This November, Ed Belfour, Doug Gilmour, Mark Howe and Joe Nieuwendyk will comprise theHockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2011. All were more than worthy selections, boasting a combined five Stanley Cup rings, over 3,000 career points and multiple individual awards. However, there was one glaring omission: Pat Burns. Burns, who passed away November, 2010 after a lengthy battle with cancer, was […]

With apologies to fans of the Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils, it is highly unlikely the lottery picks from the 2011 NHL Entry Draft will immediately step into the league and breakout as stars in 2011-12. Instead, when examining players poised for coming out parties, one thing stands out: breakout […]

Tim McKeown, ESPN columnist, provided some insight on the world of social media two years ago. In 2011, his words still ring true: “If you are open and honest, occasionally funny and usually available, you can use the media to become a star.” For Phoenix Coyotes forward Paul Bissonnette – better known as “Biznasty” on […]

Of all three leagues in the CHL, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has by far the least amount of players drafted from it. Luckily for the east coast-based circuit, times are rapidly changing and its reputation continues to soar upwards. It wasn’t too long ago that the best player in the world graced the QMJHL, as Sidney Crosby added to […]

The city of Buffalo has a reputation in the North American sporting realm. It’s not a good one; it has a status of sports futility. It is known across the continent for its ineptitude rather than any sort of storied history. The city’s two major sports teams — the Bills and the Sabres — have never won […]

With an NHL franchise that has missed out on the playoffs since 2003-04, Leafs Nation hasn’t had much to cheer about in the post-lockout era. One thing fans of the Blue and White can now hang their collective hat on is the emergence of the Clarke MacArthur, Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin unit — also known as the best second line […]

What comes to mind when you think of Bruce Springsteen, social media and the ripe age of 25? Especially if you’re talking hockey, odds are you’re not making a connection between the aforementioned and the general manager of a major junior hockey club – unless you’re familiar with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. After taking over […]

During the Florida Panthers’ introductory press conference last week newly-acquired forwardKris Versteeg was asked if he noticed any similarities between his time with Dale Tallon in Chicago and his current experience with the general manager now in Florida. “It was pretty crazy. When I was 21, we were all in the room [in Chicago] and this team [was] in […]

Since bringing the beloved sport of puck back to the State of Hockey, the Minnesota Wild have consistently been labeled a conservative team – and for good reason. They played the trap under Jacques Lemaire, rarely made blockbuster trades and had, or so it seemed, settled into a routine of making predictable offseason moves. In an effort […]

Before Bobby Ryan was known as the dynamic power forward for the Anaheim Ducks capable of pulling off mystifying dekes, he was considered an equally dangerous inline hockey player — one that turned heads across the United States. Inline hockey, often referred to as roller hockey, is a growing sport that is very popular in certain […]