Volume 3 Issue 4 -- January 29, 2003
(Awarded to the the top scorer and top goalie over the past 10 games)
Player: Alexei Yashin of the Edmonton Vikings
Goalie: Manny Fernandez of the Victoria Islanders
Nominees
Players GP G A PTS +/- PP SH GW GT S PIM His Team
Alexei Yashin 10 3 16 19 4 2 0 0 0 44 15 Vikings
Tony Amonte 10 3 14 17 9 0 0 1 0 41 11 Saints
Patrik Elias 10 9 7 16 8 2 3 0 0 51 22 Stallions
Alexander Mogilny 10 7 9 16 6 2 0 0 0 36 4 Bulls
Mike Modano 10 7 6 13 -4 3 1 1 0 49 17 Dropkicks
Daniel Alfredsson 10 4 9 13 -5 2 0 1 0 40 19 Hensch
Jan Bulis 10 4 9 13 -5 3 0 0 0 33 10 Hawks
Saku Koivu 10 7 4 11 2 5 0 1 0 42 14 Corinthians
Marian Gaborik 10 5 6 11 8 0 0 1 0 26 8 Krushers
Petr Nedved 10 6 4 10 7 2 2 1 1 31 11 Islanders
John LeClair 10 4 6 10 1 1 0 1 0 29 12 Lunatics
Pierre Turgeon 10 3 6 9 -4 2 0 0 0 30 5 Sparrows
Mike Comrie 10 6 0 6 2 4 0 0 0 33 30 Steelcats
Milan Kraft 10 1 5 6 -5 1 0 0 0 34 12 Bears
Goaltenders GP MIN AVG W L T EN SO GA SA PCT His Team
Manny Fernandez 8 490 2.57 4 2 2 0 0 21 252 .917 Islanders
Martin Biron 10 610 2.75 5 3 2 0 0 28 285 .902 Saints
Marty Turco 10 605 2.98 6 3 1 0 1 30 293 .898 Krushers
Patrick Lalime 10 605 3.37 5 4 1 0 0 34 318 .893 Hensch
Jose Theodore 10 600 3.40 6 4 0 0 0 34 283 .880 Corinthians
Byron Dafoe 10 610 3.54 6 2 2 0 0 36 294 .878 Bulls
Garth Snow 10 600 3.60 5 5 0 0 0 36 291 .876 Vikings
Curtis Joseph 9 550 3.71 3 4 2 0 0 34 260 .869 Stallions
Jani Hurme 5 305 4.13 2 2 1 0 0 21 153 .863 Dropkicks
Patrick Roy 10 610 4.23 4 4 2 0 0 43 354 .879 Lunatics
Brian Finley 10 605 4.86 2 7 1 0 0 49 327 .850 Bears
Roberto Luongo 6 360 5.33 1 5 0 1 0 32 225 .858 Steelcats
Mike Vernon 6 365 6.08 0 5 1 0 0 37 270 .863 Hawks
(News articles from every corner of the W.H.L.)
Bears Trying To Right The Ship
Harrisburg, PA - Well looks like we have a different season same old bears here in Harrisburg..... Any thoughts or suggestions would be more than welcome to the Hbg GM fan line.
Sparrows Rolling Along...While Owner Is In Toronto
Chicoutimi, QC - Fifty games into the season, the Sparrows have a decent record: 28-19-3 for 59 points, and sit in 4th place in the Wales Conference behind Oakville, Quebec City and Toronto. This performance is pretty much on par with the management's expectations for this season, and as long as the team can maintain a similar pace until the end of the season, and get home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs, the Sparrows should be satisfied.
GM Hebert announced today that he had recalled forwards Ian Laperriere and Bob Corkum from Saskatchewan. "This is only for a couple games, while the All-Star Series goes on the WFHL. Ian and Bob have been playing extremely well for the Farmers, and would have deserved to be All-Stars, but there was already 7 of their teammates going there, so they had to be left off the roster. We thought we'd give them a bit of time here on the pro, as Yanic (Perreault) suffered a mild concussion over the weekend and we prefer to give him plenty of time to get better. Also Marty-Lou (St-Louis) has struggled as of late so we want to work with him in the practices. This is a crucial time for us in the schedule as we face very good opponents in the next couple weeks, and we need to do everything we can to get the 2 points", said GM Hebert from his Toronto hotel.
Hebert was seen along with a few other GMs in downtown Toronto in the last few days. Word is they may be trying to address some issues as of late in the WHL, like some coaches not showing up to games, and the reasons why the last trade happened over 5 weeks ago.
Oakville's Roenick Responds To Criticism With A Bang
Oakville, ON - With trade winds continuing to swirl around Bulls' elite center Jeremy Roenick, J.R. has answered back with authority.
Over the past month Roenick has increased his production, and in his last 10 games he has 11pts, 4 of which were powerplay goals helping the Bulls' PP get back on track and begin its ascent up the ranks again.
When asked about the trade rumours J.R. had the following to say: "I don't get how you guys (media) keep making such a big deal over this stuff... I mean I came to Oakville knowing that I'd most likely become the team's checking centre, and that's what I've been most of the season. I mean I've already passed a 20(goals)/20(assists) season this year, so I'm not feeling down about anything. I love playing with the boys in this room, and when it comes down to it - I'm gonna play hard no matter where I am."
Bulls GM Kubinec comments on recent trade rumours: "As of this moment I have no comment on J.R. He's been a key component of our team's (Bulls) deadly 3 line offensive attack, and unless someone has an offer I can't refuse he's staying put as this isn't something he even needs to worry about right now... In regards to other talks we have been in contact with a few teams regarding the potential acquisition of another high profile forward, but at this time there's nothing else to report on that."
So with Oakville prepared to go to war with the powerhouse that's been assembled, this means that any team contacting the Bulls are going to need to make things interesting.
Daily Bullz-Eye
- Rumours are running rampant that the two former Swedish GM's who left are working hard to acquire the finances necessary to fund the NBHL(No-Barbarians Hockey League).
- The Vikings Alexei Yashin is certainly making a case for himself as this year's player who's most valuable to his team.
- Do I believe what I'm seeing?! the Icedogs and Raiders are both currently seeded 8th in their Conferences folks!
I'm Michael Landsberg;
'And that's the bottom line!...here in Oakville, Ontario!'.
Is There A Future For Hockey In Boston?
Boston, MA(AP) - The financial problems that forced the Hawks to let Zubov try the free agency market this past summer just wont go away. GM Nilsson was forced to trade all the Hawks high salary players late last year as a short term solution. But the trading of good players mean less attendance on the games, which in turn means less money. The Hawks future in Boston is uncertain at best.
With the Dropkicks moving from Boston this past summer the Hawks management thought that money would be the last of their problems but they couldn't have been more wrong. Hawks officials are now traveling the league trying to find out how other teams deal with their financial problems. Teams like the Stallions, Bulls and the Voodoo must have several aces up their sleeves to deal with the financial problems in today's hockey.
Enough financial talk, now over to whats important, the team. The Hawks only managed to take one point in games 41-50, but what else can be expected with team coach Esposito can put out on the ice. No, the future of the Hawks isn't the team we see playing the games this season. The future lies in the 20 draft picks that the Hawks hold in the two upcoming drafts. The Hawks will need to dig deep and find the Kovalchuks and Gaboriks in these two drafts, cause if they don't the Hawks will never again see the .500 mark.
Don't Mention The War...
Things have been rather quiet in the Canadian-Swedish war lately. Former Enforcers GM Patrick Stroem started the whole thing by calling the Canadians "barbarians". After some research it turns out that some of the Canadians agree with him, atleast to a point.
"How utterly destitute of all light and charm are the intellectual conditions of our people and the institutions of our public life! How barbarous!" Archibald Lampman
And with that I'm done for the day, this has been Bruce Dickinson for the Hawks.
Isles Struggle Continues
Victoria, B.C. - The last 10 finally saw the Isles hit the .500 mark for the first time with a 4-4-2 record. New head coach Butch Goring was pleased with the results of this west coast team accepting his system. Some highlights in an otherwise dismal season include:
- Nedved, Mironov and Erickson produced at a point per game
- All but 3 players had a positive +/-
- Fernandez had a 2.57 gaa and .917 sv% in 8 games
- Linden's 9 points almost doubled his output for the year
Saints' Manager Is Located
Noyabrsk, Western Siberia, Russia - Well it seems that WHL officials were finally able to locate Seattle Saint GM Denny McEwen who went missing after starting a European scouting trip at the start of December. It appears that he has surfaced in the Western Siberian city of Noyabrsk. Well Noyabrsk is more known for its terrible weather, lack of sunlight during the winter, and vast amounts of oil, McEwen seems to think he will find a diamond in the rough hockey player.
"I’ve actually seen a couple of good little players here," McEwen said. "I went to the local rink here and watched the locals go at it in a good game of shinny. I think I might be able to bring a couple of guys back to Seattle to try out. It’s got a very big Mystery, Alaska feel to it."
When asked if he was to return to North America anytime soon McEwen said that he would likely be spending the remainder of the season in Noyabrsk.
"Russian women are hot," was the only comment that seemed to indicate the reason for the length of his stay.
He did go onto say that although he was in a very hard to reach place in the world the Seattle Saints were fully functional.
"I get to all my emails in due time. I will respond to all emails as well. It seems my going after Mario has by no means guaranteed me a playoff spot so if anyone thinks that they can help me get to the playoffs let me know. I think I’d be looking for a C or RW. Maybe both."
And with that McEwen walked into the setting sun at 1 in the afternoon.
New York Thinks Ice Cream...Forgets Hockey
New York, NY - Owner of the best-selling cosmetic moisturizer "Hensch" and the WHL Hudson River Hensch mogul Jay
Tameling has recently entered into a business arrangement with Sully Pandolfo, brother to standout HRH forward Jay Pandolfo, as reported January 29, 2003 on the website www.HENSCH.com.
Details are still sketchy but unconfirmed sources say the two men will open a chain of ice cream stores called The Lickity-Splits, featuring exotic dancers behind the counters serving customers. Rueters caught up with Sully 'The Suds' Pandolfo outside his quadruple-car garage in New Jersey.
"Mr. Tameling is a brilliant businessman. Together we are going to put the ‘passion’ back in passion-fruit swirl."
As he was getting into his 1985 Dodge Ram outside his office Chad Tameling, General Manager to the Hudson River Hensch, was surrounded by a group of reporters seeking his take on his brother’s latest business venture. "JayP is a great player; should have been at the All-Star game in my opinion. His brother Sully and Sully’s friends are class acts in my books. I’m looking forward to getting some licks in myself at the grand opening."
Jay Tameling could not be reached for comment, nor is his whereabouts known.
Rueters...by Terry 'Teeth' Plaquin
Krushers Regain Share Of Division Lead - Can They Take The Crown?
Chicago, IL - With 50 games gone into the season, and coach Quenneville still running the team despite rumours in every hockey publication of his pending unemployment, the Krushers finally find themselves in position to take the American Division crown down the stretch run (Current Record 26-20-4). Although the team has struggled for an identity all year, the past 10 games (6-3-1) have seen the Krushers start to look like the offensive powerhouse and aggressive team that they were supposed to be all along. Their 198 Goals For leads the American Division, but is far behind the totals of other top teams like the Express, Stallions, and Bulls.
A review and look ahead...
Goaltending - Always a sticking point with the Krushers, it has become a work-in-progress and one can only wonder how patient Quenneville and GM Jes Golbez should be. Trevor Kidd has only played in 4 games, losing 3 and stopping only 78.2% of the shots he's faced. It's obvious that Quenneville has absolutely no confidence in Kidd, and Turco has taken a heavy workload with 46 games played thus far. Turco has a decent 25-17-4 record, but has not looked like a true star #1 goaltender that he was touted to be. True, he's been hung out to dry numerous times...but Chris Rogles seemed to bail his team out, as did Kidd once upon a time. It looks like Turco is getting all the development time he needs, which could be good for the Krushers in the long-term...will it kill their playoff chances?
Defense - The veterans Scott Stevens and Ivan Droppa have been great this season, while the oft-injured Bryan Allen-Christer Olsson duo have been productive when healthy. Unfortunately, the rest of the corps has been very very shaky to date. Brad Stuart and Pavel Kubina have been lost all year in the defensive zone. Veteran Jiri Slegr would be a healthy scratch most nights if not for the constant injuries and poor play of others. Slegr has been uncharacteristically bad this year, and is the subject of some trade rumours. Jon Klemm has been a great story this year, coming from the beer leagues to become a WHL regular...but at times he looks like he belongs back in the beer leagues. If Klemm can provide a more consistant presence, and if Olsson and Allen can stay healthy, the team should improve on it's unusually awful GAA during the 2nd half.
Forwards - OK, it's plainly obvious that Adam Oates is NOT a #1 centre at his age. His offensive numbers are impressive (24-29-53 in 50 games), but like linemate Samsonov (29 goals in 50 games), both have big defensive weaknessess and their -15 ratings show that. Robert Lang is more capable defensively than Oates, but has been injured far too often and has struggled offensively. Miro Satan hasn't been the godsend we'd hoped for when JR was dealt away for him, but 40 points in 45 games combined with solid defense is pretty good nonetheless. After a career year last season, Rob Zamuner has become the exact opposite...shaky on defense, nonexistant on offense. A big turnaround from him would be key to getting the GAA down.
Apart from that, the young stars have finally started to come around. Marian Gaborik, Richard Zednik, and especially Ilya "the next one" Kovalchuk have been producing more and more the past 10 games. It is no small coincidence that the Krushers are seeing more wins as the young stars-in-waiting have been starting to show their talent. Both Kovalchuk and Gaborik could hit 30 goals this season, and take the pressure off of the Oates-Satan-Samsonov unit.
To sum it up, the Krushers are finally fully healthy, the young stars are starting to produce, and Turco is getting all the development he can handle. With good health, the Krushers should be able to regain their division crown once again.
Potential pitfall? An exhausted Turco collapses during a game and dies of dehydration...and I'm only partially kidding. I know Kidd has been bad in his 4 starts this year...but he has proven himself in the past, and Turco does need a rest.
For the Krushers, this is Paul Varelens.
Vikings News and Notes
Edmonton, AB - Injuries seem to be the rule of the day for the Vikings as the club continues to play right around .500 hockey. Anson Carter, Drew Bannister, Curtis Brown, Marty Reasoner and Andrew Ference have all been forced out of the line-up with various aches and pains in the last month, which has left Coach Welter scrambling to ice a competitive line-up. As a result of the injuries, rookies Marcel Goc and Ryan Whitney both made their WHL debuts last week and played in two games apiece, before being reassigned.
GM Lee McEwen was said to be very disappointed with Randy Ladouceur's decision to scratch Alexei Yashin in the third and the final game of the All-Star series. "Yash was voted the starting centre by the GM's in this league, yet he finds himself in the press box for the last game. The rest of our starters dressed for all three games and Coach Martin dressed his starters for the Wales but for whatever reason, a member of the Voodoo organization once again goes and makes himself bigger than the game. As it stands right now, Alexei is leading the league in scoring but that's not enough for a guy like Ladouceur."
In other news, the team is more than a little concerned that they have been unable to establish themselves further up in the standings. 22 of their remaining 34 games are on the road, which is the most in the league.
If the playoffs started today, the Vikings would be playing the Krushers in the first round. That would be the third time in the past four years that the two teams met in the first round.
The only real trade rumour floating around the organization is that of a Highway 2 swap that would see highly touted defenceman Mike Komisarek join the Vikings. No word on who the 'Kicks want in return.
Jim Matheson for the WHL Weekly
Icedogs Bring Dropkicks Down
Calgary, AB - The Kicks dropped two recent games to the Icedogs and were shut out in the latest contest by a score of 3-0. While some of the blame must be attributed to Dwayne "The Rolinator" Roloson, the Dropkicks supposed offensive dynamo were pathetic.
"Like Dustin Doderai at a singles dance," Said assistant GM Todd Adamyk over a glass of red wine in the Dropkicks executive Chinese smorg Chin Nut's Wok, "We suck. And some guys may be wearing different unis before they know it."
Who, is hard to say. Modano, Thornton, Heatley and Poti are untouchable, but other than that it would be tough to rule out a big change.
"We need goals, but perhaps even more we need to step up our efforts on defense."
More as it happens.
Stallions Continue Strong Play, Can't Beat Bulls
Toronto, ON - The Stallions continue to play strong, however they cannot beat the teams that matter. The Bulls have beaten the Stallions in each of their meetings. Likewise with the Dropkicks, and that is even more embarassing. When even the Icedogs can shut Calgary out, what is Toronto doing wrong?
Joe Sakic became just the sixth player in league history to reach the 700 point plateau. Quebec City's Jaromir Jagr is just three points from becoming the seventh. Former Stallion, Eric Lindros, is two points from becoming the first player ever to reach the 800 point mark! Eric is the first player to reach 400 goals in a career, currently sitting at 401. There are currently 14 players with 600 or more points in a career in the WHL.
There are only 4 goalies with 200 or more wins in their career. They are Brodeur(292), Joseph(247), Belfour(239) and Hasek(222). Joseph has the fewest losses of the group with 153. Hackett(188), Osgood(175) and Roy(175) could all reach that mark this year.
Toronto GM Brian Howe as invited a number of other General Managers from around the league to Toronto to discuss some league issues. With the recent departure of GM's from Montreal and Saskatoon, it was determined that the league does have some serious issues and that they need to be addressed. No one is releasing any statements but have told us that when the time is right there will be a press conference.
(Taking a biographical and statistical look at superstars of today and tomorrow)
This month we look at Alexei Yashin from the Edmonton Vikings
NHL History:(Via NHLPA)
Alexei Yashin was drafted second overall in the 1992 Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators. He made his NHL debut one season later on October 6, 1993 with one assist against the Nordiques. Eight nights later, Alexei scored his first NHL goal against the Panthers' John Vanbiesbrouck. That season, Alexei was the only rookie to participate in the mid-season All-Star Game (he scored the game-winning goal in a 9-8 contest), led all NHL rookies (and Senators) with 49 assists and led his team with 30 goals and 79 points. In the shortened 1994-95 season, Alexei again led the Senators in scoring, this time notching 21 goals and 44 points in just 47 games.
After missing the start of the 1995-96 season, Alexei finished second in scoring with 39 points in just 46 games. In 1996-97, Alexei led his team in goals (35) and points (75) for the third time in four seasons as the Senators made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. In seven playoff games, Alexei led the way with five assists. In 1997-98, Alexei led the Senators in scoring for the fourth time in five seasons as the Senators made the playoffs for the second straight year. In eleven playoff games, he scored eight points. In 1998-99, Alexei had a superb season as he paced the Senators with 44 goals and 94 points and participated in his second mid-season All-Star Game. By season's end, Alexei was a runner-up for both the Hart Trophy (MVP) and Richard Trophy (most goals) as the Senators won the Northeast Division title.
After spending a year away from hockey, Alexei returned to the Senators lineup in 2000-01 and led the team to a Northeast Division title with a club record 48 wins and 109 points. Alexei led the team with 40 goals, 48 assists, 88 points, 13 power play goals, 10 game-winning goals and 263 shots. On October 21, 2000, Alexei had four assists in a 6-6 tie with the Thrashers. On January 6, 2001, Alexei scored his sixth career hat trick in a 4-3 victory over the Canadiens.
On June 23 at the 2001 Entry Draft, Alexei was traded to the New York Islanders for the second-overall draft pick (Jason Spezza), Zdeno Chára and Bill Muckalt. On October 20, 2001, the night the Islanders retired Bryan Trottier's sweater number 19, Alexei scored one goal in a 2-2 tie with the Sharks.
WHL History:
Alexei Yashin was drafted 16th overall in the WHL initial Entry Draft by the Milton Mustangs(Toronto Stallions). On December 4, 1995 he was traded to the Moscow Blizzard(Hollywood Seawolves). Eighteen days later he was traded to the Houghton Icetasy(Chi-town Krushers) on December 22, 1995.
Less than a month later, on January 10, 1996, Alexei was traded to the Pittsburgh Quakers(Hudson River Hensch). Yashin made his return to Toronto in trade on October 26, 1999. Before being moved in one of the biggest deals in WHL history to Edmonton on June 19, 2000.
(Alexei Yashin Age: 30 Born: May 11, 1973)
Jersey Handed Position Ag Qk Pw Fa In Pn Sk Pa PC Ck Sh Ttl
19 Right Centre 4 8 8 8 8 8 7 8 9 4 8 80
Pre-Season Statistics
Season Team GP G A PTS +/- PP SH GW GT Shot PIM PCT
96-97(2) QUAKERS 5 3 1 4 -1 1 0 0 0 13 9 23.0
97-98(3) QUAKERS 10 5 8 13 -2 5 0 1 1 43 11 11.6
98-99(4) QUAKERS 8 8 6 14 10 4 1 0 0 35 14 22.9
99-00(5) ENDLESS 10 1 1 2 -2 1 0 0 0 26 12 3.8
00-01(6) VIKINGS 10 0 5 5 -6 0 0 0 0 20 13 0.0
01-02(7) VIKINGS 10 5 4 9 6 2 0 1 0 32 19 15.6
02-03(8) VIKINGS 5 3 1 4 -2 2 0 0 0 21 10 14.3
Pre-Season 58 25 26 51 3 15 1 2 1 190 88 13.2
Regular Season Statistics
Season Team GP G A PTS +/- PP SH GW GT Shot PIM PCT
95-96(1) QUAKERS 74 22 38 60 -19 15 0 3 0 236 93 9.3
96-97(2) QUAKERS 74 30 38 68 -7 17 0 3 4 214 114 14.0
97-98(3) QUAKERS 74 32 45 77 28 22 0 0 1 279 89 11.5
98-99(4) QUAKERS 74 27 40 67 2 10 1 8 2 239 64 11.3
99-00(5) STALLIONS 84 13 47 60 -2 9 0 2 1 220 94 5.9
00-01(6) VIKINGS 84 28 45 73 -20 12 1 3 0 269 71 10.4
01-02(7) VIKINGS 84 23 44 67 -19 13 1 3 1 265 94 8.7
02-03(8) VIKINGS 50 28 57 85 12 11 3 2 0 222 38 12.6
Regular Season 598 203 354 557 -25 109 6 24 9 1944 657 10.4
Play-Off Statistics
Season Team GP G A PTS +/- PP SH GW GT Shot PIM PCT
95-96(1) QUAKERS 6 0 4 4 -7 0 0 0 0 22 12 0.0
96-97(2) QUAKERS 4 0 1 1 -2 0 0 0 0 14 6 0.0
97-98(3) QUAKERS 6 5 5 10 -3 4 0 0 0 21 8 23.8
98-99(4) QUAKERS 6 2 2 4 -3 1 0 0 0 18 5 11.1
99-00(5) STALLIONS 20 4 8 12 5 1 0 1 0 38 26 10.5
00-01(6) VIKINGS 7 1 3 4 -2 0 0 0 0 14 0 7.1
01-02(7) VIKINGS 7 1 2 3 -5 1 0 0 0 12 12 8.3
Play-Off 56 13 25 38 -17 7 0 1 0 139 69 9.4
Olympic Statistics
Season Team GP G A PTS +/- PP SH GW GT Shot PIM PCT
97-98(3) RUSSIA 8 2 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 21 0 9.5
01-02(7) CCCP 6 6 2 8 -2 5 1 1 0 19 19 31.6
Olympic 14 8 3 11 -2 6 1 1 0 40 19 20.0
All-Star Statistics
Season Team GP G A PTS +/- PP SH GW GT Shot PIM PCT
00-01(6) CAMPBELL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.0
01-02(7) CAMPBELL 1 0 0 0 -2 0 0 0 0 1 2 0.0
02-03(8) CAMPBELL 2 0 1 1 -2 0 0 0 0 6 0 0.0
All-Star 4 0 1 1 -4 0 0 0 0 8 2 0.0
(Transcripts of interviews with General Managers from around the W.H.L.)
Donald S. Cherry has recently signed a contract with W.H.L. Media department and will shortly be taking over the "You Said It" section of the paper. Watch for it next month.
(Special Articles From W.H.L. Members)
Landsberg says: "You Might Be A Hockey Nut If..."
...you can pronounce 'Neckar' or 'Tkachuk' correctly....
...you try to sleep and count hockey players instead of sheep....
...you can't make red Kool-Aid without thinking of a great hockey fight!...
...you have all the rival team websites on your favorites list....
...you try to watch Pro Beach Hockey but...it just isn't the same...
...you find your self saying "October will be here before you know it"....
...you find stitches and broken noses very attractive...
...you know who Clarke is and why everyone hates him...
...you can find a way to bring the aforementioned Clarke into any conversation, no matter the original topic...
..."Holy Mother of Gretzky" is one of your most common phrases...
...you speak fluent Canadian, even though you've never been within 1000 miles of the Canadian border...
...you buy Canada Dry-Ginger Ale just because it says 'Canada' on the label...
...you know who Tretiak is...
...you can say "the Peca line" without laughing...
...your excuse for falling asleep at lunch has been "the game went into double overtime" more than twice...
...you only watch the hockey parts in the movie "Happy Gilmore"...
...you've ever stopped on a "Cooking with Helga" television show because you heard the word 'icing'...
...you buy a box of Hostess Ding Dongs because they look like hockey pucks...
...you unwrap a Hostess Ding Dong and don't know whether to eat it or shoot it...
...you unwrap a Hostess Ding Dong and expect a logo on it...
...you open a box of Ding Dongs wrapped in foil and think it is a package from NHL on FOX...
...you store your Ding Dongs in the freezer...
...every time you see a first-grader with a missing front tooth, Theo Fleury immediately comes to mind...
...you no longer think of Darcy as a girl's name...
...when talking you refer to the team using "we're", "we'll", "us"...
...you waste Oreos to play Oreo hockey...
...you hear "Welcome To The Jungle" every time any song comes on, no matter what it is...
...you think there are 3 periods in basketball...
...you send your kid to the penalty box instead of the corner when he/she gets in trouble...
...you can successfully play hockey in a swimming pool...
...your security blanket was actually a hockey stick...
...you can incorporate "Holy Mother of Gretzky" and "He shoots, he scores" into any conversation...
...your first car was a zamboni...
...your current car is a zamboni...
...you show up for games 3 hours early...
...every time you play with a slinky or use Master Card, you think of Dominik Hasek or Bobby Orr...
...you're imaginary friend was (or is) Wayne Gretzky...
...you spell "Hell": H-E-double hockey sticks...
...you cried when Wayne Gretzky retired...
...you go crazy searching for that metal table-hockey game at the toy stores...
...while walking somewhere, you notice a soft drink can and immediately begin kicking it around pretending to be Mike Modano...
...you have June, July, August, September, and October counted down on ALL your calendars...
...you're reading row 6 on the eye chart, and you know his career stats...
...you are listening to the radio and a song that is played at the hockey games comes on, you crank it up and go absolutely nuts...
...you see a bumper sticker that says "Jesus Saves" and immediately think, "Satan picks up the rebound, he shoots and scores!!!!"...
...all of your clothes are named after teams and not brand names (including your underwear)...
...you travel down the road with your fellow Bikers and refer to VW's as hockey pucks in play...
...you can name six great scoring lines but can't seem to date a one...
...your kids learn the difference between 'drive-bys' and 'shootouts' while they're on a frozen river...
...in church the Preacher shouts out "oh, Great One" and you start lookin' for Wayne's entrance...
...it is sacrilege to refer to white-out as an office supply...
...ice-cube trays in the summer time bring a tear to your eye....
...you think crooked noses and missing teeth are SEXY... (umm, can you say FREAK!)...
...before bed you ask you're partner, "ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLE!"...
...you buy season tickets when you can't afford them...
...you stand up at the games and hope the puck hits you...
...every time you hear a song on the radio with a fast beat, you immediately think it'll make a great song in warm-ups next season...
...you can't hear Rob Zombie, Kiss, or Van Halen, without thinking of warm-ups...
...you can name every song in the warm-ups, and know what drill goes on for that song...
...you see chocolate moon pies in the grocery store and immediately look for a hockey stick to slap them around with...
...you name the balls on the pool table after players, by the number on the ball...
...you give your six month old niece a hockey puck to use as a teething ring...
...you refer to every player on the roster by their nickname, and know every pre-game ritual...
...you start shortening your friends name, or ending them in "y" like the hockey players do with theirs...
...you name your dog "Cujo" or "Kolzig"...
...when someone tells you to look on the top shelf and you immediately look for a hockey goal somewhere...
...you see Brian Gionta and think of 'Oompa Loompas' from the movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"...
...you tape commercials with hockey players in them...
...you use a hockey puck as a paperweight...
...you consider taking your vacation time in order to attend every All Star Weekend within reach...
...you keep a hockey stick in your car at all times, just in case a game should HAPPEN to break out... (Out of the Blue)...
...you consider body checking obnoxious customers at work when they ask a stupid question...
...you have a Toronto Maple Leafs Visa... (or any other team for that matter)...
...you know the names of every championship cup for every league...
...you have a subscription to the Hockey News...
...you know the year, team, number one draft choice, number picked, and round that your favorite player went in for the NHL draft...
...you can name every team your favorite player played for, and the years, and the number he wore...
...you go to opposing teams message forums just to stir the waters...
...you paint your bedroom to match the colors worn by your favorite team...
...you have certain things you MUST wear for each game, or else the team will lose...
...you have pre-game rituals that you have to follow, much like the players...
...you take a pre-game nap...
...you load up on pasta and various other carbs to load up on energy for spectating, heckling the opposing goalie, booing the refs, etc...
...you have your own PowerAde water bottle in the stands with beverage of choice in it. And when you squirt some in your mouth, you feel compelled to spit it back out...
...you keep a puck under your pillow...
...you no longer flinch at the pucks flying at the glass...
...when someone says that they dropped their gloves, you immediately ask "Who won the fight?"...
...you thought "Face/Off" was a movie about hockey...
...you watch "Sudden Death" merely for the parts with the hockey game, and not for Jean Claude Van Damme's acting *talent*...
...you know every video store within 50 miles that carries "Slap Shot"...
...you have a party for out of town games, to listen to the radio and cheer on your team...
...you aren't ashamed to admit that you've seen all the Mighty Ducks movies, and can recite key parts...
...you know that Pascal is Manon's brother, and Tony is Cammi's brother...
...you know which referees are biased against your team...
...your screen name has something to do with hockey, pucks, sticks, ice, roughness or kickin' A$$...
...your family & friends have signs posted on their doors that say "no hockey talk allowed" whenever you come over to visit...
...you have one room in your house with nothing but hockey stuff on the walls...
...you have a tattoo of some puck and sticks, with your team name over it...
...all of you play roller hockey at least 2 times a week and just talk about your team...
...you have tapes of hockey games to watch during the off-season...
...your 3 year old child can name her favourite player and tell you all about him...
...you add the names of hockey players to your nightly prayers...
...you have volunteered to be a mascot at a hockey game even for the other team...
...every Halloween you dress up as a one of the Hansen Brothers...
...you are planning road trips for away games and the schedule isn't out yet...
...you have certain superstitions that you MUST do before or during every game...
(Who's available where? List of players known to be on the trading block)
Harrisburg Bears:
Looking for a STAR forward and willing to trade whatever it takes to get one. Must have an 8+ shot. Willing to sacrafice the farm system for this. And throw in the #1 pick in the draft next year.
Hamilton Steelcats:
# Player's name St Inj H Ps Ag Qk Pw Fa In Pn Sk Pa PC Ck Sh Ttl
1 Matt Cullen 0 L C 6 7 6 6 8 8 7 6 6 6 5 71
7 Steve Begin 0 L C 9 7 7 5 6 6 7 5 6 7 6 71
22 Oleg Saprykin 1+ L LW 7 6 7 6 6 5 6 6 6 7 8 70
43 Bates Battaglia 0 L LW 7 6 6 6 8 7 6 6 6 7 5 70
65 Mark Bell 0 L LW 7 6 6 7 6 6 5 7 6 7 7 70
55 Shane Willis 0 R RW 7 7 6 6 7 7 6 6 7 6 6 71
4 Roman Hamrlik 0 L D 8 6 8 8 7 5 6 8 7 6 8 77
42 Martin Skoula 0 L D 7 7 7 7 9 7 6 7 6 6 6 75
32 Toni Lydman 0 L D 6 6 7 7 8 7 5 7 6 6 5 70
40 Nolan Yonkman 1- R D 6 7 9 6 4 8 6 5 6 6 6 69
39 Robyn Regehr 0 L D 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 5 6 6 5 67
63 Brian Campbell 0 L D 4 7 6 6 4 8 7 7 7 4 6 66
28 Niklas Havelid 0 L D 8 5 6 6 5 8 6 5 6 6 3 64
82 Dan Blackburn 0 L G 5 8 6 7 6 7 8 7 7 - - 61
81 Petr Taticek 0 L C 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 7 6 6 73
21 Mats Lindgren 0 L C 5 8 6 6 7 8 7 5 6 6 5 69
23 Clarke Wilm 0 L C 7 6 7 6 6 5 6 5 5 7 5 65
20 Domenic Pittis 0 L C 6 6 6 5 5 6 6 6 6 5 6 63
59 Blair Betts 0 L C 6 4 5 5 6 7 5 5 5 7 5 60
36 Ronald Petrovicky 0 R LW 8 7 5 5 3 5 7 5 5 6 5 61
18 Hnat Domenichelli 0 L LW 5 7 5 5 5 5 6 4 5 4 5 56
14 Tomi Kallio 0 L LW 4 6 4 5 4 7 6 4 5 5 5 55
37 Sergei Varlamov 0 R LW 5 7 3 5 2 5 6 3 6 4 4 50
45 Peter Bartos 0 R RW 4 7 5 5 3 7 7 6 7 5 6 62
32 Cale Hulse 0 R D 8 5 9 7 8 5 7 7 7 7 6 76
5 Drake Berehowsky 0 R D 8 7 9 5 6 7 7 6 7 7 4 73
4 Wade Belak 0 L D 5 6 8 6 6 3 5 5 5 6 3 58
7 John Jakopin 0 R D 7 5 8 5 5 6 4 4 4 5 4 57
64 Nikos Tselios 0 L D 5 3 4 4 6 5 4 5 5 5 4 50
34 Brent Krahn 0 L G 6 7 7 6 6 7 6 5 6 - - 56
Victoria Islanders:
Unconfirmed reports say Linden could be made available towards the trade deadline.
Toronto Stallions:
Looking for a Right Winger with some scoring ability
# Player's name St Inj H Ps Ag Qk Pw Fa In Pn Sk Pa PC Ck Sh Ttl
19 Steve Yzerman 0 R C 5 8 6 8 8 6 8 9 9 6 8 81
24 Daniel Tkaczuk 0 L C 7 6 5 8 6 6 5 8 5 8 6 70
21 Geoff Sanderson 0 L LW 5 9 6 9 9 9 8 7 8 7 7 84
15 Miikka Elomo 0 L LW 8 7 5 5 5 3 7 6 6 6 6 64
12 Mike Grier 1- R RW 8 5 8 7 9 6 7 6 6 7 6 75
49 Vladimir Orszagh 0 L RW 7 6 5 6 8 7 6 6 6 6 6 69
8 Rory Fitzpatrick 0 R D 8 7 8 9 9 7 7 6 6 7 6 80
7 Deron Quint 0 L D 4 6 7 8 5 8 7 7 6 5 6 69
Most of the farm team
(With thanks to the following for their contributions)
AJ Ketner
Michael Hebert
Chris Kubinec
Peter Nilsson
Larry Berteotti
Denny McEwen
Jay Tameling
Marc Hebert
Jes Golbez
Jason Stumpf
Lee McEwen
Chris Kordyback
