Mario Lemieux - Team Canada

Mario Lemieux played for Canada in the 1983 World Junior Championships (bronze medal), 1985 World Championships (silver medal), 1987 Canada Cup (championship), 2002 Winter Olympics (captain, gold medal) and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey (captain, championship).

At the 2002 Winter Olympics, having been selected by Gretzky to captain the roster, Lemieux led the Canadian men's team into Salt Lake City, United States. The team had failed to win a gold medal at the Olympics in fifty years but were still considered favorites to win. Lemieux was second to Joe Sakic in team scoring with six points in five games, and led the team to gold by defeating the United States 5-2 in the final game. Lemieux showcased his amazing hockey intelligence during the gold medal game against the United States. With Team Canada trailing 1-0 in the first period, Lemieux made one of the most famous and savvy plays in Olympic hockey history. After a cross-ice pass from Lemieux in the neutral zone, Canadian defenseman Chris Pronger carried the puck across the blue line into the American's zone, and fired a pass across the zone. Lemieux then faked like he was receiving the pass and proceeded to take a shot at the net, all while letting the puck slide through his legs, knowing he had forward Paul Kariya streaking behind him. Lemieux's fake caused American goalie Mike Richter to lunge in Lemieux's direction, and thus created a wide open net for Kariya to fire the puck in, as he received the pass from Pronger after Lemieux let it go to Kariya. During the tournament, his hip injury required several painkilling injections to keep him on the ice, and he only played one more NHL game after the Olympics before being lost for the season.

He would then play in his final international event, once again captaining Team Canada to victory in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, where he'd be Team Canada's 4th leading scorer, despite being 38 years old, having injuries, and playing in just 10 NHL games that year. Lemieux was also selected by team Canada for the 2006 Winter Olympics, but declined due to health.

NHL - Latest News

Florida - Scott Gomez is returning to the Eastern Conference, with the Florida Panthers announcing Wednesday they've signed the 33-year-old to a one-year contract. Terms were not disclosed. "Scott is a veteran center who adds further depth to the middle of our lineup," GM Dale Tallon said. "He is a quick and skilled forward with a wealth of hockey experience, including two Stanley Cup titles, who will be a leader for our younger players."

Gomez had at least 55 points in seven consecutive seasons from 2002-10, but has seen his production slip since then. He was bought out by the Montreal Canadiens prior to last season and signed by the San Jose Sharks, where he had two goals and 15 points in 39 regular-season games. He added two assists in nine Stanley Cup Playoff games. A first-round pick of the New Jersey Devils (No. 27) in the 1998 NHL Draft, Gomez won the Calder Trophy in 2000 after totaling 19 goals and 70 points in 82 games. He capped his rookie season by helping the Devils claim their second of three Stanley Cups. Gomez posted career highs of 33 goals and 84 points with the Devils during the 2005-06 season. In 941 career regular-season games with the Devils, New York Rangers, Canadiens and Sharks, the native of Anchorage, Alaska, has 171 goals and 701 points. He's added 29 goals and 101 points in 149 postseason games.

San Jose - Joe Pavelski gave up a chance at being an unrestricted free agent next summer for what he believes is a chance to win the Stanley Cup with the only NHL team he's ever played for. Pavelski signed a five-year contract extension with the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. Terms of the deal were not released, but multiple media outlets placed the full value at $30 million. Counting the one season remaining on his current contract, the Sharks have Pavelski signed through the 2018-19 season. His new deal doesn't start until July 1, 2014, and reportedly will carry a $6 million annual salary-cap charge. "

We haven't turned that corner quite yet," Pavelski said of the Sharks' hunt for the Stanley Cup, which includes trips to the Western Conference Final in 2010 and 2011. "We've been right there every year, and we've had that belief. This past year, obviously it's fresh off your mind, but it was one of the most believable teams I think we've had in the past. With an extra bounce or two here, we felt we could've been there right at the end. So to be a part of the core, to play those minutes, to be looked at like that, it's one of the big reasons why I believe this team can win. It's because we've been there, we've learned, we've grown up as a group in a lot of ways. To keep trying and be a part of it, it's just pretty special."

Sharks GM Doug Wilson identified re-signing Pavelski as a priority because of how important he is to the core of the team now and in future seasons. "He's a hockey player, We use him on the point on the power play. We use him on the first line. We use him on key faceoffs, blocking shots. He won a national championship in college (University of Wisconsin) for a reason."

Pavelski's contract extension, as well as the one Logan Couture signed July 5, is an indication the Sharks are close to entering a new phase as a team. Dan Boyle is 37, Joe Thornton is 34 and Patrick Marleau will be 34 when the 2013-14 season begins. Each is entering the final season of his current contract, and Wilson said he's had discussions with all three about their futures in San Jose. Pavelski is 29, and the general manager said he believes he's coming into the prime years of his career. Even if Boyle, Thornton and Marleau re-sign with the Sharks (Wilson does not publicly discuss negotiations), San Jose's core appears to be going through a facelift, with Pavelski, Couture, Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic being elevated in their roles with the team. Like Pavelski's deal, Couture's extension kicks in at the start of the 2014-15 season. Burns is one season into a five-year, $28.8 million contract, and Vlasic's five-year, $21.25 million contract extension starts this season.

"We're the sum of all our parts, The beauty of our team is when everybody brings something to the table and plays the way our coaching staff wants us to play, we can play with anybody. You talk about our core, when veteran guys like Joe and Patty and Danny encourage and support guys like [Pavelski] and Logan and [Burns] and Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun and Matt Irwin to not only take on more roles and accepting everybody has to bring leadership, it makes you a better hockey team. That's how we look at it. They like to see our younger players step up and do well, and that is the sign of a good team."

Pavelski agreed with Wilson, saying he feels he is entering his prime despite having played seven seasons in the NHL. However, he's not sure if this contract extension changes his role with the team because he's already seen as a leader and one of the franchise's top players. He said his goal over the course of the next six seasons, other than to win the Stanley Cup, is to be a more consistent player. Pavelski has 150 goals and 186 assists in 479 NHL games. He has 50 points in 74 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including 12 in 11 games this past spring. "I've played at a high level at times throughout my career, through stretches, and it's about getting to that high level and it's about maintaining it and expecting that on a nightly basis," Pavelski said. "That's what I believe in myself, that I can do, and I think a lot of players look to you to perform that way, and that's what we need as a group. The consistency has to be there, and that's what I'm looking for and getting to that high level and staying there."

Wilson has no doubt Pavelski can stay there. He already has seen him do it. "He's a winner, He's a great role model for many of our other players that are home grown. The way he plays the game, it's not about stats, even though his stats are very impressive; it's about you can do to make a difference to win a game. That's the way he's wired, the way we want to play. I think he's only going to get better, but he's been pretty good already regular season, playoffs and Olympics."

Vancouver - The Vancouver Canucks have signed forward Ronalds Kenins, the team announced Tuesday. No terms were released. Kenins, 22, spent the 2012-13 season with the Zurich Lions; he had 17 points (three goals) in 45 games. "I think I'm a power forward," Kenins (6-foot, 201 pounds) told the Canucks website. "I go to the net, I shoot the puck, I do the dirty stuff; that's how I play."

Kenins represented Latvia at three World Championships (2011, 1012 and 2013). Kenins also played in the 2010 World Junior Championship with four points (two goals) in six games."I'm still a young guy," Kenins said. "I look [to] the older guys and how to play and I try to be like them."

 

Whitley Warriors - Weekly Round Up

DJ Good named team captain for 2013-14 season

Simon Leach (Pictured) will help Team GB as Under-18 associate coach

2013-14 Roster (so far)

Coach - Simon Leach
Assts - Darren Taylor & Dave Holland

Netminders - Richie Lawson, Joe Harley, Mark Turnbull

Defense - Rob Wilson, Tommy Ralph, Josh Maddock, Dan Harris, Nathan Ryder, Ross Hanlon

Forwards - Adam Reynolds, Karl Culley, DJ Good, Mark Good, Jamie Tinsley, Callum Watson, Dan Murdy, Martin Crammond, Christian Johnson, Jordan Barnes, Ben Richards

Player Coiuntdown - 99-90

90 - Joe Juneau - Juneau, a college star at RPI, started his career with a bang, he had 32 goals and 102 points for Boston in 1992-93, his second NHL season. He never came close to those numbers again, but finished with 156 goals and 572 points in 828 games. Juneau is one of only three players to wear No. 90 (Mike Modano will be the fourth with Detroit this season), and the only one to do so for more than one season.

91 - Sergei Fedorov - Like Mogilny, his linemate in Russia, he defected to North America and became a star. Fedorov could score (he went 56-64-120 in 1993-94, when he won the Hart Trophy), but he was more than just a one-way player, he won the Selke Trophy twice, including in his 120-point season. Fedorov was part of three Cup-winners in Detroit and mentored Alex Ovechkin for a couple of seasons in Washington before leaving the NHL with 483 goals and 1,179 points in 1,248 games.
Runner-up: Butch Goring, Brad Richards, Steven Stamkos, John Tavares

92 - Michael Nylander - Nylander wore No. 92 for most of an NHL career that saw him total 209 goals and 679 points in 920 games. His best seasons came in his early 30s, when he put up 79 and 83 points with the Rangers while centering a line that included Jaromir Jagr and Martin Straka.
Runner-up: Jeff O'Neill

 

93 - Doug Gilmour - Gilmour switched from No. 39 to No. 93 when he was dealt to Toronto from Calgary in January 1992, and promptly put up back-to-back seasons of 127 and 111 points in his first two full seasons with the Leafs. He never matched those numbers again, but was among the NHL's most intense players for another decade before retiring with 450 goals and 1,414 points in 1,474 games.
Runner-up: Petr Nedved Johan Franzen

94 - Ryan Smyth - Smyth has worn his draft year since breaking into the NHL with Edmonton, and he's spent 15 seasons making life as miserable as possible for opposing goaltenders. He's never matched the 39 goals he scored in 1996-97, his first full NHL season, but he's connected for 332 goals, most of them scored from right in front of the net.
Runner-up: Yanic Perreault

95 - Aleksey Morozov - Pittsburgh took Morozov in the first round of the 1995 Entry Draft and had him in the NHL in 1997 at age 20. His talent was apparent from the start, but despite scoring 20 goals in 2001-02 and 50 points in 2003-04 at age 26, he went back to Russia during the work stoppage and has opted to stay there. Morozov is one of only five players to wear No. 95, and the only one to do so in more than one season.

96 - Tomas Holmstrom - Two players with far better career numbers than Holmstrom, Pavel Bure (three seasons) and Phil Housley (one), both had encounters with No. 96. But no one who's worn it full-time has ever been better than Holmstrom, who has earned each and every one of the 214 goals he's scored by getting in the face of opposing goaltenders. He's got the bruises to prove it, though his four Stanley Cup rings are plenty of consolation.
Runner-up: Pierre-Marc Bouchard
97 - Jeremy Roenick - Roenick never was the offensive force wearing No. 97 that he'd been wearing No. 27, the number he sported for his first eight NHL seasons with Chicago. He made the switch after being dealt to Phoenix in 1996 and kept it through stints with Philadelphia and Los Angeles before going back to No. 27 in his last two seasons with San Jose. He never was a 50-goal man in his new number, but Roenick did have seven consecutive 20-goal seasons wearing it.
Runner-up: Rostislav Klesla

98 - Brian Lawton - Lawton, the first U.S. high school player ever taken with the No. 1 pick in the draft, wore No. 98 for his first two seasons with the Minnesota North Stars before downsizing to No. 8. The change helped his game, he went from 5 goals to scoring 18, 21 and 17 in the next three seasons. But that was as good as it got for Lawton, whose NHL playing career ended at age 27, though he's gone on to be an agent and general manager. He's the only player to wear No. 98.

99 - Wayne Gretzky - There actually have been three other players (Wilf Paiement and Rick Dudley in the early 1980s, and Joe Lamb with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1930s) who also wore No. 99. But Gretzky, who idolized Gordie Howe but couldn't get No. 9 when he started playing junior hockey because a teammate had it, has turned No. 99 into the most recognizable number in hockey. No player in hockey, and maybe in any sport, is as identified with a number as Gretzky is with No. 99, and with his number retired throughout the League, The Great One and the NHL's last two-digit number figure to stay that way for a long time.

 

Dallas Stars - Lindy Ruff to team up with Canada

The NHL will take a break in February for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, but not Dallas Stars Head Coach Lindy Ruff. He’ll be making the long trek to Russia to serve as an associate coach for Team Canada. It’s the same job he held in 2010, when Canada won the gold medal at the Vancouver games. “It’s really exciting, especially coming on the heels of winning in 2010,” said Ruff, who was named to Canada’s Olympic hockey team coaching staff on Monday. “I look at it as a great chance. You’re around some great coaches and you share a lot of great ideas.”

Detroit’s Mike Babcock returns as head coach. St. Louis’ Ken Hitchcock and Boston’s Claude Julien join Ruff as associate coaches. Ruff said with that level of coaching talent and experience, there can be interesting and sometimes intense discussions about strategy. That was the case in 2010 when the staff consisted of Babcock, Ruff, Hitchcock and Jacques Lemaire.“We had great debates, some good arguments and we had some real good laughs when we went through this is how we want to play. There are some great ideas that come out of sitting with three or four guys, going through a camp and then living with the guys for two weeks,” Ruff said. “I learned a lot from all three of the guys I was involved with in different respects. If you can take a piece here from one part of the game and piece here from another part and add that to your game, it makes you a better coach. You can always get better.”

Canada will take 25 players to Sochi. It’s expected to be 14 forwards, 8 defensemen and 3 goaltenders. Some of the decisions won’t be easy for Canada’s management staff, but it is guaranteed to be an impressive roster. Ruff said being around that level of talent is one of the best parts of the job. “It gives you a really good handle on what’s out there around the league, the marquee players on every team and what makes them so effective,” Ruff said. “You get to practice with them, watch them in game situations and you get to watch players under the most amount of pressure they can be put in.”

The 2010 gold medal game between Canada and the USA was high pressure. The U.S. rallied from a 2-0 deficit, tying the game on a Zach Parise goal with 24.4 seconds left in regulation. Sidney Crosby then won the game for Canada, scoring 7:40 into overtime. “Just how tight it was, the pressure involved. One shot wins the game and that’s how it turns out,” said Ruff. “It’s fun to watch players under those types of circumstances.”

Ruff said the bulk of the coaching staff’s work will be done prior to the NHL season. That will allow the coaches to concentrate on their NHL teams. Some of the work left will have to do with watching players as Canada tries to nail down the final roster. “We’ll have an occasional conference call and we’ll have other calls to see how players are doing,” Ruff said. “If you are coaching in the West, we’re asking about players that may be sitting on the cusp of that roster. If somebody just played this guy, we’ll want to know how he played and do you think he can be a piece we can use. Most of our work is done before we get into the season, so the four coaches that are involved can just concentrate on the job at hand. The only job left is evaluating what players you think can be part of it.”

Hockey Canada announced its roster for an Olympic orientation camp on Monday. Among the notable players not invited was Stars forward Jamie Benn. Ruff said Benn can use not getting an invitation as motivation at the beginning of next season to put himself in contention for a spot on Canada’s roster. “His name was definitely in all the talks,” Ruff said. “You can take that and let it motivate yourself. You can say I am going to use these three months and put myself on the map, and make them make a hard decision. The ball is in Jamie’s court. He’s going to have to outplay some players that are maybe ahead of him and use that as a tool to motivate himself. I’d like to put him in the best position possible to do that.”

Several countries have released Olympic camp invitations and preliminary rosters. Two Dallas Stars are under consideration as of right now. Defenseman Sergei Gonchar was named to Russia’s preliminary Olympic roster on Monday. Russia named 35 Olympic hopefuls that will gather in Sochi next month. Finland named a list of candidates for its Olympic hockey team last month, and goaltender Kari Lehtonen was among the eight netminders under consideration.

Dallas Stars - James Patrick excited to team up with Ruff

When the Dallas Stars hired Lindy Ruff as head coach in June, there was speculation that James Patrick coming to Dallas was not far behind. On Wednesday that speculation became reality as the Stars announced that Patrick would be joining Ruff’s staff as an assistant coach. “I went through a long list of candidates, some with head coaching experience, and I ended up going back to James, who I am very comfortable with,” said Ruff. “I like that he played defense and he’ll be working with the defense. I think he’ll be able to skate with them; he’s in that good of shape. I think from a development standpoint, he’ll be really good with our defensemen.”

And Patrick is excited about working with Ruff. “I certainly love working with him,” Patrick said. “I have a ton of respect for him as a person and a as coach. I am really excited that it was able to work out this way. I know he had a lot of options and I am really excited that he wanted to stay with me.”

Patrick and Ruff have a history. They were teammates with the New York Rangers in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Patrick was a defenseman in Buffalo when Ruff was head coach. And Patrick has spent the last seven seasons as an assistant coach under Ruff in Buffalo. Ruff was let go by the Sabres during last season, and Patrick was dismissed after the season. “I think for both of us it is an exciting fresh start,” said Patrick. “Being a coach in this business you’re fortunate to stay in one place only for so long. I never would have expected to be in Buffalo for so long, coming there as a player and being there for over 14 years. It’s a fresh start and it’s going to be exciting.“

Patrick played 21 seasons in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Hartford Whalers, Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres. It was the final years in Buffalo when the seeds of his coaching relationship with Ruff may have been planted. He was a veteran defenseman mentoring younger blue liners such as Brian Campbell, Jay McKee, Rhett Warrener, Dmitri Kalinin and Henrik Tallinder. “My relationship with Lindy started then because for me, it was a good fit to be a good mentor to the younger D,” Patrick said. “As far as how we worked together, it almost started there and it’s just continued. I’ve learned so much from him as far as coaching. You certainly don’t know it all when you are a player. I’ve learned so much more. He’s a great teacher. I have so much respect for him as an all-around coach. He’s been able to change with the times, he makes great adjustments during games, during points of the season. He can have tough love, but he can also be very sympathetic and forgiving to players and staff when they are going through certain things.”

Ruff and Patrick will be joined behind the Dallas bench this season by Curt Fraser, who will be in his second season as assistant coach with the Stars. Ruff has already determined how the three will split the various responsibilities. “Curt will be working with the power play and hand-in-hand with me on the forwards,” Ruff said. “James will be handling the defense and a lot of the penalty killing for the team. We’ll share some of that responsibility. I like to have a little bit of input with that seeing that I am standing down at the end of the bench with the forwards, they’re coming off the ice, and he’s at the other end with the defense. He’ll be the voice of it, but I’ll be involved to a certain extent.”

Patrick has started the process of evaluating the Stars’ group of defensemen, watching some game videos and checking out some clips on YouTube. “My first impressions are they are very mobile,” he said. “They’re a veteran defense with Stephane Robidas, Sergei Gonchar, Trevor Daley and even Alex Goligoski is not a young defenseman anymore. Daley, Robidas and Gonchar are experienced guys who have been around a long time, know how to play the game and have very good mobility. Brenden Dillon, I know is the young one and there is so much excitement about him. I heard how well he played last year. When I look at the D as a whole, they have really good mobility, they all play with pretty good gap and they all move the puck, which I think is so important.”

The transition to Dallas after 14 years in Buffalo will be a big one for Patrick, but he said having Ruff along for the ride should make things go smoothly. Throw in all the changes the Stars have made this offseason, and it just adds to the anticipation about that fresh start. “It’s a new challenge, working with different players and a new group of guys. It’s going to be fun. I know in talking to Lindy he is super pumped about the challenge,” Patrick said. “There’s a lot of excitement about the team. They’ve put a big a stamp on their team as any team has. When you bring in (Tyler) Seguin, (Shawn) Horcoff and (Rich) Peverley, three guys who can play the middle, it should improve our faceoffs. Just right there that can have a huge impact on the team. There’s a buzz around the league about the moves Dallas made. To be part of it is definitely exciting.”

Dallas Stars - Giving youth a chance

With two first-round picks in the 2013 NHL Draft, longtime Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill knew he had a unique opportunity to rebuild the Dallas Stars when the club named him their new general manager in April. But he didn't know then that a potential franchise player would eventually fall into his lap when the Stars selected the 10th pick in the draft. The second-ranked European skater according to NHL Central Scouting, Russian wing Valeri Nichushkin was a 6-foot-4 man-child in the Kontinental Hockey League last season, earning the Alexei Cherepanov Award as the league's top rookie. After concerns over his KHL contract likely compelled some teams to pass on him at the draft, the Stars snapped up the 202-pound forward. They now plan on giving him every chance to crack the team's roster. "We were excited. I think it's no secret, everybody had him as one of the top three players in the draft," Nill said. "If he was playing [Canadian junior hockey] somewhere in Moose Jaw or Peterborough, he probably would have been a top-three pick. There is risk with the Russian factor, everybody knows that. Where we were picking, he was a player we couldn't pass on. There was just too much there."

The recent retirement of Ilya Kovalchuk exacerbated fears about Russian players staying in North America. But Nichushkin repeatedly has voiced his intention to play in the NHL and signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Stars earlier this month. What's more, Nichushkin has said publicly he terminated his contract with Dynamo Moscow so he could play in the NHL right away. Nill is looking to oblige the hulking forward. "We're excited. We think he's very close, but I don't want to put expectations on him either. I want to be careful," Nill said. "He's going to get every opportunity in the world to be on the team. We want to keep him around for a while."

An extra, if unintentional, factor in Nichushkin's development in Dallas is the presence of veteran Russian defenseman Sergei Gonchar. Gonchar's rights were traded to the Stars on June 7, and the club signed the 39-year-old three days later. He proved to be a key mentor to center Evgeni Malkin when they played together with the Pittsburgh Penguins and hails from Nichushkin's hometown of Chelyabinsk. Nill is hopeful Gonchar can serve the same role with Nichushkin he did with Malkin, who in seven NHL seasons has won the Stanley Cup, along with the Hart, Conn Smythe, Art Ross and Calder trophies. "Gonchar mentored Malkin, so we're looking for that same mentorship now with Nichushkin. That's another exciting piece to the puzzle. I think Sergei is really going to help," Nill said.

The former Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager said he is excited by the prospect of an 18-year-old making a Dallas team that underwent major changes this offseason, highlighted by the acquisition of forward Tyler Seguin from the Boston Bruins. "Physically, he's ready," Nill said of Nichushkin. "He's a man already. We're just going to monitor him real close and let him come in and see where he fits in. He can just come in and play, and that's going to be key to his development."

Right wing Alex Chiasson made quite a splash when he was called up to Dallas from the Texas Stars after the NHL trade deadline, scoring six goals in his first six games before being sidelined with a shoulder injury.He played primarily on a line with Ray Whitney and Jamie Benn, and he drew some strong reviews from Whitney, who said there was more to Chiasson than just the goal scoring. “I know everybody looks at the goals, but it is his overall game that is more impressive,” Whitney said. “He gets goals by going to the net. He’s good with the puck in his own zone; he’s good getting the puck out of his zone, along the boards.” Chiasson ended up playing seven games with Dallas, registering seven points (six goals, one assist) and a plus-three rating.

NY Rangers - Miller looks to the future

J.T. Miller, the Rangers first round pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, had so many incredible things happen during his first season as a professional hockey player in 2012-13. Yet his focus is placed squarely on what lies ahead of him, not all that he accomplished last season.

"All of those things that happened were really awesome in the moment, but I just don't look in the past too often, I keep the past in the past," explained Miller in between sessions at the Rangers Summer Youth Hockey Camp on Monday. "I am looking forward. I still haven't made it yet, so I have decided to focus on the future. I still have a lot on my plate, and I have things to worry about that are more important than what I have already accomplished."

Miller turned pro at the age of 19 last fall instead of playing junior hockey with Plymouth. He appeared in the American Hockey League All Star Game, and totaled eight goals and 23 points in 42 games with the Connecticut Whale. Miller also took a two-week hiatus from the Whale and helped lead the United States to the gold medal at the 2013 World Junior Championships, scoring a pair of goals and finishing with nine points in seven games. The precocious Miller was called up by the Rangers and made a solid NHL debut in New Jersey on February 5th. And then two nights later Miller scored the first two goals of his NHL career in a win over the Islanders in his Madison Square Garden debut.
Not too bad, kid.

"It was great to share those moments with some amazing people, but it was just as great to watch these world class players on the Rangers and how they prepare themselves, how they play the game," said Miller, who recorded four points in 26 games with the Rangers a year ago. "But again that's in the past. I just want to get bigger, stronger, and faster, and make sure I make the team out of training camp. I learned many lessons from last year, and don't want to be overconfident in any way."

One downer from Miller's rookie season was a wrist injury he suffered late in the regular season, one he first tried to play through before the team decided his play had dropped off considerably, and he finished the season in Hartford. Though he was candidate based on merit to take part in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Rangers decided the wrist needed to heal and so Miller went home to rest while the Blueshirts took part in the post-season. The injury left Miller both hungry and frustrated.

"I was finally getting comfortable (in the NHL) and getting used to the style of play, but it just got to the point I was making more mistakes than normal (because of the wrist)," Miller said. "It's something I tried to play through, and thought I could play through. I just wanted to make my stand here, and I didn't want to let anything get in the way of that. I don't really regret anything. I just tried to play, and it was an unfortunate, frustrating kind of injury."

Miller reports that his wrist feels better now, and that he is able to lift weights and do his normal off-season program. He does admit that the wrist is not 100 percent healed just yet, but he would able to play should the season be underway right now, too. And he is still able to play five rounds or so of golf each week this summer. "I'm addicted (to golf), it's crazy," laughed Miller. "We've got some great courses in Ohio, and sometimes I cross over into (Western) Pennsylvania, too. You can't get me off the course during the summer! But trust me, I am still getting in all of my training, too!"

Miller says that with a new coaching staff in place, he has "no idea what to expect" when September's training camp rolls around. But he does know that he will be ready to battle for a roster spot once camp does begin. And one can expect that is 2013-14 is filled with even more special moments, J.T. Miller will be quickly chalking them up and moving on. Always looking ahead.

 

NY Rangers - Staal looking forward to new season

It is summertime, six weeks before training camp, and Marc Staal is the picture of calm as he spends time with family on the lake near his hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario. But beneath the calm exterior amidst this serene setting, the first still burns intensely inside of the Rangers alternate captain who hungers passionately for a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

 

“I was devastated the way it ended last year,” Staal told BlueshirtsUnited.com on Monday. “We made it to the Eastern Conference Finals two years ago and got a little taste of what we want and wanted to push it even further and couldn’t do it last year, so it was devastating. I want, and we want, to have the ultimate success in the playoffs.”

 

More than anything, that feeling is what is pushing Staal through his summer training. That, and the fact that he believes this current group of Blueshirts is a legitimate Cup contender.

 

“We have a talented and committed group here, and that’s all it takes to be a contender, but we‘ve got to still push through and win,” explained the 26 year-old Staal. “I have been in our room long enough to know that these guys want to win in the worst kind of way. I don’t think anyone in our room will be satisfied with anything less (then a championship).”

 

Staal, who has called this “one of the more normal summers recently” since he is feeling completely healthy and not dealing with concussion symptoms or a broken foot like the past two off-seasons, is training diligently every day to prepare for his first camp under the team’s new head coach Alain Vigneault. He was back on the ice and skating two weeks ago, already. While he reports that he has not sought too many outside opinions on his new coach, Staal did chat with fellow Rangers teammate and Thunder Bay resident Taylor Pyatt, who played one season under Vigneault in Vancouver. However Staal says he is most interested in meeting Vigneault and building his own relationship with the coach this fall. Staal has had several phone conversations already this summer with one of Vigenault’s assistants, Ulf Samuelsson, and he is thrilled that the former NHL defenseman and two-time Cup winner is on the Rangers staff this season. “It’s going to be great learning from Ulf, and it will pay big dividends I think for all of our defensemen,” Staal stated. “He’s coached a long time and worked with a lot of different players. And obviously his vast experience in playing the game, and knowing what we go through on a day to day basis, will make him an important guy for all of this season.”

 

Samuelsson and Staal originally came in contact with one another during the 2006 AHL playoffs when Staal, then just 19 years old, was summoned from Sudbury in the OHL to play for the Hartford Wolf Pack where Ulf was serving as an assistant coach.

 

“Even in those couple of weeks he gave me some important tips,” recalled Staal. “I think it’s going to be great to have him here now. He played in the NHL for so long and he knows what he is talking about and is a very good coach and a good guy.”

 

While Staal is looking forward to playing for Vigneault and Samuelsson, and is excited to get the season underway, he is also excited about the prospects of being invited to Team Canada’s Olympic training camp and the possibility of representing Canada in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Selected to attend camp in 2009 but not chosen to take part in the Winter Games of 2010, Staal would be thrilled to play for Canada, likely alongside brother Eric, who won gold with Canada in 2010, and possibly with younger brother Jordan, as well.

 

“I was real excited when I got that call because to be one of the name’s on that list is a pretty big honor,” explained Staal. “My focus is on preparing myself for when the season starts to help the Rangers, but you also have to be at your best to even make that team (the Olympic squad). You have to be playing really well the first few months of the season, so that, for sure, will be in my mind and I’ll see where that takes me.”

 

For now, though, Marc Staal remains back home, in “God’s Country” as he calls it, for another few weeks before heading to Team Canada’s camp and then on to New York. And though he will enjoy the serenity of the summer, the passion to win in 2013-14 will not wane, will not go away.

Pittsburgh Penguins - Robert Bortuzzo Signs 2 Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to terms with defenseman Robert Bortuzzo on a two-year contract, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero. The deal runs through the 2014-15 campaign, and has an average annual value of $600,000. Bortuzzo, 24, is coming off his first full NHL season in 2012-13, tallying two goals, two assists, four points and a plus-3 rating in 15 regular-season games. He scored his first NHL goal against the New Jersey Devils and Martin Brodeur on Feb. 2 at CONSOL Energy Center. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Bortuzzo also suited up for 31 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) in ’12-13, amassing four points (1G-3A). He was a key figure in WBS allowing the fewest goals in the AHL for the second time in three years. A native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Bortuzzo has appeared in 21 career NHL games with Pittsburgh over the previous two seasons, totaling four points (2G-2A) and a plus-4 rating. Bortuzzo has played four seasons in the AHL with WBS, collecting 54 points (10G-44A) and a plus-54 rating in 236 career regular-season games. He has added two assists in 28 career AHL playoff games. Bortuzzo, who was drafted by the Penguins in the third round (78th overall) of the 2007 NHL Draft, had his best season with WBS in ’10-11, registering career highs in goals (4), assists (22), points (26) and rating (+28) in 79 games. That season he helped WBS surrender the fewest goals in the entire AHL (183).

Pittsburgh Penguins - Bill Guerin Elected to Hall of Fame

Like many Americans during the 1980 Winter Olympic Games, a 9-year-old Bill Guerin watched the Miracle on Ice. He watched the United States upset the heavily vaunted Russians and go on to win the gold medal. With a boyish gaze, Guerin imagined himself on the ice surface with USA across his chest in that glorious moment. It became his dream to represent his country as a hockey player. Guerin lived his dream when he suited up for Team USA in three Olympic Games (1998, 2002, 2006), two World Cups (1996, 2004) and in World Junior competition. He won a sliver medal at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, Utah and gold in the 1996 World Cup. “It was always a dream ever since I knew what USA Hockey was back in 1980 when the Miracle on Ice happened,” Guerin said. “I was fortunate enough to live out a dream. It’s always been an honor for me to represent my country in the game that I love so much.”

The United States was equally honored to have a player of Guerin’s character and caliber play on its behalf. They showed their gratitude by electing Guerin into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame Thursday, along with Cindy Curley, Peter Karmanos, Jr., Ron Mason and Doug Weight. “It’s a pleasure to be inducted in the same year as a groundbreaking crew, people that have given so much to hockey in the U.S.,” Guerin said. “This is a humbling experience for me. It was very emotional. I am very grateful for this honor.”

During Guerin’s 18-year NHL career that stretched through New Jersey, Edmonton, Boston, Dallas, St. Louis, NY Islanders and Pittsburgh, he won two Stanley Cups (Pittsburgh, 2009; New Jersey, 1995) and places seventh all-time among U.S.-born players in career goals (429), eighth in power-play goals (130), fourth in game-wining goals (77) and 13th in points (856). But what Guerin, who has served as the Penguins development coach over the past two seasons, will remember most isn’t the accomplishments. Rather it’s the friendships he’s built along the way. “The best thing about playing hockey is the people,” Guerin said. “I played on eight teams and came in contact with some incredible people that have become life-long friends. The game’s given me everything and owes me nothing. I owe the game everything. From the experiences of winning Stanley Cups, winning World Cups, participating in the Olympics, bringing my family to different places because of hockey. Hockey has given me everything in my life. So many people in the game have given me more than I can ever give. I’m eternally grateful to be in this world. Hockey is a small world. There are a lot of special people in it that have helped me and supported me along the way.”

Guerin said his biggest career highlights were winning the two Stanley Cups and silver medal in the 2002 Games in the United States. “The Olympic Games are special and unique,” he said. “We got to eat in the cafeteria and eat next to the Slovakian ski team or the Polish ski jumpers. It was very humbling and down to earth. To have the experience on your home soil in Salt Lake and grabbing a silver medal is something I cherish. It was a tough loss to Canada, but looking back I can look on my mantle and see a silver medal. I’m very, very proud of that.”

And USA Hockey is proud to add Guerin to its Hall of Fame. “I thank the people of USA Hockey for giving me that opportunity,” he said. “Representing my country was always an enormous honor. The fact that I got to share it with my family and fantastic teammates, they’re memories that I’ll cherish and never forget. I’m very grateful for this honor.”

Phoenix Coyotes - Prospects Signed This Week

 

GM Don Maloney announced this week that the Coyotes have signed defenseman David Rundblad to a two-year contract. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Rundblad recorded 0-1-1 in eight games with the Coyotes last season. He also appeared in 50 games with the Portland Pirates (AHL), totaling 9-30-39 and a plus-eight rating. Rundblad led all Portland defensemen in scoring and ranked second on the team in assists. He finished eighth among all AHL defensemen in points. The 22-year-old native of Lycksele, Sweden has posted 1-7-8 and six penalty minutes (PIM) in 38 career NHL games with the Coyotes and Ottawa Senators. Rundblad was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the first round (17th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. The Coyotes have also signed defenseman Mark Louis to a two-year, two-way contract and defenseman Mathieu Brodeur and forwards Brett Hextall and Brandon McMillan to one-year, two-way contracts. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Louis appeared in 61 games with the Pirates in 2012-13, totaling 0-3-3 and 111 PIM. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound Brodeur recorded 3-16-19 and 47 PIM in 65 games with Portland last season. The 23-year-old native of Montreal, Quebec was originally drafted by the Coyotes in the third round (76th overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Hextall registered 9-6-15 and 79 PIM in 66 games with Portland in 2012-13. The 25-year-old native of Philadelphia, Pa., was originally drafted by the Coyotes in the sixth round (159th overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound McMillan played in two games with Portland last season. The 23-year-old native of Richmond, British Columbia also appeared in six games with the Anaheim Ducks, totaling 0-1-1 and two PIM. He recorded 8-5-13 and 42 PIM in 41 games with Norfolk (AHL). In parts of three NHL seasons with the Ducks, McMillan has totaled 11-15-26 and 40 PIM in 91 games.

 

Phoenix Coyotes - Olympic Hopefuls

The Phoenix Coyotes announced today that Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith (Canada), defenseman Keith Yandle (USA), defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Sweden) and left wing Lauri Korpikoski (Finland) have been invited to National Men’s Hockey Orientation Camps in preparation for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Smith is one of 47 players who was invited to Canada’s camp in Calgary, Alberta from Aug. 25-28, Yandle is one of 48 players invited to the USA’s camp from Aug. 26-27 in Arlington, Va., Ekman-Larsson is one of 35 players invited to Sweden’s camp in Stockholm, Sweden from Aug. 12-14 while Korpikoski is one of 54 players invited to Finland’s camp. The 31-year-old Smith signed a six-year contract extension with the Coyotes on June 30. He went 15-12-10 with a 2.58 GAA and a .910 SV% in 34 games with the Coyotes in 2012-13. His five shutouts were tied for first in the NHL. In four starts for Canada at the 2013 IIHF World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden and Helsinki, Finland, Smith posted a 1.65 goals against average (GAA) and a .944 save percentage (SV%). The Kingston, Ontario native registered a 38-18-10 record with a 2.21 GAA and a .930 SV% in a career-high 67 games with the Coyotes in 2011-12. His career-high 38 wins ranked fourth in the NHL while his eight shutouts finished tied for third in the league and matched the single-season franchise record. He also established a new single-season franchise mark in SV% while his GAA and wins ranked second on the single-season franchise list. Smith went on to post a 9-7-3 record with a 1.99 GAA and a .944 SV% in 16 starts in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Coyotes reached the Western Conference Final for the first time in franchise history. Smith has a 53-30-15 record with a .924 SV% and a 2.33 GAA in two seasons in Phoenix. His 13 career shutouts with the Coyotes rank fifth all-time in franchise history. In 263 career NHL games with the Coyotes, Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning, Smith is 120-96-34 with a 2.57 GAA, .913 SV% and 24 shutouts. He is 10-8-3 with a 1.88 GAA, .945 SV% and three shutouts in 19 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. Smith was originally drafted by Dallas in the fifth-round (161st overall) in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

The 26-year-old Yandle led the Coyotes in scoring in 2012-13 with 10-20-30 in 48 games. He ranked tied for fourth among all NHL defensemen in scoring and was second in shots (130). The Boston, Mass., native is a two-time NHL All-Star (2011 and 2012) and has recorded 53-164-217 in 413 career NHL games. He registered career highs in assists (48) and points (59) in 2010-11. He ranked second among all NHL defensemen in assists and third in points in that season. He has posted 3-16-19 in 27 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. Yandle has international experience representing the USA at the 2010 IIHF World Championship in Germany where he posted 1-3-4 in six games. He was originally drafted by the Coyotes in the fourth-round (105th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

The 22-year-old Ekman-Larsson recorded 3-21-24 in 48 games in 2012-13. He set career highs in goals (13), assists (19), points (32) and games played (82) in 2011-12. In three NHL seasons, he has recorded 17-50-67 in 178 games. He has registered 1-3-4 in 16 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. The Karlskrona, Sweden native represented Sweden at the 2010 and 2011 IIHF World Championships. He recorded 1-2-3 in nine games and won a Bronze Medal with Sweden at the 2010 World Championship in Germany. He won a Silver Medal with Sweden at the 2011 World Championship in Slovakia where he recorded 1-3-4 in seven games. Ekman-Larsson was originally drafted by the Coyotes in the first round (sixth overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

The 26-year-old Korpikoski recorded 6-5-11 in 36 games in 2012-13. He played in a career-high 82 games in 2011-12 and ranked fifth on the Coyotes in scoring with 17-20-37. During the 2010-11 season, Korpikoski set career highs in goals (19), assists (21), points (40) and game-winning goals (4). In five NHL seasons with the Coyotes and New York Rangers, Korpikoski has played in 336 games, registering 53-60-113. He has also appeared in 30 Stanley Cup Playoff games, recording 2-3-5. The Turku, Finland native represented Finland at the 2010 and 2013 IIHF World Championships. He played in seven games in the 2010 World Championship in Germany. He recorded 3-2-5 in eight games at the 2013 World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden and Helsinki, Finland. Phoenix acquired Korpikoski from the New York Rangers in exchange for Enver Lisin on July 13, 2009. He was originally drafted by the Rangers in the first round (19th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

The Czech Republic has yet to announce the players invited to its Olympic Camp.

 

Phoenix Coyotes - How Divisional Realignment Effects the Yotes

When the 2013-14 NHL season arrives this October, so too will a revamped Pacific Division. Starting this fall, the Pacific Division will feature the Coyotes and the usual geographic suspects such as Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose. But it will also take on three rivals from north of the border, in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary. The Dallas Stars will leave the Pacific and begin life in the much more geographically friendly Central Division.

When it came to crafting new regions for realignment, the NHL opted for vertical geography. Instead of teams that are tightly clustered by region, the league achieved balance by grouping teams that predominately share the same time zone with the rest of the teams in the division. In the case of Western Conference teams, including those in the Pacific Division, divisional foes are no further than a time zone away. This is great for the fans, but it’s challenging for teams, both on and off the ice, with no exception for the Coyotes.“Our travel is as difficult as any in the NHL,” Coyotes Assistant GM Brad Treliving said. “So whenever you can maintain a sense of normalcy with time zones and body clocks, it is helpful.”

In the west, the new set-up should make for a more fan friendly road schedule. In the Coyotes case, all divisional games will be played either in their home time zone or just one hour outside of it. And depending on the time of the season, many of the games will begin on Arizona time, which is great for fans watching on Fox Sports Arizona. But with it comes travel. Lots of it. According to the website ontheforecheck.com, the Coyotes will fly an estimated 52,633 miles this season, second most in the League behind San Jose’s 57,612. Treliving, who works closely with the league in crafting the team’s schedule, is first to admit the annual scheduling exercise is never an easy one given their geographic placement. “Our travel always seems to be difficult, and this year, now playing every team home and away, it means additional travel out east. This will present several challenges for our players and coaches with the foremost being fatigue and finding the balance between rest, recuperation and practice. In a lot of ways, this schedule is similar to last season’s shortened one in that there is a compactness to the games. With it being an Olympics year, there are very few stretches of multiple days off between games. Staying healthy will be critical to having success, as will be finding and maintaining a consistency to our game.”

From a rivalry standpoint, Coyotes fans have to be pleased with the outcome of realignment. They will face each divisional opponent five times in the upcoming season, with the exception of San Jose, whom they will face four times. Canadian snowbirds in the Valley will be excited to learn Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver will each make three trips to Glendale while Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Jose will make two each. “The new divisional set-up will be very competitive,” Treliving said. “We know how good Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose are, and then to add Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary will make for difficult matchups each night. There are strong rivalries and excellent teams throughout the division.”

Whether it’s television or rivalry-related, the new Pacific Division set-up appears to be a win-win for everyone. And don’t forget, fans in the division will also have the added luxury of seeing every team with every star come to town at least once a season. Treliving added, “I do think it’s great for our fans that they get to see all of the NHL teams come to Glendale, and the new divisional set-up will maintain long-standing rivalries while adding new opponents.”

 

Phoenix Coyotes - Brown's Arrival Signals Commitment to Offense

The Coyotes made a splash this off-season when they added center Mike Ribeiro to the mix to help the team score more goals and to improve the production of the power-play unit. But they also addressed helping the offense by adding Assistant Coach Newell Brown to the staff during the recent Prospect Development Camp. “His primary focus will be our power play and creating more offensive opportunities in our games,” GM Don Maloney said in a news release announcing Brown's hiring. “With Assistant Coach John Anderson not returning, we have found an excellent replacement.”

Brown comes to the Coyotes after a three-year stint as assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks. There he helped the Canucks reach the playoffs in all three seasons and helped run a power-play attack that ranked first in the League in 2010-11 (24.3 percent) and fourth in 2011-12 (19.8 percent). “He’s a real hard worker and he spends a lot of time on the job,” Coyotes Development Coach Dave King said of Brown, whom he recommended to Maloney and Head Coach Dave Tippett after it became clear that Anderson, who recently was hired to be head coach of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, would not be returning to the Coyotes. “He’s the type of guy that on the morning after a tough loss he will come into the coach’s room with a solution.”

King and Brown have known each other for decades. King coached Brown on Team Canada in 1985-86 and Brown was team captain under King. Their relationship continued as King hired Brown to be an assistant coach when King took over as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2000-01. King wanted Brown on that expansion team’s staff for many reasons, one of which was that he felt Brown related well with the players and that type of coach would be helpful in a season that featured more defeats than victories. “He’s so upbeat and positive, the players like to talk to him and are willing to approach him with their thoughts and ideas,” He said.

Brown knows the NHL’s Western Conference very well. In addition to coaching in Vancouver the past three seasons, he also has served as an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks. He said he’s eager to join Tippett’s staff. “They’re a very well-coached team and there is a lot for me to learn here. It’s a great coaching staff and I’m looking forward to working with the guys here; they have great reputations. I think they’ve done a fantastic job through some difficult times with the NHL owning the team… They’ve done a fantastic job of holding things together. I’m just looking forward to helping out in a any way I can.”

Tippett will look to Brown to help in many areas, but his focus, as Maloney noted in the release announcing his hiring, will be the power play. The Coyotes ranked 25th in the League last season at 14.8 percent. “You start with the personnel that you have and work around them and work to their strengths,” Brown said about his power-play coaching philosophy. “A lot of it has to do with shooting (and) making sure you can get your shots.”

He added that work ethic is another key to a successful power play and that it takes time for the players on the power play to develop chemistry. King said if the Coyotes players can match Brown’s work ethic, things would go well. “He grew up in a family of boys that worked on a dairy farm in Ontario so he brings with him a real solid work ethic. I think that’s very important in coaching. He’s got a real good base of knowledge but he also has that work ethic that I think will fit in nicely here with ‘Tip’ and Jim Playfair and Sean Burke and our whole staff.”

Mario Lemieux - Second Retirement & Third Cup Success

On January 24, 2006, Lemieux announced his second and permanent retirement from professional hockey at the age of 40. This followed a half-season in which he struggled not only with the increased speed of the "new NHL" but also with atrial fibrillation, which caused him to experience irregular heartbeats. Although he had put up points at a pace that most NHL forwards would be very content with (22 points in 26 games) in his last season, Lemieux still remarked that "I can no longer play at a level I was accustomed to in the past."

In October 2006, Lemieux's ownership group announced that it had reached an agreement to sell the Penguins to Research in Motion Chairman and Co-CEO Jim Balsillie. However, Balsillie unexpectedly rescinded his offer two months later after an apparent dispute with the NHL Board of Governors over purchasing conditions, despite Balsillie having earlier pledged to the Board that he would not relocate the team. Lemieux was offended that Balsillie had pulled out at last minute and initially refused to return Balsillie's deposit, saying that it was in breach of their agreement.

On March 13, 2007, Lemieux's ownership group announced a final agreement for a new multi-purpose arena, eventually to be named Consol Energy Center, to be built across the street from Mellon Arena. The deal keeps the Penguins in Pittsburgh for at least 30 years. Lemieux was instrumental in negotiating this deal, despite outside efforts to move the team to Kansas City. It was later revealed that Lemieux had visited Kansas City only to put pressure on the city and state to push through plans for the new arena.

The Penguins returned to the playoffs, losing in 5 games to the Ottawa Senators in 2007, and making the Finals in 2008 where they lost in six games to the Detroit Red Wings. On June 12, 2009, Lemieux won his 3rd Stanley Cup, this time as an owner as the Penguins won a rematch with the Red Wings in the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals, in seven games.

 

Lemieux is a regular competitor at the American Century Championship, the annual competition to determine the best golfers among American sports and entertainment celebrities. He won the tournament in 1998 and has a total of two top ten finishes. The tournament, televised by NBC in July, is played at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Wings secure new Detroit Arena

As seen by JL Kangas

LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- A state board on Wednesday unanimously gave the go-ahead for a new Red Wings hockey arena in downtown Detroit to be paid for in part with tax dollars as the broke city works through bankruptcy proceedings.
Gov. Rick Snyder and others defended against potential criticism that the $650 million project should be entirely financed with private money because the city can't provide basic services and its retirees are facing cuts in their pensions. The arena is designed to be a catalyst for more development and to link downtown with underutilized nearby areas, officials said.

''This is part of investing in Detroit's future,'' Snyder said. ''That's the message we need to get across. ... As we stabilize the city government's finances, as we address those issues and improve services, Detroit moves from a place where people might have had a negative impression - although there are great things already going on - to being a place that will be recognized across the world as a place of great value and a place to invest.''


The Michigan Strategic Fund Board approved the Detroit Downtown Development Authority's request to use economic development taxes for the project. The board also took a preliminary step toward issuing $450 million in bonds to build the arena. Fifty-six percent of the overall project cost is private and 44 percent public. No new taxes or funds from the cash-strapped city are needed, though some Democrats last year criticized legislation clearing the way for the project as stealing from public schools.

Under the plan, the authority will own the arena and event center complex. The Red Wings owners will have exclusive rights to use, manage and operate it, and hold naming rights. Construction of the arena is anticipated to be done by 2017. It also is expected to host other entertainment events.

 

Representatives for Olympia Development, which is owned by Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch and his wife, said the project will create 400 more permanent jobs and 5,500 construction jobs. At least half the construction jobs must go to city residents.

Hockey From Across the Pond - Year 1

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of my followers throughout this last year. It is hard to believe we are approaching this blogs very first anniversary. We have seen some major changes take place across the NHL, not least the latest Gary Bettman lockout, causing us to miss over three months worth of hockey action. That was a major concern as I launched this blog, just a week before the lockout was announced, causing all sorts of problems and panic. Thankfully we did eventually get some game action to write about.

As we look ahead to year 2, there is plenty to talk about. We have the divisional re-alignment for starters, which although I am not exactly thrilled by it, could make for some ‘new’ rivalries being forged and some exciting match-ups.

 

With the new CBA now in place, it means we have been given another shake-up to the rosters, as happened in 2005. Some surprise moves have already taken place such as the flying Finn Valteri Filppula departing Detroit, and being replaced by Ottawa’s long-serving captain Daniel Alfredsson. Cory Schneider leaving Vancouver for New Jersey was another shock, but the biggest one by far was Nathan Horton leaving Stanley Cup finalists Boston for the Columbus Blue Jackets, surely money isn’t everything, wouldn’t he have a much better shot at winning another Stanley Cup with the Bruins than the Jackets?

 

It isn’t just Hockey’s Greatest League that has undergone changes though, the eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed subtle changes to the blog over the last few weeks. In a bid to improve the layout and overall appearance of the site I am hoping to continue with the positive alterations. Certainly this past year has taught me a few things, as mistakes have been made along the way. By the start of the 2013-14 NHL season I hope to have implemented much better content to the posts as well.

 

While I am reluctant to take the blog in a completely different direction, I will place greater emphasis on the teams that matter, to me. All 30 NHL teams will continue to get coverage on here, but in a much different style. For example Coyotes fans and Canucks fans will get much more to read about on their team, but the five other teams from the Pacific Division (Kings, Ducks, Sharks, Oilers & Flames) will get more of a summary. All still get just as good coverage as they have in the past, if not better! This will be the same format for the other 3 divisions. The Metropolitan Division will see the focus on the Penguins and the Rangers, while the Jackets, Canes, Devils, Isles, Crapitals & Goons will continue to be summarised. For the new ‘Atlantic’ Division Detroit & Florida will be the teams of choice although the Bruins may still get a lot of attention too, leaving the Leafs, Sens, Sabres, Habs & Bolts amongst the teams in the summarised category. Finally the Central Division will see Dallas, Colorado & Chicago all get extensive coverage, with the Jets, Wild, Blues & Preds receiving all receiving a great amount of column inches.

 

I also intend to provide better coverage of my local team, the Whitley Warriors, with more mention of the team and their history on these pages too.

 

Along with the new coverage I am pleased to announce the signing of a new hockey contributor to this site. This is someone who has great experience in hockey writing and in securing these talents, this blog has gained a great deal of credibility. It is a very prestigious day for ‘Hockey From Across the Pond’ to announce its first official correspondent for the Phoenix Coyotes and New York Rangers.

 

I hope these changes will be met with delight, as I believe this blog can get better and better. So watch this space!