Kukla's Korner Hockey

Evening Line

by Paul on 03/19/10 at 07:02 PM ET
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“I’m just happy we found something right for both myself and the team. Obviously, we have most of our core guys signed, and signed for long, and it’s something we’re excited about in the room. I believe in those guys, I think we believe in ourselves, and in bringing the Stanley Cup here this year — we don’t want to wait. Now is our time.

“That’s the goal. It’s our goal, to win a Cup for the fans. They’ve been waiting long enough.”

-Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks.  More on Kesler from Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun.

Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Ryan+Kesler,

The Current State Of The NHLPA

by Paul on 03/19/10 at 03:52 PM ET
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from Lester Munson of ESPN,

In the four years since the 2005-06 National Hockey League season was lost to a lockout over an inability to come to a collective bargaining agreement, NHL players have:

• fired the executive director who led them during the lockout.

• hired two new executive directors.

• and fired both of them.

So maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that the players are attempting to draft a new constitution for their union and search for yet another new executive director while they simultaneously try to figure out how their organization has been unraveling. And over all of that, the next CBA negotiation looms. The current six-year deal runs out after next season unless the players extend it to a seventh year, which is their option. (Given the state of the union, that’s a likely scenario.)

continued

Filed in: NHLPA | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Advertising In The Minor Leagues

by Paul on 03/19/10 at 03:35 PM ET
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from Diego Vasquez of MediaLife,

Minor league baseball teams are known for their outrageous promotions, such as bobbing for onions night, dress like a baby night and nickel beer night.

In the cold winter months, when baseball is in hibernation, minor league hockey teams take up their mantle, giving advertisers a chance to reach an audience made up mostly of families by sponsoring these silly but fun contests.

Advertising at minor league games is much more affordable for marketers than advertising at the pro level. And more families attend these games because it’s a lot cheaper than going to NHL contests.

The minor leagues are also much less stringent in their advertising guidelines than top-level sports leagues, meaning advertisers can get very creative.

continued (not your normal KK topic, but an interesting read)…

Filed in: Non-NHL Hockey, Minor League | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

NHL Network Offers Free Preview

by Paul on 03/19/10 at 02:12 PM ET
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New York, NY (March 19, 2010) – NHL Network U.S. will broadcast the Phoenix Coyotes vs. Chicago Blackhawks match-up Saturday, March 20 immediately following the conclusion of the Network’s Hockey Night In Canada telecast of the Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET). Both telecasts are available in HD.

The puck will drop in front of a sold-out crowd in Phoenix’s Jobing.com Arena at 9 p.m. ET, as the red-hot Coyotes take aim at the Blackhawks and first overall in the NHL’s Western Conference.

This game is among the highlights of NHL Network’s free preview week in the U.S., running March 20-27. With participating networks of the free preview including Comcast, DIRECTV, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable, Cox and RCN Cable, NHL Network will be available in 60 million homes across the country. Fans are encouraged to check their local listings for details. This free preview is subject to participation cable or satellite providers.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: NHL Teams, NHL Media, Hockey Broadcasting, NHL Network | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Talking NHL Goaltending

by Paul on 03/19/10 at 02:00 PM ET
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from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,

It was said that if the NHL could ever figure out how to excise the neutral zone trap from the game – or shrink goalie equipment – or do whatever it took to up the scoring ante, that the best goalies would still be the best goalies; the only difference would be that their statistical numbers would be higher across the board. That prediction actually came true.

Now, the most efficient team defensively is the Phoenix Coyotes with a cumulative 2.33 GAA, which would have been 10th best in the 03-04 season.

The problem is that people got so used to those tiny miniscule pre-lockout numbers that they try to compare today’s numbers to those and create goaltending controversies everywhere. It can’t be done in any fair manner because it’s an apples to oranges comparison; two widely different eras.

more plus other NHL topics…

Filed in: NHL Teams | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

No Goalie Plan In Philadelphia

by Paul on 03/19/10 at 01:39 PM ET
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from Scott Burnside of ESPN,

Starter Michael Leighton left Tuesday’s game in Nashville with a high-ankle sprain, and the club announced late Thursday afternoon that he is gone for eight to 10 weeks.

Now, what looked to be a significant risk—turning over the Flyers’ netminding chores to an untested journeyman like Leighton—has quickly evolved into what appears to be a monstrous blunder.

It is true Holmgren did take a run at Florida Panthers netminder Tomas Vokoun at the March 3 trade deadline but backed off when the cost was going to include sniper Jeff Carter.

Fair enough.

But when Plan A failed, what happened to Plan B or even Plan C? In Philadelphia, where goaltending isn’t a storyline but a recurring nightmare, we are talking Plan Z here.

more

Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Doan Nailed It

by Paul on 03/19/10 at 12:51 PM ET
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from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

I bring you back to an August conversation I had with Shane Doan. The Phoenix Coyotes captain was insisting anyone picking his team to be brutal this season was making a big mistake.

“As bad as everything you hear about us, we just don’t think we’re that bad,” Doan told me six months ago. “We don’t think we’re the worst team in the league even though everybody seems to be picking us to finish last.”

Fast forward to late Thursday night. Doan was about to board a plane in South Florida with the Coyotes a few hours after erasing a three-goal, third-period deficit to beat the Florida Panthers 4-3 in a shootout. The victory set the all-time Coyotes/Winnipeg Jets franchise record for wins in a season with 44.

Just another day at the office for the team everyone wrote off before the season.

I mentioned our August conversation and Doan laughed.

continued

Filed in: NHL Teams, Phoenix Coyotes | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Shane+Doan,

67,000 Hockey Sticks Recalled

by Paul on 03/19/10 at 12:41 PM ET
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Bauer Hockey Corp. is recalling 13 models of junior hockey sticks due to excessive lead levels in the sticks’ paint

Filed in: Hockey Equipment | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Bauer+Hockey,

Canucks Extend Kesler

by Paul on 03/19/10 at 12:24 PM ET
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Vancouver, B.C. - Vancouver Canucks President and General Manager Mike Gillis announced today that forward Ryan Kesler has agreed to terms on a six-year contract extension through the 2015-2016 season.

“Today is an exciting day for the Canucks organization,” said Mike Gillis. “Ryan Kesler has excelled as a two-way player and in his role as an alternate captain. Ryan has showcased his ability to perform under extreme pressure and we are looking forward to continuing to see Ryan develop into one of the League’s premier players.”

Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Ryan+Kesler,

Flames Need More Huge Wins

by Paul on 03/19/10 at 11:15 AM ET
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from Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun,

They’re still outside the Western Conference’s elite eight, one point back of the Red Wings for the final playoff spot.

They still need to claim more “huge” wins — which is what seemingly every player called the 3-2 victory over Colorado.

Maybe as many as nine more over the final dozen remaining on the regular-season schedule.

If not, they’ll need help from other teams around the league.

read on

Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

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