by Ken Campbell - June 5, 2011 6:38 PM EDT
Now in Toronto as the assistant to Brian Burke, Dave Nonis' refusal for change has helped the current roster; plus a level-headed Bieksa.
EN ROUTE FROM VANCOUVER TO BOSTON – Some sunny Sunday observations after the first turn of the Stanley Cup final:
• There was a time when Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa would have responded to the two-handed slash across the ankles he received from Rich Peverley by trying to put Peverley through the boards on his next shift.
by Ken Campbell - June 5, 2011 1:25 AM EDT
Any recent playoff disappointments have only worked in this Vancouver team's favor as the Canucks sit two wins away from the Stanley Cup.
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks are well on their way to winning their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, but are doing absolutely nothing to dispel one of hockey’s most long held beliefs.
by Ken Campbell - June 4, 2011 2:56 PM EDT
Will Manny Malhotra play? Who will take over for Dan Hamhuis? All this makes you wonder if the NHL should follow the NFL's lead.
VANCOUVER – You never, ever really know when it comes to injury disclosure with this league, but all indications point to Manny Malhotra completing a remarkable comeback in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final after almost three months out of the lineup.
by Ken Campbell - June 3, 2011 8:18 PM EDT
Both teams are looking to make adjustments on their power play for Game 2, but the Canucks have a couple of lineup questions to answer as well.
VANCOUVER – Trying to decode the mixed messages from Alain Vigneault concerning which player will replace Dan Hamhuis or whether Manny Malhotra will make an appearance was more daunting than a power play opportunity for the Boston Bruins.
by Ken Campbell - June 2, 2011 8:00 PM EDT
Missing a big name on the blueline nothing new for Vancouver...Big bite? No big deal...And where can Tim Thomas go?
VANCOUVER – If Dan Hamhuis misses Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final, there is no doubt it will represent a huge blow to the Vancouver Canucks.
by Ken Campbell - June 2, 2011 2:24 AM EDT
What a way to start off the final. The goalies of each team put on a clinic as the difference was one late third period goal on a controversial play.
VANCOUVER - That peculiar sound you might have heard the other day when Tim Thomas stated that this Stanley Cup final wouldn’t be about him and Roberto Luongo was all the bulls--- detectors going off in unison.
by Ken Campbell - June 1, 2011 9:32 PM EDT
With Brendan Shanahan replacing Colin Campbell as the NHL's chief disciplinarian, it looks like the league is focused on player safety. But we'll wait to see about that.
VANCOUVER – And all this time we thought Gary Bettman actually liked Brendan Shanahan. Hate to see what Bettman does to the guys he can’t stand.
by Ken Campbell - May 30, 2011 7:04 AM EDT
Ranked the top team in the CHL for much of the season, the Sea Dogs finished the job Sunday night, but 2012 was always their target year.
MISSISSAUGA, ONT - If you were watching the Saint John Sea Dogs hoist the Memorial Cup Sunday night, take a picture of it in your mind’s eye.
by Ken Campbell - May 28, 2011 12:30 AM EDT
The Mississauga St. Michael's Majors advanced to the Memorial Cup final Friday as Smith-Pelly pulled through with two goals.
MISSISSAUGA, ONT - There is a distinct lack of star power at this year’s Memorial Cup, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. That’s because it allows players such as Devante Smith-Pelly to step into the limelight for the first time in their careers.
by Ken Campbell - May 23, 2011 10:29 AM EDT
There was a time when you needed consistent goaltending to win the Stanley Cup, but just about anything goes now.
With apologies to Simon and Garfunkel, where have you gone Dominik Hasek? Or Patrick Roy? Or Ken Dryden?
It’s funny how nobody seems to be complaining about the size of goalie equipment in this year’s playoffs, isn’t it? Of course, that’s bound to happen when the guys in the nets have been a collective epic fail when it comes to any sustained consistency stopping the puck.
by Ken Campbell - May 20, 2011 1:10 AM EDT
All that stands in the way of Winnipeg and the return of an NHL team appears to be discussions of a relocation fee between the NHL and Atlanta Spirit.
Contrary to a published report, a deal to move the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg was not completely done as of late Thursday night, but it had nothing to do with negotiations between the Atlanta Spirit ownership group and True North in Winnipeg.
by Ken Campbell - May 16, 2011 2:50 PM EDT
Major junior hockey is supposed to be a family-friendly option for hockey fans who find NHL games too expensive.
From this corner, there’s a perfectly simple reason why the Memorial Cup has not yet sold out and it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact Canada’s largest city has become a black hole when it comes to major junior hockey.
Advertisement
This Week - Subscribe NowWas Raffi Torres' hit on Jarret Stoll worthy of a suspension?
Advertisement
"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.
A TC Media site, Consumer Solutions
