Yzerman appointment today.

Told you so.

September 18.
"Who will fill Gretzky's shoes? It's not really about filling them, and more about throwing them the hell through a window and finding a new pair. As I've stated before, the 2006 Men's Olympic Hockey Team was probably the worst possible team you could have chosen. (Please see: leaving Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and Sidney Crosby at home = dumb, dumb, dumb.)

As I posted already, I think we've already found a new pair of shoes. Steve Yzerman."

The official appointment will happen today in about an hour and a half. You can watch the press conference live.

some arena worker is in trouble.

"That was the third time that happened in the game, so I don't know what happened," Habs coach Guy Carbonneau said of the wacky bounce late in the third period that resulted in the Bruins tying goal. "We had the Disney show in here, so maybe they didn't put the boards back properly. We'll check on it tomorrow. I'll make sure..."

Welcome to the 100th season, Montreal.

Jean Beliveau

Ooooh, they blew the 3-0 lead on purpose so that they could have a dramatic shootout victory at their first home game of their 100th season. I get it.

Canadiens legends Elmer Lach, 90, and Emile Bouchard, 88, two of the oldest surviving Canadiens alumni dropped the puck on the Canadiens season at the Bell Centre. They were joined by ten other Canadiens Hall of Famers: Jean Beliveau, Dickie Moore, Henri Richard, Yvan Cournoyer, Guy Lafleur, Bob Gainey, Guy Lapointe, Steve Shutt, Larry Robinson and Dick Duff. It's one of the truly nice things about Original Six teams like Montreal, they have this immense history and their former players are more than willing to come back and share.

Emile "Butch" Bouchard (#16) greets Elmer Lach (3)

The Canadiens built up a 3-0 lead by the end of the first period, with goals by Saku Koivu, Alexei Kovalev and Maxim Lapierre. But it slowly began to unravel, and silly old me thought that the Canadiens were going to blow it completely and lose. But all they wanted to do was have a thrilling finish. Ya gotta spot the other team some goals for fun, right? I mean really, what's the fun in destroying a team 6-1? (editors note: actually it's really fun, especially when it's Toronto on the wrong end of that score) Boston's David Krejci scored the first goal in the second period to get it rolling for Boston.

Carey Price had a bit of a bad bounce when he wandered behind the net. It was also extremely poor timing — there was 48 seconds remaining. As Price came to get the puck it took a strange bounce, hit the back of the net, squirted out front, and landed on the stick of Marc Savard. Price dove back at the net in a futile effort to make himself look like he tried. Savard also had the Bruins second goal of the night.



Price redeemed himself by stopping Patrice Bergeron, Phil Kessel and former teammate Michael Ryder in the shootout. And Alex Tanguay helped save the day by scoring the only goal for the Canadiens. Quebec boy does good.

Montreal has nine points of a possible ten this season. Boston continues its road to being not very good.

Alex Tanguay after scoring the shootout winner

Election hangover.

Well our election is done, and boy was it useless.


Let's back it up 8 weeks or so.

"I do think it's fair to say that in the past few months, and particularly over the summer, we have seen increasing signs that this Parliament is really not working very well anymore, it's becoming increasingly dysfunctional," said Prime Minister Stephen Harper on August 14.

So, this is going to be a bit of an outrageous question. It's really crazy guys... really really wacky. I doubt anyone else has the opinion. What the shit is different? What is stopping this new parliament from being "dysfunctional".

Let's not even get into the fact that Stephen Harper was the only person in Canada who thought that the last parliament was dysfunctional. But if it was dysfunctional before, how will it be any different now. It's still a Conservative minority, there's just a few small difference in numbers. I would almost say the opposite.

If anything I think this is going to cause more problems. Brand new cabinet ministers. Remember how good an environment minister Rona Ambrose was?

Ok. I'll be alright.


In hockey news, an update on the cause of Alexei Cherepanov's death, story from the Canadian Press is below:

MOSCOW - Russian hockey player Alexei Cherepanov, who collapsed and died during a game, had heart problems and probably should not have been allowed to play, a regional investigator suggested Tuesday.

Yulia Zhukova said Cherepanov, who died Monday playing for Avangard Omsk in a Continental Hockey League game outside of Moscow, apparently had chronic ischemia - a medical condition that occurs when the heart or other organs do not get enough blood.

"Checks will be conducted to clarify, in particular, why the sportsman with such an illness went onto the ice," Zhukova said.

Cherepanov's agent, however, said NHL tests showed him to be healthy.

A lawmaker suggested that the 19-year-old first-round draft pick for the New York Rangers may have died due to negligence on the part of paramedics.

Pavel Krasheninnikov, who sits on the Russian Hockey Federation's supervisory council and is a member of the State Duma, said there was no ambulance on duty at the Moscow region arena where Cherepanov was playing.

He also asserted emergency workers took too long to respond and didn't have a defibrillator - a medical machine that shocks the heart. It was unclear how much time it took paramedics to respond.

"There are elements of negligence here," Krasheninnikov said.

Vladimir Shalayev, the managing director for the newly formed Russian league, said a preliminary autopsy showed Cherepanov had a "hypertrophied heart."

"It has nothing to do with yesterday's game, there were absolutely no injuries," Shalayev said in televised comments. "He was not injured during this game."

Cherepanov's agent, Jay Grossman, said the player had tests at the NHL combine before last year's draft that didn't reveal any heart problems. He has been told that players in the Russian league receive regular heart and blood tests, similar to those given in the NHL.

The incident caught the attention of a high-level government meeting, chaired by President Dmitry Medvedev, to discuss how to revitalize Russia's deep sporting traditions.

"A person should not be allowed to take part in competition if he has ischemic heart disease," Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said. "This means that in fact there is no preliminary health control and monitoring. And this system should be very well-defined."

Former Rangers captain Jaromir Jagr played a shift with Cherepanov and was talking to him on the bench shortly after they left the ice. Cherepanov then suddenly collapsed, according to a Rangers spokesman who talked to Jagr.

There was no collision that preceded the collapse, the spokesman said.

Amateur video taken at the match showed players and coaches gathered around the Avangard bench and then carrying a player who appeared to be Cherepanov.

Cherepanov scored the first goal Monday and had eight goals in 15 games this season, his third with Avangard Omsk.

"It was really kind of a surreal thing for the players," Grossman told The Associated Press. "He was skating in on a 2-on-1 with Jaromir and then they came back to the bench. Jaromir was talking to him and he told him he has to score on that play. The next thing you know, he collapsed.

"(Jagr) went with him into the dressing room area and they revived him for some time and then he didn't make it," he said.

The 1970 Canadian Federal Election.

There's something wrong here... I didn't realize it was winter... or 1970. I totally missed out on New Years, must've slipped my mind. Is Pierre Trudeau running? Where am I?

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving

Canadians: Happy Thanksgiving everyone. And Happy Eve of the Federal Election Day — make sure you go out and vote.

Americans: Happy Columbus Day? Seriously guys? Do you always have to have a holiday on the same day as us? You have a Thanksgiving... it's in November. It's not our fault it's in November. Stop being all up in our grill. Geez.

Anything you can do I can do better.

The Toronto Maples can be worse than the Blues. No you can't. Yes I can!
Like i've said before, it's almost not fair to pick on the Leafs. But in today's game against the lowly St. Louis Blues, the Leafs blew a 3-0 lead to lose 5-4 in a shootout.
Speaking of bad.

The Los Angeles Kings' day just got better. They lost their young (but probably one of their better) defensemen from an injury against San Jose last night. Jack Johnson will be out 2-3 months with a shoulder injury.

Sad News.

Alexei Cherapanov,the Russian player touted to go near the top in the 2007 draft but ended up in the 17th spot with the Rangers, died today.

Cherapanov, 19, played for the Kontinental Hockey League's Avangard Omsk. He and collapsed on the bench during a game in Moscow and later died.

“We are extremely saddened by the tragic passing of Alexei,” Glen Sather, the Rangers president and general manager, said in a statement. “On behalf of the New York Rangers organization, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family.

The cause of death has not be released but speculation is that he had a heart attack.

Evil Reptilian kitten eater?

This has nothing to do with hockey, but I think it's funny.

New Hockey Anthem.

Ok I must admit, I like it. The winner was Colin Oberst, (our 13-year-old came second).

Where do I start?

Guys I'm so rusty. I didn't realize how rusty I was. There are too many games to deal with!!!

Two of my favourite people. (Ron MacLean and Peter Mansbridge.)

Destruction.

Ok, starting with the Montreal-Toronto game. Montreal dominated, (understatement), the final was 6-1. There was one point when the game was close, I think it was the first five minutes of the game. Toronto had a couple good chances but Jaroslav Halak shut them down.

I was perplexed about Carbonneau's decision to start Halák instead of Price (mostly because it would've been a guaranteed win, and I have Price in my pool). But I figured they probably wanted to rest price after playing last night where the game went the full legnth to the shootout and Price handled 36 shots. A friend also pointed out that Montreal needs to "showcase their trade bait."

False Hopes.

I haven't spoken to any Leafs fans yet tonight. Most of them are huddled in their dark basements quietly sobbing, i'm sure. Anyway, judging by the reaction that is usually garnered by the result of the first game of the season, I can't help but think that Toronto fans were excited after the big win against Detroit. Oh well.

Tanguay.

Gave all proof in the world that the difference between a good player and a bad player can be the playing style of the team they're on. Tanguay looks like he's been playing in Montreal for five years — he fit right in. 4 points (a goal and three assists) says it all.

Cherry.

Geez Don. I was on your side when you called Sean Avery a jerk. But i'm not on your side with this one. Cherry complained after the game that Montreal had their "top powerplay line on the ice with a couple minutes left and the game was out of hand". Well Don, it's the beginning of the season and Carbonneau is going to take the in-game practice for the line when he can. Second, if you don't want to play against the top power play line. Stop taking penalties.

Palin.
The Alaska legislative panel released their report into Sarah Palin's abuse of power allegations yesterday. So in classic Palin style, she did something hockey mom related to brush it off. Sooooo she dropped the puck at the Philadelphia Flyers home opener accompanied by the winner of some ridiculous "ultimate hockey mom" contest. On top of it all they gave out lipstick to the hockey moms in attendance.

Oh there was something else I was suppose to mention... umm... what was it... Oh yes, Flyers owner Ed Snider gave donations to the Republican campaign. That's good. Using your NHL team as a political pawn.

Kippers self-destruction.

Calgary was leading 3-1. At home. Home opener. Lost 5-4 in overtime. Todd Bertuzzi was a disaster on skates, hitting from behind and elbowing in the head... I think the fans in Calgary probably wished they were in Toronto. (now that's really sad.)

Happy Birthday Matt.

Happiest Birthday to my friend Matt, who says he's an Ottawa Senators fan. It's Ok dear... we understand. Hope it's a good one. :)

(un)lucky dude.

There are some people who are lucky in the worst way. You know... the type of luck where it's like, 'hey you fell 15 storeys and broke every bone in your body and then a bear dragged you through the woods and you got hypothermia but... you lived!!!'

Enter Clint Malarchuk.

The former Buffalo Sabres goaltender is most famous for having his neck slit by a skate in 1989. Just a few days ago he "accidentally" shot himself.

The Canadian Press story is below:

RENO, Nev. - An investigation into the shooting of former NHL goalie Clint Malarchuk concluded it was ''accidental under suspicious circumstances.''

Douglas County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Jim Halsey said Friday that the probe into the Tuesday shooting at Malarchuk's Fish Springs home about 60 miles south of Reno was closed unless new evidence surfaces.

The 47-year-old Malarchuk, now a goalie coach for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, was taken to a Reno hospital after being shot in the chin. He has since been released.

Malarchuk and his wife, Joan, insist the shooting was accidental. The couple said Malarchuk had been shooting rabbits and the .22-calibre rifle discharged after he placed the butt on the ground between his legs.

Halsey said the couple had an argument, and it's unlikely the rifle would have discharged from being set down.

''Because of the circumstances, it could be attempted suicide, but he and his wife are adamant that it was an accident. So we're classifying it as accidental under suspicious circumstances,'' Halsey told The Associated Press. ''Unless we have some contrary evidence, the investigation is closed.''

Deputies said Malarchuk was unco-operative with paramedics and initially refused medical treatment after the shooting.

Joan Malarchuk told deputies that her husband had been drinking and he was not supposed to consume alcohol while taking his prescription medication.

Malarchuk, best known for having his jugular vein slashed by a skate in a 1989 game with Buffalo, was arrested in October 2007 on suspicion of disorderly conduct and obstructing and resisting a public officer after being asked to leave a Gardnerville bar south of Reno.

''Our concern is with Clint and his well being,'' the Blue Jackets said Thursday. ''We are optimistic that he will have a full recovery very soon.''

He played 10 seasons in the NHL with the Quebec Nordiques, Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres.

What were you doing when you were 13?

I was playing Sega Genesis.

But our buddy Robert Fraser-Burke is now in the top 2. The winner will be announced on Saturday night.

The winner gets a $100,000 and half the royalties.

Jay Onrait is my hero.

I was scouring wikipedia today in my attempt to procrastinate on something that mattered... I looked up Jay Onrait because to tell you the truth, he was on the television at that precise moment. He is hosting Off The Record for the week. Anyway I came across this gem. Proof that wikipedia does work!

"Onrait, a native of Athabasca, Alberta, joined NHL Network in 2001 as host of both the network's flagship show NHL on the Fly and Molson That's Hockey 2. He also filled in during the summer of 2002 as co-host of various editions of SportsCentre. Jay Onrait is known as a hero to all the young children out there to aspire to do something with their lives."

I am personally placing a hundred-dollar bounty on the head of Tim McCracken. He's the head coach and chief punk on that Syracuse team.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The No. 7 that Paul Newman wore as Reg Dunlop in the cult hockey comedy "Slap Shot" is going to the rafters of the Syracuse War Memorial.

The Syracuse Crunch announced Tuesday that the team will pay tribute to the late actor by raising a banner before Saturday's American Hockey League game against the Rochester Americans. The banner will stay there for the entire season.

Crunch president Howard Dolgon says it's appropriate Newman's legacy should be recognized and honoured in the arena where parts of the legendary movie were filmed in 1977.

Newman died last month at age 83 after a battle with cancer.

A video tribute to Newman's role in "Slap Shot" will be shown during the ceremony

(Canadian Press)

I found my kid's skates today, how hard can it be to find Osama Bin Laden?

A friend just forwarded this to me... My favourite is "Can you tell a heartwarming hockey mom story?"