Hockey Night in Canada
29-year-old rookie is all heart, hard work for Senators
Ottawa Senators rookie defenceman Andre Benoit could have kept earning a good living with Spartak Moscow, but couldn't pass up a chance to break into the NHL, even as a 29-year-old.
Playoffs 2013
Newfoundland's Colin Greening rescues Senators
With chucks of fibreglass still in his cheek from an opponent's high stick earlier in the game, Ottawa Senators forward Colin Greening scored his dramatic double-overtime game-winner on Sunday to become the latest hockey hero from the Rock.
Hockey Night in Canada
Spezza and home ice need to be difference makers for Senators
Three storylines for Game 3 between the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET). The Penguins lead the East semifinal series 2-0.
Hockey Night in Canada
Spezza ready to return to Senators lineup
With his team down 2-0 in their Eastern Conference semifinal against the Pittsburgh Penguins, talented Ottawa Senators forward Jason Spezza revealed after practice on Saturday that he expects to play in Game 3 tomorrow evening.
Hockey Night in Canada
Senators in need of some home cooking
Can the Ottawa Senators find a way to push themselves back in their East semifinal series against the Pittsburgh Penguins? Has their Cinderella season run out of happy endings? It sure looks bleak for the pesky Senators after they dropped a 4-3 decision in Game 2.
Hockey Night in Canada
Senators insert Benoit, Latendresse for Game 2
Three storylines for Game 2 between the Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET). The Penguins lead the East semifinal 1-0.
Playoffs 2013
Jarome Iginla finds way in march with Penguins
In an ideal world, Jarome Iginla would have rather stayed in Calgary and returned to the Stanley Cup final with the Flames, the only NHL team he has played for before his trade to Pittsburgh in late March. But he's finding his way just fine with the Penguins.
Hockey Night in Canada
Leafs', Caps' collapses linger as 2nd round begins
Even though the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is underway, there is plenty of fallout from the first round to discuss and debate.
Playoffs 2013
Penguins teach Senators lesson in special teams
The Pittsburgh Penguins had another night to remember on special teams in their second-round series opener, a 4-1 win at home against the Ottawa Senators. The Senators played well enough, but know they have plenty of room for improvement.
Hockey Night in Canada
Senators must limit Penguins offensively in Game 1
Three storylines for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal between the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET).
Playoffs 2013
Western Conference semifinals preview
CBC Sports senior hockey writer Tim Wharnsby previews the Western Conference semifinals and predicts second-round winners in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Hockey Night in Canada
Eastern Conference semifinals preview
CBC Sports senior hockey writer Tim Wharnsby previews the NHL Eastern Conference semifinals featuring the Penguins versus the Senators and Bruins versus the Rangers.
Playoffs 2013
Leafs suffer epic collapse in Beantown
The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered a collapse of epic proportions on Monday, a 5-4 loss in overtime to the Boston Bruins in the seventh and deciding game of their first-round series. It hurts now, but the Maple Leafs will be better because of it.
Hockey Night in Canada
Leafs, Bruins offer intriguing Game 7 storylines
Three storylines for Game 7 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins on Monday night (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 6:30 p.m. ET).
Hockey Night in Canada
Misdirection goes a long way for Randy Carlyle
Joe Colborne was the 14th player to make his Stanley Cup debut for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. He didn't score in Toronto's 2-1 win. But didn't mess up either, and he kept a secret about Tyler Bozak's injury.
Hockey Night in Canada
Maple Leafs stay at hotel at home to change it up
Three storylines for Game 6 of the Maple Leafs-Bruins first-round series on Sunday night in Toronto (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET for pregame show). Boston leads the series 3-2.
Playoffs 2013
Randy Carlyle knows Maple Leafs have 'poked the bear'
Randy Carlyle has been around the Stanley Cup playoffs block. As a player, the 1980-81 Norris Trophy winner suited up for 69 NHL postseason games. When he steps behind the bench of the Toronto Maple Leafs for Game 6 of the first-round series against the Boston Bruins on Sunday, it will be Carlyle's 68th time as an NHL head coach.
Playoffs 2013
James Reimer comes to Maple Leafs' rescue
He played the game of his life. He lifted his teammates with save after save. Forty-three, in total. The Bruins took over the game in the second period. They hemmed the Maple Leafs in their end. They peppered Reimer.
Hockey Night in Canada
Reimer needs to step up and steal Game 5 for the Leafs
Three storylines for Game 5 of the Maple Leafs-Bruins first-round series on Friday night in Boston (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 6:30 p.m. ET). Boston leads the series 3-1.
Hockey Night in Canada
Leafs must decide on Dion Phaneuf's future
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis will have a decision to make with defenceman Dion Phaneuf in the off-season. With Phaneuf about to enter the final year of his contract it may be time for Nonis to deal his captain, especially after his latest game-costing gaffe.
Playoffs 2013
Risk-taking Dion Phaneuf cost Leafs in overtime
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf made a risky pinch that he messed up to send the Boston Bruins the other way for the winning overtime goal. But he faced the music and admitted afterwards he cost his team a win in Game 4
Hockey Night in Canada
Leafs out to play safer, more efficient Game 4
Three storylines for Game 4 of the Leafs-Bruins first-round series on Wednesday night in Toronto (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 6:30 p.m. ET). Boston leads the series 2-1.
Playoffs 2013
Leafs claim Bruins faceoff cheaters
The Boston Bruins have dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs in faceoffs in their first-round series. But is everything on the up-and-up? The Maple Leafs feel the Bruins are successful because they cheat.
Playoffs 2013
Bruins crash Leafs' playoff party
There was a buzz and buoyancy in the city after the Toronto Maple Leafs knotted up the first-round series after two games last Saturday. But there was nothing but disappointed after a 5-2 defeat to the Boston Bruins in the Maple Leafs first home playoff date in more than nine years.
Playoffs 2013
Bruins hope to contain Phil Kessel in Game 3
With Andrew Ference returning to the lineup and their preferred defence pairings back intact, the Boston Bruins hope to better limit the effectiveness of Game 2 goal scorer Phil Kessel as the series shifts to Toronto on Monday night.
Playoffs 2013
Real Leafs fans patient, dedicated and hopeful
Most Toronto Maple Leafs fans stick by their team. They have been so patient. They have been so loyal. They are hopeful one day it will be all worth it. Including Ray the Limo Driver, they're excited about the first playoff game at home in more than nine years.
Playoffs 2013
Crisp Leafs rebound to take Game 2
There was so much to like about the Toronto Maple Leafs play in Game 2 of their first-round series against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, a 4-2 win that has knotted the series at 1-1.
Hockey Night in Canada
3 storylines for Game 2 of Bruins-Maple Leafs
Here is glance at three storylines for Game 2 of the Toronto Maple Leafs first-round series against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
Playoffs 2013
Leafs hope to put aside playoff jitters
The Toronto Maple Leafs hope the last two days have been fruitful and they will perform better in Game 2 of their first-round series against the Boston Bruins.
Playoffs 2013
Plenty excited to see Wade Redden's comeback success
In a month in his new home, Wade Redden has gone from depth player to a key component in the Boston Bruins' series-opening 4-1 victory at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Playoffs 2013
Leafs' inexperience evident against Bruins
In their series opener, a one-sided 4-1 defeat to the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden, the Toronto Maple Leafs playoff inexperience was evident.
Playoffs 2013
Leafs' Tyler Bozak will play in Game 1 vs. Bruins
News and storylines ahead of Game 1 between the Maple Leafs and Bruins on Wednesday night in Boston, including Toronto's first-line centre Tyler Bozak declaring himself ready to play.
Hockey Night in Canada
First-round spotlight will find Kessel
Phil Kessel remarked he didn't understand why reporters wanted to talk to him on Monday. Apparently, he is the only person in the hockey world who doesn't feel that him going up against his old club, the Boston Bruins, is a big deal.
Playoffs 2013
Monday Musings: Stanley Cup playoffs edition
This week's Monday takes a look at the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. Would you believe that the Los Angeles Kings finished with the same 7-3-2 record this year that they did last season when they won the Stanley Cup?
Playoffs 2013
Eastern Conference playoff preview
CBC Sports senior hockey writer Tim Wharnsby breaks down the four Eastern Conference playoff matchups in the NHL and predicts which teams will advance.
Playoffs 2013
Western Conference playoff preview
CBC Sports senior hockey writer Tim Wharnsby breaks down the four Western Conference playoff matchups in the NHL and predicts which teams will advance.
TOR vs BOS
Maple Leafs enter the playoffs on a downer
If you're the glass half-empty type, the Maple Leafs provided their fans with another example - in a 4-1 loss to the rival Montreal Canadiens in the regular-season finale on Saturday night - not to get their hopes up in a first-round series against either against the Montreal Canadiens or Boston Bruins.
Hockey Night in Canada
Canadiens rookie Brendan Gallagher won't back down
Despite his diminutive size, Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher has played the same way as he did in junior and put himself in the mix for the Calder Trophy as top rookie.
Hockey Night in Canada
Gordie Howe biopic shows Mr. Hockey's desire to fit in
Harry Neale will never forget Gordie Howe's kindness, his sense of humour, his love for his family and his desire to fit in despite his place in hockey history. Those traits will be evident in the movie, Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story, to be shown on CBC on Sunday.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHL worth the wait for Islanders rookie Thomas Hickey
If we take Thomas Hickey at his word -- and we should because there may
not be a more polite NHLer -- he felt strongly this would be a
make-or-break season for his career.
Playoffs 2013
Monday Musings: Scouts like Penguins' Crosby as NHL MVP
Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins is the favourite to win the Hart Trophy as most valuable player among six scouts who have kept a watchful eye on all 30 NHL teams this season.
Hockey Night in Canada
Maple Leafs not being kind to their fretful fanatics
Don't kid yourselves, there is much more to fret about in the land of the Toronto Maple Leafs these days after the past three games in four days, including a dismal 5-3 performance at home against the New York Islanders on Thursday.
Playoffs 2013
Leafs' O'Byrne inspired by memory of mom
Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Ryan O'Byrne has plenty of inspiration in his late mother Lorelei, who passed away three years ago after a lengthy battle with late-stage breast cancer.
Hockey Night in Canada
James Reimer saves 2 points for Maple Leafs
There wasn't much to like about his club's 2-0 victory at home against the struggling New Jersey Devils on Monday. It was buzz kill after all the buzz generated by the Maple Leafs' win over the Montreal Canadiens last Saturday. But James Reimer showed up to save his teammates.
Hockey Night in Canada
An impatient Craig MacTavish gets a chance to rebuild Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers decided it was time for Steve Tambellini to go as general manager of the struggling NHL team. But was it the right decision to replace him with recycled Craig MacTavish and Scott Howson?
Hockey Night in Canada
Monday Musings: Brodeur stuck on Devil of a number
This week's musings looks at Martin Brodeur stuck on win No. 666, Alex Chiasson's wonderful start to his NHL career, minor-league coach Willie Desjardins success, the NHL's Twitter standings and P.K. Subban for the Norris Trophy.
Hockey Night in Canada
Habs-Leafs playoff battle would be a dream matchup
You to have travel back 34 years to find the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens looked across the ice from each other for a playoff series. Will they finally hook up again in the post-season after all these years?
Hockey Night in Canada
Quinnipiac's Matthew Peca has made name for himself
Matthew Peca, who's not related to former NHLer Michael Peca, has played well enough and won enough in his young career to distinguish himself. He will lead No. 1-ranked Quinnipiac into the 2013 NCAA Frozen Four, which begins with semifinal action on Thursday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Joey MacDonald fanning the Flames in Calgary
Don't blame Joey MacDonald for performing well. It's not in the DNA of the Calgary Flames goalie to roll over and help his team win the NHL draft lottery.
Hockey Night in Canada
Phil Kessel kicks away slump in big win for Leafs
Not only did his Toronto Maple Leafs check in with an important 4-3 victory to stop the hard-charging New York Rangers, Phil Kessel also snapped a nine-game goal-less drought with two big goals, including the game winner, and he added an assist.
Hockey Night in Canada
Monday Musings: Senators need to get road act together
This week's Monday musings take a look at the Ottawa Senators road woes, Alex Ovechkin getting his groove back, the New Jersey Devils' slide, Jaromir Jagr's midnight skates and the success of players who were dealt at the deadline last week.
Hockey Night in Canada
Lockout season is in for a wild three-week finish
Twenty-seven of the 30 teams still have a realistic chance at the playoffs, and there could be a team out there like the Los Angeles Kings of a year ago. The Stanley Cup champs needed a 9-2-3 to move from 11th to the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
Hockey Night in Canada
Maple Leafs' Joffrey Lupul unlucky with injuries
On his third shift of the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at home, Maple Leafs star Joffrey Lupul was hit in the head twice as he was sandwiched along the sideboards and was knocked out of the game.
Hockey Night in Canada
Senators winners among Canadian teams on deadline day
Here's an assessment on where Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Winnipeg stand after trade deadline day.
Hockey Night in Canada
Canadiens, Leafs, Senators don't need much tinkering
With the 2013 NHL trade deadline fast approaching on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET, we'll take a look at the situations with each of the four Canadian clubs in the Eastern Conference. Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver slipped into the hot seat on Monday.
NHL
Flames, Oilers and Canucks have different trade deadline needs
With the 2013 NHL trade deadline fast approaching on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET, we'll take a look at the situations with each of the three Canadian clubs in the Western Conference on Monday. Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Winnipeg will be featured on Tuesday.
NHL
Monday Musings: Oilers playoffs hopes remain alive
This week's Monday musings takes a look at Edmonton's playoff chances, some Stanley Cup winners' trade deadline deals, the difficulty in making goalie trades, Steve Stamkos, and the Jones twins from Montrose, B.C.
Hockey Night in Canada
Leafs have matured into playoff-bound winners
The Toronto Maple Leafs bounced back for a third-period comeback win over the Carolina Hurricanes at home on Thursday, something that was rarely seen in their seven previous playoff-less seasons.
Hockey Night in Canada
Jarome Iginla gets to march with Penguins
Good for Jarome Iginla that he decided to follow the path skated by Ray Bourque and not Mats Sundin, who chose to stay with the Maple Leafs only to vacate the team the next year after 13 long seasons in Toronto.
Hockey Night in Canada
Senators, Wings, Habs top our success-despite-injury index
This is hardly scientific, but we declare the Ottawa Senators tops in our success-despite-injury index that we've come up with, a computation that simply adds a team's rank in man-games lost to its place in the overall standings.
Hockey Night in Canada
Leafs winger Joffrey Lupul leading by example
Joffrey Lupul may not wear the captain's C on his sweater, but he certainly is the most vocal leader in the Toronto Maple Leafs dressing room. He spoke up in the first intermission after his club's dismal effort in the opening period. Then he went out and led by example.
Hockey Night in Canada
Monday Musings: Iginla has one more big night in Calgary
This week's musings touches on Jarome Iginla, the Pittsburgh Penguins trade for Brenden Morrow, the Tampa Bay Lightning coaching situation, Dan DeKeyser and more offence in the East.
Hockey Night in Canada
Leafs break the Bruins spell - for 1 night anyway
It certainly wasn't a masterpiece, but the Toronto Maple Leafs finally beat the Boston Bruins to snap an eight-game losing streak against the team they made the Phil Kessel trade with in September 2009.
Hockey Night in Canada
Leafs' Jake Gardiner, Nazem Kadri survive crazy night
The Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 win at home over the Tampa Bay Lightning had more subplots than usual, but they survived the help with a pair of cool young customers in Nazem Kadri and Jake Gardiner.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHLPA to revisit visor issue this summer
With the recent eye injuries to Chris Pronger, Manny Maholtra and Marc Staal, the NHLPA will revisit the issue of mandatory visors with its players this summer.
Hockey Night in Canada
Bobby Orr turns 65
The legendary Bobby Orr turned 65 on Wednesday. No. 4 was kind enough to take some time to reflect on hitting the milestone birthday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Monday Musings: These Ottawa Senators get job done
The incredible runs of the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins, the Ryder-for-Cole trade, postponement of the Staal on-ice reunion, some storylines on the U.S. College hockey scene are touched on in this week's Monday Musings.
Hockey Night in Canada
Jets, Leafs flying in opposite directions
The way the Toronto Maple Leafs have started the second half, with a five-game losing streak (0-3-2) after a 5-4 shootout loss at home to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, there is plenty of uncertainty whether they will end their seven-season playoff drought.
Hockey Night in Canada
Maple Leafs have an intriguing 48 hours ahead
How will the Toronto Maple Leafs deal with their first prolonged slump of the season? Will they be able to tune out the panic and fret from their fickle fans after a 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Toronto's fourth loss in a row?
Hockey Night in Canada
U of A Golden Bears out to celebrate 100th year in style
The Alberta Golden Bears men's hockey team, the program that has been golden all these years, hopes to celebrate its 100th anniversary season with another national title at the six-team University Cup in Saskatoon this weekend.
Hockey Night in Canada
Picking the 2013 NHL all-stars, with a twist
What if, for the all-star weekend, the NHL played host to a four-on-four tourney between eight teams from Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, United States and a team from the rest of the world? Who would be on the different rosters?
Hockey Night in Canada
Monday Musings: Canucks slide out of first
This week's Monday Musings column takes a look at the recent skid by Vancouver, the success of the Canadian teams in the East, the Pittsburgh Penguins' red-hot line, Phoenix coach Dave Tippett, and Ryan Suter's homecoming treatment in Nashville.
Hockey Night in Canada
Maple Leafs exhibited moxie against Crosby and Co.
The Toronto Maple Leafs had the same amount of points after the first 24 games this year as they did last year. The question now becomes will the Maple Leafs have a better finish than last year?
Hockey Night in Canada
NHL prepares for U.S. college free agents
This year's class of U.S. college hockey free agents is not considered as deep as the past few years. But there are two players common on most teams' scouting list in Western Michigan defenceman Dan DeKeyser and Nebraska-Omaha blue-liner Andrej Sustr.
Hockey Night in Canada
Holzer adds German flavour to Leafs' 1st-half success
There are plenty of reasons for the faithful of the Toronto Maple Leafs to be excited about as the team enters the second-half of the condensed schedule. German defenceman Korbinian Holzer is one of the reasons.
Hockey Night in Canada
Leafs missed Mike Brown's presence vs. Devils
Usually when a fourth liner is traded like Mike Brown was from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, there is hardly a ripple. But what Brown did for the Maple Leafs this season was very much missing in Toronto's win at the Air Canada Centre.
Hockey Night in Canada
Monday Musings: Vigneault, Julien seethe into night
This week's Monday musings touches on the Sunday evening anger from Alain Vigneault and Claude Julien, journeyman goalie Danny Taylor, Max Pacioretty, Chicago Blackhawks, hockey-related revenue, Rob Tallas and University of Alberta's Kurtis Mucha.
Hockey Night in Canada
Ryan O'Reilly offer sheet a big mistake all around
Calgary Flames general manager Jay Feaster's attempt to lasso restricted NHl free agent Ryan O'Reilly from the Colorado Avalanche was a failure in so many ways.
Hockey Night in Canada
The Habs have their minds in the right place -- on top
A rookie general manager, a new coach, a new coaching staff, a new sports psychologist and some new additions to the roster have moved the Montreal Canadiens from worst to first and has them in the right state of mind.
Hockey Night in Canada
Maple Leafs suffer through clunker against Habs
The home team Toronto Maple Leafs were not very good in the Montreal Canadiens one-sided 5-2 victory on Wednesday to stay atop the East standings thanks to an impressive nine-game run that has produced a 7-0-2 record.
Hockey Night in Canada
Older rookie Andre Benoit aiding the Senators' cause
Ottawa Senators defenceman Andre Benoit was a long shot to become a regular in the NHL at age 29. But the native of St. Albert, Ont. has bucked the odds and has been one of the many newcomers to fill the void left by injuries to key players.
Hockey Night in Canada
Monday Musings: Oilers embark on critical trip
The Edmonton Oilers' nine-game road trip, the Ottawa Senators' success without their injured stars, the scoring race, Raffi Torres, as well as hot streaks from Jonathan Drouin and Greg Carey are discussed in this week's Monday musings.
Hockey Night in Canada
Niagara University: A small school, winning big
Led by a pair of Canadians in senior forward Giancarlo Iuorio and third-year goalie Carsen Chubak, the Niagara University Purple Eagles have not lost in their rink in more than a year and may be an unheralded team to watch in the NCAA playoffs next month.
Hockey Night in Canada
Van Riemsdyk has night to remember for Maple Leafs
Newcomer James Van Riemsdyk swiftly has endeared himself to Toronto Maple Leafs faithful. He continued his swift start with his best game yet for the Maple Leafs on Thursday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Coach's challenge in NHL? Be careful what you wish for
From time to time, there will be muffed calls by a referee or lineman in the NHL. But is a coach's challenge the way to go?
Hockey Night in Canada
Chris Tanev's calmness leads to success with Canucks
If we've learned anything from Chris Tanev's rapid rise from tier II junior to NHL regular in four years, it is the 23-year-old Vancouver Canucks defenceman is one cool customer.
Hockey Night in Canada
Monday Musings: Showdown in Chi-town
The Monday musings this week takes a look at the Chicago Blackhawks-Vancouver Canucks showdown on Tuesday, the scary AHL incident involving Wade MacLeod, Ales Hemsky's strong start, realignment, Olympic participation by the NHL and the Boston Bruins visit to Newtown.
Hockey Night in Canada
Room for new heroes in injury-riddled condensed season
With all the injuries to the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs, somebody had to step up and produce. For the Maple Leafs, in their 3-0 win, the somebodies were fourth-liner Frazer McLaren and backup goalie Ben Scrivens.
Hockey Night in Canada
Protective sock could have prevented Karlsson's injury
A Kevlar sock or sleeve may have prevented serious injury for Ottawa Senators defenceman Erik Karlsson, who will miss the remainder of the season with a lacerated Achilles tendon. More and more NHLers are wearing protective socks, but Karlsson was not when his injury occurred.
Hockey Night in Canada
Fast, slow, strange start to NHL's first quarter
There have been fast, slow and strange starts in the first quarter of this shortened NHL season.
Hockey Night in Canada
ACC atmosphere could be key to Leafs' fortunes
Beating the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2 at home on Monday night was an important victory for the Toronto Maple Leafs. They didn't want to have to answer more questions about why they have been so bad at home, especially after an impressive three-game road stint.
Hockey Night in Canada
Monday Musings: Chicago has hope at another Stanley Cup
Monday musings on the Chicago Blackhawks' fast start, the impressive play of David Clarkson, Sam Gagner and Damien Brunner as well as NHL realignment.
Hockey Day
Bob Gainey takes pride in Peterborough
Bob Gainey left Peterborough in 1973 to play for the Montreal Canadiens and the game has taken him around the world. But he always fits in return trips to his hometown, the site of Hockey Day in Canada on Saturday
Hockey Day
Roger Neilson's spirit alive and well in the hockey world
Roger Neilson's legacy will play a rather large role in Hockey Day in Canada celebrations in Peterborough, Ont. Even a decade after his passing his fingerprints are still evident all over the hockey world.
Hockey Day
Gary Dalliday a legendary Peterborough broadcaster, athlete
If you make a list of all the people who should be discussed during Hockey Day in Canada celebrations in Peterborough, local broadcaster and athlete Gary Dalliday certainly belongs with the likes of Scotty Bowman, Bob Gainey, Steve Larmer, Steve Yzerman, Chris Pronger and Eric Staal.
Hockey Day
Bruins beat Toronto again, this time with underdog Jamie Tardif
Even a narrow 1-0 defeat to the Boston Bruins does not sit well with the faithful of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
How could it? A Bruins visit to the Air Canada Centre always represents a reminder of what could have been for Maple Leaf fans, and usually a loss to commiserate over. Boston, after all, has gone a dominant 13-2-3 in their last 18 trips to Toronto.
It's always: what if the Maple Leafs didn't give up those two first-round picks for Phil Kessel? How good would a pair of building blocks like Tyler Seguin and defenceman Dougie Hamilton, who played his first game against Toronto on Saturday, look in blue and white?
Hamilton and Seguin were the draft picks the Bruins used from the Kessel trade. Another one that got away to the division rivals was goalie Tuukka Rask, dealt to Boston from the Maple Leafs in exchange for Andrew Raycroft seven years ago. The 25-year-old Rask now has gone 7-1-0 against Toronto after his 21-save shutout. How good would the Maple Leafs be with him in goal?
With Hamilton and Rask as their No. 1 netminder, the balanced Bruins are Stanley Cup contenders once again. But like any elite team they will have to stay healthy. They beat the Maple Leafs without third-line forward Daniel Paille and important fourth-line leader Shawn Thornton on Saturday.
Special night for Tardif
But the absence of the two veterans opened the door for 28-year-old Jamie Tardif to play his first NHL game after more than 450 minor-league regular season and playoff games.
Tardif only hopped over the boards for eight shifts and 5:30 of ice time in his debut effort, but he did have a couple scoring chances in the second period. Besides, just pulling on No. 68 with the spoked B logo on the front made this night special for those who know his steadfast story.
He and his centre Jordan Staal helped the Peterborough Petes with the 2005-06 OHL championship. But the Welland, Ont. native never did sign with the Calgary Flames, the team that selected him in the fourth round of the 2003 NHL entry draft.
Instead, he eventually hooked up with Detroit Red Wings AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. But there was no room for advancement in that organization. So after five seasons with Grand Rapids, Tardif had his hope renewed after the Bruins came calling.
Then, on Thursday evening, while on the bus with his Providence teammates, head coach Bruce Cassidy came to the back of the bus to tell Tardif he had been promoted.
"I always tried to stay positive," Tardif said. "Boston is a good fit for my style of play which is gritty and going hard to the net. I think the lockout actually helped me. The coaches were there almost every practice."
His skating was the skill that held Tardif back. But he's right. He did make an impression on head coach Claude Julien and the Bruins management team during the lockout. He has a scoring touch. He has grit. He has determination.
Inspirational trainer
He also had inspiration in former NHLer-turned-personal trainer Aaron Downey. While working out in Downey's barn in Shelburne, Ont., the past few summers, Downey kept telling his client to keep pushing because you never know.
Downey didn't play his first NHL game until age 25 and went on to play 243 games with the Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens and Red Wings.
"He's been my inspiration," said Tardif, who played a season with Downey in Grand Rapids. "He's helped my development and he has kept me focused on the right things. I can't thank him enough."
When Tardif was asked if he knew his old junior stomping grounds in Peterborough was the site of next week's Hockey Day in Canada he admitted he didn't know about the celebration.
"Isn't that something?" he said. "I hope I'm still with the Bruins when it happens."
Hockey Day
The Staals look back fondly at their Peterborough days
Eric and Jordan Staal occasionally take a peek at the Ontario Hockey League standings and they don't like what they see these days.
Their old junior club, the Peterborough Petes, uncharacteristically has been mired in a three-season long slump. Unless the Petes can overcome a six-point deficit to the Kingston Frontenacs in the final 17 games of the season, they will miss the playoffs for a third straight season after missing only three times in the first 54 years of existence.
The current funk has been difficult to take for the hockey-mad town of Peterborough, Ont., the site of Hockey Day in Canada on Saturday.
"For sure, it has been disappointing to see what has happened there. It's such a storied franchise," Eric Staal said. Each Staal brother scored in the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre Monday night.
"One thing that seemed certain when I played there and my brother played there was that the Petes would contend every season," Eric added. "But I understand the organization is trying hard to make some changes. Hopefully, better times are ahead."
The Peterborough TPT's (the junior team's original name because the company that sponsored it was called Toronto Peterborough Transportation) were born in 1956 when the Kitchener Greenshirts moved East to the Central Ontario town.
Petes' impressive roster history
This list of players who have played for the Petes is impressive.
Bob Gainey, Keith Acton, Bob Berry, Bill and Barclay Plager, Doug Jarvis, Colin Campbell, John Garrett, Mickey and Dick Redmond, Greg Millen, Dave Reid, Larry Murphy, Dallas Eakins, Luke Richardson, Bob Errey, Steve Yzerman, Mike Ricci, Chris Pronger, Cameron Mann, Cory Stillman, Jamie Langenbrunner, the Staal brothers, Zach Bogosian were just a few.
The coaching list also is impressive: Scotty Bowman, Roger Neilson, Mike Keenan, Gary Green and Dick Todd.
In total, the Petes have put in more than 150 in the NHL. Wayne Gretzky played three games for Peterborough as a 15-year-old. My favourite, Steve Larmer, played a full season for his hometown as a 16-year-old before he was drafted by the Niagara Falls Flyers.
"It's inspiring when you see all the names who played for the Petes," said Jordan Staal, who played on the Petes' last OHL championship team in 2005-06. "You don't want to let the organization or the fans down. You know what they expect because of their history."
The Petes have won a record nine OHL titles, made a record nine visits to the Memorial Cup tournament and advanced a record six times to the Memorial Cup final. But Peterborough has celebrated only one Memorial Cup championship in 1979.
Rock bottom
This season hit rock bottom earlier when Dave Reid and Mike Pelino were fired as general manager and head coach, respectively. The Petes have slightly improved under interim GM Mike Oke and interim head coach Jody Hull, who played four seasons for the Petes in mid-1980s. They have gone 8-5-3 since Hull took over.
The Petes also lured former captain Dave Lorentz as a board member. Now principal at Lakefield and District Secondary School, Lorentz was part of the 1989 OHL championship team and he certainly is a respected member of the community.
So maybe the Petes are on the right track to restoring the storied franchise. The Staals certainly hope so.
"When I went to Peterborough [for the 2000-01 season] it was my first time away from home," said Eric, a Thunder Bay, Ont., native. "My parents were comfortable with the situation. I couldn't think of a better place to prepare myself for the NHL.
"[Then Petes GM] Jeff Twohey was great. My billets were great. The people in the city were so supportive and kind. I have nothing but fond memories of that place and, for me, it's neat to hear that Peterborough will be celebrated on Hockey Day in Canada."
Olympics
Choosing Canada's hockey team for 2014 Sochi Olympics
Imagine pulling up a chair in the same boardroom as Steve Yzerman, Doug Armstrong, Ken Holland and Kevin Lowe a few weeks ago, when they assembled to discuss ghost rosters for the 2014 Canadian Olympic men's hockey team.With the Sochi Winter Games just a year away, which players would you suggest to suit up for the Canadian team?
Hockey Day
The Staals look back fondly at their Peterborough days
The Peterborough Petes have struggled through some difficult times in recent seasons, but that doesn't take away from the experiences that Eric and Jordan Staal enjoyed in the hockey-mad town.
Hockey Night in Canada
Monday Musings: Canadian could make bid for Coyotes
This week's Monday morning musings take a look at the Phoenix Coyotes situation, Alex Ovechkin's slump, Roberto Luongo's roll, the Zack Kassian-Cody Hodgson trade, Thomas Vanek and Jonahthan Cheechoo.
Hockey Night in Canada
Bruins beat Toronto again, this time with underdog Jamie Tardif
Jamie Tardif only hopped over the boards for eight shifts, but just pulling on No. 68 with the spoked B logo on the front made this night special for those who know his steadfast story.
Hockey Night in Canada
Leafs home win a sign of better times ahead
The Toronto Maple Leafs actually haven't been that bad since they moved into the Air Canada Centre on Feb. 20, 1999. They have been bad at home since the 2004-05 lockout because they simply haven't been good in any building in the last seven seasons.
Hockey Night in Canada
This Ochocinco happy to share success with family
Chad Johnson rewarded his new team with a 21-save shutout, his first in seven career NHL appearances, in the Phoenix Coyotes' 4-0 win at home against the Nashville Predators. The performance has earned him the start against the visiting Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Monday Musings: Blackhawks, Sharks make history
From the hot starts by the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks to successful returns from Andrei Markov and Wade Redden to Jay Bouwmeester's big outing, there was plenty to muse about in the first week of the shortened NHL season.
Hockey Night in Canada
No quit in minor-league veteran Bryan Helmer
Bryan Helmer hoped for one more season, and the 40-year-old defenceman had his wish granted with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL for his 20th campaign of pro hockey.
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Undrafted players noticeable this NHL season
Already, NHL teams have been receiving heavy contributions from the league's 82 undrafted pros who account for 12 per cent of league rosters.
Hockey Night in Canada
Randy Carlyle's message getting through to Leafs
The Maple Leafs' incompetence during a full two-minute 5-on-3 advantage late in the first period cost them big time in a 2-1 loss to goalie Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres during the home opener at the Air Canada Centre on Monday evening.
Hockey Night in Canada
Monday Musings: Good for Wild goalie Josh Harding
From Josh Harding's triumph to the goalie controversy in Vancouver to Marian Hossa's hot start to the shining examples set by the 40-and-over set, there was plenty to muse over the opening weekend of the NHL's shortened season.
Hockey Night in Canada
Habs fail to provide happy ending for their faithful
It was amazing how swiftly the excitement and anticipation that the NHL was up and running again, that better times were expected for the Canadiens, were wiped out for the demanding Habs' faithful with a 2-1 loss to their oldest foes, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Hockey Night in Canada
Many questions as curtain rises on 2013 NHL season
From the Detroit Red Wings playoff streak on the line to a possible Roberto Luongo trade to the Los Angles Kings trying to repeat, there are plenty of intriguing questions to be answered in the shortened 2013 NHL season.
Hockey Night in Canada
Habs will turn around franchise faster than Leafs
Once proud franchises, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens begin the lockout-shortened season with new general managers, new head coaches, and plenty of challenges to make the playoffs.
Hockey Night in Canada
Don Cherry has his pulpit back
Don Cherry has kept busy during the lengthy NHL lockout by sharing his opinions on his Twitter account, @CoachsCornerCBC, but the former Jack Adams Trophy winner is excited about his return to where he is most happy, his Coach's Corner pulpit.
Hockey Night in Canada
Will 2013 be the NHL's 'Year of the Injury?'
The list of players troubled with injuries already is long. Is this a sign of things to come? There is an expectation that injuries will play a key component in 2013 because of the brief training camp and intense 48-game regular season condensed over 99 days.
NHL
Avs may have trouble luring O'Reilly back from Russia
The Colorado Avalanche will have more difficulty luring back restricted free agent Ryan O'Reilly from Russia than the Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars will have in locking up their unsigned youngsters, P.K. Subban and Jamie Benn, respectively.
Hockey Night in Canada
Shortened season will leave Jets bushed
The 2013 shortened schedule will be an exhausting 99-day odyssey for the Winnipeg Jets. They will rack up about 52,991 kilometres in the air. That's a few kilometres shy of nine round trips from the Manitoba capital to Sunrise, Fla., where the Florida Panthers call home.
Hockey Night in Canada
Even Peter Puck felt Brian Burke's brusqueness
Brian Burke was forthright and dogmatic in his dismissal press conference 48 hours after his sacking by the Toronto Maple Leafs He was loyal to his supporters. He was a bully right to the end.
Hockey Night in Canada
1995 Devils slow out of the gate but still prevailed
A good start always helps the cause, but the 1995 Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils took their time before they found their way in the 48-game lockout shortened season.
Hockey Night in Canada
Jack Capuano pleased for former Maine teammate Nonis
New York Islanders head coach Jack Capuano was more than pleased that Brian Burke's replacement was his old friend and Maine teammate, Dave Nonis.
Hockey Night in Canada
Brian Burke clashed with new MLSE board members
The timing was strange, but Brian Burke was dismissed by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday because he couldn't get along with some members of the new MLSE board of directors.
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NHL injury report
Even though the latest NHL lockout required 113 days to solve, several
players will not be ready to join their teammates when training camps
open most likely on Sunday.Some players have not completely
healed from off-season surgeries or lingering ailments sustained last
year and some suffered injuries playing in Europe.
Hockey Night in Canada
Canadian NHL fans won't stay away
Some fans have promised to boycott. Others have claimed to have moved on and replaced the NHL with other interests. But most of you can't go cold turkey. You know you will return as soon as the curtain is raised on the 2013 season.
NHL
When will the puck drop on a salvaged NHL season?
When NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Donald
Fehr jointly announced "the framework of a new collective bargaining
agreement" just after 6 a.m. ET on Sunday morning, the big question
swiftly became when will the players be back on the ice?
Hockey Night in Canada
Where does the Canadian junior program go from here?
Not a lot went right for Canada in its final two games at the 2013 IIHF World Under-20 Championship. A 6-5 overtime loss to Russia in the third-place game on Saturday meant that Canada failed to win a medal at the world junior tournament for only the third time in the past 24 years. But Hockey Canada can learn from this and make tweaks to its program.
Hockey Night in Canada
Many reasons for Canadian juniors' semifinal flop
Canada extended its gold-medal drought at the IIHF World Under-20 Championship to a fourth year with a lacklustre 5-1 loss to the rival United States in the semifinals on Thursday in Russia.
Hockey Night in Canada
Canadian, U.S. teammates set to clash in semifinal
Canada and the United States will meet in the semifinals at the 2013 World Under-18 Championship in Ufa, Russia on Thursday and the host Russians survived a scare against the Swiss.
Hockey Night in Canada
Team Canada's Jonathan Drouin solidifying elite status
Whiz kid Jonathan Drouin played a big part in Canada beating Russia 4-1 on Monday and advancing straight in the semifinals of the 2013 World Under-20 Championship.
Hockey Night in Canada
Subban rides to the rescue for the Canadian junior team
Canada squeaked out a 2-1 win over its North American rivals, the United States, thanks to standout performance from goalie Malcolm Subban. The victory sets up a showdown with Russia on Monday. The winner will advance to Thursday's semifinals.
Hockey Night in Canada
This is last call for NHLPA, NHL to get a deal done
Senior hockey writer Tim Wharnsby admits he doesn't understand all the nuances (or the nuisances) in the art of negotiating. But he does understand the concept of last call. And, in hindsight, so does NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr.
World Juniors
Canadian junior J.C. Lipon suspended 1 game for head shot
Canada's 6-3 win was far from easy, but Canada now has gone a perfect 15-0 in the three world junior tournaments affected by an NHL lockout. Here are five matters from Canada's second win in Ufa, Russia on Friday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Unheralded Canadians getting job done at Spengler Cup
There are some unheralded players like Jacob Micflikier, Geoff Kinrade, Maxim Noreau and Travis Roche on Canada's roster among the out-of-work NHLers, and they're helping carry the workload for Team Canada.
World Juniors
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins enjoys impressive world junior debut
The Canadian junior team opened the 2013 World Under-20 Championship with a solid 9-3 win against Germany in Ufa, Russia. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins checked in with five points in his world junior tournament debut.
World Juniors
Canada must escape tough pool at world juniors
The IIHF World Under-20 Championship returns to Russia for the first time in 12 years, when the Czech Republic won its second title in a row with a victory over Finland in the gold-medal final in Moscow, and Canada won bronze. Here is a primer for the return this year's event to Russia.
World Juniors
Canadian juniors: Around the dressing room
On Wednesday in Ufa, Russia the 2012-13 Canadian junior team will begin its quest to win the program's first gold medal in four years. Here is a tour around the dressing room and some thumbnail sketches on the teenagers who will be representing Canada this year.
Hockey Night in Canada
Colgate's triplets finding their groove
Identical twins Tylor and Tyson Spink, along with their long-time linemate Kyle Baun have been strutting their stuff in their freshman season with Colgate University.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHL's next cancellation will be the season
Owners and players are down to their final 26 days, and the next cancellation could be the entire 2012-13 NHL season, writes CBCSports.ca senior hockey writer Tim Wharnsby.
Hockey Night in Canada
Ryerson goalie crashes NHLPA charity game
The locked-out NHL players didn't say anything intstructive about their labour impasse at a charity game Wednesday night in Toronto, which left Ryerson University goalie Louie George the most compelling story of the night.
Hockey Night in Canada
Crosby-led Canadian juniors only dream team
The last two lockouts produced gold medals for the Canadian junior team. But in comparison there only is one Canadian junior dream team -- in 2004-05.
Hockey Night in Canada
AHL Notebook: Jordan Eberle on a tear
With the NHL lockout in its 93rd day, our weekly look at the AHL focuses on Jordan Eberle, Willie Desjardins, Jamie Tardif, Canadian juniors in the AHL from last year's team and St. John's capacity crowd streak.
Hockey Night in Canada
Adam Graves's best man is best man for Canadian junior job
Steve Spott has had plenty of help along the way from his childhood friend Adam Graves and his mentor Peter DeBoer, head coach of the New Jersey Devils, but he'll be in the spotlight by himself when he leads Canada into the world junior tournament later this month.
Hockey Night in Canada
Close-knit family keeps Nathan MacKinnon on track
Nathan MacKinnon and his Halifax Mooseheads teammate Jonathan Drouin joined some elite company when the 17-year-old teammates made the 23-player Canadian junior team on Thursday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Not this time for Sean Monahan, but future is bright
Ottawa 67's forward Sean Monahan was among the five players cut by head coach Spott and his coaching staff on Wednesday, a group that also included Portland defenceman Derrick Pouliot, Erie defenceman Adam Pelech, Monahan's Ottawa 67's teammate Tyler Graovac and Rimouski forward Francis Beauvillier.
Hockey Night in Canada
World junior camp: Scheifele does right by Hawerchuk
When the possibility arose a few weeks ago that Winnipeg Jets prospect Mark Scheifele would be shifted to the wing to play alongside a couple other high-end teenage talents in Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jonathan Huberdeau, his junior coach Dale Hawerchuk began schooling Scheifele on the finer points of the position.
Hockey Night in Canada
AHL Notebook: Former Canuck Bolduc turns it on
With the NHL lockout reaching its 86th day, this week's AHL notebook takes a look at Alexander Bolduc, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Grand Rapids Griffins, Mike Mottau, Jonathan Sim and the largest crowds in the league's history.
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NHL lockout impacts Canada's Spengler Cup roster
The NHL lockout has made Hockey Canada's annual job of constructing a roster for the Spengler Cup later this month a difficult task because of the uncertainty of player availability.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHL, NHLPA down to final 40 days to save season
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman claims that he has not set a "magical" drop-dead date as to when the season will be cancelled, but realistically his 82-day lockout likely is down to its final 40-day window to save the 2012-13 regular season.
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Just who are these NHL governors?
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly conducted a meeting with its board of governors and alternate governors on Wednesday. So who sits on the league's board?
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10 thoughts on Canada's world junior camp
Eric Daze and the Canadian team were victorious in Red Deer in 1994-95.
Sidney Crosby, Patrice Bergeron and Co. enjoyed a repeat performance
with lockout gold for Canada in 2004-05 in Grand Forks, N.D. Here, we offer 10 observations from the 37-player list of invites to next week's Canadian junior selection camp in Calgary.
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AHL Notebook: Nugent-Hopkins to get shoulder checked
With the NHL lockout nearing the end of it's third month, we continue our weekly look at the AHL with tidbits on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Luke Richardson, Troy Ward and Dallas Eakins.
Hockey Night in Canada
AHL notebook: In Barry Brust the Abbotsford Heat trusts
This week's AHL notebook addresses Abbotsford goalie Barry Brust's record shutout streak, the outstanding play from St. John's netminder Eddie Pasquale, the surging Oklahoma Barons, the road Syracuse Crunch's road success and Boyd Kane's longevity.
CFL
From farm boy to champ, Ricky Foley part of Argos success story
The Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts are full of good stories. Defensive lineman Ricky Foley, who only has been playing football for a decade, watched his old team in the B.C. Lions win the championship a year ago. Now Foley has a title of his own.
CFL
100th Grey Cup referee Glen Johnson has earned his stripes
Officiating CFL games is in Glen Johnson's blood. His father Gord was a CFL ref for 16 years and he officiated four Grey Cups. This will be Glen's 400th CFL game and 10th Grey Cup, making Glen and his Dad the only father-son tandem to referee Canada's biggest football game.
CFL
Find out what fuels Laval's Vanier Cup-winning offensive line
As Laval Rouge et Or celebrated their thumping of the defending champion McMaster Marauders 37-14 in the Vanier Cup rematch at Rogers Centre on Friday, offensive lineman Danny Groulx revealed the secret of Laval's huge and athletic and effective offensive line.
CFL
McMaster's Quinlan to Fochesato is ready for one final act
When the top-ranked Marauders attempt to successfully defend their Vanier Cup national championship against the No. 2 Laval Rouge et Or at Rogers Centre on Friday, it likely will be the final time we see a Kyle Quinlan-to-Brad Fochesato completion.
CFL
Stampeders QB Kevin Glenn finally gets his title shot
For Calgary Stampeders veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn, the wait to play in a Grey Cup has been a long and winding road of heartbreak. But the 12-year veteran will finally get his title shot against the Toronto Argonauts in the 100th Grey Cup on Sunday.
CFL
He loves the CFL and his Toronto Argonauts, and he's young
Luke Hempel is charming, smart, knowledgeable, opinionated and passionate about the CFL and his beloved Toronto Argonauts. Did I mention the Deer Park public school student is only 13?
Hockey Night in Canada
AHL Notebook: Audy-Marchessault shines in Springfield
Undrafted and unheralded Springfield Falcons forward Jonathan Audy-Marchessault has impressed with his play in the AHL so far this season.
CFL
Big-play Argos out to end 60-year Grey Cup drought at home
The Toronto Argonauts didn't always make it easy on themselves in their 27-20 East final win over the Montreal Alouettes at Olympic Stadium to earn a berth in the 100th Grey Cup at Rogers Centre next Sunday, but they made the big plays when needed.
GSP, GSP, Ole, Ole, Ole...UFC 154 was a blast
It was Tim Wharnsby's first foray into the UFC and he loved the atmosphere at the Bell Centre on Saturday of Georges St-Pierre's return to the ring after knee surgery 11 months ago.
CFL
Anthony Calvillo out to best his former coaches in East final
Toronto Argonauts may have the hotter quarterback in Ricky Ray, but it's difficult to beat that playoff-hardened savvy of his Montreal Alouettes counterpart, 40-year-old Anthony Calvillo.
GSP's hometown is a modest place, just like him
To get to know modest UFC superstar Georges St-Pierre you need to know where he came from -- Saint-Isidore, Que., a small town 30 minutes outside of Montreal.
Hockey Night in Canada
AHL Notebook: Adam Oates goes back to work in Hershey
With no end in sight to the NHL lockout, here are some Tuesday morning musings on the month-old AHL season.
NHL
Adam Oates took winding road to Hall of Fame
There are many aspects that differentiate Adam Oates from Pavel Bure,
Joe Sakic and Mats Sundin -- the players who along with Oates comprise
the 2012 Hockey Hall of Fame class.For starters, they all were drafted. Oates was not. He also played for seven
different franchises in the NHL -- many more than Sakic (one), Sundin
(three) and Bure (three).
CFL
Argos give Toronto sports fans something to cheer about
Outside the Toronto Rock lacrosse team, there hasn't been much to cheer about on the Toronto sports landscape in recent years. But every once in a while the Argonauts give the city something to celebrate.
CFL
From Kenora to McMaster to Edmonton, Kyle Koch gets it done
Kyle Koch will miss one of his favourite haunts in Barb Ernie's, but he has important matters at hand as the centre of the Edmonton Eskimos, who clash with the Toronto Argonauts in the East semifinal at Rogers Centre on Sunday.
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2012 Hockey Hall of Fame class
Each member of 2012 Hockey Hall of Fame induction class have arrived to be feted with their own individual credentials.
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Despite slow progress, NHL talks remain on rails
There were enough good vibrations in the latest NHL-NHLPA talks to keep going, and that's the good news. After more than 20 hours of discussions in Manhattan the train is still on its track, and the two sides will sit across from one another for a fourth consecutive day on Friday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Rusty Hammond is Guelph Storm's not-so secret weapon
Russ Hammond loves his job as the equipment manager of the Guelph Storm. He pays attention to detail. He pays attention to those teenagers who don the Storm sweater. He listens and respects those kids and they listen and respect him back.
Hockey Night in Canada
AHL Notebook: Hockey world pulls for Brandon Davidson
With the NHL lockout now 51 days old, we continue to take a weekly look at the AHL with the Monday notebook.This week's edition checks in on Oilers prospect Brandon Davidson after his cancer diagnosis, and takes a look at the return of Taylor Hall and the AHL's outdoor game.
Hockey Night in Canada
Detroit the biggest loser in Winter Classic cancellation
Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan will get along fine without the 2013 Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, which was officially cancelled on Friday. The place to feel sorry for is downtown Detroit. It could use some good financial times.
Hockey Night in Canada
CHLPA saga truly unique to junior hockey
Once the CHL Players' Association began to unravel over the past 48 hours, it crumpled in such a bizarre manner that now even the union's front man Georges Laraque is prepared to step down.
CFL
Andy Fantuz, Ticats come up short in season finale
This wasn't the sort of homecoming the talented Canadian receiver Andy Fantuz envisioned when he signed a four-year, free-agent deal last February to play in Hamilton, the nearest CFL destination from his Southwestern Ontario hometown of Chatham-Kent.
Woodbine's Casse seeks elusive win at 2012 Breeders' Cup
Woodbine-based trainer Mark Casse will take another shot this weekend at Santa Anita with five entries in the 2012 Breeders' Cup. Among his 10 previous entries at this prestigious fall event, Casse's closest call was a second-place finish with Sealy Hill in the 2008 Filly and Mare Turf race.
Hockey Night in Canada
AHL Notebook: Roman Horak heating up in Abbotsford
With the NHL lockout hitting Day No. 44, we take another look at developments in the AHL after its third weekend of action, including a hot start by Flames prospect Roman Horak.
Hockey Night in Canada
Bettman appears to want players to wave white flag
What was the aim of the NHL on Friday when it cancelled an entire slate of games in November?
Hockey Night in Canada
Crosby, Ovechkin would lose big money under NHL's offer
We hear all the big numbers being thrown around in the NHL labour dispute, but here is what they could mean in actual pay for players ranging from Sidney Crosby to Tim Stapleton.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHL finally has upbeat news amid its lockout
Amid the chaos of the NHL lockout, there was some upbeat with the New York Islanders announcement of a 25-year agreement to begin playing at Brooklyn's Barclays Center in 2015-16 and the Columbus Blue Jackets have hired John Davidson as the team's president of hockey operations.
Hockey Night in Canada
Latest NHL tactic not well received by players
After seeing and hearing the players' reaction on the latest, dodgy manoeuvre from the NHL owners' side to talk to the players without the NHLPA's knowledge, we wonder whether the NHL still believes this was a good idea?
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AHL Notebook: Kassian, Hodgson off to strong starts
This week's AHL notebook takes a look at the strong starts of Zack Kassian, Cody Hodgson, Tyler Johnson, Calvin Pickard and Justin Schultz, among others.
Hockey Night in Canada
Crosby and fellow players miffed at NHL's quick rejection
Another futile attempt from both the NHL and NHLPA to end the 33-day NHL lockout on Thursday has Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby looking "harder" to play in Europe.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHL releases full proposal made to the players
The NHL released details from its proposal to the players that was tabled on Tuesday.
NHL
NHL's latest offer a good starting point
The general reaction from hockey fans appeared to be positive after the NHL's offer on Tuesday to share revenues 50-50 with the players, but there still needs to be plenty of bargaining between both sides to end the lockout.
Hockey Night in Canada
AHL experiences early turnstile gains
With the NHL lockout having turned 30 days old today, here are some Monday morning musings from the first weekend of the American Hockey League's 2012-13 season.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHL opening night not missed by all
If you were out and about on Thursday evening, did you find conversations were dominated by the NHL lockout? Did you get a sense people were angered the NHL did not start on time?
Hockey Night in Canada
How fans are coping with NHL lockout
Now that actual scheduled games have not been played, how are you coping? Are you upset, angered or do you give a hoot? We talked with some friends from across the country this week, hockey fans of varying degrees, and received an assortment of answers.
Hockey Night in Canada
Why do Maple Leafs fans continue to cheer?
Author Peter Robinson is not bitter about so many seasons of disappointment as a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. In fact, he set out to find out and attempts to answer that question in his recently released book Hope and Heartbreak in Toronto: Life as a Maple Leafs fan.
Hockey Night in Canada
Cory Conacher has overcome plenty, including surname
Chances are the 22-year-old Cory Conacher from Burlington, Ont., just may have earned a spot on the Tampa Bay Lightning roster out of training camp had there not have been a lockout. Why not? He has bucked the odds so many times before.
Golf
The ups and downs of Canadian caddie Scott Vail
A couple of Sundays ago, PGA Tour player Brandt Snedeker and his Canadian caddie Scott Vail were on a FedEx Cup high. A
week later, they were downtrodden and mired in disbelief as they
staggered into the United States team room after a mighty collapse that
allowed Europe to snatch the Ryder Cup again.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHL players lash out after games cancelled
With no end in sight to the 20-day NHL lockout, the league cancelled games from Oct. 11-24 on Thursday in a move that had been expected and the players reacted strongly.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHL cancels games: Thank you Captain Obvious
When the Boston Red Sox sacked manager Bobby Valentine and the NHL cancelled its first two weeks of the regular season, there could not have been two more expected developments in the sports world this week.
Hockey Night in Canada
Jeff Twohey thriving with the enemy Generals
The Peterborough Petes and Oshawa Generals have a deep-rooted rivalry. A few years ago Jeff Twohey never would have imagined leaving his beloved Petes to work for the enemy.
Hockey Night in Canada
No end in sight for labour dispute despite Gretzky's Jan. 1 hope
Wayne Gretzky believes the NHL will be up and running by Jan. 1. But No. 99 also made it clear that he has no inside knowledge of what has been going on behind the closed doors of the stalled negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA that - in the next few days - will produce the cancellation of the first two weeks of the season.
Hockey Night in Canada
Passion of John Ferguson drove Canada in Summit Series
Four decades later, my thoughts are with the late John Ferguson. He passed away too young at 68 in 2007 after a battle with cancer. There is no doubt had he still been alive, Big Fergy would have been at the centre of the Summit Series celebrations the past few weeks.
Hockey Night in Canada
Welcome to the inaugural Michael Ryder Cup
With the lockout about to turn two weeks old, maybe the NHL could consider a Ryder Cup tournament of its own and capitalize on some of the schoolyard feuds around the league. It could be called the Michael Ryder Cup.
Hockey Night in Canada
Friday meeting between NHL and NHLPA no big deal
The NHL and NHLPA finally will assemble in New York on Friday to talk about non-economic core issues, but even though any meeting is better than no meeting at all, this get together gives us little reason for optimism that the two sides are making progress.
Van Ostrand's bat boomed for Canada in Germany
Jimmy Van Ostrand and 13 other members of the Canadian national team who won gold at the Pan American Games and a bronze at the World Cup a year ago, were together again to dominate the World Baseball Classic qualifier in Regensburg, Germany over the past several days.
Matheson missing from parade to get ready to play again
The reason five-foot dynamo Diana Matheson was not on the float going down Bay Street with several of her bronze-medal teammates was that she returned to Norway earlier this week to train with her club team, Lillestrom SK Kvinner, in preparation of its first game on Friday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Why the NHL & players won't just split it 50/50
How long will the NHL lockout last, and why can't the NHL and the NHLPA
simply meet at a 50/50 split of revenues? Those are the two most
frequently asked questions I hear from people about this labour dispute.But after listening to the sermons in New York from NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr and NHL
commissioner Gary Bettman last week, nothing has changed my mind about this becoming a lengthy lockout. In
fact, if the entire season is once again cancelled, I would not be
surprised.
NHL
NHL, players face another lengthy battle
As expected, there were no late-game dramatics on Saturday. There was no final bargaining session between the NHL and NHLPA. As a result, the NHL entered its third lockout in the past 18 years.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHLPA's Mathieu Darche is a risk-taker
Mathieu Darche knew there was risk involved when he volunteered to join the NHLPA's negotiating committee this summer. If the pending lockout is a lengthy one, the former Montreal Canadiens forward wonders if he has played his final NHL game.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHL players united, not ready to budge
Unless there is some late-game dramatics, a third NHL lockout in 18 years is inevitable. But what appears different compared to seven years ago when commissioner Gary Bettman cancelled the entire season, has been the players' solidarity.
NHL
NHL, NHLPA continue on lockout collision course
Unless there is a dramatic turn of events later this week, all signs indicate the NHL will lock out its players for the third time in the past 18 years on Saturday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Sidney Crosby contemplating playing in Europe
Sidney Crosby confirmed he may play in Europe if the impending NHL
lockout looks to be a prolonged affair, but the Pittsburgh Penguins
forward added that he has nothing set in stone at this point.
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League calls NHLPA's labour board plights "a joke"
The NHL believes the NHLPA's attempt to legally stop a lockout through labour boards in Quebec and Alberta has been a distraction with the current CBA set to expire on Saturday, but the NHLPA said this move is nothing more than an attempt to go to training camp next week and continue to play in the hopes that a new collective agreement can be successfully negotiated during the season.
Hockey Night in Canada
New Maple Leaf Gardens worth 13-year wait
There were many curious onlookers on hand to see how the new Maple Leaf Gardens rink turned out last Saturday. Ryerson University's new home opened to rave reviews.
Hockey Night in Canada
Lockouts in the NHL have become a fact of life
We opined last week to prepare for a lockout that will linger for months, not weeks, because there was no reason to be optimistic that the 2012-13 NHL season will begin on time. Nothing changed to alter that view this week. There is no common ground between the sides at this point.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHL fans should prepare for the worst
NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr probably said it best on Wednesday
when he remarked, "you hope for the best, but prepare for the worst." That has been his advice all along to the players as they prepared to
enter a third contentious collective bargaining agreement between the
NHLPA and NHL in the past 18 years. But Fehr's counsel also is
appropriate for hockey fans.
NHL
Star-studded NHL cast stakes their ground in labour dispute
Sidney Crosby said Tuesday that it's a bit early to be talking about the real possibility of an NHL lockout, but the players put forth a first proposal that didn't cede to anything the owners proferred one month ago.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHLers turn talents to ping-pong charity event
Despite a busy summer, NHLer Dominic Moore still has found time to front a unique ping-pong charity endeavor that will played at the Steam Whistle Brewery in downtown Toronto on Thursday that will raise friends for concussion research.
Hockey Night in Canada
Parise, Suter signings a victory for a passionate hockey market
Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, the most celebrated unrestricted free agents in the 2012 NHL class shocked the hockey world on Wednesday by together choosing the Minnesota Wild with identical 13-year, $98-million contracts.
Hockey Night in Canada
Canucks get Garrison, Habs and Sens busy, too
The Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators were the busiest Canadian clubs on the opening day for the 2012 free-agent period. But it was the Vancouver Canucks who landed the highest profile free agent out of the seven Canadian franchises when they inked local product Jason Garrison on Sunday evening.
Hockey Night in Canada
Oilers get coveted young D-man in Schultz
The Edmonton Oilers decision to take sniper forward Nail Yakupov over steady defenceman Ryan Murray looks even better now that the Oilers landed prized unrestricted free agent defenceman Justin Schultz.
Hockey Night in Canada
Doan and Brodeur are among the intriguing UFAs on July 1
Another July 1 will arrive on Sunday and in the hockey world that mean's the free-agent frenzy begins. This isn't an overly strong unrestricted free-agent class, but there are some intriguing candidates to follow. Here is a list of a half-dozen of the most interesting free-agents in the hockey world.
Hockey Night in Canada
Signing Sidney Crosby long term a no-brainer
Signing Sidney Crosby to a 12-year, $104.4-million US extension was a no-brainer for Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero. The salary cap hit for the Pittsburgh captain remains at $8.7 million, Crosby's preferred number because he was born Aug. 7, 1987 and he wears sweater No. 87.
Hockey Night in Canada
New Oilers coach more than career hockey man
New Edmonton Oilers head coach Ralph Krueger is not like the Jack Adams-winning Ken Hitchcock, a career coach who worked his way from junior to assistant coach in the NHL to minor pro and back to the NHL as a head coach. He's also different than Stanley Cup-winning bench boss Darryl Sutter, who immediately began a career in coaching after his playing days.
Hockey Night in Canada
Shero and Burns will have wait for HHOF day
Brendan Shanahan will have to wait for his Hockey Hall of Fame induction. He found out that Joe Sakic and Mats Sundin received the HHOF nod on their first try on Tuesday. But we can't see Shanahan waiting as long as the six years that elapsed before Pavel Bure was called to the Hall or the five years that Adam Oates endured before their day in the sun.
Hockey Night in Canada
Plenty of work for Canadian teams after NHL draft
The seven Canadian teams departed the NHL entry draft with plenty of work to accomplish before the 2012-13 training camps open. Here is a glance at what each team did at the draft, free agent and salary cap situation as well as its top summer priority.
Hockey Night in Canada
Tanner Pearson goes from unnoticed to 1st-round pick
Barrie Colts left-winger Tanner Pearson went from unnoticed to a first-round selection after he was ignored in the past two NHL entry drafts. As most teams packed up for the evening late Friday in Pittsburgh, the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings made him the final pick in the first round.
Hockey Night in Canada
Jordan Staal trade should help both Canes and Pens
A day after Jordan Staal spurned a 10-year contract extension offer the Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero shipped the 23-year-old third line centre to the Carolina Hurricanes, where he'll be united with his older brother Eric.
Hockey Night in Canada
Oilers narrow their choice, plus Staal spurns offer
Should the Edmonton Oilers select the consensus best prospect in talented Sarnia Sting offensive forward Nail Yakupov or fill a need by choosing a defenceman? Or does Edmonton trade back in the hopes of landing immediate help on the blue-line? They have an interesting decision for tomorrow's NHL entry draft in Pittsburgh.
NHL
Jack Ferreira is King for a draft day
In 40 years in professional hockey, 68-year-old Jack Ferreira is finally sitting in the catbird seat, the draft table position reserved for the Stanley Cup champions.
Hockey Night in Canada
And the envelope says ...
If only we knew then what we know now. Here are Tim Wharnsby's choices for the coveted NHL Awards to be shown on CBC TV Wednesday night.
Hockey Night in Canada
Kings full value for first-ever Stanley Cup
The Los Angeles Kings bought into head coach Darryl Sutter's team blueprint and won the Stanley Cup, but it was difficult to ignore the individual stories.
Hockey Night in Canada
Devils' Bernier feels bad for 1st period blunder
Steve Bernier wiped out the New Jersey Devils comeback bid when he slammed his 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame into Los Angeles Kings defenceman Rob Scuderi from behind and into the end boards midway through the first period. The Kings scored three times during the five-minute power play that Bernier caused.
Hockey Night in Canada
Devils out to complete comeback
Here are three things you need to know about Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final between the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils at the Staples Center on Monday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 8 p.m. ET). The Kings have a 3-2 lead after a 2-1 loss snapped their 10-game win streak on the road on Saturday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Brodeur and the Devils out to spoil L.A.'s party
Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils became the first team in 67 years to trail 3-0 in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup final and force a Game 6, and it's been 70 years since the 1941-42 Toronto Maple Leafs became the only team to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the final and win. But the Devils have designs on equalling the feat.
Hockey Night in Canada
Resilient Devils send Stanley Cup final back to L.A.
When the Los Angles Kings built a 3-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup final, the New Jersey Devils were done. Or so we thought. But this resilient bunch has bounced back again.
Hockey Night in Canada
Devils' Zach Parise needs to be there in crunch time
Here are three things you need to know about Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final between the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on Saturday. The Kings have a 3-1 lead after a 3-1 loss at home on Wednesday, and one more win would clinch the franchise's first championship in its 45-year history.
Hockey Night in Canada
Salvador, Devils have adversity to draw on
The New Jersey Devils appear to be a focused group that believes it can send the Stanley Cup final back to Los Angeles for a Game 6. The Devils have overcome difficult situations in this playoff run before and seemed convinced they can beat the Los Angeles Kings at home in Game 5 on Saturday.
stanleycupfinal
Brother-in-law Moulson cuts to the (Jonathan) Quick of it
What is Jonathan Quick really like behind that mask? To help us, we enlisted the services of his brother-in-law, New York Islanders sniper Matt Moulson.
Hockey Night in Canada
Henrique sure doesn't perform like a rookie
With less than five minutes remaining and the score tied, New Jersey Devils rookie Adam Henrique took a hard rink-wide pass off his skates from linemate David Clarkson. He knocked the puck up to his stick and then fired in a short-side shot on the Los Angeles Kings near-unbeatable goalie Jonathan Quick for the win at the Staples Center on Wednesday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Kings ready to write final episode of their Hollywood story
Here are three things you need to know about Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final between the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils at the Staples Center on Wednesday. The Kings have a 3-0 lead after a 4-0 victory on Monday and have a chance to clinch the franchise's first championship in its 45-year history.
Hockey Night in Canada
Therrien far from the safe choice in Montreal
Retread head coach Michel Therrien has been rehired to push and pull the Montreal Canadiens back onto the playoff scene. Did brand new Habs general manager Marc Bergevin make the right decision?
Hockey Night in Canada
Quick is MVP, but Kings ultimate team
With apologies to head coach Peter DeBoer and his Eastern Conference champs, after the Los Angeles Kings 4-0 win in Game 3 on Monday, the only trophy with any intrigue left to present is the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Hockey Night in Canada
Gagne returns to Kings lineup after five-month absence
Here are three things you need to know about Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final between the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center on Monday. The Kings won their ninth and 10 in a row on the road with back-to-back 2-1 wins in overtime in New Jersey last week to snatch a 2-0 series lead.
NHL
A King-sized playoff run for the ages
If the Los Angeles Kings can complete the sweep over the New Jersey Devils with wins at home on Monday and Wednesday the Kings would become the first club since the 1987-88 Edmonton Oilers to post a 16-2 record en route to the championship.
Hockey Night in Canada
Kings go a perfect 10-for-10 to close in on the Stanley Cup
To go a perfect 10-for-10 away from the land of the rich and famous, well, that seemed like a dream, or a Hollywood script for the Los Angeles Kings. Nevertheless, that's just what the Kings did with Jeff Carter's game winner 13 minutes and 42 seconds into overtime for a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on Saturday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Devils need more shots and Kovalchuk has to be better
Here are three things you need to know about Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final between the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings at the Prudential Center on Saturday. The Kings won their ninth in a row on the road in the series opener with a 2-1 win in overtime on Wednesday.
Hockey Night in Canada
L.A. boasts Pippen-Jordan connection in Williams
How can Justin Williams, a first-line right wing on the Los Angeles Kings, a team that has skated through its improbable playoff run with 13 wins in 15 games, be underappreciated or underrated? It's because he plays alongside two of the more high-profile Kings in Anze Kopitar and captain Dustin Brown.
Hockey Night in Canada
We interrupt the Stanley Cup final for Lidstrom's retirement
With a two-day break between Stanley Cup opener and Game 2 on Saturday, the day after the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 victory in the curtain raiser clearly belonged to Nicklas Lidstrom and his decision to retire.
Hockey Night in Canada
Fraser and Kings' 4th line provided a spark in opener
In the Los Angeles Kings' 15th playoff outing, a 2-1 overtime victory against the New Jersey Devils in the Stanley Cup curtain raiser on Wednesday, that depth was on display once again.
Hockey Night in Canada
NHL and NHLPA will soon begin CBA talks
The CBA was one of several topics NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke about in his annual pre-Stanley Cup final state-of-the-union address. NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr was in attendance to listen to Bettman speak in the bowels of the Prudential Center and afterwards the NHLPA boss held his own Q-and-A session with reporters.
Hockey Night in Canada
Devils need a big series from Martin Brodeur
Three things you need to know about the opening game of the Stanley Cup final between the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Wednesday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Anze Kopitar has admirers in his teammates and opponents
Anze Kopitar's hometown in Slovenia is not far from the Austrian border, and it was seven years ago in Innsbruck, Austria that a 17-year-old Kopitar had his coming out party as a teenage hockey sensation at the 2005 world championship. He's turning even more heads in his Los Angeles Kings bid to beat the New Jersey Devils for the Stanley Cup title.
stanleycupfinal
Bob Hoffmeyer one of Devils GM Lamoriello's loyal scouts
Climbing back into the saddle for the Stanley Cup final never gets old
for the New Jersey Devils, especially if you have been around the
organization as long as pro scout Bob Hoffmeyer.
Hockey Night in Canada
From Ferreira to Robinson, the intriguing individuals of the Cup final
Here are a dozen intriguing individuals to get to know as the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils prepare to meet in the championship series opener in Newark on Wednesday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Devils have plenty to prove in final versus Kings
Two unlikely combatants will meet in the 2012 Stanley Cup final. But the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings have survived and will meet for the championship on Wednesday.
Hockey Night in Canada
New Habs assistant GM has had mixed results
New Montreal Canadiens assistant general manager Rick Dudley has had mixed results in the past 14 years as he bounced around from the Ottawa Senators to the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Florida Panthers to the Chicago Blackhawks to the Atlanta Thrashers and his one season with the Toronto Maple Leafs last year.
Hockey Night in Canada
Penner has been a playoff plus for Kings
The past six weeks have gone extremely well for Dustin Penner and the Los Angeles Kings in their unexpected run to the Stanley Cup final and the 29-year-old from Winkler, Man., who scored his team's series-clinching overtime winner in the Western Conference final, sure needed an upturn in his life.
Hockey Night in Canada
Coyotes upset with the way season ended
Captain Shane Doan and Phoenix Coyotes goalie Mike Smith expressed their frustration with the officiating in the Western Conference final finale, shortly after Dustin Penner scored his first career overtime goal to send his Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup final.
Hockey Night in Canada
Kings seeking 1st visit to Stanley Cup final since 1993
Three things you need to know about Game 5 of the NHL Western Conference final between the Los Angeles Kings and Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday. Kings lead the best-of-seven series 3-1.
Hockey Night in Canada
Adrian Aucoin is one patient dude
By our count, Phoenix Coyotes defenceman Adrian Aucoin played in 1,393 games before he suited up for his first game in the West final in Los Angeles against the Kings on Sunday, a 2-0 win to pull Phoenix within 3-1 in the series. Game 5 is set for Jobing.Com Arena on Tuesday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Coyotes finally have their day against Kings
As much as the Phoenix Coyotes were better as a unit in their 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday, it was difficult to ignore the contributions of two elder statesmen in captain Shane Doan and defenceman Adrian Aucoin.
Hockey Night in Canada
L.A. rookie Dwight King has Saskatchewan hometown abuzz
Unless you have been invited to the home of Donna and Dwayne King, or the residence of their eldest son D.J., the best place in Meadow Lake, Sask., to watch a Los Angeles Kings' game these days is at the Milltown Sports Bar on 9th Street.
Hockey Night in Canada
Canucks have company in embellishment accusations
The Vancouver Canucks now have company in being charged, tried and convicted of embellishment. After Los Angeles' 2-1 victory for a 3-0 West final lead on Thursday, Phoenix Coyotes coach Dave Tippett wasn't pleased with the Kings taking their close proximity to Hollywood a little bit too seriously with their acting skills.
Hockey Night in Canada
Stoll making the most of his second long playoff ride
While the Los Angeles Kings have received contributions from their entire roster this playoffs, it was Jarret Stoll's turn to shine in Los Angeles' 2-1 win on Thursday. With his checking ability, his doggedness as a penalty killer and his hard work to help set up linemate Dwight King's game-winner early in the third period, Stoll was very noticeable in the Kings' eighth win.
Hockey Night in Canada
Up 2-0 and at home is familiar situation for Kings
Here are three elements you need to know about Game 3 of the West final between the Los Angeles Kings and Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday. The Kings lead the series 2-0.
Hockey Night in Canada
Without Hanzal, Coyotes need Vermette to step up
With Martin Hanzal suspended for Game 3 of the Western Conference final on Thursday, the Phoenix Coyotes will need even more from one of their playoff heroes in the first two rounds, dependable centre Antoine Vermette.
Hockey Night in Canada
Kings hound the puck and pile up wins
As shocked as some may be that the Los Angeles Kings flew home with a 2-0 lead over the Phoenix Coyotes in the West final on Tuesday, and need only two more wins to advance to their first Stanley Cup final in 19 years, the Kings are not staggered by their playoff success.
Hockey Night in Canada
Coyotes need to contain Kopitar and Co. in Game 2
The Los Angeles Kings top line of Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Justin Williams was flying in the series opener. They fired 15 shots on goal and the Phoenix Coyotes did not have an answer for the trio. They need to contain Kopitar and Co. in order to have a chance to bounce back in Game 2 on Tuesday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Tippett's deft touch will be tested against the Kings
Dave Tippett has exhibited throughout his coaching NHL coaching career that he can squeeze plenty of juice out of teams lacking in star power. That Midas touch will be needed once again if the Phoenix Coyotes bounce back after their miserable 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in the West final opener.
Hockey Night in Canada
Brown and Kings dominant in West final opener
One of the heroes for the Los Angeles Kings in their West final opener was captain Dustin Brown. He sored the game-winner and set up another to continue his fine Conn Smythe-like playoff run.
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Hockey Night in Canada
Coyotes out to stop King-sized road warriors
The Los Angeles Kings have gone a perfect 5-0 on the road in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs and hope to continue this trend in Phoenix against the Coyotes in the opener of the Western Conference final on Sunday.
econference
Rangers-Devils storylines
The Hudson River rivalry got quite a kickstart in 1994, when the Rangers
beat the Devils in double overtime with a Stephane Matteau goal and
then went on to win the Stanley Cup. The next season the Devils captured
their first Stanley Cup and two more since.
Hockey Night in Canada
Holtby aims to continue his amazing story
Most of the hockey world has been talking about the confident, unflappable 22-year-old Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby, wondering what's in store for him in Game 7 of his second-round series against New York Rangers on Saturday evening.
Playoffs 2013
Coyotes-Kings storylines
Tim Wharnsby lays out some of the things to watch for in the Western Conference final between the Los Angeles Kings and Phoenix Coyotes, and, unsurprisingly, predicts a seven-game series.
Hockey Night in Canada
Coyotes' Shane Doan savours rare opportunity
After 1,198 regular-season games and 50 more playoff outings, 35-year-old Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan will embark on his first visit to the conference final, when his Coyotes meet the Los Angeles Kings in the West final opener on Sunday. He may be the sentimental favourite to finally win a Stanley Cup among those of his vintage who remain in the playoffs.
Hockey Night in Canada
Sean Simpson may be on NHL teams' radars
Sean Simpson caught the hockey world by surprise two-and-a-half years ago when he steered ZSC Zurich Lions to an upset 2-1 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks in the exhibition Victoria Cup in Sept. 2010. The native of Brampton, Ont., who also coaches the Swiss national team, almost pulled off another upset over Canada at the world championship.
Subway Bio
Undrafted underdog Jay Beagle proving worth for Washington
Long before Jay Beagle emerged as an important component in the Washington Capitals unexpected, but impressive postseason run, he already had carved out a reputation as someone who played his best when the games matter the most, in the playoffs.
Hockey Night in Canada
Quebec City awaits to see if Jamison group is for real
It's easy to be cynical the latest bid to buy the Phoenix Coyotes. We've heard this song before. As a result, it's difficult to take Greg Jamison's bid to buy the NHL team seriously.
Subway Bio
Unheralded Purcell pursues gold with Canada
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Teddy Purcell, along with Alex Burrows of the Vancouver Canucks, are the only undrafted NHL players with Canada and the only two who will pull on a Canadian sweater at any level for the first time in their careers at the 2012 world hockey championship in Helsinki this week.
Hockey Night in Canada
Bowman was never called, but endorses Bergevin hiring
New Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin is quick with a quip and he is an all-star prankster. He also is passionate hockey person, a natural leader who attracts a crowd wherever he goes and a sound communicator. But he's persevered through some difficult times.
Hockey Night in Canada
From Russia with not so much love
The team-imposed one-game suspension for Nashville Predators forward Alexander Radulov and his Belarusian teammate, Andrei Kostitsyn, for missing curfew was the latest challenge for Russian players in this three-week-old playoff run.
Hockey Night in Canada
Coyotes' off-ice issues take back seat to on-ice success
Whenever we mention the future of the Phoenix Coyotes, the fine people in Quebec City get too excited, people in the NHL's New York office get too upset and the people in Glendale, they, well, yawn. For now, head coach Dave Tippett, his goalie Mike Smith and the rest of the Coyotes have been providing the excitement.
Hockey Night in Canada
Pumper Nicholls trying to pump offence into Kings
At a time when goals are harder to come by the Los Angeles Kings have increased their production in the playoffs compared to the regular season. One of the reasons for this slight increase may be the work of former Kings goal-scoring machine Bernie Nicholls.
Hockey Night in Canada
Offensive questions highlight East semifinals
New York Rangers right-winger Marian Gaborik scored 41 times in the regular season, but had just one goal in a first-round playoff series win over Ottawa. He needs to get his act together against the Washington Capitals in Round 2, says CBCSports.ca senior hockey writer Tim Wharnsby.
Hockey Night in Canada
Goalie battles highlight West semifinals
CBCSports.ca's Tim Wharnsby offers his three storylines for both semifinals matchups in the Western Conference.
Hockey Night in Canada
No Canadian clubs left? No problem
Next spring will mark 20 years since the last Canadian team, the Montreal Canadiens, won the Stanley Cup. But since we're a bunch of positive thinkers here at CBCSports.ca - and, of course, we want you to keep watching Hockey Night in Canada - we're here to help put a cheerful spin on the fact no Canadian team has advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 1996.
Hockey Night in Canada
Senators need to be there in crunch time for their captain
Under rookie head coach Paul MacLean, the Ottawa Senators have been the Cardiac Kids all season long. They have authored third period comebacks. They have stopped losing slides with timely win streaks. But do they have one more comeback in them for their captain, Daniel Alfredsson?
Hockey Night in Canada
Gillis in full defence mode of his fallen Canucks
Vancouver Canucks general manager Gillis defended his decision to trade Cody Hodgson for Zack Kassian, his head coach Alain Vigneault and the character of his hockey team in his season-ending address. He also believed his team experienced a mental letdown after their emotional 4-3 win in Boston on Jan. 7 against the team that beat the Canucks in the final 10 1/2 months ago.
Hockey Night in Canada
Vancouver has another playoff failure to deal with
There was the devastation from a Game 7 loss in the Stanley Cup final against the Boston Bruins. Then, the destruction of a city afterwards. Now there is more heartbreak for Vancouverites to deal with over another Canucks playoff failure.
Hockey Night in Canada
Canucks hope they have right home formula
A fourth consecutive playoff loss at Rogers Arena will end the season for the Vancouver Canucks and plunge them into an offseason of uncertainty. The Canucks turn to Cory Schneider and a "talkative" line to avoid that outcome.
PHX VS CHI
Torres suspension adds to confusion on headshot rulings: Vigneault
The stiff suspension to Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres raised some eyebrows in the Canucks' dressing room. "In my opinion [Torres's hit] was closer to being a hockey play - finishing his check late - than Duncan Keith on Danny [Sedin]," says Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault.
VAN VS LA
Canucks' Luongo puts team first, backs Schneider
Roberto Luongo won't mope around his Vancouver Canucks teammates even though the veteran goalie's future with the team is in flux after he lost his starting job to Cory Schneider. "The last thing I want to be is a distraction for my teammates."
Hockey Night in Canada
Luongo, Sedin talk taking over Canucks series
With a three-day layoff between games, the Vancouver Canucks may lose some momentum after finally breaking through for a 3-1 victory in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings with Daniel Sedin back in the lineup on Wednesday. There also is this matter of goalie Roberto Luongo's future with Canucks.
Hockey Night in Canada
Schneider, Daniel Sedin ride to Canucks rescue
Netminder Cory Schneider was excellent and Daniel Sedin made an immediate impact for the Vancouver Canucks, even though he was playing in his first game since he suffered a concussion four weeks ago. As a result, the Canucks finally beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-1 on Wednesday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Canucks' Daniel Sedin expects to play, Schneider to start
Down 3-0 to the Los Angeles Kings, the Vancouver Canucks face elimination in Game 4 at the Staples Center Wednesday night (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 10 p.m. ET). Cory Schneider will start in goal and Daniel Sedin expects to make his return to the lineup for the first time since he suffered a concussion on March 21.
Hockey Night in Canada
Daniel Sedin skates, still game-time decision
Daniel Sedin practised with his teammates for the first time in nine days. But whether he will return to the Vancouver Canucks lineup on Wednesday for Game 4 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings will not be determined until game time.
Hockey Night in Canada
Daniel Sedin will practice with Canucks, but will he play?
Daniel Sedin has been out with a concussion since Mar. 21. Whether he will play against the Los Angeles Kings in Game 4 remains to be seen. But he has been cleared to practice with his teammates once again after a setback he suffered last week. A determination on his availability to suit up for action will be made sometime before puck drop at the Staples Center on Wednesday.
Hockey Night in Canada
Canucks 'probably deserved better': Schneider
In a matter of 10 months, the Vancouver Canucks have gone from the brink of claiming the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship to being bounced in the first round. And the way the series has developed against goalie Jonathan Quick and the upset-minded Los Angeles Kings has been eerily similar to the way the Canucks finished up against the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup final last spring.
Hockey Night in Canada
Canucks turn to Schneider for Game 3
After back-to-back losses at home to the Los Angeles Kings, the Vancouver Canucks will turn to backup goaltender Cory Schneider in the hopes of turning around their fortunes in the first-round playoff series.
Hockey Night in Canada
Will the Canucks turn to Schneider?
How does Vancouver Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault get his team turned around? With his team down 2-0 in its first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings, Vigneault confirmed Daniel Sedin would travel to Los Angeles with the Canucks. So will the Canucks coach start backup goalie Cory Schneider to shake things up?
Hockey Night in Canada
Canucks need Bruins-like effort to bounce back
The Vancouver Canucks find themselves in the same predicament as the Stanley Cup-champion Boston Bruins did when they began their successful run. Like the Bruins last year, the Canucks lost two games at home to open up the 2012 playoffs.
VAN VS LA
Canucks need improvement in all areas for Game 2
Besides staying out of the penalty box, winning more puck battles and getting more second-chance opportunities on Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, the Canucks also need to perform better in man-advantage situations.
VAN VS LA
Canucks take Kings twitter shot in stride
There were the predictable windbags in the Twitter universe whose aim has been to rile the Vancouver Canucks faithful with tweets about Ryan Kesler's diving, Alex Burrows embellishments and Max Lapierre's smirks. But the biggest blow came from an unusual source, the Los Angeles Kings.
Hockey Night in Canada
Canucks have identity crisis
The Vancouver Canucks may be suffering from an identity crisis. They advanced to the seventh game of the Cup final last spring because of their superior skill. But now they wanted to be tougher. They wanted to be the Western version of the Boston Bruins. It's evident they are not there yet.
Tim Wharnsby
Tim's worked the sports beat at The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Sun, specializing in Canada's one true sporting obsession - hockey. He knows the players, the coaches, the backroom boys and most importantly, the fans. That's what he brings to his stories. Knowledge, fairness and understanding are trademarks of a Wharnsby story. That's what you will get here as he writes for CBCSports.ca.
