I’m sure this man is thrilled to be playing the Penguins in the next round. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

It’s the playoffs which means not a lot of guys are tweeting. That doesn’t mean we didn’t find some great ones over the past couple of days.

First off we have everyone’s favorite Roberto Luongo, aka Strombone, with this one last night after watching James Reimer almost shut out the Boston Bruins:

» Continue reading “They Said What?!? – Injury Questions + Mcflurry Injustice”

Get used to seeing rinks like this one. (Photo: Natalie Litz/ Flickr.)

Yesterday a report was released that the Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs at the Big House will not be the only outdoor game of the 2013-2014 season. Instead, the plan is to start a “stadium series” which will include five more games taking place outdoors during the second half of the season.

Here is the proposed schedule:

• Anaheim Ducks vs. LA Kings at Dodger Stadium, Jan. 25
• New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium, Jan. 26
• New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium, Jan 29
• Pittsburgh Penguins at Chicago Blackhawks, Soldier Field, March 1
• Ottawa Senators at Vancouver Canucks, BC Place, March 2

Rumor is the Devils and Islanders will be the home teams for the games at Yankee Stadium, while no word on who is the home team between the Ducks and Kings. The other two, the home team is obvious due to the location.

The difference between these games and the actual Winter Classic? These games don’t get the 24/7 treatment to our knowledge. (If they do, my reaction changes.)

» Continue reading “Why Have Only One Outdoor Game Per Season When We Can Have Six?”

Don’t know about on the ice but off it, these two teams are going to miss each other once realignment goes into affect next season. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

Today we’re going to do something different for this feature. Usually we mention the best player tweets from the past week. While I’m sure some players have said some crazy things, I want to focus on what some official team twitters have been saying. Apparently there are a couple of teams that want to be like the Los Angeles Kings.

Speaking of the Kings, let’s start with their tweet to the New Jersey Devils last Monday:

» Continue reading “They Said WHAT?!? – Team Twitters Edition”

2012-13 Score Net Cam #NC6

There are times in a game when there’s nothing better than seeing those rare zip-a-dee-doo-dah shots taken by a net cam. They’ll tell us where the puck was, who crashed the net, and provide the “I didn’t do it” and “It wasn’t me” voices on the ice with a “Stop being so silly” slap of photographic evidence. They can also capture some fantastic moments from outstanding goaltenders, utterly lousy goals and garbage goals where the puck seems to dance around in the blue paint, mocking everyone on the ice before sliding past the goal line.

» Continue reading “Hump Day Hockey Cards: Through The Net Cam, and What Score Found There”

Eric Lindros 1990 Toronto Blue Jays IJ #8, 1991 Sports Cards Blue Jays Uniform #5, 1990 Score Traded #100T Rookie Card

We all really, really, really needed to have three Eric Lindros Toronto Blue Jays hockey baseball cards to call our own. I mean, why not? The 1990-91 Score hockey card set had 6 Lindros rookie cards in it and that certainly didn’t seem excessive, did it? No, not at all if you were a fan of the Oshawa Generals.

I always believed that the “3B” on the front of his 1990 Score Traded #100T card stood for the 3 chances Lindros likely had at bat during his batting practice with the Jays and not 3rd base as is the norm on baseball cards, but I digress.

There are some hockey players and athletes who are multi-talented and there are not. I fit into none of those categories however I am here to celebrate those who do. Join me in this little bit of frivolity, won’t you?

» Continue reading “Hump Day Hockey Cards: Let’s Play Ball!”

What happened to this guy on his birthday last week? (Photo: Sarah Connors/flickr)

I have no idea what happened but this week we’ve had no problem finding awesome player tweets. In fact, we found so many that we couldn’t decide which to use and therefore made the executive decision to use all of them. You’ll understand why soon enough.

» Continue reading “They Said WHAT?!? – Dare You Not To Laugh At These”

2010-11 Crown Royale Voices of the Game Daryl Reaugh and Darren Pang Autographed

If they were to hold a draft for hockey analysts and colour commentators, you’d see a goaltender go first. I know you’re thinking “Oh, yes. I could listen to Ilya Bryzgalov talk all day about “space danger” and bears in the forest. He’s just so strange and entertaining.” Let me tell you two things. First, Bryz has nothing on Gilles “Gratoony the Loony” Gratton and second, not while I’m here.

But what is it that makes goalies such standouts as the talkies behind the microphone? The analysts who break down the games for us after we’ve done nothing but curse at the television for two and a half hours? Darren Pang, whose NHL career saw 3 seasons with the Blackhawks (alright, his first season consisted of one game) and 5 seasons of goaltending experience in the IHL and AHL, sums it up nicely and rather simply. Goaltenders “have the ability to see a lot of things from [their playing] position.” [x]

“I think more than anything else, your goalies are pretty much individuals on team sports… We all have different thoughts and we all handle things differently. I don’t think you have to be the best goalie to be an analyst, just the ability to put it across the air and have people understand it better.” [x]

Oh, and he also adds this detail to the mix: “At the end of the day, a lot of us are yapping guys, a lot of us are talkative people and outgoing people.” [x]

Maybe that’s closer to the truth?

» Continue reading “Hump Day Hockey Cards: Squawking Sieves & Punchy Pad Stackers”

After a less than stellar showing in San Jose Thursday night, the Los Angeles Kings set up a fortress at Staples Center Saturday night that would not easily be run over. The Kings came out swinging – their sticks that is – right out of the gate, with Kyle Clifford scoring less than three minutes in. Riding a bit of a points streak and with the gusto to match, Clifford has been on a tear and lighting a consequent fire under his teammates as of late. He would have another goal in the game, along with Jarrett Stoll, Justin Williams and Dwight King all adding their own tally to beat visiting San Jose five goals to two. Jonathan Bernier made 21 saves (including a penalty shot denial on Wingels in the second) and continues to build up his confidence as he gets his legs underneath him, and so does LA’s defense in front of him.

Kings’ prospect from their Manchester affiliate, Tyler Toffoli made his NHL debut, nearly scoring a point on the first goal of the game by Clifford. Toffoli recorded 13:20 in ice time and looked like a new kid ready to learn out there and definitely something to watch. Dustin Penner and Drew Doughty led the Kings in ice time, both recording 24 minutes and change and continuing to improve as a LW and Doughty as a defenseman. After no penalties in the first period, Clifford and Sharks d-man Douglas Murray were both assessed five for fighting, followed by just three penalties in the third.

LA will welcome their desert dog rivals Phoenix tomorrow night at Staples Center.

In case you haven’t heard, the NHL officially approved realignment today. Although let’s be honest – as soon as the players put their okay on this it was basically done. Above is a pretty little chart that shows the new divisions courtesy of our fabulous Blackhawks writer Kat Velez. For those who still aren’t sure which team is now where, you can read all about it here.

I, for one, love the new division names. (I know, I know. They’re temporary. At least they aren’t calling Division C the Central Division anymore.)

Anyway, so what does this have to do with our weekly They Said What post? Because some official twitter accounts decided to voice their opinions and it was…well it was amazing if I’m being honest.

» Continue reading “They Said WHAT Bonus Edition – Team Twitters Discuss Realignment”

When I was growing up, there were two guys who everyone agreed had achieved superstar status in the hockey world. (We didn’t know much back then.) They were the guys with their own books at the Scholastic Book Fairs, slick almost life-size posters you could buy at your local Kmart, and the reason you played with a Koho and not a Titan stick. Ahem. Yeah, you either liked Wayne or you liked Mario. Could you like both? Well, can you be a Bruins and a Habs fan?

» Continue reading “Hump Day Hockey Cards: Boy Oh Boy Wayne Gretzky Rocks”