8 questions with a Senators fanatic...

Seriously, how can Bryan Murray make the Sens better? They're already light years ahead of most teams when it comes to talent and finesse. You won't find guys like Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley, Wade Redden (?) and Ray Emery on most other teams.

Sherry, the Sens' beat writer on this blog and over from the always zealous Scarlett Ice was kind enough to be answer 8 burning questions about her Ottawa Senators.

Enjoy, and Habs fans should wait for a surprise that might come later.

1) First off, I know this is kind of old, but how do you feel about the Sens' loss to the Ducks in the final? What went wrong, is there someone in particular that needs to be blamed?

Well, at first I sort of felt calm. The truth is I was expecting it. The way they were playing they didn't deserve to win. I was disappointed, but I kept on trying to tell myself that making it to the finals is a huge accomplishment and I shouldn't let losing overshadow what a great season they had.
But then after the dust settled I started to make myself look closer at what happened. As a fan, I was mad that my team didn't show up in the final. They did a lot of great things but it obviously wasn't enough.

As for what went wrong, I think they were just out of their depth. They didn't really have any trouble handling opponents in the playoffs until that point and the Ducks were just a stronger, grittier team.
I don't think anybody can be blamed solely for it. The top line, asides from Alfie, completely disappeared and the lack of secondary scoring was exposed. Muckler got the boot because coaching wasn't the reason they lost but something had to be done.

2) The Sens have had terrific players and terrific seasons for too long now, what needs to change? Was John Muckler really the one that deserved to go?

I think the poor start this past season was really beneficial to their development, and getting hit with all of those injuries, they really learned to play as a team. Murray was a coach that they were willing to play for; they really wanted this for one another but also for him.

As far as change, I think the younger players need to develop in a positive direction and try to find the role which they fit. For example, everybody had high offensive expectations for Antoine Vermette, yet he turned out to be a great defensive player. Same with Mike Comrie. Spezza and Heatley need to continue to develop their defensive sensibilities. They're moving in a very positive direction and I think more size and sandpaper will help. Muckler really enjoyed skilled, finesse players yet as we saw in the final, it might not be enough if you're going to be wallpapered into the boards.

I think if you look at Muckler's track record, one might say he didn't deserve to go but as I said before, the Senators have had the same story these past couple of years and still haven't won anything.
Melnyk and Mlakar couldn't keep on motoring ahead with the status quo, and since coaching wasn't the problem and Murray, being a free agent had more negotiating power, Muckler was the one who took the fall.

3) Bryan Murray's the new Sens GM, in what way do you think he'll be different from his predecessor in John Muckler?

Hmm, well if you believe the reports that came out, Muckler and Murray had a very different view of what the team needed. Murray has had experience as a GM before, and they both have a very keen hockey sense.

I think Murray is a lot less gun shy about making the necessary moves. He's not afraid to use players in a very limited role if he feels they aren't contributing and I'm sure he won't be as reluctant to part with assets if it means bringing in somebody that could help the team. Not that

Muckler was, but during his tenure, you always got the sense that maybe he was waiting for a payoff with his current squad that just wasn't happening.

You can see from the draft already that Murray wants more size and grit from this team. He had a large hand in putting together a lot of the assets on the Ducks squad that won the Cup this year and a lot of the players he drafted and signed were big guys who had a really complete all-around game.

4) Tell us about the Senators' impending UFA's, what's their plan?
Who should be retained and who will walk the plank?

Well, the Senators only have a couple of notable UFA's.

The one I really wanted to keep the most was Dean McAmmond, and he was luckily signed to a new 3 year deal recently. The others are Mike Comrie and Tom Preissing.
Both of whom I would like to keep for a realistic salary.

The truth is Comrie and Preissing will both most likely be asking for huge raises and in a salary cap world, it would probably best to let them walk and use the money somewhere else.
Comrie and Preissing both have a lot of potential and a lot of upside but at times what they provide can be very limited.

For the most part, the Senators will probably try to retain both and maybe create cap space via trades. But Murray will hardly be reluctant to let them walk if they can't realistically fit under the cap.

5) How should Ottawa handle the Wade Redden saga?

Here's one I'm personally interested in.

It's hard to say.

I think the poor guy is having a lot of pressure on him from playing in a market like Ottawa and it's even more magnified because of the size of his paycheque.
He's got one more year on his contract before he's a UFA again and he has a no trade clause. Edmonton has been famously trying to lure him over there and he's come out publically to say he's not interested.

I think that means a lot to the Ottawa fanbase, even though we are the ones who are giving him the roughest time.
As a fan, it's frustrating to see him struggling the way he is because you know he's capable of so much more. A lot of people will point to his disappointing season as a sign that we should have signed Chara instead, but he's hardly been earning his paycheque over in Boston.

I think it would be a lot easier to just cut him loose and use the money somewhere else, but I feel like no matter who we trade him for, or who we use his salary to sign, it just wouldn't make up for what Wade Redden is capable of providing.

It's a big 'If', but Redden is somebody who is very important to the Senators franchise and the Ottawa community. He's a sentimental favourite, he's grown up in front of our eyes. I think as it stands, the Senators should keep him, at the very least until the trade deadline. He only has one more year and the upside of him having a horrific season is that it'll be more realistic to sign him for less when his contract is up for renewal

6) Now onto more frustration, how exactly do you feel about Martin Gerber?
At first sight, his overall numbers aren't terrible, but that's probably deceiving.

You know, when Gerber came to Ottawa, I was somebody who was very excited that we were finally getting a number 1 starter.
His numbers this season are almost exactly the same from his numbers in Carolina. The difference of course being he had 38 wins in Carolina.
I think his psyche was really damaged from having to start in the series against Montreal [mouhhahahaha] when his health wasn't 100% and I was very adamant in defending him, but there's got to be a time where you say enough is enough.
He played well during the end of the season, but there were just times where you held your breath and wondered if he was going to make that save. [sounds like Jose Theodore]

I would like to keep him, because as a back-up he's better than some teams have.
But as it stands, you don't want somebody on the bench with that kind of contract.
Gerber's been a great team player for this squad and he has said that he likes Ottawa, but understandably as a goaltender, you want to go somewhere where you can play.

I think he should definitely be traded, but I'm not in any rush to see him go.
I'm willing to wait until after the season starts or until the trade deadline even, seeing as how Emery recently had wrist surgery and we won't know how he'll be coming back.

7) Who do you want the Sens to go after in this year's UFA crop?

I think the Senators need to get a veteran.
Everybody was talking about how they needed to get Gary Roberts. Roberts was on the Pens but couldn't help them past the first round.

I think getting a gritty veteran who's also been to the big dance before will help, but you have to make sure he's somebody who can help.
The Senators need help with secondary scoring, so somebody who can provide both will be helpful. It's completely unrealistic and will never ever happen, but I love what Chris Drury brings to a team. Maybe even a Bill Guerin or Paul Kariya.

These are guys I would LOVE to see in a Senators jersey, but again, just a pipe dream, haha.

I also think the Senators need to get a bigger, more physical D. Volchenkov and Phillips are a great shut-down tandem, but asides from them we have a lot of puck moving offensive defensemen whose defensive abilities are questionable at times.
If Preissing does end up leaving, Schubert will most likely go back to playing D.
He's the type of defenseman who we need more of, but he still has a bit of a way to develop so as to make smarter decisions and not take stupid penalties.

8) You guys were all drooling over the possibility of having Alexei Kaigorodov as the team's 2nd line centre, I was worried he might become another lethal force at centre, such as Jason Spezza, and end up hurting the Habs badly.
Now he's in cold Russia, what exactly went wrong with him?

I think nothing went wrong with him per say, except for the fact that we built up unrealistic expectations of him.

We had these hopes that he would become the second line centre we so badly needed, yet he came over here and fell flat.

Yet, if you think about, if you're pulling a kid out of Russia, a second round draft pick who has never played the North American game before, you can't possibly expect him to perform right away, yet we heard all of the amazing things he could do and put too much pressure on him way too early.

Muckler did the right thing by wanting to send him down to Binghamton. A spell in the AHL never hurt anybody, but Kaigorodov refused. I guess it was a pride issue but the Senators had no choice but to trade him. I think Kaigodorov can play in the NHL.

Phoenix has his rights now and he could be really useful for a team in their situation.

--BBR

5 questions on the Habs...

Decisions...decisions, the Montreal Canadiens success lies in GM Bob Gainey's hands, as he prepares to head into, perhaps, the most difficult and demanding offseason of his life.

Hey everyone,

Jibblescribbits recently sent me 5 questions about the Habs, and I thought they'd be interesting enough to share with you, but beware, this is long and painful for some Canadiens fans out there.

Once he gets his official link out, I'll let you know here.

Here are my answers, via e-mail.

First thanks for taking the time to answer some questions about certain Habs, and their play last season. I am looking at certain teams, and their potential unrestricted free agents.
I can look at NHL.com for stats, but I like getting a first hand account of the players, and how fans of the team feel about those players.

1) So as I can see, Montreal has 3 potential Free Agents that I think the Avs might have at least an inkling of interest in. Niinimaa, Souray, and Bonk. Which ones would you rather keep, and why? If you had to let one go who would you let go of first?

There's no question the Canadiens would love to retain Souray, but, his sudden explosion onto the scoresheet last season will make him a hot commodity, should he hit the open market.
We all know he scored the most goals since Al McInnis did it about a decade ago, and broke a franchise records for goals scored on the powerplay, but he also was a complete black hole in his own end.

He was relied on way way too much by Guy Carbonneau, and a few of his bonehead plays may have cost us a couple of wins.

Nevertheless, Souray's offensive production was his main weapon, and fans loved it when he would get the puck at the point, wind up and just BAM, smash it in there.

Soon after though, teams learned that the Habs' no.1 ranked powerplay in the NHL was all because of Sheldon Souray, and his booming 95-100 mph slapshot.
I'd love to retain him, but if reports that the Habs offered him $4,5 million per season are indeed true, sayanora Sheldon, no way he's going to make less than Andrei Markov (5,75 per season), and if anything, he'll make more.

Personally, I'd like to keep Bonk, he's a great 2-way forward and played perhaps some of the best defensive hockey of his career, of his life, last season under Guy Carbonneau.
Originally acquired to provided a ''sized'' offensive output as the team's checking line centre, Bonk did the complete opposite and played inspired 2-way hockey, even if the Canadiens originaly got him to perform score-wise.

Still, Bonk was a pleaseant surprise last year after a horrific first season with the Canadiens back in 2005-2006.

He's a great guy, gets along well with the players and he is by far Carbonneau's favourite player out there, Bonk made $2,5 million last season, and that money was given to him while he was back in Ottawa, in the pre-lockout years, when his role as a forward was clear: Crash the net, and score.
Now, not so much, Bonk still uses his size and puckhandling skills to his advantage, but he is definitely not the player he used to be with the Senators.

Janne Niinimaa is expendable.
I was actually jumping up and down when I heard the Habs got him for the princess that is Mike Ribeiro, but I was quickly silenced as he really just turned out to be a totally different player than his days with Philly, Edmonton and the Islanders.
He played well in the second half, and after Craig Rivet was dealt, he earned more playing time and even got some powerplay time, but, he only had 3 points to show for it.
There are also reports out there that he will return to Finland next season and play for Karpat, I'm not sure what his current status is, but, if he can get more money and start in Finland, rather than earn minimum wage and be a 7th defenceman in the NHL, he'll go back to his country, and that may be good for him too, as he just didn't seem to be in the game last year.

At $2,7 million, he was also the team's highest paid defenceman, and only second behind Patrice Brisebois as the NHL's most expensive depth defencemen.

To directly answer your question, definitely Radek Bonk and if God allows it, Sheldon Souray.
If I was Bob Gainey, I'd let go of both and go after a guy like Danny Briere or now, Alexei Yashin, rather than give them a ridiculous amount of money, only to see them (more specifically, Souray) underachieve.

2) On some of the Avs boards Souray has been called an overhyped product of Eastern/Montreal Media.
The general thought is that he is excellent on the powerplay, but is a defensive liability the rest of the time. His team worst -28 rating (an overated stat to be sure) would tend to point to this. Is this a fair assessment?

Haha, these guys have obviously never watched Souray play.

Souray, is not a no.1 defenceman, like the Habs treated him last year, he is at best an upper tier no.3-4 defenceman with a no.1 defenceman status on the powerplay.

Souray was not overhyped by the Montreal media, far from that actually, he was actually underhyped most of the time as the Quebecois media thought that guys like Sergei Samsonov, Alex Kovalev, Andrei Markov and especially, quebecers Guillaume Latendresse and Maxim Lapierre were more important than Souray.

The only time the media overhyped Souray was near the trade deadline and in the final games of the regular season, when they realized that good ol' Bob may not be able to retain him.

His -28 rating is also deceiving,

When the Habs lost Mathieu Dandenault, Francis Bouillon, Craig Rivet and even Andrei Markov to injuries, they had no choice but to rely on Souray to lead the way, and as a result, he was on the ice for most of the goals scored and most of them that were scored against, had he been treated like a n.3 defenceman, his +/- would certainly be a lot better, just because he'd have played less.

So, increased playing time during the Habs second half slump led to his terrifying +/- rating (and those of Saku Koivu and Michael Ryder).
Ryder and Koivu were also first liners for the entire season and received a lot of playing time as well, you have Guy Carbonneau to blame for Souray's -28 rating and playing these guys so much.

3) Souray is getting all the attention, but how good is Niinimaa?
He had a -13 rating last season, but that is a deceiving statistic to be sure.
His 3 points in only 41 games played is worrisome, but is he a good defensive defensiveman that was usually stuck against top opposition and with a crappy partner (like Souray)?
Or was that partially his fault too?

Janne Niinimaa was a terrible defenceman for the Habs last year.
And no, he is no longer a solid defensive defenceman and seems to have lost all of his offensive instinct.

He is nervous with the puck and has trouble getting it out of his own end, he also took stupid holding and hooking penalties on more than one occasion, when he got a chance to play.
Niinimaa played with Sheldon Souray and Francis Bouillon, and that's all you need to know, both are not very good defencemen and Niinimaa's sloppy footwork didn't help his cause either.
He is also no longer the smooth Finnish skater of the pre-lockout era, he looks so uncomfortable skating backwards, it's actually kind of pathetic.

So in a word, no, you don't need Niinimaa and I don't think any other team in their right mind would want Niinimaa at this point.

4) I know you would love to get rid of Samsonov. What happened? Is he that bad an apple, or is it just a clash of styles (him and Guy Carbeneau). His salary is pretty daunting to a guy perceived to be a cancer, but the Avs could afford to take a chance with him. What would Montreal want in return? Would it even be worth the Avs wild? (remember you're not trying to swindle me, I'm not making the decisions so be honest :) )
First off, you ask any other Habs fan, he will tell you straight out the Sergei Samsonov sucks.

At first look, yes, he sucked bad last year, but that wasn't completely his fault.
We thought we knew what Bob Gainey had given us with Samsonov: a goal scorer and the perfect Russian linemate for Alex Kovalev.

That turned out to be the complete opposite, Samsonov did not score goals, far from that, and had one of the longest goal-scoring drought of his career, one that surpassed the likes of 20-games and made Habs fans feel like it would never end.
He was officially scratched for good in mid-February, after a horrible performance against the Atlanta Thrashers, who blew the Habs away bad.

There's no question Gainey is doing everything he can to dump Sammy, and I'm even hearing that Chicago would be intereted.
I don't care who it is, as long as anyone takes him and if we do get anything back from him, I'm happy, otherwise, play him, he's getting paid a lot of money to sit in the press box, and I think he would be just A LITTLE INCY WINCY BIT more valuable on the ice than in his street clothes.

And if the Avs did want to make a pitch for him, then they'd have to give up someone like Ken Klee, or Mark Rycroft in the same deal.
I can see someone giving up a checking line player and an overpaid defenceman for him, there had been rumours that the Hawks would give up Aucoin and Lapointe for him, but that's just going off the chart.
Giguere could take a chance on him, but don't expect production, especially if he's paired with the wrong guys.
A move to a place pressure-free (or, at least with less pressure) than Montreal could soothe Samsonov and bring back his old ways.

UPDATE: Gainey traded Samsonov to the 'Hawks, like I had said, and totally won out on another deal!
Adios Sammy, and it wouldn't surprise me if his production is much better in Michigan than it was up here, especially with a better coach in Denis Savard and a dead fanbase like the 'Hawks's, who demand simply nothing out of their players.

5) What would you like to see Montreal do? They don't seem to have a boatload of Free Agent money if they resign all their FA's, and this was a team that didn't make the playoffs last season. How are they going to accomplish that next season?

I'd like to see the Habs get a quality 1st-2nd line scorer with some size, but that'll be difficult to get, since it seems when it comes to size, the Habs either are hugely under average, or just can't find a way to bring any in.
Regardless of his size, Daniel Briere is the guy the Habs should target, and I'm not saying this like a Habs fan and I like him, I'm saying it since it's the truth.
Gainey said he'd aggressively pursue FA's, and if he can nail Briere, Gomez or even Bill Guerin, I'd be a happy duckling.
And no, if reports out of Montreal here are true (and what Bob Gainey quietly mentioned to the media), then don't expect the Habs to make any fatherly attemps to sign Mike Johnson, Radek Bonk and especially, Janne Niinimaa (gone) and David Aebsicher (gone for 2 months now).
Johnson and Bonk would be nice to retain, as I said above, but, there's only so much money Gainey wants to target to his UFA (Briere), and this may not leave much left for them two.
Barring any change in heart on Gainey's side, these guys, and their total 2007 salary of around $4.4 million combined will be tossed out the window, and that is really too bad.

I just hope the Canadiens don't pull another Samsonov but bring in some real, hard-core talent, something Habs fans have been waiting for a long time, a really long time, and hopefully, something we've waited for even longer, our old buddy Stanley...

Thanks for this, I had fun writing this and I know it's a bit long!

--BBR

Michael McKinley...a true hockey writer

This is what CBC tells us about Michael:
A Vancouver resident, Michael McKinley has penned several hockey-themed best-sellers, including The Magnificent One: The Story of Mario Lemieux, Hockey Hall of Fame Legends, Putting a Roof on Winter and Etched on Ice. He has also written for The Guardian (London), The Los Angeles Times and Sports Illustrated. McKinley was selected by the CBC to write the English-language book that will accompany the Hockey: A People's History television series, set for publication in October 2006.

And here's what Random House says about him:
The author of Putting a Roof on Winter and The Magnificent One: The Mario Lemieux Story, Michael McKinley is also a journalist, a documentary filmmaker, and a screenwriter. A Vancouver native, he was educated at the University of British Columbia and at Oxford University. His journalism has appeared in England, the US, and Canada, including the Guardian, Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, and the National Post. He has also written and produced several documentaries for CNN and an episode of South Park.

And here's what Bleu, Blanc et Rouge says about him:
You may have seen him on CBC, read his books, or witnessed him playing pick-up hockey somewhere where ice exists this winter, Michael McKinley's the hockey writer and more importantly, hockey fan, you want to meet.
He was kind enough to offer us some insight on his life and hockey through this interview, and also tells perhaps the best story of Lord Stanley's Cup journey as written in his succesful book Hockey: A People's History and as seen in the television show on CBC (same name).
Thanks again Michael, I hope you all enjoy it!

1) First off, I'd like to congratulate you on your book's "Hockey: A People's History" success.
Tell us, what prompted you to write it in the first place?
Thank you. It was a pleasure to write, and I hope I did the story justice.

I was invited to write the companion book to the CBC TV series “Hockey: A People’s History”, as well as the accompanying children’s book, “Ice Time: The Story of Hockey,” largely because of my previous hockey history, “Putting a Roof on Winter,” which some of the people planning the CBC series had read and liked.

I was inspired by the scope of the project, and the chance to tell as much of the story of this great sport as we could on both page and screen.
It's an epic tale that touches practically all of North America, and this would be the first time that I know of that the (largely North American) history of the game could be found under one cover, as it were.
It was an amazing experience for me, because I benefited so much from working with the TV people, who would send me their research and interviews with people and about places and teams that it would have taken me five years to compile.

2) Growing up, who was your favourite player, your favourite team?
I grew up in Vancouver, and despite having the Canucks to cheer for (or boo and hiss at, for the longest time), I loved the Montreal Canadiens.
I even made my own Montreal hockey sweater using a white sweat shirt and blue and red felt pens when my mother had committed the sin of buying me a Toronto Maple Leaf hockey sweater (yep, I was just like that kid in Roch Carrier's classic tale The Hockey Sweater, except he was in Quebec and I was in Vancouver).
I loved Guy Lafleur for his speed and skill and seemingly effortless ability to light up whatever goalie he was playing against.
The Canadiens of the 1970s defined hockey for me.

3) Now, who is your current favourite player and team?
My favourite player is Trevor Linden, and my favourite team is the Vancouver Canucks (I have a 2.5 year old daughter and she likes the Canucks, so I have to humour her).
I live in just had the pleasure of writing a profile on Linden for Vancouver Magazine, which you can find right here.
Linden is the kind of player who gives you everything he's got in every game he plays.
He's also a tireless worker off ice on behalf of kids with illnesses or who are in tough circumstances, and he does it all without calling any attention to himself.
He scored the winning goal in Vancouver's seventh-game first round playoff victory against Dallas, and he represents the best of that franchise.
He's a great role model to the young Canucks who are coming up, and I hope he signs another deal with the C's next season, as he's currently at the end of a one-year contract.

4) Is Atlanta GM Don Waddell to blame, especially after litteraly selling the farm to get Tkachuk and Zhitnik at the deadline?
I think GM's are under all kinds of quick fix pressures come the trading deadline (and to win the Cup, always), and so I wouldn't single out Don Waddell as being especially ruthless.
He gambled, and his acquisition of Tkachuk and Zhitnik helped Atlanta close out the season quite strongly and got them a playoff spot, because that too was in danger at the trading deadline.
However, Tkachuk bombed in the playoffs, and so did his team.
Waddell just lost his playoff bet; the Thrashers lost the playoff series.
He also gave up some draft picks, and this is the other part of the bet-- hindsight --if those traded picks turn into something.

5) Could Team USA make a serious run to win the upcoming World Hockey Championship? How do the other teams look heading into the event?
You know, I've so preoccupied with the end of the NHL season and the first round of the playoffs that I've paid little attention at all to the Worlds.
I do think that Canada has great goaltending in Cam Ward and Dwayne Roloson, and with a couple of Staal brothers in the line-up should go deep.
The USA has a lot of young guys in their lineup, and who knows-- they might come together as a contender.
It bodes well for the future of US hockey.

6) The Battle of California: the Ducks and Sharks are both very good hockey clubs, wouldn't it be interesting if they faced off and battled to make it to the Stanley Cup Final?
It would be a great series if the Ducks and Sharks met-- but big, tough San Jose has to get through skilled and savvy Detroit, and that's no small task.
Similarly, Anaheim, also a crash and bash team with some serious skill has to contend with the Canucks, who were shocked back into their A-game by Dallas.
The Canucks already had their playoff scare, and I think will play this series in a "nothing to lose" kind of way, and that will be dangerous for the Ducks.

7) Calgary, Vancouver and Ottawa are the only Canadian teams to make the playoffs this year, should the NHL consider bringing new franchises north of the border as to attract more fans in a hockey-crazy Canadian market?
I'd love to see NHL franchises in Winnipeg, Quebec City, Halifax (where the game began), and one in Regina.
The NHL can't seriously say that the inclusion of these cities will harm their ability to get a lucrative TV deal in the USA. I mean, look at the TV deal they have now.
The addition of competitive teams in hockey crazy cities would only make the NHL look good, and attract more hockey fans, period.
The league should be looking for success in place where its already waiting for them.

8) Since we're talking about the playoffs, maybe you could share with us who was this Lord Stanley and how did his "Cup" become the most renowned and sought after trophy in all of sports?
Frederick Stanley (AKA Lord Stanley of Preston) was the Governor-General of Canada from 1888 to 1893.

He was an aristocrat, the younger son of the 14th Earl of Derby, who had also been Prime Minister of England. Stanley had been a Member of Parliament himself, as well as an army officer, but at heart he was a gregarious sportsman who loved the vast potential of the new world—and he loved hockey, when he saw his first game at the Montreal Winter Carnival of 1889.

Soon, Stanley’s sons Arthur and Algernon were playing the game on a team called the Rideau Rebels, after Rideau Hall, the Governor-General’s official residence in Ottawa.
His daughter Isobel played in the first recorded women’s hockey match in Ottawa 1891 (though she—and women –played well before that), and Stanley built himself a rink at Rideau Hall and was known to play as well—even on Sundays, which earned him some grief for blaspheming on the Sabbath.

Stanley owned shares in the Ottawa rink in which his favourite hockey team played, the Ottawa Hockey Club, and while he would have loved to see them win his “Dominion Challenge Trophy”, that was not why he gave the sport this extraordinary gift.

The idea of such a trophy had been around in Canadian journals and saloons from the early 1890s, and Stanley saw that hockey was indeed Canada’s “national winter sport”.
Stanley had traveled across Canada, and he saw a young country of huge size and sparse population that was a British dominion next door to much more populous and republican USA. He saw a challenge trophy as a way to express Canadian national identity and to unite a far-flung people through hockey by making it possible, for example, for a team from the Yukon to play a team from Ottawa (as happened in 1905) for what was soon known as the Stanley Cup.
Stanley also saw the widespread play of hockey as a way to keep young men of military service age in shape during the winter, since there were real fears that the US might try to expand its borders.

So the Stanley Cup has a rich history for its being, and a great irony at its core: Lord Stanley never saw a match played for his trophy because he went back to England on the death of his older brother in July 1893 to become the 16th Earl of Derby.
The first Stanley Cup was awarded a few months later.

To me, it’s the greatest sports trophy in the world not just because it’s the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, nor because you have to win sixteen games over a gruelling two month schedule to win it, but because what began as a nationalistic enterprise is now truly international—hockey players from all over the world can come together to compete for it and to win it, not as a nation, but as a team made up of different nationalities who for this season, prove it belongs to them.

9) In your opinion, what does the NHL need to do in order to draw more fans in a "light" American hockey market?
The NHL needs to change its nutbar schedule, so that we here in Vancouver see the Habs or the Leafs or Sidney Crosby more than once every three years. How can you get fans of any stripe excited here if they're seeing Edmonton or Minnesota for the eighth time in a season (and vice versa)? The NHL they want to build regional rivalries. Yes, well, having exciting players and famous teams come in will make the home side play hard, and rivalry will ensue-- if only for that game. Give us some variety. A lot of GM's feel the same way, but a few Eastern GM's are happy with the current schedule, because they can play in their own time zone for months on end, and life is easy. For instance, Martin Brodeur didn't play a game outside of the eastern time zone from November 27 to the end of the season. Sure, a couple of games were in Florida, but it makes a huge difference to the wear and tear on a team and their budget if they can travel to games by bus.

10) And finally, what do you think of my blog? Does it need more Michael McKinley content to spruce it up?
Your blog is great, and I'd be happy to contribute to it whenever you like.
If the Canucks go deep in the playoffs, I'll have lots more to say!

And that's it!

I hope you've enjoyed this little tidbit of mine, it goes along nicely with two other informative interviews the Ghost posted earlier today.

I wonder what's next from Michael?

Canadiens: The Story of the franchise from the Man whose mother bought him a Maple Leafs jersey.

Just kidding there!

Have a good one everyone!

Interviewed by RangersReview.com (Series Preview)

I recently conducted an interview with Rangers Review.

Here is the transcript of this interview and think of it as my personalized preview of the series from the Sabres' perspective.

What do you expect to be the four forward lines, and the 3 defensive pairs?
Pominville-Briere-Hecht
Stafford-Drury-Zubrus
Afinigenov-Roy-Vanek
Kotalik-Connolly-Mair
Good possibility Paul Gaustad could return late in the series

Tallinder-Lydman (will be matched with Jagr every chance Lindy gets)
Campbell-Spacek
Kalinin-Numminen

What are the expected powerplay and penalty kill combinations, and how do you feel your team will matchup against the other team in these aspects?
Lindy has been shuffling the PP and PK combos quite a bit, especially in game 4 and 5 vs. the Islanders.
I think we may see situations where he goes with standard line combinations for the PP and subs in Connolly on the point and Drury with the Briere line.
I expect the Sabres' power play to be effective, but not great.
The Rangers, in my estimation, have a huge advantage in the area of special teams.
Jagr had seven of his 8 points against us on the PP this season and the Rangers looked dangerous every time this season against Buffalo.
If the Sabres play out of control or take foolish penalties the Rangers could take over this seres on special teams.
Add to that the fact that special teams situations slows down the rolling of lines and really takes away from Buffalo's depth advantage.

How do you expect the goaltending matchup to shake out? How confident would you be if your main goalie went out and your backup had to take over?
I think Miller will be excellent.

He got better as the Islanders series went on and he seems to save his best games for the better teams.
I think Jagr, Straka, Shanahan will bring out the best in him.
Henrik Lundqvist is a goaltender who scares me. He is a great goaltender who, when hot, can win a series by himself.
I believe he is a far superior goaltender to Rick DiPietro.
Assuming that both are bringing their a-games it should be a wash.
This series, in my estimation, will basically come down to limiting odd man rushes and getting to the net.
If the goalies see the puck in this series it will not go in.
We may very well have a couple of long OT games in this round.
If either team loses their #1 goaltender they could be in serious trouble. I view Weekes as a better option than Conklin though.

What is the one aspect of the team that could single-handedly win the series?
For the Rangers it would be their power play which can be dominant.
For the Sabres it is their superior depth.
The Sabres generally feast on other teams 3rd and 4th lines. I expect Afinigenov, Roy and Vanek to be difference makers every shift. Also, the Connolly line could have some significant success if they get the right matchups.

What could be the team’s Achilles heel this series?
For the Sabres I would worry about toughness especially around the net.
I am concerned that our defense will have a tough time dealing with the Rangers big strong wingers.
Ryan Smyth was terrific and guys like Jagr and Shanahan could really cause the Sabres problems down low.

Which player is going to step up unexpectedly to win a game or 2?
I really think this could be Derek Roy's chance to shine.
I really think that line will be the difference maker in this series.

The game is on the line. Who do you want to have the puck?
I want the puck on Chris Drury's stick.
The man scores huge, huge goals.
Honorable mention goes to Jason Pominville who also seems to have that knack.

How do you feel about the coaching matchup?
It would appear on face value that Lindy Ruff would have a large advantage.
I have already read a few places where people show no respect for Tom Renney.
It is hard to argue with Lindy's success. I'll give him the advantage.
I think it needs to be said that sometimes the best coaching is being able to get out of your player's way.
I think Renney has done that in New York.

What 1 or 2 players do you fear from the opponent most?
Brendan Shanahan and Henrik Lundqvist.
The fear of Jagr is a given.

Do you expect this to be an overly physical, rough, or dirty series?
I expect it to be extremely physical.
The intensity should be dynamic and the crowds should only feed it.
Interestingly Sean Avery has already gotten the Sabres fans in a lather and he has never played against the Sabres yet with the Rangers.
It is somewhat amusing, he appears to be in the fans heads, here is hoping he doesn't get in the Sabres' heads.

Without getting too detailed, give us your predictions for this series...
Sabres in 6. I expect a few long, long games but the Sabres depth will win out.

Michael McKinley interview to come soon...

I will post an interview between myself and hockey book author Michael McKinley probably sometime in the next few days.

In the meanwhile, you can read a short biography about McKinley...

The author of Putting a Roof on Winter and The Magnificent One: The Mario Lemieux Story, Michael McKinley is also a journalist, a documentary filmmaker, and a screenwriter. A Vancouver native, he was educated at the University of British Columbia and at Oxford University. His journalism has appeared in England, the US, and Canada, including the Guardian, Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, and the National Post. He has also written and produced several documentaries for CNN and an episode of South Park.

A 'Spec' tacular interview...

Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector or "The Prince of Pucks" is the founder of the well-rounded and popular hockey rumour website Spector's Hockey since 1998, in which he posts rumours collected from legitimate media sources around North America daily.
He's contributed to several hockey sites; more notably McKeen's Hockey and Fox Sports.
He lives in Prince Edward Island and is a diehard Montreal Canadiens fan.
Lyle was also kind enough to answer 20 questions regarding the NHL and some of its teams and players...

1) Knowing you are a Habs fan, what did you feel after the Canadiens lost to the Maple Leafs in that all-important game Saturday night?
Disappointed, but it wasn't the end of the world.

2) With the Canadiens out, are you bandwagoning, or has playoff hockey left you?
I'll be following all the playoff games as it's my job. As a fan, however, I confess that I like the Penguins and Sabres in the East and the Canucks and Wild in the West.

3) In your opinion, which team will win the Stanley Cup?
I'd love to commit, but I can't. Most of the teams are so close and there's so much parity now that picking a winner is very tough. I'll say the Sabres and Red Wings have the best chances.

4) Bob Gainey said that the Canadiens will have "the resources" to go after that big-name free agent this offseason (Daniel Briere, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Bill Guerin), what do you think he means by that?
Cap space and some assets to trade. Gainey has over $20 million in available cap space, plus two picks in the first round and depth in young talent that he can offer up as trade bait if required. I don't see him selling the farm, but it wouldn't be a shock if he shopped one or two youngsters.

5) The Maple Leafs have missed the playoffs the last 2 seasons in a row, what does this team need, what are their plans for the upcoming season?
Their most obvious need is experienced offensive depth, a quality backup capable of sharing the load with Andrew Raycroft and perhaps a little more defensive grit on the blueline.

6) Will Mats Sundin still be in Toronto next season?
Yes.

7) Which playoff series will be the least exciting?
I think they'll all be exciting, but the Wild and Ducks could come close, with the Canucks-Stars another candidate.

8) Who has been the biggest disappointment among last season's free-agent crop?
Sergei Samsonov.

9) Bryan Murray has said he doesn't appreciate his team being associated with the word "choke", do the Sens finally have what it takes to go deep into the playoffs?
Yes, but they've got to shake off that well-deserved label of "choke".
Murray may not like it but the truth hurts. Too many times over the past ten years the Senators have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

10) Well all know Tampa Bay has goalie issues, but If they fail once more in the playoffs and Johan Holmqvist is to blame, do you think Jay Feaster should move a guy like Brad Richards or Dan Boyle to get a top-notch quality goaltender?
No, Feaster's already on record saying he won't move those guys. Besides, Boyle has a no-trade clause and cannot be moved without his consent. Richards' $7.8 million salary is as good as a no-trade clause because few teams would have the available cap space to absorb that salary or depth in talent to move the players needed to free up space for that salary.

11) Your 2007 Cinderella run team is the _________?
New York Islanders.

12) What's going on in Phoenix? They have management problems, but really, who is to blame or what is to blame for the team's miserable season?
Everyone from the top down. They haven't drafted well, their trade record isn't good, they lack experienced coaching and on-ice leadership.

13) If there was no point for overtime losses, Montreal, Carolina and Toronto would have made the playoffs while the Rangers, Lightning and Islanders wouldn't have, do you think the league needs to take a look at these numbers and get rid of this notion of teams earning a point if they lose in extra time?
Regardless of who would or wouldn't have made the playoffs, I don't like awarding points to losers. It should be two points for a win regardless of when that win occurs and no points for the loser. Period.

14) What is the biggest problem of the new NHL?
The lack of visibility in the all-important US sports market. The lockout killed the NHL in the States and it'll be a long road back to the pre-lockout modicum of visibility.

15) Who is currently your favourite broadcaster in the NHL?
Actually, I don't have a favourite, to be honest. My favourites are all dead now (Danny Gallivan, Dan Kelly) or retired (Dick Irvin).

16) Will Eric Lindros ever play hockey again?
Time is running out for Lindros, no question. He continues to be plagued by injuries and he's no longer the great player he once was.

17) Who will win the Hart Trophy?
Sidney Crosby.

18) Does Nicklas Bacstrom, the goalie for the Minnesota Wild that carried the team into the playoffs after Manny Fernandez got injured and that boast the best save percentage and goals against average in the NHL, have a realistic chance of winning the Vezina Trophy?
No. It'll go to either Brodeur or Luongo.

19) Who's the worst enforcer in the NHL?
Cam "Cheapshot" Janssen.

20) And finally, the question everyone will be discussing during the next decade, will Sidney Crosby have a better career than Wayne Gretzky?
Who can tell? Crosby's only 19 and has years ahead of him in an NHL that has better goaltending and is more defensive minded than in Gretzky's day. I think he'll be this generation's dominant player and might break some of Gretzky's records. In fact, he's already set his own record as the youngest player to win the Art Ross.

I hope you enjoyed this interview.

Thanks again Lyle!

Koivu interview by Harry Rosen...

I realize I'm a month late, but I found this on Harry Rosen while trying to learn how to tie a tie for Easter!

Hey Koivu, wow, c'est chic ça!

I wonder if he got to keep the clothes?

Q: Thanks for your time today, I understand you've got a hectic schedule.
Saku: Yeah, we just finished practice and now it's straight off to Boston.

Q: Saturday's game in Toronto: Pleased with the outcome?
Saku: Yeah, it was a good game for me personally, and of course we won. But playing against Toronto is always fun. Those are probably the games you enjoy the most. The crowd is always so excited; you can feel the tension. It's usually half Maple Leafs fans, half Canadiens cheering and so those are big, exciting games.

Q: Growing up in Finland were you able to follow the NHL?

Saku: No, not a lot. We liked to watch but we didn't get many games. Usually the ones we got were Edmonton, because Jari Kurri and Esa Tikkanen played there. Maybe once a month we'd see a game. But it was enough to give us our heroes.

Q: You've become quite a hero yourself in Montreal. How do you enjoy living here?
Saku: I've been living here since '95. It's a great city. I mean, you can always complain about the weather, it's not the greatest. But for a young couple - it was just my wife and I when we moved here - all the restaurants and the culture made it very exciting for both of us. And of course the French aspect makes it very unique.

Q: Did your wife come with you from Finland?
Saku: She's been here - now don't quote me - I think, seven, eight years. She loves it here. There are a lot of great cities but this one is up there for being social and vibrant… Pretty much anything you are looking for you can find in Montreal.

Q: How are the fans?
Saku: Montreal fans? They are very, very passionate. There's a long tradition and they are used to winning. Not that it's easy or fun all the time. When things are not going well they let you know how they feel about it. But at the same time, and I really feel this, if you can play in Montreal I believe you can play anywhere.

Q: So how do you like being Captain?
Saku: Well, I've been captain since '98, so it's a few years now. I like it, but it's a big job, especially in Montreal. I still feel it's about being myself - and relating to the guys. I'm sure that one day, when I look back on who else have been captains here, the full weight of it will be something I realize and I'll say, "Wow!" There have always been big skates to fill in this town, that's for sure.

Q: I remember watching an eight-minute standing ovation when you stepped on the ice after your battle with cancer. How did that feel?
Saku: The reaction I got from fans that night was really something, but honestly it's a bit of a blur for me because so much was going on. It was a short time, but a long road for me. My wife and I, we sunk right to the bottom when we found out about the cancer. We thought the worst. First of all, 'Am I going to live?' And then, 'Am I going to play hockey?' There was no guarantee that things would be good in the end. I missed a good chunk of that year, but then there I was back for the playoffs. And it was kind of a goal for us to get there. Being on the ice again was like proof for me that the cancer was gone. There was a lot of emotion for me there, that night.

Q: You battled back from non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. What was that like?
Saku: We got the diagnosis in September and started treatments right away and stopped treatments in January. Then I had the PET scan in February that said I was in remission. So, really, it was the end of February when I was able to start getting back into shape. I think my first game back was April 6th.

Q: You've been in remission for five years now?
Saku: Yes. I just passed the five-year mark in January. You know, every year you're in remission is a positive marker, but the fifth year is a big deal. Now that we're past that, we're feeling quite positive about things. I still need to get tested regularly, but from a medical standpoint the cancer is gone and I can lead a normal life.

Q: Do you think in some ways it's made you a better hockey player, or a better captain?
Saku: Yeah, totally. I mean I think I was very tough on myself, competitive and passionate about the game before, but it was in what I now see was a selfish, immature way. It would take me a while to get over a bad game and even when things were going well, I might beat up on myself to push harder, to do more and more. That's good in a way, but at a certain point that stuff becomes a barrier too. The cancer gave me a new perspective - to enjoy myself and my life and the game, whether it's going well or not. It's a game, not life or death every minute I'm on the ice, because now I actually know what life or death situations really feel like.

Q: That 'perspective' is common among survivors, but some would argue that your game has improved since the cancer. What do you make of that?
Saku: Maybe. Playing hockey at this level, where everyone is that good, a mental thing kicks in and you play mind games with yourself that can diminish your own ability. I think, in a strange way, cancer has freed me of that. I'm not competing with myself so much anymore. I'm just out on the ice playing the best hockey I can.

Q: Can you talk about the foundation you created coming out of that ordeal?
Saku: It's something we set up during the treatments. My wife and I, and our families, we got talking a lot about the treatments and we couldn't help wondering if there was something more that could be done, given the life-and-death nature of our situation. We also wanted to give something back to the medical community and the community in general that had rallied around us. Our battle with cancer was a very public one and it dawned on us that we could use that to generate momentum for a cause. Then along the way we also realized that we were getting these vital PET scans to monitor my recovery. We were traveling to Sherbrooke for them because there wasn't a PET scanner in Montreal. Those results were so pivotal and cathartic for us that one day, when we were coming back from Sherbrooke, we said to ourselves, "Montreal needs to have one of these machines! That's what the foundation is going to achieve!" And we did it. In fact, my last check-up was on that machine.

Q: Forgive me, but what exactly is the role of a PET Scan in terms of treatment?
Saku: It's a machine that catches stuff early. And that provides instant, emotional gratification in terms of the recovery process. So, I said to myself, "The people of Montreal have to have access to one of these!" Don't get me wrong, I would love to win a Stanley Cup for this town, but going through what I did in terms of cancer and then being able to help bring a PET Scan machine to Montreal. That felt like a big win right there.
(Adda boy Saku!)

Q: What's next for the Foundation?
Saku: Our next project is raising funds to assist families coping with cancer, to help them go to appointments, look after themselves and all of that. We need to do what we can as a community to lift some of the burden.

Q: What's it like being a father?
Saku: My son is eight months, my daughter is two years and three months. It's just amazing. I used to say cancer changed my life, but it was nothing compared to these kids. They widen your perspective in ways no one can explain. And it was an especially big deal for us because, with the cancer treatments, there are no guarantees you'll be able to have children. Now, having two happy, healthy kids is the ultimate reminder that we beat cancer.

Q: How does playing for the Canadiens differ from playing for Team Finland?
Saku: Well, your home country is your home country, so there's an emotion attached that's different. It's more intense, too, because you come together with guys you don't normally play with. The training camp is very short, very intense versus the long NHL season, so it brings different things out of you as a player. It's very exhilarating. I think if you ask any guy in the NHL, you'll find that however much allegiance he may have for his team - and when you play for the Canadiens, you have a lot - when you pull on your National Team Jersey and you hear the anthem, that means a lot as an experience.

Q: Still a bit of a different game over there?
Saku: Yes, sure. But for me that's not really an adjustment because, like other European players, I grew up playing on those ice surfaces. So even though it may be only every four years of so, it still feels very familiar, very second nature to play that game.

Q: Who do you think would win if we could get Team Finland to play the Canadiens?
Saku: (Laughs.) Okay, whoa! Now you're putting me on the spot. That's like asking if I'd prefer a gold medal or Stanley Cup. The truth is, I want both!

Q: A lot of players wear suits these days. Is that like a second uniform for you guys?
Saku: Yeah, it's a league rule for how we present ourselves. But I think it's good. It brings a level of professionalism and, hey, it is our profession after all.

Q: Who picks your clothes out in the morning, you or your wife?
Saku: My wife of course. She has better taste than me, but she's teaching me a lot. And so now I do have veto power if I don't like something.

Q: Do you find shopping intimidating?
Saku: No, not at all. I like to shop, especially in Montreal. There's a lot of style here and so it's easy. But not only that, you have to keep up in this town, so that you don't look like a bum from Toronto. (Laughs.) I'm kidding, but no, I definitely enjoy shopping.

Q: Who's the best-dressed guy in the league?Saku: Well that's hard to say specifically but I'm certain us guys who play for the Canadiens are up there. Like I said, this is a stylish town.

Very interesting, to say the least.