CCCP.

Russia is having war of words in politics and now in Hockey as well. The KHL (Kontenintal Hockey League... they can't even spell Continental right...) is claiming that the NHL is stealing its players. And the NHL is claiming the same about the KHL. Can you feel the love?

"NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in the Radulov case, the IIHF, “lacked the courage and conviction to do what’s right,” by not ordering Radulov to fulfill the final year of his contract with the Nashville Predators. Despite still being under contract to the Predators, Radulov signed a three-year deal worth $13 million with Salavat Ufa of the KHL and has already appeared in several games."

For those of you who thought that the Russians starting their own league wasn't going to be a problem. Case and point. I think the NHL is in for it, especially when the KHL starts expanding into hockey-mad countries like Czech Republic, Sweden, etc. It's also going to be interesting to see what the KHL does to the Elite leagues in such countries.

I'm always down for a good Russian soap opera... especially the kinds that don't involve the demolition of humanity.

Hockey Canada named Pat Quinn the new head coach of the Canadian Junior hockey team. I like it. He's got Olympic experience. If anyone can whip those long haired hippies into shape, it's the curmudgeonly Patt Quinn. What do you call a 5-peat anyway? Oh yeah... Awesome.

Carey Price has dropped 25 pounds, the impressive thing is he still weighs 200. Apparently he managed the feat by giving up chocolate bars...

Love at the End of the World.

New Sam Roberts album (Love at the End of the World) = awesome. The album was fully released today, (yes i pre-ordered it and it was in my itunes this morning). It's everything you'd expect from a Sam Roberts album: Jeans and T-Shirt rock and roll that doesn't pull any fancy studio tricks to make it seem like they're actually musicians. And I can only imagine that it'll translate to an amazing live show. Album is full of catchy riffs and lyrics, but not toooo catchy (see: Nickelback. see: repetitive). You should pick it up.


In hockey news (although since Sam Roberts is a fan of Les Canadiens, I consider his new album hockey news),

Apparently Chris Simon has decided to abandon the NHL and will be playing in Russia next season. In Russia, Simon will be employed part time by the Russian Mafia where his skate stomping and stick swinging will be of great use.

Did that guy who always wears the velvet blazer, flowered shirt and jeans (sean mccormick) just say "eight-nizzle for bo-dizzle"?... on top of it all i'm pretty sure it was referring to baseball. puke.

I was watching TSN earlier and Mad Mike Milbury called the Stanley Cup Final match-up, "delicious".

As you may have noticed I'm just spewing thoughts in here as they appear in my head, I get a little off when i know HWS (hockey withdrawal syndrome) will soon be setting in.

A pro-longed Duthie-ism:

Watching the Russians celebrate their gold medal, I was thinking it was time for a slow-clap. You know the slow-clap, right? It’s the feel-good movie cliché where something inspirational happens in front of a crowd, there is silence for a moment, then one person starts a dramatic slow-clap that builds to a cheering frenzy. Roll the credits.

Anyway, wouldn’t it have been great if there weren’t any cheering Russians in the Quebec crowd, just 15 thousand stunned silent Canadians, until Prime Minister Stephen Harper stood up and started the slow-clap?

If Sidney Crosby is "The Next One", wouldn't Steven Stamkos be "The Next Next Savio(u)r "? Geez, Hockey News, get your facts straight...and your spelling. Which would make John Tavares "The Next Next Next One".





I think that's it... expect more of this randomness as the week progresses before the finals start on Saturday.