Here, there and everywhere from the hockey world.
Let Pronger play
Loved a recent exchange on Prime Time Sports, as Bob McCown and Jim Kelley tag-teamed Nick Kypreos over the Chris and Chris comparison. The “hosts with the most” felt it was a joke that Pronger picked up only eight games for his River Dance routine on Ryan Kesler, while Simon was slapped with 30 games for a similar stomp on Ryan Hollweg.
(CLICK HERE FOR KELLEY’S COLUMN ON THE ISSUE.) Kypreos argued that there are a different set of rules for superstars and grinders. But let’s take it one step further; not only are the rules different, they HAVE to be different. The NHL is in the entertainment business and if a franchise guy such as Pronger is sitting in the press box even though he’s healthy, I’d be ticked off for spending big bucks on a ticket to watch him play. Special people receive special treatment and while it may be unfair, it’s a rule our entire society plays by.
Vesa’s Big Adventure
Watching Vesa Toskala give up the “Long Island Long Shot” took me back to my days as a goalie who gave up a few garbage goals. Playing for a horrible junior squad in Drumheller, Alberta, I suddenly realized my eyesight was going south. Thinking the coach would cut me if he discovered that he had a blind backstop, I tried to cover up my peeper problem. But one night, I let in two long bombs from the red line and on the bus ride home, the jig was up.
“You can’t see the puck, can you?,” asked the coach.
I decided to confess and was soon fitted with a pair of contact lenses. Unfortunately, I was still awful, but at least I had a much better view of all the pucks that ended up behind me.
Who has Hart?
An interesting discussion this week on The Fan 590 Bullpen show that I co-host with Mike Hogan on Toronto radio. I feel you can flip a coin between Martin Brodeur and Alexander Ovechkin when it comes to the Hart trophy for MVP. Hoagie, on the other hand, is going with Alexander the Great, providing that the Capitals make the playoffs. However, there is a precedent for handing the Hart to a star from a club that misses the post-season dance. In 1988, Mario Lemieux was named MVP despite being part of a Penguins team that missed the playoffs. In addition, the Conn Smythe trophy for playoff MVP has been awarded on five occasions to a player from a squad that failed to win the Cup. (Can you name the Fab Five? The answer is at the bottom of the blog.) So, if it’s okay to go with a loser as playoff MVP, there’s nothing wrong with giving the regular season nod to a guy whose only sin is being surrounded by a bunch of turkeys on his own team.
Franchise players face-off
The playoffs are underway on the junior hockey front and the most intriguing first-round series seems to be the OHL match-up between the Oshawa Generals and Ottawa 67’s. The Generals have tons of talent but they finished up the regular season by dropping 7 of their final eight games, which has a lot of people predicting an upset. But whatever happens, it’s going to be fascinating to watch Oshawa’s John Tavares line up against Ottawa’s Logan Couture. A few years ago, the OHL introduced an “exceptional player rule” that allowed Tavares to play in the league as a 15-year old. Oshawa had originally indicated that they were planning to take Couture with the first pick of the OHL draft but when Tavares was suddenly made available, they just couldn’t resist. Couture was so disappointed at being snubbed that he almost headed for the U.S. to play college hockey. However, after the legendary 67’s selected him, Couture felt a lot better and decided to stick with the junior game. Couture, who was a first-round pick of the San Jose Sharks in last summer’s NHL draft, has battled a number of injury problems the past few seasons. However, he’s healthy for the playoffs and this is his chance to prove he’s on the same talent level as Tavares.
(Trivia answer: Roger Crozier, Glenn Hall, Reggie Leach, Ron Hextall, J.S. Giguere)
Hey guys we are quickly approching the playoffs and everybody has all but said the leafs are out. They have been saying that for the past three months. I’m a huge fan of the leafs have been since i was two and could swing a hockey stick and today was watching leafs tv and was reminded of a team that was in the same situation as the current leafs they were behind in the standings and came back to make the playoffs and eventually won the cup. I’m not saying the leafs this year are goin to win the cup but don’t count them out just yet for the playoffs and as a fan who can’t afford to get to many games and rely on show like yours to be informed about hockey just wanted to say don’t be so quick to count out teams. If i was playing for the leafs right now hearing that at the end of the season they are going to make big changes and that they are out of the playoffs before they really are i would use this to motivate myself to stick it to all the people that have counted me out and i hope they go on to prove everybody wrong and would hope the people that counted them out. Would say you know i have to appoligize to this team. Thank you for this forum and i watch your show religiously
budfan |
10:41 AM, Thursday March 20, 2008
Mike, with all due respect, I disagree with your statement that “[s]pecial people receive special treatment and while it may be unfair, it’s a rule our entire society plays by”.
Where is the justice in such a system? So Nick Kypreos can perform pre-meditated murder and get 25-to-life in a maximum security prison for it, but because Mats Sundin is a superstar, he can get a reduced sentence of 3 years probation for the exact same crime? I don’t think so.
I think the punishment should fit the crime, and even though they work in the entertainment business (actually, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE they work in the entertainment business), they should have the same rules and punishments for everyone involved. Special treatment for superstars will only make people disillusioned about the league.
lymphomaniac |
4:36 PM, Thursday March 20, 2008
Mike; I know there are a different set of rules for super stars as oppossed to super slugs but if Pronger had cut Kesler with his blade what then? Pronger has gotten off very litely over the years with suspensions. Stick to the head, one game, elbow to the head, one game, etc. In each of those events the oppossing player was concussed. I understand the premise of hockey being an entertainment but Pronger will eventually hurt someone very badly and what will the NHL do then?
sawchuk |
6:00 PM, Thursday March 20, 2008
Pronger should not have got suspended!!!
Now I am an Oiler fan and hate the guy, but he didn’t do anything that deserved a suspension. Kesler wraped both his legs around prongers(probably trying to take him out of the play) Pronger gets one foot free and goes to skate away Kesler trips him, Pronger drops his foot to regain his balance and steps on Kesler.
Kesler instigated the hit! Kesler tried to tie Pronger up, Kesler tried to trip Pronger. Simon was away from the play instigated the hit to knock him down, and them stomped on the guy. To Compare the two situations is complete madness!!! Pronger didn’t do anything wrong. Vancouver fans suck it up! you always whine and complain about clean plays, and justify some of the most disgusting plays by the dirty players that play for you! *cough*BERTUZZI ON MOORE*cough*
RaySUCKS |
6:35 PM, Thursday March 20, 2008
hey there just have a few comments on the pronger incodent he is a great player and you can make a case that he did not intentionally or premeditate the stomp. but what he did was unexcuse able when you are trying to get a message across to the league to stop hurting each other and i think he should of got close to the same suspnsion as simon. what kind of message does this send to the other players in the league if you are a star player you are above the law in a sense. he does not miss any playoff time and it was lucky that the player was not hurt what would of happened then would it have gone outside the rink meaning court. in my eyes this is worse than the mcsorley stick swining which if you watch it carefully he did not hit him that hard not that i think what he did was right but the forgot to show what brasher did to the goalie earlier in the game he took the goalie out of the game. TAKE THE INSTAGATER RULE AWAY AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE THIS. thanks again big fan
budfan |
9:16 AM, Friday March 21, 2008
What double standard? Pronger’s penalty is double what Simon’s was, let me expand. Chris Simon got a 30 game suspension which based on his contract, equates to approximately a $293,000 donation to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. Pronger gets 8 games which is approx. a $610,000. donation. So even though its 22 less games its about $317,000 more or twice as big a penalty to Pronger than Simon.
canuklelions |
1:58 PM, Friday March 21, 2008
The NHL just has to get rid of the grey areas..A brutal hit from behind- 3 games, a crosscheck to the face- ten games, a skate stomp- 30 games..Sit down for a day or two, think up every possible infraction that can be suspendable including racially provoked tomahawk chops to the head (McSorly), and a put a number on it. And every suspension to one player after that initial one is doubled. You throw a dirty Phanueff elbow; you get three games..Do it again; you six; if that elbow takes down another player; 12 games. These extreme plays are an intent to injure and should be delt with harshly. These guys are professionals that are allowed to fight if their temper blows. If you gears get grinded, drop the gloves and punch somebody in the teeth..skate stomping and tomahawks should be season ending suspensions..
WestAllstar |
3:09 PM, Saturday March 22, 2008
I dont think the league hands out suspensions by how much money the player will loose in games missed. Howerer in saying that I believe that Pronger should have got at least equal punishment for what he did. Considering this is not the first time Pronger has comitted an infraction that earned himself a suspension. I believe the league is being too easy on him star player or not, it’s pretty clear that he is not learning his lesson.
leafbums |
8:04 AM, Monday March 31, 2008