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HOCKEY COLLATOR: by John Burns
 | 21/12/2007
Sidney Crosby NHL Hockey 09, 10, 11 to infinity
I'm
sure that a lot of you guys are doing some last minute Christmas
shopping. And I'm sure that a few of you will be putting down a shiny
credit card to buy EA's NHL 08, or NHL 2K8 or both for the kid's brand
new Xbox, Playstation, Wii, whatever. And because of this it got me
thinking. Shouldn't Electronic Arts or 2K Sports grab Sidney Crosby and
give him the Tiger Woods treatment by making him the name
and cover boy for their video game hockey
franchise. Since Sidney Crosby is the face of the NHL right? And he
is one of the few marketable players that the league has, again
right? And he is one of the few persons in the U.S. that average joe's
might have heard of in the NHL, again x2, right? Some might even say
that when he retires his face will be up on hockey mount Olympus with,
Gretzky, Lemieux, Orr and Howe.
No offense to EA cover boy Eric
Staal and 2K's Jason Spezza, but they don't have the aura that
surrounds Crosby. It's not even close. At best they have regional
appeal and by that I mean appeal in Canada and maybe parts of Raleigh
and Durham, North Carolina.
If I was running the NHL marketing
department I'd be doing everything I could to get this done.
Since having Crosby doing the media circuit to promote the game and
having hi's mug in the game department of every Walmart, Target and EB
Games would go a lot further to help the popularity of the game in the
States than having an outdoor game in Buffalo on New Year's day.
19/12/2007Season of the Dumb
Okay
folks, I want you to do something for me. I want you to close your
eyes. Then count to ten. And then after that, tell me the first thing
that comes to mind when you think about this season of NHL hockey.
What
was it you thought of? Was it Sidney Crosby's first trip to Western
Canada? Was it the Anaheim Ducks starting the season splitting a two
gamer against the Los Angeles Kings in jolly ole London? Scott
Neidermayer returning? Was it Martin Brodeur recording his 500th win?
I'm
betting, probably not. I'm guessing you were probably thinking about
Steve Downie getting suspended 20 games for a pre-season hit on the
Ottawa Senators Dean McAmmond. Or his Flyers teammate Jesse Boulerice
getting 25 games for his vicious cross-check to the face of the
Vancouver Canucks Ryan Kesler? Or maybe since its all over the news
right now, its Chris Simon getting suspended a record 30 games for
kicking the Pittsburgh Penguins Jarkko Ruutu?
Or you know, maybe
its one of the other Flyers suspendees: Riley Cote got three for
elbowing the head of Dallas Stars' defenseman Matt Niskanen; Randy
Jones a deuce for checking the Bruins' Patrice Bergeron from behind;
Scott Hartnell a deuce for using the head of the Bruins' Andrew
Alberts' as a battering ram against the boards.
Yes Timmy, 2007 has been a very bad year for the reputation of the NHL.
11/12/2007December Blues
Oh,
how depressing. It's the middle of December. The holidays are only two
weeks away. It's snowy. It's dark. It's cold. I've just had a bad cold
that almost made this site kaput for a few days last week. There is no
new Stewart, Colbert or Letterman on TV due to the writers strike. And
worse yet there is nothing going on in the NHL. Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Not
even some good ole Toronto Maple Leafs turmoil, since the the buds have
won four of their last five games -- man, it makes you want to become a
New York Knick fan.
And Sidney Crosby's first trip to Western
Canada? How big of a dud was that? Did he even score a goal? Who was on
his line, Larry, Curly and Moe.
And Scott Neidermayer coming
back to the Anaheim Ducks? Didn't we all see that coming a mile away.
And with the way the Ducks are stinking is it going to make much
difference, anyway.
And trades? You kidding me, trades in the
new cap NHL? The biggest trade this month was the Atlanta Thrashers
obtaining 39 year old Mark Recchi off waivers.
Like heck folks,
could we just have a little red meat before Christmas. Something
interesting like a blockbuster trade, say a Martin St. Louis or Mathieu
Schneider.
Just something to break up this mid-December doldrums. That's all I ask.
02/12/2007Let's here it for the goalies
Today
is the day to get a ladder, find the biggest tree in the yard, go up
it, get your bincolars, and quietly, very quietly, watch as the
goaltenders take to the ice. Or more specifically keep your
eye out for two rare birds in Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey
Devils and Roberto Loungo of the Vancouver Canucks.
Since when
Brodeur plays this afternoon against the Atlanta Thrashers in Newark he
can with a shutout pass George Hainsworth for second overall in
shutouts in NHL history. And get this folks, Hainsworth made that
record 70 years ago -- only Terry Sawchuk has more shutouts with 103 in
his 21 season career. Brodeur Friday tied Hainsworth with 94 shutouts
when he made all 27 saves in the Devils' 4-0 win over the Montreal
Canadiens.
Brodeur might even do it today as the Devils have won
their last six games, with him getting two shutouts in his last four
games.
Meanwhile In Minnesota Luongo will look to extend his
Canucks' team record three straight shutouts to four when they take on
the Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Get this, the last time Luongo was
scored on was by Martin Rucinsky 4:26 of the third period in the
Canucks' 3-1 loss on November 23. In his three shutouts he has made
79 saves.
Let's here it for two great goalies.
Here are some stories about these games:
Brodeur finds it difficult to savor his accomplishments (Newark Star Ledger)
Luongo prepares as well as anyone (Vancouver Province)
Marty racks up records (New York Post)
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