All Entries in the "Olympics" Category
Destination Unknown, part 2
Part Two: Does it feel drafty in here? Snow inherited a team that made the playoffs with regularity, and had a polarizing but successful head coach. Theorizing that the playoff team handed to him was underwhelming, Snow started what is lovingly referred to as a rebuild by fans, and a disaster by anybody else’s standard. [...]
Boston Bruins Offseason Notebook: B’s Add Defenseman Aaron Johnson, Ink New ECHL Affiliation
B’s Add Depth With Former Blue Jacket Aaron Johnson – Last week the Boston Bruins announced the signing of yet another defenseman to add to their already deep group of NHL-quality blueliners. After skating in 56 games for the league-worst Columbus Blue Jackets in 2011-12, 29-year-old Aaron Johnson agreed to join the B’s on a [...]
Boston Bruins Offseason Notebook: Horton Cleared, Julien Earns Extension, B’s Re-Up With CBS Boston
Bruins, Head Coach Claude Julien Agree To Terms On Contract Extension – Thirteen months ago, Claude Julien became the first Boston Bruins’ head coach to hoist the Stanley Cup above his head since Tom Johnson in May of 1972. The Blinder River, Ontario native was rewarded for his efforts this week, in receiving a brand [...]
Boston Bruins Offseason Notebook: B’s Increase Depth With Addition Of Veteran Defenseman Garnet Exelby
On Wednesday afternoon the Boston Bruins increased their organizational depth, adding former Atlanta Thrashers’ defenseman Garnet Exelby. The two sides agreed to a new one-year, two-way contract worth a total of $600,000 at the NHL level and $130,000 for American Hockey League service. The Craik, Saskatchewan native was originally drafted by the Thrashers in the [...]
Boston Bruins Offseason Notebook: Khokhlachev Inks One-Year Deal In KHL, B’s Sign Christian Hanson
Alexander Khokhlachev was once projected as an early first round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. His rare combination of offensive skill and tremendous defensive zone prowess have often drawn comparisons to Detroit Red Wings’ superstar pivot Pavel Datsyuk. However, teams were weary of taking Khokhlachev early in the draft simply due to the [...]
Hockey’s Christmas: 10 Predictions For 2012 Free Agency
In many ways, July 1 and the opening of unrestricted free agency is much like Christmas for hockey fans. Puck heads wake up early and rush to their living rooms early in the morning. But instead of checking underneath a Christmas tree, they’ll make a beeline straight towards the nearest computer. As the clock strikes [...]
Life Without Tim Thomas: Bruins Confirm “Strong Possibility” That Reigning Vezina Winner Will Sit Out Next Season
When reports began to emanate on Thursday that Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas was toying with the idea of taking a season off, many — including myself — simply shrugged it off in the belief that it was pure speculation on the part of the media. However, the tide took a major turn on Friday [...]
Five Deals That SHOULD Be Made Before The Deadline
As the late February NHL trading deadline approaches rumors have began to surface in every corner of the hockey world. From buyers to sellers and rentals, a plethora of deals always seem to be made this time of year. This year, as a few top-tier players are slated to become Unrestricted free agents at year’s [...]
Lokomotiv tragedy pierces the soul of global hockey community
The imminent start of hockey season and the usual excitement of seeing players slowly trickling into training camps enthusiastically looking forward to making a fresh start suddenly seems very irrelevant and very meaningless this morning. Writing off-season recaps to remember who went where in free agency or trades suddenly seems equally irrelevant and equally meaningless [...]
One year after World Hockey Summit: NHL players and the Olympics
It was one year ago tonight that the Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit commenced in the historic Great Hall at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. High-profile decision makers and players from Canada, the United States and Europe assembled for four days to discuss ways to improve and grow the game of hockey worldwide. The [...]
HI FREE AGENCY Live Chat Show! 11 EST July 1st
HockeyIndependent’s Free Agency Live Chat Show
Does the WHC Even Matter?
It’s been referred to as the garbage bowl, the runners-up cup, and many more uncanny names, but the World Championship of Hockey (WHC) is starting to show more significance in the sport of hockey.
Olympic gold in Vancouver: What a difference one year makes
One year ago today, the eyes of the world – at least those parts where snow and ice are found – were fixated on Vancouver for the final event of the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Men’s Gold Medal Hockey Game between the United States and host Canada. The Americans surprised most experts in their run-up [...]
HockeyIndependent Trade Deadline Show – Click to replay
Join us for 2nd annual Trade Deadline show complete with your HI bloggers, XM NHL Home Ice, and special guests… HOCKEY INDEPENDENT NHL Trade Deadline Show
ANALYSIS: Solid brainstorming, no firm commitments at World Hockey Summit
One question that was repeatedly asked by many fans in the lead-up to last week’s World Hockey Summit was, “Will they or won’t they?” as in: will the NHL, NHLPA and IIHF come to an agreement during the four-day event in Toronto on further NHL participation in future Winter Olympics? The answer was neither ‘yes’ nor ‘no’. [...]
World Hockey Summit ends, steering committee hopeful for future
The World Hockey Summit in Toronto came to a close last Thursday evening with pledges from the steering committee to continue to “work together” to “grow the game”. The four-day conference brought together global hockey leaders and public stakeholders from North America and Europe to discuss pertinent issues currently challenging the growth of the game. [...]
World Hockey Summit Day 4: PM session: Growing the Game
The World Hockey Summit in Toronto is officially over but delegates, panellists and the steering committee were in agreement that the hard work begins now. Maintaining or achieving excellence in national programs and encouraging youth to continue pursuing hockey in the face of competing sports and recreational interests will be vital in growing the game at the amateur and professional level.
World Hockey Summit Day 4: AM session, audio from Wickenheiser, Ruggiero
Under clouds of concern for the viability of international women’s hockey due to the huge competitive disparity between North America and the rest of the world, Canadian star and featured speaker Hayley Wickenheiser described the frustrating challenges in growing women’s hockey outside North America while American star and panellist Angela Ruggiero was more hopeful about the future [...]
World Hockey Summit Day 3: Gary Bettman media conference
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman did a public Q and A session on Day 3 of the World Hockey Summit hosted by TV broadcaster Pierre McGuire then took more questions from the media for an additional ten minutes, covering predictable topics such as NHL involvement in the 2014 Olympics, the Kovalchuk case and the potential for placing a franchise back in Quebec City. The full audio of the media conference is inside.
World Hockey Summit Day 3: PM session, audio from KHL Pres. Medvedev
Brian Burke’s legendary temper boiled over during contentious discussions on the hot-button issue of whether the NHL will send its players to Sochi, Russia for the 2014 Winter Olympics. The Toronto GM, who has also been involved with USA Hockey for many years, was adamant that all factors must be carefully considered instead of making an “emotional issue” out of the Winter Games.
