Here’s how the Daniel Carcillo thing went down.
The Philadelphia Flyers forward was in his car this week listening to Hockeycentral @ Noon on satellite radio. He hears that day’s guest, Atlanta Thrashers head coach John Anderson, describe how former Montreal Expos mascot Youppi once got the jump on him at Olympic Stadium back in the day. Anderson told Doug MacLean and myself in great detail about the incident, which saw Youppi pull off Anderson’s new St. Louis Cardinals hat and stomped on in.
Then a member of the Hartford Whalers, Anderson attempted to reciprocate by pulling off Youppi’s cap only to be foiled by the simple fact the hat is part of the costume. While desperately trying to change his strategy, Anderson was pulled back to his seat by a Whalers teammate when the encounter popped up on the stadium’s big screen.
So what does this have to do with Carcillo? He wasn’t going to let anyone get the first shot in. Thoughts of a big stuffed creature with a smug look on his face in mind, he looked up at that Washington Capitals red, white and blue sweater and swung. Mat Bradley never had a chance. I apologize to Matt for the incident; It was our fault. If in fact, Carcillo was listening to Hockeycentral this week, which is the only part of the story I cannot confirm.
Thanks to everyone for sending the links to MacLean’s Chalk Talk segment on Youtube from the early ’90s in Detroit. It is priceless. His glasses were bigger than the rims on an army-issued Hummer.
For those having fun compiling an Olympic hockey roster this month, there has been a change from the 2006 process. Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke confirmed to HC in an lengthy visit on Friday that the idea of a taxi squad has been scrapped and instead nations will simply submit a list of 23 players.
Thanks to Detroit Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood for taking us inside the stresses of a playoff run. The man who is almost unflappable had to calm his mom down early in last year’s final because “she was stressing me out and I never get stressed.”
Also John Ferguson admitted how difficult it was as a family to decide what to do with so much of his late father’s memorabilia. “My sisters will be bidding on a few things,” Ferguson said. You can check out the incredible collection at classicauctions.net.