Happy Birthday Mr. Hockey

March 31st is Gordie Howe's birthday! Happy Birthday, Mr. Hockey.

Dave Scatchard: Making A Difference On The Ice And Off

Dave Scatchard was a solid centerman best known for playing with the Vancouver Canucks and New York Islanders. He once scored 27 goals in a season, but he was best suited as a third line pivot who used his size to wear down the opposition. He was a very responsible player defensively who, unfortunately, ran in to serious injury problems. Ultimately a concussion ended his career.

As a NHL veteran Dave Scatchard led a pretty privileged life. But he also took his opportunity as a privilege to make a difference. And that he did for a 17 year old cancer patient back in Long Island.

Here's a Chris Botta story that sums up Dave Scatchard the man:

For the previous four months, the Islanders center had befriended a 17-year old named Adam Novellano. Despite a valiant battle with cancer for most of his teenage years, Adam was told it would be better for him to return to his Islip home and receive treatment with his family at his side. He never lacked for visitors because Adam was a kid everyone liked. Still, he didn't complain when his buddy "Scatch" came over because the only thing Adam loved as much as his family and his girlfriend was hockey.

Posters of the NHL's stars were all over Adam's walls. Scatchard gave Adam a signed picture of himself but said, "I know I don't belong on the same wall with Fedorov and Lemieux and Roenick." The next time Scatchard came over, his picture was mounted right next to Adam's bed.

Once every week or so, they would play hockey on Adam's PlayStation and his two brothers would freak out that a joystick held by the real Dave Scatchard was moving around Scatchard, the video game icon. Adam told his parents he was happy he was able to help his brothers become lifetime friends with a player from the New York Islanders.

You'd never had known that Adam was near the end of his battle with cancer because he always had a smile, always had a wicked remark. When Adam finally passed away late one night last winter, everyone except his family was surprised. The last time any of his friends had seen him, Adam was making plans.

Adam's doctor called an Islanders staff member the next morning with the sad news. The staffer immediately tried to get Scatchard on his cell phone because Islanders practice should have been near its conclusion. He got voicemail. Tried again. Still no luck. The staffer got in his car and drove from the Coliseum to Iceworks in Syosset. For the first time all season, Scatchard was the first one out of the rink.

Dave Scatchard didn't get the news, and here's why.

Turns out that near the end of practice, Scatchard started thinking about his buddy Adam and how he hadn't been to his house in more than two weeks. So the Islander left the ice, immediately picked up the phone and called Elaine Novellano to see if Adam was up for some PlayStation.

Maybe it was meant to happen this way. Mrs. Novellano told Scatchard that Adam had passed away the night before, only an hour or so after Dave had scored a goal in the Coliseum for the Islanders. Dave told Mrs. N. how lucky she was to have been blessed with such an incredible child. They cried together.

Then Mrs. Novellano asked Scatchard for a favor: "You know, it would probably really help Adam's brothers if you still came over. What do you say"?

Said Scatchard, "I'll be there in a half an hour."

Little more than 12 hours after Adam had passed away, Dave Scatchard of the New York Islanders was in Islip trying to ease the pain of his family and friends.

Oleg Saprykin

Oleg Saprykin was about as enigmatic of a hockey player as they came. He was downright outstanding at times, particularly in the 2004 Stanley Cup finals with Calgary. But much of the time he was toiling on the 4th line or in the press box. 

The 2004 Stanley Cup final was very much an introduction to Saprykin for many of us. He was a 1st round draft pick back in 1999 but he really caught fire in the spring of 2004 when placed on a line with Jarome Iginla and Dean McAmmond.

"I had a tough time the first half of season, but now things are better," he said at the time. "We're playing much better as a team and now I'm playing with Jarome and Dean. I'm learning every day and every shift; those guys help me on the bench and on the ice."

Jarome Iginla was as pleased with the assignment as Saprykin. 

"It's been great," Iginla said.. "Playing with him, you get a lot of chances. He plays hard and wins a ton of battles. He's a great skater and he's a goal scorer. Any time you play with a guy like that, your line is going to get chances."

Coach Darryl Sutter was very complimentary, too. 

"Oleg has been really, really good for us this season," Sutter said. "He's got a ton of talent. And he's helped out Jarome; they feed off each other."

Ah but coach Sutter - notorious for his attention to detail and demand for sacrifice - was not always so kind to Saprykin. Much of the time he benched or demoted the Russian for undisciplined penalties and poor defensive play. 

Yes it was a bumpy evolution for the lively skater. The language and cultural barrier did not help, either. 

"It's tough when you don't speak the language," he said. "You never know what people are talking about, whether they're talking badly about you behind your back or supporting you. I was like a little kid when I got here, not knowing what was going on or what I was doing."

Perhaps Oleg was being a bit dramatic here, as he had been in North America since he was 17, tearing up the Western Hockey League in Seattle. 

The bottom line was that Oleg Saprykin was an explosive skater with a lot of talent but he never could put it all together at the NHL level. He was also a physical player at times, bordering more on pest than power forward. But injuries started taking their toll on Saprykin, perhaps causing him to shy away from the physical commitment necessary to succeed in the NHL>

Justin Mapletoft

It wasn't so long ago that Justin Mapletoft was a real promising prospect with the New York Islanders.

The Isles took a chance on the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan native in the 5th round of the 1999 draft. He had grown up in the Calgary area, excelling with a teammate by the name of Dany Heatley. The two were a force together in bantam and midget hockey.

Mapletoft filled out nicely, growing to 6'1" and 200lbs, and became a star with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL. In fact by his final year of junior he was named as the Western League's Most Valuable Player.

From there he jumped to the American Hockey League. He never put up outstanding numbers in four years in the "A," but developed a reputation as a reliable, hard-working pivot. He was a crafty puckhandler and reliable defensively, but he lacked the first step quickness to become an offensive star.

The Islanders gave him two long looks totalling 38 games over two seasons. But he was never given a serious chance as his ice time was very limited.

By 2005 Mapletoft headed to Europe where he extended his career nicely by playing in Sweden, Finland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Shootout Surprise: Marek Malik

At 6'6" and 235lbs, big Marek Malik was an imposing NHL defenseman for 11 seasons totalling 691 games.

He steadily patrolled the defensive zone with his massive wingspan and long stick. Not the most agile skater Malik learned excellent positioning to compensate and play defensively with striking poise. While his penalty minutes (620 in his career) don't suggest it, he played a tough, physical game with authority.

Offensively Malik we all assumed Malik had a very limited upside. He had a heavy slapper from the point but otherwise played wisely within his limitations.

And then this happened:

Yes, Marek Malik went between his legs to score the biggest surprise goal in the history of the NHL shootout, ending the longest NHL shootout to date while he was at it. 

And in doing so Marek Malik - who only scored 33 goals in his entire NHL career - forever became one of the greatest hockey legends. The best part has to be his nonchalant reaction as if he did it all the time.

"I was watching everything before me," said Malik, the fun loving giant teammates always called Harry. "Olie was unbelievable. He stopped everything from shots, moves. I just thought to myself, 'Maybe I'll surprise him.' I tried the move and it worked."

The proud 2006 Czech Olympian last played in the NHL in 2009 but returned to the Czech Republic to play for several more seasons.

Bob Froese: His Story

When Bob Froese's junior career ended, you would have had a hard time convincing him he'd be one of the better goalies in the NHL in the 1980s. From 1974 through 1978 Froese toiled with some bad junior teams in St. Catherines, Oshawa and Niagara Falls. He was drafted in the 11th round, 160th overall by the St Louis Blues. It is rare that a late pick blossoms like Froese did.

Froese never got a chance in St. Louis. He was apparently drafted to fill a minor league position in the Blues depth chart. He played in the lowly IHL and was released from the Blues organization in the summer of 1981.

The Blues loss was the Flyers gain as they signed him as an unrestricted free agent. He reported to minor league Hershey of the AHL but before long was called up to the Flyers. He had a strong rookie season as a backup netminder. He had a 17-4-2 record with 4 shutouts and a 2.52 GAA. Almost out of nowhere, Froese was now in the NHL to stay.

Here's the full Bob Froese story.

Teemu Selanne: Edmonton Oilers Fan?

From Reddit user "rjromes13" here's a photo of a 12 year old Teemu Selanne:

This photo is apparently from Christmas 1982, which would have been Jari Kurri's 3rd NHL season. We are not sure if Selanne has any name at all on the back of that Oilers jersey, but it should come as no surprise that Teemu - like most Finnish kids back then - was a huge fan of Jari Kurri.

As Teemu's career comes to a close many are ready to anoint him as the greatest Finnish hockey player in hockey history. Let's not forget about Jari Kurri and all those Stanley Cups and his Hall of Fame career, though. Yes, a lot of people dismiss Kurri simply as Wayne Gretzky's sidekick, and that is unfair. Let's also not forget that Kurri was a complete player, excelling at the defensive side of the game as well.

History Made: Jarome Iginla With 30 Goals Again

With two goals in Boston's 4-2 win over Washington on Saturday afternoon, the red hot Jarome Iginla hit the 30 goal mark for the 12th time in his career.

That puts Iginla in some pretty fine company. Only 11 other players - all Hockey Hall of Famers - have had 30 goals or more in 12 seasons in their careers:

Mike Gartner - 17
Jaromir Jagr - 15
Wayne Gretzky - 14
Marcel Dionne - 14
Gordie Howe - 14
Bobby Hull - 13
Brett Hull - 13
Phil Esposito - 13
Mats Sundin - 13
Luc Robitaille 12
Brendan Shanahan -12
Jarome Iginla - 12

"Iggy" now has 558 career NHL goals, ranking him 25th all time.

One Less Hartford Whaler

38 year old Hnat Domenichelli retired earlier this month.

Yes, I know, you probably assumed the former NHL retired a long time ago. After all he hasn't played in the NHL since 2003, though astute observers will remember he represented Switzerland at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

Domenichelli, an undersized scoring dynamo, played 267 games in the NHL but has been in Switzerland for the past decade. In 491 Swiss league games he scored 528 points including 240 goals.

Now in the NHL Hnat may be best remembered in Calgary or Atlanta. He also played briefly in Minnesota. But he got his start with the now extinct-Hartford Whalers. The Whalers drafted Hnat out of Kamloops (WHL) in 1994 and he played just 13 games in the 1996-97 season.

The Whalers hold a certain cult-like status in the heart of many hockey fans. And RJ Pratt on the SIHR discussion list noted that Domenichelli's retirement leaves only five former Hartford Whalers still playing hockey somewhere, though one has a pretty big asterisk.

Jean Sebastien Giguere is still playing in Colorado. He is having a decent season as a back-up but he is 36 years old and on an expiring contract. His days may be numbered, too. He looks like a good bet to be the last former Whaler to play in a NHL game.

Like Domenichelli, three former Whalers remain active in Europe. Michael Nylander is playing with his son in Sweden. Robert Petrovicky is playing in Slovakia while shootout legend Marek Malik is in Austria.

The final former Whaler who is still active is Chris Pronger. Like I said, there is a pretty big asterisk there. Pronger is a certain Hall of Famer but he has not played since November 2011 thanks to a scary eye injury. His career is, for all intents and purposes, over. There is almost zero chance he will ever play again. But due to contractual concerns he can not technically retire until the expiration of his contract in 2017.

Eddie-O: Ed Olczyk: His Story

A Chicago native who grew up cheering on the Blackhawks, Eddie Olczyk's status as hometown hero was both a blessing and a curse.

Olczyk, along with another young American prodigy named Al Iafrate, crossed the border and played junior B hockey in Stratford, Ontario. He would not pursue junior hockey any further, instead focusing on making the 1984 US Olympic team. At the age of 17 he was the youngest American in Sarajevo. A center throughout his youth, he switched to play left wing on the "Diaper Line" with fellow American youngsters Pat LaFontaine and David A. Jensen. In six Olympic games he scored 9 points.

The Chicago Blackhawks made the local boy their first pick, third overall in the 1984 draft, directly behind Mario Lemieux and Kirk Muller, and ahead of the likes of Shayne Corson, Gary Roberts and Iafrate. The Hawks actually had to trade up from the 6th spot, offering Los Angeles goalie Bob Janecyk to swap picks. The Hawks then had to give New Jersey future considerations in order to assure the Devils would not take the native of Palos Heights, Illinois.

The hometown hero was an instant hit in Chicago.

"In my first game, I scored a goal and the fans started chanting my name like they used to for Tony Esposito. I'd never felt better in my whole life."

Here's the full Eddie Olczyk story.

The Rock: Larry Zeidel - His Story

Larry Zeidel was hockey's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

On the ice he was the evil Mr. Hyde and off the ice he was the nice Dr. Jekyll. He received the tag of "The fastest stick in the Midwest" and it wasn't because of his slick stickhandling. Larry had a reputation of using his stick as a spear whenever he felt it necessary, which was quite often.

No other professional player was involved in more stick swinging incidents than Larry. His most famous one came in the NHL against Bruins Eddie Shack. Both combatants tried to scalp each other after Shack had made racial remarks against Larry, who was Jewish. In another stick swinging incident that happened in the WHL it was Larry and Willie O'Ree (the first black player in the NHL) who tried to chop off each others heads. WHL's league president Al Leader almost expelled Larry from the league.

So how come that Larry became such a rough player? Larry had two explanations for this.

"I guess there are a couple of reasons. First, I played some senior hockey in Quebec City and we could play well and win, but the fans would rather have us involved in a real brawl and lose the game. There were a lot of rugged guys in the league at that time, too, so maybe it was partly a matter of survival. The other thing is that there's the big thing of being young and having stars in your eyes. The clubs themselves are as much or more to blame. They play up the tough guys. Guts, guts, guts is all you hear from a lot of coaches and managers, even as early as junior. I was playing for some coaches and managers who would tell me ' go get him ,' so I did "

Here's the full Larry "The Rock" Zeidel story.

Denman Arena: Canada's First Artificial Ice Rink

When Lester and Frank Patrick were building their western hockey empire in the early 1900s, they constructed Denman Arena in downtown Vancouver to be their showcase venue.

Built on the current site of Devonian Harbour Park (pictured below) on the northwest corner of Denman and Georgia Streets, it was the first artificial ice rink in Canada (the Patrick's also opened the 4,000 seat artificial ice rink Patrick Arena in Victoria around the same time) and one of the largest venues in all of North America when it opened in 1911.

The 10,500 seat arena not only housed Pacific Coast Hockey League action - the first such professional hockey league in British Columbia - but also operas, evangelists, politicians, boxing matches and ice shows. And yes, they even had public skating.

The land, close to Vancouver's famous Stanley Park, originally was a ranch owned by transplanted Hawaiian families who grew fruit and produced charcoal there. By transforming the land into a public destination point, the Patrick's expanded Vancouver's growth as a city significantly.

British Columbian hockey historian Craig Bowlsby said "It was a magnet for entertainment. It was probably the most important cultural center in the city. If you look at the city at this time you see a big block of wood, you wonder what it's doing there. It was used for everything."

During World War I the Patricks found themselves dumbfounded as the Canadian military seized control of the arena to use it as an assembly point for Canadian servicemen stationed in British Columbia's lower mainland.

The large wooden arena burned down in 1936, just hours after hosting a boxing match before 4,000 fans. The Vancouver Sun newspaper reported that the fire "started mysteriously." Just months earlier construction crews clad the building in brick to reduce the chance of destruction by fire.

An adjoining 2,500 seat auditorium survived the fire and was continued to be used for several purposes until 1959. Lester Patrick sold the auditorium and land to a fellow named H.M. Singer for just $80,000. Singer was said to be interested in building a new, state of the art arena at the location, but never did. He leased the land to Boeing for storage space for their seaplane division and managed the auditorium until 1959 when it was demolished. The opening of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre made the aging venue redundant.

Devonian Harbour Park is now a very popular park in Vancouver, especially for dog lovers. A historical marker is the only hint of hockey's historic importance on the site. There are also many cherry trees to honour the Hawaiian families who lived here before that.

Joe Bell

Joe Bell was certainly not the best known former NHLer. He played 47 games with the New York Rangers over two seasons - 1942-43 and 1946-47. His enrollment in the Canadian armed forces during World War II interrupt a promising NHL career.

Joe Bell passed away in 2014 at the age of 90 at his home in Seattle, Washington.

Bell lived most of his post-hockey life in Seattle, but it was in Manitoba where he was a hockey legend. The Portage La Prairie-born Bell is a member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame, where he is enshrined beside his brother Gordie and father Addie.

Bell led the MJHL in goals in 1942 as the Portage La Prairie Terriers not only won the provincial championship, but also Memorial Cup as Canada's national junior championships. Coached by father Addie, the Terriers defeated the Oshawa Generals in four games in Winnipeg. Gordie was in net while Joe led the team both in terms of offense and courage. He overcame a hospitalized bout with the flu-turned-bladder infection to win the Memorial Cup.

Bell's career was ready to take off and he immediately joined the Rangers for 15 games of the 1942-43 season. The Rangers roster was ravaged by players summoned to World War II, and soon enough Bell was called too. He went to work for the Canadian navy, serving on the HMCS Barrie and HMCS Kapuskasing, escorting convoys across the North Atlantic from St. John's, Newfoundland to Derry, Northern Ireland.

Bell returned to hockey duty in 1945-46 and apprenticed in the AHL with New Haven-Hershey, leading the entire league in goals with an impressive 46. That led to a return to the Rangers for the 1946-47 season. He played most of the season in New York - 47 games - but played sparingly. He scored 6 goals and 10 points.

That was the last of his NHL playing days, but Bell continued to play in minor league cities such as Buffalo, Louisville, Dallas and Seattle, where he was a notable star. He would remain in Seattle until his death in 2014. He would return to Canada often to hunt, and he also was a very good golfer.

65 Roses: Mark Napier - His Story

As an 18-year old Mark Napier was rated as the top player in Canada born in 1957 by pro scouts. He had an impressive 223 points in 131 games during two seasons for his hometown team Toronto Marlboros in the OHA. In his last season with the Marlies, 1974-75, Napier led the team to the Memorial Cup as well as being named to the 1st All-Star team. He also led all scorers in goals (24) and points (48) in the playoffs.

Despite still having two years of junior eligibility remaining, he signed as an under-age junior with the WHA Toronto Toro's May 1975. Napier was an instant hit in the WHA, recording 93 points, and was the only rookie to finish among the league's top 50 scorers. He also was voted as the WHA rookie of the year. In his sophomore season Mark exploded for 60 goals, one of only 8 players to do so in WHA history.

Napier was a spectacular skater, blessed with tremendous speed and acceleration. He also had good balance, skating with his legs wide apart forming a low center of gravity. He maintained his fine speed until he was well past 30. Mark thrived on fast-breaks, transition offense and two-on-one situations.

He was drafted from the Birmingham Bulls (WHA) by Montreal Canadiens in the 1st round,10th overall of the 1977 entry draft. The Montreal fans loved his eye-pleasing end-to-end rushes and his streaky goal scoring exploits.

Often paired with fiery Doug Risebrough, Napier led Montreal in goals three consecutive season with 35 tallies in 1980-81 and 40 in back to back seasons in 1982 and 1983. On January 23rd, 1982 he set the team record for fastest two goals from the start of a game, scoring twice in the opening 38 seconds against Calgary.

Here's the full Mark Napier story.

His Story: Garry Unger

It may be hard to believe nowadays, but there was a time when the Detroit Red Wings were the weakest of the weak in hockey. Head back to the late 1960s and especially the 1970s. They were ridiculously outpaced by their Original Six counterparts. Even most NHL expansion teams and even some of the WHA teams were stronger than the Red Wings.

The Red Wings made some real bonehead moves back then. Most notably they alienated a young Marcel Dionne and later let him get away. Another young star they chased out of town was Garry Unger, all because of his hair.

In 1971 the Wings had an old school coach named Ned Harkness. In some ways he was the epitome of the later day Mike Keenan, a strict authoritarian who would make unreasonable demands, but without Keenan's success.

Harkness and Unger clashed almost immediately. Unger, who scored 42 goals as a sophomore in 1969-70, had a somewhat misplaced reputation as a playboy. He was good looking with rosy cheeks, and he wore colorful clothes. His signature had to be his shoulder length blonde hair. He was known to use a hair dryer as much as a hockey blade torch. And hey it must have worked, as he was dating Miss America in 1970.

It may have been the 70s, but Harkness would have none of this. He ordered all of his players to get crew-cuts. Unger refused, and on February 6th, 1971 he, Tim Ecclestone and Wayne Connelly were traded to St. Louis in exchange for expansion scoring star Red Berenson. It turned out to be a terrible trade for the Wings.

Here's the full Garry Unger story.

The New Hockey Puck?

One of the most consistent pieces of equipment in hockey history has been the hockey puck. Other than the asinine 1990s move to make the puck glow for novice television audiences, the hockey puck has remained pretty much the same since the late 1800s.

But could the hockey puck be improved upon? And if so, does hockey need a new, radically different hockey puck?

How about a puck that looks like this?

No, April Fool's Day has not come early. (I think.)

This is, apparently, a legitimate invention of Nordic Society for Invention and Discovery. It is called the Aalto Puck - named after Finnish architect Alvar Aalto.

Here's their spiel from their website.

Since the middle ages ice hockey has been played with round pucks. For obvious reasons, round pucks are predictable. So this is why we are proud to present the first non-round hockey puck, the Aalto puck. Inspired by the free forms of the Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto. The Aalto Puck is made in the same material as a regular hockey puck and behaves in the same way on ice with one fundamental difference - it has a built in randomness, it doesn't bounce as a regular puck, it can, depending on how it's hit, speed off in different ways. And more importantly, by adding an element of chance it's the most equal puck produced. Advantages are randomly given to either of the two competing teams.

What do you think of the Aalto Puck?

His Story: Pete Mahovlich

When Pete Mahovlich joined the National Hockey League, he was instantly labeled as Frank Mahovlich's little brother. Little is about the last word that should be used to describe Pete Mahovlich.

Frank Mahovlich was a 10 year veteran by the time Pete broke into the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings in 1966. Frank had already established himself as not only one of the top scorers in league history, but one of the bigger players as well. Standing 6 feet tall and weighing 205 pounds, Frank was one of the largest players of his day, earning him the nickname "The Big M."

While Pete Mahovlich never really had a nickname that stuck quite like that, little brother Pete should have been known as "The Bigger M." Pete Mahovlich towered not only over brother Frank, but everyone else in the NHL. He stood at 6'5" and weighed 215 pounds. A player of that size is becoming more and more common today's NHL, but someone of that size playing hockey was almost unheard of back in the 1960 and 1970s.

As today's fans know, players of such huge size are often tagged as slow skaters and having poor hands. Oddly enough, Mahovlich excelled as a stickhandler, playmaker and penalty killer, and considering his awkward size was a good skater. What he lacked in speed and agility, he made up for with a crafty and industrious approach to the game that rarely left him out of the action.

Here's the full Pete Mahovlich story.

Gilbert Brule

Never pick up hitchhikers. That is solid advice we've all been advised from early on in life. Yet that didn't stop Gilbert Brule of the Edmonton Oilers from lending a hand to two walkers caught in a sudden Vancouver rainstorm. It turned out the hitchhikers were U2 lead singer Bono and his personal assistant. Brule was rewarded with backstage passes for the Edmonton show a couple of nights later.

That was one of the most unique moments in Gilbert Brule's short NHL career. Unfortunately his career lasted only 299 games, far fewer than was expected of him. Yes, Gilbert Brule certainly wasn't the first high draft pick to not pan out in the NHL. Nor was he certainly the last.

The lowly Columbus Blue Jackets drafted Brule 6th overall in 2005 following a fantastic junior career with the WHL Vancouver Giants. He was praised for his strong skating and willingness to play physically despite his modest size. Some even considered Brule to be the 2nd best prospect in the draft, behind Sidney Crosby.

But for a variety of reasons he suffered through his fair share of adversity preventing him from achieving his potential. He was rushed into the NHL at age 18 by an incompetent Columbus Blue Jackets franchise, and suffered a broken collar bone and a broken leg in his rookie season. The injuries kept coming, and despite some formidable skills (he had great hands and played an aggressive game) he was never able to put everything together.

After just two seasons in Columbus the Blue Jackets traded Brule to his hometown Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Raffi Torres. After a season of apprenticing mostly in the minors, Brule seemed to make steps in the right direction under coach Pat Quinn in the 2009-10 season. Brule played a nice role on a line with big Dustin Penner. Brule chipped in 37 points in 65 games, and earned a 2 year contract.

Unfortunately for Brule things started going downhill again from there. He would miss half of the following season for a variety of injuries including a concussion. By the beginning of the 2011-12 season he was released after losing his job to rookie Anton Lander. 

The Phoenix Coyotes claimed Brule off of the waiver wire, hoping to find a lost diamond in the rough. He would playing sparingly in parts of the next two seasons.

When the Coyotes tried demoting Brule to the minor leagues early in the 2013-14 season he decided he had had enough. Choosing not to live his life out of a suitcase he chose to retire from the game of hockey.

Brule, who was the 2004-05 CHL Scholastic Player of the Year, was troubled off the ice. With his confidence fractured he was known to seek help from sports psychologists. He later came out with allegations that he and his father had a broken relationship. Brule claimed his father was stealing money from him.

Tequila Sunrise

Which former NHLer hung out with The Eagles?

He was also there as Frey finished writing "Tequila Sunrise" and helped provide the inspiration for it's title. After a marathon session of writing, Frey broke out a bottle of tequila around 4 a.m. while trying to figure out the ending and the title. "All I remember, the sun's starting to come up, we had maybe a couple too many tequilas, and he has a tequila in his hand and looks at it and goes "Wow, what a tequila sunrise this is."

Here is your answer.

Toronto Beats Boston For 2014 Clarkson Cup

The Clarkson Cup - the Stanley Cup of professional women's hockey - was won by the Toronto Furies on the weekend.

In an exciting 1-0 overtime win the Toronto Furies won the Canadian Women’s Hockey League championship game over the Boston Blades.

Britni Smith scored just 33 seconds into the extra period to defeat the defending champions from Boston. For Toronto it is their first Clarkson Cup championship.

The game was played before a standing-room only crowd at Markham, Ontario's Centennial Arena.

Toronto was a surprise finalist after defeating the number-one ranked, three-time Clarkson Cup champion Montreal Stars on Friday in the round-robin's lone shootout. The Blades were undefeated in the round robin with an impressive 3-0 record, allowing just four goals against in the entire tournament.

Dmitri Kvartalnov

I guess Dmitri Kvartalnov never really impressed NHL scouts in the 1980s. He played under the radar with Khimik Voskresensk, becoming a regular from 1986 through 1991. Only twice did he represent the mighty CCCP internationally, including at the 1989 World Championships where the team won gold.

But as the Iron Curtain lifted and Russian players started fleeing to the National Hockey League, Kvartalnov attracted little interest. But he was determined to come to North America. He signed with the San Diego Gulls of the IHL. The Californian sunshine compared to the deep Russian winter was an immediate win for him.

The move played out better than even Kvartalnov could have hoped. Playing alongside Len Hachborn and a young Ray Whitney, Dmitri exploded for 60 goals and 118 points in 77 games. He was the face of the IHL, a league which was becoming more and more respected in the 1990s.

This was Dmitri's ticket to the National Hockey League. The Boston Bruins, one of the last teams to get in on the Soviet exodus, selected Kvartalnov 16th overall in the weak 1992 NHL Entry Draft.

At first the fit seemed better than perfect. Playing alongside Adam Oates and Joey Juneau, Kvartalnov exploded out of the gates in record fashion. The 26 year old set a rookie record (since broken) by scoring at least one point in each of his first 14 NHL games. Kvartalnov tallied 12 goals and 10 assists in his impressive debut. He would slow down, but still finished his rookie season with 30 goals and 42 assists for 72 points in 73 games.

But all was not well on the inside. Surprisingly the Bruins left him unprotected in the expansion draft, and despite his rookie campaign. Perhaps more surprisingly, he went unclaimed.
Upon his return to Boston for year two he immediately landed in coach Brian Sutter's dog house. Kvartalnov was a soft, individualistic player who shied away from the physical game - pretty much the exact type of one-dimensional player Sutter could not stand. After half a season Kvartalnov was waived to the minor leagues, never to return to the NHL again.

Kvartalnov left North America at the end of that 1993-94 season. He found big money in Europe, which is where he played for another 13 seasons before retiring in 2007. He starred in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Finland, and of course back home in Russia with several teams, most notably Kazan Ak-Bars.

The Enigmatic Viktor Kozlov

Over the years since Russian hockey players started coming over to the National Hockey League there have been some true enigmas.

Viktor Kozlov may have been the biggest.

There was the fascinating package of size and skill that left every NHL scout and coach drooling. Many sources list him at 6'5" and 225lbs. But then add his skating ability to the mix and scouts envisioned someone as unstoppable as a runaway train. He may not have had top end breakaway speed but was blessed with quickness and agility of a player much smaller. A strong shooter (he had a lazer of wrist shot) and puckhandler, the right-handed Kozlov reminded viewers of Mario Lemieux every now and again when he came off the boards and attacked from the left side.

Then there was the lofty draft expectations. The San Jose Sharks grabbed the native of Togliatti 6th overall in the 1993 NHL Draft. That was the draft where Alexandre Daigle went first overall and was followed by long time NHL players-to-be Chris Pronger, Chris Gratton, Paul Kariya and Rob Niedermayer.

Not that Kozlov did not turn into a long time NHL player himself. He played 897 NHL games and continued his career back in Russia after leaving the NHL in 2009.

Viktor Kozlov was a finesse player in a big man's body. When you are as big as Kozlov, there are certain expectations of physical dominance. There is a long list of giants who did not play as physically as the hockey world wanted them to play. But few were as talented as Viktor Kozlov.

Kozlov's best years came in Florida where he spent parts of 7 seasons. The Sharks, most notably new coach Darryl Sutter, grew impatient with their young phenom, the Sharks moved Kozlov to Florida in 1998. In 1999-2000 Kozlov scored his typical 17 goals but added a career high 53 assists for a career best 70 points. That was the year he played alongside countryman Pavel Bure, and his job was pretty much to get the puck to the Russian Rocket as quickly as possible.

Without Bure on his side Kozlov was a regular 15-18 goal guy and 40-50 points. Twice he topped 20 goals. He was streaky but too often there were long lapses between hot spells.

So why did he never emerge as the talent he was projected to be? Florida coach Terry Murray chimes in with this:

"He has wonderful skills, he's talented, he's a big horse who can play a lot of minutes," he said. "I think it's a matter of getting all the other stuff to work out. He's a player who wants control rather than maybe getting the puck deep or getting a forecheck going. He's got such great puck skills that we don't want to discourage that, but we don't want him to try and beat two or three guys, either."

I suspect Kozlov's approach to the game of hockey was something most NHL fans and coaches never understood. He was one of the last hockey players born and bred in the Soviet hockey era where the classic Russian centerman often played an understated possession game where the center was the chess-master. Think Igor Larionov or Sergei Fedorov.

But so many other Soviet trained Russian centers struggled to the point of the enigma status. They were creative artists at heart, and hockey was to be a beautiful game. When they came to North America they were asked to play a very foreign game in the NHL. Perhaps the enigmas responded with supposed indifference more because they were frustrated or almost suffocated rather than true disinterest. Their hockey training did not allow them to thrive in a NHL system, and maybe the players did not understand why any better than the NHL coaches.

Perhaps the NHL fraternity is partially at fault for the enigma status of players like Viktor Kozlov. Had they been better able to understand the classic training of Russian centermen - something Scotty Bowman did with Larionov and Fedorov in Detroit - they would have fulfilled our expectations.

Tomas Holmstrom

Here's a few photos that tell you most of what you need to know about how Detroit's Tomas Holmstrom played the game of hockey:

The man they called "Homer" made his home right at the top of the opposing goaltender's crease. No one was better at screening goaltenders and crashing the net. It was far from an easy job - why do you think so few players excel at it as long as Holmstrom did? But this strong and courageous bull was rewarded as a power play fixture in Detroit.

He also won four Stanley Cups and an Olympic gold medal in a career that exceeded over 1000 NHL games played.

Not bad for a guy a lot of people did not think had much of a chance to play in the NHL. His compete level was undeniable, as was his intelligence factor. But the former Lulea star was a cumbersome skater lacking quickness and he had no offensive flash. Though he worked tirelessly to improve his skating he always seemed awkward out there. Injuries over the years did not help (and there were a lot of injuries!). But ultimately his skating never really limited his even strength time.

"My role is to be in front of the net, digging pucks from out of the corners and feeding the puck to my linemates," Holmstrom said. "If shots are coming from the point, I have to get in front of the net and screen the goalie. While I am doing that, it is important for me to keep sight of the puck in case I can tip it in or jump on a rebound. If the puck goes into the corner, I try to move it to the point. If you're going to deliver pucks you've got to have good hands too. So you need skill and grit together."

The man they call Demolition Man certainly knew his role well.

"Goalies today are too good," Holmstrom continued. "Shots without any traffic in front of them are routine saves for them. I learned long ago that my skills are limited. But if I can make a pest of myself by blocking the sightlines of a goalie or maybe even gently bump him -- anything to distract him -- well, then, I've done my job."

Holmstrom was one of the bravest warriors I've ever seen play in the NHL. He's a mucker who camped out in front of the opponent's net, letting goalies slash at his ankles and defensemen jab at his kidneys so he can draw penalties, deflect flying pucks, pounce on rebounds and create chaos.

"Tomas is pesky because he's relentless," said Detroit Red Wings assistant coach Barry Smith. "He is relentless on the puck and he's relentless in front of the net and fighting for loose pucks. He just plays hard. What happens is the other players are so ticked off because Tomas won't give up that they cross-check him or knock him down just to get rid of him and end up taking a penalty.

"What makes him different from a lot of other pesky players is Tomas Holmstrom is a power-play specialist who you can put out there with anybody. His ability to get other teams to concentrate on him, and to have goaltenders concerned about him has helped us tremendously. Sometimes it frees up somebody else for a rebound. Plus, Tomas tips a lot of pucks in front and can put it in himself. He protects the puck extremely well and it's hard to get it off him."

"Homer gives our power play so many options," coach Dave Lewis said. "He's another dimension for the other team to worry about down low. But also he gives the guys up front other options because of things he's capable of doing, like tipping the puck, redirecting, passing it."

Aside from his power play prowess, the thing that made Holmstrom so effective was that he was so disciplined at his craft. Night in, night out he would head straight to the crease. He rarely got called for goaltender interference. And no matter how badly opposing defenders mistreated him - think of the countless slashed and crosschecks he endured - he rarely retaliated.

A classic diamond in the rough, Holmstrom was taken 257th overall in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. Hespent two additional seasons in the Swedish Elite League before joining the Red Wings in 1996-97. Filtered in and out of the lineup during his first two NHL campaigns, Holmstrom became a regular during his superlative playoff performance in the spring of 1998. Then, he notched seven goals (two more than he managed during the entire regular season) and finished third in team scoring with 19 points in 22 playoff contests.

"Tomas was a definite key in our winning the Stanley Cup that year," says Holland. "He was used sparingly during the regular season and waited his turn. We had some injuries going into the playoffs, so Tomas pounced on the opportunity and took advantage of it.

The was no doubting Tomas come spring time especially. He always seemed to play his best hockey in the playoffs.

2002 is another example. He scored just 8 goals in the regular season, then scored another 8 goals (second most on the team) in 23 playoff games to help Detroit win another Stanley Cup.

In all he won four Stanley Cups and an Olympic gold medal. He also won the respect of everyone in hockey - teammates and opposition alike. He was one of the most valuable role players I have ever seen in the game of hockey. Ryan Smyth and Dino Ciccarelli are two very strong comparables.

Wayne Gretzky: Crackers, Anyone?

Crackers was a kids magazine put out in Canada by Scholastic Books. This particular edition, issue #3, featuring a young Wayne Gretzky on the cover was from 1982. Inside the magazine was a short, 3 page article featuring more photos and statistics. A Peter Puck feature was also included.

Aaron Voros Romantically Linked With Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Stam

Okay, so I purposely selected this less than flattering photo of former NHL 4th liner Aaron Voros. Voros was a journeyman 4th liner who played parts of four seasons with the Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks, last appearing in a handful of games in the 2010-11 season. In 162 games he scored 18 times and assisted on 19 others while accumulating nearly 400 penalty minutes.

He wasn't pretty as a hockey player. But apparently he's got what it takes to score with Hollywood hotties. Gossip columns have him linked romantically with troubled actress Lindsay Lohan and Victoria Secret model Jessica Stam.

Go figure.

Stephane Veilleux

When Stephane Veilleux scored a goal against the Edmonton Oilers last week, I had to do a double check.

I assumed Veilleux -a stereotypical Minnesota Wild checker - had retired a long time ago. They didn't have another guy by the same name, could they?

It turns out it was in fact every Minnesota fan's favorite checker. He is still around, although no one should be faulted if they had all but assumed he was long gone.

Veilleux has played just 22 NHL games in the past three seasons. After 8 solid NHL season (including 7 in Minnesota), Veilleux has spent the last three years toiling in the minor leagues.

Most long time NHLers would walk away from the game in such a situation. But the deceptive Veilleux kept plugging away, and always kept the dream of returning to the NHL alive.

“You can never give up,” said Veilleux in a recent interview with Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. “There’s times that I can’t deny when I’m down in the AHL, sometimes you wonder if you’re going to get another sniff up here. But I always have the mind-set that being down there, you’re still playing hockey and you’re still doing what you love.

“But I’ve never been satisfied with anything, so that’s what keeps me working as I hard as I did my first couple years in Minnesota. To come up and have a role and be contributing on a winning NHL team right now, I’m really proud of it.”

Coach Mike Yeo is proud of Veilleux, too. “He’s a real competitive guy and brings a lot of passion to the game, and that stuff’s valuable to your team,” Yeo said. “You go on the road and you’ve got a guy like that playing with that type of intensity, that’s quite often contagious to the rest of the group.”

It almost sounds like Yeo could be describing the much respected Veilleux of a few years ago.

Marc Chouinard

Marc Chouinard's NHL career as a giant faceoff and defensive specialist lasted 320 games, but I don't think he got a lot of respect from NHL fans.

I guess that can happen to a hulking 6'5" 215lb center with a very limited offensive game who was drafted 32nd overall and linked forever in the trading of Teemu Selanne from the Winnipeg Jets.

Yes, young Marc was a very intriguing prospect with his size, deceptive skating and work ethic. He never put up fantastic numbers in junior but size is the NHL scouts great equalizer. So the Winnipeg Jets drafted him 32nd overall in 1995.

But Marc never had a chance in Winnipeg. He was returned to junior immediately and during that season he was traded with Teemu Selanne to Anaheim for Oleg Tverdovsky and Chad Kilger.

Chouinard's arrival in the NHL was a long time coming as he proceeded to apprentice in the minor leagues for four seasons before finally getting a chance with the Ducks.

Mind you, Chouinard was just happy to be playing hockey anywhere. Just 8 games into his first season in the minor leagues near tragedy struck.

"It was Halloween night, a Friday night, in the second period, against the Kentucky Thoroughblades, and I went to finish my check against one of their players," Chouinard remembered. "Somehow, when I hit him, his skate blade cut through my boot and severed my Achilles tendon. I limped back to the bench, knowing something was wrong but not knowing it was going to be that bad. Later on, they told me my foot was being held on by my skate because it was so tight.

"When it came time for my next shift, I told them it felt like my heel was missing and they didn't understand what I meant by that so they told me to take off my skate. With the pressure off, the blood started flowing out and they knew something wasn't right. I went to the clinic at the rink and then the hospital. The team surgeon came in, took one look and said, 'Sorry, Marc, but your season is over.' He put his finger in my wound and showed me how deep it was. He stitched me up and did the surgery on Monday."

The tendon pulled back on both ends so, after the doctor rejoined the ends, the therapy was designed to stretch it out over a long period until it was at or near its original length.

"It took eight months to get back skating," Chouinard said. "I had six different casts with different angles to keep flexibility in my foot. I had a special boot for another four weeks. Then they put a heel lift in my shoe, then a smaller one, then a smaller one, and so on. I took five-to-sixth months before I could walk again and eight months before I could skate. It was pretty frustrating.

"The thing they made me realize was that the tendon on that leg was always going to be shorter than the other because it was basically missing a piece," Chouinard said, explaining that the ends had to overlap a bit to be connected. "It was hard the next season because I felt a little off-balance and I kept spraining it, four sprains in the first two months. I'd get hit and it would sprain. I had to have insoles put in my skate and kept working on my therapy."

Chouinard put in the work, learned to play with the injury and learned how to become a good pro hockey player. He was rewarded with 320 games in the NHL, including playing in the 2003 Stanley Cup final. He even scored a big goal in game 3.

"I had to work double-overtime to get back. It was frustrating but I was fortunate to be able to get back and work hard enough to earn another chance.

After three seasons in Anaheim he had two solid seasons in Minnesota. He even got off to a strong start in his first season with the Wild, scoring 6 goals and 11 points in the first 10 games of the season. That caught the attention of the Canadian Olympic team who included Chouinard in the team's ridiculous list of 81 players for consideration for the 2006 Olympics.

Chouinard did cool off offensively and no he never got any closer to going to the Olympics, but still it was an exciting time for big Marc.

"I got up from my nap, we played that night, and my agent had sent me a text message on my phone saying congratulations. I said, `Congratulations for what?' Then I found out it was for making the preliminary list on the Canadian Olympic team. I sort of laughed, but I was honoured. It was unexpected to be honest. But I appreciate it, it's like a tap on the back."

He also had a short stint in Vancouver before heading overseas to finish his hockey career.

Marc's uncle, Guy Chouinard, was an NHL star for 10 seasons from 1974-1984 with the Flames in Atlanta and Calgary and the St. Louis Blues. He was one of the Flames' best players, scoring 50 goals and adding 57 assists for l07 points in 1978-79. In all, he had 205 goals and 370 assists for 575 points in 578 NHL games.

Marc's father Pierre centered the great Guy Lafleur in junior, leading the Quebec Remparts to the Memorial Cup in 1970. Unfortunately an injury would end Pierre's playing days soon thereafter.

Despite the connections to the great Montreal Canadiens, Marc grew up as a a fan of the Quebec Nordiques.

"I liked Michel Goulet and Peter Stastny and I remember Joe Sakic as a rookie. Mats Sundin, Owen Nolan and Peter Forsberg and those guys were all there the last game the Nordiques played at the Colisee. I remember getting an autograph by Joe Sakic when I was a peewee."

Todd White

Todd White a crafty undersized forward from Kanata, Ontario. He was best known for the playing four seasons with the nearby Ottawa Senators, but he also played with Chicago, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Atlanta and the New York Rangers.

White was never drafted by the NHL. Instead the Blackhawks took a chance on him by signing him as a free agent when he graduated (with two degrees - accounting and finance) from Clarkson University where he also scored 197 points in four seasons.

White learned a lot more than about such high money topics at school.

"I learned a lot of life skills there, how to treat people," he said. "Most of all, I learned how to learn. Going in I was kind of smart, but didn't know how I ticked and how to become a better person."

White would spend much of his first four pro-seasons playing in the minors and learning how to be a pro hockey player.

"If you're not putting up 50 goals a year, you need to know how to play both ends of the ice," he noted.

White put everything together when his hometown Senators gave him a chance.

"When I got to Ottawa I changed my game so I wasn't a prolific scorer, but be a responsible two-way centerman," White said. "I think that's my strength at this level. I tried to prove right away that I could be trusted and responsible as a player. (Coach) Jacques Martin really took to that, and really gave me a chance as the (2000-01) season moved along. It was fourth line, but the next year I really got a great opportunity playing with Daniel Alfredsson. I think I got to be more of a playmaker then and set up the off guys."

White tried to make up for his lack of size and straight-ahead speed with strong offensive instincts and terrific quickness laterally. He was a crafty utility player blessed with versatility in that he could play any forward position. He had a heavy shot that allowed him to score 19 goals or more in 4 NHL seasons.

All said, Todd White was a nice little player who played in 653 NHL games. He scored 141 goals, 240 goals and 381 points. He added another 8 goals and 11 points in 43 post season contests.

When his vagabond hockey career was over White and his wife Sarah - also an Ottawa native - returned to Ottawa. He became involved in youth hockey as well as with radio broadcasts for Senators games.

One thing is for sure - Todd White has never taken his hockey success for granted.

"I feel very, very fortunate. I think of all the guys I've played with, how many would give anything to be where I am. I never take a day for granted. For young guys, hard work and trying to do the right thing and learning the game the best you can with coaches you have, a lot of guys can realize their dreams."

Does the NHL need bigger nets?

Why cracking down on goalie equipment isn't the answer, either.

This is Sam Lopresti. This particular picture captures the goalie of the Chicago Blackhawks posing for the team Christmas card in 1941. Cully Dahlstrom stands to his blocker side, while Joe Cooper stands to his glove hand side. Look how small that glove is!

Okay, so goaltending techniques and shooting strategies in 1941 were both down right primitive compared to nowadays. But if I'm Toronto's Syl Apps, or Boston's Milt Schmidt or Detroit's Syd Howe, I'm salivating at all that room to shoot at.

What do today's shooters get to look at?


Hello Henrik Lundqvist!

Now the nets in each picture are the exact same size. The goalies themselves aren't terribly out of comparison range. Lopresti looks tiny in his picture, but in 1941 he was list as 5'10" and over 200lbs, quite large by standards those days. Mr. Lundqvist is listed as 6'1" and 190lbs.

So what gives? Look at how big Lundqvist's pads are. Lopresti has no noticeable upper padding whatsoever. Lundqvist has bulletproof vests that make the F.B.I. jealous. Lundqvist's leg pads are much bigger. And remember how I noted how tiny Lopresti's catching glove was? It's not the best picture, but Lundqvist's might be three times as big.

Don't dare change the nets, for then you make history obsolete. Reducing the size of the goaltender's equipment is what the purists call for. You can count me among that group, and I cringe every time I hear that the notion of bigger nets is still debated.

Trimming goalie equipment is not so easy though. First off, its a matter of safety. Cut down the equipment too much and hospital beds will fill up quicker than a Sheldon Souray slap shot. These guys can fire a frozen rubber bullet 100 mph.

Sure, we can play with height and width of leg pads, shoulder pads and catching gloves, But the biggest change in equipment, which also happens to be the biggest reason for the evolution of goaltending, can not be altered.

Mr. Lundqvist has himself a fancy dancy mask, while Mr. Lopresti does not. Notice how Lopresti keeps his head out of harm's way, well above the cross bar? Without face masks, all goalies of his era had to. It was a matter of survival. And as such, all goalies played the archaic stand up style that did allow for more net to shoot at.

Enter the 1970s when all goalies wore masks, and the position finally began its long over due revolution. Goalies weren't afraid to get hit in the head, and all other equipment made the job of puck stopping a lot more safe, too. Goalies began using more of their body, even their heads, to take up space. The butterfly goaltending stance evolved to where it is today, which is almost universally applied.

Throw in far better coaching, far better athletes donning the pads, and far lighter and more water resistant padding, and the netminder's role is completely different nowadays. Goaltending has never been stronger in hockey.

I don't think anyone really wants larger nets. But, aside from reducing the size of the catching mitts, trimming goalie equipment isn't necessarily the answer either.

The debate about bigger nets probably won't go away for some time yet. At first I was completely opposed. Now I'm only, say, 95% opposed, and 5% willing to listen. Which of course means at some point long down the road I'll probably think it is not a terrible idea. But I really hope not.

I just refuse to buy into the idea that hockey needs more goals to be entertaining. I've seen my share of 1-1 and 1-0 and 2-1 games that featured tons of great plays, saves and flow. My experience from the 1980s suggest the higher scoring 7-4 and 9-5 scores were usually inferior games to the closer, lower scoring affairs.

Chuck Scherza Passes Away

Chuck Scherza was far from a household name in the hockey world. He only played 56 games in the NHL total, scoring 6 goals and 6 assists.

Scherza joined the Boston Bruins as a 20 year old at the start of the 1943-44. World War II enrolment played havoc with NHL rosters, allowing unknown youngsters like Scherza a chance to play in the big leagues.

The durable, hard hitting 5'10" 190lb forward only played 9 games in Boston before moving to the New York Rangers. The Rangers were hit particularly hard by WWII roster thinning, as they started the season 0-14-1. Scherza was a welcome addition, playing in 24 contests that season, scoring 3 goals and 5 points.

His most memorable game was his first game against the Bruins shortly after his trade from Boston. Scherza scored twice to lead the Rangers to their first goal of the season. Unfortunately he fractured two ribs and collapsed a lung by crashing into the old immovable goal posts while scoring the second goal. 

Scherza returned to the Rangers the following season, but after scoring just 2 goals in 22 games he was demoted to the minor leagues. He probably did not know it at the time, but he'd never return to the NHL.

But Scherza's hockey career was far from over. The Brandon, Manitoba native would play on in the AHL, most notably with the Providence Reds, for another decade. He helped them win the Calder Cup championship trophy in 1949 and also served as captain for five seasons.

Scherza ended his career as a playing coach with the North Bay Trappers of the Ontario senior hockey circuit. Unfortunately a high stick ended his career as his left eye was surgically removed after the incident. 

You don't need eyes to be an on ice official right? He worked as a linesman in the AHL before leaving the ice to work for a distribution company.

Chuck Scherza passed away on March 16th, 2014. He was 91 years old.

Those Were The Days: Intermission Routines

"Between periods (Johnny) Bower and (George) Armstrong would head to the washroom for a cigarette, and (Bert) Olmstead would head to the washroom for a cigarette, and (Bert) Olmstead would pop in for a drag on Army's cigarette. For a few years we thought Kelly and Horton were just resting, but they would actually fall asleep, be it a league game or game seven of the finals. It was Bower's responsibility to wake them before (coach Punch) Imlach appeared.

"We ate orange quarters between periods. The dressing room was usually quiet, unless Olmstead was upset about something. No hockey player ever demanded more from himself than Bert Olmstead, and he demanded almost as much from his teammates."

- Billy Harris, member of the 1960s Toronto Maple Leafs dynasty.

St. Patrick's Day In Montreal

St. Patrick's Day was on Monday everywhere around the world, but Montrealers happily waited for an extra 24 hours for their own special version which includes the return of St. Patrick himself.

While it is a day late you have to give props to the NHL schedule makers for trying to get the Colorado Avalanche in Montreal to play the Canadiens as close as possible to St. Patty's Day.

Patrick Roy, seen above pretending to be Batman (take note, Eddie Lack), is quite arguably the greatest goaltender of all time. So far he has proven to be a very successful coach, too. And, as always, he is a hero of the highest regard in both Quebec and Colorado. 

As a goalie he imposed his style on the game, and legions of hockey fans and goalies everywhere were grateful. It is not just that his method was effective, that the revolutionary quick drop-n-slide of a pad could stone the wickedest snap shot. Roy's way was also fun, dramatic, cocky, marvelous, at times even beautiful. Far beyond the statistics, Patrick Roy entertained us and thrilled us while he emerged so dazzlingly as the best.

Here's the full Patrick Roy biography.

Tuesday night he returns to Montreal for the first time as a coach. I suspect he will get a hearty welcome from the Montreal faithful. Partly because he is a living legend, but also partly because we all know that one day, in unforeseeable and probably still distant future, Roy will return to Montreal one more time - this time as coach of the Habs.

Alexander Oveckhkin's Ugly Plus/Minus

Alexander Ovechkin is having a most interesting season.

Ovie has runaway with the NHL goal scoring lead. He's got 45 goals and is likely the only NHLer who will hit 50 this season.

Yes, the plus/minus statistic which measures goals for/goals against for every player on the ice is deeply flawed. For example, Ovie has scored 19 power play goals where he gets no credit in the plus/minus category. But still 45 goals and -31 is pretty hard to do.

That got me thinking: Has a 50 goal scorer ever had such a lowly plus/minus ranking?

It turns out Ovie is nearing record territory in this category.

Mike Bullard (1983-84)  76gp 51-41-92, -33

Brett Hull (1992-93)  80gp 54-47-101, -27

Rick Martin (1973-74)  78gp  52-34-86, -22

Mickey Redmond (1973-74)  76gp 51-26-77, -21

Jimmy Carson (1987-88) 80gp, 55-52-107, -19

Of note, all these players have high power play goal totals except Martin who had just 8 PP tallies.

Here's a look at some more notable high goal totals with matching low plus/minus rankings.

Doug Shedden (1984-85) 80gp, 35-32-67, -51

Phil Esposito (1975-76) 74gp, 35-48-83, -40

Joe Sakic (1989-90) 80gp, 39-63-102, -40

Gilbert Perreault (1970-71) 78gp, 38-34-72, -39

Rick Martin (1971-72) 73gp, 44-30-74, -38

Mario Lemieux (1984-85) 73gp, 43-57-100, -35

Rick Nash (2003-04) 80gp, 41-15-57, -35

Michel Goulet (1987-88) 80gp, 48-58-106, -31

Wayne Gretzky (1993-94) 81gp, 38-92-130, -25