You'd be hard-pressed to find two better young men than Matt Duchene and Cody Hodgson. But one is skating on clouds, playing big minutes on the NHL's surprise team while the other is at home, off skates until a doctor says otherwise, thinking next year can't come soon enough. ...more
Yes, we sports fans suffer from the embarrassing medical condition known as Premature Evaluation (PE). One week into the NHL season and we residents of Hockeynation are already pretty sure of a few things. ...more
Ideally, columnists and commentators (not to mention those disturbed creatures who attempt to do both) are supposed to provide answers. But this time of year, with 16 hockey teams about to start from scratch, there are none. Only questions. And so we are left to wonder. Which is what makes the playoffs great. For wondering is…wonderful. ...more
The greatest athlete I ever saw, pound for pound, slept beside my bed and drank out of my toilet. His size and spunk immediately reminding me of Tanner Boyle, the short-tempered shortstop from the original Bad News Bears movie. And so he would become Tanner, aka, "The Wonder Dog." ...more
His Pittsburgh Penguin teammates call him "Geno", but there are a few other appropriate nicknames for Evgeni Malkin. Like, say: Robin, Garfunkel, Mr. Smithers, Ed McMahon (or Andy Richter, if you want to be more current). Malkin has spent the first three years of his brilliant young NHL career being hockey's ultimate second fiddle. ...more
Hmm, this is a problem. How do you write an accurate Brian Kilrea tribute when all the good stories have too many expletives to repeat? If they ever film "The Brian Kilrea Story", HBO will be the only option. ...more
You have just two days left to come up with your excuse to call in sick Wednesday. Here's a tip: develop the early symptoms of a sore throat Monday, just to plant a seed with the boss. If still you look fresh and healthy when you leave the office Tuesday, it will be too obvious. C'mon, this is textbook trade deadline strategy! ...more
It would be cruel for a hockey guy to beat up on baseball right now. Especially when the hockey guy grew up loving baseball as much as hockey. ...more
There is no better story in the NHL this year than the Boston Bruins. Wait, check that. There are no better storIES in the NHL this year. For the Bruins are not a novel, but a collection of feel-good shorts and somewhere near the back of the book, around page 290, there is Ottawa boy Aaron Ward. ...more
When I heard Emery had gone Sugar Ray again, pummeling his own team's trainer on the bench during a game in Russia, I rolled my eyes and thought, "Here we go again." Then I saw the tape, and heard the story. And thought…Don't blame ya, Ray. I would have slugged him too. ...more