Hockey has hit a bit of a sad state. I am talking about it being on the general consciousness of the public. Was watching Jeopardy! a couple of nights ago. There was a Sports category. One of the questions needed the answer/question “What is Formula One?” The contestant had the question as a daily double and got it. Yet the $2000 question/answer in the category dealt with what league the Minnesota Wild play in. All three contestants had blank stares.
To more happy stuff, two Red Wings picked up more hardware at the NHL Awards Ceremony last night. Niklas Lidstrom won his sixth Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman, and Pavel Datsyuk won both the Selke Award for best defensive forward and the Lady Byng Award for excellence with the most gentlemanly play.
Lidstrom also has been making waves, along with Chris Osgood, for their appearance on Jay Leno a few nights ago. Check this out:
I cringed though to see that one of the audience members was wearing a Gerard Gallant jersey. Yikes, is that old or what?!
And while on the subject of Chris Osgood, he did a very good interview with Jim Rome a few days ago on ESPN. You can check that out below:
Sometimes I find Rome annoying, but thought this was a great interview.
And for those that haven’t heard, one of those involved in the Wings Stanley Cup championship has already left for “greener” pastures. Assistant coach Todd McLellan TOOK the job as head coach of the San Jose Sharks. In my opinion, a little risky taking your first head coaching job with a team like the Sharks. They have underachieved the last few years. Along with me, many expected them to be hoisting the Cup last week. But you never know. I got the feeling the McLellan would become a head coach eventually somewhere, and will probably be successful on some level.
Now it’s time to concentrate on baseball.
June 13th, 2008 at 8:39 am
So what did you think of the MVP winner? Were you surprised that it wasn’t the “New Face of the NHL”? So what league does the Wild play in? Is it Major Leauge Soccer? Arn’t the North Stars still the NHL team in Minnesota?
June 13th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Crosby didn’t play enough to garner it. In some respects I think Malkin deserved it more then Ovechkin. Malkin was counted on during Crosby’s injury to help keep the team even keel, and yet he seemed to do more then needed. But obviously, take Ovechkin away from the Capitals and you have a minor league team with two good goalies, yet they won their division and made the playoffs (mind you in by far the league’s weakest division).
I also think Nabokov got snubbed out of the Vezina. Sure, Brodeur is a great goalie, and always has been. But I think he has been winning them lately because he was snubbed many times early in his career. I don’t think anyone played better, with more pressure, then Nabokov did this year.
June 13th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Let’s not forget……
19 year-old winger Patrick Kane took home the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie Thursday night at the NHL Awards in Toronto. Kane beat out Nicklas Backstrom and teammate Jonathan Toews to become the first Blackhawk to earn the Calder Trophy since goaltender Ed Belfour in 1991.
Take a look back at Kane’s award-winning season with this photo gallery.
The NHL also announced Thursday night that Kane and Calder Trophy finalist Jonathan Toews were among the six members of the NHL’s All-Rookie Team.
June 13th, 2008 at 10:24 am
I am sure that you are hoping that the two of them continue to grow. Gives the Hawks two good players to start building around.
June 13th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Take away Ovechkin and the Caps aren’t a “minor league team”, they’re a young team with some promise. Besides the rookie of the year runner up they also have Green back on the Blue line who has the potential of becoming a great two way player.
June 17th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
I’m afraid I could not think what the Minnesota Wild played either, and I wouldn’t have been risking the $2K. Sorry. (But I got the Formula 1 from the clue.) I know the old-line teams, and the Kings and the Avalanche, a couple others. 19 of the 30 teams, as it turns out., as I check http://www.nhl.com/. The Phoenix Coyotes? The Columbus Blue Jackets? Really?! I had no clue.
June 18th, 2008 at 7:42 am
Old-line teams, would those be the California Seals, Kansas City Scouts, Atlanta Flames, Quebec Nordics, and the above mentioned North Stars?
June 18th, 2008 at 11:40 am
You know Rangers, Red Wings, Blackhawks, Canadiens, Penguins. Those teams in places that actually get cold.