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

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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I have Olympic Games withdrawl

Pressing the recall button on my remote control tonight had a strange effect. First, I saw the evening news. Recall. Then it was an ESPN film? What the heck? Where were the Olympics?

Yes, I watched the closing ceremonies just like everyone else. I realize the Games are over. But now, I was forced to do something I hadn't done for two weeks. I had to press the "Guide" button, and explore what else was on TV.

No skiing, no bobsleigh, no curling, no speed skating. What a rip off. NBA basketball seemed like a cheesy participation ribbon. It seemed like TSN was sending me a message saying, "thanks for tuning in, unfortunately, this is all we have for you."

The Vancouver Olympics were a truly great event and displayed the outstanding power of sport. 14 gold medals were won by Canada, more than any nation in the history of the Winter Olympics. More importantly, millions went back to work following the closing ceremonies feeling refreshed, proud, and excited.

Don't worry sports fans, there are a few things for us to look forward to. We have March Madness, the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the World Cup of Soccer. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a few years before the Olympics re-appear and much longer before we are able to experience another Olympic Games on Canadian soil.

It was good while it lasted, I just wish it had lasted longer.

Let the games begin.

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Canada wins hockey gold

I'll keep this one short and sweet. In epic style, the Canadian men's hockey team captured Olympic Gold in overtime. Sidney Crosby scored the clinching goal winning it for the host nation.

This gold gave Canada 14 for the Vancouver Winter Olympics, setting the all-time record for most gold medals in one Olympic Games by any nation.

The Game was an outstanding battle between American netminder Ryan Miller and Canadian goalie Roberto Luongo.

I'm sure the streets of Vancouver and many cities across Canada will be rocking until the early hours of the morning.

This USA vs Canada game will easily go down as one of the most watched, most talked about, and most memorable sporting moments in history.

I am proud to be Canadian, for our hockey golds, 14 gold medals total, and for the outstanding Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Let the games begin.

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Canada's Golden Hockey Girls

Women's hockey took a lot of abuse at the Vancouver Olympics this year. The lack of competition is evident and the lopsided games are not entertaining.

Luckily, whenever Canada faces off against the USA, sparks are going to fly and you are guaranteed a great game. Watching the USA play Canada in the womens final shows that there is hope for womens hockey at the Olympics.

These two nations are packed with skilled hockey players and every gold medal game is epic. In this round, Canada captured another Gold in Women's Hockey, their third straight Olympic Gold.

Led by young stars Meghan Agosta and Marie-Philip Poulin-Nadeau and veterans Hayley Wickenheiser and Jayna Hefford, the Canadians were too powerful for the USA team taking home a 2-0 victory in the Gold Medal game. The shutout in net for the Canadians went to Shannon Szabados.

Unfortunately, if other nations can't match the talent of the USA and Canada, the womens game might become extinct at the Winter Olympics. Until then, we'll have to settle for amazing gold medal game, after amazing gold medal game between the USA and Canada.

Congratulations to the Canadian Womens Hockey team for winning Canada's first Hockey Gold Medal on home soil.

Let the games begin.

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Will there be another USA 'Miracle' on ice?

If decisively beating Canada in a heated preliminary round game on enemy soil is any indication, the USA are well positioned for a run at a gold medal.

I wouldn't quite call this a "miracle," but a medal of any colour will be considered a success for the young and feisty USA hockey team. This is no team of bushy haired college boys, but the USA are definitely inexperienced and were picked by many to finish well out of the medals. Now, the USA have almost assured themselves a medal round game.

In my Olympic Hockey Preview I stated that I felt like this could be another "Miracle" team based on the performance of goaltender Ryan Miller.

Against Canada, Miller was a difference maker standing on his head throughout the game, specifically in the decisive last minutes of the third period. Not only did the USA receive clutch goaltending from Ryan Miller, their young and fast forward corps featuring the likes of David Backas, Patrick Kane, Ryan Kesler, and Dustin Brown, was impressive.

Would I call it a "miracle?" No. I would call it a young and talented team coming of age on the world's biggest stage. Is Canada out of it? Not by a long shot, but they've made the road to gold more difficult then it seemed at the start of the Games.

Saying the USA will win Gold, or even medal is a little pre-mature, but this team that is beaming with young stars (and stripes) and have the potential to go wherever goaltender Ryan Miller leads them.

After beating the heavily favoured Team Canada at the Vancouver Olympics, Team USA has officially erased their "miracle" status and replaced it with "Olympic contender."

Let the games begin.

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Should Martin Brodeur be Canada's starter?

For anyone who watched the Canada-USA hockey game, you'll know there are questions about Martin Brodeur.

Is he still Canada's best goalie? Should his experience keep him in goal for Team Canada? Can he lead Canada to a gold medal?

The answer to each of these questions is no. Not if Canada's preliminary round game against the USA is any indication. Martin Brodeur allowed 3 goals on the first 15 shots. That is a .800 save percentage. That number wouldn't keep you in the net in the NHL, AHL, or a beer league. Canada lost 5-3 after outshooting the USA 45-23.

When he handled the puck (if you can call it that), Brodeur looked terrible and directly caused 2 of the 3 goals. The difference in the game was in fact goaltending, Ryan Miller played great, Martin Brodeur did not.

This is a point in the coaching career of Mike Babcock that will go down in history. Will he make the right decision and play Roberto Luongo the rest of the way, or will he hope the experience and reputation of Brodeur is enough to compensate for his poor play?

If Canada wins the Gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics, or any medal for that matter, you can bet it won't be because of Martin Brodeur. Rather, the team will have to put forward an impressive defensive effort in front of the aging goalie, and score enough goals to balance those he allows.

Please Mike Babcock, find it somewhere in your heart to play Roberto Luongo. He is Canada's goalie and Canada's hope for a gold medal. Let's get behind this hockey fans. We need to put Martin Brodeur out to pasture and let Roberto Luongo lead his team and his country to the Olympic Gold medal they so desperately want.

Let the games begin.

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Is this the last Olympics for Womens Hockey?

Forget whether or not NHL players will continue to compete in the mens side of ice hockey. The real question stands: is this the last Olympic Games for womens hockey?

Why would I ask that? Simply this, there is no international competition. By all regards, this is a two team tournament - Canada and USA - and don't give me your "Sweden upset the USA in 2006" arguement. It's irrelevant.

In the Vancouver Olympics, Canada and the USA have slaughtered opponents with scores in the range of 18-0, 11-1, and 12-1. This is not entertaining, nor is it fair.

Likely the one goal was scored because the Canadian or US goalie had dosed off from boredum.

How does this seem like a competition to anyone? The arguement will stand that to get better, these weak countries must compete at the highest level, but they've been doing so since the 1998 Olympics in Nagano and for years before that.

So here we are, close to 20 years later and we're still watching a two team tournament. How much longer will the IOC allow the USA and Canada to dominate without legitimate competition? Not just dominate, but obliterate opponents to the point where it is embarrassing to watch.

There is no entertainment value in these games because the skill level of every other nation, with the outside exception of Sweden, is pitiful. Many of the 'Olympic' teams we watch play in the womens game would not be able to compete against teenage girls teams from Canada.

It`s not that I don`t support the womens game, because I definitely think it would be a shame to lose womens hockey from the Olympic Games; it just doesn`t exemplify the top level of competition in the world.

China and Switzerland have made recent gains, but they now only border on competiting with Sweden and Finland. These countries need more funding and better coaches.

Sadly, this might be the last year for womens hockey at the Winter Olympics until other countries are able to compete. Until then, we'll have to watch gold medal game after gold medal game featuring the only two teams that matter: the USA and Canada.

Let the games begin.

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What the Olympics mean to the World

After months and months of predictions, hype, and speculation, the Winter Olympics are finally here. Although the Olympic Games started on a sour note, with the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, the Winter Olympics in Vancouver promise better things to come.

In fact, the Olympics in general are a sign of world togetherness you don't often see. Where else would you see the USA standing beside Iran and North Korea? These countries aren't competing against each other out of hate; rather, they're competing in peace and sport.

The Olympic Games are unifying for all people. It's a chance for us to forget the wars we fight, the terror in our world, and to focus on a sense of togetherness that is often overlooked.

Starting with the spectacular and theatrical opening ceremonies and the lighting of the torch by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, the Winter Olympics utlilize one of our planets greatest common grounds, sport, to bring people together...even if it is only for a few weeks.

Sure nations compete against each other, battle on the playing field, and will push, pull, and claw their way to a place on the podium; but athletes from countries at war, countries who are political adversaries, show respect and sportsmanship to each other during the Olympics.

97 nations are competing at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. 97 countries in one peaceful place for sport. I've heard people argue over and over that sports are just games, that people take athletics too seriously, and that athletics are not important.

Looking at the Olympic Games, it's obvious they are wrong. Sports can mean so much more, they can bring unity and peace. They can bring hope and inspiration. From the moment the torch is lit, to the moment the last medal is awarded, the Olympic Games are a tie that bonds all of humanity through sport.

Let the games begin.

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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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Olympic Sized Injuries for Vonn and Getzlaf

Only days before the Olympic Games get underway in Vancouver, injuries are even more detrimental to athletes and nations. Medal hopes, and even the hopes of participation can be erased in a second.

From Canada, NHL star Ryan Getzlaf was recently seen in a walking cast in Anaheim. Philadelphia Flyers center Jeff Carter has been invited to Vancouver as an emergency replacement in case Getzlaf can't play.

One of the bigger injury stories making its way through the media is the bruised shin of American skier Lindsey Vonn. Vonn, a heavy favorite to win multiple medals at the Vancouver Games bruised her shin at a training session in Austria.

Other countries are feeling similar pressures as the games creep closer. Injuries are especially a concern with the NHL players participating in the games. As well, the weather conditions have many skiers concerned about utlizing the practice facilities at Whistler and Cypress Mountain in the days leading up to the Games. Poor snow conditions increase the chance of catching an edge or hitting a rut during practice runs.

Vonn, who made headlines after completing a photo shoot for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, implied that her "bruise" might actually be a slight shin fracture. If she were to miss the Games, or even participate injured, it would be a huge blow to the United States' medal hopes.

Approaching the Olympics, you have to hope that the best athletes will be able to compete. That is what the Olympics are about, highlighting the world's top athletes and allowing them to compete for Gold.

Let the games begin.

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