Showing posts with label WJHC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WJHC. Show all posts

Friday, December 21, 2012

Games Cancelled Thru Jan. 14th, Finland Beats Canada, More...

T.G.I.F. HabsAddicts

Thursday afternoon, the National Hockey League made the long anticipated announcement that games would be cancelled through January 14th, 2013. To date, 625 total games have been cancelled. It's expected that, while the NHL will not admit to it, this may very well be the last set of games cancelled before the entire season is scrapped.

Although NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly affirmed that there would be hockey this season in an interview with Elliotte Friedman on Wednesday, hope continues to dwindle.

Meanwhile, the league and NHL fans await, with angst and trepidation, the results of player voting to decide if the NHLPA will pursue its "disclaimer of interest." Should the union get the necessary 66% support from its members, expect that paper will be filed as earlier as Friday afternoon in the State of California.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

- Team Canada lost its first of two preparatory games versus Team Finland on Thursday morning. In a report on TSN.ca, the Fins took advantage of Canada's undisciplined play to give them an early wake up call before the WJHC begins on Boxing Day.

- Montreal Canadiens' top draft choice in 2012, Alex Galchenyuk was held off the scoresheet in a 3-2 overtime victory by Team U.S.A. over Sweden. That said, Habs' General Manager Marc Bergavin assured U.S.A. Hockey that Galchenyuk would remain in Russia regardless of the lockout situation.

- First U.S. President Barrack Obama chimed in, now CBC Sports tell us how Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper admitted that the NHL is treading in dangerous territory in its latest labour dispute.

- Unlike most NHL players, the lockout has only just begun for Habs' winger Rene Bourque, due to an abdominal injury he sustained during the off-season. Stu Cowan of Hockey Inside/out has the details.

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all of the HabsAddicts out there are very Happy Holiday season, and all the best for a healthy and prosperous 2013. GO HABS GO!!!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

WJHC Team Canada Preview, Habs' Fan Speaks Out, More...

Good Morning HabsAddicts!!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Sure, the holidays are upon us, but more importantly, the World Junior Hockey Championships are around the corner. This tournament, which emerged from relative obscurity in the late 70's and early 80's, has become a holiday tradition in households across Canada.

This year's edition of Team Canada, which kicks off tournament preparation this morning at 9:30 A.M., is loaded with talent. The NHL Lockout has afforded Team Canada the likes of Oilers' budding superstar Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Bruins' prospects defenseman Dougie Hamilton and goaltender Malcolm Subban.

While this team doesn't have nearly as much talent as its lockout predecessor in 2005, it still has the necessary talent to make another for gold. Habs' fans will be watching this tournament with great interest, as Canadiens' prospect Charles Hudon is among the 23 man Team Canada roster. They'll also be keeping a close eye on Team USA, and Habs' first round pick in 2012, Alex Galchenyuk, who, going into the tournament, has been tearing up the Ontario Hockey League.

Here is the full Team Canada roster:

Forwards: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Mark Scheifele, Jonathan Huberdeau, Ryan Strome, Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin, Charles Hudon, Boone Jenner, Anthony Camara, Phillip Danault, J.C. Lipon, Brett Ritchie, Ty Rattie

Defence: Morgan Rielly, Dougie Hamilton, Griffin Reinhart, Xavier Ouellet, Scott Harrington, Ryan Murphy, Tyler Wotherspoon

Goaltenders: Malcolm Subban, Jordan Binnington, Jake Paterson

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

Patrick Scebba, Habs' fan extraordinary, lashes out about how the NHL lockout, the third in his young lifetime, has affected him.

- It seems NHL players aren't only locked out on this side of the Atlantic, as reported by Hockey Badasses.

- Finally, Damian Cristodero of the Tampa Bay Times explains how the Lightning are starting to lose some season ticket holders.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Take It To The Judge, Un-Real Sports for Lupul, More...

Good Morning HabsAddicts!!!

Yesterday was the first day of voting for members of the NHLPA to decide on whether or not to pursue their "disclaimer of interest" filing in California court. The union requires 2/3 of its membership to agree in order to continue the process.

The question remains will the players willfully give up their rights to collective bargaining and all the protection afforded to them by the NHLPA, or will they think otherwise? I guess we'll know by Friday.

Things, however, are moving forward in the NHL's lawsuit against the union that contends they are bargaining in bad faith, and asks that the lockout be deemed legal.

Ronald Blum of the Globe and Mail uncovers the identity of the judge who will oversee the proceedings.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

- As much as we love to bash the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Real Sports Restaurant & Bar, located just steps from the Air Canada Centre, has started a lockout of their own. Sean Fitzgerald of the National Post gives Habs' fans another reason to smile.

- The Milwaukee Admirals beat the Hamilton Bulldogs on Sunday in a close game 4-3.

- Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times explains how Donald Fehr always puts his players first.

- Finally, in advance of this year's World Junior Hockey Championships in Ufa, Russia,Tim Wharnsby of CBC gives us the low-down on Team Canada's head coach, Steve Spott.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Jacobs Should Be Blamed, Meeting With Mediators, More

Good Morning Addicts !!!

Another week, another accusation...

Last week, Philadelphia Flyers' owner, Ed Snider, was accused of making disparaging remarks about Gary Bettman. This week, the focus shifted from the NHL Commissioner to some of the most powerful  owners in the league.

Joe Haggerty of Comcast Sportsnet New England reports how Gary Bettman is simply a puppet, with Jacobs and his gang pulling the strings. Is that really news to anyone?

Habs and Hockey Notes:

- On Wednesday, the NHL and NHLPA had their first meeting with Federal mediators. Katie Strang of ESPN New York give us the details.

- The Montreal Gazette's Dave Stubbs spoke to P.K. Subban about how his failure to sign with the Habs might actually work in his favour.

- ESPN and TSN Insider Pierre LeBrun reports on the Glendale City Council meeting and the approval of the deal to help save the Phoenix Coyotes.

- With the NHL Lockout well into its third month, Katie Carrera of the Washington Post give us her take on why fans and some NHL business partners may not return.

- Finally, getting away from all things NHL, TSN's Bob McKenzie assesses the firepower that will be available for Team Canada for the coming World Junior Hockey Championships.

(Photo: Associated Press)