I am so glad I seldom get sick. If I felt this crappy all the time, I'd be more of a bear to deal with.
I'll be taking some time off to try and ditch a bug that's been going around the newsroom and get well again. I suppose going to Milwaukee Thursday night to watch the Admirals' 1-0 loss to Iowa was not the smartest thing to do.
All I know is this ... before long I will be peeing cranberry juice and chicken soup.
Though I am not in Dallas for the All-Star festivities, that's not going to stop me from weighing in on it ...
The YoungStars game and the Skills competition, frankly, are boring and need some life. Behind six points from New Jersey's Zach Parise, the East defeated the West 9-8 in the Young Stars. Really little more than a mini-All-Star game. If anyone has any ideas how to spice it up some, let's hear them.
Summing up the Skills competition, I remarked to Kenosha-based blogstigator Chris Altruda that Chicago's Martin Havlat scored in the shootout competition and didn't injure himself.
Of course these competitions are little more than window dressing for the game itself, which you can read about here.
Since I am not in Dallas, let's look at some other issues ...
PENGUINS CONSIDERING HOUSTON: A group led by current owner and Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux will meet with Houston officials later this week about a possible move to south Texas, according to the Houston Chronicle's Web site.
Houston does have a hockey history. From 1965-69, the Apollos were the Montreal Canadiens' top minor-league affiliate until the Central Hockey League folded. Gordie Howe led the Aeros of the World Hockey Association to two Avco Cup -- their version of the Stanley Cup -- titles in six seasons before folding one year before the NHL-WHA merger.
Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell, formerly the mayor of Philadelphia, said he may ask the NHL to step in and block the team's possible move if negotiations on a new building to replace outdated Mellon Arena break down.
Should the Penguins play in the Toyota Center, it's not immediately known what will happen to the Aeros -- now the top farm team of the Minnesota Wild in the American Hockey League.
Of course if the Penguins end up in Houston and keep their name, it may go down as the single biggest sports marketing faux pas since the NBA's Jazz kept their name after leaving New Orleans for Utah more than 20 years ago.
MORE OF THE SAME: The NHL will keep their unbalanced schedule intact for at least one more season because -- and I, for one, am shocked at this -- both sides couldn't come to an agreement how to fix the problem.
Under the current system, some teams are limited to visiting some cities once every three years. A two-thirds majority was needed to overturn the system, but the final vote was 19-11.
"I'm not suggesting that this is the schedule for the next 100 years," commissioner Gary Bettman said. "We're going to finish the cycle and have to decide what to do after that. ... We started something. We're going to finish it."
Hopefully next season, I will be able to see the New York Rangers play in the Midwest.
Bettman also said there are no plans to expand now. So much for those Saskatoon-Yellowknife previews I was looking forward to. Wonder if I can ever get those games on HGTV?
NEW THREADS: So, here are the long-awaited new jerseys and gear players will be wearing next season. Jason Blake of the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh phenom Sidney Crosby are modeling the new duds here.
According to The Associated Press, stretch fabric in the collar and stretch mesh in areas of the tighter jersey, including the underarms and back, provide additional range of motion and increased ventilation. There is also new water repellant technology, helping retain 75 percent less moisture than the current jersey.
The pants and socks also have been redesigned with lighter fabrics to keep players drier and cooler while adding durability to the uniforms. The pants also have about 60 percent more hip protection than the current pants.
Some have decried this as taking away the league's identity. This could ultimately turn out to the the NHL's version of new Coke or the NBA's ill-fated microfiber basketball. I'll wait till the off-season when I can see all 30 jerseys before commenting.
At $425 each though, I don't think I'll be expanding my collection anytime soon.
Due to some personal family issues that forced me to return to New York for a few days, I had to put this on hold for a while.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled hockey fix.
It's not yet known if the Pittsburgh Penguins will leave the Steel City for parts unknown once their lease at Mellon Arena expires at season's end. If they bolt, whichever city gets them will inherit a team that could be shaping up soon as the league's next dynasty.
That may be a little strong, but Saturday night's 8-2 rout of Toronto seemed to bear that out. For one night, it was almost like the early 90s Pens featuring Jagr and Lemieux were on the ice.
Soon-to-be first-time All-Star participant Sidney Crosby had a goal and two assists and heads into the break with a league-high 72 points. (Ask yourself what you were accomplishing at 19.)
Young Stars game headliner Evgeni Malkin -- fast becoming the Jagr to Crosby's Lemieux -- had five assists. All he's done so far is score 24 goals, add 28 assists to trail only Crosby for the team scoring lead.
Even 428-year-old Mark Recchi recorded his seventh career hat trick, scoring all three goals on the power play. And Jarko Ruutu -- well known as one stick short of a bundle -- looked like Jari Kurri as he scored on, of all things, a penalty shot.
Hold a gun to my head, and I'll say they're as good as gone. I would love to see the NHL return to Winnipeg, but Kansas City's new Sprint Center seems a more likely destination. Still, a team that appears poised to challenge for the Stanley Cup soon -- this season is unlikely, though stranger things have happened -- is perhaps the perfect selling point for Lemieux.
Wonder if Russians and Newfies like barbecue?
THE GOOD ...
LUCKY LUC HONORED: The Kings raised Luc Robitaille's No. 20 to the rafters prior to their game against Phoenix. Robitaille spent 14 of his 20 seasons in Los Angeles, finishing second on the Kings' career points list with 1,154 to trail only Marcel Dionne. Robitaille finished his career with 668 goals and 1,394 points, the most in NHL history by a left wing.
WARMING UP BEFORE HEADING TO DALLAS: With the All-Star game coming up Wednesday, three players showed why they're headed to Dallas. Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff made 32 saves in the Flames' 4-0 win over Edmonton in the ongoing "Battle of Alberta." The Stars' Marty Turco stopped eight shots in the shootout round of a 2-1 win over the Wild to become Dallas' all-time wins leader surpassing Ed Belfour, and Montreal's Cristobal Huet set a new career high with his 19th win in the Canadiens' 4-3 victory over Buffalo.
WHO'S ON TOP NOW: Your new league leader going into the All-Star break is the Nashville Predators after David Legwand recorded his first hat trick a 6-3 win over slumping Chicago. The Predators have 71 points -- one more than Buffalo -- and a six-point lead ahead of Detroit in the Central.
THE BAD ...
SAME OLD BLACKHAWKS: Denis Savard's Windy City magic may be running out. With their loss to Nashville, the Blackhawks have dropped nine in a row and are three points ahead of Los Angeles for last place in the Western Conference. The franchise's longest losing streak is 12 in a row set from Feb. 25-March 25, 1951.
RUBBER BISCUIT: Washington Capitals goaltenders Olaf Kolzig and Brent Johnson have faced a total of 96 shots in their last two games against Florida. On a 7-3 loss to the Panthers on Jan. 13, the pair faced 54 shots, and Kolzig looked at another 42 in a 4-1 loss on Saturday.
SLIP-SLIDIN' AWAY: Carolina squandered a pair of two-goal leads before losing to Tampa Bay 6-5 in a shootout. The Hurricanes enter the break in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 56 points, two ahead of the Lightning, and six in front of the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh and Toronto.
AND THE QUOTABLE ...
"It wasn't about scoring goals, it wasn't about money, it wasn't about fame. I just wanted to play hockey and play in the NHL. I wasn't the fastest player and I had flaws, but I was a student of the game and every day I was grateful to live my dream. I heard your chants every time I touched the puck or took a shot.'' -- Future Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille during a ceremony to retire his No. 20 prior to the Kings game Saturday night against Phoenix.
I was in the newsroom Sunday night chatting with noted Islander mouthpiece Jon Palmieri about the turnover by Dallas' Patrik Stefan that led to Edmonton tying the score with two seconds left on a play that will forever be seen on the Internet and blooper reels forever.
"That's why he's Patrik Stefan!" Palmieri said.
But then we got to talking about the first round of the Class of 1999, of which Stefan was the top overall pick. Seven years later, it shapes up as one of the worst opening rounds in NHL draft history.
1. PATRIK STEFAN, Atlanta: Never scored more than 14 goals or had more than 41 points in six seasons with the Thrashers ... Atlanta finally gave up on him, sending Stefan to Dallas in June with Jaroslav Modry for Niko Kapanen and a draft pick.
2. DANIEL SEDIN, Vancouver: Left wing who keeps showing steady improvement since 2003 ... is on pace to set career-highs with 31 goals and 78 points ... needs one goal for 100 in his career. 3. HENRIK SEDIN, Vancouver: Solid center, though not quite as talented as his twin brother ... should easily surpass the career-high 57 assists he had last season ... nearly 43 percent of his 196 career assists have come on the power play.
4. PAVEL BRENDL, N.Y. Rangers: The biggest bust of the first round ... like Stefan, another Czech native who never panned out ... scored 73 goals in 1998-99 with Calgary of the Western Hockey League, but never tallied more than five in any NHL season ... also played with Philadelphia and Phoenix.
5. TIM CONNOLLY, N.Y. Islanders: Acquired by Buffalo with Taylor Pyatt for Michael Peca in 2001 ... promising career slowed by concussions that sidelined him for all of 2003-04 season and all of this campaign.
6. BRIAN FINLEY, Nashville: Has yet to win in four career NHL appearances ... gave up 10 goals in two games over two seasons with Nashville ... signed with Boston as a free-agent in July 2006.
7. KRIS BEECH, Washington: He'll forever be known as a player involved in the 2001 trade that brought Jaromir Jagr to the Capitals ... reacquired by Washington in March from Nashville for Brendan Witt and a future first-round pick.8. TAYLOR PYATT, N.Y. Islanders: Had a career-high 14 goals and 28 points with Buffalo in 2002-03 ... has nine goals, including five on the power play, and 15 points in 39 games with Vancouver this season.9. JAMIE LUNDMARK, N.Y. Rangers: Had eight goals and 19 points in 55 games as a rookie in 2002-03, but never fulfilled any promise ... also spent time with Phoenix and Calgary, where he currently is a fourth-line center with four assists in 36 games.10. BRANISLAV MEZEI, N.Y. Islanders: A 6-foot-5 tripod, or a modern-day Willie Huber ... hasn't scored a goal since Jan. 1, 2003 -- one of three in his career ... acquired by Florida in 2002 for Jason Wiemer ("I call that a wash," Palmieri chimes in.)
11. OLEG SAPRYKIN, Calgary: Picked up by Phoenix in trade for Daymond Langkow in 2004 ... servicable left wing who's tied for third in scoring on the Coyotes ... should eclipse career highs of 12 goals and 17 assists.
12. DENIS SHVIDKI, Florida: Has not played in the NHL since a two-game stint with the Panthers in 2003-04 ... has 11 goals and 14 assists in 76 career games over four seasons.
13. JANI RITA, Edmonton: Traded to Pittsburgh in January 2006 with Cory Cross for Dick Tarnstrom ... signed with Finland's Jokerit in May ... managed nine goals and 14 points in 66 games over four seasons with Oilers and Penguins.
14. JEFF JILLSON, San Jose: Now with the Sabres after playing with Sharks and Bruins ... grand total of nine goals in 140 career games.
15. SCOTT KELMAN, Phoenix: Invited to training camp by the Panthers in 2002 ... became unrestricted freee agent in 2005 ... now in the Hurricanes' system and has yet to appear in an NHL game.
16. DAVID TANABE, Carolina: Another player who's bounced around ... dealt to Boston, who later traded him to Phoenix ... rejoined Carolina this season and has five assists in 22 games ... has 99 points in 393 career games.
17. BARRET JACKMAN, St. Louis: Undersized 6-foot defenseman ... has 414 career penalty minutes to go with his 38 career points in 190 games, all with the Blues.
18. KONSTANTIN KOLTSOV, Pittsburgh: The last Penguins player to weat No. 71 before Evgeni Malkin ... posted 12 goals in 144 games over three seasons with Pittsburgh and wasn't given a new contract in July ... is a minus-42 for his career.19. KIRILL SAFRONOV, Phoenix: Traded to Atlanta in 2002 and then to Nashville in 2003 ... hasn't played an NHL game since April 2003
20. BARRETT HEISTEN, Buffalo: Signed as a free-agent with the Rangers in June 2001, appeared in 10 games with the Blueshirts and was later dealt to Dallas ... also spent a season with the Islanders.
21. NICK BOYNTON, Boston: Now with Phoenix, but out with a broken foot ... injury prone defenseman also has missed time with a broken kneecap and shoulder surgery.
22. MAXIME OUELLET, Philadelphia: Posted a 2-6-1 record with a shutout and 3.08 goals-against average in 12 games with Flyers, Capitals and Canucks.
23. STEVE McCARTHY, Chicago: Had his best season a year ago with Thrashers when he scored seven goals in 16 games after being acquired from Canucks ... had three goals in five seasons with Chicago.
24. LUCA CEREDA, Toronto: Had open-heart surgery in September 2000 -- six weeks after signing a $2.6 million, three-year contract ... has never played in an NHL game.
25. MIKHAIL KULESHOV, Colorado: Played three games with Avalanche in 2003-04 and was minus-1 ... became an unrestricted free agent after that season.
26. MARTIN HAVLAT, Ottawa: The best player to come out of this round ... goal and assist totals increased each of his first four seasons with Ottawa before shoulder surgery limited him to 18 games last season ... traded to Chicago in July and leads Blackhawks in scoring this season.
27. ARI AHONEN, New Jersey: With Martin Brodeur in net, no room for Ahonen ... was recalled from minors six times but never appeared in game ... was granted unrestricted free agency in July 2006.28. KRISTIAN KUDROC, N.Y. Islanders: Never played for the Isles, was later dealt to the Lightning with whom he had his only two career goals and assists ... last seen with Panthers in 2003-04, became an unrestricted free agent after that season.
It's been crazy with the holidays, Bowl games and the rollout of a new program at work that is going to drive me over the edge -- but I'm back.
Sure, Stu Barnes and Niklas Hagman are happy ... but they almost had a "What the ...???" moment on Thursday night.
At least once a season, there is a play that when you see it either live or on television, makes you go, "What the ...???" Marek Malik's sick shootout goal for the New York Rangers last season against the Capitals was one. Another was Washington's Alexander Ovechkin scoring on his back against Phoenix.
I saw my first NHL game when I was six years old, and I've some "What the ... ???" moments. That is until Dallas' Patrik Stefan skated in on an empty net Thursday night in Edmonton.
The Stars clawed back from a three-goal deficit, and scored three times early in the final period to take a 5-4 lead. With time winding down, Stefan skated in alone ready to make it 6-4. All he needed to do was tap the puck in an empty net, have a postgame meal, hit the showers and a bus ride to Calgary.
That is until he lost his edge. And the puck. And Dallas ended up losing its lead.
Petr Sykora scooped up the puck, skated up ice, passed it to Ryan Smyth who found Ales Hemsky and beat Marty Turco with two seconds to play.
Dallas ended up winning 6-5 in a shooutout ... and Stefan -- formerly a top overall pick by Atlanta in 1999 -- has been immortalized on You Tube.
"They may show it a million times for years to come," joked Stefan. "I mean, we came out with the two points so it's easy to laugh about it right now. It's not like I missed the net, I saw it was bad ice and I had so much time so I just tried to carry it all the way to the net. As soon as I put it on my back hand it jumped over my stick. Not much I can do about that."
After co-worker and professional blogsticator Chris Altruda saw the replay, he summed it up best using just three letters: "CUT!"
I think a one-way ticket to Des Moines is in order here.
THE GOOD ...
SWEET STEEN: Toronto's Alexander Steen had three goals and two assists in 10-2 rout of Boston. Steen is the son of former Winnipeg Jets star Thomas Steen, who had a career-high five points against Ottawa in 1993.
BOUNCING BACK BLUE: St. Louis goaltender Manny Legace made 28 saves in a 2-0 win over Chicago. After missing some time when he took a puck off the noggin last month that brielfy knocked him unconscious, Legace is 6-1-3 with a 1.57 GAA and two shutouts.
MILESTONE FOR MARLEAU: Patrick Marleau became the all-time leading scorer in Sharks history with a goal and three assists in a 9-4 romp over Detroit. Marleau has 454 career points, three better than Owen Nolan, now with Phoenix.
THE BAD ...
CHOW-DAH HEADS: With their loss to Toronto, the Bruins have been outscored 20-3 in their last three games and have allowed 28 tallies in five games.
NOT DOMINATING: Dominik Hasek had the worst game of his amazing career. The six-time Vezina Trophy winner and future Hall of Famer gave up eight unanswered goals before being pulled in the loss to San Jose.
HOME ICE DISADVANTAGE: Minnesota's franchise-record eight-game home winning streak ended with a 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. The Wild still have a league-high 17 wins this season at the Xcel Energy Center.
AND THE QUOTABLE ...
"We were bestowed upon a miracle at the end. I have never seen anything like it. It's one of those moments in hockey that you'll remember forever. It turned a disaster into a debacle." -- Oilers coach Craig MacTavish on a blunder by the Stars that led to the tying goal being scored with 2 seconds left in regulation.
