Brian Burke and Ron MacLean cleared the air between them this week. (Canadian Press)

Wow am I beat.

The final episode of Battle of the Blades. Last night's December bonus Hockey Night in 
Canada from Detroit. Getting over laryngitis. Christmas shopping and shipping.

To discuss last week's snub, Brian Burke and I got a room at the Royal York and it was Epic. That's the the name of the restaurant. Anyhow, pretty exhausting week.

Wonder what Grapes was up to?

Let me finish up the Brian Burke business. I had coffee with the Maple Leafs President and G.M. Thursday morning. He offered to clarify  things, which of course I appreciated. Brian regretted giving the impression he was boycotting the show over the, at times, critical treatment of his team.

He realizes he did say it, and that I took one (don't like what's being said) + one (not doing interview) to equal two ( boycott). He regretted joining the two thoughts.

He was clear he did not want cheerleaders, and that he would not withhold interviews on such a basis. So he'll be on soon enough. Tonight he's leaving to join the tribute to Markus Naslund.

Just an aside. What can we do if a guest declines an interview? Nothing.

However, it prompts one idea.  In Law, as Brian knows, there is a rare legal situation, called adverse inference. Someone making a judgment deduces that silence or the refusal to cooperate suggests that wrongdoing occurred. No testimony is because it would be harmful to the party. That's the metaphorical straw we grasp when someone takes the fifth.

As for our role, I realize it has an air of importance, but one of my favourite essayists, Lewis H. Lapham had some advice I follow: "Don't trade the capacity to think for yourself, for the security of being told". 

Tonight, Panasonic and CBC bring 3D to Hockey Night in Canada. A national debut of the amazing process and how it enhances hockey. We will actually mount separate telecasts of game one of our doubleheader Montreal at  Toronto. Dean Brown, Greg Millen, Bruce Rainnie and Kelly Hrudey appear on the 3D showing, while Jim Hughson, Craig Simpson, Glenn Healy and Elliotte Friedman handle the HD version.  

Scotiabank Hockey tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET: We'll tee up the Habs and Leafs, but also look forward to Game Two tonight which is Tampa Bay at Vancouver (Mark Lee, Kevin Weekes and Scott Oake with the call).

Markus Naslund is being honoured at Rogers Arena  this evening. Scott Oake will have a special Inside Hockey with Naslund. 

Watching Sidney Crosby and the Sedins on their current tears reminds me of Naslund. Crosby is getting better, and that is saying something. Naslund, like Crosby and the Sedins, had elite talent, and he built on his level of commitment to become a dominant  player and a captain. Few do that.

I should point out there is a ceremony in Vancouver starting at 9:10 p.m. ET , 6:10 p.m. PT, which we will stream live at CBCSports.ca and we'll reprise much of it on 
Hockey Night later. 

Also on Scotiabank  Hockey tonight, Peter Puck on the evolution of TV coverage.

Another highlight tonight, we launch the  first in a series of rap chop videos by iconic American DJ Steve Porter!

Finally on After Hours our guest is super sniper Steven Stamkos.

Hope you have 3D. As spectacles go, this is a beauty.

Enjoy.

Ron