Thomas Vanek

NHL

More NHL Teams Rumoured for Canada After Lockout Ends

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: October 16, 2012

On Tuesday, the National Hockey League put forward an offer to the players’ association containing a 50/50 split in revenues. What’s even more intriguing was a report on speculation that the league could be ready to announce two expansion teams for Canada when the two sides finally shake hands on a collective bargaining agreement. No,...

NHL

Gretzky Not Alone in Hoping Lockout Ends Near Christmas

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: October 2, 2012

Ladies and gentlemen, add Wayne Gretzky to the list of those hoping for a (somewhat) timely resolution to the National Hockey League lockout. The former team owner — as well as the owner, in whole or in part, of dozens of NHL player records — said he thinks the league will resume in time for...

NHL

Implied Move to Seattle is New Ploy in Oilers Arena Issue

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: September 25, 2012

The latest story in the extended debate over a new rink for the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers involves team owner Daryl Katz appearing in Seattle for “meetings” with unidentified parties. This included being a witness to the debacle between the Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers of the NFL — another professional league where greedy, short-sighted...

NHL

Your Team Probably Doesn’t Suck As Badly As the Leafs

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: September 9, 2012

The Toronto Maple Leafs organization was one of the original franchises in the National Hockey League long before the marketing concept of the “Original Six.” They’ve been around since 1927 as the Maple Leafs; before that, they were known as the Arenas (1917-19) and the St. Patricks (1919-27). They used to be good, having won...

NHL

Green Men Inducted into ESPN’s Hall of Fans

• Ricky Rothstein

• Last Updated: September 6, 2012

Two of the Vancouver Canucks’ biggest supporters have all other sports fans green with envy, writes Ricky Rothstein. Sully and Force, the two fans who dress in green spandex suits next to the visiting team’s penalty box at Canucks home games, have been inducted into ESPN’s Hall of Fans. The Green Men are one of...

Celebrities

Elisha Cuthbert Says ‘Yes’ to Leafs Captain Dion Phaneuf

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: September 3, 2012

Another Canadian celebrity wedding is in the works. Dion Phaneuf, the captain of the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs, and longtime girlfriend actress Elisha Cuthbert are now engaged to be married. The couple revealed the news on the weekend. The couple started dating in 2008. They announced their plans last Sunday night at a...

NHL

1972 Summit Series Still Packs a Punch for Hockey Fans

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: September 3, 2012

Forty years ago, the Summit Series began with the Soviets stunning Canada and most of the hockey world with a 7-3 victory at the Montreal Forum in front of 18,818 fans. Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau dropped the ceremonial puck before the game; North American hockey fans’ jaws dropped at the end of it. No...

NHL

‘Name-and-Shame’ List Idea for Diving Would Be A Flop

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: August 24, 2012

While the on-again, off-again discussions (because it would be stupid to call them “negotiations”) continue over a new NHL collective bargaining agreement, there was also a two-day “summit” focusing on enforcement of the rules in the game. The “best” suggestion to come out of these meetings? Divers and floppers are bad for the game (no...

NHL

Greed and Lack of Negotiations Could Destroy NHL Season

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: August 17, 2012

September 15 is a date many fans of the National Hockey League are dreading. That is when the current collective bargaining agreement between the team owners and the NHL Players Association expires. As anyone who has observed what has been happening the past couple of weeks knows, discussions on a new deal have not progressed....

NHL

Habs GM Bergevin Busy Reshaping the Canadiens

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: August 14, 2012

While the owners and players’ union are talking about a new collective bargaining agreement, Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin has been moving ahead with his plans to restructure one of the National Hockey League’s most storied franchises. On Monday, Bergevin announced the re-signing of forward Max Pacioretty to a six-year contract extension said to...

NHL

Maple Leafs Fans Still Waiting for a Blockbuster Deal

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: July 26, 2012

This is an off-season? There’s been much activity in the National Hockey League lately: for instance, this week the Nashville Predators decided to retain their cornerstone defenceman and captain, Shea Weber, by matching the 14-year, $110-million offer sheet issued to him by the Philadelphia Flyers. That follows the Minnesota Wild’s dual shocker in early July...

NHL

Nash On His Way to N.Y. Rangers in Multi-Player Deal

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: July 23, 2012

It has been in the works for months, and now TSN hockey analyst Darren Dreger says left winger Rick Nash has been traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the New York Rangers for forwards Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky, defenceman Tim Erixon and a first-round draft pick. According to Dreger, the Blue Jackets also...

NHL

Report Says Weber Agrees to Huge 14-Year Deal with Flyers

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: July 18, 2012

Defenseman Shea Weber has reportedly agreed to a 14-year offer sheet worth $100 million from the Philadelphia Flyers, according to a prominent source. The All-Star blueliner, a right-handed shooter, is a restricted free agent; he gained that status after he did not agree to terms with his current club, the Nashville Predators, after his arbitration-awarded...

NHL

Luon-gone? Canucks Goalie Says ‘It’s Time To Move On’

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: July 6, 2012

Roberto Luongo, one of the best goaltenders to ever play for the Canucks — and one of its most polarizing figures since the glory days of “Russian Rocket” Pavel Bure — gave a radio interview on Friday where he left little doubt as to his future in Vancouver. Essentially, he feels he doesn’t have one...

NHL

Zach Who? Ryan What? Stars Get Derek Roy from Sabres

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: July 2, 2012

On a day when the NHL world held its collective breath waiting for decisions from two of its most prominent free agents — winger Zach Parise and defenceman Ryan Suter — the Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars opted to exhale. The two clubs announced Monday they’ve completed a three-player deal which sends centre Derek Roy...

NHL

Sakic, Bure, Sundin and Oates Elected to NHL Hall of Fame

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: June 26, 2012

Four of the National Hockey League’s greatest stars of the last 20 years have found a new home. Joe Sakic, Pavel Bure, Adam Oates and Mats Sundin were named to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Sakic and Sundin were elected in their first window of eligibility. The timing is particularly auspicious for Oates,...

NHL

Reports Say Luongo Favors Only Florida In Trade Talks

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: June 25, 2012

Writer Thomas Wolfe titled one of his novels “You Can’t Go Home Again.” If the rumors are to be believed, Roberto Luongo is trying to disprove that notion. A few days after the Vancouver Canucks were knocked out of the playoffs by the eventual Stanley Cup-winning Los Angeles Kings, the netminder said he would waive...

NHL

Jets Join Sutter Story By Drafting Rich’s Son Lukas

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: June 24, 2012

The Sutter family tale is well-known in professional hockey: six brothers played in the NHL in the 1970s and 80s. Now another member of the family has gone through a rite of passage as the Winnipeg Jets took Lukas Sutter in the second round, 39th overall, at the 2012 Entry Draft in Pittsburgh last Saturday....

NHL

NHL: Russians Continue to Battle ‘Cold War’ Mentality

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: June 21, 2012

Superstar sniper Evgeni Malkin reaped a trio of trophies at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas on Wednesday. The Magic Man from Magnitogorsk completed a rare hat trick by collecting the Hart (MVP), Art Ross (scoring) and Ted Lindsay (NHLPA MVP) honors. Since entering the NHL in 2006, Malkin has been considered among the NHL’s...

NHL

NHL: 2012 Entry Draft Will Be Critical For Leafs GM Burke

• Dale Perth

• Last Updated: June 19, 2012

It’s been four years since the Toronto Maple Leafs hired Brian Burke to be their general manager. Since then, Leafs Nation has had to put up with a lot of losing, and their team remains untroubled by post-season appearances. After more than 650 regular-season games since 2004 and no playoffs to show for them, this...