Why Can't I Get Excited About the Canucks?

by Jes

So, we've got a few games left in the season and the Canucks are in a race for the Western Conference's last playoff spot that is tighter than Hillary Clinton's ice-cold nether regions.

Despite this, I can't seem to get excited about it at all.

Have I just given up on the Canucks, much like the Canucks seem to have given up on the season?

Rank                  GP W  L   OT  Pts GF  GA   Home   Away     L10
1 Detroit Red Wings*  79 52 20   7  111 248 175 27-9-3  25-11-4 7-2-1
2 San Jose Sharks*    78 47 21   10 104 210 182 20-13-6 27-8-4  8-0-2
3 Minnesota Wild*     79 42 28   9  93  214 211 23-11-5 19-17-4 5-2-3
4 Anaheim Ducks       79 44 27   8  96  195 184 26-9-4  18-18-4 6-3-1
5 Dallas Stars        78 43 29   6  92  230 196 22-15-2 21-14-4 2-7-1
6 Calgary Flames      78 40 28   10 90  216 215 21-11-9 19-17-1 5-5-0
7 Colorado Avalanche  79 42 31   6  90  221 211 26-12-2 16-19-4 5-5-0
8 Nashville Predators 79 39 31   9  87  222 221 22-14-4 17-17-5 4-5-1

9 Vancouver Canucks   78 38 30   10 86  203 200 20-12-5 18-18-5 4-6-0
10 Edmonton Oilers    80 40 34   6  86  231 247 23-16-1 17-18-5 6-3-1

While the Edmonton Oilers' are playing their asses off, the Canucks are almost content to get a head start on golfing.

Are the Canucks expecting a first round defeat? Why, then, is there a complete lack of caring and emotion out of most of the team?

I know, I know, it's not as if the Canucks can simply score at will. Still, watch the Canucks on any night and the effort just isn't there. Too many players just dont' truly seem to care.

Maybe that is why I am so apathetic about the team right now. If you are an Oilers fan, you can at least take heart in knowing that the team never gave up (assuming they miss the playoffs, which I bet they will).

The Hawks and Coyotes? They made real strides?

The Canucks? They turned into the Florida Panthers ... a great goalie and a mediocre team that won't go anywhere.

Makes you wonder if Luongo won't get GTFO out of here once his contract expires.

I hope GM Dave "No Action" Nonis is canned this off-season, and ownership doesn't simply let the injury excuse be used. I'm sorry, but the Canucks needed offensive help, and didn't get any.

*sigh*

I feel like I should just jump on a bandwagon this year and not invest too much emotion into the playoffs.

Montreal? They have Tomas Plekanec, but Quebecers hate me ;)
Boston? They have Milan Lucic, but they don't have a shot.
San Jose? zzzzz
Anaheim? Bunch of thugs!

Oh, I almost forgot that I did create the Sidney Crosby blog.

Time to jump onto my other bandwagon. w00t!!!

No, I don't have shame in doing so. Until the Canucks earn my respect and devotion again, I'll take my business elsewhere.

NHL GM's Say NO to No-Touch Icing

by Jes

No-Touch Icing is a rule that many hockey leagues have had for years, but one the NHL refuses to adopt like Angelina Jolie and any kid from Africa.

Why is that?

As we saw with the recent broken leg injury suffered by Kurtis Foster, the current way of touch icing puts the players at needless risk.

Time and time again, we hear the same refrain: "We can't take away those exciting puck chases. The fans will never stand for another whistle!"

Riiiight... umm... I've watched junior hockey for years, and can't say that I miss the chases for an iced puck. If anything, it spares us the inevitable icing call and just gets on with it. Really, how many iced-puck chases end up being waived off because an offensive player gets to the puck first? Once a game, at most?

It's bad enough that the players' don’t value their own safety, but why do the GM's continue to not care about the well being of their players?

Sure, we know that management groups, throughout labour history, have tended not to give a damn about their employees' safety. Callous management isn't anything new.

The difference between the NHL and your typical steel mill? Replacement cost! It's much easier to replace a steel worker and pays for their medical expenses than it is to do the same for an NHL player.

Not only does the team have to pay a replacement player when their star gets injured, but the team's insurance premiums go up as well.

No-touch icing? That would help prevent needless injuries, and ought to be embraced by GM's as a way to cut some costs and save some limbs.

Alas, the GM's show that, once again, their heads are in the sand, or up Gary Bettman's freshly-shaven ass.

Per Bob MacKenzie of TSN.ca:

The NHL's 30 general managers were asked the following question: In the wake of Kurtis Foster's broken leg, are you in favor of no-touch icing? Yes or No?

Of the 26 GMs who responded, 17 said, No, they do not favor no-touch icing. Eight said, Yes, they would like to see a change to the current rule and go to no-touch. One said he simply can't make up his mind, that he used to be in the No camp but isn't so sure now.

Those results are not a surprise, really. Every year at the NHL GMs' meeting they beat this subject up and come to the same conclusion – the significant majority is not prepared to support a change to the icing rule, they like races for the puck and at the risk of being callous, they say they can't and won't be influenced by injuries because it's the nature of the game. In fact, at the most recent GMs' meeting in Naples, Fla., the GMs decided against even discussing the subject for at least another three years.

Wow, the GM's can't be bothered from their busy schedule of golfing and drinking to discuss an issue for ANOTHER THREE YEARS? Geez, don't work too hard, boys.

Yes, the GM's can't be bothered and influenced by injuries because, well, employees just get injured, and that's that.

*Sigh*

I'd like to ask the GM of the Wild just how much money they'll spend on a replacement player for Kurtis Foster and how much more they'll need to pay in insurance next year. I wonder if a big fat dollar figure would get the message through.

*I'm willing to guess that the GM who couldn't make up his mind was none other than our own Dave Nonis. D00d couldn't make a decision if his life depended on it.

Elisha Cuthbert and Dion Phaneuf? Ewww..

by Jes

I don't watch "24", and really don't care much for Elisha Cuthbert. She's not quite as good looking as most people seem to think she is, her hairstyles always suck, and her attempt at hockey blogging made Glenn Beck look like a genius orator of opinion.

That said, we can't but help but talk about her when she's a high profile actress and she's dating yappy NHL players. It makes for good gossip and good press. It's certainly more interesting than watching the Canucks blow another 3rd period lead.

Elisha seemed to finally get a clue when she dumped Sean Avery after a year or two of listening to the endless spewing of crap from his sewer mouth. The thrill was gone, and she had to realize that Avery would ...

a. never shut up
b. cheat quite often (as many players do)
c. not make good long-term marriage material
d. continue to accumulate enough facial scars to make Freddy Krueger jealous

Well, maybe she didn't learn anything, because now she's with ... da-dum ... noted asshole Dion Phaneuf (!?)

As if his own star wasn't burning brightly enough, Calgary Flames defenceman Dion Phaneuf is now being linked to Hollywood starlet Elisha Cuthbert.

Having been seen recently in Calgary attending a Flames game, the Girl Next Door actress -- who was born in Cowtown before moving to Montreal -- grabbed the attention of those in the entertainment industry, setting the Internet abuzz.

A celebrity gossip columnist apparently got wind of it, and CTV's e-Talk has reported the two are an item.

When asked about the rumours, the big blueliner neither confirmed nor denied reports, saying he won't talk about his personal life.

Women wonder why certain men treat them like crap, and then these women keep going out with the 'bad boy' time and time again. When you play with snakes, expect to get bitten.

Elisha, your taste in men clearly sucks as much as you do after an apple martini, and we know that this relationship won't last more than a year, tops.

*shakes head*

Dater Does Not Dig Dion

by Jes

Most MSM mediots are rather droll and uninspired. Years of covering the same team and beating the same drum seem to suck the life out of most writers, leaving them bitter husks that create stupid trade rumours out of thin air (*cough* Tony Gallagher *cough*), and always whine about how their team/players aren't good enough after last night's 3-2 loss in OT.

It doesn’t help that the papers practice a big load of self-censorship, and don't allow much in the way of true personality to ever be expressed. We can't risk pissing off those lucrative advertisers, or the teams themselves, can we?

Well, author Adrian "The Hater" Dater is one of the few MSM writers that allows his emotions to get the better of him, and it makes for great reading. It helps that The Denver Post allows him this avenue for expressing himself without a whole lot of interference.

Take this recent blog about a Flames/Avs tilt in which Dater rips into Phaneuf.

So here is Dion Phaneuf tonight, laying one big hit from behind after another on Peter Forsberg, and there goes Forsberg to the penalty box for a little tap on some guy’s glove a few minutes later. Same old NHL, where the retaliator is penalized.

Phaneuf is a bit of a Bill Laimbeer on skates, by the way. And some day he’s going to get his, and it’s not going to be pretty for him. He’s going to hit one backside of a player too many, and somebody is going to rip that shield off his face and hand him his teeth. (And yes, he’s an effective player, though, because he DOES get people off their games mentally. And, yes, if I was a coach and he played on my team, I’d probably love him. But not always. You can argue he cost his team a game, with a foolish interference penalty - and blatantly cross-checking Paul Stastny from behind, not long after the Avs scored on his first penalty, didn’t help the Flames’ cause, either).

We’ll see if the Avs have any hair on their chests the rest of the night or not. I said it once and I’ll say it again - you gotta smack the bully in the mouth.

See, this is the kind of stuff the fans want to read. The Laimbeer comparison is quite apt, and Dater expresses many of the same thoughts most non-Flames fans have had for some time. Dater's blog posts show a good range of emotions, and make for far more interesting reading than you usually get from the stodgy MSM.

Other MSM publications should take note of how many comments and referring links Dater's blog has generated, and get a clue.

Mike is No Dream Weaver

by Jes

Mike Weaver is certainly not one of my favourite Vancouver Canucks. I don't hate him personally, but I do get nervous any time he is on the ice and the puck is in the Canucks' zone.

I'll admit that Weaver has done a decent job as a fill-in defenseman, but he's played far more than he ever should, thanks in large part to the decimation of the Canucks' defensive corps over the season.

Today's paper featured a cheeky column by Ed Willes that highlights just how bad Weaver's (lack of) offensive production has been.

Weaver, the vertically challenged blueliner, has no goals and no assists for no points in 49 games with the Canucks this season which, depending on how you look at it, either placed him in a 93-way tie for 739th place among NHL scoring leaders before last night or 832nd, and last, in the league because of the 93 players who've yet to score this season, none have played more games than Weaver.

To put it in perspective, Canucks backup goalie Curtis Sanford has one assist in 13 games this year.

"I've never really looked at points," Weaver said. "It's like I've got a shock-collar if I go past the blueline. Everybody has their own thing. That's not mine."

OK ... getting out-scored by Curtis Sanford is akin to being beaten in a game of scrabble by a toddler. Ouch.

While it's safe to say Weaver provides NO offense, I'll argue that he provides a net NEGATIVE to the Canucks offense.

Think about it ... a comparible fill-in defenseman should at least have 2-5 points, given the same amount of ice time that Weaver gets on a nightly basis.

Mike Weaver has played 701 minutes of NHL hockey this season (14:18 a game), and hasn't even managed a single, accidental, assist?

C'mon, that's just pathetic.

Unless Weaver is the world's greatest defensive defenseman, which he is not, than he really is of negative value to the Canucks.

0 assists suggest a guy who can't make good breakout passes, is not good at getting the puck to the net, and has a slapshot that would make Craig Janney laugh.

Unfortunately, Weaver is going to be in the lineup a lot more thanks to the season-ending hurts of Ohlund and Krajicek.

*sigh*

Idiot of the Day: Paul Stewart

by Jes

Paul Stewart, the former enforcer and popular (with the players) ex-referee had some choice comments about the Chris Pronger situation.

His thinking: Pronger wouldn't have gone all stompy if the game had more enforcers and he wouldn't have to protect himself. Uh-huh

You might expect a referee to have pretty keen insight into the situation, but Stewart ends up sounding more like an old codger like Donald Cherry than anything.

Stewart, the director of officials for the NCAA's Eastern Conference, told Hockey Night In Canada Radio on Sirius late Monday that the incident is a direct result of the NHL's desire to reduce fighting and, in turn, eliminate the role of the enforcer.

"It is sort of childish the way that he stomped on the guy," Stewart said. "Would [Jean] Beliveau have done that?

"I don't think so because they had No. 22 playing for them — God rest his soul, John Ferguson — and players knew they weren't going to take allowances with them."

Stewart believes the enforcer plays a key role in the NHL because "if you run [Sidney] Crosby or if you run [Alexander] Ovechkin or if you run, sadly, a Patrice Bergeron, you have to face a guy.

"[Wayne] Gretzky had [Marty] McSorley and he had [Dave] Semenko. Nowadays, they're trying to outlaw these guys."

Let's chop this up like spinach ...

1. Does Chris Pronger not have any 'protection' in Anaheim? Brad May, George Parros, Travis Moen ... Anaheim is not lacking with pugilistic talent. The fact that anyone could think Pronger is in any danger is akin to believing we actually live in a true democracy. Pure garbage.

2. If anyone needed protecting, it was Ryan Kesler, who was lying on the ice in a prone position for Pronger to stomp on his leg.

3. Remember when the Blues had Kelly Chase and Tony Twist? Even then, Pronger was cheap and vicious with his stick.

Oh, and this Paul Stewart gem is delicious.

Asked when he noticed the shift away from on-ice enforcers, Stewart responded: "The culture changed when the helmets went on, when the glass went up, when the goaltenders went out back of the net and started playing the puck with an expectation of not being confronted."

Yeah, let's go back to not wearing helmets and having a whole bunch of fractured skulls. Just ask Norm Green how that feels.

Paul Stewart ... what a moron.

Hockey isn't suddenly more violent now that enforcers' roles have drastically been reduced. Yes, stick fouls 'appear' to be increasing, but that doesn't excuse Chris Pronger or Chris Simon from committing one of hockey's ultimate no-no's.

If the NHL really wants to crack down on vicious and violent fouls, then the suspension system needs to be revamped, opened up, and harsher. The reason Pronger does what he does is because he knows he can get away with it. Do you think a 2-3 game suspension for a check from behind is going to deter anyone? No.

Start handing out 25-30 game suspensions and you'll see the cheap crap start to fade away.

Do Bloggers Dream of Richard Zednik?

by Jes

At last, I've uncovered the super secret formula that the NHL uses for handing out suspensions.

(Previous Suspension + Media Outcry - Player's "Star"* Power + Number of Bowel Movements Colin Campbell Has Had in Previous 48 Hours) X Random Number Picked Out of a Hat by a Monkey.

* As determined by Supreme Overlord, His Excellency, Commissioner Gary Bettman.

How else can we explain the fact that the NHL gave Chris Pronger a head-scratching EIGHT game suspension for his stomping of Ryan Kesler when Chris Simon got THIRTY games for the exact same thing.

Is Chris Pronger a repeat offender? Yes.
Has Chris Pronger proven himself to be a danger and threat to other players? Yes.

So, then, why the double standard? Was it because the media didn't cry for blood nearly as much? Is it because Pronger is a player that the NHL desparately wants to be in the NHL? Is it because Gary Bettman fears Brian Burke?

The sad thing is that there would have been NO suspension if the folks at TSN didn't call out the NHL out. We'll give a round of applause to the MSM for this one, as they utilized their assets and investigative wherewithall to show the public just what the NHL 'missed'.

---

I rarely have dreams that I can remember, but I certainly had a strange one last night.

It involved Richard Zednik and I as roommates in some apartment. (Somehow, his wife wasn't anywhere to be found). I was taking care of Zednik after another awful injury, and trying to comfort him from his depression.

Zednik had also recovered from cancer, and was wondering when all the pain would end. He had a hard time getting to sleep because of the pain, so I gave him some 'illegal?' drugs to calm him down. For some reason, I didn't want to give him the pills, but he convinced me. Who can resist a sad Zednik face?

Then, after he went to sleep, I went into the living room and starting playing video games from a MASSIVE collection.

Yeah, WTF, eh?

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It has been years since I've done an Easter egg hunt, but I'm going to try my hand at one set up by Joe Pelletier over his his Legends of Hockey blog.

Today GreatestHockeyLegends.com has a photo of the largest easter egg in the world? Why? Because I'm announcing the first annual
GreatestHockeyLegends.com Easter Egg Hunt!

Amongst the approximate 700 legends profiled across my Legends of
Hockey Network I have planted pictures of easter eggs on 5 biographies.

If you can find all five, you will be entered into a draw to win a
$100 gift certificate to Amazon.

Perhaps I'll start by going to Steve Smith's profile (if he has one), since he certainly knew how to lay an egg ;)

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How would you like it if 12,000 people showed up at your birthday?

Well, the Giants/Bruins game last night had Gordie Howe celebrate his 80th birthday with the team he has a minority stake in. Yes, the guy is uber-popular and still draws a crowd.

OK, so his real birthday is not until March 31st, but it was a good excuse for a nice ceremony. With the Canucks sucking as much as they have, the Giants are giving us Vancouver hockey fans something better to watch :)

As for Howe, I saw him at the game on Friday (vs. the Cougars) and he's still looking good. About 1-2 years ago, he seemed to have aged ten years at once and looked rather fragile and weak. On Friday, he seemed to look good and still looked like he could bodycheck a few players through the boards.

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Today's Photo of the Day involves Ryan Getzlaf combining his other hobby, Tae Kwon Doe, with hockey into ... ummm ... 'Doekey'?

HIYAAAHHH!!!

Friday's Frank Frothings

by Jes

Oh, I know I'm a negative Canucks fan, but this season is now officially over.

Sure, the Canucks might make the playoffs, but they certainly won't do anything substantial. I don't even expect an upset, unless the Canucks play Dallas (unlikely). Basically, a season of almost nothing.

Now, Mattias Ohlund couldn't bear the pain any longer and decided to have a season-ending operation. Canucks fans appreciate the effort he put in, and we know that he really didn't want to have to make that decision.

Krajicek, Miller, Ohlund are gone ... Salo is hurt, Bieksa is still not 100%, and the Canucks can't score. Basically, the Canucks are first round fodder.

Last night's 2-0 loss to the Coyotes was a perfect example of how our team doesn't seem to care enough. Not to discount the Coyotes, but most of the Canucks were clearly sleepwalking though last night's game. Apart from Burrows/Kesler and Luongo, who else seemed to want to win the game?

I wonder if it would be better for the Canucks to miss the playoffs. Then, GM Dave "No Action" Nonis might realize how weak his team really is, and do something of SUBSTANCE. None of this Brad Isbister/Marc Chouinard bullshit. Get us some real players! Don't waste Luongo's talent playing behind a bunch of flotsam. Really, is Luongo going to want to re-sign here when his contract expires? Doubtful.

For now, I am completely writing off the Canucks, and anything other than a first round exit will be a bonus. Set expectations low, and your heart won't get hurt.

---

When I look at other Western Conference second-tier teams, I see potential.

Colorado has Sakic (always $$$$$), Forsberg, and Adam Foote back in the fold. This team can explode in your face.

Minnesota is Minnesota ... well-coached, and always dangerous come playoff time. Sure, they struggle to score on a regular basis, but we know this team will quietly sneak up on your and steal your lollipop. They have good special teams, which always make a difference during the playoffs.

Phoenix? If they happen to make it, they'll have the 'nothing to lose' energy that is always so dangerous versus uptight teams with high expectations. Oh, and don't forget Ilya Bryzgalov and his Vezina-like play.

Hell, even Calgary has Miikka Kiprusoff discovering his old form, a great defence, and enough offence to make them a viable choice. Remember, this is a team that many expect to do better than they have, so we know they have the talent to do good things.

The Canucks? They have Roberto Luongo, and nothing else. That is why I have written them off.

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When is the last time you heard the term "Jimmy Hat" in casual conversation?

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More on Peter Stastny and his crusade.

I got an email from another friend of mine from Slovakia, and he added his thoughts on the situation. Keep in mind that my pal is also very anti-communist (as are most people who lived through the Soviets occupations), and is no fan of Siroky and his cronies.

---
The decision of Peter to open this cause was very stupid. I cannot understand why he sent a copy to Bettman and Hay, who have nothing to do with Slovak hockey hall of fame. A lot of people (in Slovakia) support him but most ones are very disappointed to combine political policy with their most favorite sport.

Peter Stastny was a very respected athlete and personality by all Slovaks. But his first conflict (two years ago) with hockey officials confused a lot of his fans. I can understand that he has a conflict with Siroky, but nobody can explain me why he pulls in other officials and players to his personal conflict.

In my opinion, Siroky is and especially was a real asshole who collaborated with former regime and worked for secret police. However, his present work for Slovak hockey is accepted by most people.

I must remind you to one fact ... that Stastny worked as GM of national team in period 2003-06. Do you know who was a president of Slovak hockey federation? Of course Siroky.

Why Stastny collaborated with such person when he has known him pretty well? Why he accepted good salary from federation when he knew its boss? This conflict started two years ago when the federation has not extended the contract with Stastny.

BTW, Peter knew only players on NHL and had no idea about Europe-skating players. To be ironic he has confused first names of several young NHL-ers e.g. Jurcina and Meszaros.
---

My friend makes an excellent point. Stastny surely know the kind of man Siroky was during his days with the hockey federation. Why, then, is it only now that Peter comes out with such allegations? Why didn't he turn down the job if he has such a high moral standard?

Peter Stastny's Curious Crusade

by Jes

When Peter Stastny, a Slovakian icon like few others, was no longer holder of the GM position with the Slovak national team, most of us suspected the usual shenanigans within the Slovak Hockey Federation.

The Slovak federation has always been beset with politics, patronage, granting of family favours, and a lack of foresight that will keep the country from ever reaching the sustained level of skill that the TOP SIX countries maintain.

Seeing Stastny want to get away from all of that nonsense made some sense ... why would he want to bother with all of that?

His quote "Those old communist officials didn't want any part of me. They could hardly wait for my contract to expire about 18 months ago and refused to renew it. They were so well organized that when it came to the vote on my contract, all seven officials turned their thumbs down.

OK, so Stastny was the 'defector', the 'new guard' that clashed with the old guard. So be it.

Well, in a story that doesn't seem to have been picked up my any mainstream media outlets here in North American, Stastny has gone on a personal crusade to oust Juraj Široký, a complete dumbass who knows little about hockey and all about weaseling his way into positions of power, from the Slovak Hockey Federation.

In a letter to Rene Fasel, head of the IIHF, Stastny makes his points quite clear. It's interesting to note who he copied into the letter, including NHL commission Gary Bettman.

Now, this letter wasn't really supposed to be public, but I happen to have a contact in Cesko-Slovensko that can provide me with such things.

I apologize for the length of the cut-and-paste, but feel that it's worth posting the letter in its entirety.

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From: Mr. Peter Šťastný

To: Mr. René Fasel, President of the International Ice Hockey Federation

Cc: Mr. Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament
Mr. Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee
Mr. Gary Bettman, Commissioner of the National Hockey League
Mr. Bill Hay, Chairman and CEO of the Hockey Hall of Fame


Re: Mr. Juraj Široký, President of the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation as a real threat to democracy and integrity of the game of ice hockey


Dear René,

Please accept my warm greetings and my apology for the second open letter. Myself and all Slovak hockey fans are grateful for your significant contribution in correcting injustice against our team and our players by improving fairness of Olympic tournaments with the new format starting in Torino 2006.

Today, seven years later, I have equally serious matter to present concerning democracy and integrity of our game.

Mr. Juraj Široký is current president of the Slovak Ice-Hockey Federation and he also serves on IIHF Council. His past was revealed last summer by the official Slovak institute dealing with communist era. UPN (Nation´s Memory Institute) delivered undeniable verdict.

Mr. Široký was high ranking officer (captain) in feared communist STB (same as Soviet KGB, East German Stasi etc.). In height of Cold War he served as spy resident and second-in-command in Washington D.C., USA. Why is this official verdict important and what was revealed from his files?

- Mr. Široký always denied ever working or collaborating with STB. He was therefore constantly lying to media and public. It is almost certain he lied on application to IIHF Council where he probably wrote "diplomat" as a past occupation. As full fledged professional spy loyal to communist ideology he certainly worked hard to subvert and destabilize Western democracies, the external enemies of communist regime. Such a job does not fit the definition of diplomat.

- UPN published only tip of the iceberg from his files. There was his application to work for STB where as a reason he stated his desire to help regime to fight against internal and external enemies. Cruel and inhumane communist regime was so clear about its objectives to dominate the world that every 12 years old understood definition of internal and external enemy. Internal enemies were all people living in the country who did not agree with Marx-Lenin ideology. Like myself, my entire family and millions of Czechs and Slovaks believing in God and / or basic democratic freedoms. External enemies as mentioned above were Western democracies led by USA and any group or individual trying to bring real democracy back to our country. Again I was clearly enemy of regime and target of Mr. Široký along with all democratic countries and almost all Slovaks and Czechs living abroad.

- UPN also published report of Mr. Široký to his superiors that particularly shows how low one can drop and how sleezy one can become in guest of a "career". He reported on his own mother having correspondence with her relatives in USA.

- Now the most important fact either not published by UPN or missed by me. As high ranking officer he swore and signed Pledge of Allegiance to STB. He swore to fight the enemies of Soviet Union, CSSR and enemies of socialism. This document is most direct evidence of Mr. Široký conspiracy against democracy and hundreds of millions citizens living at the time in free democratic countries. Same document can be interpreted as conspiracy against his own country and majority of co-citizens.

Under overwhelming evidence and authority of UPN, Mr. Široký stopped denying his past. He only stated that every country had, has and will have intelligence service and he only served his country. Another bogus attempt to lie. As he himself so eloquently wrote about his desire to help regime fight those internal and external enemies he knows too well his activities served against his own country, citizens and against democracy. He served the regime!

STB has been proved to be the most feared architect and executive arm of evil communist regime. Its job to keep communism in power at any cost was very painful and tragic for Czechoslovak citizens. They lived in constant fear of persecution and punishment. Hundreds of thousands were prosecuted and jailed. Hundreds were executed or killed, tens of thousands got long term jail and forced labor camps. Millions others suffered from consequences for their beliefs. Loss of job, no chance of promotion, limited education past elementary schools etc. They were all innocent people.

We owe it to the memory of all these victims to insure that any person closely collaborating and condoning such crimes should not participate in public life in true democracy. That is my belief. I called publicly few times on Mr. Široký ´s resignation. It fell on deaf ears. Now I am turning to all who share my conviction to at least isolate any person who openly conspired against democracy and values we all hold dear. If we act, it will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening of democracy and adding to integrity of our beloved game of ice hockey.

To conclude, I am announcing my decision to add to public debate. If Mr. Široký does not abandon all the positions in Slovak ice hockey in 3 months period from today, I will withdraw from Slovak Hockey Hall of Fame. At the same time I will ask to pull out the banner with my name and image from ceiling of Slovan Bratislava stadium for as long as Mr. Široký remains the majority owner of my alma mater club. Unless my requests are fully satisfied, my decision will rest firmly in place.


Yours truly,

Peter Šťastný
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Now, I'm no fan of Siroky (d'uh), but it is kinda sad the way Stastny is crying for attention like a little child, and trying to use his popularity in the country to fight a personal issue with someone.

Speaking with another friend from the old country, this is what he has to say.

I call it dirty politics. Stastny knows how to play the game (both on and off the ice) as he’s already Slovakia’s man in the European Parliament despite holding a US-citizenship, if I’m correct.

With no political experience under his belt he accepted the job after which he claimed “if it’s not fun I’ll just walk away in a year or two”. You don’t often hear the words fun and politics together but it doesn’t sound to me like someone who is willing to fight for your rights as a Slovak citizen at the European parliament.

I wonder if the mainstream media here will pick up on this story. It's certainly quite intriguing, and you don't often hear about KGB-like spying tying in with hockey.

Tuesday's Thoughts

by Jes

Let's start off with the Photo of the Day. Ryan Kesler has Patrick Sharp in a very ... precarious position.

"Get up, you big baby!"


Get your captions in!

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Wow, the Canucks BARELY managed to not get swept in the season series by the Los Angeles Kings. Of course, it took a 2-1 overtime win to give the Canucks one frickin victory against Marc Crawford's poorly coached squad.

I totally love the Alex Burrows/Ryan Kesler combo. Sure, we don't expect them to score every night, but we love the effort and defensive ability. I'd match up Kesler/Burrows to the other great checking duos, like the ones in Detroit, Anaheim, and New Jersey.

Markus Naslund should take notes on how to deliver an honest effort. Why is it the Canucks captain gets a free pass? Vigneault ought to make Naslund a healthy scratch to sink in a message.

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Wayne's World - Some thoughts from our Southern-fried correspondant.

The Avalanche are playing the Thrashers tonight, and Thrasherw marketing has designated tonight as one of those "White Out" games where the first 10,000 in attendance get a white T-shirt.

Ooooooooh...Is that supposed to scare the opposition?

These so-called "White Out" games are getting so ubiquitous in sports that even college basketball teams are doing it these days...And the T-birds are scheduling it against the same team that started this trend...

In reality, Atlanta Spirit (GOOOOOOO Team!) should give away 10,000 carving forks, as in, "This team is done; stick a fork in 'em".

Agreed. For the Coyotes/Jets, it's good. For everyone else, it's sad.

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From IIHF correspondant Joeri Loonen, a cool article about Slovakia's hockey factory: Trencin.

Hockey is a religion in Slovakia, especially in Trencin. When talking with players from the city, dropping the name brings a twinkle into their eyes. Trencin has embraced its NHL stars, but the players embrace the city as well. A good example is a prestigious project that Marian Gaborik supported. To create more ice time for local children, he funded a new sports complex called the MG Arena. Situated in the city centre, the complex offers more than just an ice-rink. It also includes two gyms, a small hotel and several shops. Gaborik’s father takes care of the day-to-day operations while his brother Branko (a scout for the Minnesota Wild) was also involved in the project.

If only the rest of Slovakia was as good as producing talent, the Slovaks wouldn't be stuck behind the usual Top 6 countries :(

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Author Joe Pelletier is also a rabid reader, and decided to do a list of the books he considers best in the realm of hockey.

HockeyBookReviews.com has a special feature today. Book reviewer Joe
Pelletier names the top five most important hockey books of all time:

Unlike other sports, baseball in particular, hockey does not tend to
transcend the literary world very often.

I'm not sure why that is. Is it because the game does not translate
onto paper that well? I don't think so. Is it because hockey attracts
few great writers? Not at all. Perhaps it is there are just fewer
hockey books out there, and therefore fewer classics?.

Well, can you really name basketball and football books that are popular and considered classics?

The Hockey Sweater gets my #1 vote, since it's a story that most any Canadian kid was exposed to, and the exlusion/wanting-to-fit-in story line can pretty much hit the heart of anyone who reads it.

Markus Naslund's Deep Decline

by Jes

To show you what kind of 'leadership' the Canucks have been getting from Markus Naslund this season, just consider what kind of stats Naslund has been putting up while his team fights for their playoff lives.

March 8 vs STL: 0-1-1 -1
March 6 vs. NAS: 0-0-0 -2
March 4 vs. COL: 0-0-0 -1
March 2 vs. CHI: 0-0-0 0
Feb 29 vs. COB: 0-0-0 -1
Feb 27 vs. COL: 0-0-0 0
Feb 23 vs. DET: 0-0-0 +1
Feb 21 vs. NAS: 0-0-0 0
Feb 19 vs. MIN: 1-0-1 0

Yeah, a whole lot of nothing.

Allow me to repeat myself a bit ...

Now, it's widely known that Naslund has been in a sulk ever since his boyfriend was dealt to the Panthers. There has been little fire in Naslund's game, and, although he won't admit it, he doesn't seem to enjoy being here.

I'm still willing to bet more than a few GMs think that Naslund's game will return once he gets to a situation where he can have the load of the C off of his chest and can be with a coach he gets along with.

Buyer beware. I believe Naslund is in a natural decline and won't just bounce back to his point-a-game levels.

1. Naslund's point totals have gone steadily down ... 104-84-79-60 and now 48 so far this season (on pace for about 53-55).

2. Naslund is approaching 35 years of age. Yes, some players are ageless, but most are not. Most 35-year old players are going to keep declining, and Naslund is no exception. His best days are behind him.

3. Just watch Naslund on the ice, and see that he is far from the most dangerous player on the ice. The laser-like wrist-shot is gone, replaced by a slapshot that NEVER WORKS. Naslund isn't even that fast, and rarely seems to create chances for other players like a good player should.

Oh, I'm sure Naslund can put up at least 50 points next season, but I bet he'll be paid way too much to do so.

Face it, folks, Naslund's only going to continue his downward spiral into old age (hockey wise, that is), and his lack of point production is not purely based on his mental state.

It's just too bad that he seems unwilling to show the fire necessary to carry the Canucks to bigger and better things. I can live with old age, but the lack of passion is unacceptable.

Vancouver SUCKS!

by Jes

Oh, dear, the people in this city really are a bunch of numbnuts. Not only does Vancouver possess possibly the worst drivers in all of Canada, but the denizens of Lotusland often need a smack out of their apathetic stupor.

From Columbus Alive!

On our City Limits blog at ColumbusAlive.com, we've been writing a lot about Columbus' quest for some sort of marketable identity. So we couldn't resist this telling tidbit, reported by Tom Reed in Saturday's Dispatch:

Ken Hitchcock's most humbling moment as Blue Jackets coach came in this radiant city on the Pacific Coast [Vancouver, British Columbia].

Hitchcock was trying to clear Canadian customs last summer when the agent asked him his occupation. He told the man he coached the NHL franchise in Columbus.

The agent grew suspicious and countered by saying, "There's no NHL team in Columbus."

I wonder if the agent was joking. It's almost too funny to be true. Sheesh. If a Canada Customs agent doesn't know there is a hockey team in Columbus, then they should be fired. Seriously.

If you want to purchase a housing unit, do NOT come to Vancouver. Seriously, we don't need more people here. I wish about 400,000 of you pointless morons would pick up and move to Toronto, or Alberta.

The average price of a house is nearing the million dollar mark. With ever-increasing amounts of homeless people on the streets of this 'fine' city, it's just sickening that housing continues to get more and more expensive.

DO NOT MOVE HERE!!! GO AWAY!!!

Ohlund might be out for the remainder of the season with bone chips in his knee. Lovely. As if the season wasn't already in the toilet deep enough as it is. Might as well push in the plunger all the frickin way. Who do I cheer for in the playoffs? Boston?

Some good news for once: CanWest is losing readers for it's daily papers in Vancouver. For those who don't know, our two major newspapers (yes, both of them) are owned and operating by the same evil corporate empire. They also own many of the major dailies all across Canada, and pollute the paperwaves with more crap than FOX affiliates.

The two CanWest MediaWorks daily papers in the Lower Mainland, the Vancouver Sun and Province, have lost more than 100,000 "read yesterday" readers between them over the past year, according to the newspaper industry's own research.

The Newspaper Audience Databank's 2007 survey, which was released yesterday, showed that 77,600 fewer people reported that they read the Province on the previous day (dropping from 491,600 to 414,000).

The five-day cumulative readership of the Province (people who picked up the paper once during the previous five days) fell from 805,1000 to 747,700 over the year.

What's to love about CanWest?

1. How about the fact that they kiss so much right wing ass that even Karl Rove would say 'Whoa, slow down, solider!'

2. Centralizing articles from a 'CanWest news service'. Rather than actual investigative reporting, we get a bunch of vanilla articles written by faceless writers in Hamilton. Where is the local content?

3. The obsession with cars and housing. Huge chunks of the paper are simply devoted to housing and new cars (DRIVING and DRIVING 2, wtf?). Since when are newspapers supposed to be shilling for these two industries? I buy a newspaper to read NEWS. If I need car information, I'll buy Auto Trader or some such magazine.

4. To that add, don't expect a whole lot of actual news content. Like many papers that don't see the light, corporate papers tend to focus more on 'infotainment' than news ... so we get meaningless news about celebrities and stuff that really doesn't matter, rather than actual news about stuff that affects our lives. We don't need this soft-serve BS.

5. How many of you BCers have read much about the Basi-Kirk trial? Probably very few. The BC gov't is involved in organized crime, drugs, and other illicit activities relating to the sell off of BC Rail, but the two CanWest dailies never touch the story. Why? because, it would hurt their right wing asshole pals.

HAHAHAHA!!!

My poor girlfriend still pays and reads this junk. The only good thing about these CanWest papers are the comics. Even the sports coverage sucks, and is polluted with far too much Tony Gallagher for any reasonable fan to bear.

A man from India comes to Canada with a forged passport, and then suffers a stroke, costing our taxpayers hundreds of thousands in medical expenses.

Instead of booting the guy back to India, the Canadian civil servants, who haven't done an honest day's work in their entire lives, just keep letting the guy stay in the country, rather than ship him out on the first plane back to Mumbai.

Look, his time is up, he's lost his appeals, and he has no right to keep sucking up our resources. If there are people putting up a fight, get out the nightsticks, tasers, and pepper spray. Let them pay for obstructing justice.

To the Indian/Sikh community that supports this asshole, stop being a bunch of racist morons. Really, would you be this supportive of a Polish or Spanish immigrant who pulled the same stunt? Of course not. You only care because this guy is 'one of you', and want to stick it to the evil white man.

The fact that there is a protest group called "No One Is Illegal" speaks greatly to how far we've allowed ourselves to be pushed in the sake of political correctness.

So, we should just allow anyone into the country at any time? Great, let's flood our cities with 50 million people from all over the world, and have a whole bunch of chaos. Let's let everyone move in and freeload off of the taxes we pay without having to go through the same system (y)our ancestors had to. Really, if I were part of the Indian community, I'd be pissed that this guy got in the back door and weaseled his way into the country to freeload for hospital care.

Morons.

Seriously, somebody just bomb Yaletown, Point Grey, and Surrey.

Dave Nonis' Deadline Day Dud

by Jes

The swap of Matt Cooke for Matt Pettinger was basically a trade of two players that fell out of favour with their coaches. One used doorMatt for another.

While I was never a fan of Matt Cooke, I'm wondering if there is a small chance that we could get a mulligan on this deal.

I have been less-than-impressed with Matt Pettingzoo, as he shows nothing except an above-average set of wheels. Dude is 27, and has never had more than 38 points in a season. Like Cooke, Pettingzoo really doesn't seem to fit much of a role with the team, given that he's not good offensively, defensively, or physically.

Since the deal ...

Cookie: 2GP 1-2-3 +2
Pettinger: 4GP 0-0-0 -1

Pettingzoo hasn't had a goal in 32 games and has just 2 in 60 games this season. Pathetic! Even George Laraques has 3! There is nothing really to suggest that Pettinger is going to start scoring at a good pace, either.

For all of his faults, at least Cooke played with some aggression, and can lay out a few hits. On a team that lacks fire, Cooke stood out for stirring up the pot.

I don't get why Alain Vigneault was upset that Cooke didn't fight enough. Was it Marc Crawford or Brian Burke that said Cooke was the worst fighter in the NHL?

Whoever it was, the statement is pretty much spot-on, and wanting Cooke to fight was just inviting the guy to get smacked around. Even Wayne Gretzky would have a good shot at taking down the Cookie Monster.

I understand why Nonis got rid of Cooke and his bloated (soon-to-expire) contract, but why get back damaged goods? The Canucks already have enough disappointing players (Isbister, Ritchie) that clearly bring nothing to the table, and the last thing the team needed was just another warm body.

Canucks Suck Away Another One

by Jes

Last night's 2-1 Avs win over the Canucks shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, given how the Canucks seem to be throwing away the season without so much as a shrug.

Outshot, outworked, outchanced, out-mostanythingelsed, etc ...

Forsberg made his return ... no points, but looked solid. I don't understand why Coach Q played him nearly 20 minutes. Wouldn't you want to ease the guy in just a little?

I'm with local radio ranter Neil MacRae on coach Vigneault singing the same old bad song over and over ... why?

“Our guys are squeezing their sticks a little bit on offense,” Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said. “It’s not going in for us right now. Our guys are good hockey players and they are in a funk right now. We have to keep working.”

Cut and paste that quote from the last 2 months, and you have what Vigneault has been saying after every game.

1. If the Canucks are good hockey players, why are they fighting for a playoff spot? Good team don't have these types of problems all season long.

2. Keep working? Look at the Canucks game in and game out, and see a team that isn't working nearly hard enough.

3. Not going in for us RIGHT NOW? How about all frickin season?

Vigneault's inability to admit failure is one big reason why the Canucks are in the funk they are in right now. Rather than admit the truth, Vigneault has allowed the Canucks to accept failure by accepting their sub-par play.

Do the Canucks really think that it's simply a string of bad luck? *Sigh*

The SedinBots + Naslund haven't scored a goal in ... what ... 5-6 games? The lack of passion showed by the Swedes is reason #2 (#1 is a lack of depth) why the Canucks will never go anywhere. With the season hanging in the balance, these three meatballs are basically going through the motions, and are getting push around more than the 90-pound weakling at the beach.

So, as it stands today, the Canucks are in NINTH place and out of the playoffs. The team can't score, and is unwilling to do what it takes to actually win some games.

I can understand the lack of offensive talent, but not the lack of effort. Vigneault needs to stop lying to himself, the fans, and the team, and just admit that his boys haven't been doing enough to win games.

God Damn Ducks!

by Jes

While Teemu Selanne was contemplating retirement this past off-season, there were rumours that he hadn't been training at all, and was somewhat out of shape. After all, who wouldn't want to just relax, kick back, and drink an a few hundred alcoholic beverages after a long and grueling Stanley Cup run?

It's kind of hard to believe rumors like that when the guy can miss most of an NHL season, and then come back and look like he hasn't missed a beat. In 12 games, the Finnish Flash has 7 goals, 5 assists, and 37 shots on goal.

I wish I could be that out of shape :/

What was once a struggling team is absolutely on fire, as the Ducks have won their past six games and nine of their past ten. You know the Wings, Sharks, and Stars are certainly pooping their hockey pants at that the Ducks have found their groove as the playoffs near.

Anaheim at December 31st: 19-17-5, 8th in the West
Anaheim at March 4th: 38-23-7, 4th in the West

Vancouver Canucks: Stuck in the Middle

by Jes

It hasn't easy being a fan of the Vancouver Canucks, a team that has been close to the Stanley Cup twice, but has never actually won it. All the while, we've seen newer teams like the Ducks and Lightning win it all ...

It certainly hasn't been easy being a fan of this season's version of the Vancouver Canucks, a team truly stuck in the middle.

Fans of teams like the Sens/Ducks/Sharks/Stars/Wings/Devils can be confident that their team has a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup.

Fans of lesser teams like the Blackhawks/Jackets/Oilers can at least have hope in their young prospects and the fact that they can look forward to high draft picks. At least there is some bright light at the end of the tunnel.

The Canucks? They have neither.

Let's face it, the addition of Brad Richards or Marian Hossa would not have turned this edition of the Canucks into legit contenders. The Canucks have quite a few holes to fix, and few assets to work with. Thus, I am quite happy to see Dave "No Action" Nonis not get reamed for a rental.

I am, however, frustrated that all we get is Matt Cooke for Matt Pettingzoo ... crap for crap. This kind of mean-nothing move is what we've come to expect from the current Canucks administration, and it doesn't actually get the team anywhere.

Can the Canucks be considered a true contender? Hardly. Luongo can steal a playoff series ... maybe two ... but the Canucks lack of fire, depth, and offence will kill them.

Can the Canucks look forward towards the future? Hardly. Sure, Mason Raymond has some uber skills, and the Canucks have SOME decent young talent, but the farm system is hardly stocked with bright jewels. Again, no big stars to build around like a Patrick Kane, Sam Gagner, or Erik Johnson. The Canucks don't even have great draft picks to look forward to.

Last night's 4-1 loss to the Hawks pretty much sums up the current Canucks, who had just 10 shots on goal the whole game. 10!!! How can any team make the Blackhawks look like the New Jersey Devils-on-steroids? Somehow, the Canucks managed to blow a game against a crappy team missing about seven players. Sheesh.

Unlike last year's squad, which seemed to outwork the opposition most nights, this year's club seems to get very lazy against 'weak' teams and only draw up some fire against stronger clubs. The Canucks can't be considered a blue collar team with their constant game-to-game inconsistencies.

Yet, the Canucks will probably pull an amazing win out of their ass in the next week. Bad game, good game, mini bad streak, mini hot streak...

In the end, it'll likely end up in a .500ish record and a playoff spot. The
Canucks will go out in the first or second round, and that will be that.

Given how Dave Nonis has done such a poor job with the club (One amazing trade, notwithstanding), Canucks fans can't really look forward to next season.

Do you really think Nonis will have a great off-season and add a bunch of talent to go with the Sedins and Luongo? Bah! We'll get more Brad Isbisters. The talent level will continue to be mediocre, overall, and the Canucks will fail to get any big names to sign with the Canucks.

So, how much should I invest myself into this team? Should I be elated if the Canucks pull off a playoff series win? Should I really be that upset if they do manage to miss the playoffs?