Team Canada - One Year From Now

Okay guys - it's coming... The 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. We will all be glued to the tube watching the semi-finals in the luge, watching the womens' figure skating (Hey, I admit I like seeing the girls zipping around in those tiny, tiny skirts), turning the channel to anything other than the mens' skating (at least give the poor guys a puck and a stick to make it slightly interesting). All the while waiting patiently for Team Canada to take the ice against the Russians and Americans and Swedes.

I do love the Olympics. The summer games are absolutely brilliant. But. It's going to be ALL ABOUT HOCKEY come Vancouver 2010. Team Canada will undoubtedly ice a stellar roster. The Russian are going to be SCARY, given the tremendous amount of talent they can draw their team from. The Americans and Swedes can beat anybody one-on-one. BUT, Team Canada is playing on HOME ICE!! Don't you just wish you could reserve a couple of tickets for the finals (hopefully, Canada/Russia or Canada/USA?). I know I would give a bodily organ to be sitting there watching the best of the best playing for all the marbles in the best hockey tournament outside of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Stevie Yzerman Will Be Running The Show

With Wayne Gretzky bowing out this time, Steve Yzerman has stepped up to helm the team that will be representing Canada in the next Winter Olympics. Hey, maybe Gretz will pitch in with the coaching. I'm betting he would be giving his eye teeth to lace'em up one last time. Gretzky was always at his absolute best as a player when it came time to compete on the world stage. Who do you think should be on the team for 2010?


Have you heard that because of the "logo scandal" that Team Canada might actually be considering using the design from the '72 Summit Series? On one hand I think that would be cool, but I still like the one that Canadian teams have been using with the player skating out of Canadian Maple Leaf too, but that design has been declared "null and void" as a choice by the Olympic committee. They can just bite me.

I really don't want to dwell on what the guys are wearing, I want to make sure that the guys wearing the red and white are the best guys available and that they jell as a team and take that gold medal. I'll be happy with a silver or even a bronze if we ice the best possible team and lose (shudder) to another team that plays better. But I want that Gold Medal! And methinks so do you, right?

Sharks Beat Bruins In Possible Stanley Cup Matchup

A BIG game today as the top two teams in the NHL battle it out in Boston as thew Bruins take on the San Jose Sharks. Milan Lucic popped in 2 goals in the first, while Rob Blake tied it up at 1-1 for a few minutes in the first period.

Not much happened in the middle stanza, but the the Sharks exploded for 3 goals in the 3rd to take a 4-2 lead with about 10 minutes to play. Former Bruin Joe Thornton scored a lucky one as he moved in front of Tim Thomas as a pass from behind the net bounced off Thornton's skate past Thomas for his 13th goal of the year. Mike Griere also scored an empty net goal to put more salt in the wounds.

The Bruins have a couple of injuries, Marco Sturm is now out for the remainder of the season and Michael Ryder will miss 2-3 weeks after having some plates put in to repair the bridge of his nose after receiving a high stick last Thursday curtesy of Antoine Vermette during the Bruins' 4-3 shootout win in Ottawa. Sturm underwent season-ending knee surgery in January.

Bruins Increase League lead and Leafs Get Trounced In Buffalo

Two teams heading in polar opposite directions. The Bruins won for the 38th time this season to go against a stingy 8 total losses, While the hapless Toronto Maple Leafs lost for the 24th time this season losing 5-0 to the Sabres in Buffalo.

Boston now leads division rival Toronto by an eye-popping 35 points and the teams both have about 30 more games to play. The Bruins are without a doubt THE surprise team of the 2008-09 NHL season as they streak towards the playoffs, 12 points up on the Washington Capitals who are 2nd in the Eastern conference. San Jose Sharks and the Detroit Red Wings look like the major competition from the Western conference, with the Sharks trailing the Bruins by 5 points (but with 4 games in hand). The Red Wings are slightly farther back, trailing the Bruins by 9 points and chasing the Sharks by only 4 points.

Right now, can you see a Bruins versus Sharks (or Red Wings) Stanley Cup final? I can and more people are beginning to give kudos to the hardworking, balanced group that makes up the Bruins roster.

And the Leafs? My 4-year-old nephew puts it best when you ask him about the Toronto Maple Leafs. "The Leafs play golf." They won't make the playoffs. They won't get John Tavares, the next "phenom." They will continue to do what they always do. Win a few games they shouldn't win, raise their fans hopes a bit, then disappoint. It's a shame really. For most hockey fans, the Leafs have become an afterthought. When they think about good hockey, fans look elsewhere. Older hockey fans in Ontario still have the hope, that one day... but when?

It used to be "when that Harold Ballard dies, the Leafs will get better." Happy Hal is long gone from the team. The glory days of the early 90s when Dougie Gilmour led them all the way to the promised land (of a couple of playoff series won) has faded away. Good to see him honoured with the retirement of his number into the musty, dusty heights of the ACC, because the only banners being raised in the last 20 years has been the jersey numbers of good players on lousy teams. But you have to throw the loyal fans a bone once in a while.
Well, end of my rant about the Leafs (for now).