🏒 The Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled that the IIHF must reinstate Russia and Belarus to international hockey competition, despite Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. Hands up if you’ve ever heard of this court. No one? Hands up if you think Canada and the United States should just tell the court to go to hell.
🏒 Never has so much been made out of so little. Edmonton’s whiny China doll Connor McDavid drove the net at top speed, clearly entered the blue paint area, before running into the back of Anaheim’s defender Drew Helleson and pinballing his knee off the goal post. Poor Connor, ended up with a boo-boo and proceeded to whine at length after the game. As did several of his teammates. Did the NHL institute a new rule that we haven’t heard about? Are NHL teams now expected to let McDavid go wherever he wants and do whatever he wants at will? If not, cry me a (frozen) river.
🏒 Okay, let’s have a cage match. The Tkachuk brothers against the Xhekaj brothers. No matter who loses, fans will be delighted.
🏒 Apparently, the NHL has “improved” its shots-on-goal tallying system to keep gambling sites and their customers happy. Which amounts to an admission that accuracy wasn’t much of a priority until the gambling sponsorship money started flowing in. As for hits, takeaways, giveaways and the rest? Unless people are betting on those too, don’t expect the same sudden devotion to getting them right.
🏒 This weekend, Brian Burke will be inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame, located in Toronto. The same city where Burke’s reputation as a competent GM vanished for good. The fact he publicly mocked the Maple Leafs decision to swap Matthew Knies (15 games, 7 points) for Karill Marchenko (14 games, 14 points) can only please Toronto fans who saw firsthand how often Burke’s bark is much worse than his decision-making bite. If Burke doesn’t like it, it must be good.
🏒 Wayne Gretzky’s apparent friendship with Donald Trump has, for many Canadians, permanently tainted his legacy. That may help explain his recent comments supporting Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement that Russia will not be allowed to participate in next month’s World Junior tournament in Edmonton and Red Deer. Gretzky’s buy-in sounds like a “clean up in aisle six” attempt to repair his reputation. Most likely…a failed attempt.
🏒 The PWHL has adopted a significant rule change that the NHL would be wise to avoid. The new rule states that “Batting the puck above the normal height of the shoulders with a stick is permitted.” Which is fine in a league where the ladies are all protected by facial protection. If NHLers adopted the change, it would only last until the first decapitation occurred.
🏒 Remember all the preseason excitement over the refurbished San Jose Sharks lineup? Remember how their GM Mike Grier was praised for investing close to $18 million on two veteran blueliners (Jacob Trouba, Darnell Nurse)? Here we are 18 games and 65 goals against later and the Sharks look more like minnows in their own end of the rink.
