Well everyone, it's almost Canada Day.
Yup, all of the NHL Free Agents are on the prowl July first. Many big names have already found new addresses, even before the Free Agency season began.
- The New York Rangers sent Scott Gomez, along with Tom Pyatt and Michael Busto, to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Christopher Higgins, Ryan McDonagh, Pavel Valentenko, and Doug Janik.
- The Calgary Flames signed Jay Bouwmeester to a five-year deal that averages to $6.6M a season.
- Ottawa Senators forward Dany Heatley refused to waive his no-trade clause to be dealt to Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Dustin Penner, Alexander Coligano, and Ladislav Smid.
Nothing's been announced yet. We'll try to have some comprehensive coverage as news occurs.
Selasa, 30 Juni 2009
Rabu, 24 Juni 2009
Hockey And Heavy Metal, Its like Peanut Butter and Jelly.
Thanks Phreespeech for this one.
So, I'm hanging out listening to Mastodon, who're one of my favorite heavy metal bands, when my buddy Kazia tells me that he met the guys before and when he met them, they were watching the Red Wings versus Anaheim. I found out soon after that the drummer of the band maintains a blog for the Atlanta Thrashers. I thought it was cool that there was a metal band that also liked hockey but little did I know they weren't alone...
Many metal bands have come out in support of hockey. On the North American side of the game, Metallica's James Hetfield has been seen over at San Jose Sharks games while the dudes from Malvolent Creation have exposed themselves as fans of the Buffalo Sabres. On the other side of the Atlantic, Swedish tech-metallers Meshuggah will usually sport Modo Hockey jerseys to show their support for their favorite team in the Swedish Elitserien while Soilwork's Bjorn Strid gave up his hockey career in order to pursue life as a metal vocalist.
That love also goes both ways. Many of the Washington Capitals, including Mike Green, were seen enjoying themselves (in more ways than one) at a D.C. area Metallica concert while Detroit Red Wing Darren McCarty as professed to listening to metal music to get him ramped up. Considering how many black metal bands are inspired by "the frozen tundra", you can't help but start to see the building blocks as to why they're so similar.
So it begs the question, are there really THAT many similarities between heavy metal and hockey? You betcha! In fact, we can take a look at the six guys on the ice and compare them to six guys in a metal band and you'll find that the differences aren't that far off once you put it into perspective.
- In heavy metal, you've got lead and rhythm. In hockey, you have offense and defense.
- Hockey has a goaltender, Metal has a drummer. Here, you've got the guy who's the proverbial backbone of the group, the person who's the last line of defense/rhythm. Obstructed from normal view behind all the equipment they've got, these guys can be as flashy as they want as long as their not caught out of position. It doesn't matter how great they look, if they can't support the group in front of them, they're going to be ineffective. But because of the solitude in the position, these guys can steal a game/show from time-to-time as long as they do all the right stuff at the right times. Typically, as long as they demonstrate sound, positional play; the night will end favorably. I like to think of New Jersey's Martin Brodeur and Slayer's Dave Lombardo as guys who generally fit the mold of being complete in their position.
- Hockey has a defensive defenseman, Metal has a bassist. We got the guy who plays out, but isn't out to be a lead player. Instead, they're helping keep things tidy in their own end. While they can joing the play to help suppliment the attack brought on by their offense/lead secton, they're typically doing all the little things right to support their goalie/drummer and generate excitement through hits/pounding bass like Anaheim's Chris Pronger or Iron Maiden's Steve Harris.
- Hockey has an offensive defenseman, Metal has a rhythm guitarist. Here there's the player who's counted on to support the back end, but if they've got a chance to jump into the play, they're going to do it. In hockey, these guys play the point on the power play and act like Washington's Mike Green, rushing to get some goals when the getting's good. In Metal, these guys are usually playing rhythm but will jump in to harmonize solos or take the occasional lead, not unlike Tool's Adam Jones.
- Hockey has the finesseful or dangling left winger, Metal has the keyboard player. These guy's aren't in the back; these guys are in the attack. However, instead of being a driving force in the process, these guys are instead emiting a presence that creates the action and allows for the job to get done. Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis and Isis musician B.C. Meyer fit that mold in my opinion.
- Hockey has the Power Forward right winger while Metal has the lead guitarist. These guys not only are in the play, but they're absolutely crushing everything in sight to bright the offensive/lead attack. Grinding and scoring goals is anagolous to fast picking and flying solos in reference to what kinda energy it brings to their group. Phoenix's Shane Doan has solidified himself in this role as a winger while Metallica's Kirk Hammett does this job as a lead guitarist.
- Hockey has their center, Metal has their vocalist. In order for both to be successful, they're going to have to cater to both ends of their spectrum. The best centers can play at both ends of the ice while the best singers know when to step out and lead versus knowing when to step back and let the guitars or other musicians shine for a moment. Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk and Killswitch Engage's Howard Jones are prime examples of guys who display this kinda knowledge.
- In Hockey, fights rile up the fans. In Metal, moshing does the same thing. Both follow an unwritten code of honor and as long as no one is seriously injured, game on!
- Hockey teams are players in a league who report to an owner, who then assigns a general manager and coach to make them effcient so they can draw fans. Metal bands are players in the music industry who report to a record label, who then assigns a band manager and a producer to make them effecient so they can draw fans.
- Hockey players develop in the juniors and lowered-tier leagues, honing their game in order to ascend up the charts before going to the higher-leagues, with the ultimate goal of playing for the audiences at NHL arenas. Metal bands develop at bars and small clubs in their area until they work to their rise to the top, with the ultimate goal of playing for audiences that could fill arenas.
Well, there's probably more, but I gotta get back to doin' what I do. Enjoy!
So, I'm hanging out listening to Mastodon, who're one of my favorite heavy metal bands, when my buddy Kazia tells me that he met the guys before and when he met them, they were watching the Red Wings versus Anaheim. I found out soon after that the drummer of the band maintains a blog for the Atlanta Thrashers. I thought it was cool that there was a metal band that also liked hockey but little did I know they weren't alone...
Many metal bands have come out in support of hockey. On the North American side of the game, Metallica's James Hetfield has been seen over at San Jose Sharks games while the dudes from Malvolent Creation have exposed themselves as fans of the Buffalo Sabres. On the other side of the Atlantic, Swedish tech-metallers Meshuggah will usually sport Modo Hockey jerseys to show their support for their favorite team in the Swedish Elitserien while Soilwork's Bjorn Strid gave up his hockey career in order to pursue life as a metal vocalist.
That love also goes both ways. Many of the Washington Capitals, including Mike Green, were seen enjoying themselves (in more ways than one) at a D.C. area Metallica concert while Detroit Red Wing Darren McCarty as professed to listening to metal music to get him ramped up. Considering how many black metal bands are inspired by "the frozen tundra", you can't help but start to see the building blocks as to why they're so similar.
So it begs the question, are there really THAT many similarities between heavy metal and hockey? You betcha! In fact, we can take a look at the six guys on the ice and compare them to six guys in a metal band and you'll find that the differences aren't that far off once you put it into perspective.
- In heavy metal, you've got lead and rhythm. In hockey, you have offense and defense.
- Hockey has a goaltender, Metal has a drummer. Here, you've got the guy who's the proverbial backbone of the group, the person who's the last line of defense/rhythm. Obstructed from normal view behind all the equipment they've got, these guys can be as flashy as they want as long as their not caught out of position. It doesn't matter how great they look, if they can't support the group in front of them, they're going to be ineffective. But because of the solitude in the position, these guys can steal a game/show from time-to-time as long as they do all the right stuff at the right times. Typically, as long as they demonstrate sound, positional play; the night will end favorably. I like to think of New Jersey's Martin Brodeur and Slayer's Dave Lombardo as guys who generally fit the mold of being complete in their position.
- Hockey has a defensive defenseman, Metal has a bassist. We got the guy who plays out, but isn't out to be a lead player. Instead, they're helping keep things tidy in their own end. While they can joing the play to help suppliment the attack brought on by their offense/lead secton, they're typically doing all the little things right to support their goalie/drummer and generate excitement through hits/pounding bass like Anaheim's Chris Pronger or Iron Maiden's Steve Harris.
- Hockey has an offensive defenseman, Metal has a rhythm guitarist. Here there's the player who's counted on to support the back end, but if they've got a chance to jump into the play, they're going to do it. In hockey, these guys play the point on the power play and act like Washington's Mike Green, rushing to get some goals when the getting's good. In Metal, these guys are usually playing rhythm but will jump in to harmonize solos or take the occasional lead, not unlike Tool's Adam Jones.
- Hockey has the finesseful or dangling left winger, Metal has the keyboard player. These guy's aren't in the back; these guys are in the attack. However, instead of being a driving force in the process, these guys are instead emiting a presence that creates the action and allows for the job to get done. Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis and Isis musician B.C. Meyer fit that mold in my opinion.
- Hockey has the Power Forward right winger while Metal has the lead guitarist. These guys not only are in the play, but they're absolutely crushing everything in sight to bright the offensive/lead attack. Grinding and scoring goals is anagolous to fast picking and flying solos in reference to what kinda energy it brings to their group. Phoenix's Shane Doan has solidified himself in this role as a winger while Metallica's Kirk Hammett does this job as a lead guitarist.
- Hockey has their center, Metal has their vocalist. In order for both to be successful, they're going to have to cater to both ends of their spectrum. The best centers can play at both ends of the ice while the best singers know when to step out and lead versus knowing when to step back and let the guitars or other musicians shine for a moment. Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk and Killswitch Engage's Howard Jones are prime examples of guys who display this kinda knowledge.
- In Hockey, fights rile up the fans. In Metal, moshing does the same thing. Both follow an unwritten code of honor and as long as no one is seriously injured, game on!
- Hockey teams are players in a league who report to an owner, who then assigns a general manager and coach to make them effcient so they can draw fans. Metal bands are players in the music industry who report to a record label, who then assigns a band manager and a producer to make them effecient so they can draw fans.
- Hockey players develop in the juniors and lowered-tier leagues, honing their game in order to ascend up the charts before going to the higher-leagues, with the ultimate goal of playing for the audiences at NHL arenas. Metal bands develop at bars and small clubs in their area until they work to their rise to the top, with the ultimate goal of playing for audiences that could fill arenas.
Well, there's probably more, but I gotta get back to doin' what I do. Enjoy!
Senin, 15 Juni 2009
Judge rejects sale of Coyotes, move to Canada
PHOENIX (AP)—The Coyotes are staying in Phoenix, at least for now.
A bankruptcy judge has rejected the proposed sale of the franchise to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, who would have moved the team to Hamilton, Ontario.
Judge Redfield T. Baum issued a 21-page ruling late Monday afternoon, concluding the June 29 deadline imposed by Balsillie did not allow enough time to resolve the complex case.
“Simply put, the court does not think there is sufficient time (14 days) for all of these issues to be fairly presented to the court given that deadline,” the judge wrote.
The ruling is a victory for the NHL, which had argued Balsillie was using the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to make an end-run around the league’s rules over who owns teams and where they are located.
“We’re pleased the court recognized the validity of league rules and our ability to apply them in a reasonable fashion,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement Monday night. “We will turn our attention now toward helping to facilitate an orderly sales process that will produce a local buyer who is committed to making the Coyotes’ franchise viable and successful in the Phoenix-Glendale area. We are confident that we will be able to find such a buyer for the Coyotes and that the claims of legitimate creditors will be addressed.”
But Balsillie, who has failed in two other bids to buy NHL teams, refused to concede defeat, saying he wants to work with the league and move the franchise.
“We look forward to hearing from the NHL soon on its view of our relocation application and an appropriate relocation fee, so as to allow the court to determine if that fee is reasonable,” Balsillie spokesman Bill Walker said. “We still think there is enough time for the NHL to approve Mr. Balsillie’s application and move the team to Hamilton by September.”
Walker said the judge’s ruling “invited mediation.”
“Mr. Balsillie is willing to participate in such mediation if the NHL is also willing to do so,” Walker’s statement said.
Baum called the case unprecedented in U.S. bankruptcy history.
“The legal issues trigger not only bankruptcy law, but antitrust law and commercial law in the context of a professional sports team, as a Chapter 11 debtor, which team has for years incurred, and is continuing to incur, very serious financial losses and problems,” Baum wrote. “No cases have been found that precisely or even closely fit this scenario.”
Walker’s statement ignored several aspects of the ruling that were made against Balsillie.
Baum shot down the claim by Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes and Balsillie that failure to allow the team, over the objection of the NHL, to move would violate antitrust law.
“This court can not find that antitrust law, as applicable nonbankruptcy law, permits the sale free and clear of the relocation rights of the NHL,” Baum wrote.
He added, “It is not an antitrust violation for professional sports leagues to have terms and conditions on relocations of its members.”
An antitrust claim requires a “bona fide dispute,” but there is none because Balsillie only sought the NHL’s permission to relocate the franchise after it was brought up in court, Baum wrote.
“This court is unconvinced that it should order that the NHL must decide the relocation application to meet the June 29 deadline,” the judge wrote.
Baum also rejected claims by Moyes and Balsillie that while assuming the contract the Coyotes have with the NHL, they can disregard the portion of the agreement that requires the games be played in Glendale.
The judge compared that claim to “a purchaser of a bankrupt franchise in a remote location asserting that it can be relocated far from its original agreed site to a highly valuable location, for example New York City’s Times Square …”
The judge’s decision is also a win for the city of Glendale, which had spent $183 million to build an arena for the Coyotes and had contended the franchise could not use bankruptcy to evade its lease.
Baum said that because he was rejecting the motion, he need not rule at this time on whether Moyes and Balsillie could void Glendale’s lease. The city said it was pleased with the ruling.
“Clearly the court recognized the significance of these issues and the unique interests of the City of Glendale and its taxpayers,” the city said in a statement. “The court based its decision on the law and facts and not on countless rumors and innuendo regarding this matter.”
This is the third time Balsillie—whose company makes the Blackberry—has tried to buy an NHL team. His made previous attempts to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators.
Moyes took the NHL by surprise when he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 5, proposing to sell the team to Balsillie for $212.5 million, contingent on the franchise moving to Hamilton, Ontario.
The NHL said that commissioner Gary Bettman was on his way to deliver a letter of intent to Moyes from Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of baseball’s Chicago White Sox and the NBA’s Chicago Bulls, to purchase the team and keep it in Glendale. However, any bid to buy the team will be far less than the offer Balsillie made.
“I think people are going to be shocked when they see the value of this team remaining in Glendale,” Moyes’ attorney Thomas Salerno said. “It’s going to be materially less than the offer we have on the table.”
Salerno said Moyes is disappointed and is evaluating his options. Moyes says he has more than $300 million invested in the team and would have recouped about $100 million if the Balsillie sale had gone through.
The NHL says four parties, including Reinsdorf, have filed preliminary applications to investigate purchasing the team and keeping it in Arizona. However, if no buyer can be found, the league would look to relocate the franchise.
Moyes and Balsillie contended that the team would never succeed in Arizona and would flourish in hockey-crazy Ontario. But the move raised territorial rights issues because of the proximity of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres.
Baum had raised the specter of a fee due to the NHL and the two teams if the franchise moved.
The Coyotes have lost more than $300 million since the franchise moved from Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 2006, and at least $36 million each of the last three seasons, but the NHL contends the franchise can be viable with better management and more success on the ice.
A bankruptcy judge has rejected the proposed sale of the franchise to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, who would have moved the team to Hamilton, Ontario.
Judge Redfield T. Baum issued a 21-page ruling late Monday afternoon, concluding the June 29 deadline imposed by Balsillie did not allow enough time to resolve the complex case.
“Simply put, the court does not think there is sufficient time (14 days) for all of these issues to be fairly presented to the court given that deadline,” the judge wrote.
The ruling is a victory for the NHL, which had argued Balsillie was using the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to make an end-run around the league’s rules over who owns teams and where they are located.
“We’re pleased the court recognized the validity of league rules and our ability to apply them in a reasonable fashion,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement Monday night. “We will turn our attention now toward helping to facilitate an orderly sales process that will produce a local buyer who is committed to making the Coyotes’ franchise viable and successful in the Phoenix-Glendale area. We are confident that we will be able to find such a buyer for the Coyotes and that the claims of legitimate creditors will be addressed.”
But Balsillie, who has failed in two other bids to buy NHL teams, refused to concede defeat, saying he wants to work with the league and move the franchise.
“We look forward to hearing from the NHL soon on its view of our relocation application and an appropriate relocation fee, so as to allow the court to determine if that fee is reasonable,” Balsillie spokesman Bill Walker said. “We still think there is enough time for the NHL to approve Mr. Balsillie’s application and move the team to Hamilton by September.”
Walker said the judge’s ruling “invited mediation.”
“Mr. Balsillie is willing to participate in such mediation if the NHL is also willing to do so,” Walker’s statement said.
Baum called the case unprecedented in U.S. bankruptcy history.
“The legal issues trigger not only bankruptcy law, but antitrust law and commercial law in the context of a professional sports team, as a Chapter 11 debtor, which team has for years incurred, and is continuing to incur, very serious financial losses and problems,” Baum wrote. “No cases have been found that precisely or even closely fit this scenario.”
Walker’s statement ignored several aspects of the ruling that were made against Balsillie.
Baum shot down the claim by Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes and Balsillie that failure to allow the team, over the objection of the NHL, to move would violate antitrust law.
“This court can not find that antitrust law, as applicable nonbankruptcy law, permits the sale free and clear of the relocation rights of the NHL,” Baum wrote.
He added, “It is not an antitrust violation for professional sports leagues to have terms and conditions on relocations of its members.”
An antitrust claim requires a “bona fide dispute,” but there is none because Balsillie only sought the NHL’s permission to relocate the franchise after it was brought up in court, Baum wrote.
“This court is unconvinced that it should order that the NHL must decide the relocation application to meet the June 29 deadline,” the judge wrote.
Baum also rejected claims by Moyes and Balsillie that while assuming the contract the Coyotes have with the NHL, they can disregard the portion of the agreement that requires the games be played in Glendale.
The judge compared that claim to “a purchaser of a bankrupt franchise in a remote location asserting that it can be relocated far from its original agreed site to a highly valuable location, for example New York City’s Times Square …”
The judge’s decision is also a win for the city of Glendale, which had spent $183 million to build an arena for the Coyotes and had contended the franchise could not use bankruptcy to evade its lease.
Baum said that because he was rejecting the motion, he need not rule at this time on whether Moyes and Balsillie could void Glendale’s lease. The city said it was pleased with the ruling.
“Clearly the court recognized the significance of these issues and the unique interests of the City of Glendale and its taxpayers,” the city said in a statement. “The court based its decision on the law and facts and not on countless rumors and innuendo regarding this matter.”
This is the third time Balsillie—whose company makes the Blackberry—has tried to buy an NHL team. His made previous attempts to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators.
Moyes took the NHL by surprise when he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 5, proposing to sell the team to Balsillie for $212.5 million, contingent on the franchise moving to Hamilton, Ontario.
The NHL said that commissioner Gary Bettman was on his way to deliver a letter of intent to Moyes from Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of baseball’s Chicago White Sox and the NBA’s Chicago Bulls, to purchase the team and keep it in Glendale. However, any bid to buy the team will be far less than the offer Balsillie made.
“I think people are going to be shocked when they see the value of this team remaining in Glendale,” Moyes’ attorney Thomas Salerno said. “It’s going to be materially less than the offer we have on the table.”
Salerno said Moyes is disappointed and is evaluating his options. Moyes says he has more than $300 million invested in the team and would have recouped about $100 million if the Balsillie sale had gone through.
The NHL says four parties, including Reinsdorf, have filed preliminary applications to investigate purchasing the team and keeping it in Arizona. However, if no buyer can be found, the league would look to relocate the franchise.
Moyes and Balsillie contended that the team would never succeed in Arizona and would flourish in hockey-crazy Ontario. But the move raised territorial rights issues because of the proximity of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres.
Baum had raised the specter of a fee due to the NHL and the two teams if the franchise moved.
The Coyotes have lost more than $300 million since the franchise moved from Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 2006, and at least $36 million each of the last three seasons, but the NHL contends the franchise can be viable with better management and more success on the ice.
Jumat, 12 Juni 2009
Your 2009 Stanley Cup Champions: The Pittsburgh Penguins.
Well, give them credit. They were hungrier than the Wings and when it was all said and done, the game was won not by Sidney or Geno, but by a gutsy role player by the name of Max Talbot (kinda reminds of when D-Mac scored the game winner in the 97 Finals.)
The question for the Wings: Do they give Hossa that ridiculous contract despite a poor playoff showing or do they let him go for another FA? Do the Red Wings keep Huds and Sammy, or should they add the one thing that was missing throughout the season during the off-season: toughness? I guess we'll find out.
The question for the Wings: Do they give Hossa that ridiculous contract despite a poor playoff showing or do they let him go for another FA? Do the Red Wings keep Huds and Sammy, or should they add the one thing that was missing throughout the season during the off-season: toughness? I guess we'll find out.
Senin, 01 Juni 2009
The Fight From Last Night.
Evgeni Malkin was visibly frustrated, but you gotta be honest, I think the trade off was really fair (I was disappointed to see that Zetterberg left his gloves on, though, he coulda gotten Malkin good if he wanted to.) I really don't think it was suspension worthy (unlike Dave, who thinks Malkin should be banned for the rest of the series :-P ) but I thought it was an attempt to get some weak heat because his team couldn't generate strong heat from... well, scoring.
Anyway, enjoy the show.
Anyway, enjoy the show.
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