All Entries Tagged With: "IIHF"
Howard Making a Case for 2014 Sochi Olympics
Jimmy Howard and the rest of his Detroit Red Wings’ teammates were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 20, but that hasn’t stopped Howard from continuing his season by representing his country. Howard is currently the number one man between the pipes as a member of Team USA in the 2012 IIHF World [...]
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 [...]
Exhuming a legend and expecting greatness tends to disappoint
Jaromir Jagr, Penguins’ blueliner Zbynek Michalek and their Czech Republic teammates captured the bronze medal at the IIHF World Championship today ushering in an off-season that may see Jagr put on a new hockey sweater. There has been some speculation recently that the 39-year old forward would make a return to the NHL, possibly to Pittsburgh where he [...]
One week later, still stunned at Team Canada meltdown
Has one week really passed since the swift and stunning end to Canada’s quest to reclaim the World Junior Championship title in Buffalo? Seriously, you ask, how can someone still be stewing about that third period meltdown? Very easily. Hockey is in our blood; in our marrow, as Canadians. In that inimitable way that hockey behaves, [...]
This one’s for you, General Brock: Canada crushes U.S., to play Russia for gold
Luggages have been unpacked; lozenges have been swallowed; loquacious razzing has ceased. Back across the border safely, the last twenty-four hours have been a short time of revelry and reflection on Canada’s convincing semifinal victory over the United States on Monday night in Buffalo. The score: 4-1 on the ice and likely 80%-20% in the HSBC Arena [...]
WJC 2011 Report w/ Doughty and Johnson
While nearly every top player in the NHL has participated in the World Junior Championships, the LA Kings have taken things to the extreme – with a number of highly skilled players on the rosters of several nations over the last few years. In this article Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson share their experiences from the WJC.
Canada edges Sweden 4-1 in World Junior exhibition
Tonight at the Air Canada Centre, Canada got a taste of the challenges that lie ahead when the national World Junior team eked out a 4-1 victory over Sweden in game 2 of the pre-tournament exhibition schedule, a contest that was closer than the score suggests. A relentless Swedish squad that was in penalty trouble all night [...]
Hockey Independent will be at Team Canada World Junior exhibitions
For the first time in six years, the word “dethrone” will be on the minds of the 22 players representing Canada at the World Junior Championship. From 2006 to 2010, “defence” was the name of the game, and not just in reference to the blue line. The country’s best under-20 players won five straight gold medals [...]
Pens’ Desprès could be key defender for Canada’s World Junior team
In two weeks, the first puck will drop at the 2011 IIHF World Under-20 Championship in Buffalo. Simply known to Canadian hockey fanatics as “the World Juniors”, the fast-paced annual tournament featuring national squads of nearly NHL-ready talent never ceases to entertain. For Canadians and Americans, the past seven World Junior Championships have been particularly entertaining. Canada won a record-tying [...]
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 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.
World Hockey Summit Day 2: PM session, audio from USA Hockey’s Jim Johansson
Day 2 of the World Hockey Summit has finished. IIHF President Rene Fasel reiterated his desire to see NHL players at the 2014 Winter Olympics but indicated he would strongly resist any potential NHL efforts to expand into Europe. Slavomir Lener of the Czech Republic showed some grim statistics on the drain of many young, not-ready European players to the CHL. Audio clip of interview by this writer with Jim Johansson of USA Hockey also inside.
World Hockey Summit Day 2: AM session, audio from Shanahan, Dr. Mark Aubry
The World Hockey Summit Day 2 morning session has concluded. A summary of the discussion on Player Skill Development and audio clips from Dr. Mark Aubry and Brendan Shanahan.
World Hockey Summit Day 1: audio from Fasel, Alfredsson, Krupp
A summary of Day 1 of the World Hockey Summit in Toronto including brief audio clips from IIHF President Rene Fasel, Ottawa Senators’ captain Daniel Alfredsson and former Stanley Cup winning NHL defenceman and current German national team head coach Uwe Krupp.
World Hockey Summit comes to Toronto August 23-26
The city of Toronto will welcome the world to a comprehensive four-day event starting tomorrow night that promises to generate attention, new ideas and debate on how to improve hockey at all levels and in every hockey-playing nation. The Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit will take place from Monday, August 23, 2010 until Thursday, August 26, 2010 at various [...]
Cooke’s hit on Savard reignites endless firestorm on respect, safety
“He falls; he concusses” seems well on its way to becoming a phrase as synonymous with NHL hockey as “he shoots; he scores”. Yesterday afternoon, late in the Penguins’ 2-1 victory over visiting Boston, Pittsburgh left wing Matt Cooke lifted his left elbow or forearm just enough to deliver a check to Boston forward Marc Savard as [...]
The NHL Should Pull Rank In Sochi
There is no doubt in my mind that the NHL should continue to participate in the Olympics in Sochi and beyond. Yes, I know it shuts down the league for two weeks but owners are still getting 41 home games just at a different time of the year and they are still getting the same [...]
Looking to improve the World Juniors
Watching teams get destroyed by 10 plus goals isn’t fun. Not for the fans and not for the payers on either side. As long as the talent gap is as wide as it is between the elite teams and the next level there will always be lopsided losses but there are a couple of things the IIHF could look at to make those games just a little closer and maybe a little more entertaining.
Arturs Irbe to be Inducted in IIHF Hall of Fame
The Capitals goaltending coach has had distinguished international career and will be inducted into IIHF HOF on May 21st, 2010 in Cologne, Germany.
