grin on their face and kind of dive in and stick their face up close to mine and go,

"Betchyer nervous!?!?"

"Yeah." (lie)

Then they give me a big rant about how nervous they were, but how everything was alright.  Either way I'm not excited and I'm not nervous.  I'm more apathetic.  My idea of a good time is not getting a job, moving away, etc.  My idea of a good time was when I was five and I got a snow day.  Snow days enabled me to beat an entire Stanley Cups Play Off series in NHL '95 for the Sega Genesis.  I felt more accomplished back then than I do now.  And I am now a high school graduate.  I'll take virtual trophies over diplomas though.

1967 was a long time ago folks and the Habs, let alone many other expansion teams, have managed to capture the Holy Grail of hockey at least once. Blame Ballard. Blame Stavro. Blame Peddie and MLSE. Anyway you spin it, the Leafs have been laughable for a long time.

Now that the niceties are out of the way, here are some things which are facts that the Leaf Nation fail to grasp:

1. The Montreal Canadiens, Les Glorieux, are the New York Yankees of hockey, NOT the blue and white, but mostly black and blue, Maple Leafs. Obviously, most Leaf fans and spinsters failed math- the Habs have won 24 Stanley Cups, more than any other NHL team, Toronto has 11. The Yankees have 26 World Series titles, more than any other baseball team. End of argument.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="616" caption="Start counting them..1..2..3..4..."][/caption]

 2. The Habs have won 10 Stanley Cups since the league expanded beyond six teams..the Leafs have won none.  This is just another stat to stop this insane talk that Toronto is the ultimate "hockeytown", the ultimate franchise, the Yankees of hockey. Ahem...winning nothing in 41 years is nothing to be proud of.

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="106" caption="A tribute? More like a memorial to something not happening again anytime soon."][/caption]

3. The Habs would have defeated the Leafs in the 1992-93 playoffs if they had met in the final. Please get over the fact that poor carrot-top referee Kerry Fraser did not call a penalty on The Great One when he clipped "The Killer" - Doug Gilmour. If you were good enough to have the Kings on the ropes that year, and not able close the deal in Game 6 or 7 of the semifinal, there is no one to blame but yourselves. Even if you had made the final, no one could have stopped Patrick Roy and his incredible goaltending that playoff season. The man was on a crusade to deliver the Habs another cup and another Conn Smythe trophy for himself. Do you really think Felix Potvin could have out-duelled Patrick? Roy notched 10 straight overtime wins and...oh ya- helped lead the defeat of the same Kings the Leafs could not put away in seven games.

 

4. One of your recent great captains, Doug Gilmour, looked way better in a Habs uniform than he did in a Leafs one. I said "look" before some of you have a heart attack or throw something at your monitor. I do not deny he owned Toronto while here, but the Hab uniform sure looked sweet on him and he was an inspirational leader the one year with Montreal as Saku was out battling stomach cancer.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="232" caption="The Killer in a Habs uniform."][/caption]

 5. Kirk Muller should be referred to as a former Hab, not a former Leaf, he helped lead the Habs to that 1992-93 cup and had some of his best years in Montreal.

 

6. The Leafs blew it as it concerns Vincent Damphousse. One of their best draft choices in the 1980s- Toronto gave up on him after one year and dealt him to Edmonton. He produced every where he went and by the time he hit Montreal, becoming captian there, yup, you guessed it, he helped the blue, blanc and rouge to the 1992-93 cup.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="Thanks for the help Vinny!"][/caption]

7. It is cheaper for Leaf fans to see a Habs-Leafs game in Montreal than here in Toronto, a sad state of affairs. You want to go to Montreal anyway, because the fans are passionate and involved in the game more than they ever are in Toronto. Don't get me wrong, there are great Leafs fans, they problem is they have been priced right out of the building. Also, the night life and food in Montreal is way better anyway.

 

8. The Habs are the classiest organization in hockey. They retire the numbers of their great players and do not just "honour them". Also, the Habs care about their relations with the past, the Leafs are slowly getting to it but look at the damage done to Dave Keon and the Darryl Sittler in the past.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="542" caption="'Big Bird" Larry Robinson gives a wave when his #19 was retired. New Jersey boss Lou Lamoriello is on the right, including him was a classy move, you cannot expect any less from the Habs."][/caption]

 9. Habs fans sing "ole, ole, ole" because they are FANS and get involved in the game. Montreal cannot help their European roots and it beats sitting on your hands and being egged on by a monitor to cheer for your team. It does not matter that it used to be a soccer chant, it is a sporting chant and it beats the call of "Argooooos" at any Leaf game you go to. Also, I guess it has been so long since Leaf fans celebrated anything, that they forgot what a celebration entails.

 

 

 

They did go to the finals two years ago. They do have a great first line. They have made an effort to get rid of some of the problems they had last year.

It's not right to hate on a team so much. So with that being said, here were my top five favourite Ottawa Senators moments of the 2007-2008 season.

5) Chris Neil takes on Donald Brashear in a game on Dec. 29, 2007.

Good for Chris Neil to stand up to Brashear. The pounding he took was only slightly less hurtful than the pounding the Sens took in an 8-6 loss.

You can also point to this game as the team's turnaround from Stanley Cup contenders to a team that choked the rest of the season. This loss was only they team's second regulation loss in December, but it went downhill from there.

But good on Neil for trying to fight the good fight.

4) Gary Roberts takes on the entire Sens roster (about 7:30 into the video).

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Ottawa is down 4-0 on the score sheet with about 30 seconds left. Gary Roberts has already scored two goals, when the Senators decide to challenge Roberts to a fight. Well, all those who were on the ice, anyways. Roberts didn't back down, waiting for each one to come at him, although none did not.

Good on the Sens for trying to change their playoff fortune by yapping at a 42-year-old near the end of a winless game.

3) We're coming back!

The Sens are down 2-0 halfway through the third period against the always great Montreal Canadiens. That's when a Sens fan decides to cheer his team on with his prediction of a Sens comeback. Montreal scores three seconds later, and go on to a 3-0 win, and clinch the division title.

Good on the fans though, for never giving up and always supporting your team, even if it makes you sound silly.

2) Another comeback

Montreal took a 7-1 lead after two periods, and took the third period off. Ottawa came back to make it 7-5. Good on them for finally showing up for the period Montreal took off. Most teams would have licked their wounds and waited for another night. But not the Sens. They decided to make a lopsided loss look more like a decent loss. Good for them.

1) Meet the Spartan

Good for Ottawa to try and get fans engaged in the playoffs, even though they didn't show up for the first two games in Pittsburgh and were down 2-0 in the series. Glad to see them try to get the fans going, even though most fans were, 1) confused, and 2) decidedly more calm after the introductions. Nothing says Ottawa Senators more than something screwing up.

So there's my olive branch, Sens fans. I hope you accept it. It would be better if we were friends. I would hate for us to be bitter with one another when the Habs are hoisiting the Stanley Cup in June. We might even let you hold it, but just for a minute.

Well, when the Cup series was originally broadcast on NBC, they did not televise the team picture and the entire process involved in winning Stanley. In fact, almost as soon as the winning goal was done – the ads to purchase hats and tshirts was on. It was disgusting and left me feeling very empty. I felt shut out of the entire celebration.

However, thanks to the NHL Network, I finally got a chance to see the entire celebration of winning the coveted Stanley Cup. There were no commercial interruptions nor needless interviews – as seen on broadcast television.

The team picture was great, just great. Watching the entire process was very rewarding and left me with a feeling of warmth and contentment. I felt like I was a part of my beloved Red Wings victory instead of a "shut out".

Thank you NHL Network! You rock!!!!!

Wikipedia claims that only one man has won the Stanley Cup as a player, coach, and manager. Who is that player?

And, because Wikipedia has been given false information, who is the second person to win the coveted Cup in all three capacities?

Jack Adams won a Stanley Cup with the Ottawa Senators after the 1926-27 season. He had also been a member of the Toronto Arenas, and played during the 1918 post-season, but wasn’t allowed to dress in the finals.

Adams won the Stanley Cup as both a Coach and Manager for the Red Wings in 1936-37-43

He also won the Cup, solely as the Manager in 1950-52-54-55.

Art Ross won his first Cup in 1907, with the Kenora Thistles, and again the following year, with the Montreal Wanderers.

He coached the Boston Bruins to the 1939 and 1941 Cups, and was Boston’s GM for the Cups in 1929-39-41.

     I was standing in the hallway, on my cell with my dad helping him make his football picks, when a guy came walking by.

     I looked up, nodded and said "hey" the way I always greet people who come my direction and eye contact is made.

     This guy said "how you doin'?" back at me, just as I realize how familiar he looks.

     In a split second I ask him "are you Brett Hull?" knowing full well I will either embarrass this guy because he is always asked this because he looks alot like him, or it really IS Brett Hull!

     He says "yes I am" back at me. I quickly asked him if I can shake his hand.

     By this time he had already passed when he turns back around and stretches his hand out and says "yeah".

     He has a HUGE hand. He is shorter than me but he is a solid guy. He still appears to be in excellent shape.

     I asked my dad if he heard this exchange and he was real fired up. He could not believe I met him, especially while on the phone with him.

     It so happens a little while later, I ran into him AGAIN!! This time we chatted for a minute while walking down the hall to our rooms. He had a room right across from ours. My wife was with me this time. She was not as excited about him as I was.

     The reason he was there was to work out with the "young NHL prospects" who were in town trying to make the Red Wings team or at least get a shot at trying out for the team.

     He commented on the rain and how it would be nice if the sun came out. He was a real nice, down to earth guy. I didn't ask for an autograph or take a picture because I didn't have a camera immediately on me nor did I have paper at the ready.

     But I will have this memory forever. That I was in a hotel, across the hall, from a future hockey Hall of Famer! Did I mention that he is also a Stanley Cup winner? Awesome!!!

Before you all start posting comments about the awesomeness of Danny Briere and accusing me of vastly underrating Braydon Coburn or Jeff Carter, think for a second about the Flyers' roster compared to the NHL's finest talent. 

Would you genuinely rank any of the Philly forwards among the top ten in the NHL?  Ovechkin, Crosby, Iginla, Lecavalier, Thornton, Malkin, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Spezza, Alfresson, Kovalchuk, E. Staal . . . do I need to keep going?  As much as Briere, Gagne, and Richards contribute to this squad, they aren't exactly supremely gifted compared with their peers.

And really, is Timonen-Coburn the best defensive pairing out there?  After taking out Lidstrom and any possible partner he would have, you have to eliminate Scott Niedermayer, Zdeno Chara, Dion Phaneuf, Chris Pronger, Brian Campbell and Sergei Gonchar first.  Then take out offensive D-men like Mike Green, Mark Streit, and Andrei Markov.  Even with those guys down, any conversation revolving around Timonen and Coburn will speak of Timonen's quiet effectiveness and Coburn's potential for growth.  Certainly not a rousing example of defensive prowess there.

Then there's the goaltending.  Martin Biron isn't even the best goaltender in the Atlantic Division, let alone the Eastern Conference.  And the east is the weak half of the NHL.  As for Antero Niittymaki, he's a great back-up, but I doubt he'll be genuinely challenging guys in his age group like Ryan Miller for a fulltime gig in the near future.

No, Philadelphia doesn't have surpassing greatness within the ranks.  But that's what propelled this team to the 2007-08 Eastern Conference FInals.  They were a team.  No one wins without a sustained effort from everyone else. 

I once heard the great trumpet player Wynton Marsalis comment that, in music, "Sustained intensity equals ecstasy."  Well, this Philadelphia Flyers team doesn't have star power on its side this season, and they will clash against the league's best - Crosby, Malkin and Fleury in Pittsburgh; Drury, Gomez and Lundquist in New York; Martin Brodeur in New Jersey - on a regular basis.  But with a constant, complete effort, the Orange and Black could definitely go all the way.

This is Roy's first real public appearance with the Canadiens since the disaster of the game that led him to be traded all those years ago.

For those who don't know, Patrick Roy was my favourite player. I had a Roy jersey that I wore to school two or three times a week. I had newspaper clippings. He was the first player that I wrote, asking for an autograph. Like every young Montreal fan at the time, I idolized him.

What's weird is that I never got a chance to watch him play in person. I tried. My dad took me to a game in 1993, against L.A. The Habs won 7-2, but their backup was in net. When I moved to Ottawa in 1995, I bought a six-pack of Senators games, and made sure Montreal was one of them. He was traded before the game happened. And I went to a Colorado-Ottawa game, but back then, the Sens sucked, so the backup always played against them.

The last game of Roy's Montreal career holds a different type of memory for me than it probably does for most people. It was my first year of university, and I had just started to get to know a good friend of mine, Wendy. She's from Montreal, and is also a huge Habs fan.

So she kept telling me stories about how she would go to see the Canadiens play in person. She told me the Habs had never lost a game that she has been at. She stressed the word never. She encouraged, no, almost begged me, to make sure I watched that hockey game. She pretty much guaranteed a victory.

So I watched (I would have anyways, I'm a huge Habs fan, remember). You all know the rest. Patrick Roy was left in net for nine goals, as the Habs lost 12-1 to the Detroit Red Wings. When he was pulled, he went past the coach, Mario Tremblay, and told team president Ronald Correy that he would never play a game for Montreal again.

Four days later, he and captain Mike Keane was traded to the Colorado Avalanche for Andre Kovalenko, Martin Rucinsky and Jocelyn Thibault.

Now that 13 years have passed, it's time to answer questions left over from that day.

Did Montreal get enough in the trade?Yes. Roy forced Montreal to make a trade. They had little choice. They ended up getting a few players that had the chance to blossom into top players. It didn't work out, but they in return for Roy, they got a young #1 goalie (who stood on his head at first: remember the chants of Thibault during games?) and two guys who had the opportunity to be offensive players.

Did the trade screw Montreal, helping them become a poor team for the next 10 years?No. Bad trades and bad draft picks did that. From 1994 to 2000, Montreal used their first round picks on Brad Brown, Terry Ryan, Matt Higgins, Jason Ward, Eric Chouinard, Ron Hainsey, and Marcel Hossa. Not exactly a group you can build a team around. In fact, in 1999, Montreal didn't have a first-round pick. Instead, they used their second-round pick on Alexander Buturlin (yeah, I've never heard of him either).

Is this the reason Roy kept fighting Detroit players?Perhaps. In Colorado, Roy got into fights with Mike Vernon, Dominic Hasek and Chris Osgoode, all Detroit goalies. Although the two teams had a huge rivalry, but I wonder if Roy held an extra grudge against them for running up the score that night in Montreal.

Should Roy have been traded? Yes. The egos in play were too big. Tremblay and Roy could never have a player-coach relationship after this, and you have to show that the players are not bigger than the game.

Anyways, Roy brought the Habs to the promised land. Twice. Both times they won theStanley Cup, he was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner. With Montreal, he won the Jennings trophy four times and the Vezina trophy three times. He is usually seen as the best goalie of all time. He revolutionized the goalie position, wearing bigger equipment and bringing in the butterfly style.

Despite what happened in that one game, Roy gave it his all for the Habs. He was a leader on the ice. He kept the Habs respectable when they couldn't score throughout the late 80s and early 90s. Without Roy, our last Stanley Cup won have been in 1979, not 1993.

He deserves to have his jersey hanging from the rafters. And he deserves a standing ovation. I may not idolize him like I once did, but there's doubt he was something special on the ice.

Don’t let the title deceive you. This story isn’t about Lance Armstrong…but about the good his courage and passion has inspired in so many people, including a Detroit teacher named Sean Shearon.

This summer, Sean walked eighteen marathons in eighteen days in an effort to raise $10 million for cancer research.  More than mere mileage, this was a highly personal journey for Sean.  When he was nine, his mother developed cancer. Three years later, he too was diagnosed. While Sean survived, his mom did not.

Life has taught Sean some harsh lessons, but neither his face nor his spirit bear evidence of his agonies.  He transformed what could have been a devastating experience into something life-affirming.  What’s more, for every step he took on his journey across the state of Michigan, he not only raised money and awareness for cancer research - he inspired others to follow in his footsteps.

As I monitored Sean’s progress on his blog (www.thevictorywalk.org), I began to question myself in ways I never had before.  What can I do to inspire others to do good with their lives?  How can I help assuage humanity’s suffering?  What will it take of my passion to plant a seed capable of bearing similar fruit in my fellow man?  If you read Sean’s story, you’ll see what I mean – for the Victory Walk isn’t simply about overcoming cancer.  It’s about the viral nature of passion and our own ability to do good and inspire it in others.

So what does Sean’s Victory Walk have to do with Fathead?  Absolutely everything.  If you’ve ever read our web site or scanned our blog or watched our commercials, you know Fathead is a company built on, by and for “fan passion.”  But what does that mean – really?  For some, it’s the rush of endorphins that comes with success - like Aaron Rodgers first Lambeau Leap (Or any of Bretts' Leaps, for that matter).  For others, it’s the thrill of a hard-fought victory over an indomitable opponent – like the Red Wings in any of their 11 Stanley Cup Playoffs, for example.  Still others find that passion is belonging to something larger than themselves: being a member of the armed services or first responders; or being member or fan of a legendary team like the Cowboys, Yankees or Lakers; or even spending a moment in the shadow of someone willing to sacrifice so that you may find your own inspiration. That sense of being part of a team, the inertia that drives us beyond what we believe ourselves capable of toward an impossible goal – that is fan passion.

And that’s what Sean Shearon carried with him from the Detroit side of the Ambassador Bridge to Charlevoix to Royal Oak, Michigan. Mile after mile.  Through shin-splints, debilitating cramps and excruciating infection.  In the driving rain and scorching summer sun.  That’s what people saw when they lauded his sacrifice, shook his hand and patted him on the back. But what they took home with them was something bigger: they discovered Sean’s passion was contagious.

The sacrifice of his body and time, he says, was a small price to pay when compared to the gratitude of strangers, support and cash for the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute of Detroit. "We need to do something about cancer as a society. We can't just keep waiting for other people to do it. We are all in this together."

All of the money raised from The Victory Walk will be donated to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in downtown Detroit. "We just couldn't keep doing what we do without people like Sean," said Patricia Ellis, spokeswoman for the Karmanos Institute. "He is definitely not sitting back. He is taking it upon himself to raise awareness, and he has done just that."

To talk to Sean, read his blog or watch his video for Livestrong.com (http://www.youtube.com/video_response_view_all?v=9S9vlgtt264) is to go toe-to-toe with courage and hopefully walk away with enough to both carry yourself forward…and bring someone else with you.

Fathead salutes Sean Shearon and those rare people out there like him with the courage to live their passion.  Visit www.thevictorywalk.com to blog with Sean, learn more about his journey or make a donation.

NHL Live! is scheduled to return to the NHL Network on September 22. WHAT?! What happened to September 15?

I'll keep checking.

BTW..it's no wonder the Anaheim Ducks won the Stanley Cup in 2007. They had the highest fight percentage in the NHL. Detroit had the lowest. And, it wasn't so much the fact that Anaheim started fights...they were dirty fights, dirty shots. Pronger just hurt Holmstrom with a totally dirty, cheap shot. The rotten bum...No wonder I boo every time I see him on the ice. :(

Haha...Detroit just scored its fifth goal. I know...they lost the series...don't rub it in.

We all know how unpopular – hated – Todd Bertuzzi is in Colorado.

But, why would his uncle Larry be so popular – almost revered  in some quarters?

It goes back to sixteen years ago.

The Nordiques must have thought that they were operating under some creative form of Napoleonic Law.

They reasoned that they could sign two contracts in one day, and then pick which one they wanted to keep.

They traded disgruntled draft pick Eric Lindros to the New York Rangers for: Doug Weight, Tony Amonte, Alexei Kovalev, John Vanbiesbrouck and three First Round Draft Picks - in 1993, 1994, and 1995.

Plus, Quebec would get $12 million thrown in for good measure.

From the Flyers, they were to receive: Ron Hextall, Chris Simon, Mike Ricci, Kerry Huffman, Steve Duchesne and Peter Forsberg.

And, they would receive First Round Draft Picks for 1993 and 1994, plus $15 million.

The Nordiques preferred the Philadelphia offer, and the NHL's appointed arbitrator, Larry Bertuzzi agreed with them, and Lindros became a Philadelphia Flyer.

The Nordiques moved to Colorado three years later, and won eight divisional titles, and two Stanley Cups.

Many argue that the Lindros trade - plus the later acquisition of Patrick Roy - were the keys to Colorado’s success.

And thus, is Larry Bertuzzi popular among many in Colorado.

His grand-nephew, however, isn’t.