z_The Hockey Page - Toronto Star

Will they hold open the door for Mr. Roberts?

It will be interesting, on Gary Roberts Returns night, if the Leafs remain in the mode of "c'mon in, let me hold the door open for you, can I take your coat and get you a drink?"
Some notes out of yesterday's practice indicate Pat Quinn, who suggested late last week he'd had enough, is shaking things up. The slumping Allison line has been broken up -- Allison, with a viral infection, is iffy for tonight at the ACC, reports Ken Campbell, and with him out Lindros was centring Jeff O'Neill and Alex Ponikarovsky. Other trios: Wellwood with Tucker and Domi, Stajan with Perrott and Steen, and down on the No. 4 line, a revolution is breaking out, as Campbell notes:

"If Aki Berg can play tonight, Belak will move up to the right side of the fourth line with Clarke Wilm at centre and Chad Kilger on the left side."

With Berg on the verge of returning and Allison ailing, this oughta strike fear into the Panthers (and you thought they had no answers).
Forget this shuffling of the deck chairs for a sec, though. I'd settle for a couple of checks thrown.

STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR

How are we feeling this morning?

While Campbell looks at the day-to-day, his linemate Damien Cox is talking big picture -- "Poor management could still mess this up. But the unmistakable signs that the Leafs are heading in a new, productive direction, albeit at glacial-like speed, are there."

Some other Leafs links:
Mark Zwolinski talks to Gary Roberts on his coming back to the ACC: "Weird", Roberts assesses. And for more on those rejigged lines, click here.

TV/radio critic Chris Zelkovich was as tired as I was listening to HNIC on Saturday, especially the half-baked notion from the house dinosaur that a game-ending fight would've somehow vindicated the night. (My favourite comment, though, was from SensOwn on the official-licensed-site Leafs chat board: "The hockey being played on that pond he does not understand. (Cherry) needs to smoke a joint with Quinn and reflect.")

From Sunday, Zorro gives Alex Steen the Unplugged treatment.

And finally, Unibrew has this catch of the day.
(C.Y.)

Alarm bells

Bruins 2, Leafs 1, me zzzz.
That was the thought, anyway, as they finished up in Boston last night, one of those text-commentary nights here at Team Star.
Here's Pat Quinn, from Paul Hunter's game report, clearly not ready to turn the night's forensics into a Hannu Toivonen lovefest with a blown kiss toward his own 'keeper, Mikael Tellqvist:

"We can't have half our roster playing and depend on our goaltender to win a lot of hockey games. We've got to get some more guys on board when we're playing games."

So, let's call the roll: Jeff O'Neill -- Anyone seen him lately? Jason Allison? The O'Neill-Allison-Tucker line is putting up Wade Belak numbers: Allison's a minus-7 on the season, Tucker minus-6, O'Neill minus-5 (Belak, the only guy to end up with dirt under his fingernails last night, is at minus-6 and a busted nose thanks to that punchup with Colton-not-Bobby Orr).
Eric Lindros was invisible most of the night, though he did appear in time for redempton and the one Leafs goal.
The power play, its league-leading numbers a little misleading given that night in Atlanta when Frosty McFreeze was in goal for the Thrashers, tossed an oh-fer. It rarely threatened, actually.
The Bruins' winner early in the third period came after one of those breakdowns in their own end we've so grown used to -- but to dwell on that too much, or to hand the credit unreservedly over to Toivonen (yes, he was pretty good, but he also was afforded the luxury of clear sightlines, nary a Leaf crowding his crease), is to ignore the obvious: In this postmodern NHL, scoring but one late goal is unpardonable, and to take a no-check, listless approach against a team playing its third game in fourth nights, and putting in its backup goalie after the starter went out with an injury the night before, amounts to a squandered opportunity.
One more thing. The Leafs are 10 games into the season now, so it's time to retire the "it's early" line. We're moving into the part of the season where what you're seeing is what you're going to get nine nights out of 10 and they are what they are -- Mats Sundin's return notwithstanding. I'm no big fan of Quinn sermons, but no wonder he's ringing the alarm bells.

Some links:

Damien Cox looks at that Hannu Toivonen guy -- hey, he's from Finland. And that should come as no surprise, Cox noting there's six Finns making NHL money this year. And if you think Damien doesn't work hard for his dough, here's another column from last night (who does he think he is, Rosie DiManno?).

Hunter on Allison, the human glacier who's oh-for-3 playing the NHL's new three-shot roulette game. And Team Sun's Lance Hornby notes that Allison came into the game goalless against his old Bruins team in nine games -- make that 10.

And hey. What a surprise. Todd Bertuzzi, booed in Denver.

(C.Y.)

---

Thanks, Chris. I agree with you, last night the Leafs and Bruins proved that even the "new NHL" can be boring. Sure, Leafs had the 37 shots, but heck, Toivonen sums it up:

''I think our defence did a tremendous job, simply clearing the way so I could see the puck so well. ... It's all about feeling comfortable out there. I was tonight."

Yup, that's what you want to hear from the opposing goalie: he was really comfortable.

Here's some stuff to get us all through the weekend. And I'll finish with Spezza's goal. Did you see that dandy from last night? Wow. To steal a phrase from Chuck Swirsky, wow wow wow wow wow wow!

More on Bertuzzi, it was all about the fans last night. And I can't believe one person in the stands in Colorado thought it would be a good idea to wear the Bertuzzi jersey (from Denver Post):

While waiting for the puck to drop, the woman in a Bertuzzi jersey got a beer dumped on her head by a hit-and-run prankster. It was funny. It was sad.

Ummm, it was stupid?

AP PHOTO

That's right, get it out of your system.

So what was Bert saying after? "It is what it is," seems to be the buzz phrase this morning. I kind of agree. What else can he say? Still, the fans needed their chance to vent. They got it. They made the most of it. Like the guys who dressed up in jailbird jumpsuits with Bertuzzi's name on the back.

"We felt like the hit on Steve Moore deserved a little bit more than a 13-game (regular season) suspension," one fan tells the Denver Post. "I think he got the message."

Fair enough. Coupla quick links and then the magic.

Manny's legacy: Mr. October.

The Devils stink. Will Scott Stevens return to save them? Probably not, "but you never know what's going to happen," he tells the Newark Star Ledger.

Dave Andreychuk. Former Leafs 50-goal man. NHL veteran at 42 years young. Still going strong in Tampa.

Okay, did you see the goal? Here's highlight pack from last night's Senators OT win. Click the link to last night's game (Habs). The sweetness comes at the end. The future is bright in Ottawa. (SW)

Leafs vs Bruins II

"All we need now is for Forbes Kennedy to show up tonight and get this party really started." -- Damien Cox, in his column today. To which I can only add: what about Pie?

Yes, it's Leafs-Bruins II tonight, another one of those division rivalry matchups, Tellqvist getting the start for Toronto, Tomas Kaberle and the rest of the Leafs looking for an early sweep and the Bostons smarting after blowing a two-goal lead in Carolina last night. It's a Leafs TV broadcast, so we'll be live-texting the game on our new page (imaginatively called The Game), so drop by if you're trolling around the net and want to crack wise or otherwise.

TONY BOCK/TORONTO STAR

Leafs crash Boston tonight.

We're getting our ankles taped for that one, so it's a links blog this morning -- but the comments section are open if you want to unload along the lines of David Johnson over at Hockey Analysis, heartily sick of the Greg Louganis show unfolding on this postmodern NHL ice.

And speaking of unloading, the always entertaining Jes Golbez weighs in with the NHL's "Evil Index" -- and surprise, surprise, the Flyers are the evilest, followed by Detroit and Toronto, of course. The goodest? Atlanta. (Hey, what about Eric Boulton? Bob Hartley? That jersey?)

Pat Quinn was fined yesterday. And those Nashville Predators finally lost one.

Todd Bertuzzi isn't talking as the Canucks head into Denver for the first time in, well, you know how long. In the Mile High City, Terry Frei figures nothing much has changed while Steve Moore is hoping to some day return.

And Spencer sent me this link yesterday but I misplaced it: Les Seltner has been driving the bus for visiting NHL and NBA teams in Toronto for years, but on Monday in Toronto he was credited with a huge save taking the Bruins to the airport.
(C.Y.)

The new normal

Who has it worse this morning, the Oilers or Mario Lemieux?
And who has it better than those Nashville Predators? The Preds' 5-3 win over Chicago last night was their eighth straight out of the gate, equalling the second-longest opening-season win streak in NHL history. (The longest? Your 93-94 Leafs, of course).
Forgetting for a moment the Preds' three shootout wins that are included -- yup, there I go again -- I keep wondering along the same lines not about the postmodern NHL, but about whether this is the New Normal, and we have to adjust not only our glasses, but the record book, and ways of thinking about this thing of ours:

AP PHOTO

Another crack in the wall.

It's a place where Bryan McCabe is not only battling for the Art Ross Trophy, but on pace to finish within hailing distance of Orr/Coffey numbers, as our Ken Campbell notes.
It's a place where the Predators are getting the job done with an undersized top scorer, good goaltending and very few penalties taken, as James Mirtle notes.
It's a place where goalies like Brodeur and Khabibulin are struggling. Jes Golbez has a nice spreadsheet of goalie stats and an early look between the pipes, and the Globe's Tim Wharnsby offers reasons why.
It's a place where we keep hearing "no lead is safe" -- but is that any different? Tom Benjamin checks some numbers.
And we've said it before, and others are joining the chorus, but it's a place where bodychecking is sometimes a foreign concept. Where no one is quite sure what a penalty is, or whether a dive is a dive.

There's lots more. Less than a month into the season, it's way too early to make conclusions. But let's throw this bone out there to chew on for the day. What is the new normal -- what does it look like to you? What other things have you noticed that made you sit up and say -- man, what are they doing out there?

Oh, okay, we gotta give you some links with your coffee:

Here's a surprise: Record TV ratings. You'd think these guys had been away for a while.

The other day we were wittering on about the NHL's new discipline, and suspensions. In an age of a salary cap and an offence-oriented league, the conventional wisdom has it that the days of the one-dimensional enforcer taking up a spot on the bench are over.  TSN's Bob MacKenzie takes a look.

Oh, and this is kinda old, but so am I, and it's a goody for sure -- Puck Fiction, or Coach Jules in da rink -- and thanks to the guys at Hockey Pundits for digging it out of the  corners (Windows media player req'd).
(C.Y.)

Stealing one

We're nine games into an 82-game season. How much more of this can you take?
Sure. A lot more.
Except if you're Pat Quinn. Whenever the cameras find Quinn during these pinball games, his eyes appear to be spinning, as if he can't quite believe what he's seeing.
Before everyone jumps on to the shootout bandwagon -- not going there, not me -- consider that the Leafs got credit for a win last night despite playing easily their worst game of the season in their own end. The way they've played down there, that is saying something, but those 53 shots allowed are the first clue.
Penalties? From the time the Bruins took a 4-3 third-period lead, Toronto took five, one of them a four-minute minor that spilled over three-plus minutes into the overtime.  Over that span of time -- a little over 21 minutes, more than half of them on the penalty kill -- Boston had 19 shots on Belfour. McCabe blocked three more and Kaberle and Berg each went down to deflect two Bruins attempts.
And still the Leafs survived to steal one, as Ken Campbell notes this morning:

"It seemed unfathomable that Belfour could be so brilliant at times and so brutal at others, but luckily for the Leafs, the brilliance of a 49-save effort outshone the brutality of a couple of very weak goals."

Damien Cox looks at this Leafs team and is reminded of "the zany 1989-90 crew under Doug Carpenter that scored more goals (337) than any team in Leaf history."
Me, I'm reminded of covering my eyes, at least when they're defending. It's not just a matter of what you can and can't do in covering your check under the new rules, though -- simple positioning has as much to do with it.
If I'm Quinn, I'm asking for someone -- anyone -- from down on the farm who can move their feet and play some defence. It wasn't all Wade Belak's fault last night either, although his confidence appears to be draining with each night out. His partner Alex Khavanov scored his first Leafs goal, but was way out of position on two Boston goals. They were by no means the only transgressors.
So give Belfour major props, to be sure -- "One minute you're a slug and the next minute you're a hero," concluded the goalie.
So call me cranky. Before you join the two-toned blue and white chorus, though -- this postmodern NHL can be splended entertainment (agreed); the Leafs are going as far as Belfour takes them (obviously) -- ask yourself if, over 82 games, they really have a hope of grabbing W's out of these kind of nights.
No, I don't think so either.

Other Leafs stuff:
With two more points last night, Bryan McCabe is the league's co-leader in scoring.

Latest on Sundin: No surgery expected, say the Leafs.
(C.Y.)

The new discipline

Something a little different today, noting these three recent items:
Atlanta's Andy Sutton gets four games for mashing Darcy Tucker's head into the end boards.
Martin Havlat of Ottawa gets a five-game suspension for kicking Boston Hal Gill.

AP PHOTO

More justice coming for Eric Boulton today.

And today, Atlanta goon Eric Boulton finds out how many games he'll be out (hint: it's a minimum five-gamer).
We'll be posting the news on the Star's waymoresports website when it's handed down, and asking you for your call. How many games should Boulton get? Should the league come down harder on these infractions, given changes meant to juice up offence? Should coaches be disciplined as well, in cases like Boulton's, with the suggestion from Pat Quinn and John Tortorella that the Thrashers' Bob Hartley is as much to blame?
Hey, it'll keep us going for the day, with Gill and the Bruins in town to take on the Leafs tonight (and it'll keep us from raking the embers of that pasting the Flyers put on Toronto Saturday night).

UPDATE: Here's the pertinent stuff from a chat with Boston's Hal Gill at today's morning skate, on this issue (Tucker had nothing much to say, preferring to "leave it to the league"):

Q: With the length of Eric Boulton’s suspension coming down today, how do you see the issue of suspensions in this new NHL environment – should they be heavier?

Gill: “I don’t have much of a comment. Each game is different, each situation is different, so it’s kind of tough to say what should be called and what shouldn’t be called, or is it 10 games or five games. But there’s definitely no place for some of the things that have been going on – not so much (for) the first-time offenders, but the second- and third-. When are they going to get the point? That’s when I think the suspensions have to be heavier – when guys are repeat offenders.”

Q: How satisfied were you with the severity of the Havlat suspension, for the kick on you?

Gill: “It’s hard to say. Like I said, it’s an individual case. Five games is a lot – but he’s done it before and you just can’t allow it. It is a lot, but hopefully it’s a lesson he’s learned and it won’t happen again.”

Q: The stated aim of these new rules is to promote offence and eliminate the obstruction. Does it follow then that in terms of suspensions, the penalties should be more severe?

Gill: “I think it’s a completely separate issue. Making the game more flowing and more offensive, that’s completely different than guys throwing elbows or kicking.”

Some other Leafs links in your morning coffee:

Brian Leetch is back in town, and Ken Campbell is talking to him. Leetch has this to say about Bryan McCabe: "I think he can win the Norris Trophy and he's the best player I've played with in my career as a partner."

Mark Zwolinski reports that Pat Quinn is rushing to the defence of Wade Belak, which is a whole lot more than what anyone can say of Belak.

Nik Antropov has gone home to Kazakhstan, after his father passed away late last week.

Speaking of tonight's game, Brad Boyes is looking forward to it.

Nice read from the Boston Herald on Bruins young gun Patrice Bergeron.

Mats Sundin is back on the ice, and should get some news today about whether his injured eye will require surgery.

Finally, this has nothing to do with the Leafs, but everything to do with Jeremy Roenick. Thanks to Jes for this one (Windows player req'd).
(C.Y.)

Fast and furious

Leafs blow two two-goal leads against visiting Carolina, then win in overtime and avoid the shootout on a goal by Ken Klee, of all the candidates: Great game to watch, except if you were standing on the bench coaching.
Get used to it, writes Damien Cox, noting one game within this game that caught my eye as well:

"Maybe the hero ends up being someone like Tomas Kaberle, beaten twice by Erik Cole for breakaways but able to save a sure goal on one of them by never giving up and ultimately using his lumber to hook Cole's stick."

Cole had his own moment, scoring a goal that was prettier than any I've seen this year -- on a partial breakaway he eluded a diving Kaberle, pulled the puck back to the forehand then tucked a one-hander in past Belfour's pokecheck.
The ingredients: Two well-rested teams, a good strong pace, some solid checks landed. Yes, there were a couple of dives (or at least going down too easily, Kilger and Cullen duping the refs), and how Klee got away with riding Brind'Amour into the net as Carolina pressed for a late equalizer makes you wonder where the officials were looking, and the Air Canada Centre ice surface looked in midseason form, the puck taking crazy bounces and a number of players going for unscheduled falls (including Tverdosky, on a play that Tucker turned into the opening goal), but all in all, fast and furious and very little not to like unless you were a Carolina Hurricane, Belfour stopping Brind'Amour on a breakaway just before the game-winner was scored. Why, even Marius Czerkawski had some jump.
And on yesterday's subject of youth: Three of the best players on the ice came from that crowd -- Steen and Stajan of the Leafs (the Kid Line scored a goal, Steen tipping in a McCabe shot, and Stajan had a shorthanded score), and Staal from the Canes with two assists. (as for the best, I'd go with Cole).
Other news around the game: Karel Pilar is back, and says he could be ready to play by Christmas. Cam Ward, Carolina's standout young standup goalie, was blaming himself afterward for a misplayed pass that ended up that Stajan goal. Jeff O'Neill was held pointless in his first game against his old teammates. And this is something new: audio file of Bryan McCabe after his up and down night. (C.Y.)

---

Thanks Chris. Caught most of the fast and furious. My falling asleep on the couch at 9:30 had nothing to do with the hockey, honest. Looks like I missed the best parts. Anyway, there's lots to talk about from around the league last night:

So how are our friends doing in Atlanta? From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (reg. req'd) this morning:

After Thursday's 6-0 thrashing at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning before 12,913 at Philips Arena, the Thrashers have lost four in a row by the combined score of 22-2 and failed to score in three of their seven games.

So what happens? With two minutes left, there's Eric Boulton on the ice to put the elbow to the head of Bolts defenceman Paul Ranger. Boulton gets a major penalty and a game misconduct. Ranger gets a concussion. Nice. I guess Boulton was trying to make up for the elbow that just missed Eric Lindros last Friday?

Says Tampa Bay Coach John Tortorella (the many, many bleeps have been removed - the actual quote is much longer):

"That guy should be playing the East Coast Hockey League and he takes out a National Hockey League player. He'll get suspended, but who cares? Nobody wants him on the ice anyway."

Geez, what've you got against the ECHL, John? Sounds awfully familiar to what Pat Quinn was saying a week ago:

"This guy (Hartley) has a reputation behind their bench. He wired up some guys. They were head-hunting. That one kid, Boulton, took a run at Eric's head. That's trying to hurt people. There should be no place in the game for that."

Thrashers coach Bob Hartley visited Tortorella after the game last night to apologize but there was no report of what was said.

I'm tempted to keep track of penalties in the last two minutes of a game. That's twice in a week for Mr. Boulton. Thanks for coming out - and that intimidation factor really works, eh? Thrashers are 2-5 and quite possibly the worst team in the NHL right now.

Okay, back to hockey -- how 'bout those 6-0 Predators? Little Stevie Sullivan and the boys are rolling. One factor? The dreaded shootout. Preds goalies are perfect stopping those extra shots.

"It's all about mental toughness," Tomas Vokoun said. "I've been part of some shootouts that were do-or-die in international competition, and that was tough."

The Rangers were evecuated from their hotel yesterday after a disgruntled employee dropped a chemical substance in the lobby.

"They don't know how to stop us so they're using chemical weapons against us," said Jaromir Jagr.

Jags might have a point - he's been great (10 goals) but couldn't save his Rangers from a sweep at the hands of the Islanders.

"You say he scored a hat trick," said Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro. "I say we held him to three."

Leafs-Flyers tomorrow. Have a great weekend. (SW)

The kids are all right

Remember that talk of a new Kid Line for the Leafs? The time looks to be about right, Mark Zwolinski reports:

"Well, we've been working out together, so I think there's a good chance that we'll play together (against Carolina)," Steen said at the Leaf practice yesterday.

But this is not just about tonight. More like every night in the life of the postmodern NHL.
Kids are cheap. Kids are quick. Kids don't get tired. Kids fly around bumping into things, and never think to slow down, or phone their agents to complain.
When was the last time a kid got up out of bed and said, "I think I'm going to take today off from being a kid"?
While their veteran counterparts around the league were taking the year off or playing over in Europe on half-rations, the kids were getting a full season of the minors under their belts: Less rust, more filling.
Look around, and there are kids everywhere. According to Tim Wharnsby over at the Globe, there are 99 kids skating in the NHL -- "if that number seems high, it's because it is",  Wharnsby writes, and I guess we'll just have to take his word on that. Or just look out on the ice tonight at the Air Canada Centre. In goal for those Carolina Hurricanes: 21-year-old Cam Ward. Leading scorer: 20-year-old Eric Staal.
So if we do see Steen (21), Stajan (21) and Wellwood (22) skating together as a unit for the Leafs tonight, thank Nik Antropov for affording them the opportunity, and basically forcing Pat Quinn's hand. Just don't call it big news. This would be, after all, the seventh Kid Line the Leafs have had (the first since 1979's joining of the immortal Saganiuk-Anderson-Boschman). And it's happening all over the place.

Other stuff from Leafs this morning:
Mats Sundin journeyed to New York for another opinion on his injured eye, and he should know by next week whether or not surgery is required, says Leafs GM John Ferguson Jr.
Gary Bettman, in town for a conference, took time out for a press conference on the state of the league. (And if you read here yesterday, you know the storyline. Meantime, I'm trying to get a count on how many times he said "great" for the poolies.)
Darcy Tucker says a little hazing never hurt anyone. Tell that to Taiwo Aliu (reg. required).
With half the NHL seemingly on Hockey Canada's Olympic radar screen, Jeff O'Neill somehow finds it surprising he's one of them. Jeff, this is the "walks and chews gum at the same time" list. The next one, you have to rub your head and pat your stomach.
(C.Y.)

---

I'm looking forward to watching Carolina's kids tonight. Cam Ward: 5 games, 3 wins, 2.05 GAA, .932 SV%. And we've been seeing the Eric Staal highlights this season. The number-two overall draft pick has 5 goals in 5 games.

News out of Raleigh this morning is that Ray Whitney will play his first game of the season tonight, so there's another speedy forward to give the Killer B's some fits.

Around the league:

The Avs have made an interesting move. The club has declined the team options on the contracts of Joe Sakic and Rob Blake, giving them some salary cap room this season. Both would have earned around $7-million next year but instead will be unrestricted free agents. Tough to think that will be a major problem for the team, especially with Sakic, who says he wants to finish his career there. The move gives Colorado about $700,000 in cap room to play with this year.

ChKris Draper will wear a visor. Why? Click the link to the story and the photo will give you all the reason you need why players should wear visors. Here's another good one from Draper:

"It's kind of different now. You wake up in the morning and the kids see you, and obviously it scares them, and it puts everything into perspective."

In Tampa, Marin St. Louis isn't scoring and the benchings have started. (SW)

Gretzky wins on Paul Coffey night

A links blog this morning, because sometimes, you know, my brain hurts:

CP PHOTO

Paul Coffey strikes the pose.

That was some trick from Wayne Gretzky last night, stealing into his old rink on Paul Coffey night and making off with two points -- just like old times, that's two-for-two in Alberta for the Great One. Coffey, on Sportsnet, back in uniform for a victory lap after his number 7 went up to the rafters: "What did I think? I couldn't think anything. I was bawling like a baby."

Stats pack: The Leafs lead the league in goals (4.5/game) and are second in power-play percentage (only that offensive powerhouse in Minnesota is more efficient).

Damien Cox made the case yesterday, and today comes the news from Mark Zwolinski that yes, Bryan McCabe is on Team Canada's list (there's 60 on there, mind you, so don't go breaking out the flags just yet). Zorro also has a Mats Sundin update:

"Despite feeling much better, (Sundin) has not cleared all medical concerns about his injured left eye and potentially could undergo retina surgery."

Meantime, Jeff O'Neill gives you his favourite Carolina pig mascot moment, and Nik Antropov is feeling iffy for the Leafs-'Canes tomorrow night.

The truth is out there, and Trent Klatt thinks he has it at "the home page of the quest for NHLPA Democracy".

A couple of weeks ago over at JABS there was the Best Worst Hockey Media Guide Covers Ever. Now comes this from Red and Black Hockey, the worst sweaters in NHL history.

Gary Bettman did a pressroom Q and A in Florida, and the Miami Herald has a transcript. Not surprisingly, everything's great in Gary's World:

"Overwhelmingly, the fans are enjoying the rule changes; all of them, particularly the shootout. Also what's particularly gratifying to see is the two-line pass: there were two camps on that, either good or bad, and most people seem to think it's working out. Great, as half expected, and better than anticipated by the others. Attendance is up by about four percent over 2003-04, despite the predictions of doom and gloom of how bad things were going to be, we've actually come back stronger."

Tom Benjamin has already given his take on the the hooey behind the "come back stronger" line (that's two links to Tom in as many days. I gotta cut down!). Bettman points to a Decima poll that suggested Canadians were (surprise) happy that NHL hockey is back and happy about the changes to the game (you know, Decima is the same company that polled hockey fans last year and found, what a surprise again, that they didn't miss it at all). And he had this to say about the rule changes:

"Everyone has bought into it. We're going to see it through. The game is better for it."

I'm glad the commissioner is glad -- and that everything's great.
It's the league I'm not quite sure about.
(Oh, and for the poolies, final numbers from the commissioner: 8 "goods", 8 "betters", 5 "strongs", 3 "greats", 2 "enjoys", 2 "gratifyings" and 1 "terrific".)

(C.Y.)

---

Thanks, Chris. Great post. Strong. Really enjoyed it. It was gratifying, you know? Just terrific.

What's on my mind today? Hazing. We got a double dose of retribution yesterday from incidents involving the Windsor Spitfires and football's McGill Redmen. Covering the OHL beat with her usual aplomb is Sunaya Sapurji, with the Windsor story and fallout in today's paper. For more on this read her excellent blog, today complete with her qualified psychiatric assessment of Sean Avery.

You have to like what OHL commissioner David Branch has done. As Sunaya wrote today, he's shown us what the league's "zero tolerance" policy means with the fines and suspensions.

"We had serious concerns about the team's leadership and the lack thereof regarding these issues," Branch tells the Windsor Star. "We felt the appropriate steps weren't taken. ... We must send a very clear message that we don't condone hazing. We feel we took very significant steps to reinforce our values and principles."

Why is nudity and sexuality always the main theme of these incidents? I can think of a million ways to have fun with this and keep my pants on. It all sounds a little homoerotic to me. I just don't see the point. Or maybe I do ... and it scares me.

Back onto the ice:

Ray Bourque may be back with the Bruins soon.

Leafs fans will get a treat on March 3 when the Sabres retire Pat Lafontaine's number 16 before a Toronto-Buffalo game.

After Chris Draper's close call, Red Wings general manager Ken Holland says he will encourage, but not force, his players to wear visors. Steve Yzerman, who has elected to wear a shield after being struck in the face with the puck almost a year and a half ago, says he would support mandatory visors.

"I would support it," he said. "The game is totally different now, it's a different mentality on the ice."

Has anyone asked Bryan Berard? Oh, they did.

Finally, sure it was disappointing to see Gary Roberts and Joe Nieuwendyk leave Toronto for Florida, but the reality is they're just not playing. Nieuwendyk missed his first game of the season last night due to those back spasms, and Roberts has played just 4 of their first 8 games and is on injured reserve with a groin injury.

Besides, after watching last night's Bruins-Habs game, the guy I really miss is Brian Leetch. He's 37 years old, but he's still one of the best. (SW)

That depends on how you define "penalty"

Good morning. I believe it is now safe to stow the golf clubs for the winter.
And with that in mind, it's time to make the case: Bryan McCabe for the Team Canada defence, Damien Cox addressing the jury.
That's McCabe, leading the Leafs in scoring, one point removed from the league top, named the NHL's top defensive player of the week (how's that for irony, says Ken Campbell, after McCabe has one of the top offensive stretches of his career) -- and that's just the tip of it, Cox writes:

"Right now, he's not just his team's top blueliner. He might be the best defenceman in the entire NHL."

That's one for you to chew on.
Here's another: these postmodern rules are hard to figure out. Last night's San Jose at Detroit instalment suggested so, anyway: A tasty early-season matchup that at least on the surface, looked shiny and fast and slick. But at least until the final couple of minutes when overtime loomed, it had all the bodychecking and nastiness of Ellen.
Perhaps it was a function of the penalty calls. Tugs and half-yanks that were a penalty, and slashes that weren't. A second-period stretch had a goaltender interference call (Holmstrom was outside the crease, and on his back -- what the?) and a goaltender-handling-the-puck-(barely)-outside-the-area call. Low point came when Dimatrakos deftly lifted Chelios' stick, putting himself in the clear deep in the Wings zone, the Detroit veteran slashing back at him -- and Dimatrakos was whistled for hooking.
I suppose we're going to get our share of these kind of nights. Top blogger Tom Benjamin is concerned already, but for the opposite reason -- "the officials are starting to let things go", he writes, using Saturday's Leafs-Habs tilt as an example. Consistency is all he asks, and a fair trial of the zero-tolerance approach.
These are single-game snapshots -- that's the big picture view, anyway. But the smaller one, on display at the Joe last night, had me crying out for some edge, and wondering whether there can be a medium between "zero-tolerance" and "let 'em play".
Oh, over at ESPN, John Buccigross has an entertaining view worth checking out, as he actually sits in the stands to watch -- "At times, it almost looked like an all-star game," he says.  (*shudder*)
He does bring to mind a concept I've long been in favour of: everyone who reports on sports should once a year have to attend a game, paying for the tickets, lining up to get in, lining up to buy the overpriced food and beer, lining up to get rid of it, then taking the subway or fighting the traffic on the roads home -- Mandatory, like visors should be.
Oh, and on the subject of visors, or the lack of them: ChKris Draper went to hospital last night, after being hit in the face with an errant puck. (C.Y.)

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Yup, there goes Chris again, talking about the integrity of the game; how it's played, the media's responsibilities. Let's get to some gossip, shall we?

I wanted to know what Atlanta fans are saying about last Friday's fight night. Let's just say the comments I found are fairly consistent. Some examples:

As far as Andy Sutton’s hit on Darcy Tucker goes, maybe a little hockey karma got him. ... Pat Quinn? Just a senile whiner. ... Tucker deserves every stitch he got. ... Toronto runs the league and everyone knows it. Their passionate fan base runs interference for a shoddy organization. ...Anyone at the game saw Domi look like Greg Luganus for most of the game.

Leafs visit Atlanta November 19. I'm just sayin', that's all. Unbalanced schedule, remember? While we're on the topic of rivalry, wanted to pass this link along. It's worth a look just for the photo of Brendan Shanahan, the guy we have to thank for the new rules/enforcement. At least he hasn't lost his grit.

Hey, Tucker's playing pretty good. You gotta have one of those love-him-on-your-team-but-hate-to-play-against-him guys on your team. I remember absolutely HATING Esa Tikkanen. I think I was just jealous. Check out Ken Campbell's look at Tucker today, who's clicking with Allison and O'Neill right now.

How 'bout the new guys? The two above with Tucker might make up the Leafs' top line, but the best player out there right now is probably Eric Lindros. Over at the Sun, Steve Simmons has a story on how the Leafs are cashing in on Mr. 88 because ... they're the Leafs. Remember, he's a former MVP. He was the last to get the Sidney Crosby hype. Sure is playing that way right now.

Leaving you today with our friend Jeremy Roenick. Hey, hasn't it been a few days since he's mouthed off:

"The owners can sit there and do giveaways and lower ticket prices to get the fans back to the game knowing that what they are really doing is taking it out of our pockets," Roenick tells the Los Angeles Times. "It's important to get people back into the arenas to watch hockey, but it is a lot easier to do when (the owners) know they still get money back because they are taking it out of our paycheck. In essence, the players are paying for all the giveaways and free stuff that the owners are doing. Which is all well and good, but you don't hear about it."

Interesting point from Mike Ulmer this morning. With Brett Hull's retirement, Chris Chelios not far behind and JR turning 35, the NHL is losing all of its great quotes. He's got some good candidates for the new generation -- and an even better candidate for who needs to clam up. Thanks for coming out Sean Avery. (SW)