1989-90 Kraft Dinner box, Jari Kurri card #29, Wendel Clark card #8

I hated Kraft Dinner as a kid. KD is Canadian code for what Americans call Kraft Macaroni & Cheese or Kraft Mac & Cheese. We Canadians sometimes think we’re clever and try to shorten things but don’t succeed as well as the Brits or Aussies. We try.

In Souvenir of Canada, Volume 1, Douglas Coupland wrote: “cheese plays a weirdly large dietary role in the lives of Canadians, who have a more intimate and intense relationship with Kraft food products than the citizens of any other country. This is not a shameless product plug — for some reason, Canadians and Kraft products have bonded the way Australians have bonded with Marmite [sic, recte:Vegemite], or the English with Heinz baked beans. In particular, Kraft macaroni and cheese, known simply as Kraft Dinner, is the biggie, probably because it so precisely laser-targets the favoured Canadian food groups: fat, sugar, starch and salt.” ¹

This Canadian alliance with and dietary reliance on KD and my dislike for it presented me with two harsh realities.

» Continue reading “Hump Day Hockey Cards: The Great Kraft Dinner Dilemma”

We’re headed back to the Western Conference for this week’s Hawt Trophy. He may not be the biggest guy on the San Jose Sharks’ blueline, but veteran D-man Dan Boyle is not without appeal.

Congrats, Danny. This must be a huge honor. Right after your gold medal and Stanley Cup.

» Continue reading “The Hawt Trophy: Dan Boyle”

Will we get to see this next season? (Photo: Sheila Dee/Flickr)

Well, it appears the NHL has clarified their first Collective Bargaining proposal. Basically, it’s been stated that things like medical care, training camps, injuries and roster moves are issues that both sides don’t have much of a difference in opinion on.

I guess that could be considered good news, right? » Continue reading “CB Eh?: NHL Labor Talks”

Though nothing has been officially announced yet, all signs are pointing to one of the game’s best blueliners announcing his retirement in Detroit. Nicklas Lidstrom has been a part of the Red Wings for all 20 years of his NHL career, it’s hard to imagine what the team will look like without him.

He is respected by players across the league, by teammates present and past, and remains an absolute physical specimen at the ripe old hockey age of 42.

This week’s Hawt Trophy goes to you, sir. Wishing you all the best if you are hanging them up.

» Continue reading “The Hawt Trophy: Nicklas Lidstrom”

Via sportslogos.net

The Eastern and Western Conference Champions haven’t been decided as of yet, but we do know when they’ll be playing for the Stanley Cup. Here is the schedule for the 2012 Stanley Cup Final (all times are Eastern).

* indicates “if necessary”

• Game 1: Wednesday, May 30
  8pm on NBC/CBC/RDS
• Game 2: Saturday, June 2
  8pm on NBC/CBC/RDS
• Game 3: Monday, June 4
  8pm on NBCSN/CBC/RDS
• Game 4: Wednesday, June 6
  8pm on NBCSN/CBC /RDS
• * Game 5: Saturday, June 9
  8pm on NBC/CBC/RDS
• * Game 6:  Monday, June 11
  8pm on NBC/CBC/RDS
• * Game 7: Wednesday, June 13
  8pm on NBC/CBC/RDS

Whoever gets out of the Eastern Conference Championship alive will have home ice advantage over the Western Conference Champion, since both of their regular season point totals (Rangers had 109 points, while the Devils had 102) eclipse both point totals for whoever will come out of the West (Coyotes had 97 points, while the Kings had 95).

The Eastern Conference Champion will host Games 1 and 2 (as well as 5 and 7, if necessary), while the Western Conference Champion will host Games 3 and 4 (as well as 6, if necessary).

Well, now that we have the schedule sorted out — now all we need are the champions.

Celebration! (Photo: Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

Dear Hockey Gods.

Hello.

I am here on behalf of my team the Vancouver Canucks and I am here to ask and ask politely for you to give us our game back (namely our offense and our defense and last but not least, dear Daniel Sedin.).

Thanks.

Now let’s get to the game.

Lining Up – Fun Facts

• With the loss of Byron Bitz, Coach Vigneault went ahead and made some more changes to the lineups last night. This time around, Jannik Hansen would play on the first line in place of Mason Raymond. Mason Raymond would in turn play on the third line alongside Samuel Pahlsson and Maxim Lapierre.
• Also, the Amex line was reunited (Ryan Kesler, David Booth, Chris Higgins), much to the delight of fans.
• And also to the delight of fans; the regular D-partners of Kevin Bieksa and Dan Hamhuis and Alex Edler and Sami Salo were re-united. The final D-pairing also saw Keith Ballard back to the line-up. He would play alongside Chris Tanev. Welcome back Keith Ballard!

The Fun Facts of the First, the Second and the Third Period

• In which Rogers Arena is filled with chants of ‘Go Canucks Go’ when the puck hasn’t even dropped yet.
• But anyways: the First Period consisted of 1 goal, 3 penalties, 21 shots on net, some LUUing and a Green Men sighting.
• LUUUUU- You get the point.
• Speaking of points, there was only 1(2) points in the first period of Game 2 and that was Kings Captain Dustin Brown’s shorthanded goal with assistance from teammate Mr. Kopitar.
• The Second Period on the other hand, consisted of 2 goals, 2 penalties, more LUUUing and 21 shots on net.
• Jannik Hansen and Dustin Brown would exchange another set of goals, that unfortunately put LA in the lead yet again with a score of 2-1.
• And the Third and Final Period consisted of more LUUUUUUs, 3 goals, 10 penalties (ugh) and 32 shots on net.
• The Nucks and the Kings also had a bit of a scrum with a good 7 minutes left in the period. Vancouver’s resident Dane nearly got himself into a fight and for that received a double minor and a 10 minute misconduct.
• LA would then score 2 more goals, in which Vancouver responded to with 1, courtesy of Samuel Pahlsson.

The LA Kings would go on to win the game and now lead the series 2-0.

Game 3 will take place in LA, tomorrow at 7:30 pm, Pacific Standard Time and I will see you all then!

Don't worry Lord Stanley! Smashville will rescue you from the evil overlord! (Photo: Ken/flickr)

So your team has just finished the season is now headed to the playoffs. AW YEAH!

But what do you do now? It’s simple.

First things first. Did you check out good ol’ NHL dot com to find out when your team is playing in the first round? Yes? No? Well my friends, be in front of your TV Wednesday at 8pm EST. This is only negotiable if you managed to get tickets to the game, in which case, BE AT BRIDGESTONE.

Second on the sgenda, it’s time to SCOURE the internet for any information on the enemy *cough*Detroit*cough*. While doing this, find a way to join the playoff beard growing shenanigans.

Third, go to your nearest grocery provider and stock up on various snacks, drinks (alcohol only if you’re of age), and goodies to appease the neighbors form all the noise you will be making.

Fourth, find a bunch of people that support your team to share your snackage with. Does it matter if you know them? No, as long as they aren’t crazy ax murderers or spies from the dark side (they would be wearing Red Wings shirts under a Preds jersey – evil sneakers).

Fifth, sit in a dark corner of the world and wait with your supplies until April 11 rolls around with more hockey. Proceed to watch every possible game occurring that day and scope out your future competition. And of course, invite all those new friends over and crack open the snack bar; it’s Smashville time!

The sixth and most important step: cheer, scream, cry, fist-bump, chest-bump, whatever until the very end. We’ve got a long series ahead of us people, and we gotta help our boys out however we can!

The Detroit Red Wings are headed to Nashville to face the Predators in the first round of playoffs in the Western Conference. The first game in the series starts Wednesday, April 11 at 8pm eastern on CNBC. These two teams have been battling it out for the home advantage, coming in fifth and fourth respectively. The games played between these division rivals have been split 3-3 for the season, so whoever takes home the first victory will most likely take the mental edge.

Be sure to check back for on-going updates on the haps with the Preds as we inch ever so slowly closer to the first game.