Stars bring back Brunnstrom

That was a quick stay in Manitoba!

¶ DALLAS (AP) - The Stars recalled left wing Fabian Brunnstrom on Saturday after a brief rehabilitation stint in the minor leagues.
¶ Brunnstrom, who leads NHL rookies with four game-winning goals, played one game for Manitoba in the American Hockey League.
¶ He will rejoin Dallas after missing his 14th game when the Stars play at Columbus on Saturday night. He's been out with a lower body injury since Dec. 27 against Anaheim.
¶ The 23-year-old Swede has 10 goals and four assists in 31 games with the Stars.

Islanders win away from home. Really!

ITEM: New York Islanders end 14-game road losing streak

About freakin’ time. Of course, this could mean one less ping-pong ball for the John Tavares sweepstakes.

Of course, the Gorton’s Fishermen did this at the expense of the Atlanta Thrashers, so it really shouldn’t count, right?

And, in typical fashion, it wasn’t easy. New York led 4-0 at the end of one period, and saw Atlanta close to 4-3 with 11:24 to play before Kyle Okposo put the game out of reach.

The Isles hadn’t won on the road since Nov. 24, when they beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in a shootout. New York won’t get a shot at back-to-back road wins until Feb. 5 against the Florida Panthers.

Souray's bad days

Think Sheldon Souray has had a bad couple of days?

SportsTicker castigator Joe Rizzo noted this about the Edmonton Oilers’ offensive-minded defenseman.

Souray’s teams have allowed 21 goals in his last two games.

On Sunday, he was on the losing side of a 12-11 decision in a shootout at the 57th All-Star game at Montreal’s Bell Centre. Two goals, one assist, minus-1.

On Tuesday night, it didn’t get any better as Edmonton was hammered 10-2 by the Buffalo Sabres. Souray had an assist and a team high-tying seven shots on goal, but also was minus-3 as the Oilers suffered their worst home loss ever.

Souray also was minus-3 in Edmonton’s previous worst home loss, 9-2 to the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 16.

Brunnstrom era on hold in Dallas

It seems like the biggest problem that is the Dallas Stars’ two-headed general manager/monster of Brett Hull and Les Jackson is they seem to throw darts and hope for the best.

First, there was Sean Avery. Endorsed heavily by former Detroit Red Wings teammate Hull, Avery’s career in Dallas flamed out after 23 games because of his big mouth.

Please refer to: Seconds, Sloppy. After that, please see: Cuthbert, Elisha and Phaneuf, Dion.

On Tuesday, the Stars assigned highly sought-after forward Fabian Brunnstrom to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.

One hand, Big ‘D’. Other hand, Winnipeg. I hope Brunnstrom enjoys the fine venues the ‘A’ offers in exotic locales like Grand Rapids, Peoria, Rockford and Des Moines.

Last spring, Brunnstrom was the being courted by a handful of NHL teams after two solid seasons in his native Sweden.

He’d just finished with Farjestads BK Karlstad in the Elite League, recording nine goals and 28 assists in 54 games. In 2006-07, he was with Boras HC in the second division, and had 37 goals and 36 assists with a plus-51 rating in 41 games.

Detroit looked into the 23-year-old Brunnstrom’s services, and with fellow countrymen Henrik Zetterberg and Nicklas Lidstrom on the Red Wings, would anyone have been surprised if he’d joined them?

The Montreal Canadiens also were considered a possible destination, as were the Toronto Maple Leafs – probably to replace another Swede in Mats Sundin.

“All of the other teams and clubs, like Montreal and Detroit, were good but I just felt that Dallas was a little bit better for me," Brunnstrom said. "I really enjoyed the town and the people around the Dallas organization. I got a chance to visit the practice facility and the American Airlines Center and I thought everything was great."

Doesn’t really say what he was able to bring to the team, does he?

Upon Brunnstrom signing a two-year deal, Jackson had this to say.

"We are very excited to get the caliber of player that Fabian is," he said. "He is a very good prospect and will definitely be a nice addition to our group of younger players."

Brunnstrom’s career stateside did get off to a historic start. On Oct. 15 in leading the Stars to a win over the Nashville Predators, he became the third player in NHL history to score a hat trick in his first game.

In 30 games after that, Brunnstrom had seven goals, four assists and was minus-8. He got less than 10 minutes of ice time in 10 of those contests.

Feeling wistful

So, I am sitting here at home, watching “Les Matches des Etoiles” from le Centre Bell en Montreal when I felt an emotion that I haven’t experienced in quite a long time.

Wistfulness.

I never played hockey. Always wanted to, but being obese growing up prevented me from doing a lot of things I wanted to do. And that’s not to say it was entirely bad, since there is really nothing worse than embarrassing yourself.

My fat ass on skates? That would do it.

Admittedly, I haven’t put on a pair in about 20 years, and if I were to do so, the only direction would be forward – never learned to skate backwards – and the speed would be slow.

OK…mea culpa out of the way.

Sure, there are diversions in my life that I enjoy. I love to write. I love to cook. I love to read. I am thankful for friends, old and new, that are in my life, and for my family – dysfunctional as they are.

But the passion in my life rests on a pair of sharpened blades and a disc of black, vulcanized rubber. Now, it doesn’t mean I am going to paint my face or perform some other form of ass-hattery to show off. I’m a fan of the game, an ardent one, but also a quiet one.

I revere history. Been to the Bell Centre once, and got there early enough to be one the first in the arena before game time. It’s a little difficult to describe fully, but walking around and seeing the rows of Stanley Cup banners won by the Canadiens, the retired numbers ... the only word available to me would be haunting.

That’s why when I see an event, like what’s going on in Montreal, I may not be explaining it well, but it tugs at me some. The standing ovations the fans gave to the Habs’ storied past – thanking them for the years of great memories.

During the ASG, I saw three of the Canadiens’ greats, Maurice Richard and Serge Savard and Yvan Cournoyer, receive long, adoring standing ovations from the fans. It’s similar to what goes on here in Chicago when Mikita, The Golden Jet, Tony O or Savvy are introduced for an event.

It’s not going to happen this season. Sometime in 2009 or 2010, though, I think I am going to have to go back to Montreal. Not for the poutine, the beaver tails, and even the strip clubs – OK, maybe those – but to re-immerse myself among those who feel the same.

And it gives me a chance to use my French, long dormant, but enough to muddle through.

After that, I need to go back to Toronto. I have never been to a Maple Leafs game there, and it’s the home of the Hockey Hall of Fame. It’s easily been 15 years since my last visit, but when last there, the afternoon flew by.

It's not for a dramatic renewal of purpose. It’s just time.

Preview of the 57th NHL All-Star game

Post No. 299: The NHL All-Star Game preview

Midseason awards time!

With the NHL shutting down for the All-Star break, here’s my look at the unofficial first half of the season.

BIGGEST SURPRISE, TEAM DIVISION: Tie, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils

With apologies to the San Jose Sharks and their 22-1-2 home record, and the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings, did anyone think the Bruins would be the most dominant team in their own conference?

There are no real stars in Boston – you won’t find a Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin there – but some could be emerging after putting up some already-impressive numbers.

One is Phil Kessel, seemingly unstoppable in an 18-game points streak. Another is Michael Ryder, who has seven game-winning goals in his first season in the Hub after virtually being run out of Montreal following the worst season of his four-year career.

Stout goaltending from All-Star Tim Thomas and a finally-healthy Manny Fernandez have helped Boston open a 10-point lead in the Eastern Conference, and 13 over the Canadiens in the Northeast Division.

How many people – besides me - said the Devils were done after losing ironman goaltender Martin Brodeur on Nov. 1 to an arm injury that may keep him out for the rest of the regular season.

With the way Scott Clemmensen has filled in, the Devils may tell their future Hall of Famer to take his time coming back.

Clemmensen started a total of 19 games over the previous five seasons with the Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs. In his first 30 games filling in for Brodeur, the Iowa native is 19-9-1 with a 2.29 goals-against average.

Since Nov. 2, only the Calgary Flames’ Miikka Kiprusoff has more wins (21) than Clemmensen. That’s helped move to Devils to the top of the Atlantic Division, one point ahead of the New York Rangers and two in front of the Philadelphia Flyers.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT, TEAM DIVISION: Tie, Dallas Stars and Ottawa Senators

The addition of Sean Avery was supposed to make Dallas the kind of team that would rub you the wrong way. Instead, it took only 23 games for the Stars to realize they made a huge mistake.

The ‘sloppy seconds’ comment about former girlfriend Elisa Cuthbert was the final nail in the coffin for Avery, who was never seen by his Stars teammate as much of a team player. Mike Modano, who’s spent his entire career with the franchise, said recently that to the best of his knowledge no former teammates have reached out to Avery.

With Avery, the Stars went 8-11-4, and Marty Turco – definitely not an Avery fan – got off to 7-10-4 start with a 3.61 GAA. Cutting Avery seems to have helped, as the Stars are 12-7-3 since Dec. 1, and Turco is 12-6-5 with a 2.58 GAA.

Dallas is in 11th place in the Western Conference with 47 points.

Unless the Senators make a huge second-half push, their streak of 11 straight postseason appearances will end.

Thanks in large part to a horrific 1-6-1 road trip in which it was outscored 34-20, Ottawa will start the second half of the season with 39 points, tying the Atlanta Thrashers for the second-fewest in the East.

Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza have combined for 51 goals, but the remainder of the team has totaled just 56. Add ineffective goaltending by Alex Auld and the newly-waived Martin Gerber (Los Angeles? New York Islanders?), and a coach in Craig Hartsburg who’s seemingly clueless … there could be a revolt on Parliament Hill.

BIGGEST SURPRISE, PLAYER DIVISION: Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks

Maybe Ron Wilson was the problem all along.

The relationship between Marleau and his former coach was frosty at best. Especially when the Sharks captain was moved from center to left wing.

With a new coach, a new voice and fresh ideas, Marleau has bounced back in a big way from the worst season of his career.

Marleau told the San Jose Mercury News earlier this month that a conversation with new coach Todd McLellan shortly after he was hired to replace Wilson left quite an impression.

“Having that conversation about what was expected out of me, he set it out and made it pretty simple for me to know what he needed,” said Marleau, who’s had the game-winning goals in each of San Jose’s last two games.

He’s already got 25 goals this season, and needs 10 more to set a new career high. The 11-year veteran had 19 in 78 games last season.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT, PLAYER DIVISION: Steve Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning

I’ve written about the top overall pick in the 2008 draft. I’m sure there’s talent lurking somewhere, but I’ll sum his game up in three words.

He’s. Not. Ready.

He’s 18 and being scratched from time to help increase his physical strength. He’s also taking part in extra video sessions with the coaching staff.

So, not only does the 6-foot-1, 196-pound Stamkos seem to be physically unable to handle the rigors of an 82-game NHL season, he also seems to be having difficulties with the nuances of the pro game.

A recent spurt – two goals and two assists in a four-game streak – has padded his stats some. In 45 games, Stamkos has six goals and 12 assists.

Repeat after me: He’s. Not. Ready.

HART TROPHY WINNER, HALF SEASON: Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

A slow start made some think there was a MVP hangover, but Ovechkin has recently shown that he’s on track to win it again.

Last season, Ovechkin had 65 goals and 112 points en route to winning the Hart, and making hockey in REALLY relevant in the nation’s capital again. But through his first 11 games this season, he managed two goals and six assists. Turns out a family issue in Mother Russia was weighing on his mind.

“I feel great. I feel free right now, and I'm right now enjoying my time again,” he said in November

And how. After his slow start: 29 goals, 10 on the power play, six game-winners. The Capitals record in that time when he scored: 18-1-1.

By the way, the last player to win back-to-back Harts? Dominik Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres in 1997 and 1998.

VEZINA TROPHY WINNER, HALF SEASON: Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks

Yes, Kiprusoff leads the league in wins, but his former teammate has been the better netminder – especially at home.

In 21 starts at the Shark Tank, Nabokov is 19-1-1 with a 2.08 GAA and .920 save percentage. Overall, he’s won nearly 74 percent of his starts, posting a 25-5-4 record.

Not horrible for a ninth-round pick.

CALDER TROPHY WINNER, HALF SEASON: Steve Mason, Columbus Blue Jackets

Unless something goes wrong, Mason will have the Blue Jackets playing in the postseason for the first time after entering the league as an expansion franchise in 2000.

Picked 69th overall in 2006, Mason has made Columbus fans forget the likes of Fredrik Norrena and Pascal Leclaire. Three straight shutouts to close 2008 among his league-leading six this season will do that.

Though he struggled into the break, giving up 13 goals in a three-game stretch against western Canadian foes, Mason continues to lead the league with a 2.05 GAA.

JACK ADAMS TROPHY WINNER, HALF SEASON: Todd McLellan, San Jose Sharks

McLellan had the pedigree, winning a Stanley Cup last season as an assistant to Mike Babcock in Detroit.

This season, he could be raising the Cup at another parade – this time on the West Coast.

McLellan, a championship coach with the AHL’s Houston Aeros, guided the Sharks to 13 wins in their first 15 games.

“We've harnessed some of the early season energy, and we're able to get out of the gate quickly. Our confidence grew, and now it's about maintaining our game,” he said.

Establishing a dominant advantage at home has also helped. San Jose is 22-1-2 at home, and the regulation loss to Calgary last week was the Sharks’ first at the HP Pavilion since Valenetine’s Day.

Now, McLellan just needs to keep these guys grounded enough to get past the second round.

A different kind of vast right-wing conspiracy

Fellow STATS hockey enthusiast and Islander apologist Jon Palmieri brought this to my attention.

The Washington Capitals and Ottawa Senators played on Tuesday night, hours after Barack Obama’s inauguration.

Washington and Ottawa also played on Nov. 4 – the night Obama defeated Republican challenger John McCain to become the 44th president of the United States, and the first African-American to do so.

For the geographically challenged, Ottawa is the capital of Canada.

The Senators also won both games.

The end of Rick DiPietro?

The landmark contract Rick DiPietro signed less than 2½ years ago should have been the one he ended his career on.

Chronic injuries, though, will more than likely be the reason for an early retirement.

On Tuesday, the New York Islanders – last in the league with a 12-29-5 record – threw in the towel for 2008-09 when they decided to shut down oft-injured DiPietro for the season due to continued problems with his surgically repaired left knee.

DiPietro was in the third year of a 15-year, $67.5 million contract signed in September 2006. In 130 games since then, he’s 59-50-16 with a 2.73 goals-against average and eight shutouts.

Decent, yes, but elite, Vezina Trophy-level status? Hardly. This isn’t Martin Brodeur or Evgeni Nabokov or Miikka Kiprusoff.

Islanders general manager Garth Snow tried to put a positive spin on all this. I mean, seriously, what else could he do?

“After extensive consultation we feel this decision is in the best interest for Rick and the team,” Snow – a former goalie - said in a statement on Tuesday. “This will allow Rick ample time to make a full recovery for next year.”

Wait ‘til next year seems to be a familiar refrain from Uniondale.

The Islanders reached the conference finals in 1993-94 in their last season under four-time Stanley Cup winning coach Al Arbour, but have made the postseason only five times since then, and have been eliminated in the first round each time.

For DiPietro, there’s clearly disappointment in this latest setback to his career.

“This has been one of the most frustrating situations I have ever had to deal with, but this is the right decision for me and the team,” he said in a statement. “I am confident this will allow me to make a complete recovery, be ready in plenty of time for next season and compete to my highest ability for many years to come.”

At 27, DiPietro also is probably sick of surgeons. He’s had his left knee worked on twice in four months, and has lingering pain and swelling in it. In a seven-month span, he’s had three operations, including one on his hip. It was the second time DiPietro had hip surgery, once on each side in consecutive years. He also has a history with head injuries.

DiPietro’s final numbers for 2008-09: 1-3-0, 3.52 GAA, .892 save percentage.

“The most important thing is that at this point we give the knee some time to rest, free from on-ice activity, and see what the knee does,” said Dr. Elliott Hershman, an associate team orthopedist. “When we do that, we’ll have a better sense of where we’re headed. We’re hopeful that is all it takes.”

Hopeful? That’s the best prognosis?

With DiPietro gone, here’s who the Isles are left with in goal for now:

Joey MacDonald: Thrust into his first season as a starter, has simply been overmatched. He’s 0-11-1 with a 3.99 GAA since last winning on the road in late November. When allowing at least four goals in a game this season, he’s 0-14-1.

Not the answer? Neither are these two …

Yann Danis: Still looking for his first win in a New York uniform – he’s 0-5-1 with a 3.53 GAA in seven games.

Peter Mannino: One game. Just 13 minutes played. Eight shots faced. Three goals allowed. Thanks for playing.

They tried to bring folk hero Wade Dubielewicz back from Russia, but he was picked up on waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets. At this point, the Isles might want to consider signing 36-year-old goaltending coach Mike Dunham – 141 wins in a 10-year career – just to have a veteran body in place.

DiPietro was selected first overall in the 2000 draft, the first goalie to be picked that high. He was taken ahead of such stars as Dany Heatley and Marian Gaborik, and not to rub salt into an open wound, BUT … the Islanders could have had Henrik Lundqvist – a three-time Vezina Trophy finalist and headed to Sunday’s All-Star Game – who was taken 205th by the rival New York Rangers.

With the addition of DiPietro, the Islanders dealt Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen to the Florida Panthers for Oleg Kvasha and Mark Parrish.

Let’s just say then-general manager Mike Milbury got fleeced – bad – and leave it at that, shall we?

Playing with the Panthers and later with the Vancouver Canucks, Luongo has posted 201 wins, including 42 shutouts, and 2.56 GAA. Jokinen, now with the Phoenix Coyotes, appears headed to his fourth straight 30-goal season.

Kvasha? Last played in 2005-06 when he split time with the Isles and Coyotes. Never scored more than 15 goals or 51 points in a season.

Parrish was later dealt to the Los Angeles Kings, signed by the Minnesota Wild and eventually had his contract bought out by them. Picked up by Dallas in November, Parrish had a hat trick in his Stars debut, but just three goals and four assists in 29 games after that.

A scoring oddity in Colorado

Something a little odd to ponder …

There have been 166 players in NHL history to score 300 career goals. Ryan Smyth and Milan Hejduk of the Colorado Avalanche were the latest to reach that milestone on Sunday night in a 6-2 win over the Calgary Flames.

Smyth’s short-handed goal with 7 minutes to play in the second period gave the Avs a 3-1 lead. Not to be outdone, Hejduk scored on the power play less than 5 minutes later.

“Pretty cool to get it on the same night,'' Avalanche coach Tony Granato said of the linemates. “It's a pretty incredible feat, both those guys should be very excited and proud to have done that together.''

In fact, it’s just the second time teammates reached the 300-goal mark in the same game.

On Feb. 26, 1983, Danny Gare and Ivan Boldirev of the Detroit Red Wings each recorded their 300th goal in a 5-3 win over the New York Islanders.

A two-time 50-goal scorer, Gare finished with 354 over 13 seasons while also playing with the Buffalo Sabres and Edmonton Oilers before retiring in 1987. Boldirev reached 20 goals 10 times while suiting up for six teams in a 15-year career that ended in 1985 with his 361st marker.

The last teammates to notch their 300th goals in the same season was Bobby Holik and Slava Kozlov with the Atlanta Thrashers in 2006-07.

Before this season ends, five more players could become 300-goal scorers: Pavol Demitra (294) of the Vancouver Canucks, Brian Rolston (294) of the New Jersey Devils, Ray Whitney (293) of the Carolina Hurricanes, Vincent Lecavalier (292) of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Petr Sykora (292) of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Oilers retire Glenn Anderson's No. 9

Another member of those great Edmonton Oilers teams in the 1980s has received one of the best honors possible.

Glenn Anderson’s No. 9 was raised to the rafters of Rexall Place prior to Sunday’s game against the Phoenix Coyotes.

Anderson put up 498 goals and 1,099 points in 1,129 career regular season games. He was a five-time Stanley Cup winner with the Oilers and added one more with the New York Rangers in 1994.

He's fourth all-time among goal scorers in the playoffs with 93.

"It is so great to be back in this uniform again," Anderson said. "Putting this jersey on is like coming home. Home is where the heart is and that's where my heart is, right here. To be surrounded by this group of guys that I had the honor of going to battle with and bring Edmonton five Stanley Cups with is really special.

"We had so many unbelievable moments in this building and to be here with these people, what a remarkable journey it has been."

Anderson also represented Canada at the 1984 and 1987 Canada Cups, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November.

"Putting Glenn's number up with the other honoured players at Rexall Place is absolutely deserving and it's the right thing for our organization to do," said Kevin Lowe, Edmonton's president of hockey operations and a former teammate. "Glenn could bring fans out of their seats with his unbelievable goals and they always seemed to be such timely goals, especially in the playoffs."

Anderson is the seventh member of the Oilers to have his number retired joining Al Hamilton (3), Paul Coffey (7), Mark Messier (11), Jari Kurri (17), Grant Fuhr (31) and this fella ya may have heard of.

Is it too soon to call Stamkos a bust?

The Tampa Bay Lightning held top overall draft pick Steven Stamkos out of the lineup for the second time in five games on Saturday night en route to a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers.

Stamkos missed one game earlier this month, and the team says he’ll be held out from time to time as part an ongoing program to increase his physical strength. More curious, to me, is that Stamkos also is taking part in extra video sessions with the coaching staff.

So, not only does Stamkos - listed at 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds - appear physically unable to handle the rigors of an 82-game NHL season, but he also seems to be having difficulties grasping the nuts-and-bolts of being a pro player.

Stamkos totaled 100 goals and 97 assists over two junior seasons with the Sarnia Sting. In 43 NHL games so far, he has five goals and 12 assists.

In other words – well, one word, really – bust.

Now, the NHL game is certainly faster than that in juniors, and it may be unfair to call Stamkos a bust just halfway into his first season. Joe Thornton, a 6-foot-4, 235-pound center selected first overall by the Boston Bruins in 1997, had just three goals and four assists in 55 games as a rookie and didn’t evolve into a star until being traded to San Jose in November 2005.

If Stamkos indeed doesn’t pan out, I’d consider him just the fifth such player taken first overall to be tagged with the ‘B’ word.

The others? Glad you asked …

1974 – Greg Joly, Washington Capitals: From 1971-74, Joly was probably the best offensive defenseman in the West Coast Hockey League. The expansion Capitals made Joly the first overall pick in 1974 after he put up 21 goals and 71 assists in 64 games with the Regina Pats and a win in the Memorial Cup.

Among the names Wahsington passed up were Clark Gillies, Doug Risebrough and Pierre Larouche.

Joly lasted just 44 games his rookie season, finishing with a goal and seven assists. After one more inauspicious season in the nation’s capital, he was shipped to the Detroit Red Wings. He spent seven more seasons in the Motor City, but never came close to duplicating the numbers he had in juniors.

Joly’s final tally: 21 goals and 76 assists in 365 NHL games.

1982 – Gord Kluzak, Boston: A native of Climax, Saskatchewan – the best city name to come from the province since the fictional Mile 40 – Kluzak may have had a legitimate reason for being a bust.

At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Kluzak was the anchor of Canada’s defense as it won its first gold medal at the World Junior Championships in 1981-82. The Bruins saw Kluzak as a hard-hitting defenseman, and he didn’t fail in that regard, averaging almost 133 penalty minutes in his first four seasons.

A series of knee injuries that began when he was with the Billings Bighorns of the Western Hockey League forced him to miss two full NHL seasons and limited him to a total of 13 games from 1988-91 before retiring.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Web site noted Kluzak had undergone knee surgery 10 times by 1989. He turned 25 that year.

Boston could have had Brian Bellows, Scott Stevens, Phil Housley, Dave Andreychuk, Ken Daneyko, Ron Hextall (119th overall to Philadelphia) or Doug Gilmour (133rd overall to St. Louis).

Kluzak’s final tally: 25 goals and 98 assists in 299 NHL games.

1993 – Alexandre Daigle, Ottawa Senators: The best of this foursome, but still not good enough to justify the hype he brought with him.

Playing in 1991-92 for the Victoriaville Tigres of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the 16-year-old Daigle put up 35 goals and 75 assists in 66 assists. The next season, he played just 53 games, but he scored 45 goals and added 92 assists.

So, you can understand why Ottawa – nation’s capital, large French-Canadian population – was salivating when they got him first overall. His rookie season was … meh … 20 goals and 31 assists as Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils took home the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.

After four more unremarkable seasons with Ottawa, Daigle also played with Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh before closing his NHL career with Minnesota in 2005-06.

He never cracked 30 goals in a season. He clearly was not the next Mario Lemieux.

Some of the names the Sens could have had: Chris Pronger … Paul Kariya … Rob Niedermayer … Jason Arnott … Saku Koivu … Todd Bertuzzi .. and that was just in the first round. Ottawa, to its credit, did pick up Pavol Demitra with the 227th pick.

Daigle’s final tally: 129 goals and 198 assists in 616 NHL games.

1999 – Patrik Stefan, Atlanta Thrashers: Based just on statistics alone, I still don’t see the attraction here.

After 32 games in his native Czech Republic, Stefan played with the Long Beach Ice Dogs of the defunct International Hockey League from 1997-99, totaling 16 goals and 40 assists in 68 contests.

Somehow, this was enough for the 6-foot-2, 210-pound center to be picked first overall.

Some of the names Atlanta passed up were Daniel AND Henrik Sedin, taken No. 2 and 3 overall by the Vancouver Canucks; Martin Havlat by Ottawa, and Henrik Zetterberg, picked 209th overall by Detroit.

Stefan’s best season with Atlanta came in 2003-04, when he had 14 goals and 26 assists in a career-high 82 games. In June 2006, he was shipped to Dallas. Then there was this infamous moment with the Stars in Edmonton…



Stefan signed with a Swiss club in August 2007, and retired from the NHL less than two months later at 27.

Stefan’s final tally: 64 goals and 124 assists in 455 NHL games.

Julien, McLellan draw on minor-league experiences for NHL success

Next Sunday in Montreal, Claude Julien and Todd McLellan will be behind the benches at the All-Star Game thanks to their respective teams having the top two records in the NHL.

Yes … the ASG is little more than a glorified scrimmage, and coaching it is nothing more than ceremonial.

Julien and McLellan, though, may consider their experiences in southern Ontario and south Texas in 2003 as a key in their careers that helped them get to this point.

Now coach of the Boston Bruins, Julien was guiding Montreal’s top farm team in Hamilton before moving up to replace Michel Therrien behind the Canadiens’ bench. The Bulldogs eventually went on to play for the AHL championship, but fell in seven games to the McLellan-led Houston Aeros.

“There's no doubt it was an incredible year,” he said. “And I guess as great as it was to go to Montreal, you always have a little bit of regret not having the opportunity to finish your job.”

Julien was replaced in 2006 by Guy Carbonneau, and then led the New Jersey Devils to a 107-point season the following season. In a shocking move, though, he was replaced in the postseason by general manager Lou Lamoriello, who said the team was not ready to challenge for the Cup.

Sweet retribution going back to Montreal as coach of the league’s top team – and the Canadiens’ most-hated rival? Not for Julien.

“There's no animosity there at all,” he said. “For me, it's a pleasure to go back. Not just to Montreal, but also to represent the Bruins and the fact that I'm probably going to be hooking up there with some of the players that I've coached.”

In 2007-08, Julien’s Bruins posted 41 wins and 94 points despite a spate of injuries – most notably Patrice Bergeron’s concussion that wiped out all but 10 games – but were ousted in the first round.

“We've had a lot of guys grow through adversity last year. We've had some young players put into situations that they normally wouldn't have been going through had there not been injuries last year,” he said.

McLellan went on to become Mike Babcock’s right-hand man with the Detroit Red Wings, winning the Stanley Cup last season over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Yet it was that championship experience with Houston that McLellan draws upon today.

“It was the first opportunity to win a championship as a head coach,” he said. “Certainly it's something that I revert back to on a daily basis here in San Jose about some of those experiences and how we handled ourselves.”

Come spring, Julien and McLellan will have their eyes on a bigger prize.

For Boston, history speaks for itself, but so does the futility. An Original Six team, the Bruins haven’t won the Cup since beating the New York Rangers in 1972 – the NHL’s third-longest championship drought ahead of Toronto Maple Leafs (1967) and Chicago Blackhawks (1961).

With Marc Savard, Phil Kessel and Michael Ryder handling the bulk of the offense, and Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez providing solid goaltending night in and night out, the Bruins (33-7-4) lead the league with 70 points.

“Most people don't remember how you start, they remember how you finish,” Julien said. “We've got another task ahead of us, and probably a tougher one, and we look forward to the challenge.”

San Jose had been a somewhat trendy pick earlier in the decade to win it all, but despite averaging 48 wins over the last three seasons under Ron Wilson, the Sharks were unable to move past the second round.

Exit Wilson for Toronto. Enter McLellan, who helped the Sharks begin 2008-09 with 13 wins in 15 games.

“We've had a really good start. We've harnessed some of the early season energy, and we're able to get out of the gate quickly. Our confidence grew, and now it's about maintaining our game,” McLellan said.

Coming off their first regulation loss since Valentine’s Day, San Jose next faces the defending Stanley Cup champions on Saturday night – and McLellan still thinks the Red Wings have what it takes to win their fifth Cup in 12 years.

“Right now I still believe Detroit is the team to beat,” he said. “Are the Sharks playing better than them? I don't necessarily agree with that.”

San Jose will travel to face Boston for only time in the regular season on Feb. 10.

Special teams shines in Rangers' win over Chicago

The New York Rangers should thank their special-teams units for this win.

Chris Drury scored his second goal of the game with the man advantage in overtime after New York killed off 10 of 11 Chicago power plays in a 3-2 win over the Blackhawks at the United Center on Friday night.

Eleven seconds after the Blackhawks’ Andrew Ladd was sent off for high sticking,. Drury scored his 15th goal of the season by redirecting Wade Redden’s shot from the top of the slot.

Brandon Dubinsky also scored and All-Star Henrik Lundqvist made 32 saves for New York, winners of three in a row to move back atop the Atlantic Division. It was the Rangers’ first win in the Windy City since October 2000.

New York entered the game with the NHL’s second-best penalty-killing rate at 87.9 percent, and they had their work cut out for them. Included in the kills were the first four of five 5-on-3s and a continuous Chicago manpower advantage lasting 5:45 late in the second set up by a series of four Rangers minor penalties, the Associated Press reported.

“It’s tough to kill penalties like that; and to be shorthanded so much takes the flow away from the game,” Redden told the Rangers’ official Web site. “But we stuck with it. (The officials) made the calls and we had to battle through it.”

All-Star Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook scored for Chicago, which lost at home in regulation for the first time in exactly two months.

(…and, for what it’s worth, I did find myself rooting more for the Rangers. Hometown beats out adopted hometown.)

Modano discusses Stars' resurgence, Avery

Since arriving in Texas in 1993, the Dallas Stars have pretty much been a fixture in the playoffs, and Mike Modano has been there every step of the way.

Through the first half of this season, though, Dallas has been perhaps the league’s biggest disappointment outside of that underachieving squad in Canada’s capital.

Among the lowlights in the Lone Star state…

Injuries – Start with captain Brenden Morrow, out until 2009-10 with a blown ACL. Three-time Selke Trophy winner Jere Lehtinen missed 28 games after two stints on injured reserve. Steve Ott had a broken hand, and Sergei Zubov’s hip finally appeared to give out at 38.

Sean Avery – The NHL’s biggest pain in the ass finally appeared to talk himself out a job 23 games into a four-year contract with Dallas for his ‘sloppy seconds’ comment to describe former girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert, now with Dion Phaneuf of the Calgary Flames.

Dallas has missed the playoffs only twice in the last 15 seasons, yet Modano, who will make his seventh All-Star Game appearance later this month, said in a conference call on Wednesday that the Stars are finally getting healthier, and that’s explained their recent push to get back in the playoff race.

“The injuries was probably number one,” the all-time scoring leader among US-born players said. “I think any time you have Zubov, Morrow, Lehtinen, Ott … I mean, those five or six guys were out all at the same time for a good stretch of time."

“It was tough to find some rhythm and find guys who could fill those holes, obviously. It was just asking a lot of the young team, inexperienced team to fill those holes from those guys.”

On Monday, Ott tied the score with 3 minutes to play in regulation before Trevor Daley’s overtime goal helped the Stars rally for a 5-4 win over defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.

Dallas begins play on Wednesday 27 points behind Pacific Division-leading San Jose Sharks. But the Stars are only 14 points behind the Chicago Blackhawks for fourth and, more importantly, home-ice advantage in the opening round.

Modano said neither he nor other members of the Stars have had any contact with Avery, who quickly became a polarizing figure in the lockerroom.

“None that I know of,”Modano said. “I haven't talked to really, I haven't brought it up to (co-general manager Brett Hull) either. But I'm sure he's kind of kept in touch with him. But I haven't heard anything from the other guys, either, that have had any contact with him.”

There had long been a question about how Avery would fit in Dallas. Hull, a former teammate of Avery’s in Detroit thought the winger could bring a nasty edge on the ice, but it appeared to be the off-ice stuff that rankled teammates.

“I think we would have analyzed it a little bit more over the summer before you go into the free agent market, and do a little more homework and detailed analysis of players,” Modano said. “Impacted on opinions of players who have played with him or how guys feel about it.

“Talent-wise, he's a very skilled kid and player, but I think character-wise and personality just didn't blend with the criteria that we've always had as Dallas Stars. “

When Modano heads to Montreal as an All-Star, it will bring his career full circle.

In 1989, the NHL draft was held there, and Modano was selected first overall by the Minnesota North Stars. Four years later, at the age of 23, Modano played in his first All-Star Game in Montreal.

“It's gone full circle, and you know, you never know if it's going to be your last,” he said. “Certainly if this is the last one, I'll definitely go out on a high being part of that whole celebration.”

Decisions, decisions ...

So, I’m in a quandary here.

On Friday night, I will be in Sec. 334 of the United Center to see the New York Rangers take on the Chicago Blackhawks. My hometown team versus my adopted hometown team. A Henrik Lundqvist T-shirt covered by a Blackhawks sweatshirt.

What to do?

Do I cheer for the Rangers, much as I have been doing since I was all of 6 years old? Or do I root for the Blackhawks, who couldn’t outdraw the AHL’s Wolves for several seasons and were all but forgotten in this city until tight-fisted owner William W. Wirtz did the honorable thing and died.

Decisions, decisions.

This also won’t be the first time I’ve seen this matchup since moving to the Windy City.

Less than three months after coming here in 2005, I had a date – no, really, I did – and went to the UC for the first time to watch a 2-1 overtime loss after Lundqvist couldn’t stop a bouncing shot by Tyler Arnason, also known as Chris Altruda’s whipping boy.

Believe me, she got me back good: I ended up at a Christmas concert later that month, and we stopped dating shortly after that.

Back then, Chicago’s roster was a wasteland. Todd Simpson. Jim Vandermeer. Andy Hilbert. Mikael Holmqvist. Now, the Blackhawks are once again a team to be reckoned with and provided there is not a complete collapse down the stretch, they’ll be headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

The Rangers have been at or near the top of the Atlantic Division for most of the season, fueling thoughts of a possible Stanley Cup parade in the Canyon of Heroes. If that doesn’t happen, they can look at the third period of a game against Toronto on Nov. 1 as the chief reason.

New York entered that contest off to the best start in franchise’s history at 10-3-1, held a 2-0 lead with less than 8 minutes to play, and appeared well on its way to another win. The Maple Leafs, though, exploded for five goals in a 5:21 span against backup Steve Valiquette, sending the Rangers to a stunning defeat.

“I don’t know exactly why that happened,” Valiquette said. “It hasn’t soaked in yet … I’m really surprised.”

Collectively, it also appears the Rangers have yet to recover. Starting with that loss, New York is 15-14-3, and has been outscored 91-78. Nine of those victories have been courtesy of a trio of three-game winning streaks, and six wins were by shootouts.

Chicago’s turning point this season may have been right around Thanksgiving.

Playing three games in four days, the Blackhawks looked lifeless in consecutive losses to all three California teams. Returning home to face Anaheim on Dec. 3, Chicago went on a 10-0-1 run, highlighted by a franchise-best nine-game winning streak.

On a team that includes All-Star starters Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Brian Campbell, it was former Carolina castoff Andrew Ladd who led Chicago with nine assists and 12 points during the streak.

Ladd was acquired from the Hurricanes in February for Tuomo Ruutu in a swap of disappointing first-round draft picks. In 60 games with the ‘Hawks, Ladd - taken fourth overall in 2004 – has 48 points. Ruutu, selected with the ninth pick in 2001, has notched 47 points in three fewer games.

The Rangers defeated the Blackhawks 4-2 on Oct. 10 at Madison Square Garden behind a goal and two assists from Brandon Dubinsky. New York is 0-1-1 with a tie in its last three visits to Chicago, going 0-for-17 on the power play.

Luongo set to return, Nash sits

ITEM: Luongo poised to return while Nash sits out

The Vancouver Canucks are about to get their captain back. The Columbus Blue Jackets will have to make do without theirs for a little while longer.

In Vancouver, goaltender Roberto Luongo says he’s back at full strength after missing nearly two months with a groin injury.

“It’s pain free. I wouldn’t be on the ice if I wasn’t,” Luongo told the Canadian Press on Monday after practicing with his teammates. “That’s done with as far as I’m concerned. I’m ready to go and back to 100 per cent.”

The Canucks captain was 11-5-2 with a 2.17 goals-against average and five shutouts – three coming in consecutive home wins over Nashville, Phoenix and Minnesota – before being injured after playing less than five minutes versus Pittsburgh on Nov. 22.

Despite the time missed, Luongo, a Montreal native, earned a spot on the Western Conference for this season’s All-Star Game to be played in his hometown.

“It would be nice because it’s in my hometown,” Luongo said. “But my main priority is the Vancouver Canucks and making sure that I give my full attention to this team and making sure when I start playing, I’m at 100 per cent.”

The Canucks have gone 9-11-3 in Luongo’s absence, using journeymen Jason LaBarbera and Curtis Sanford and rookie Cory Schneider. Still, Vancouver is only five points behind first-place Calgary in the Northwest Division.

Meanwhile, in Columbus, captain Rick Nash was placed on injured reserve on Monday with the dreaded “lower-body” injury. His stint was retroactive to Jan. 6, meaning he could return on Wednesday.

A four-time All-Star, Nash leads the Blue Jackets with 17 goals and 22 in 40 games this season. He also has a team-high four game-winning goals.

Columbus is still seeking its first playoff berth in franchise history, having entered the NHL in 2000. But Nash, selected first overall in 2002, might be one of the least intimidating players out there.

He’s 6-foot-4 and nearly 220 pounds, but has one 40-goal season to his name and has never had more than 95 penalty minutes. He’s also been in just three fights in 403 NHL games.

Way to go, Mr. Softee!

Stamkos, Doughty set to meet

ITEM: Top two picks in 2008 NHL Draft to square off for first time.

When first glancing at Monday’s NHL schedule, the matchup between defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit and Dallas would be the far sexier game.

The more interesting one, to me anyway, involves Tampa Bay and Los Angeles – a pair of bottom-feeders in their respective conferences.

The game also features the top two selections from last June’s NHL draft meeting head-to-head for the first time in Steve Stamkos and Drew Doughty, though neither has set the hockey world on fire halfway through their rookie seasons.

Stamkos, pictured here with Doughty and Atlanta’s Zach Bogosian, was selected first overall by the Lightning and has four goals and 10 assists in 40 games, but has clearly shown that he’s not quite ready to play a full NHL season just yet.

The 18-year-old has the second-worst plus-minus rating among rookies at minus-11, and was a healthy scratch for the first time in his brief pro career on Friday in a win over Anaheim. A spokesman for the Lightning said Stamkos will be given a game off now and then to build up his strength.

Seems to me that a professional athlete – even at 18 – should not need a day off here and there.

Doughty has played the most games this season by a first-year defenseman with 41, and has three goals and nine assists to rank third in scoring among rookie blueliners behind Boston’s Matt Hunwick and leader Alex Goligoski of Pittsburgh.

In an article published late last month in the Los Angeles Times, Doughty is grateful for the praise received – he’s drawn comparisons to some the best defensemen in the game, including Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer – but also made it clear that he approaches every game with a sense of urgency.

“I love all the accolades I have been given. I just don't think about them. I can't. I mean, I could be sent back to junior hockey any time. The way I look at it, I have to earn my job here every day,” Doughty said.

Wins by the Lightning have been hard to come by in recent years, but it seems they never fail to get up when it comes to traveling to face the Kings. Tampa Bay is 3-0-0 with two ties at Staples Center, and 9-1-0 with two ties all-time in Los Angeles.

Gutting it out: Sullivan returns to Predators

Want to know the meaning of perseverance? Talk to Steve Sullivan.

The Nashville forward played on Saturday night in a 4-1 win over Chicago. It was Sullivan’s first action since Feb. 22, 2007 after missing 153 games due to a back injury that required two operations.

"I'm glad I'm getting a chance to do this again," Sullivan, a former member of the Blackhawks told the Chicago Tribune. "It might have been hard work, but being able to be here now made it worthwhile. You love to do this so much you never give up hope or give up the dream."

Sullivan was given a standing ovation when he made his first appearance 1:30 into the game.

"I was thrilled with the ovation," said Sullivan, who had three shots on goal in 12:30. "These are probably the best fans in the world. For them to wait for me and show me the respect they did was awesome."

Sullivan probably has many reasons to be grateful when it comes to his career. To say the deck has been stacked against him could be an understatement.

Born in northern Ontario’s nickel belt and undersized at 5-foot-9, Sullivan was a ninth-round draft pick selected 233rd overall by New Jersey in 1994. But starting with Toronto in 1998-99, Sullivan began a run of eight straight 20-goal seasons.

Sullivan’s best campaign came in 2000-01. Playing with Chicago, he finished with 34 goals – one of three Blackhawks with at least 30, joining Eric Daze (33) and Tony Amonte (35).

With 31 goals in 2005-06, Sullivan tied Paul Kariya for the Predators lead.

Sullivan turns 35 in July, and isn’t sure what the future holds for him because of the injury.

"It hasn't gotten much better in two years except I was able to strengthen everything around it," he said. "Is it going to get better? I'm not sure. There are a lot of people in the world who live daily with a bad back, and I don't think I'll be any different than they are."

Penguins looking for answers

Can anyone explain what’s wrong with the Pittsburgh Penguins?

Just over six months removed from an appearance in the Stanley Cup finals, the Pens lately look nothing like a championship-caliber club.

A 5-3 loss to Colorado on Saturday was Pittsburgh’s seventh in eight games. Despite having All-Star starters Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, there could be some self-doubt creeping in among the Penguins.

“It’s been a different thing each time. We’ve got to put it together,” Crosby said. “Sometimes our special teams has hurt us, sometimes even strength we haven’t been sharp.”

After winning their first division title in a decade and reaching the Cup finals for the first time since the Mario Lemieux-Jaromir Jagr glory days in 1992, maybe the Penguins thought they simply belonged among the league’s elite.

Crosby seemed to indicate that better preparation is needed.

“You have to be prepared, especially after the season we had last year, for teams to get up for those games,” he said. “It’s no secret when we play teams it brings out the best in them.”

Michel Therrien’s club won season-high six straight over the first two weeks of November, but have gone 9-14-2 since then, and have failed to put together two straight wins at any point.

“It is tough. We’ve got to hang in there and keep our heads up and make sure we’re working hard,” Therrien said. “Eventually, if we get the right approach we’ll get out of this.”

He’d better hope so. The Penguins have a better road record (11-10-2) than at home (9-9-2) and are currently in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

End the debate now: Blue Jackets' Mason is the top rookie

ITEM: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason solidifies Calder Trophy hopes.

The season is about half over, but it could be time to just hand out the Calder now to the league’s top rookie.

Chicago’s Kris Versteeg? No, sorry. St. Louis’ Patrik Berglund? Not even he can help save the sad-sack Blues. Anaheim’s Bobby Ryan? He’ll probably finish second.

Steve Mason, come get your award.

The credentials are most definitely there. Despite nearly sitting out on Friday with what was called “upper-body muscle spasms,” Mason made 45 saves in a 3-0 win over Washington to end the Capitals’ seven-game winning streak and hand them their second loss in 21 games at home.

“It’s huge for us,” said Mason, a two-time NHL rookie of the month after his second shutout against the Alex Ovechkin-led Capitals.

Beginning with a whitewash of Atlanta on Nov. 22, the Oakville, Ontario product is 11-8-0 with a 1.47 goals-against average and a league-leading six shutouts.

Mason leads the league a 1.74 GAA, and is quickly piling up the shutouts, but he still needs 10 more to break Tony Esposito’s NHL record set in 1969-70 with Chicago.

Earlier in the day, Mason was selected to start for the rookie team in the NHL YoungStars game later this month during All-Star weekend in Montreal.

"He's been great. He's such a solid goalie. He looks like a 10-year veteran back there. He's calm. He's confident. When your goalie plays that way and gives you a chance to win every night, confidence just runs through the team," said teammate and leading scorer Rick Nash earlier this week.

Is there any doubt now?

If Mason does win the Calder, he’ll be the third netminder this decade to do so. Evgeni Nabokov copped the award with San Jose in 2001, and Andrew Raycroft did the same for Boston three years later.

Mason’s emergence also means Pascal Leclaire may soon be considered hockey’s version of Wally Pipp.

Last season was Leclaire’s first as a starter, and he was 24-17-6 with a 2.25 GAA and nine shutouts – second only the Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist. That earned Columbus’ first-round pick in 2001 a new three-year contract.

Ankle and thumb injuries this season have limited Leclaire to a 4-6-1 record with a 3.83 GAA and no shutouts in 12 games.

Waiting for Mats

Here’s what we know about Mats Sundin …

He’s going to be 38 in just over a month.

He’s rusty after playing one NHL game since April.

He’s also the Vancouver Canucks’ biggest hope of making a bigger splash in the postseason.

As Sundin gets ready to make his home debut on Thursday night against St. Louis, his next game has to better than his return to NHL action.

The former Toronto captain played just over 15 minutes on Wednesday night in a 4-2 win over Edmonton. The Maple Leafs’ all-time leading scorer didn’t register a point, much less a shot on goal.

“It’s timing, where you come in and shoot, you jam yourself a little bit. And when you’re trying to make a pass (it goes) over a stick,” the Swede said after the game. “It felt exactly like where you are at the start of a season, where you’re trying to get it back, but the only way to get it back is to play games.”

Following practice on Thursday, Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said he’s seeing positive signs from Sundin, who signed a prorated one-year deal on Dec. 18.

“You can see every day he’s getting more fluid, the hands are getting a little bit quicker, softer,” Vigneault told the Canadian Press. “He’s on the right track.”

Vancouver will need everything Sundin can give them. Since losing in the Stanley Cup finals to the New York Rangers in 1994, the Canucks have reached the postseason seven times, but haven’t made it past the second round.

Sens' Ruutu suspended for chomp

ITEM: Senators agitator Jarkko Ruutu given two-game suspension by the NHL for biting.

Couldn’t wait for the postgame spread?

OK, so late in the first period of Ottawa’s 4-2 loss to Buffalo on Wednesday, Sabres enforcer (center, left wing, right wing, defense, goaltender … what position is the enforcer?) Andrew Peters was giving a face-wash to Ruutu along the boards when the Sens’ forward bit the glove off Peters’ hand.

Like a WWE heel, Peters doubled over in pain clutching his thumb and complained to the officials.

Here’s the rub, though … hockey gloves are thick for a reason. They’re padded for a reason. Unless Ruutu has teeth like a beaver, there’s no way Peters, a brawler, is going to feel anything.

"It's a pretty goofy thing that happened," Peters said in a Reuters news report. "It's not the injury, it's the incident. Just the fact that that happened, it's unfortunate. It's not good for the game of hockey."

Peters has one point – and 76 penalty minutes – in 24 games this season, so clearly, that’s what good in the game of hockey.

I’m not condoning what Ruutu, a pest in the mold of Esa Tikkanen, did. I’m just not buying Peters’ response, and his own words seem to indicate he didn’t think it was a big deal either.

BTW, did you see the reaction from Peters? If this wasn’t a case of trying to sell something to the referees, I don’t know what is.

Packing them in

Need any more proof that hockey matters again in the Windy City?

The Chicago Blackhawks are the top-drawing team in the NHL so far, according to ESPN.com.

Thanks to All-Star starters Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Brian Campbell, the Blackhawks are averaging 20,292 per game so far in 2008-09. Through 18 dates at the United Center, the ‘Hawks are drawing a league-best 22,655 per game, nearly 1.400 more than second-place Montreal and almost 3,000 ahead of defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit.

On the road, Chicago is pulling in an average of 17,929 per game, good for fourth behind fellow Original Six teams Montreal (17,990), Boston (18,227) and Detroit (19,627).

Why is this a big deal? Consider that in the two seasons following the lockout, Chicago ranked 29th of 30 teams in home (13,022) and overall (14,865) attendance. On the road in 2005-06, the Blackhawks were 22nd (16,729), and slipped to 23rd (16,686) the following season.

The Blackhawks have the longest active Stanley Cup drought. Chicago hasn't won the Cup since 1961, ahead of Toronto (1967)

The bottom three teams in overall attendance this season are Columbus (15,652), the New York Islanders (15,626) and Nashville (15,609).

A look back at the Winter Classic

Was it worth the hype? The cold? The poor sightlines? A soused Bobby Hull trying to sing?

You bet.

The Winter Classic in Chicago was more than a game – it was part-street fair as well, and perhaps more important, a celebration of a sport that still doesn’t get a lot of respect by the public at large.

There is a tagline on some ad campaign for a cell phone company that says “Hockey fans are like no other.” Truer words were never spoken as nearly 41,000 heart souls gathered on New Year’s Day at the ballpark on the corner of Clark and Addison streets to watch an event that is still considered a bit of a novelty.

Since I live about a 15-minute walk from Wrigley Field, I went there the day before the game to wander around. Soaked up some of the atmosphere at the FanFest area, but there weren’t many people around.

On game day, I made my way to Wrigley around 9 a.m., and the closer you got the stronger the sense of this being something big – an event I needed to be at as a fan if I couldn’t be there as a journalist.

Walking around the park, first along Addison then Clark then along Waveland, it was clear this was going to be one big ol’ party. Hours after New Years’ fans slowly started to gather, haggle with ticket scalpers for last-minute deals, take in the FanFest stuff like ice carving, face painting and music.

I was happy just to watch and observe. Hockev Night In Canada pundit Don Cherry, immaculately dressed as always, was his usual boisterous self as he glad-handed many along Waveland.

As for the jerseys people sported, there were many – and, no, I didn’t break out my New York Rangers’ No. 34. Couple of Reg Dunlop’s No. 7 from the Charlestown Chiefs. Alexander Mogilny’s 89 and Gilbert Perreault’s 11 from the Buffalo Sabres. Several Pittsburgh Penguins throwbacks, which would have been more authentic to me if they were of, say, Rick Kehoe or Ron Flockhart instead of Sid the Kid’s No. 87.

All the usual Wings’ sweaters were seen – Howe’s No. 9, Lidstrom’s 5. Yzerman’s 19. McCarty’s 25, Draper’s 33.

It seemed that when you saw the Indian head, there was invariably Kane’s 88 or Toews’19 attached to it.

Suprisingly, I didn’t see one person wearing Hull’s No. 9. But Ruutu’s No. 15 was spotted more than once. So was Daze’s 55 and Mikita’s 21. A young kid was a Brent Sopel fan, sporting the journeyman’s No. 5. Savard’s 18. Seabrook’s 7. Griswold’s 00.

An older fan wore Chicago’s black third jersey with Glenn Hall’s No. 1, something the Hall of Famer never would have donned considering he retired almost 40 years ago. There was also the fan that paid respect to Chicago Stadium, the Madhouse on Madison street, with his Stadium sweater bearing the No. 94 for the last season there before moving to the United Center.

The best one spotted may have been a white Blackhawks No. 44 jersey with DETROIT SUCKS as the nameplate.

After all the pageantry – the introduction of Chicago sports legends Hull, Mikita, Tony Esposito, the Cubs’ Ryne Sandberg and Billy Williams – the Blackhaws led 3-1 after one period and looked like the hungrier team.

Detroit was well-represented on the North Side, though. An inflatable octopus hung from the upper deck. A sign reminded Blackhawks fans the Detroit has copped the Stanley Cup 11 times compared to only three for Chicago.

Their presence was enough that there was a healthy “Let’s go Red Wings” chant, each punctuated back with “Detroit sucks,” at least for a while. After Chicago’s Cristobal Huet allowed three second-period goals to rally back from two down, it was clear who was the stronger side.

Regardless of the result, it was a great day for the sport, and clear the NHL struck gold here - even television ratings were up 12 percent.

If the 2008 Winter Classic in Buffalo was a test run, this year’s fine-tuned the product to get ready for what I expect to be a game in New York less than a year from now.

What's next for the Winter Classic?

The Winter Classic is an event every fan should see, but for it to move from novelty to tradition, location and matchup are key.

On Friday night, a few of us in the newsroom were kicking around those two factors, and here are the top three games I’d like to see.

TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minn.: If there was ever a site that screamed for something like an outdoor game, it’s the “State of Hockey.”

The new home of the Golden Gophers will open later this year, but there is little question an outdoor game would work here. When it comes to hockey – regardless of age of gender - Minnesota may as well just be another Canadian province.

MATCHUP: Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars. The Gopher State’s new team meets the one it abandoned to head south. Too perfect.

Yankee Stadium, Bronx, N.Y.: You cannot have an event like this without playing it once in the world’s largest media market, and there’s little doubt that New York City knows how to throw a party.

I would be stunned if the center of the hockey world on Jan. 1, 2010 wasn’t here.

MATCHUP: New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders. While facing another Original Six club like the Canadiens or Bruins speaks to some romantic ideal, there's not much that can begin to compare to this rivalry.

INVESCO Field at Mile High, Denver, Colo.: Not quite ideal at this time because the Avalanche aren’t an elite team or even an up-and-coming one. Once they get back among the Western Conference’s best, the Mile High City should get one of these games.

I’m thinking 2012.

MATCHUP: Colorado Avalanche vs. Washington Capitals. If it were a decade ago, I would say the Red Wings would be a perfect fit here. Since Montreal _ the Avs’ former rival when they played in Quebec City – was in the Heritage Classic in 2003, I would say get the Capitals in there to show off Alexander Ovechkin’s skills.