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• Sharks vs Anaheim Gameday Upda

  • From: Randy-Hahn
  • Description:

    Anaheim, CA - Today McLellan's lineup will be the same as last nights against Philadelphia, with one exception. Logan Couture has the flu and did not make the trip to Orange County. Ryan Vesce has been recalled from Worcester and will center the fourth line with Mclaren and Ferriero.

    The Ducks are coming off an OT win over Tampa, but they are still struggling. They have 17 points through their first 20 games. If they maintain this pace they will not make the playoffs. And now is the time for Anaheim to make thier move. Tonight will be the second game of a 7 game homestand. After the homestand they will have to play 21 of thier next 30 games on the road.

    McLellans decision to put Marleau, Thornton and Heatley together on the same line last night turned out well. The line had 8 points. I jokingly asked him if he felt smart after the game. "No", he replied. "But if it hadn't have worked out I sure would have felt stupid."

    A note about the teams that trade Chris Pronger. When St. Louis and Edmonton sent him packing, both those teams missed the playoffs for the next three years. It's something the Ducks are hoping doesn't happen a third time.

    I'm Randy Hahn for the Sharks Broadcaster Blog

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• Sharks vs Flyers Gameday Updat

  • From: Randy-Hahn
  • Description:

    San Jose- Todd McLellan has decided to load up his top line for tonight’s tilt with the Philadelphia Flyers.  Carrying forward a move he made partway through the game Tuesday in Nashville, the Sharks head coach will have Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Danny Heatley together on the same line.  As far as any of us can remember that’s the first time those three will start a game together on the same line. Who knows but it could also be a line for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver come February.  Benn Ferriero, Frazier McLaren and Logan Couture are all up from Worcester so here are the likely line combinations for the Sharks and Flyers tonight. 

    San Jose

    Marleau  Thornton  Heatley

    Malhotra  Pavelski  Clowe

    Ortmeyer  Nichol  McGinn

    McLaren  Couture  Ferriero

       Murray  Boyle

       Huskins  Demers

       Joslin  Vlasic

           Nabokov/Greiss

     

    Philadelphia

    Van Riemsdyk  Carter  Briere

    Hartnell  Richards  Pyorala

    Powe  Giroux  Laliberte

    Carcillo  Betts  Laperriere

      Bartulis  Parent

      Coburn  Timonen

      Pronger  Carle

         Emery/Boucher

     

    On the injury front, Mclellan says that Brad Staubitz will be out for a “couple more weeks”.  Rob Blake and Jody Shelly are skating again but not ready to return.  Devon Setoguchi is day to day , but out tonight. 

    Yesterday at practice the Sharks worked a lot on cleaning up and clearing second chance opportunities from their own net.  McLellan also had them doing drills that focused on making plays on offense coming out of the corners.   

    The Flyers are playing very well right now and have to be brimming with confidence after a big win to start their road trip in LA Wednesday. Should be a good one.  And one other minor detail. Prongers back in town.

     

     

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• Where Do You Stand?

  • From: Drew-Remenda
  • Description:

    I have a sports moral dilemma for you. When is cheating dishonest and when is cheating just gamesmanship?  Thierry Henry, considered to be one of the best soccer players in the world, has ignited a controversy across the sports world. In some places in Europe, he has fallen from grace because he cheated and he admitted he did.

     

    On Wednesday night the French footballer set up the winning goal for his country against Ireland with a deliberate handball, the ultimate no-no in soccer. The win launches France to the World Cup and keeps Ireland out.

     

    The handball was so obvious it has been shown on TV and photos with Henry in the act have been plastered all over European newspapers.

     

    “I will be honest, it was a handball”, Henry admitted after, but he added “I’m not the ref, I played it, he allowed it. That’s a question you should ask him.”  The classic shift the blame tactic by Henry backfired and the vitriol increased today. Today he tweeted, (on a future blog I will express my disdain for Twitter and tweeting). “I’m not the ref, but if I hurt someone, I’m sorry.” What a weak response to the fury-the wash my hands of the whole matter typical “if I hurt anyone….blah blah blah.-Way to man up big guy.

     

    Respect and admiration for Thierry Henry dropped from hero to zero faster than Lehman Brothers stock. Groups are outraged, comparing Henry’s handball to Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” goal in the 1986 World Cup. Henry has landed on the dark side of the sports list as one of the most hated. Question is does he deserve it?

     

    Is Thierry Henry a sports villain because he so blatantly cheated? Or is all the anger misplaced by people that don’t get big time sports, where if you “ain’t cheatin’ you ain’t tryin'”. Does the end, in this case the win, justify the means?

     

    If you think Thierry Henry should have spoke up on the field and told the ref that he indeed played the ball deliberately with his hand, then would you also believe that Brett Hull should have told the ref he was in the crease, taking away a Stanley Cup from his team?  In order to be consistent Tom Brady should have told the ref he indeed fumbled the ball and scrap the 3 Super Bowl victories thanks in part to the “Tuck Rule.” Do you believe sportsmanship must rule above all else? In your world, is a hold by an offensive lineman on one play as dishonest as Mike Tyson biting Evander Holyfield’s ear?

     

    If the later appeals to you then where do you draw the line? If you believe Henry is right, he was just doing what it takes to win, then do you cut the same slack to a steroid user in Major League Baseball after all those home runs helped his team win? If you think anything goes in order to win, then Ireland would have been justified in playing a physical and dirty brand of soccer in order to tie the game with France after the illegal goal.

     

    I get both sides of the argument. But no matter what side you’re on you have to be consistent in your moral stance. But there are a couple of questions to ask. First- what is the responsibility of the athlete? Second- are we as sports fans willing to allow sports to be hijacked by a skilled group of cheats?

     

    For the Broadcaster Blog, I’m Drew Remenda.

     

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• Regular Season Goals

  • From: Jamie-Baker
  • Description:

    I think the sentiment for San Jose fans, and the hockey world in general, is the 2009/10 version of the Sharks will get judged by how they fare in the 2010 playoffs.  This is a fair sentiment but that does not diminish the importance of the regular season.   

    During the off day in Nashville I tried to come up with a list of things that mattered to every team during the regular season.   The obvious goal of the regular season is to put your team in a position to be successful in the playoffs, and to that, teams:

    1.       Have to be in the top 8 in their conference.

     

    2.       Want home ice advantage in as many rounds as possible.

     

    3.       Have to believe and know they can win.    When the Sharks play other top teams in the league they get to gauge how they stack up against those teams. 

     

    4.       Everyone has to have a team first mentality.   Take Brian Campbell when he was in San Jose.  He played well but I think his first priority was his upcoming free agent status in the summer.  He knew he was getting a big payday and the one thing that could have deterred that was getting injured.  Had he played for the Sharks for the entire season I think he might have been more engaged from a team-first mentality.   Teams that win the Stanley Cup must have everyone thinking team-first.

     

    5.       Everyone knows their role.   We are seeing the emergence of a top 3^rd line for the Sharks, something that the team hasn’t had since the Ricci, Sundstrom and Scott Thornton days.   Players understanding and relishing their role is a work in progress and something that is fun to watch as the season continues but is also crucial come playoff time.

     

    6.       Overcome adversity.   One of the concerns of Todd McLellan last season was his team didn’t really have much adversity to overcome until late in the year.   Adversity can come in the form of injuries, slumps, bad calls, bad bounces and also dealing with the media.  We know the Sharks are going to get a lot of media coverage come April reminding them of their playoff pasts.  I think what Marleau and Nabokov went through last summer and how they’ve handled it has prepared them and set a great example for this team.  The Winter Olympics should also help because it is a bigger stage than the Stanley Cup Playoffs and thus will help Sharks players who attend.

     

    7.       Goaltending.   If you want to win the Stanley Cup, you need great goaltending.   Nabokov has been great and Greiss has been a very competent backup so far.  The Sharks need to trust they have a solid backup who gives Nabokov some needed rest during the regular season and also someone who can come in and play under pressure. 

     

    8.       Win different ways.   You can’t win the Stanley Cup if you don’t have a lot of skill, but having a lot of skill does not guarantee you anything, including beating your first round opponent.  To win the Stanley Cup you are going to play against top players in the world, a hot goalie, a hot PP, great PK, teams with confidence, teams that might be healthy or teams that are mean and nasty.  The road to the Cup is tough and during the regular season you need to wins games the following ways:

    a.       Skills – speed, puck skills

    b.      Shut down – team defense

    c.       Physical – grind, grit, wear teams down

    d.      Special Teams – don’t lose the 5-5 battle and beat them with your PP and PK

    e.      Even Strength – don’t lose the special teams and beat them 5-5

    f.        Steal a Game – goaltending

    It’s interesting to look at the different ways you can win games and then look at the Sharks wins this year.  Last year they won a lot of games using skill and special teams but this year they are winning games in different ways and that is part of the process and what makes the regular season fun to watch.

     

    I am Jamie Baker for the Broadcasters Blog

     

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• Great Atmosphere in Chicago Br

  • From: Dan-Rusanowsky
  • Description:

    We all received an emotional experience on Sunday in Chicago, on "Jeremy Roenick Heritage Night."  J.R. was honored in front of a season-best 21,130 fans at the United Center, which had the atmosphere of an Original Six, old-time hockey city from the time that the doors opened to the moment that Frank Pellico turned off the organ.  On the ice, the Blackhawks won in overtime, 4-3.  Off the ice, it was nice to see J.R. and his family.

    While the game didn't finish in the way that Sharks fans wanted, some solace can come from the notion that the guys in Teal have gathered points in 12 straight games under some adverse travel challenges.  That's a great sign for the rest of the schedule, which continues on Tuesday in Music City against the Nashville Predators.

    With all of the "old-time"hockey" action going on, it brought back one of the true privileges I've had in the game:  to be able to say that I have called the play-by-play in four of those Original Six buildings.  Here are a few memories:

    MONTREAL FORUM

    It really was a hockey cathedral, with the denomination clearly in bleu, blanc et rouge.  What isn’t generally known is that the building was originally constructed for the Maroons, the NHL franchise that catered to the English-speaking section of Montreal, from 1924 to 1938, when the Great Depression caused the team to breathe its last.  The Maroons won 2 Stanley Cups for the building, while les Canadiens captured 22 more after moving into the facility in 1926.

    The home locker room was a holy shrine, with all of the Stanley Cups commemorated, and all of the great hockey geniuses who skated there immortalized.  The telling phrase from the very Canadian poem, “In Flanders Fields,” by Lt. Col. John McCrae, was a pointed reminder to all members of the team: “To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high.”

    For the visiting play-by-play announcer, the broadcast location was sheer dynamite:  a very steep angle upward, and sitting pretty close to the ice by modern NHL standards.  But another highlight was experienced seconds after strolling into the Jacques Beauchamp Press Room, because it was there that one could experience some of the best hot dogs in the NHL.  The critical factors were (a.) the toasted bread and (b.) the old-style grills that the dogs were placed on.  It wasn't a gourmet hot dog, but it surely was tasty, especially with a little mustard and relish.  I had them brought over in the second intermission.

    Since moving over to Centre Bell in the last few years, the Canadiens have an atmosphere similar to Chicago:  a huge building filled to the rafters, passionate hockey fans, and all of the amenities of a modern building.  For the broadcasters, we have ample space with good sight lines, and the hot dogs are just as good.  They’ve replicated the old locker room, poetry included, but the Canadiens won’t really feel as if it’s their home until a Stanley Cup is celebrated there.

    BOSTON GARDEN

    I tended to take this one for granted more than the other buildings, primarily because things really were getting run down by the time that I started calling college hockey games there in the 1980’s.  There was the power outage game in 1988, along with a few foggy spring days that made the experience surreal, that showed the city that it needed a new building.

    Still, the last few times I went there, I took the extra time to take in the scenes:  the entrance one block away on Causeway Street, along with an elevator up to the ice level; the walk through a bevy of corridors to get to the ice level, and to the smallish locker rooms that housed Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Eddie Shore, and some of the game’s greatest players.  The broadcasting locations were the best in the NHL, even better than our original location at HP Pavilion.  If you were in the upper booth, you had a view that was unparalleled, except for that of the lower booth, where you could actually hear the players shouting out to each other on the ice.

    The ice itself was about 185 x 83, and that depended on where you purchased the tape measure.  There were all sorts of obstructed views, but that tended to add to the charm of the place.  In the press room, which really was a “room,” the world’s longest cribbage game was conducted.  It has since transferred over to the new Garden, built less than a foot away from the old one.

    MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

    The first NHL game that I ever witnessed was in 1971, at the current Madison Square Garden location of West 32^nd and 33^rd Street, between 7^th and 8^th Avenue, in Manhattan.  I missed the “old” Madison Square Garden by three years.  It was located between 7^th and 8^th Avenues, but between West 49^th and 50^th streets.  They say that it had some similarities to Boston Garden, and it was built at the same time.  The third of four MSG’s, this one was where all of the Damon Runyon-esque characters stood outside the famous marquee and set odds for all of the boxing matches perpetrated there.  Six-day bicycle races were a huge component early on, before World War II, and the NHL, with the New York Americans and Rangers each skating there, provided lots of memories for the fans at the time.

    This Garden had obstructed sightlines for hockey, especially in the upper level.  Because of the relatively poor ventilation system in the building, and due to the fact that smoking was not prohibited, a smoky haze nearly always permeated the upper reaches, especially when boxing was taking place.  Three Stanley Cups were won by teams that played here (1928, 1933, and 1940), but the spring playoff games were often displaced by the circus, which provided larger revenues for the Garden Corporation.

    Believe it or not, this MSG site remained a parking lot until 1989, when the Worldwide Plaza was built.  I just read that this building was sold for $600 million this year, after being purchased two years earlier for $1.74 billion.  As they say, “caveat emptor.”

    CHICAGO STADIUM

    For me personally, this one was probably my favorite of the old barns.  Located one block away from the United Center, it had the loudest atmosphere in the NHL, including a memorable staircase up for the players from the basement locker rooms to the ice surface above.  The gigantic Barton organ, located on one end of the building, had a gigantic console, and had the organ pipes built into the structure, so that the building shook when it was turned up for games. 

    The visiting radio spot was in the third balcony, and there wasn’t a lot of space for folks to walk if they wanted to get to the bathroom.  The giant scoreboard, which replaced the legendary one that had rotary dials and only one man who could actually read it or operate it, obscured my view of one of the benches a bit, but the on-ice look was excellent.  Downstairs in the press room, Chef Hans put together a fantastic spread for us every time.  Today, he runs Smith and Wollensky, one of Chicago’s better dinner spots.

    Chicago Stadium was the home of the Blackhawks from 1929 to 1993.  Three Stanley Cups (1934, 1938, and 1961) were won there, the last one with Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, and Glenn Hall.  There are many who say that Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are two of the important pieces for a new Hawks championship team, but time will tell.

    OLYMPIA STADIUM

    Olympia Stadium closed in 1979, so I missed getting to call hockey there by a number of years.  The building is gone now, but it was still standing in 1985 when my uncle and I traveled to Detroit to see the NCAA Hockey Frozen Four Tournament.  One late afternoon, we drove up to see it.  Unfortunately, all of the doors were totally locked, so I never actually got in to see the Old Red Barn, but it was often remembered for a raucous atmosphere that produced Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio, and Terry Sawchuk, some of hockey’s greatest names.

    MAPLE LEAF GARDENS

    Toronto’s Grand Dame of Carlton Street, Maple Leaf Gardens saw 11 Stanley Cup championship teams play there.  The broadcast booth was a great spot, hanging over the ice and close to the action below.  It was here that I called Johan Garpenlov’s famous attempt at winning the conference semi-final for the Sharks, only to see the puck strike the iron.  Jamie Baker was on the ice with the Sharks that night, and Drew Remenda was in the coach’s booth next door.

    Here are two memories from this building:  Paul Morris’ public address announcing, described as “funereal” by some and “classic” by others, had absolutely no excitement in it.  We always said that he wouldn’t get excited even if the Leafs won Game Seven of the Stanley Cup in triple overtime.  The other was the Haagen Dasz ice cream bars that they served up at the end of the first period.  We always left room for one, and if you weren’t in commercial break, you wouldn’t get one.  The press corps would grab an ice cream, then gather around the TV sets to hear what Don Cherry had to say on “Hockey Night in Canada.”

    Believe it or not, Maple Leaf Gardens is still there, caught in the limbo between historic preservation and development.  It eventually will come down, as sad as that will make hockey people, but if the Montreal Forum could be torn down, so can this great hockey building.  But the CBC is using the ice there for something that has captured the fancy of the public:  the “Battle of the Blades,” featuring former hockey players ice dancing with experienced female figure skaters in a battle for $100,000 in charity donations.

    The segment has really captured the public in Canada, and the hockey players involved really have taken it seriously.  While the regular judges include the legendary Dick Button and Sandra Bezic, last week the featured guest judges were the Bay Area’s own Kristi Yamaguchi and Bret Hedican.  You’ve seen Bret on CSN telecasts in the studio this year, and of course, you know that Kristi was well qualified to judge the skating.  Reportedly, she told contestant Tie Domi that she never thought she’d say it, but he looked cute on the ice!

    It’s down to the final round.  Former NHL veteran Craig Simpson is skating with gold medalist Jamie Salé.  Former Canadien Stephane Richer is paired up with Marie-France Dubreuil.  But the kicker has to be former Shark Claude Lemieux and Shae-Lynne Bourne.  Not only did Lemieux look good on the ice in a skating role that he was not accustomed to, but he also recorded the vocals to the song, “Hallelujah,” that the pair danced to!

    Here’s a look at it:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GscWDUk3otA&feature=player_embedded

    It’s just another chapter in the history of Maple Leaf Gardens.  You can keep up with it all by going here:  http://www.cbc.ca/battle/index.php

    UPDATE:  Craig Simpson and Jamie Salé were proclaimed the winners in the competition.

    I’m Dan Rusanowsky, with the Broadcasters’ Blog.

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• Blues, Hawks and Preds

  • From: Jamie-Baker
  • Description:

    The Sharks are about to start a tough 3 games in 4 night schedule against some hungry hockey teams.

    1.       St Louis – When the owner calls out the team in the media it means things need to improve right away.  Mr. Checketts said in the paper today “The hallmark of our club, even when we didn’t have the talent, was we never got outworked at home”.    The Sharks are in for a physical game against a Blues team that played San Jose tough last as both teams ended up 2-1-1 against each other.   

     

    2.       Chicago – Went one round further than San Jose in the playoffs last year and is currently the top home team in the NHL having gone 9-2-1 at the United Center.    The Hawks played Friday night so they’ll be rested and motivated to beat the top team in the Western Conference on Sunday night.   Plus, the 49ers just beat the Bears so those finicky Chicago fans want some form of revenge on the Bay Area.

     

     

    3.       Nashville – They deserved at least  a point against the Sharks last Tuesday and one week later they will try and exact some revenge on the Sharks.  The Preds are a quick team and just came off a season high 38 shots in 3-1 victory over the Blues on Thursday night.  That Nashville victory is why the Blues owner is not happy with his team (see #1)

     

    This road trip will have to be considered a success if the Sharks come home with 4 out of a possible 6 points.  Anyone more and it’s a great road trip.

     

    I am Jamie Baker for the Broadcasters Blog

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• NHL GM Meetings

  • From: Dickie-Dunn
  • Description:

    (Posted on behalf of Drew Remenda)

    Once again I’m confused by the NHL’s General Managers.  At the NHL General Managers’ meeting this week in Toronto, the GM’s decided to leave the trapezoid rule alone, limiting the goaltender’s ability to play the puck and putting skaters at risk to big hits.  Sharks GM Doug Wilson thought it was time the group takes a closer look at the trapezoid, but there didn’t seem to be the momentum to change the rule.

     

    Why? Well as usual the GM’s never give you a good reason. There is always talk about if you change one rule it impacts two or three other things, but it was the trapezoid rule that produced the negative ripple effect in the first place.

    Remember the Torrey Mitchell/Kurtis Foster horrific hit? Foster and Mitchell would never have been in that situation if goalies were able to roam out of the net and play the puck. Instead of chasing the puck with his back to the forechecker, a D-man can release up ice and make himself available for a pass from the goalie thereby protecting him from injury.

     

    Publically the GM’s talk about protecting their players and eliminating the big, devastating, injury producing hits.  Privately they fail to recognize a previous rule they instituted has caused the problem or they simply don’t believe there is a problem.

     

    The GM’s will also discuss eliminating or limiting headshots. In the past couple of seasons many of the big hits have occurred behind the net - hits and injuries that could have been prevented if the goalies could move anywhere on the ice. By correcting a previous mistake the GM’s could eliminate part of the problem they are facing. It seems simple to me.

     

    Earlier in the week TSN’s Hockey Insider, Darren Dreger blogged that Doug Wilson was going to propose that players pay for their sticks and skates. I called Doug Wilson and he was upset that a journalist printed something so wrong.

    Two years ago the GM’s started to investigate the skyrocketing cost of equipment. Some reports have indicated that equipment budgets have risen over 500% in the last five years. That makes sense considering that sticks have gone from $50.00 a stick to $200.00. Skates on average are now $500.00 each and players go through 4 or 5 pairs a year.

     

    Faced with ever tightening budgets the General Managers wanted to see if there was a way of offsetting the costs. It was pointed out that in Major League Baseball equipment manufacturers supply the bats for free. Doug Wilson simply asked where the group was on the issue and at no time suggested that the players be responsible for the costs. Sometimes in the age of electronic media, journalists feel it’s more important to be first instead of being right.

     

     

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• GREISS STARTS TONIGHT vs. NASH

  • From: Dan-Rusanowsky
  • Description:

    Thomas Greiss will start in goal tonight for the San Jose Sharks against the Nashville Predators.  Devin Setoguchi will return to the lineup and will start with Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley.  Ryan Vesce is back in the lineup, too, so look for a slightly different Sharks team than the one that hit the ice vs. "Burgh Hockey."

    I'm excited about Greiss' home debut as a starter this year.  He was outstanding in net at Philadelphia, and he'll be facing a hard-working Nashville team.

    On the Nashville side of the ice, Marcel Goc is looking forward to the opportunity to play in his old stomping ground this evening.  He admitted to me that it felt a little strange flying into town and not going home yesterday, followed by showing up to practice and going over to the visiting locker room this morning. 

    Shea Weber is the mystery on D today, but by the sounds of it, he's back in the lineup.  He's missed the last two games with an injury.  Coach Barry Trotz was reporting that a "game time decision" will take place as to his lineup on defense, but Dan Ellis takes his turn in net in the building where he made 54 saves last season and snatched a road game on November 11th.

    Former Predators Scott Nichol and Jed Ortmeyer also will have something on the line tonight, as they are playing against their former team.  Both of these players have been doing a lot of little things away from the scoreboard that have been quite contagious among their teammates.  One of the best examples was Patrick Marleau's recent one-against-four display while his team was shorthanded in the Pittsburgh game.  Along with the playoff game in which the Sharks were down two men and only one had a stick a couple of years ago, that was quite an effort that was most appreciated by the fans in the stands.

    Speaking of Ortmeyer, don't be surprised if the Grateful Dead come up tonight in the discussions.  Given that (a.) Ortmeyer played in Tennessee with the Predators, (b.) his first name is Jed, (c.) that his brother is a self-proclaimed "Deadhead," (d.) one of the band's first-ever shows was in San Jose, and (e.) one of their songs is a seven-minute ballad called "Tennessee Jed," you've got some conversational topics!

    One final note:  Torrey Mitchell is on his way to Worcester to join the American Hockey League affiliate in a conditioning assignment that is the next big test in his return to regular action.

    I'm Dan Rusanowsky, in the Broadcasters' Blog.

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• A Rink-Side Chat

  • From: Randy-Hahn
  • Description:

     

     

     

     

    When you are fortunate enough as I have been and get to broadcast hockey games for a living, a lot of young people think they may want to follow in your footsteps. From time to time I get requests for interviews from students who are doing school projects. Just for fun I thought I would share one with you. The following paper was written by San Jose State broadcasting major Julian Huguet. By the way he got an A+.

                 

                A Rink-Side Chat

                 

                The voice on the phone was a familiar one. At least fifty times a year the rich baritone accompanies a hockey game and the face of Randy Hahn on my TV screen. Hahn is the play-by-play broadcaster for the San Jose Sharks, and I admit I am gunning for his job. Unfortunately the team was on a road trip to the east coast, making a face-to-face interview impossible, or at least impractical. Instead I called Hahn on his cell phone, catching him in Washington D.C. during a Sharks practice. We exchanged polite greetings and I launched headlong into the interview.

                I was armed with basic information about Hahn’s broadcasting career thanks to his bio on the Sharks’ website and various Google gems. I knew he’d been broadcasting with the Sharks for sixteen years. I knew one of his first broadcasting jobs was announcing a dogsled race in the Yukon Territory when he was sixteen. I knew he’d been involved with various other sports in the time between the race and the Sharks. What I didn’t know was the nit and grit. What brought him to broadcasting? What were some obstacles he faced? Was he a hockey commentator because he was Canadian?

                Rather than bombard him with these questions I decided to begin on familiar ground: the dogsled race. I asked him how he landed that assignment.

                He chuckled. “While I was going to high school I got a part-time job at the local radio station,” He said. “In the town I lived in, Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory, they had a winter carnival. The main event was a dogsled race on the Yukon River. They had commentary on the start/finish line and then they also had mid-race commentary in a place that overlooked the river. They needed someone to go up there with a two-way radio and give reports. They asked for volunteers and I said I would do it.”

                It occurred to me then that his interest in broadcasting must have existed for a while before that.

                “Oh yeah, when I was fifteen I had a neighbor that got me an opportunity to work behind the scenes at the local TV/Radio station,” he told me. I wondered to myself how he first got on the air. As if reading my mind, he continued, “After I worked there for six months there was a chance to actually be on the air. That was as a disk jockey, you know, time and temperature, weather, news, one-man-band and spinning records.”

    “Records?” I joked and immediately wished I hadn’t. He either didn’t think it was funny or didn’t hear it. “Hopefully it’s the latter,” I thought to myself and quickly plowed on.

    “So the dogsled race was what brought you to sports?”

    “It was my first taste of it, yeah. Then that next summer the Montreal Canadiens came to our town and I got the assignment of covering them. That really turned things because then I met one of the guys from Hockey night In Canada. He kind of befriended me and said, ‘When you get down to Vancouver give me a call.’ He ended up helping me meet somebody who hired me for my first sports job in a major city.”

    As he told the story I could see the event unfolding. I imagined how he must have felt when he realized he’d gotten a break. Surely his entire career wasn’t as charmed as he made it sound, and I asked him about some of the obstacles in his way.  While all his earlier responses seemed to come easily, at this he actually had to search for an answer.

    “Um, you know I suppose,” he trailed off. In the silence I could hear the Sharks practice I had forgotten about. The familiar sounds of skates on the ice, pucks hitting boards, and a coach’s whistle came over the phone. Maybe he was just distracted by a drill the team was running?

    Finally he responded, “I didn’t really know where I wanted to go in the industry. I did soccer for a long time, including world cups. But in the end I always seemed to get led back to hockey, being from Canada and all that.” Did he just read my mind a second time? “There weren’t so many obstacles, just interesting different paths that were taken. More so than obstacles I had a lot of opportunities.”

                At this point I sensed the interview was running a bit long and I decided to wrap it up with a look to the future. I asked, “Do you have any advice for anyone looking to go into your field?”

                “The first bit of advice I would give is don’t go into hockey play-by-play, there’s no future in it for you…”

                My heart sank. I immediately began asking myself what I would do. Maybe I could go into hockey writing. How about equipment manager? Zamboni Driver?

                “… Because I don’t want anybody to take my job.”

                It’s official; Randy Hahn can read minds. He continued, “If you’re still determined to get into sports broadcasting or play-by-play the best way to get good at it is to do it. You can never get good at doing what we do by reading it out of the book. You have to do it. You have to be on the radio somewhere. You have to learn how to come up with an ad-libbed two-and-a-half hours with only a game in front of you. You have to be willing to go to Small Town, USA, and not make very much money. You’re going to make a lot of mistakes along the way but that’s part of the process.”

                With that I thanked him for his time, wished him good luck with his upcoming broadcast, and hung up the phone. The advice he gave was still ringing in my head. I was immediately incorporating it into the plan I had concocted for my career. I already knew I wanted to do play-by-play for San Jose State hockey, but then what? I was aiming for an internship with the Sharks through SJSU. But if that didn’t work? Then I would have to find a hockey team in Small Town, USA, or Little Village, Canada. I realized that, just as Randy Hahn said, there are interesting different paths I’m going to have to choose from. Hopefully one of them leads me to another phone interview, only next time I’ll be giving it.  - Julian Huguet

     

    I'm Randy Hahn for the Sharks Broadcaster Blog

     

     

     

     

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• Teaching Kids To Play Safely

  • From: Dickie-Dunn
  • Description:

    (Posted for Sharks TV Analyst Drew Remenda)

     

    Last week there was a hellacious hit delivered in the Ontario Hockey League. The hit was dealt by the Erie Otters Michael Liambis on the Kitchner Rangers 16-year-old defenseman Ben Fanelli.

     

    Fanelli sustained a fractured skull and was in the hospital until yesterday. Michael Liambis received a season long suspension that effectively ended his junior hockey career. It is very sad that Ben Fanelli was seriously injured, but part of the reason he was hurt so bad was he was doing what he had been taught throughout his hockey career.

     

    You see Fanelli is part of the hockey generation that turns their backs on hits, literally. On the play where he was injured Fanelli saw Liambis coming. The video clearly shows Fanelli shoulder check when he picks up the puck and skate from the right corner to behind the net, facing the oncoming forechecker Liambis. At the very last mili-second Fanelli, spins to reverse the direction of the puck thereby exposing his back/shoulder to the speeding Otter forward. Fanelli’s helmet popped like a champagne cork as his head slammed violently into the glass then down on the ice.

     

    Why are young players turning their backs to hits? Coaching, or to be more precise, lack of coaching.

     

    Coaches of minor hockey players are not teaching the proper way to give, and more importantly, take hits. I was at a minor hockey practice earlier this year and was appalled at the lack of instruction given by the coaches to the boys on the ice. When you are teaching body checking to young players the first thing you should teach is how to take a check.

     

    Actually the first thing you teach is Never, Never, Never get your toes pointed directly at the boards. That way you never expose your back to a checker. Teach the puck carrier to angle his skates up or down the ice. Second teach that the boards are their friend. If they are going to get hit it’s best to be up against the boards so the energy is absorbed.  The worst place is 2 or 3 feet away from the boards. We’ve all seen how a player gets propelled into the boards after a good hard check. That’s a double whammy and that’s how injuries happen. Third, the good old hockey cliché, keep your head up. Sharks Radio and TV Star and minor hockey coach Jamie Baker talks and teaches this point all the time. A player has to be aware at all times of his situation and position on the ice and is responsible for his own safety. Before any coach allows one of his players to bodycheck he should also teach respect. Respect for an opponent and respect for what bodychecking is really for.

     

    One of the other problems I see about teaching bodychecking is we wait until the kids are 12 or 13. That’s too late. We should be coaching the kids how to bodycheck as soon as they are playing minor hockey at the Atom division. That way, by the time the kids get older and the size and strength is incomparable, all the kids will have the solid foundation of knowledge and the confidence in giving and receiving a bodycheck. Now at the age the kids are learning to check you’ve got some children going up against much bigger children without understanding a lick about how to deliver or take a hit. I’ve seen the result; it’s not pretty or safe. It’s dangerous and irresponsible as adults we let it happen.

     

    I was lucky because I worked for many of the coaches that wrote the book on the art of coaching. Men who coached coaches. Dave King, George Kingston, Clare Drake, Jamie McDonald, Wally Kozak and Mike Johnston are career coaches that have influenced and documented the proper way to teach the game. One common trait among all these gentlemen is if a player isn’t doing something right, it’s our fault as coaches. It’s our job to teach the game the right way.

     

     

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• Ferriero and Couture Returned

  • From: Dickie-Dunn
  • Description:

    On Sunday the Sharks sent Benn Ferriero and Logan Couture back to Worcester.  Nice effort by the two when they were playing iwth San Jose.  The return of Joe Pavelski meant that someone would not be hanging around much longer.  The kids played well and should be proud of their efforts while they were here.  The way the Worcester shuttle has been going, it could be a short stint back in the AHL for both of them.

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• Business As Usual

  • From: Jamie-Baker
  • Description:

    In a bit of a scheduling oddity the Sharks get to play back to back games against the two teams who last played in the Stanley Cup finals.  I say it’s odd because the Sharks did the same thing last year when they played the Penguins on Oct 28 and then the Red Wings on Oct 30.   Both games were at HP Pavilion.

    The Sharks won both those games, and the one against the Penguins in very convincing style.  They outscored Pittsburgh 2-1 so it sounds like a close game but they held the high powered Penguin offense to a season low 11 shots on net.  The final shots were 34-11.  

    Two nights later the Sharks played another very good hockey game and beat Detroit 4-2.  Again, the score isn’t really indicative of the game.  The Sharks led 3-1 after two periods and were outshooting Detroit 27-13.   The Sharks made it 4-1 six minutes into the third period before Detroit mounted some pressure in the last 10 minutes of the game, finally scoring in the last minute, but it was still a game dominated by the Sharks.

    So what did those two games mean in the long run?   Nothing!

    Tonight’s game against Detroit is important and so is Saturday’s against Pittsburgh.  It’s easier to get up for games like this as a player because you are playing an elite opponent.   

    The thing I really like about the 09/10 version of the Sharks, especially in the last few weeks, is they are preparing the same for every game, every opponent.  In other words, it’s business as usual. 

    An afternoon game in Carolina where the crowd is quiet and the stands are half empty isn’t the easiest way to get up for a game, especially when the Hurricanes were winless in 8 games.  But the Sharks came out, played their game and deservedly won the game 5-1.  This Sharks team has a different focus and it’s not about the opponent, it’s about how they prepare and play the game.   

    These next two games don’t mean anything in the long run other than the 2 points you can get in the standings.  We all found that out last year. 

    It’s just business as usual, and that’s how the Sharks are preparing for these games.

    I am Jamie Baker for the Broadcasters Blog

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• Business As Usual

  • From: Jamie-Baker
  • Description:

    In a bit of a scheduling oddity the Sharks get to play back to back games against the two teams who last played in the Stanley Cup finals.  I say it’s odd because the Sharks did the same thing last year when they played the Penguins on Oct 28 and then the Red Wings on Oct 30.   Both games were at HP Pavilion.

     

    The Sharks won both those games, and the one against the Penguins in very convincing style.  The outscored Pittsburgh 2-1 so it sounds like a close game but they held the high powered Penguin offense to a season low 11 shots on net.  The final shots were 34-11.  

     

    Two nights later the Sharks played another very good hockey game and beat Detroit 4-2.  Again, the score isn’t really indicative of the game.  The Sharks led 3-1 after two periods and were outshooting Detroit 27-13.   The Sharks made it 4-1 six minutes into the third period before Detroit mounted some pressure in the last 10 minutes of the game, finally scoring in the last minute, but it was still a game dominated by the Sharks.

     

    So what did those two games mean in the long run?   Nothing!

     

    Tonight’s game against Detroit is important and so is Saturday’s against Pittsburgh.  It’s easier to get up for games like this as a player because of you are playing an elite opponent.   

     

    The thing I really like about the 09/10 version of the Sharks, especially in the last few weeks, is they are preparing the same for every game, every opponent.  In other words, it’s business as usual. 

     

    An afternoon game in Carolina where the crowd is quiet and the stands are half empty isn’t the easiest way to get up for a game, especially when the Hurricanes were winless in 8 games.  But the Sharks came out, played their game and deservedly won the game 5-1.  This Sharks team has a different focus and it’s not about the opponent, it’s about how they prepare and play the game.  

     

    These next two games don’t mean anything in the long run other than the 2 points you can get in the standings.  We all found that out last year. 

     

    It’s just business as usual, and that’s how the Sharks are preparing for these games.

     

    I am Jamie Baker for the Broadcasters Blog.

     

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• McGinn & Couture Back

  • From: Dickie-Dunn
  • Description:

    The Sharks sent Jamie McGinn and Logan Couture back to Worcester this week, but have called them back up in time for today's game in Columbus.  There will be some serious vacations taken this summer with the frequent flyers miles being racked up between San Jose and Worcester.

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• Flames cut the line for H1N1 s

  • From: Randy-Hahn
  • Description:

    This is turning into a major story in Canada. What do you think?

    
    http://www.nationalpost.com/most-popular/story.html?id=2179790

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• A Weekend To Remember?

  • From: Randy-Hahn
  • Description:

    Columbus, OH –The Sharks win at Carolina on Sunday extended the teams winning streak to 5 games. They have also won 7 of their last 8. With 21 points the team is leading the Pacific Division and has one of the best records in the NHL.  But how they won over the Hurricanes and against Colorado last Friday might be something we’ll be talking about again in April and May.

     

    Over the last two games the Sharks have outscored the opposition 8-2. Evgeni Nabokov has made 49 saves and the penalty kill has been perfect. But look at who scored those 8 goals. Eight different players, that’s who.  Against the Avalanche Ryane Clowe got off the schneid with his first of the season. Dany Heatley bagged his 9^th goal, and Jamie McGinn got his first. That’s balanced scoring.  Sunday in Carolina the planets aligned like they haven’t in years. Three defensemen; Kent Huskins, Douglas Murray and Marc Edouard Vlasic all scored goals. For Murray it was just the second goal of his 224 game NHL career and the first he has scored in the last 109 games! The last time three Sharks D-men scored in the same game was 6 years ago when Brian Marchment, Mike Rathje and Brad Stuart did it, ironically, against Carolina. On top of all the defensive scoring the fourth line chipped in too when Brad Staubitz scored with assists going to Jody Shelly and rookie Logan Couture (first point of his career).  Patrick Marleau closed it out with his club leading 11^th goal.

     

    To review that’s 8 goals by 8 different players, Throw in the assists, and 13 of the Sharks 18 skaters had points in a two game span.The defense contributed 8 points. That is great overall team play. That is consistent effort throughout the lineup. That is a coach’s dream.

     

    Don’t overlook another important development. When players like Murray and Huskins and Staubitz score it boosts their confidence enormously. It also charges up everybody else in the dressing room.  The players who usually put up the majority of the points (Thornton, Marleau, Heatley) were genuinely excited about their teammates getting rare goals. It brings the group closer together. It also didn’t hurt that injured players Joe Pavelski, Devin Setoguchi, Torrey Mitchell and Ryan Vesce also made the road trip. The team is bonding. They are starting to play much better than they did the first two weeks of the season, and players are fitting into roles.

     

    I know it’s still very early in the whole process but it feels different around the team this year.  They are becoming a closely knit group. They are finding different ways  to win and getting contributions from EVERYBODY.  After last spring the Sharks player’s reputations were challenged. What I’m seeing right now is reputations being repaired and remade.  Perhaps when they begin the playoffs next spring they’ll look back to a weekend in October/November when they truly began the process of becoming a difficult team to play against and a team on a mission.

     

    I’m Randy Hahn for the Sharks Broadcaster Blog

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• KUDOS TO ROY SOMMER FOR 400th

  • From: Dan-Rusanowsky
  • Description:

    Congratulations to Roy Sommer, coach of the Worcester Sharks, on his 400th victory as a head coach in the AHL.  He becomes only the fourth head coach in history of the American Hockey League to reach 400 wins, so this achievement is quite a monumental one.

    Roy is responsible for transforming young members of the Sharks' organization into NHL players, and his fingerprints are all over the current edition of the NHL team that is on top of the Pacific Division.  Starting with goaltenders Evgeni Nabokov and Thomas Greiss, the players who skated for Sommer include Douglas Murray, Joe Pavelski, Devin Setoguchi, Torrey Mitchell, Ryane Clowe, Jason Demers, Ryan Vesce, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Brad Staubitz, Logan Couture, Jamie McGinn, Derek Joslin, Steve Zalewski, and Frazer McLaren.  Those are just the players who have skated in a game for this season's Sharks, but the list is a large one.

    As a player, Sommer began in Oakland, and yes, I do mean Oakland, California!  Moving to Western Canada to play a higher quality of game, he has won championships at virtually every level as a player and as a coach, including a Calder Cup with Maine in 1984.  As a head coach, he won the ECHL championship in Richmond in 1995, and in roller hockey, piloted the San Jose Rhinos to the RHI championship that same year.

    Last season, Roy did some of his best coaching.  Working with another unsung hero of the organization, David Cunniff, his team really put the charge on late in the campaign to qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs.  With Thomas Greiss in goal, they fell behind 2 games to 0 to Hartford in round 1, but came back to win that series, displaying determination and character that is needed in a championship club.  While they lost the second round to Providence, the experience that young players like Jamie McGinn received in that post-season is going to make the Sharks a better organization.

    Sommer's 400th win came on Sunday, in a home game against the Springfield Falcons.  With Tyson Sexsmith in goal and with Andrew Desjardins, Matt Jones, Steve Zalewski, and Dan DaSilva scoring in a 4-1 win, it was an "old-time hockey" game, featuring 136 penalty minutes (check the gamesheet here:  http://theahl.com/stats/official-game-report.php?game_id=1006222). 

    Roy has yet to win a Calder Cup as a head coach, but I, for one, am hoping that he gets there with the Sharks' organization.  He deserves great credit for his accomplishments to date, and that last achievement would be a feather in his coaching cap.

    Here is a brief capsule of the 400 game winners in the AHL. As you will see, Roy Sommer has joined an exclusive club:

    Frederick "Bun" Cook (636-413-122, 19 seasons)

    • 2 Stanley Cups as a player (New York Rangers, 1928, 1933)
    • 6 Calder Cups as coach (Providence Reds 1940, Cleveland Barons 1945, 1948, 1951, 1953, 1954)
    • Hockey Hall of Fame (1995)

    Frank Mathers (610-512-134, 18 seasons)

    • Played briefly in NHL with Toronto Maple Leafs
    • 2 Calder Cups as a player (Pittsburgh Hornets, 1952, 1955)
    • AHL First Team All-Star player for 5 consecutive seasons
    • 2 Calder Cups as a player-coach (Hershey Bears, 1958, 1959)
    • 2 Calder Cups as a coach (Hershey Bears, 1969, 1974)
    • 2 Calder Cups as a General Manager (Hershey Bears, 1980, 1988)
    • 8 total Calder Cup championships
    • Lester Patrick Trophy, 1987
    • Hockey Hall of Fame, 1992
    • Also played in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Ottawa Rough Riders

    John Paddock (585-424-98, 15 seasons)

    • Scored memorable goal to tie game 6 in 1980 Stanley Cup Final for Philadelphia.
    • Won 2 Calder Cups as a player (Maine Mariners, 1978, 1979)
    • Won 3 Calder Cups as a coach (Maine Mariners, 1984 Hershey Bears 1988, Hartford Wolf Pack 2000)
    • 1988 Calder Cup team in Hershey went a perfect 12-0-0 in the playoffs
    • Head Coach of Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators in NHL
    • Currently Assistant GM with Philadelphia Flyers

    Roy Sommer (400-417-74, 12 seasons)

    • Grew up in Oakland, CA.
    • Won Calder Cup as a player with Maine Mariners, 1984
    • Won Turner Cup as a player with Muskegon Lumberjacks, 1986
    • Won Centennial Cup as a player with Spruce Grove Mets (AJHL), 1975
    • Won Riley Cup as a coach with Richmond Renegades (ECHL), 1995
    • Won Murphy Cup as a coach with roller hockey's San Jose Rhinos (RHI), 1995
    • Scored a goal in his first NHL game with Edmonton Oilers
    • Assistant coach of San Jose Sharks for two seasons (1996-98)
    • 3 Division titles with Kentucky Thoroughblades (AHL)
    • Reached Division Finals last season with Worcester Sharks (AHL)

    It's pretty clear that Roy Sommer is in some elite company.  Congratulations to Roy and best of luck to the Worcester Sharks in their current quest for the Calder Cup.

    I'm Dan Rusanowsky, in the Broadcasters' Blog.

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• Pancakes Or Pasta

  • From: Dickie-Dunn
  • Description:

    For afternoon NHL games (although it is a morning game back in the Bay Area), players rise early to begin their pregame routines.  There may not be a morning skate, but there are morning video sessions with the coaches and the pregame meal.

     

    With evening contests, players eat a pregame meal after the morning skate and it will normally consists of some form of protein, whether it is beef, chicken or fish, and is complimented by pasta and vegetables. 

     

    When that pregame meal is happening at eight in the morning, the normal bill of fare doesn’t work for many people.  Most of the players, in an informal poll that included Scott Nichol, Patrick Marleau and Jody Shelley, prefer a standard breakfast for their pregame meal when prepping for the contest.   It may not be what their body normally takes in for a game, but they want what they would normally eat at that time of the day.

     

    Dany Heatley was on the opposite site of the ledger, always electing to have a big plate of pasta before a game, regardless of the time the meal is served. 

     

    There did seem to be a consensus in the room that the players liked the afternoon games as it kept them from having to wait around all day in a hotel room for an evening contest.

     

    No matter what the circumstances, the puck will still drop and 60 minutes of hockey will be played.  If the Sharks win though in Carolina, maybe bacon, pancakes and eggs should be a meal option for night games as well.

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• Sweet Home Alabama Baby, Sweet

  • From: Dickie-Dunn
  • Description:

    (This blog was written by Sharks Radio Color Man Jamie Baker.)

    When the Sharks recently played in Atlanta I was reminded of a story from my college hockey days because an old teammate, Peter McGeough, works in the area.   I don’t tell this story often, but thought I’d share it with our loyal Shark fans because it has to do with enjoying the moment during the hockey season.  

    I was a junior at St. Lawrence University back in 1988/89 and Peter was a senior and captain of our team.   That year our team won the ECAC League Championship and went to the NCAA Final Four which was played in historic Lake Placid, NY, only 90 minutes from our campus.   After beating Minnesota 3-2 in the semifinal game we played Lake Superior State for the National Championship on the same ice surface as the “Miracle on Ice”. 

    There was no miracle for St. Lawrence that night as the game went into overtime and about 6 minutes in, Mark Vermette from Lake Superior was lying on the ice in the slot area when he scooped the puck with his stick, flung it towards our net and somehow the puck found its way into the back of our net.   Game, season over; let the celebration begin for Lake State while our team watched in disbelief that our season had come to such a crushing end.

     

    After the medals were awarded to both teams we went back to our locker room.  In there, it was a total cry-fest.  It’s funny now to look back and think about a room full of college hockey players all crying. 

    One of our players, Rich Stewart (Stewbo), wasn’t in the lineup that night, or many nights for that matter.  He was on the team for 4 years and only played 8 games but nonetheless was still a big part of our team.   He was a true leader in that he showed up and worked hard every day at practice knowing he likely wasn’t going to play the following weekend.   Stewbo was all about being part of the team, being part of the journey.  He epitomized what a team player is.

     

    The dressing room was dead quiet except for the odd sniffling and guys trying to hold in their sobbing.  Stewbo came into the locker room, dressed in his suit, saw everyone’s heads buried in their hands and went over to our captain, Peter McGeough, patted him on the back a few times and said, “Sweet Home Alabama baby, Sweet Home Alabama”.  

    That was it, that’s all he said.   To this day, no one knows why Stewbo, after we lost the National Championship in overtime to Lake Superior State,  went up to Peter  and said that.   

    The first time I heard the story was at the memorial service for Stewbo after he tragically passed away in the World Trade Center on 9/11.   Mike Pelletier (Pelch) was a senior on our team in 88/89 and he also passed away on 9/11.   Both worked for Cantor Fitzgerald in the North Tower.  

    It’s funny, that overtime loss was the worst loss I have ever had as a hockey player and yet I look back and it brings a smile to my face to think I played in a National Championship game that went to overtime, and while my team didn’t win, I was there.  So was Pelch!  And so was Stewbo!

     

    Sweet Home Alabama Baby, Sweet Home Alabama.

     

    I am Jamie Baker for the Broadcasters Blog.

     

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• Final Tidbits From The Road...

  • From: Randy-Hahn
  • Description:

    As the Sharks prepare to host the hottest two teams in the Western Conference, LA (16pts) and Colorado (18pts), there’s a little unfinished business from the just completed 6 game road trip.

     

    First off, all things considered, a 4-2 record is pretty good. Granted the team looked flat in both Washington and Tampa and started slowly on Long Island and against the Rangers. But when you factor in the relative newness of the roster, the injuries and the travel itself, 8 out of a possible 12 points isn’t too bad at all. A lot of teams would be satisfied with a .500 record.  By the end of November the Sharks will have played 18 of their first 28 games on the road. If they can stay slightly above .500 on the road as they are now, and take care of things at home, they will be in good shape. In December and January the team will play 20 of 27 at HP Pavilion.

     

    I think Chris Pronger is playing hurt right now. He just didn’t seem his gnarly self Sunday night. Earlier in the day the Flyers called up a defenseman from the minors who didn’t end up dressing for the game. My guess is that Pronger is nursing some kind of injury but wanted to give it a try. The bottom line is that Philadelphia got Pronger to match up against the Big Dogs in the east, Crosby and Ovechkin, come playoff time.

     

    Ilya Kovalchuck’s broken foot will obviously affect Atlanta but I still think they have a deep enough team to survive his absence.  Youngsters Evander Kane and Zac Bogosian have given that franchise a huge shot in the arm. If the goaltending holds up they will be fine by the time “Kovi” comes back.

     

    Tampa Bay is one of my favorite stops on the circuit. I hope they are in the NHL forever.

    Next time you are visiting Manhattan make sure to take plenty of cash. One hundred dollar bills literally fly out of your pocket in that town.  But somehow after you’ve left it all seems worth it.

    For the stats geeks out there, this is for you.

    Thomas Greiss leads the NHL in save percentage at .957.

    Joe Thornton leads the NHL with 14 assists and is third overall with 17 points.

    Dany Heatley is tied for first with 5 power play goals.

    Scot Nichol is the 3^rd best faceoff man in hockey at 62.6%.

    Jody Shelly is second in the league with 42 penalty minutes.

    It’ll be good to be back at HP Pavilion this week.

    I'm Randy Hahn for the Sharks Broadcaster Blog

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