Gary Bettman's NHL

Here are a few observations about Gary Bettman's league.

In Gary Bettman's NHL, when a hero (in every sense of the word) returns for his final on-ice farewell, the league's network opts instead to show the Pittsburg Penguins play an out-of-conference team. Nevermind that Saku Koivu transcends the game. Nevermind that the fans greeted him with another, emotional ovation. No, for some reason, a run-of-the-mill out-of-conference game gets top billing on the NHL Network.

In Gary Bettman's NHL, on that same night, a referee witnessed a deliberate boarding play that injured Montreal's top scorer. Yet, despite witnessing the intentional (and successful) attempt to injure a star player, neither referee called a penalty against Clayton Stoner.

In Gary Bettman's NHL, his league decided not to pursue any punishment whatsoever against Clayton Stoner, even after the video evidence clearly showed attempt to injure, and success in that endeavour.

In Gary Bettman's NHL, fans are sold a package that purports to show every game, home and away, with your choice of the home or away city's broadcast. This is fine, except for Montreal fans who, night after night, only have the option of watching the OTHER team's hometown broadcast. Sabres at Canadiens? You only get to watch MSG. Canadiens at NYR? MSG. Ducks at Canadiens, where, by the way, the Habs will be honoring their former Captain? Fox Sports San Diego.

In Gary Bettman's NHL, real fans are slaves to the southern teams that make no money, have little success, and have tenuous (at best) fan-bases. Every time a Montreal fan buys a Habs hat, some of that money goes directly to the Phoenix Coyotes, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, etc, in a perverse form of corporate welfare to support money-losing franchises.

In Gary Bettman's NHL, the league commissioner works so hard and diligently to maintain his unethical ownership of one of the league's franchises, that he is blind to all other franchises. Gary Bettman was so fixated on keeping a money-hemmorhaging team in a non-sensical place like Phoenix ARIZONA, that he was blind-sided by the sudden departure of the Atlanta Thrashers for Winnipeg.

Perhaps this is the key. The Thrashers' move to Winnipeg, of all places, where there is actually hockey played, and there are actually hockey fans, was a nightmare scenario for Gary Bettman. Perhaps we should encourage him to maintain ownership of, and work desperately to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix. Then he will be oblivious to the plight of the other southern teams until it is too late and they have already packed their bags for Quebec City, Hamilton, etc.

About last night...

Instead of deploring the obvious and despicable bias Dan O'Rourke, Dennis LaRue showed last night, here are the crucial moments, told via meme. 

Happy retirement, #11

Saku Koivu announced his retirement today. I want to say, congratulations on a marvelous career. You were an inspiration to me when I had to overcome a debilitating injury. You always amazed me with your professionalism, whether it was talking down Sergei Kostitsyn when his brother had been injured by a dirty hit, or when you addressed the media immediately after a BS penalty that delivered a Leafs win on a silver platter. Or when you scored the first goal of a game and showed an inordinate amount of emotion--until I realized that the reason you were so excited was that you wanted to score that goal for the deaf boy who had just sung the National Anthem. You were the hero Montreal needed, even when it didn't deserve you.

I have two wishes: that you had been able to retire a Montreal Canadien, and that you had been able to win the Cup with the Habs. But you showed us that there are even more important things. The highlights I mentioned were about more than just putting the puck in the net. (However, I must point out that it was you who scored the deciding goal in the 6-5 comeback win against the Rangers on February 19th, 2008.)

For everything you did, thank you.

Have a wonderful retirement.

With best wishes,

GW (KK)

Atta boy...

Good job there, Marc. Now, don't ever do that crap again.

Dear Marc Bergevin

You're an idiot. Stop being an idiot: Sign PK Subban.

Scores and Standings, 6-14 FINAL

1. Derek (THIS Year's Champs!): 133 (130)

Anze Kopitar (F-LA) W=1
Drew Doughty (D-LA) A,W=2
Jarome Iginla (F-Bos) 

Claude Giroux (F-Phi) 

Alex Pietrangelo (D-StL) 

Marc-Andre Fleury (G-Pit) 

Last night's total: 3

2. P-Stone: 130 (130)

Henrik Lunqvist (G-NY) 0
Patrick Kane (F-Chi) 
Patrick Sharp (F-Chi) 

Evgeni Malkin (F-Pit)

Ryan Suter (D-Min)

Kevin Shattenkirk (D-StL)

Last night's total: 0

3. Mother of Kovalev: 113 (113)

Derek Stepan (F-NY) 0
Jonathan Toews (F-Chi)
David Krejci (F-Bos) 

Cam Fowler (D-Ana) 

Matt Niskanen (D-Pit) 

Semyon Varlamov (G-Col) 
Last night's total: 0

4. Father of Kovalev: 99

Ryan Getzlaf (F-Ana) 

Patrice Bergeron (F-Bos) 

Matt Duchene (F-Col) 

Brent Seabrook (D-Chi) 

Torey Krug (D-Bos) 

Antti Niemi (G-SJ) 
Last night's total: 0

5. Kovalev's Kousin: 97  

Max Pacioretty (F-Mon) 
Andrei Markov (D-Mon) 
Corey Perry (F-Ana) 

TJ Oshie (F-StL) 

Zdeno Chara (D-Bos) 

John Gibson, Jonas Hiller, Frederik Andersen (G-Ana) 

Last night's total: 0

6. Bride of Kovalev: 90 (89)

Jonathan Quick (G-LA) W=1

Sidney Crosby (F-Pit) 

Joe Pavelski (F-SJ) 

Gabriel Landeskog (F-Col) 

P.K. Subban (D-Mon) 

Jay Bouwmeester (D-StL) 

Last night's total: 1

7. Hawks Fan: 82

Marian Hossa (F-Chi) 
Duncan Keith (D-Chi) 
Logan Couture (F-SJ) 

Steven Stamkos (F-TB) 

James Wisniewski (D-CBJ) 

Tukka Rask (G-Bos) 

Last night's total: 0

Scores and Standings, 6-12

T-1. Derek (Last Year's Champs!): 130 (130)

Anze Kopitar (F-LA) 0
Drew Doughty (D-LA) 0
Jarome Iginla (F-Bos) 

Claude Giroux (F-Phi) 

Alex Pietrangelo (D-StL) 

Marc-Andre Fleury (G-Pit) 

Last night's total: 0

T-1. P-Stone: 130 (129)

Henrik Lunqvist (G-NY) W=1
Patrick Kane (F-Chi) 
Patrick Sharp (F-Chi) 

Evgeni Malkin (F-Pit)

Ryan Suter (D-Min)

Kevin Shattenkirk (D-StL)

Last night's total: 1

3. Mother of Kovalev: 113 (111)

Derek Stepan (F-NY) A,W=2
Jonathan Toews (F-Chi)
David Krejci (F-Bos) 

Cam Fowler (D-Ana) 

Matt Niskanen (D-Pit) 

Semyon Varlamov (G-Col) 
Last night's total: 2

4. Father of Kovalev: 99

Ryan Getzlaf (F-Ana) 

Patrice Bergeron (F-Bos) 

Matt Duchene (F-Col) 

Brent Seabrook (D-Chi) 

Torey Krug (D-Bos) 

Antti Niemi (G-SJ) 
Last night's total: 0

5. Kovalev's Kousin: 97  

Max Pacioretty (F-Mon) 
Andrei Markov (D-Mon) 
Corey Perry (F-Ana) 

TJ Oshie (F-StL) 

Zdeno Chara (D-Bos) 

John Gibson, Jonas Hiller, Frederik Andersen (G-Ana) 

Last night's total: 0

6. Bride of Kovalev: 89 (89)

Jonathan Quick (G-LA) 0

Sidney Crosby (F-Pit) 

Joe Pavelski (F-SJ) 

Gabriel Landeskog (F-Col) 

P.K. Subban (D-Mon) 

Jay Bouwmeester (D-StL) 

Last night's total: 0

7. Hawks Fan: 82

Marian Hossa (F-Chi) 
Duncan Keith (D-Chi) 
Logan Couture (F-SJ) 

Steven Stamkos (F-TB) 

James Wisniewski (D-CBJ) 

Tukka Rask (G-Bos) 

Last night's total: 0

Scores and Standings, 6-10

Annnd Derek pulls ahead! For good this time? Stay tuned!

1. Derek (Last Year's Champs!): 130 (127)

Anze Kopitar (F-LA) A,W=2
Drew Doughty (D-LA) W=1
Jarome Iginla (F-Bos) 

Claude Giroux (F-Phi) 

Alex Pietrangelo (D-StL) 

Marc-Andre Fleury (G-Pit) 

Last night's total: 3

2. P-Stone: 129 (129)

Henrik Lunqvist (G-NY) 0
Patrick Kane (F-Chi) 
Patrick Sharp (F-Chi) 

Evgeni Malkin (F-Pit)

Ryan Suter (D-Min)

Kevin Shattenkirk (D-StL)

Last night's total: 0

3. Mother of Kovalev: 111 (111)

Derek Stepan (F-NY) 0
Jonathan Toews (F-Chi)
David Krejci (F-Bos) 

Cam Fowler (D-Ana) 

Matt Niskanen (D-Pit) 

Semyon Varlamov (G-Col) 
Last night's total: 0

4. Father of Kovalev: 99

Ryan Getzlaf (F-Ana) 

Patrice Bergeron (F-Bos) 

Matt Duchene (F-Col) 

Brent Seabrook (D-Chi) 

Torey Krug (D-Bos) 

Antti Niemi (G-SJ) 
Last night's total: 0

5. Kovalev's Kousin: 97  

Max Pacioretty (F-Mon) 
Andrei Markov (D-Mon) 
Corey Perry (F-Ana) 

TJ Oshie (F-StL) 

Zdeno Chara (D-Bos) 

John Gibson, Jonas Hiller, Frederik Andersen (G-Ana) 

Last night's total: 0

6. Bride of Kovalev: 89 (86)

Jonathan Quick (G-LA) W,SO=3

Sidney Crosby (F-Pit) 

Joe Pavelski (F-SJ) 

Gabriel Landeskog (F-Col) 

P.K. Subban (D-Mon) 

Jay Bouwmeester (D-StL) 

Last night's total: 3

7. Hawks Fan: 82

Marian Hossa (F-Chi) 
Duncan Keith (D-Chi) 
Logan Couture (F-SJ) 

Steven Stamkos (F-TB) 

James Wisniewski (D-CBJ) 

Tukka Rask (G-Bos) 

Last night's total: 0

Scores and Standings, 6-8

1. P-Stone: 129 (129)

Henrik Lunqvist (G-NY) 0
Patrick Kane (F-Chi) 
Patrick Sharp (F-Chi) 

Evgeni Malkin (F-Pit)

Ryan Suter (D-Min)

Kevin Shattenkirk (D-StL)

Last night's total: 0

2. Derek (Last Year's Champs!): 127 (124)

Anze Kopitar (F-LA) A,W=2
Drew Doughty (D-LA) W=1
Jarome Iginla (F-Bos) 

Claude Giroux (F-Phi) 

Alex Pietrangelo (D-StL) 

Marc-Andre Fleury (G-Pit) 

Last night's total: 3

3. Mother of Kovalev: 111 (110)

Derek Stepan (F-NY) A=1
Jonathan Toews (F-Chi)
David Krejci (F-Bos) 

Cam Fowler (D-Ana) 

Matt Niskanen (D-Pit) 

Semyon Varlamov (G-Col) 
Last night's total: 1

4. Father of Kovalev: 99

Ryan Getzlaf (F-Ana) 

Patrice Bergeron (F-Bos) 

Matt Duchene (F-Col) 

Brent Seabrook (D-Chi) 

Torey Krug (D-Bos) 

Antti Niemi (G-SJ) 
Last night's total: 0

5. Kovalev's Kousin: 97  

Max Pacioretty (F-Mon) 
Andrei Markov (D-Mon) 
Corey Perry (F-Ana) 

TJ Oshie (F-StL) 

Zdeno Chara (D-Bos) 

John Gibson, Jonas Hiller, Frederik Andersen (G-Ana) 

Last night's total: 0

6. Bride of Kovalev: 86 (85)

Jonathan Quick (G-LA) W=1

Sidney Crosby (F-Pit) 

Joe Pavelski (F-SJ) 

Gabriel Landeskog (F-Col) 

P.K. Subban (D-Mon) 

Jay Bouwmeester (D-StL) 

Last night's total: 1

7. Hawks Fan: 82

Marian Hossa (F-Chi) 
Duncan Keith (D-Chi) 
Logan Couture (F-SJ) 

Steven Stamkos (F-TB) 

James Wisniewski (D-CBJ) 

Tukka Rask (G-Bos) 

Last night's total: 0

Scores and Standings, 6-5

1. P-Stone: 129 (129)

Henrik Lunqvist (G-NY) 0
Patrick Kane (F-Chi) 
Patrick Sharp (F-Chi) 

Evgeni Malkin (F-Pit)

Ryan Suter (D-Min)

Kevin Shattenkirk (D-StL)

Last night's total: 

2. Derek (Last Year's Champs!): 124 (120)

Anze Kopitar (F-LA) W=1
Drew Doughty (D-LA) G,W=3
Jarome Iginla (F-Bos) 

Claude Giroux (F-Phi) 

Alex Pietrangelo (D-StL) 

Marc-Andre Fleury (G-Pit) 

Last night's total: 4

3. Mother of Kovalev: 110 (110)

Derek Stepan (F-NY) 0
Jonathan Toews (F-Chi)
David Krejci (F-Bos) 

Cam Fowler (D-Ana) 

Matt Niskanen (D-Pit) 

Semyon Varlamov (G-Col) 
Last night's total: 0

4. Father of Kovalev: 99

Ryan Getzlaf (F-Ana) 

Patrice Bergeron (F-Bos) 

Matt Duchene (F-Col) 

Brent Seabrook (D-Chi) 

Torey Krug (D-Bos) 

Antti Niemi (G-SJ) 
Last night's total: 0

5. Kovalev's Kousin: 97  

Max Pacioretty (F-Mon) 
Andrei Markov (D-Mon) 
Corey Perry (F-Ana) 

TJ Oshie (F-StL) 

Zdeno Chara (D-Bos) 

John Gibson, Jonas Hiller, Frederik Andersen (G-Ana) 

Last night's total: 0

6. Bride of Kovalev: 85 (84)

Jonathan Quick (G-LA) W=1

Sidney Crosby (F-Pit) 

Joe Pavelski (F-SJ) 

Gabriel Landeskog (F-Col) 

P.K. Subban (D-Mon) 

Jay Bouwmeester (D-StL) 

Last night's total: 1

7. Hawks Fan: 82

Marian Hossa (F-Chi) 
Duncan Keith (D-Chi) 
Logan Couture (F-SJ) 

Steven Stamkos (F-TB) 

James Wisniewski (D-CBJ) 

Tukka Rask (G-Bos) 

Last night's total: 0