Detroit Red Wings & the NHL

[Tony G]

no players with long names. Too confusing to type it all the time.

[DennisT]

Movements are good. No-movement clause sounds kind of uncomfortable.

[Rob F]

Movements are good. No-movement clause sounds kind of uncomfortable.

Especially at your age!


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ok, at my age, too...

[DennisT]

Damn straight. Just about every morning starts with Raisin Bran or Wheat Chex for a reason.

[lineygoblue]

oh my ...

[Optimus Prime]

Where Doan & Luongo end up is still a mystery at this point as the NHL awaits a new CBA.

In other news, something truly spectacular. Best hockey on the planet 20 & under!

HOCKEY POWERS SET TO COLLIDE IN CANADA-RUSSIA CHALLENGE

TSN 8/7/2012
Hockey's greatest rivalry is back.

On the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series, hockey's two leading superpowers face off in the 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge exclusively on TSN, TSN2 and TSN Mobile TV. You can also talk hockey and get game updates with TSN.ca's Live Game blog during each game.

Canada and Russia's top junior players compete in a four-game series - playing two games in Yaroslavl, Russia and two games in Halifax beginning on Thursday at 11am et/9am pt.

TSN's Dennis Beyak calls the play-by-play action for 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge, alongside hockey analyst Mike Johnson. John Bartlett hosts TSN's studio coverage with TSN scout Craig Button throughout the series. Mark Masters is rinkside in Yaroslavl and Halifax for all four games filing reports for SportsCentre and That's Hockey.

The 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge replaces this season's Canada's National Junior Team Summer Development Camp and serves as part of player evaluations for the 2013 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.

Team Canada's roster features 13 NHL first-round draft picks including Florida Panther Jonathan Huberdeau, the Columbus Blue Jackets' Ryan Murray, the Winnipeg Jets' Mark Scheifele and the Toronto Maple Leafs' Morgan Rielly.

The Canadians will face Russia's three first-rounders, including the first overall draft pick in the 2012 NHL Draft Nail Yakupov of the Edmonton Oilers.

The 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge also pays tribute to the city of Yaroslavl and the Kontinental Hockey League's Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, as the one year anniversary of the tragic Sept. 7 plane crash approaches.

[Optimus Prime]

I miss heading over to the U of C, tearing-off 10-20Km on the Olympic Oval speed skating track prior to my pickup game on either one of two NHL-size hickey rinks located in the middle of the track. Fantastic venue! The Prime at buck 85, fly like the wind then pound a dozen cold Canadian ones!

[Optimus Prime]

The threat of another NHL lockout is a very real possibility this fall. If so, the NHL 3.1 billion dollar business first just may take a backseat to the World Jr Tournament as many top players drafted would be released by their parent clubs to participate in the Tourney.

Remember the last time that happened, say 2005!?!

[youtube]wwEnjlRQpwE[/youtube]

Team Canada 2005

2005 - Grand Forks, United States

Thanks to the NHL lockout, Canada put forth what many speculated was its finest ever junior team, which included 12 players with tournament experience. The team did not disappoint, rolling to a perfect 6-0 record and outscoring their opponents 41-7. The gold medal game against Russia was almost a formality, with Canada cruising to a 6-1 win for its first championship in seven years.

Patrice Bergeron of the locked-out Boston Bruins was Canada's top scorer with 13 points and the tournament's MVP.

Canada's top line, however, was All-Star Jeff Carter between Ryan Getzlaf and Andrew Ladd. Getzlaf was second in scoring with 12 points, while Carter had 10 and Ladd chipped in seven. Incredibly, they were a combined +35 during the tournament and did not allow a single goal against while they were on the ice. Carter scored seven goals and boosted his career total to twelve, tying Eric Lindros' Canadian record.

All-Star Dion Phaneuf was a tower of power on the blueline, dishing out many heavy hits, but he had a lot of support from Shea Weber, Shawn Belle and Braydon Coburn. Canada's top four defenders were +34 during the tournament. A young Crosby, 6 points in 6 games.

Russia boasted a couple of future stars in All-Star Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin, who were the top two picks in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, and had an excellent tournament until meeting Canada in the final. Ovechin took a constant pounding from the Canadians and left the game after two periods with an ailing shoulder.

The Czech Republic won the bronze medal behind the stellar work of All-Star goaltender Marek Schwarz. The Czechs beat the host team, the defending champions from the United States, 3-2 in overtime in the bronze medal game.

The Americans had a disappointing tournament. They lost twice in the round-robin, falling to unheralded Belarus and the Czechs, thanks to undisciplined play and poor goaltending. After beating Sweden in the quarterfinals, the US was pounded by Ovechkin and the Russians in the semifinals.

In the end, there was little dispute that Canada was not only the class of the tournament, but perhaps the best team the World Juniors had ever seen.

Team Canada Roster -2005

Goaltenders

R?jean Beauchemin, Winnipeg, MB.
Prince Albert (WHL)/Philadelphia Flyers
Jeff Glass, Cochrane, AB.
Kootenay (WHL)/Ottawa Senators

Defensemen
Cam Barker, Winnipeg, MB
Medecine Hat (WHL)/Chicago Blackhawks
*Shawn Belle, Edmonton, AB
Tri-City (WHL)/St. Louis Blues
*Braydon Coburn, Shaunavon, SK
Portland (WHL)/Atlanta Thrashers
*Dion Phaneuf, Edmonton, AB
Red Deer (WHL)/Calgary Flames
*Brent Seabrook, Tsawwassen, BC
Lethbridge (WHL)/Chicago Blackhawks
Danny Syvret, Millgrove, ON
London (OHL)
Shea Weber, Sicamous, BC
Kelowna (WHL)/Nashville Predators

Forwards
Patrice Bergeron, Ancienne-Lorette, QC
Providence (AHL)/Boston Bruins
*Jeff Carter, London, ON
Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)/Philadelphia Flyers
*Jeremy Colliton, Blackie, AB
Prince Albert (WHL)/New York Islanders
*Sidney Crosby, Halifax, NS
Rimouski (QMJHL)
*Nigel Dawes, Winnipeg, MB
Kootenay (WHL)/New York Rangers
*Stephen Dixon, Halifax, NS
Cape Breton (QMJHL)/Pittsburgh Penguins
Colin Fraser, Surrey, BC
Red Deer (WHL)/Philadelphia Flyers
*Ryan Getzlaf, Regina, SK
Calgary (WHL)/Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Andrew Ladd, Maple Ridge, BC
Calgary (WHL)/Carolina Hurricanes
Clarke MacArthur, Lloydminster, AB
Medecine Hat (WHL)/Buffalo Sabres
Corey Perry, Peterborough, ON
London (OHL)/Anaheim Mighty Ducks
*Michael Richards, Kenora, ON
Kitchener (OHL)/Philadelphia Flyers
*Anthony Stewart, Scarborough, ON
Kingston (OHL)/Florida Panthers
Tournament format, schedule and history

Players cut December 16/04, following Canada's Selection Camp:

G Devan Dubnyk, Calgary, AB.
Kamloops (WHL)/Edmonton Oilers
G Kevin Nastiuk, Edmonton, AB.
Medecine Hat (WHL)/Carolina Hurricanes
D Mike Green, Calgary, AB
Saskatoon (WHL)/Washington Capitals
D Alexandre Picard, Gatineau, QC
Halifax (QMJHL)/Philadelphia Flyers
D Kyle Quincey, Kleinberg, ON
Mississauga (OHL)/Detroit Red Wings
F David Bolland, Mimico, ON
London (OHL)/Chicago Blackhawks
F Dustin Boyd, Winnipeg, MB
Moose Jaw (WHL)/Calgary Flames
F Eric Fehr, Winkler, MB
Brandon (WHL)/Washington Capitals
F Stefan Meyer, Fox Valley, SK
Medecine Hat (WHL)/Florida Panthers
F Ryan Stone, Calgary, AB
Brandon (WHL)/Pittsburgh Penguins

[Optimus Prime]

For the silent legions of fans...

The Greatest Hockey Nation on Earth took a 1-0 series lead as CANADA EDGES RUSSIA IN OPENER OF CANADA-RUSSIA CHALLENGE by a score of 3-2!

Deep inside former Commie territory, Canada strikes early and hard against its arch nemesis.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/canada-beats-russia-3-2-in-opener-of-canada-russia-challenge/article4471843/

[Optimus Prime]

Game # 2 underway 0-0, tie after the 1st period of the 2012 OF CANADA-RUSSIA CHALLENGE.

Canada treats the match as an evlauation game and rests many of its best players but not the stinkin' Russians, all hands-on-deck as the desperately try to avoid international embarrassment and drop other game to Canad on Russian soil!

Healthy scratches: Huberdeau, Jenner, Murray, Dumba and Subban

Unavailable due to injury: Reinhart

Of course the European refs get it on it and heavily penalize Team Canada with 4 powerplays not to mention tossing Canadian D-Man, Scheifele. Can't wait for North American Officials in game # 3 back in Nova Scotia.

[Optimus Prime]

Game # 2 underway 0-0, tie after the 1st period of the 2012 OF CANADA-RUSSIA CHALLENGE.

Canada treats the match as an evlauation game and rests many of its best players but not the stinkin' Russians, all hands-on-deck, as the desperately try to avoid international embarrassment and drop other game to Canada on Russian soil!

Healthy scratches: Huberdeau, Jenner, Murray, Dumba and Subban

Unavailable due to injury: Reinhart

Of course the European refs get in on it and heavily penalize Team Canada with 4 powerplays not to mention tossing Canadian D-Man, Scheifele. Can't wait for North American Officials in game # 3 back in Nova Scotia.

[Optimus Prime]

To the Silent Hockey masses:

It took overtime but the Canadian National Junior Team won the Canada-Russia Challenge.

The greatest hockey nation on earth had to dig really deep for the win. Canada surrendered 6 goals per game in the 2nd and 3rd matches, absolutely unacceptable. Subban played well enough to keep Canada in the series but frankly I have never seen such poor goaltending and defensive play by Canada. Canadian goaltenders Laurent Brossoit & Maxime Lagac? surrendered 6 goals apiece in games 2 & 3 in losses to Russia, drafted by Calgary and Dallas of the NHL, these kids have a long way to go if they hope to turn pro.....soft play.

Although Canada used the the 4 game series as an evaluation camp and playing everyone, If they hope to win the World Tournament over Christmas this squad needs to jell once the team is cut to 20 players and focus unit defensive play. Russia ran 4 games with their best players so there will be no surprises come Boxing Day.

CANADA TAKES CANADA-RUSSIA CHALLENGE WITH OT SERIES WINNER

HALIFAX -- Ryan Strome went to a reliable move to help Canada win the Canada-Russia Challenge.

Strome scored at 3:20 of overtime on Tuesday to give Canada the series victory after the Canadians won 4-2 Game 4 in regulation time.

Canada needed a win in regulation time to tie the Challenge 2-2. The 4-2 victory set up a 20-minute sudden-death overtime to decide who would win the series.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/overtime-goal-gives-canada-challenge-series-hockey-title-against-russia/article4481876/

[Optimus Prime]

After winning the first game of the series that commemorates the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series, Canada lost Game 2 in Russia and then dropped Game 3 in Halifax to fall behind.
Notes: The crowd gave a standing ovation to players from 1972 Summit Series who took part in the ceremonial faceoff. Yuri Lyapkin, Alexander Yakushev, and Vladislav Tretiak represented Russia while Ken Dryden, Don Awrey and Pat Stapleton were there for Canada. During the first intermission, the crowd was on its feet again for Halifax kayaker Mark de Jonge who received a personalized Team Canada jersey from Hockey Canada.

[Optimus Prime]

This is ridiculous, appears to be right next to BFE!

The 2013 IIHF World U20 Championship will be the 37th World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (WJHC). It will be hosted in Ufa, Russia. It begins on December 26, 2012, and will end with the gold medal game being played on January 5, 2013.

[Optimus Prime]

Thornton & Nash will head to HC Davos in Switzerland to play if a new CBA is not reached by September 15th.

In 2005 during the last lockout, we were led to believe that the owners were claiming millions of dollars in operational losses. Since the the league has grown by and additional 1 billion and has set 6 years of record revenues.

At present, the NHL generated 3.1 billion in hockey-related revenues last year and now it appears the owners want a greater share of the pie by asking the players to take a serious cut from 57% to 43% in salaries? Madness.