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#551
02-04-2010
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Beanpot
Hey, hockey fans, I've been meaning to post this all week but didn't get around to it ... mostly because other things on the Forum have been catching my eye!
  Anyhow, I thought I'd tell you about the Beanpot Tournament. It's a great Boston tradition that goes back to 1952, and in a year like this -- when the Bruins are sucking (okay, it's mostly because of injuries, but it still feels like they suck) -- the Beanpot is even more of a treat. It started on the day after Christmas 1952, but now takes place on the first and second Monday of every February. The hockey teams of Boston College, Boston University, Harvard University, and Northeastern University (some great college hockey teams here over the years!) face off at Boston Garden for the tournament. The winners of the two games on the first Monday play on the second Monday for the championship, and the other two teams play on the second Monday in a consolation game. (Faceoff is at 5 and 8 pm, respectively.) And the best part is that everyone -- players, coaches, fans -- have a great time, no matter who wins. In 1979, a women's tournament was added on the first and second Tuesdays of February, with teams from the same four universities. (Unfortunately, they don't get to play at the Garden ... mostly because of conflicting Celtics games, there was never a serious effort by the organizers of the women's tournament to secure the Garden for two night in a row of college hockey.) I try to go every year to the men's tournament (I've caught a few of the women's), and have not missed very many men's Beanpots since I was a kid (a few while away at college, etc.). These are always great games with great rivalries based on city pride and winning "bragging rights"; they count for nothing in the NCAA standings. Locals sometime call the tournament the "Stanley Cup of Chowder." It's as big as the Frozen Four here in Boston; 17,000 fans come out!! In this year's round 1, Harvard was absolutely routed, 6-0, by BC. Boston University beat Northeastern 2-1. So, the championship game will be between BU and BC, as is often the case. I'll be there next Monday, and I can't help but think it would be a huge amount of fun to be accompanied by all of our most rabid hockey fans on the Forum. 
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#552
02-04-2010
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That sounds like an awesome hockey tournament. I watch the Maine Black Bears play hockey sometimes...I think this is the first season that they've been nationally ranked in quite some time. College hockey is fun to watch, albeit it doesn't have fighting involved.
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#553
02-05-2010
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 Let us know how it goes. 
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#554
02-05-2010
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In a perfect world, my friend, there would be no such thing as a "lack of funds" for occasions such as this. But, alas ... I wish I had the funds to bring all the hockey fans here for a big party, but even my impending income tax refund, I believe, is sitting in a pile of money somewhere in the Goldman Sachs headquarters in New York City!
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#555
02-05-2010
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HUGE TRADE!!!!!!
(I'm surprised that dauls didn't mention this) Article from tsn.ca. THRASHERS SHIP KOVALCHUK TO DEVILS FOR PLAYERS, 1ST ROUNDER The Atlanta Thrashers have parted ways with the most celebrated player in franchise history, trading star winger Ilya Kovalchuk to the New Jersey Devils. The Thrashers acquired defenceman John Oduya, forwards Niclas Bergfors and Patrice Cormier and the Devils first round pick in 2010. The Devils also receive defenceman Anssi Salmela in the deal. New Jersey traded Salmela to Atlanta last March for Niclas Havelid. In addition, the two teams also swap second round picks in 2010. Kovalchuk, 26, became the subject of trade rumours recently after reports surfaced that he could not come to terms on a multi-year contract with general manager Don Waddell. The Russian sniper is in the final year of his current contract and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. "It's a bittersweet day," said Waddell during a Thursday night conference call. "Now we have to move forward and look at the positive side of things." "[The Devils are] a good team with a great chance to make the playoffs and go far," said Kovalchuk. "But, it's sad at the same time... I've been a Thrasher for eight years and I appreciated everything." Kovalchuk was selected first overall by the Thrashers in the 2001 NHL Draft. In 594 career NHL games with Atlanta, he has amassed 328 goals and 278 assists. The high-scoring winger has 31 goals and 27 assists with a plus-1 rating so far this season. Kovalchuk scored a career-high 52 goals with the Thrashers in 2007-08 and was co-recipient of the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2003-04 with a league-leading 41 goals. The team had been trying to work out a long-term deal with the star forward, but in the end could reach an agreement. General manager Don Waddell explained the negotiations in a media release on Thursday. "Our goal from the start of this negotiating process was to sign Ilya Kovalchuk to a long-term contract," said Waddell in the statement. "During the process, Kovy affirmed his desire to be a Thrasher for life. We've spent several months exploring scenarios with Kovy and his agent to reach a mutually beneficial agreement, and offered many lucrative packages in an attempt to meet his financial objectives. Unfortunately, we've reached an impasse and at this point he has declined all of our proposals and we can't reasonably go any higher. "Ultimately, we offered Kovy more than $101 million over 12 years, which would have been the highest contract signed by an impending unrestricted free agent in the history of the league. If accepted, this contract would have been the second highest offer ever to any NHL player. We also met his desire to be the highest paid player based on average annual salary with a separate offer of 7 years at $10M per year ($70M). This offer is $0.5M higher per year than any other player. "If we went beyond these offers, we would not be able to retain the young players on our roster when it came time to sign them, or invest in other top tier players needed to assemble a truly competitive team. Therefore, we are aggressively exploring all of our options as we move forward." In Oduya, the Thrashers pick up a 28-year-old blue-liner who was originally drafted by the Washington Capitals in the 7th Round (221st overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He has two goals with two assists and a plus-2 rating over his 40 games this season. Bergfors, 22, is in his second season with the Devils and has 13 goals, 14 assists and is minus-7 through 54 games this season. He was selected by the Devils in the 1st round (23rd overall) of the 2005 Entry Draft. The 19-year-old Cormier had been playing for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, but was suspended for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs by the QMJHL after delivering a hit to the head of Quebec Remparts' Mikael Tam. Cormier was Canada's captain at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and helped the team to a silver medal this past January. He was drafted by New Jersey in the 2nd round (54th overall) of the 2008 Entry Draft. Wow! All I can say is that the Devils will probably not have too many more low-scoring games for the rest of the season. He is going to help them big-time! Their chance to win the Cup has increased by a large margin.
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#556
02-05-2010
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So, I spend the evening watching the Bruins play the Habs (and "surfing" the Forum), only to have my heart broken in a goddam shootout! Montreal 3, Boston 2. But at least it's a point.
Sorry, shadows, if I stole some of your updating thunder.
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#557
02-05-2010
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Regarding the trade I just posted about. It looks like the Devils have washed their hands of the entire Patrice Cormier incident as he is one of the players to be traded to Atlanta. I wonder if they will honour the suspension(which is still under appeal as far as I know)? They better!
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#558
02-05-2010
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#559
02-05-2010
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Here are the scores from Feb 3rd's games:
1. Ottawa beat Buffalo 4-2. This is Ottawa's 10th win in a row. The only team that is hotter than Ottawa right now is Washington! Spezza had 2 goals and 1 assist. He has been on fire since coming back! I'm not sure how far Ottawa will go in the playoffs anymore, as they have certainly surprised me with their play of late. 2. St. Louis beat Chicago 3-2. Here is a team that is looking forward to the Olympic break. Chicago has been playing some ordinary hockey lately, and a break could do them well. 3. Calgary beat Carolina 4-1. This is the first game in quite a while(I am not counting the Edmonton game, because let's face it...it was the Edmonton Oilers!) that they have scored more than 2 goals. The key to this is whether they can keep doing this or not. 4. Speaking of Edmonton...Edmonton beat Philadelphia 1-0. This looked to be going into overtime tied at zero when Ryan Potulny scored a Power Play goal at 19:43 of the third period. Darroll Powe gets the goat horns in this one. Jen will not be a happy camper after seeing this! 5. Anaheim beat Detroit 3-1. Despite being outshot 47-30 Anaheim managed to secure the victory. Hiller was the reason Anaheim was able to claim the win. ----------------------------------- ----------------------------------- ----------------------------------- Here are the scores from Feb 4th's games: 1. Montreal beat Boston 3-2 in the shootout. As has happened for so many times recently, Boston outshot their opponent and blew a lead. Boston had 47 shots for Montreal's 26 yet still lost the game. They also blew another 2-0 lead at a time where they need to buckle down and play some sound hockey. Boston got a point from this game, but they could have gotten two. Ila will be happy but smc certainly won't. 2. Washington beat the Rangers 6-5. Not a very pretty game from a defensive or goaltending standpoint. Ovechkin had 2 goals and an assist and he now has 500 points for his career(already?!? ). Backstrom also had 1 goal and 4 assists for Washington. This was their 12th win in a row.3. Columbus beat Dallas 2-1. Kind of a boring game, which is the usual modus operundi for the Blue Jackets this season. Yawn. 4. Ottawa beat Vancouver 3-1. This is Ottawa's 11th win in a row. Spezza has now scored a goal in every game since he has come back. How long can he keep this up? This is Vancouver's second loss in a row. Andrew Raycrap was in net for them, and he played like he was playing for the Leafs again. Ah, how I miss Raycrap...not. 5. Tampa Bay beat the Islanders 5-2. Steve Stamkos had 2 goals and 1 assist in the victory. He now has 31 goals for the year. Not bad for his sophomore season! 6. San Jose beat St. Louis 4-2. Pretty much par for the course with the Sharks. They win again. Boyle missed yet another game for the Sharks and Nabokov got the night off. 7. Nashville beat Colorado 5-3. Jason Arnott had 1 goal and 3 assists for the evening. 8. Minnesota beat Edmonton 4-2. I guess the high for the 1-0 victory the night before has now worn off.  9. LA beat Anaheim 6-4. Anaheim had come back from down 4-1 and tied it up 4-4! However LA scored two more goals late in the third to take the win. Not a very good night for Hiller, but LA has a lot of firepower in their lineup. Quick gave up 4 goals off 22 shots so he wasn't particularly sharp either.
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#563
02-05-2010
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I'm Jamaica national teem fan
 
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#565
02-05-2010
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#567
02-05-2010
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Not a fan of the Blues, but feel for them. They started the season so poorly and are finally getting within sniffing distance of the playoffs and now they have this string of games. If they don't play really well, could cost them their chance to make the playoffs.
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#568
02-06-2010
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Thanks for the Trade Update...
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Kovalchuk is a great bonus. Maybe we now won't have to rely on Brodeur and his shutouts so heavily for the rest of the season. Quote:
I hope he gets seriously slammed against the boards and body checked like he's been hit by a freight-train in his first few NHL games, he has it coming.
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#569
02-06-2010
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Devils 4-3 Leafs
Devils trailing 3-1 with 3 minutes and 4 seconds to go.
 Still trailing 3-2 with 44 seconds to go. We then score twice in 25 seconds. shadows, I bet you wish the Kovalchuk (2 assists) trade had been delayed by a few days. Sorry but that's got to be a hard defeat to take. Undeserved gloating kept to an absolute minimum. 
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#570
02-06-2010
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I am not sure how long Brian Burke will be away, as his youngest son was killed yesterday in a car accident. I will post an article from espn.com in my next post.
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#571
02-06-2010
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From espn.com.
Brendan Burke killed in car accident TORONTO -- Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke's youngest son was killed in a car accident in snowy Indiana on Friday. The team issued a brief statement confirming the death of 21-year-old Brendan Burke. Brian Burke also is the general manager of the U.S. Olympic team. "The National Hockey League grieves tonight for the family and friends of Brendan Burke, a young man of courage and character," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a release. "Words simply cannot express our sorrow over his loss. We send our deepest, most heartfelt condolences to Brendan's father, Brian; his mother, Kerry; everyone in Brendan's family and all who were inspired by his love for hockey." Police told the Toronto Star that Burke was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee when the vehicle slid sideways into the path of a Ford truck. Burke's friend, 18-year-old Mark Reedy, also died in the accident. U.S. Olympic Committee chairman Larry Probst said the USOC was "extremely saddened" by Burke's death. "Our heart goes out to Brian and his family in this very difficult time," Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey, said. "We know the prayers of the entire hockey family, including our Olympic team, are with the Burke family." Very sad story indeed. The next post is the original article which talks about how Brendan came out and how his father reacted.
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#572
02-06-2010
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'We love you, this won't change a thing'
"I hope the day comes, and soon, when this is not a story." -- Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke Imagine this. Well before you are born, your dad plays college hockey at Providence College and wears the "C" for Friars coach and Hockey Hall of Famer Lou Lamoriello. Your dad is then a member of the Calder Cup-winning Maine Mariners AHL team. He admits to having little skill, but contributes rough and tough qualities. You know, like pugnacity, testosterone, truculence and belligerence. He's a man, baby. Dad is also driven. And smart. He quickly retires from pro hockey. He knows he will make the NHL only with his brain and mental brawn. He earns a law degree from Harvard in 1981, then practices law in Boston for the next six years, representing professional hockey players before joining the Vancouver Canucks in 1987 as vice president and director of hockey operations. He has made the NHL. You are born a year later in Vancouver, British Columbia, in December 1988. Dad is GM of the Hartford Whalers for a season as a 37-year-old before joining the NHL front office as senior vice president and director of hockey operations under commissioner Gary Bettman in September 1993, staying until 1998. Dad and Mom divorce in 1995, and, as a 9-year old, you move to Boston with Mom in 1997. Dad then begins a six-year stint on the other side of the continent as president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks. Meanwhile, you play hockey while growing up in the Boston area, and you are a goalie. You love Dominik Hasek and still believe he is the best of all time. Dad tries to see you play whenever he can. Goalie is a comfortable position for you on the ice, looking out and hiding behind a mask. You eventually attend Xaverian Brothers High School, a prep school in Westwood, Mass., and make the competitive varsity hockey team as a senior, but choose not to play. You say it is because you don't think you would get enough playing time and you are upset at the coach. But you actually don't play because you don't think you can go another season without someone finding out your secret. Your hockey career is over. "Middle school and early high school is the first time I remember thinking that I could be gay, but I definitely tried to ignore it and didn't want to seriously consider it. It's pretty easy to try and convince yourself that it's not true, but it won't work, ever." -- Brendan Burke The Burke Family Brendan Burke, standing by the Stanley Cup, after his father won it all with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. You go on to attend Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, after your guidance counselor recommends the school. Miami is well known for being academically challenging and having one of the more visually idyllic campuses in the country. It doesn't disappoint. The brick buildings and brand-new hockey rink make the small town feel like what college should feel like. Like an old Hollywood movie set. Ohio is a friendly place with warm people who smile a lot and like to get together in groups and laugh. You fit right in. You've made a great decision. You especially enjoy the Miami hockey program constructed by coach Enrico Blasi. You are involved as a student manager. Blasi demands his program and its culture be grounded in family. He calls it the Miami hockey brotherhood. The mission is to be the best one can be every day with a vision to become a champion in everything one does, on and off the ice. Miami's focus is on three things: relationships, daily behaviors and accountability. You watch and break down the pre-scout videos. You also keep most of the goalie statistics and prepare all the best clips for highlight videos. While you're at Miami, Dad is now in Southern California as executive vice president and general manager for Anaheim and the Ducks win it all in 2007. You drink out of the Stanley Cup with Pops in the Anaheim dressing room. You love your father, you're proud of him, but you are hiding something from him that you will soon hide no more. In 2008, Dad is chosen as general manager of the 2010 U.S. Olympic hockey team and named a recipient of the 2008 Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the United States. His r?sum? is relentless. Today, Dad runs the most profitable NHL team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and is, without question, one of hockey's more magnetic and interesting characters along with Don Cherry and Alex Ovechkin. Dad televises well. So, imagine, this is your father. You? Probably destined to be "Burkie's boy" in Canada even if you resurrected George Harrison and John Lennon and reunited The Beatles. Imagine. "Brendan is an incredible kid. He and I are incredibly close, even for brothers. In most families, the older brother overshadows the younger brother, but not ours. We went to the same high school and people there still refer to me as "Brendan's brother." He's exceptionally smart, funny, motivated, successful and happy. He has an incredible way with people. There's a genuine kindness about him that really resonates with people. It's a gift I'm very jealous of." -- Patrick Burke, Brendan's brother, now a scout with the Philadelphia Flyers Your dad thinks through everything. Dad is big, confident and continuously radiates a persona that is rough, gruff, unrelenting and unapologetic. He has a cold, expressionless poker face straight out of a Clint Eastwood movie. Yet, he does this all with the most subtle of Irish smirks that says there is more behind this thick skin. And there is. He calls you "Moose" because you have always been a big kid. He cares very deeply about you and your happiness. You say he has always been there when you needed him. And he has a great sense of humor. Imagine that. But on this night in 2007, you are petrified of your dad. Because you, Brendan Burke, at 19 years old, are about to tell your dad, Mr. Testosterone, that you are gay. -Part 1-
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#573
02-06-2010
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-Part 2-
[+] EnlargeBrad White/Getty Images Said Maple Leafs and U.S. Olympic team GM Brian Burke: 'I wish this burden would fall on someone else's shoulders, not Brendan's.'It is Dec. 30, 2007, and you are in Vancouver with Dad for the holidays to break the news. His new family lives in Vancouver, and his Ducks are in town. You go to the Canucks-Ducks game, and, obviously, Dad is pretty emphatic about wanting to beat Vancouver, his former employer. You root like hell for the Ducks to win so he is in a good mood. But the Ducks lose 2-1. Of course, Daniel Sedin scores a goal against Anaheim, and his brother Henrik adds two assists to help beat Dad, the man who traded for the twins' draft rights in 1999 while he was running the Canucks. You almost don't tell your dad and stepmom as a result of the loss. But you are flying back to Boston the next morning and you want to tell them in person. You feel as if you are going to throw up as you pace the hallways of their condominium. Just as your stepmom is about to go to bed, your younger sister, Molly, grabs you by the wrist and directs you where to go and gives you a look that says, "You can do it. Get it done now. I'm here for you." Just a week before, your older sister, Katie, is the first family member you tell. You had targeted telling your family at Thanksgiving but got salmonella and spent the entire week in the hospital. So you push back your announcement to Christmas. You are driving home from a family event in Marlboro, Mass., when you decide you want to say it during the car ride. Finally, after a 45-minute ride, you pass the city limits sign of Boston and you know you have to tell Katie. It is incredibly difficult, but your sister is very supportive. Of course she is, you tell yourself, she's Katie. That same night, you tell Molly and your mom. Everyone is great. Mom tells you she isn't surprised and had expected it from the time you were a little kid. Moms. You tell your brother, Patrick, a day or two later. Patrick turns off the car blaring "The Hold Steady" CD, and you tell him as you are walking out to the car to bring in bags. Patrick, like Dad, never one to be fazed, says something along the lines of, "I love you. This doesn't change anything. Now pick up that suitcase and bring it inside." But, now, telling your secret to Dad is another story. Molly's reassuring hand guides you to the couch for the moment of truth. It's time to tell Dad, a most public example of hockey machismo, that you are gay. Finally, you say it. Awkwardly. You basically stumble along trying not to make it a big deal before just blurting out, "And I love you guys and wanted to tell you that I'm gay." There is a brief silence. Dad is surprised when you tell him that you are gay. He never suspected at all. Your stepmom speaks first: "OK, Brendan, that's OK." And gives you a reassuring smile. Then your dad says, "Of course, we still love you. This won't change a thing." Your dad and stepmom both get up and hug you and say they love you. You and your dad then sit there alone for about 15 more minutes watching hockey. Your heart rate is still at a snow-shoveling level. You then hug Dad again, and you go to bed. But now, questions arise: 1. What about Dad's reaction the next day and beyond? 2. How will Miami react to a young, gay man working on the hockey team? 3. Can an openly gay man play or work for a hockey team? "I had a million good reasons to love and admire Brendan. This news didn't alter any of them. I would prefer Brendan hadn't decided to discuss this issue in this very public manner. There will be a great deal of reaction, and I fear a large portion will be negative. But this takes guts, and I admire Brendan greatly, and happily march arm in arm with him on this. There are gay men in professional hockey. We would be fools to think otherwise. And it's sad that they feel the need to conceal this. I understand why they do so, however. Can a gay man advance in professional hockey? He can if he works for the Toronto Maple Leafs! Or for Miami University Hockey. God bless Rico Blasi! And I am certain these two organizations are not alone here. I wish this burden would fall on someone else's shoulders, not Brendan's. Pioneers are often misunderstood and mistrusted. But since he wishes to blaze this trail, I stand beside him with an axe! I simply could not be more proud of Brendan than I am, and I love him as much as I admire him." -- Brian Burke Reverse skate. The real reason you choose not to play your senior year is because the atmosphere in the locker room gets progressively harder to deal with as you get older. Homophobic slurs become as commonplace as rolls of hockey tape. Pressure to hook up with girls gets more intense. You are really upset for a couple of months. Your mom later tells you she thought you were depressed. Back then, she keeps asking you if something is wrong, but you don't want to talk about it with anyone. You say gay slurs have a direct impact on gay people in the area where they are said. You sincerely believe the majority of people who use gay slurs don't mean them to be offensive; they just don't realize the words' meaning and don't think there might be a gay person sitting right next to them. Questions 2 and 3 cause you some concern. [+] EnlargeAP Photo/Susan Walsh Miami coach Enrico Blasi said having Brendan Burke as part of his hockey team's staff has been 'a blessing.'Miami, the No. 1-ranked team in college hockey right now, refers to itself as "The Brotherhood," and Coach Blasi means it when he says it. You say the players on Miami hockey teams are truly unlike most hockey players you've met. It's a group of genuine, intelligent, good guys. They don't have to, but they make you feel like a part of the team. Their families treat you as if you are one of their sons. As you start to become better friends with the players and coaches, it becomes more difficult to hide your true sexuality. You are developing genuine friendships with many, and it feels like a huge part of it is missing because you aren't being honest with them. You feel, in some ways, as if you are disrespecting the Brotherhood philosophy Miami is based on. The RedHawks take you with them to the NCAA regional tournament in Minnesota this past March, where they beat Minnesota-Duluth and Denver to advance to the Frozen Four for the first time in history. As far as amazing life experiences go, being at the Frozen Four in Washington, D.C., is right up there with being in the locker room after the Ducks won the Cup. In between the first round and the Frozen Four, you tell one of the Miami players you are gay. Another player figures it out on the morning of the national championship game, and you have to pull him aside and tell him not to tell anyone before the game. You don't want it to be a distraction. You ask him to wait 12 hours after the game; then he can tell whomever he wants. After the heartbreaking overtime loss to Boston University, and mainly by word of mouth, your news gets around to the whole team. There isn't a big emotional sit-down talk, although you do speak with some of the guys personally. The general response is "OK, Burkie's gay. Who cares? Pass the beer nuts." About a week later, you approach your boss, the director of hockey operations for Miami, Nick Petraglia, and tell him. Then, a few days later, you tell Coach Blasi. You are pretty sure one of the players told them both in advance to give them a heads-up, but neither cares, and both are incredibly supportive. Blasi says that having you as part of Miami's program is a blessing and everyone is much more aware of what they say and how they say it. He says he is as guilty as anyone and everyone needs to be reminded that respect is not a label but something people earn by the way they live their life. Coach Blasi says you are a great student and an even better person. You say Coach Blasi is a great coach and an even better person. "Brendan is a great guy, personable and caring. As student manager, he is involved in a lot of things for us -- video, stats and community service, to name a few of his duties. To my knowledge, there has been nothing negative [since he came out to us]. I think it goes along the lines that Brendan is part of our family. Everyone respects Brendan, and that's all that really matters. The players are awesome. They are very sensitive to language and how we talk in the locker room. Again, it goes back to our culture and working on relationships and behaviors. [As far as whether a player could come out and be able to function like a normal college player], that's a tough one and I don't want to speak for any other program. As far as Miami is concerned, we are about the person. I believe we would be accepting and honestly not even think twice about it. I think having Brendan as part of our program has been a blessing. We are much more aware of what you say and how we say it. I am guilty as anyone. We need to be reminded that respect is not a label, but something you earn by the way you live your life." -- Miami University hockey coach Enrico Blasi The attitude across the team is pretty much the same: "Who cares?" or "I don't understand why this is even an issue." Players you don't even expect to be supportive are. You say it is proof this kind of thing can happen in other places, too. You wish you could say that gay slurs have been banished from the Miami dressing room. It hasn't happened yet, although serious progress has been made and one player in particular has made it a personal crusade.
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#574
02-06-2010
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-Part 3-
But now that you are "out," can you successfully pursue a job in hockey, specifically in the NHL, if that is a wish? You are applying to law schools right now. Hockey management and politics are two things you care about the most, and a law degree is required for both, so it leaves the door open for either. You say you would be lying if you said you don't think sexual orientation affects a job in pro hockey. You believe it would make some things more difficult. There are going to be people who aren't comfortable knowing they are working with a gay person. "He's incredibly brave. He went back to our all-boys high school and gave a speech about the struggles gay teenagers go through and got a standing ovation from 200 kids who spend half their time insulting anyone different than them. In so many ways, I look up to him for who he is and what he does. Obviously, there are gay players in hockey right now, just no openly gay ones. And there are gay people in management, whether they're scouts or front-office people or coaches. We just don't have any openly gay ones right now. I think it will be a challenge for the first person that comes out, because they'll be putting themselves under a microscope. The scary thing for me is that it might be Brendan, if he chooses to go into hockey. I don't think it's fair the face of homosexuality in hockey should be a 20-year-old college kid, but Brendan is more than willing to be the guy, which awes me. I think it's a matter of when, not if, players and management start coming out." -- Patrick Burke At this point, you are still undecided about your career options. Although you think there definitely would be challenges to being openly gay and working in hockey, you also think hockey is ready for it. There has been a lot of discussion about when a current player will come out. You've always viewed most hockey fans as being very well educated and accepting of diversity. You say fans are much more focused on the on-ice product than on the sexual orientation of players or management, and you say hockey is too good to be dragged down by this. The Burke Family Brendan says his family, including father Brian, has been completely supportive since he told them he was gay. You believe that if an NHL player came out today, he would face a unique set of challenges but would generally be supported. He might face more verbal abuse from opposing fans, but you believe the overwhelming sentiment would be, "If he can play hockey, who cares?" That's the perspective you've encountered at Miami. You say a good way to start would be for ex-NHL players who are gay to be more vocal and talk about their experiences and challenges. Whatever happens in your life, whatever career path you choose, you know Dad is in your corner. His long shadow of a hockey r?sum? that once looked like a crutch might now prove to be just the thing you and others need -- a powerful and eloquent voice shouting from the mountaintops. This is far and away more than what you personally expected from your hockey-famous Dad as you prepared coming out to him. When people ask you about your dad's reaction to your Vancouver sit-down, you initially say, "He's been great, but I don't think we'll see him at any gay pride parades any time soon. But he has been really supportive." So, you are startled this past summer when you get a call from Dad saying, "Hey, Toronto Pride is this weekend, you should fly up." So, sure enough, you fly up, and you and Dad go to the Toronto Pride Parade together. If someone had told you before coming out that your dad, Brian Burke, would be attending a gay pride parade with you, you wouldn't have believed it. You never suspected Dad would disown you or anything like that, but the way he has handled it and the way he talks about it now has, honestly, really moved you. He was a little awkward about it at first. Today, he doesn't even think twice about it. You want it known that he has been 100 percent supportive of you. It's important to you that people know that even the president and GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who has a less than sunny public personality, has a gay son and is a firm supporter of gay rights. Imagine that. "Imagine if I was in the opposite situation, with a family that wouldn't accept me, working for a sports team where I knew I couldn't come out because I'd be fired or ostracized. People in that situation deserve to know that they can feel safe, that sports isn't all homophobic and that there are plenty of people in sports who accept people for who they are." -- Brendan Burke Rest in peace Brendan.
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#577
02-06-2010
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Ottawa at Toronto
Okay, shadows, as I write this there is 5 minutes left in the first period. Toronto is winning 1 - 0 and Toronto is on a poweplay. (They just scored goal #2). The way Toronto is playing I am amazed that they are in the lead. As an example during the powerplay (another goal by Toronto - holy s#$%) Toronto was in Ottawa's end and the three forwards all went into the corner against 2 Ottawa players. No one was in front of the net to take a pass. What are they thinking? Then again the strategy must be working as they are winning 3 - 0 right now.
Ottawa just woke up and they are starting to play. (Edit: Ottawa just went back to sleep.) Before the game started I was predicting an Ottawa win. Now I'm not sure. If Toronto keeps it up they are going to win and maybe teach Ottawa some humiliation.
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#580
02-07-2010
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I'm kind of tired(long shift) and I am kind of bummed. Part of my plant was drooping when I got home this morning. I accidentally hit that part with the watering container last night(I was in a rush to get to work) and I think it "stressed it out". This is what happened to my last plant over a year ago, but that time the entire plant drooped(and no amount of TLC brought it back), this time it is only part of the plant(I am not sure of the species of the plant, but it has many different stalks which may work in my favour so it survives). You may say "It's only a plant. Big deal!", but I like it. I love Spring with all of the different colours and the onset of greenery, so I like having a plant in my house during the winter(gives it a little life). It is a neat looking plant that has grown like crazy the past year and I want it to survive. Hopefully if the one part ends up dying(fingers crossed that it doesn't) the rest will survive. Anyhoo, no report for today but I will say the scores for the relevant teams. 1. Toronto beat Ottawa 5-0.  2. Vancouver beat Boston 3-2. 3. Montreal beat Pittsburgh 5-3. 4. The Rangers beat New Jersey 3-1. 5. Minnesota beat Philadelphia 2-1.
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#581
02-07-2010
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The Bruins last won on January 14, and that was in a shootout. If they lose today, they'll match the franchise's worst losing streak ever, in the 1924-1925 season! In other words, the inaugural season!! And just to make it worse, it'll be the Canadiens today. And when Boston is truly humiliated, at whose hands is it by? The Habs. Okay, you can tell me that it's still relevant because the Bruins are still in the mix for a playoff spot -- they're only two points out of 8th place in the East -- but that only reminds me that there are way too many teams in the NHL playoffs. I mean, gimme a break, 8th place! A playoff berth! What a joke. Can you tell I'm discouraged? P.S. shadows, I truly wish the best for your plant, and I understand exactly what you write about its meaning to you.
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#582
02-08-2010
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The affected stalks are not drooping as much and the leaves are pointing up again like they were before.And your good vibes for my plant payed off for you! Boston beat Montreal last night 3-0. I hate when two teams of fellow hockey lovers from here play(as I don't want to "choose sides", but at least it was a good game.
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#584
02-08-2010
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)! Be sure to post about it when you get back(unless you are too tired...then you'll have to do it tomorrow!).
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#586
02-08-2010
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#587
02-09-2010
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That result was bad enough. But Monday night's 3-2 loss to the Flyers after the Devils lead 2-0 is  Probably payback for Friday's comeback win over the Leafs. Are the rest of the Devils in awe of Kovalchuk? He should sign some autographs for them and maybe they'll find it easier to play alongside him once the hero adulation has died down. Congratulations go to Jen.
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#588
02-09-2010
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Two assists in the game against Toronto, but no points in the other two. Maybe he is in awe of himself?Toronto lost tonight, but Toronto made it a good game. They only lost 3-2 and did not give San Jose a huge amount of shots. This game could have gone either way, and I look at the positives that they did not curl up and go in a shell playing against a powehouse like the Sharks. I like having Giguere in net, as I felt they could have come back due to him preventing more goals from scoring once they were down 3-2.
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#589
02-09-2010
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Beanpot Report
Some Forum members asked for a report on the Beanpot Tournament final, which I attended last night. So here goes ?
First, I only caught the third period of the ?consolation game? between Northeastern and Harvard, which NU won 4-1. (See my initial post about the Beanpot for an explanation of how it works.) The final began at 8, between Boston College and Boston University -- archrivals here in Boston. BU was after its fifth Beanpot title in six seasons, and 30th overall in the 58-year-history of the Tournament. BC last won in 2008, the year it took the NCAA championship, and had won 14 Beanpot titles before last night. The final is usually a BC-BU duel. This, by the way, was the 250th time the two teams have met on the ice! (Is this a hockey town, or what!?) I should say up-front that I was rooting for Boston College. My reasons are complicated, and have little (or perhaps nothing) to do with hockey. Okay, back to the game. This was truly a classic Beanpot, and I?ve been to many of them. It was one of those games that makes college hockey so much fun -- and really demonstrates that hockey is, indeed, a ?game of mistakes.? BU scored in the first period. It was a quick game, with some 6-on-4s and a 5-on-3 attack. BC had a 4-1 lead in the third period, and BU had a tremendous surge at the end, with a shorthanded goal and then a 6-on-4 goal. It truly could?ve gone either way right up until the final buzzer. It was really fun to watch John Muse, the BC goalie, in the net. With 20 or so seconds left, he made an excellent stop of a shot by BU?s Nick Bonino that would?ve tied the game, and on the big screen it was obvious that had the shot been 2 inches higher we would have been in overtime. Muse won the MVP of the tournament aned had a .955 save percentage. All in all, a great game, a great night, and a Beanpot to remember. (shadows asked for pictures. Mine came out terribly.)
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#590
02-09-2010
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It sounds like it would have been a blast to watch. Lots of good hockey to watch is never a bad thing. Thanks for the report.
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#591
02-09-2010
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#592
02-09-2010
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#593
02-09-2010
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This and the next post have to do with the Montreal Canadians. They are both from tsn.ca.
GAINEY STEPS DOWN AS CANADIENS GM, GAUTHIER PROMOTED The Montreal Canadiens announced Monday that Bob Gainey has stepped down as general manager of the hockey club and that the team has promoted Pierre Gauthier as Executive Vice President and general manager. Gainey will stay with the front office in an advisory role. "I've done my best and now it's time for me to pass the torch," Gainey said on Monday. "I believe that the general manager position requires a long-term vision and a long-term commitment. At this point, I'm not prepared to make a commitment of four or five or six more years in this position. "If I had to choose between leaving a little earlier, or a little later, I'd prefer (to go) earlier." The Canadiens are 28-26-6 this season and are sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. Gainey, 56, was hired in 2003 as the 15th general manager in franchise history and the Canadiens made the playoffs in four of the five full seasons he led the front office. Under his guidance, the club tallied a 241-176-46-7 record and .569 winning percentage. Their best season during that period came in 2007-08, when the team finished atop the Eastern Conference standings and made it to the second-round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. "I would say one of the happiest, nicest things has been to see the new generation of Montreal Canadiens fans," said Gainey. "The youth and the enthusiasm and the passion, the joy in the building when we play, by people who are hoping for the same experience their parents had or their grandparents had. That was a bridge that I think I was lucky enough to approach six years ago and participate with a bigger organization...for me, that's a very special thing." Once described by Russian hockey legend Viktor Tikhonov as the world's most complete hockey player, Gainey played his entire NHL career with the Canadiens from from 1973 to 1989 and was the team captain for his last eight seasons. As a player, he won five Stanley Cups and won the Selke Trophy as best defensive forward in four consecutive seasons. He was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP in 1979. Following his playing career, Gainey coached the Epinal hockey team in France and later joined the Minnesota North Stars as head coach. He led the North Stars to the Stanley Cup final in 1991 and was coach and general manager from 1992 to 1996. From 1996 to 2002, Gainey led his team - which re-located to Dallas - to a Stanley Cup in 1999. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Canadiens officially retired his No. 23 jersey in 2008. "I'm leaving the team I love the most in the hands of the man I trust the most," said Gainey. "I look forward to assisting Pierre and the team in our pursuit of our 25th Stanley Cup." Gauthier, 56, joined the Canadiens as director of pro scouting in 2003 and was named assistant general manager in 2006. A native of Montreal, Gauthier has served as general manager of the Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Mighty Ducks. He also worked with current Canadiens head coach Jacques Martin during their days with the Senators and Quebec Nordiques. "I like this team and I like the coaching staff," said Gauthier. "I've worked with Jacques (Martin) before, I'm very comfortable with this group. As soon as I leave this room today, I'm going to roll up my sleeves and get the job done." Gauthier addressed some key questions regarding the current team, including the status of soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Tomas Plekanec and Jaroslav Halak and Carey Price. The new general manager said that he's already had some dialogue with Plekanec's agent Rick Curran and also discussed trade speculation surrounding his goaltenders. "We believe we can go far with these two young men," said Gauthier. "You can never say never, but that's a strong position and we would like to keep it strong." Gauthier worked with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim during six seasons, serving as the team's assistant general manager from 1993 to 1995. Following three seasons as general manager of the Senators from 1995 to 1998, he returned to Anaheim as President and general manager from 1998 to 2002. Gauthier originally came to the Anaheim organization from the Quebec Nordiques, where he spent 12 seasons from 1981 to 1993, serving in all areas of scouting. Gauthier also worked with Gainey and Bobby Clarke as one of three NHL general managers for the Canadian National Team at the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano. He was also Team Canada's general manager for the gold-medal winning team at the 1997 World Championship in Finland, as well as the silver-medal winning team at the 1996 World Championship in Austria. "That's the objective - to get to the top tier of the league and to do that consistently," said Gauthier. A good player, but not the greatest of GMs in my opinion. It was tragic what happened to his daughter, and I wonder if that affected any of his decisions the past year? Ila, what do you think of this?
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#594
02-09-2010
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REPORT: HABS' BERGERON OUT 6-8 WEEKS WITH KNEE INJURY
The Montreal Canadiens got more bad news on the injury front on Tuesday, as RDS reports that defenceman Marc-Andre Bergeron will be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a left knee injury. Bergeron left the team's Feb. 4 game against the Boston Bruins after he was hit in the leg with a shot and missed the weekend's games against Pittsburgh and Boston. Bergeron, 29, was signed as an unrestricted free agent last fall. In 51 games with the Canadiens this season, he has 10 goals and 28 points. When it rains, it pours.
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#597
02-09-2010
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NHL to open 2010-2011 season in Europe!
The NHL announced today a significant expansion of its experiments with games in Europe. Next season will open with three teams on the "Old Continent"! And these games count.
Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild: two games against each other at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland (Oct. 7 & 8). Columbus Blue Jackets and San Jose Sharks: two games at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden (Oct. 8 & 9). Boston Bruins and Phoenix Coyotes: two games at O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic (Oct. 9 & 10). Anyone up for a trip to beautiful Prague?
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#598
02-09-2010
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#599
02-09-2010
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#600
02-09-2010
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Jerseygirl Jen
Linear Mode
