Recently by Kelly Hrudey
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Hockey
Bobby Orr vs Wayne Gretzky
This season Kelly will write about topics that come from your requests. The idea is for you to send an e-mail with a suggeston and Kelly will use that as the basis of his next column. Here's this week's example.
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Hockey
Kelly Hrudey: Canucks won't repeat Cup run
This season Kelly will write about topics that come from your requests.
The idea is for you to send an e-mail with a suggesiton and Kelly will
use that as the basis of his next column. Here's the first example.
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Hockey
Goaltending in the playoffs is a matter of the mind
What do the last three Stanley Cup goaltenders have in common? They were all able to shrug off whatever adversity had just occurred to re-focus on the next challenge ahead.
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Hockey
Diagnosis right after headshot critical
Hockey Night in Canada's Kelly Hrudey applauds the NHL's decision to remove those exhibiting concussion like symptoms from the game and into a "quiet area" for diagnosis, and the former goalie shares an incident from his own career where this procedure could have helped
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Hockey
If there's a code, Gillies isn't following
New York Islanders forward Trevor Gillies embarrassed his team, teammates and himself on Wednesday night with his own unique style but misguided form of intimidation.
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Hockey
Kevin's got something to teach
When I worked primarily out west for the late game on Hockey Night in Canada for many years one of my favourite segments was After Hours.
The feedback from the fans was overwhelmingly positive. Typically the fans liked the fact that either Scott Oake or Elliotte Friedman and I were able to relax our guests enough to really get a glimpse of their true personalities, which is not always easy to do when talking to athletes.
So with that in mind, I was very excited about my opportunity to be back on the segment this past weekend from Vancouver on Hockey Day in Canada.
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Hockey
2 of my favourite Wayne stories
Hopefully, when we're able to be around really good people, some of their good qualities rub off on our own behaviour.
Case in point: since most of us at Hockey Night in Canada are sharing stories
about Wayne Gretzky this week because he's joining my club (50 and
over), I thought of many I wanted to write. But we only have so many
words and too many stories, so I've chosen a couple you might enjoy.
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Hockey
Clint Malarchuk's inspiring battle
I ran across something so inspiring to me this week I want to share it with everyone.
It's an amazing story of courage and perseverance from my long time friend, Clint Malarchuk.
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Hockey
Osgood's record speaks for itself
What a remarkable feat Chris Osgood achieved this past week, earning his 400th career win in only 742 regular-season games.
The feat itself is so unique and difficult, proven by the fact that he's only the 10th goalie of all time to have this kind of success. But I wish more was made of his accomplishment.
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Hockey
Tanguay re-inventing himself (again) in Calgary
It's fair to say Tim Thomas would be on most people's list for comeback player of the year in the NHL. With his sick stats so far this season, it's without question a one-man race.
Quietly though in Calgary, Alex Tanguay is re-establishing himself as a top player with an amazing sense for the game. Clever is a word I like to use when trying to describe his understanding of how hockey should be played.
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Hockey
Shot blocking is all the rage in NHL
I have a dilemma. I'm not sure if I like all the shot blocking, or am just so used to it that I expect it now.
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Hockey
Blues discover winning formula
Finding ways to win is a common term in our sport. The good teams seem to have an easier time finding ways, even when their best players may be in a dry spell points-wise.
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Hockey
Dubnyk, Deslauriers should play more
I made a comment on our show last Saturday that it might beneficial for the Edmonton Oilers organization to play Nikolai Khabibulin a little less this season and to give Devan Dubnyk and Jeff Deslauriers an opportunity in some games, even though Khabibulin is clearly the better of the three goalies.
- Hockey Backup goalies should see early action One of the frequent comments made by a few NHL head coaches is: "I need to play my starting goaltender fewer times during the regular season because I feel he's overworked leading into the playoffs." But when is the proper time to give their star in the net and seemingly their only hope at winning, an off day?
- Hockey All Luongo needs? A few days rest Going into these final few regular-season games, the Vancouver Canucks have clearly distinguished themselves as a really strong Stanley Cup contender.
- Hockey Major memories of the minor league What a treat for us at HNIC to have an American Hockey League game on the network this Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET) from Toronto's Ricoh Coliseum between the Toronto Marlies (NHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs) and the Abbotsford Heat (NHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames). Why am I so excited, you might ask?
- Hockey Winning formula determined by trades, team philosophy This whole trade deadline thing just keeps getting bigger with more media coverage every year. We at the CBC and Hockey Night in Canada just finished an entire day dedicated to the day’s transactions. Not only did our crew report on the trades, we also analyzed every move made by the teams. Tthe Washington Capitals and Calgary Flames were the two teams that intrigued me the most. Both teams added players based on their respective team’s philosophy. In other words, they added what they felt they needed to win the Stanley Cup.
- Hockey Will Olympic tournament come down to skill or determination? With the Winter Olympics just days away, the opening ceremony will mark the start of some of the most memorable experiences these athletes will ever encounter. The buzz already surrounding the Canadian men’s hockey team has me eagerly awaiting what will perhaps be the best hockey tournament in the sport’s history.
- Hockey A night with the Shaw Meadows Thunder Boy, do I ever have a lot of admiration and respect for the parents and volunteers that mentor and help our kids going through the minor hockey programs across our country. On Friday night I was the guest coach for the Shaw Meadows Pee Wee 3 Thunder team during their game in south Calgary.
- Hockey Coaching the key to a team's identity Since our theme this weekend is “The Team” I thought it necessary to discuss perhaps the key to a really strong team and that’s the person who dictates the direction the team takes in its journey to win the Stanley Cup. I readily admit I was spoiled my first few years in the NHL, I was fortunate enough to have Al Arbour as my coach as I broke into the hardest league in the world and that probably wasn’t fair to the rest of the coaches I played under in the NHL because I always compared them to Al.
- Hockey Dirty, dangerous hockey not welcome If there was ever a case where a player deserves to have his playing privileges revoked, it’s Patrice Cormier. The elbow he delivered to the head of Mikael Tam, a defenceman with the Quebec Remparts, warrants stiff punishment.
- Hockey Laser incident an embarrassment I almost never like to reduce myself to the low level of name calling, but this time I think it’s warranted and appropriate. What kind of idiot would think it’s OK to take a laser pointer to a hockey game and flash it into a player’s eyes on the visiting team?
- Hockey Charity a season-long venture for these NHLers Tis the season to be jolly is one of the most recognizable lines from a familiar Christmas carol. Well, the players from around the National Hockey League are doing plenty off the ice to spread the Christmas cheer around all of our NHL cities.
- Hockey Standing up against hatred This week John Buccigross from ESPN wrote an incredible article about Brian Burke and his son Brendan. Brendan is gay and told his family of his sexual orientation a couple of years ago, but until recently few people knew of this. Nobody was surprised by Brian’s reaction, the same love and support for his son as always.
- Hockey The day Wayne came to town Talk about being bombarded with memories! This week I watched Kings Ransom, the Peter Berg directed documentary about the Wayne Gretzky trade to Los Angeles. I remember the day well.
- Hockey Hall of Famers through and through I’ve watched the Hockey Hall of Fame inductees’ speeches and I’m blown away by their passion and ability to remain composed with so much adrenaline and emotion running through their bodies.
- Hockey Is it time to reconsider how we teach the game? What I’ve been thinking about for a long time is that maybe, just maybe, we have to reconsider how we teach young hockey players to safely play the game.
- Hockey Well-deserved award for these 3 hockey recipients This past week, three very distinguished members of the hockey community were recognized “for outstanding service to hockey in the United States” by receiving the Lester Patrick Award. New York Ranger teammates Mark Messier and Mike Richter, as well as Detroit Red Wing executive Jimmy Devellano, are all fine examples of quality people that truly enhance the importance of the award. I have very vivid recollections of the three of them from different periods in my life.
- Hockey Toskala, Ellis need to shut out thoughts more than pucks Every athlete dreams of a long and successful career which includes both championships and longevity. The reality is most careers in the NHL last just over four years. Hard to imagine, especially when most careers that end prematurely are not because of an injury, but two separate factors: from the player trying to manage their own expectations and/or, internal competition within an organization.
- Hockey MacTavish taking too much blame for stick risk The Edmonton Oilers’ playoff chances suffered an enormous blow this week when they lost at home to the Anaheim Ducks in a game that was absolutely crucial to both teams. The game was not without controversy though and Oilers coach Craig MacTavish was at the centre of the storm.
- Hockey Today's goalies can thank equipment advancement Hockey Canada does a wonderful job in so many areas, but one in particular stands out to me is its Hockey Academy program. This program helps incorporate the great game directly into many schools across our country with a focus on skill development. Occasionally, Hockey Canada will ask me to help out a little and I always jump at the opportunity.
- Hockey Rob Shick was one of the best This past weekend, one of the all-time great officials retired from the National Hockey League. The media didn’t pay much attention to Rob Shick’s last game, but that doesn’t mean people involved in hockey didn’t respect his career.
- Hockey Unexpected diagnosis heeds positive advice A man I consider a very good friend told me a story about his son recently that reinforced my opinion about most athletes.
- Hockey A break before the playoff drive As I’ve mentioned before, there are periods when NHL players need a break. The same goes for broadcasters (at least I do) to recharge our engines for the playoff push and the grind of the playoffs. Last year at this time, Donna (my wife) and I snuck away to a little piece of heaven on Vancouver Island called Tofino. This past week for our annual getaway we drove a couple of hours from our home in Calgary (through whiteout conditions because of a raging blizzard) to picturesque Lake Louise, or as it’s commonly referred to, a “gem in the Canadian Rockies”.
- Hockey And they all wore blue bandanas You may recall I did an article recently about minor hockey. Well, I have another one to add and it’s really positive to boot.
- Hockey The dog days of the season are behind us On the count of three, let’s all let out one gigantic Yaa-Hooooooo! You see, that’s what we do here in “Cow Town”, better known as Calgary, when we’re really excited about something during the Stampede, which is our equivalent to a state fair.
- Hockey Working on the basics can take you far Boy, did I ever have a fun week. I’ve been trying for a while now to get out and watch some amateur hockey and this week I made a point of getting out two consecutive nights to go and watch the kids. My first impression was, “man, do they ever enjoy the game."
- Hockey Flames on a roll, thanks to change in philosophy We’re all very aware just how close many of the top teams in the NHL are to each other and just how fine the line is between winning and losing. Currently three teams have put together excellent first halves to this season, losing fewer than 10 games, which is a remarkable feat. They are Boston, Detroit and San Jose. Impressive to be sure, but none of these three teams may be the best in the league right now.
- Hockey Crosby picked perfect time to go ballistic Frustration can be possibly the most negative emotion a pro athlete has to fight, but inevitably, every successful player will somehow learn how to channel this energy into something more positive. Learning how to play through it is one of the biggest learning experiences a player will go through.
- Hockey Charity hockey game hits the right note this holiday season It’s no secret during this holiday season that NHL teams try as best as possible to spread good cheer. Most athletes are keenly aware of just how fortunate they are and don’t take things for granted. To that end, one of the most incredible journeys a player can take is the annual visit to a Children’s Hospital. It’s simply overwhelming to see the eyes of the children and their families light up when you arrive. If you ask me, the lasting impression is greater felt by the player than the child. To think that your visit has somehow helped to lift the spirits of a child in a difficult situation is as moving as it is awe-inspiring, and it's never forgotten by the athlete. Many other people in our communities also chose to support many excellent causes, and some of these use hockey as a tool to accomplish goodness. One example is a charity hockey game taking place on Jan. 11, 2009 in Edmonton at the Tipton arena in support of the Stollery Children’s Hospital.
- Hockey Don't feel sorry for Avery Shortly, we will find out what the Dallas Stars are doing with the whole Sean Avery mess. Don’t - not even for a second - feel the slightest bit sorry for Avery.
- Hockey Strain, style, heavy workload at root of goalie injuries The game's most important player is more injury prone than ever in today’s NHL. There are many reasons that goalies like Roberto Luongo, Martin Brodeur, Rick DiPietro, Marc-Andre Fleury, Nikolai Khabibulin, Cam Ward and Evgeni Nabokov have all found themselves on the sidelines for varying amounts of time.
- Hockey Can Mason's mental toughness last for a long haul? It’s no secret that the most successful professional athletes get to the highest level because they possess one invaluable trait. Mental toughness.
- Hockey Kelowna Packers paved way for Canada-Russia rivalries Hands up if you know who the Kelowna Packers are and the significant role they played in the history of international hockey. Yup, wow, you’re smart; they are indeed the first Canadian hockey team to play in the U.S.S.R. back in 1958. This historic event basically paved the way for the infamous “Summit Series of 1972."
- Hockey Coaches need to show they're in charge Coaching is an awfully intriguing job. Why else would a person voluntarily submit themselves to the endless challenges that coaching presents. Take last year’s winner of the Jack Adams Trophy for the best coach in business, Bruce Boudreau. This year, with mostly the same players, the Washington Capitals are a bad team.
- Hockey Disclosing injuries can put players at risk Last Sunday I read Cassie Campbell Pascal’s article on this site concerning her feelings about finding the proper balance between fitness and rest. In the article, my good friend Cassie mentioned that there may be an increase in total league-wide injuries because the players at times train too hard. This coincides with a new league directive that allows each team to not fully disclose injuries if they chose to do so for the protection of the player.
- Hockey Players innocent in uproar over autograph fees I felt badly for a couple of Edmonton Oilers recently because too much blame had been directed towards them for an event that occurred off the ice. Like most athletes, Sam Gagner and Andrew Cogliano were paid to attend and sign autographs at a memorabilia show in Edmonton. This practice has been on going for years and will continue for years to come.
- Hockey Flames, Senators among teams facing goalie questions Goaltending is unquestionably the single most important position in the game today. Having a great goalie or just an average one is the difference between making the playoffs or heading to the golf course in early spring. Every year brings a season full of new questions about goaltending, and this season is no different. The questions being asked out West are: Can Peter Budaj carry the Colorado Avalanche, and will Miikka Kiprusoff return to his old form? If you follow the East, questions might be: Which Jose Theodore will Washington have, and is there any possibility Ottawa’s Martin Gerber can be the goalie he was for Carolina in 2005-06?
- Hockey Bold, bright move by Canucks My first thought was this. Why hadn’t someone done this before? I’m referring, of course, to the Vancouver Canucks naming Roberto Luongo as their captain. The rule book states that goalies (as well as playing coaches and managers) are not eligible to be named captain even though most of the captain’s duties provide no conflict at all.
