"He sweats grease, so no, he’s greasier than ever."

The Canadian Press, Friday April 3, 2009

EDMONTON -- With a five-word text message, Edmonton Oilers' owner Daryl Katz took the heat off embattled coach Craig MacTavish Thursday and put it directly on his players.

Katz's unequivocal vote of confidence for MacTavish was delivered by way of text message to Bob Stauffer, the team's radio analyst and pre-game show co-host with 630 CHED, before a 2-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks

It read: "MacT is not going anywhere."

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That was two weeks ago.

I'm sure Katz could've afforded to add the extra words, "...if we make the playoffs." Because today Craig MacTavish became the most recent homeless NHL coach.

There are always the arguments that pop up when a coach is fired. Maybe the General Manager gave him crappy players. Maybe nobody can make Ales Hemsky play a full season. Maybe it's the coaching style. Maybe MacT took a few too many hits to the head back in his playing days. Maybe the city put too much pressure on a team that was destined for mediocrity. Maybe there's an inability to keep players that they sign (cough cough... Chris Pronger). Maybe they should've kept Ryan Smyth. Maybe, Maybe, Maybe.

But one thing is not a maybe. You don't send text messages to a radio station host saying that a coach is safe, only to yank the carpet from beneath his feet two weeks later.

GRE-HE-HEASY!

In honour of MacT... go watch this vid.

staring out the window at the CBC onto the sidewalk-less Charlottetown.

A quick post while I wait to leave for the day.

What do you call it? ... oxymoron?

I came across an interesting story on CBC.ca today... the Victoria Minor Hockey Association pays it's volunteers.

I suppose they're no longer volunteers, and are more... oh... you know... staff?

Clan MacDonald

This is something I became aware of a while back, but it seems that every person I mention it to is shocked by it.

CBC Correspondant Neil MacDonald (seen here with a very serious journalist face)

is brother to,

former SNL funny man... Norm MacDonald,

You're Welcome.

The Big Question.

Question: Will Alexei Kovalev ever score a goal this year?

Answer: Yes. When his euro-mullet grows back to magic status.

Soul Searching.

Kovalev weaved his magic touch last night to win the game with the final shootout goal. 

Montreal shouldn't be going to a shootout with the St. Louis Blues. 

I can see the small vein in the side of Guy Carbonneau's neck beginning to pulsate everytime he hears the announcers say that the Canadiens powerplay is running 0 for 18. 

Yes. The top powerplay in the NHL for the past few years is 0 for 18. One of the main problems is the man himself: Kovalev. They need to stop trying to carry the puck into the zone. Dump, chase to the corner and then start your magical passing. Seriously, if you chase, you will win. You're fast. 

You can't very well put the puck on net if you can't even get into the zone and control it for a few seconds. 

Now, in my humble opinion, a second way to score is to look where your passing. I know, I know... this is outrageous...but trust me. Before you step on the ice, look down. What colour sweater do you have? Make sure you remember that. You seem to be forgetting. A lot.

The Canadiens have until tomorrow night to get their act together when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes. 

I can't even talk about this weekend.

Habs take 1 point out of a possible 4. yay.

Great job guys. Good penalty killing.

But it's not completely your fault. Good job NHL Schedulers... does Montreal get another week off for the third time in a row? You're spreading Kovalev's magic thin. It only works when he gets to play often. It keeps the magic warm.

The NHL scheduling team is killing Kovalev's magic.

Which is basically the same as a buzz kill.

Nobody wants to be a buzz kill.

Also it appears that Killer Kostopoulos will have his hit on Toronto's Mike Van Ryn looked at by the NHL. Van Ryn has a concussion and bled all over the ice. Killer Kostopoulos was ejected from the game.

And Jesus, Price (see the comma makes a big difference... take it out and it's Jesus Price, which is what I put for my religious views on facebook.) maybe you should go back to eating burgers and chocolate bars late at night... it seemed to work for you before.


And now for the wacky picture of the day...


This just looks plain crazy.

Where's the Eug?

Everyone is saying that Malkin disappeared. But I'm not really sure if "disappeared" is the correct word. Malkin is there, that part is obvious. It's especially so when he's coughing the puck up to the other team, making poor passing decisions, and floating around, putting him at a -3 this series.

I speak of this today because I found myself literally yelling at Malkin. Well... I was yelling at the television, but that makes me sound crazy. It's literally unbelievable that this guy is an MVP candidate, after watching him meander through the Stanley Cup Finals playing like the Malkin of the pre-high ankle sprain days. It appears to me now that the only way to wake Malkin up is for Georges Laraque to take Sid Crosby out back and bust up his foot (Tonya Harding style).

I came into work this morning and a friend of mine said watching the game last night was "like watching the last two seasons of Miami Vice." I don't know what that means, but it sounds like a bad thing.

"The first two games weren't the best games our team played, and especially me" ... let's extend that quote a few more games shall we?