The agony of defeat, NHL style

It's always a tough day. That is, the day after your favourite team is eliminated from the playoffs. For me, that day is today. Last night, my Detroit Red Wings met their demise against the San Jose Sharks.

It was a long season for the Wings, one in which no one expected them to succeed, at least until after the Olympic break. Now it's a summer of building and one filled with uncertainty. Especially with the potential retirement of Niclas Lidstrom. Even if the future Hall of Famer doesn't retire, this playoff season made it all too clear that he has lost a step.

So what is next? Well for me, I'll still be watching hockey, but with a little less vigor. And just like those NHL players, it's time for a little golf. Plus, the Wings can rid themselves of the traditional playoff beards.

I am cautiously optimistic about the Red Wings' future. They don't seem to have a hidden Datsyuk or Zetterberg on the horizon (with the possible exception of Tomas Tartar. But who knows, they wouldn't be hidden if we saw it coming.

In net, I think Jimmy Howard did a fine job and that he is capable of carrying the team again next season. I would like to see a young back up come in and replace Osgood. With multiple Stanley Cup rings in his cupboard, it's time for Ozzy to gracefully bow out.

For those of you who question why Detroit is still "Hockeytown," well, try four Stanley Cups since 1997 and the longest active playoff streak in professional sports. Sure, the Red Wings will go through struggles in the coming years, just as the city of Detroit has done, but everytime an octopus hits the ice, it will definitely bring chills to the spines of thousands of fans, including mine.

Let the games begin.

Our wedding invitation to Steve Yzerman

This letter is a little late as you can find it already posted on the CIK Marketing Blog and Chatham-Kent Daily Post, but I thought I would give it a whirl here too. What's cooler, is that within hours of this article surfacing, Steve Yzerman's people actually contacted my fiancee about her wedding invite to Stevie Y:

Dear Mr. Yzerman,

I know you’re a very busy man. In the past year you’ve been involved with the Canadian men’s Olympic hockey team, you’ve been spotted scouting at various Ontario Hockey League playoff games, and right now, your Detroit Red Wings are battling it out against the San Jose Sharks in Stanley Cup playoff action. But with that being said, I really need a minute or two of your time. I’m writing this letter because I need your help.

You see Mr. Yzerman, I’m engaged to be married on June the 26th, and I have a sinking suspicion that my soon-to-be husband loves you more than he will ever love me. And I don’t mean in a creepy way; his love for you is pure and genuine. I guess I really can’t blame him; he’s followed your career since he was a young boy and knows more about you than you probably know about yourself. You’ve been the most important figure in his life for more than a quarter century, and that is why I would like to invite you and your family to join us on June 26th as a guest of honour at our wedding.

Now, I know you probably get a lot of these sorts of invitations from so-called “die-hard” fans, but believe me; no one loves the Red Wings and Stevie Y quite like my fiancée. Ian knows everything about your career, from your birth city in B.C. and your days as a Peterborough Pete, right up to your final minute of play as a Red Wing. He knows every goal and every assist. He knows that you scored your milestone 500th goal on Patrick Roy and the Colorado Avalanche on January 17th, 1996, and that you played a record 23 seasons with the Red Wings. He’s seen you play dozens of times at the Joe, and I’d hazard to say he’s never missed a single game on television. Heck, he proposed to me on the 19th of October, (and no, the date wasn’t just a coincidence). He’s walked in Stanley Cup parades and cried after playoff loses. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve been forced to watched that overtime goal from 1996, when you beat Jon Casey with a slap shot from the blue line to win the Western Semifinals in double O.T. of game seven. And while he still loves the Red Wings more than anyone ever should, it’s just not quite the same as when you were wearing the “C”.

I know you’re schedule is probably pretty booked in the upcoming months, but not to worry – Ian made sure the wedding date didn’t conflict with the NHL playoff schedule. (I’d have been walking down the aisle by myself had the ceremony taken place on the same day as a Stanley Cup Final game). He’s also gone ahead and re-arranged the head table seating plan so you’ll have a prominent spot… in my chair. There would have been a Stanley Cup wedding cake too, but I had to draw the line somewhere. All of the arrangements have been made; all we need now is to hear back from you. You can reply by email to stevieyweddinginvite@gmail.com.

So Stevie (can I call you Stevie?), what do you say? Nothing would make my fiancée happier than to have you as an honoured guest at our upcoming wedding. It would truly make the wedding the most memorable day of his life. Just be forewarned – I come from a family of die hard Maple Leafs fans, so expect to hear plenty of crazy talk about playoff hopes for next year.

Best of luck to you and the boys in game four tonight… you can rest assured that Ian and I will be watching.

Sincerely,

Chantielle MacFarlane

Should your sports team be using social media?

We've all seen the horror stories of pro athletes misusing Twitter and Facebook. I've seen my fair share of NHL friends posting pictures on Facebook they wouldn't want to be public. I've seen NFL and NBA players bashing teammates or referees.

Beyond the negatives however, social media and networking has a world of benefits for professional and amateur sports teams. From promoting athletes, marketing your team to fans, and connecting with parents, players, and media, social networks such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and even blogging can benefit your team.

I recently wrote a guest blog for a Chatham-Kent Marketing company, CIK Marketing, on this topic. Check it out, let me know what you think, and if you need help utilizing social media for your team, feel free to contact me or the good people at CIK Marketing: Should sports teams use social media?

The plague of Toronto sports

If you're a Canadian sports fan, or just a sports fan in general, you've likely seen a trend over the last few years. It has to do with professional sports teams from Toronto.

How are fans still putting up with the mis-management, frequent collapse, exodus of top players, and losing seasons? There is something to be said as a fan for dedication to your team, but there is a point where the fans move from dedicated to dumb. Just take a look at the six Toronto teams:

+ Toronto Raptors have never won an NBA championshop, haven't made the playoffs in two years, and haven't won a playoff series in the last decade.
+ Toronto Maple Leafs haven't won an NHL championship since 1967 and haven't made the playoffs since 2003-2004.
+ Toronto Blue Jays have not made the playoffs since they won the World Series title in 1993.
+ Toronto Rock lacrosse team have failed to make the playoffs the last two season and haven't won a series since they were league champions in 2005.
+ Toronto FC has yet to qualify for the playoffs since entering the MLS in 2007.
+ Toronto Argonauts, this may sound like a broken record, but no playoff appearances in the last two seasons.

The losing history of Toronto sports teams in the last two seasons is incredible. Due to this lack of success, top professional free agents have avoided Toronto like the plague. The ultimate goal for most professional athletes is to win a championship, and if recent history serves, that is not an option in Toronto.

If it were only one team struggling, the source would be easy to trace, but the widespread failure of Toronto teams is incredible. Why are they losing, collectively? I would tend to blame poor management.

The Leafs selling off draft picks for overrated players, the Raptors inability to keep star players happy or to surround them with legitimate support, and I won't even begin with the Blue Jays.

Kudos to the dedicated fans, even if you are disillusioned. With six professional teams in the city of Toronto, you would have to predict one will make the playoffs in the next year...or two. Maybe.

Five people the NHL could do without

As the end of the NHL season arrives, hockey analysts are examining the future for non-playoff teams and making picks for the Stanley Cup playoffs. With the end of the season upon us however, I'm thinking of something else. I'm thinking about 5 people the NHL could do without. In no particular order, here they are:

1. Chris Chelios: The fact that Chelios made it back to the NHL at age 48 is less of a testiment to his ability, than it is to the sad state of the Atlanta Thrashers blueline. Chelios has no business playing in the National Hockey League let alone the American League. If you had the opportunity to watch any Thrashers game that featured Chelios, you'd know that he caused more damage, and directly caused more goals against, than he did good for the team.

2. Pierre McGuire: For the love of all that is good in the world, Pierre McGuire needs to go. Listening to his moronic analysis (if you can even call it analysis) of plays makes me want to throw myself out a window. Seriously, look at the Facebook groups, read about the drinking games, search his name on Twitter; Pierre McGuire is undoubtedly the most hated and least respected announcer in the history of hockey.

3. Brian Burke: Now I know this will never happen, not with all the brain washed idiots in Toronto that actually think the Phil Kessel trade was a smart idea. Tyler Seguin or Taylor Hall, a 2nd round pick, and another 1st round pick for Kessel? Ridiculous. And how about that "Monster" Jonas Gusttavsson? Monster is right. Gustavsson finished 36th out of 44 goalies in both Save Percentage and Goals Against Average. In the most talked about hockey city on the planet, Burke is the most overrated GM on the planet.

4. Gary Bettman: If you've ever read my blog, you should have seen this one coming. I firmly believe Bettman has done more damage to the National Hockey League over the last decade than anyone. Bettman's crowning jewel of the last year has been the Phoenix Coyotes. Until Bettman can figure out that protecting his image is less important than protecting the players and teams of the NHL, this league will struggle. It's time for Bettman's dictatorship to end and for a breath of fresh air to rejuvenate the NHL.

5. Matt Cooke: It was the year of the head shot, and no one has dominated the press for dirty hits over the past few seasons more than Matt Cooke. Is he a decent hockey player? Definitely. Could the NHL do without him? Definitely. Big, open ice hits, even one's involving the head, are a key component of the NHL. Blindside hits or knee on knee hits aren't, and these dangerous plays are a specialty of Cooke.

I know my list is a little lopsided and I know none of them will likely be leaving the NHL anytime soon, but these are five men the NHL could do without.

The best time of year in sports

In case you haven't noticed, the weather is getting warmer, the birds are starting to chirp, and this is the greatest time of year for sports.

Why? Let's start with the NHL and NBA playoffs. Teams are jockying for position, the first round is soon to begin and every game is important (unless you play for the Edmonton Oilers or the New Jersey Nets).

Not only that, but opening day of Major League Baseball is here. For Toronto Blue Jays fans, that means one legitimate month of playoff hopes remaining.

Not enough? How about the Final Four in NCAA basketball and the Frozen Four in NCAA hockey.

Sitll not enough. How about the Masters in PGA golf. I'm not going to mention the slime ball golfer everyone has been talking about. The Masters would and will be great (perhaps better) without him.

This spree of outstanding sports action comes at just the right time. Most people are still feeling a slight Olympic hangover, and this exciting time of the year is just the thing to revitalize sports fans. So get your seat ready, put on your favorite jersey, and let the games begin.

The time is right to move the Phoenix Coyotes

After years and years of turmoil in sunny Phoenix, it seems like the chips are finally falling into place to move the Phoenix Coyotes back to Winnipeg.

Yes, I've looked at the standings and I'm well aware that the Phoenix Coyotes are near the top of the Western Conference. That is why this is the perfect time to move them. Before, the NHL could blame poor performance on the ice, for poor performance in the stands. That is not the case now.

Now, a perspective city, Winnipeg to be exact, would not be getting a terrible hockey team, they would actually be getting a winning club.

One thing that needs to be said is, this shows 100% that Gary Bettman was out to beat down Jim Balsille for personal reasons alone. Or at the very least, a mix of personal hate and a little protection for the Toronto Maple Leafs' pockets.

Giving a club back to Winnipeg can't be detrimental to the NHL. For one, a new owner (possibly Canadian billionaire David Thomson) would have to pay a hefty relocation fee. That's free money for the rest of the NHL. Second, even if Winnipeg didn't sell out every game, they would undoubtedly house more paying fans per game than Phoenix.

In fact, Winnipeg would only have to fill the 15,000 MTS Centre to 75% capacity to show an increase in attendance. Phoenix is sitting dead last in NHL attendance averaging just over 11,000 fans per game.

The time is right for this move to happen. The people in Winnipeg want their team back, the people in Phoenix obviously don't care, the Coyotes on ice package is the best it's been in years, and a building, and ownership are in place (although the NHL would likely request a renovation to increase seating capacity to 17,000).

The Hockey News recently reported that if the Phoenix Coyotes can't find suitable ownership, and/or reach a new deal with the City of Glendale, that a deal is in place in principle with David Thomson to purchase the Coyotes and move them to Winnipeg.

If the Coyotes do in fact move back to Canada, it would be great news for Quebec City, who is looking to build a new arena and lure an NHL team back. Other cities in the running for a relocated team include Kansas City and Seattle, but they likely won't be in the market for the Coyotes.

The chips are in place for this to happen. Here's hoping by the time we drop the puck next season, the Winnipeg Jets will have made their return to the NHL.

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Basking in our disconnected social power

After reading the recent hate spread across the web about NHL player Matt Cooke, it caused me to take a step back while looking at social media.

People, we'll loosely call "fans" seem to use sites such as Twitter and Facebook as a form of catharsis, and places to spread hate. I thought these sites were designed to be social?

Instead, people forget that what they write is being read by hundreds, thousands, even millions of people. On my evening Twitter visit, I came across several Matt Cooke related posts while his name was trending.

After concussing Marc Savard of the Boston Bruins with a dirty hit, Cooke and the Pittsburgh Penguins faced the Bruins only a week later. Cooke was forced to fight in the game, but fans wanted it to go a step further and voiced their ideas.

These posts said things like, "I want to see Matt Cooke get paralyzed by the end of the night," and "Matt Cooke can suck it, I hope that felt nice fa&&ot," and "F#$@ U Matt Cooke." I've used symbols to attempt to clean up the comments.

Even more of you are calling Cooke "gutless." You know who is gutless? Anyone making that comment, sitting behind their computer screen, making idle threats to impress their Twitter followers. Guess what? It's not impressing anyone. And if you did end up facing Matt Cooke in a fight, I'd bet my last dollar that he would beat the tar out of you...cleanly.

Here's a thought people, of the three quotes I showed, I checked out the peoples profiles, all of these individuals used a real name and location, and if you followed the links that they posted, it gave even more personal information.

Why would people connect themselves to such ridiculous, hateful, and inappropriate comments? Don't get me wrong, I'm no saint, and I've seen and heard it all. You're reading an article from someone who played 7 years of Junior hockey in Canada with and against several current NHLers.

Get over yourselves people. Respectfully give your opinions, blog about it, comment on a story, and then get over it. All of this Matt Cooke hate mail, and the Matt Cooke death threats, and racial, or sexist comments, it just makes you look like an idiot.

Cooke will wake up tomorrow in a comfortable hotel room, he'll have a big breakfast, read the paper, go for a morning skate, and play again. He'll go home happy because he's doing what he loves and he makes more money doing it than most of us will see in a lifetime.

Nothing we as fans, or as virtual bullies on Facebook or Twitter will ever change the way Cooke plays and our messages will never reach anyone that can change the NHL. All they do is make you look silly and put your future in jeopardy.

In all likelihood, no one important will ever read your Twitter posts or blog. The day they do, it will be a potential boss explaining to you that you are not a fitting candidate because your social actions they read on Twitter, do not represent the ideals of their business.

Feel free to Follow Instant Replay on Twitter, or don't. Just know one thing, you won't read me wishing terrible things on any athlete.

Alex Ovechkin threw a CLEAN hit

It seems like people want to find something wrong with the NHL these days. It's almost like hockey became too popular during the Olympic Games to be healthy. Now all anyone can talk about is dirty hits.

Here's a news flash people, the Alexandre Ovechkin hit on Brian Campbell was clean. At worst, it was wreckless, not malicious. Just as his hit in the Olympic Games that concussed Jaromir Jagr was clean. That hit was highlighted across the world as a positive.

The difference between what Ovechkin did and the hit by Matt Cooke on Boston Bruins Marc Savard is huge. Ovechkin throws hits to the body. Yes, they might injure the opposing player's head, as was the case with Jagr, but the hit is to the body.

Watching Matt Cooke's brutal hit over and over this week, he hit only Savard's head. Not only that, but he extended his arm to assure he made contact with Savard.

The NHL GMs have been doggedly working on a new rule to curb hits to the head over the last week. I think what needs to be done is obvious. If a player is injured from a hit that connects to the body AND head, it is clean. If the player mainly makes contact with the head without making significant connection to the body, then it is a suspendable hit.

Think about it, if you make significant contact with your "targets" body, it likely will not be a blindside hit. It is easy however, to reach out, or blindside an opponent and only make contact with the head. Yes, that would put Cooke in this category, along with the Mike Richards hit on David Booth earlier this season, but it would save hard, agressive plays like Alex Ovechkins.

Taking the edge out of hockey would be catastrophic, but allowing blatent hits to the head to continue would also have damaging affects on the game of hockey.

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Who's to blame for the Phoenix Coyotes?

It's a simple question really, unfortunately, it's a question that most hockey fans don't know the answer to. Who is really to blame for the Phoenix Coyotes financial fiasco?

Yes, the team is doing much better on the ice, but that has nothing to do with the rest of the issue. When former Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes put the team into banckruptcy and attempted to sell to Canadian businessman Jim Balsille, the entire world seemed to implode on the Phoenix Coyotes organization.

Here in no particular order (well actually in a particular order), are your three suspects. Who is really to blame for ruining the Phoenix Coyotes? Let's look at the evidence against our three suspects, Jim Balsille, Jerry Moyes, and Gary Bettman:

1. Jim Balsille: The owner and CEO of Blackberry, Jim Balsille has made it no secret that he badly wants an NHL franchise that he can operate in Canada. Sure, Balsille should have waited in line like everybody else, but his bid was extremely attractive. He has money, he has business sense, and he had a market that desperately wanted NHL hockey. Whether he moved the team to Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, or Winnepeg, Balsille knew the NHL market would succeed. Evidence against: Balsille tried to use money to buy his way through the process. Did it hurt the Phoenix Coyotes? Yes, but only because he didn't successfully buy the team. Verdict: Not Guilty.

2. Jerry Moyes: The former owner of the Phoenix Coyotes obviously couldn't hack it. Can you blame the man though? His team was seeing less than 10,000 fans in the seats on a nighly basis, half of those being free tickets, and he was losing money faster than he could write checks. Evidence against: The NHL is claiming Jerry Moyes violated several league agreements by putting the team into bankruptcy. The NHL is sueing and seeking money for their lawyers, $20 million for the money they expect to lose from running the team this year. and $8 million the for the money the team owes to Wayne Gretzky. Verdict: Moyes should be ordered to pay the $8 million to Gretzky. On the rest of the claims...Not Guilty. If the NHL didn't want to lose $20 million, they should have sold the team to Balsille.

3. Gary Bettman: It's a known fact Bettman doesn't like Jim Balsille. Bettman was also to blame for both NHL lockouts. He was also the brain behind the NHL's expansion to the South. Team's including Florida, Tampa Bay, Nashville, and Atlanta have all been flops in the financial and fan department. Jerry Moyes and Jim Balsille are businessmen. How can you blame businessmen for trying to run a business, and make (or at least not lose) money. Bettman has stopped any possible relocation to Canada even after giving NHL clubs back to American markets that previously failed. The next time Gary Bettman and the NHL point fingers for the Phoenix Coyotes mess, they had best be looking in a mirror. Evidence Against: Gary Bettman's actions since 1993. Verdict: Guilty. Bettman is to blame. The NHL would be better off with a new commissioner. Someone who understands hockey, someone who cares about the real fans of the game, someone who doesn't allow emotion into business transactions, and someone who won't put their own agenda before the best interest of the league.

The NHL and Phoenix Coyotes need someone completely unlike Gary Bettman.

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NASCAR needs to better police drivers

We've seen it all before. A player throws a cheap shot on the ice, which is followed by the team enforcer fighting the guilty party. In baseball, it's the brush back pitch. Hot and high inside will teach you a lesson.

Often, players and athletes are able to police themselves. And then it goes too far.

Recently at a NASCAR race in Atlanta, Carl Edwards intentionally wrecked Brad Keselowski in response to previous nudges and bumps. Is this taking it too far? Edwards was closer to killing Keselowski then to teaching him a lesson.

For all of the heat the NHL takes for fighting, the league also has one of the best systems in place to deal with severe situations. NASCAR has no such policy and has promoted drivers policing each other on the track. In a sport where one mistake could take a life, NASCARs "policing" policy is a little ridiculous.

What about Major League Baseball? Well the brush back pitch and over dramatic bench clearing dust ups are all fine and dandy, but when it comes time for a suspension, even the MLB falls short. Players can challenge a ruling and be back in the line up the next night. If you're a pitcher, you might not even miss a start. Something doesn't seem right there.

The NHL has an interesting mix of self policing and league monitoring. In my opinion, it works. Sure you'll always have goons who go too far, but that is the case in any sport. There will always be dirty hits like Matt Cooke's headshot on Marc Savard regardless of the penalty attached to the action.

Look at Carl Edwards, he intentionally took a life in his own hands and luckily everyone walked away. He could have killed Keselowski and he could have killed fans in the stands. If NASCAR had dealt with Keselowski's antics earlier, this outrageous incident would never have happened.

League's like the NHL and the NBA have been properly dealing with player behaviour for years. It's time other sports including the MLB and NASCAR follow suit. If they don't, the results will damage their leagues, damage their image, and hurt or kill thier athletes.

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It was an insignificant NHL Trade Deadline

Having a day to reflect on the NHL Trade Deadline, I've come to the same conclusion many hockey analysts have: it was an insignificant day. Most NHL teams ended up trading depth players for mid-level draft picks or mid-level prospects.

Don't get me wrong, that's not to say that some of these deals won't have huge future implications as a prospect blooms or a draft pick pans out. Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery for a player to break through.

The most significant deals came from the Boston Bruins who acquired Denis Seidenberg, the Ducks trading Ryan Whitney to the Edmonton Oilers for Lubomir Visnovsky, the Washington Capitals acquiring Joe Corvo, and the Phoenix Coyotes trading Peter Mueller for Wojtek Wolski from the Colorado Avalanche.

The names aren't huge, but the deals still added important depth for each team. For general managers, the toughest part about trade deadline day is the ability to add a player without greatly affecting team cohesion. Luckily, most of this year's trades won't hurt anyone's locker room.

The most compelling trade was Wojtek Wolski for Peter Mueller. Both players are young stars with potentially huge careers ahead. Either one could bust out for a 30 goal season or fade into oblivion. In my opinion, this is the key deal to watch down the road.

It may have been an insignificant NHL trade deadline at first glance, but only time will tell how unimportant the 2010 deadline will remain.

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NHL Trade Deadline is looming

Now that the Olympics are over, it is time for NHL teams to get into stretch drive mode and make some final roster moves.

With big names such as Ilya Kovalchuk and Dion Phaneuf moving already, it's hard to imagine there will be many blockbuster deals at the NHL Trade Deadline. Of course there is always a surprise or two, but who is really left?

The biggest potential, and I am loosely using the term 'potential' deal, could come out of Montreal. The Canadiens could face losing either Carey Price or Jaroslav Halak in the very near future for nothing if they don't make a move soon.

I would have to predict that if the Montreal Canadiens move either goaltender, it will be Halak. Halak is having a strong season and had a great Olympic Games while playing for Slovakia. His value is likely as high right now as it will ever be.

The Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, and Carolina Hurricanes are also all likely deadline players. The Oilers will be looking to flush out several players including Ethan Moreau and Tom Gilbert.

Another, more high profile, name that is being tossed around right now is Nashville's Dan Hamhuis. Apparently the Philadelphia Flyers are very interested in Hamhuis, but if history serves itself, it usually is not the first team rumoured to be in the game that wins. Another factor is, with the injury to Ray Emery, the Flyers might need to spend their extra cap space to acquire a legitimate playoff goaltender. Tomas Vokoun anyone?

Other names frequenting the phone lines include Ray Whitney of the Carolina Hurricanes and Alexei Ponikarovsky of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Either way, I'm sure the next 24-hours will be filled with several interesting trades. Lots of draft picks and cap space maneuvers will happen for sure, but we'll have to watch and wait for the off chance of another blockbuster move.

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Brian Burke shows that family comes first

For anyone who has read my column or blog, you'll know what I think of Brian Burke as a hockey man. I don't like his current team, I don't like the way he builds his teams, and I think he is an overrated general manager and hockey mind.

Regardless of what I think about his hockey status, it is refreshing to see a true family man in professional sports. Following the death of Burke's son Brendan, Burke has opted to not attend the Opening Ceremonies for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver with his Team USA hockey team.

Not only this, but when Brendan Burke revealed his homosexuality to the world, Brian Burke stood by his son, publicly stating his love and support. It didn't seem phony either, it seemed heartfelt and sincere.

From a 'manly man' who prides himself in creating tough teams, this could not have been easy. Or was it?

In a world filled with infidelity, abuse, and broken families, particularly in professional sports, Brian Burke seems to be an anomaly. He stood by his son in life, and now he is standing by his son, and standing up for his family values in death.

The story of Brendan Burke is a sad one. You can bet however, that missing the Olympic Opening Ceremonies is the last thing on Brian Burke's mind. I still don't like the hockey man, I still don't like his team, and I will never like his management style, but I have a new found respect for Brian Burke the person, and Brian Burke the father.

Brian Burke will rejoin Team USA in time for the start of their Olympic hockey schedule and the Toronto Maple Leafs following the Games.

Sure Burke has made mistakes; however, his actions have shown that he realizes hockey is just a game and family comes first.

Let the games begin.

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Has the NHL trade deadline come early?

Leafs fans were rejoicing as Brian Burke unloaded some serious dead weight in return for Dion Phaneuf and JS Gigeure. The Calgary Flames dealt with the Toronto Maple Leafs and also pulled off a blockbuster deal with the New York Rangers which included Olli Jokinen and Chris Higgins.

Now, NHL sources are reporting Ilya Kovalchuk is only minutes, hours, or at most days from being traded by the Atlanta Thrashers.

So what gives? Has the NHL trade deadline come early? Why aren't NHL teams waiting until the end of the month to start making deals?

First, there are only 5 points separating 13th and 6th place in the Eastern Conference. The playoff race in the West is just as tight. With an Olympic break thrown into the mix and the first major deals already done, it's time for teams to start making their move if they want to stay in the playoff mix.

Teams in the hunt for a playoff rental player, or a long term salary fix, must move now that teams are dealing, because once a team has made a major deal, the options for others start to diminish.

The Olympic break has to be factored into this early dealing as well. The Atlanta Thrashers have no guarantee that Ilya Kovalchuk won't be injured playing major minutes for Team Russia at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games and therefore, want to deal him before the Games. Many of the leagues top stars who are approaching free agency or who have struggled this season are on the block and could potentially be dealt before the Olympics begin.

The potential for injury, and the fact that the playoff race is happening now, not two months from now, is extremely hard to deny for teams needing help. Watch for trades in the next 24 hours including Ilya Kovalchuk, Michael Ryder, and yes, more from the Toronto Maple Leafs. As well, watch for a major unload from the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes.

Let the games begin.

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Toronto Maple Leafs trade for Dion Phaneuf

Well, talk about a shake up, the Toronto Maple Leafs have traded for Dion Phaneuf from the Calgary Flames. Other Sources are now reporting the Leafs have traded Vesa Toskala to the Anaheim Ducks for JS Giguere.

Brian Burke has added another peice to his puzzle of rough and tumble players, although at what expense? Phaneuf, who two years ago was considered an absolute lock for the Canadian Olympic team, has been struggling imensely for the Calgary Flames lately.

Giguere, a former Conn Symthe and Stanley Cup winner has struggled immensely this year and could use a change of scenery, especially after the Ducks resigned goalie Jonas Hiller for 4 years.

Personally, I think the trades will work out fine, but it will not push any team involved over the edge. This move will just spark Maple Leaf fans into again thinking they have a contending team when the reality couldn't be more incorrect.

Brian Burke really needs to find a way to trade himself and Ron Wilson. Then again, who would take them?

The Leafs traded two of their top 3 scorers, Matt Stajan and Niclas Hagman, as well as Ian White and Jamal Mayers for Phaneuf. In return, they got Phaneuf, Fredrik Sjostrom, and prospect defenseman Keith Aulie.

Follow my Twitter Instant Replay throughout the day for updates on this story.

Another reason why the NHL will remain the smallest of the big four

Forget the ratings and forget the attendance numbers. The NHL will remain the smallest of the big 4 (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL) for one main reason: poor leadership and decision making.

In a recent move, the NBA, NFL, and MLB all donated $1 million to the Haiti relief funds. On the flip side, the NHL only donated $100,000. I can name more than a dozen individuals who donated more than that.

As pointed out by London Free Press writer Steve Simmons, most of the NHL's extra money this season is going to their own personal disaster, the Phoenix Coyotes.

In reality, however, this comes back to another bonehead move by Gary Bettman. Bettman who has tried for years to sell the NHL to Southern markets, who quite frankly, could care less about the league, is the bumbling leader who is ruining this league.

The product is fast, exciting, easy to understand, and filled with charismatic players. The leader, Mr. Gary Bettman, is one of the darkest clouds hanging over this league. He is the mastermind behind the Phoenix fiasco and two, count them, two, lockouts.

Until the NHLPA and others in power step up and oust Gary Bettman, the NHL will remain the smallest of the big 4.

Let the games begin.