Entries with the tag: nhlpa

Renewing the Vows in Vegas

by Alanah McGinley on 05/16/08 at 11:42 AM
Comments (0)

Will Vigneault be fired in Vegas? The poll (below) indicates that most fans think so. But while I’m not a fan of the coach, I tend to agree (at least in part) with Iain MacIntyre via the National Post, who feels Viggy will get more time.

So, ask yourself: Would the GM include his coach in critical strategy sessions to finalize the Canucks’ entry-draft list, identify free-agent targets and generally plan for next season, then punt him? You know, so Vigneault could take his Jack Adams Trophy and the Canucks’ top-secret plans to another team?

Gillis is unconventional, but not mad.

Chances are the delay in clarifying Vigneault’s status is not due to the possible termination of his contract, but the possible extension of it. Vigneault has a year remaining and obviously would prefer not to be a lame duck, since the most recent one of those - Quenneville - will be pulling shotgun pellets from his rump for weeks.

Firing the Jack Adams-carrying coach is simply much riskier for Gillis than keeping him on another season.

Continue Reading »

The Bad Old Days

by Alanah McGinley on 01/27/08 at 07:56 PM
Comments (0)

Saturday’s bickering and miscommunication between the NHL and NHLPA gave me momentary flashbacks to a time when all those fools in suits couldn’t work things out, leaving hockey fans everywhere in the lurch.  The Dark Days of 2004-05.

You remember that season—the one where you actually had to spend time with your wife?  A reminder…

Kukla’s Korner: Canucks & Beyond

Where the Money Goes

by Alanah McGinley on 01/15/08 at 01:38 PM
Comments (0)

The sport of hockey always seems to be involved in some charitable cause or another.  On a league-wide level, for instance, Hockey Fights Cancer is an NHL and NHLPA project which has raised around $7 million to support related projects.  And on a community level, most (if not all) teams go to bat for various causes in their community. (*such as Canuck Place, being a well known one in Vancouver)

But while these causes collect money to help people, we seldom—unless we personally benefit from those charities—actually see where the money ends up.  So here’s one small-scale example of how, when you throw a buck or some of your time towards your favorite hockey-related charitable cause, you are making a difference.

Continue Reading »

A Good Day at the NHLPA

by Alanah McGinley on 10/20/07 at 07:06 PM
Comments (0)

The work of Charlie Teljeur at CBC Sports this week:

NHLPA’s Player of the Day

by Alanah McGinley on 10/09/07 at 09:45 AM
Comments (0)

Yesterday’s Player of the Day.... the Sabres must be so pleased.

I realize this sort of thing happens all the time, but seriously: no one can find a pic of this guy in a Flyers’ jersey?

The guy’s getting a bazillion dollars to play in Philly over the coming 5 years.  I think “franchise player” is a reasonable definition of Briere’s job at this point.

It just makes you wonder at the people doing the marketing around this league sometimes. The NHL’s own media guide also still promotes Briere with the same photo.

And what is really the point of “Player of the Day” if not marketing the league and the player?