Rory Boylen's Column

THN.com Blog: Overbearing parents interfere with minor hockey experience

THN.com Blog: Overbearing parents interfere with minor hockey experience

by Rory Boylen - October 3, 2010 9:36 AM EDT

Whether they realize it or not, in the end belligerent parents can have a negative long-term impact on their kid's minor sports life.
It’s really simple, but apparently a concept some parents just can’t comprehend. Minor sports – and on THN.com, we’re talking minor hockey – are for kids to enjoy and not for parents to interfere in and, consequently, ruin.


THN.com Blog: Islanders coach Scott Gordon talks prospects, DiPietro and more

THN.com Blog: Islanders coach Scott Gordon talks prospects, DiPietro and more

by Rory Boylen - September 25, 2010 9:36 AM EDT

A Q&A with the third-year NHL bench boss discussing Nino Niederreiter, the Isles' goaltending and expectations for the upcoming season.
The rebuilding New York Islanders are preparing for Year 3 under coach Scott Gordon. The team saw an improvement of eight wins and 18 points from 2008-09 to 2009-10 and as the kids get more experienced there is good reason for optimism.


THN.com Blog: Phil Esposito reflects on Summit Series speech

THN.com Blog: Phil Esposito reflects on Summit Series speech

by Rory Boylen - September 11, 2010 9:10 AM EDT

The all-time goal scoring great reflects on the emotional outburst from 1972 that helped turn the tide in favor of Canada.
When you think of great sports speeches, there are a few that have become etched in history. Lou Gehrig’s “luckiest man on the face of this earth” speech stands out in baseball; and Muhammad Ali’s many “I am the greatest” declarations defined a boxing era.


THN.com Blog: KHL still no rival for NHL

THN.com Blog: KHL still no rival for NHL

by Rory Boylen - August 22, 2010 9:43 AM EDT

Every year the threats of big names being lured away grow larger, but again and again those threats fall short.
If the Kontinental League is to fulfil its goal of being on the same ground as the NHL, it’s got a long way to go yet. Here we sit on Aug.


NHL Free Agent Preview: Southeast Division

NHL Free Agent Preview: Southeast Division

by Rory Boylen - June 30, 2010 12:15 PM EDT

Jose Theodore is set to leave the Caps as every team in this division is looking to make some changes.
Atlanta Thrashers Cap Space – $30.1 million UFAs – Maxim Afinogenov, RW; Colby Armstrong, RW; Evgeny Artyukhin, LW; Eric Boulton, LW; Johan Hedberg, G; Vyacheslav Kozlov, LW; Pavel Kubina, D; Mark Popovic, D; Christoph Schubert, D.


THN at the NHL Draft: Strong selection of Swedish players in Round 2

THN at the NHL Draft: Strong selection of Swedish players in Round 2

by Rory Boylen - June 26, 2010 7:25 PM EDT

No Swedish players went in Round 1, but there were some strong choices on Day 2... and the quirkiness of Kirill Kabanov continues.
LOS ANGELES – In the 2009 draft, seven elite players were taken from Sweden in the opening round: Victor Hedman, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson, David Rundblad, Jacob Josefson, Tim Erixon and Marcus Johansson.


THN at the NHL Awards: Sedin's MVP, a new era on the blueline, and Datsyuk's Selke domination

THN at the NHL Awards: Sedin's MVP, a new era on the blueline, and Datsyuk's Selke domination

by Rory Boylen - June 23, 2010 10:57 PM EDT

It was an entertaining night in Las Vegas that saw many new winners, but also one very familiar one.
LAS VEGAS – In what was one of the most – perhaps the most – entertaining NHL Awards Show yet (how great was that Ryan Getzlaf-Bobby Ryan skit?) there were few surprises, but more than a few new faces.


THN.com Blog: Breaking down the Devils, Predators, Flyers trades

THN.com Blog: Breaking down the Devils, Predators, Flyers trades

by Rory Boylen - June 20, 2010 9:12 AM EDT

There were a few unexpected deals Saturday, headlined by pending UFA defenseman Dan Hamhuis to the Flyers.
It was a surprisingly busy Saturday for the Nashville Predators, trading out pending UFA defenseman Dan Hamhuis and captain Jason Arnott in two separate deals.


THN.com Blog: Classy Flyers fans, Phaneuf's 'C' and big-mouth Burish

THN.com Blog: Classy Flyers fans, Phaneuf's 'C' and big-mouth Burish

by Rory Boylen - June 13, 2010 9:40 AM EDT

Philadelphia followers perform well... Is Dion ready for the pressure?... and why Adam Burish needs to learn respect.
A few thoughts on the Cup final and Toronto captaincy as the hockey season slips away for another summer... Heading into Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final, I was curious how the hostile Philadelphia crowd would react to a visiting team celebrating winning the mug on Flyer ice.


THN.com Blog: Winning pedigree should make Taylor Hall No. 1

THN.com Blog: Winning pedigree should make Taylor Hall No. 1

by Rory Boylen - May 30, 2010 10:10 AM EDT

There's an argument to be made for either Hall or Tyler Seguin to be taken first overall, but the two-time Memorial Cup MVP, with his team success, should be top dog.
With Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin neck-and-neck for the honor of being picked first overall, the two haven’t made it easy on NHL scouts.


THN.com Playoff Blog: Flyers simply too much for Canadiens to handle

THN.com Playoff Blog: Flyers simply too much for Canadiens to handle

by Rory Boylen - May 22, 2010 6:37 PM EDT

A Game 4 trouncing – yet another shutout – has the Flyers on the cusp of the Cup final and there doesn't seem to be a thing the Habs can do about it.
Speed and transition won the day for the Philadelphia Flyers and earned them a 3-1 series lead against the Montreal Canadiens. The strength of Bob Gainey’s Canadiens was supposed to be speed.


THN.com Playoff Blog: Good and bad performances to start Round 2

THN.com Playoff Blog: Good and bad performances to start Round 2

by Rory Boylen - May 2, 2010 12:00 AM EDT

With the second round underway, here is something each team has to be excited to see and something to be concerned about.
Through one game in each second round series, here are a few observations on one individual performance that has to have fans excited and one performance, individual or intangible, that will be a cause for concern.


Was Raffi Torres' hit on Jarret Stoll worthy of a suspension?




"That hockey game will haunt me until the day I die…"

- Toronto's Joffrey Lupul reacting on Twitter to his team's meltdown loss in Game 7 to the Boston Bruins.

Contests

Our Partners