Zamboni Ramblings: Holiday Hockey Hullabaloo
By Eric Rosenhek
Put away the Christmas tree, Hanukah menorah and all other religious iconography that comes out this time of year. It’s time to feast on some hockey tidbits before we give a goodnight kiss to 2010.
Mr. Fehr has entered the arena
Donald Fehr, the former head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, is now in charge of the National Hockey League Players’ Association.
I don’t care about this appointment and neither should you.
The only people who should care about the NHLPA are the actual members of the NHLPA. Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger would also probably invest some attention simply because any union issue will get them on television during the summer.
But seriously, I have absolutely no interest in any collective bargaining agreement. Work stoppage or no work stoppage, the hockey media has no say in this matter and neither do the fans.
Unless it involves actual ice, sticks and pucks, there’s no reason to follow any negotiations, unless you’re studying law and get excited about mediation.
Sticking with the NHLPA
Remember the good old days – say, mid 90s – when the NHLPA actually had a presence in our lives?
Surely you’ll recall the clothing line, the four-on-four tournament from Hamilton, Ontario, “Be A Player” magazine.
Somewhere in my house are the first two issues of Be A Player; one of which features Eric AND BRETT Lindros on the cover.
Bruce Boudreau’s potty mouth
So Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau gives a mid-game pep talk to his team in front of some documentary filmmakers and suddenly, everyone is freaking out.
A coach using foul language to illustrate how upset he is with his players? How shocking!
Swearing happens in all dressing rooms. What Boudreau did was completely normal. Yes, there are times when one shouldn’t drop F-Bombs. But swearing is a part of life. It’s a way for humans to relieve stress when emotions are high. You should hear the blue streak that comes out of Hockey Girl’s mouth when The Schwartz or I submit a subpar article.
The only reason why Boudreau’s speech has become an issue is because there were cameras inside the dressing room. Take away the cameras and it’s a non-issue.
So to all those offended: Don’t get angry about something that you all do on a daily basis. Get over it!
It’s World Junior time!
Oh, look! It’s the hockey tournament that only one country cares about.
The World Junior Hockey Championships are successful because of the enourmous attention given to it by Canadians. I wouldn’t be surprised if 90% of the tournament’s profit comes from Canadian sources, with international sources covering the remaining 10%.
It’s no accident that Canadian cities have hosted the last two tournaments. And it’s safe to say this year’s host, Buffalo, New York, will enjoy a nice return thanks to all the spectators travelling from Southern Ontario.</p>
I enjoy watching Canadians’ reactions during the tournament. When Team Canada wins the gold, a national celebration commences. When Team Canada fails to win gold (such a rare occurrence occurred at the previous WJHC), every hockey pundit and fan soils their pants and wonders aloud if the Canadian system needs to change.
The tournament begins on Christmas Day.
So many Teddy Bears!
Let’s end things on a good note.
On December 12th, the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen held their annual Teddy Bear Toss at the Saddledome. Fans were invited to donate stuffed toys by throwing them on the ice after Calgary scored their first goal against their opponents that day, the Red Deer Rebels.
At 3:49 of the first period, Calgary’s Cody Sylvester gave his team a 1-0 lead, which caused a fury downpour.
According to the Calgary Herald, 16844 fans threw 23096 stuffed toys onto the ice. The match was delayed for several minutes as officials collected the items, all of which were donated to over 50 charitable organizations.
To add to the fun, the Hitmen defeated Red Deer 2-0.
Here’s footage of the Toss in progress. It’s worth checking out.
