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Mon Oct 12, 2009 1:33 pm EDT

Puck Headlines: Quebec's NHL delusions, end of ticket scalping?

By Greg Wyshynski

Here are your Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

• Two early games on this Columbus Day/Thanksgiving Day: The Colorado Avalanche at the Boston Bruins and the Los Angeles Kings skating against the New York Islanders. Enjoy the hockey matinees on the couch with a cold one if you're at home; good luck hiding your laptop screen from the boss if you're stuck at work.

• After making headlines by meeting with Gary Bettman about the return of the NHL, Quebec City's mayor is getting torched by opponents who claim promises of hope and positive press clippings are no substitute for real results ... even if, coincidentally, they make him eligible for the Nobel Peace Prize. [CBC Sports]

• Ken Campbell with some tough love for the good people of Canada who still want to make it seven, in light of what happened with the Phoenix Coyotes: "It says here Kansas City will get its NHL team back before either Quebec City or Winnipeg will. Our advice to those two cities would be to accept your fate and forget about the NHL." [THN]

• REMINDER: Our Glenn Anderson Hall of Fame induction weekend charity auction, presented with our friends at HockeyBarn.com, continues this week. Bid now!

• The HNIC video opener to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs game was simply awesome, but made us want to see Stan Lee join Don Cherry on Coaches' Corner. Excelsior! [YouTube]

• Nice piece by Ryan Kennedy on the Phoenix Coyotes' attempting to go paperless for game tickets, giving season-ticket holders credit cards that are swiped by ushers at the gate. Season-ticket holders can pass tickets to others through an online transfer system. Scalpers? Freaking out. But here's the thing: Some season-ticket holders sign up year after year because they count on a few scalped tickets to plum games covering a bit of their costs. Does this penalize them? Will this discourage them from plunking down huge chunks of dough for plans? [The Hockey News]

• Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch is worth $1.4 billion. Luckily, GM Ken Holland structured his fortune in a long-term deal that only counts $500,000 against the cap. [Snapshots]

• The Edmonton Oilers face life without Sheldon Souray(notes), and Pat Quinn continues to go someplace slightly older than old school in his quotes to the media, forcing the Edmonton Journal to explain to its readers who Fast Eddie Felson was. [Edmonton Journal]

• Dominik Hasek(notes) gets the Czech camp invite for the 2010 Winter Games, and looks to have a better-than-decent chance of making the cut. [NHL]

• Tomas Vokoun(notes) of the Florida Panthers (1-3) is slamming down the panic button like a contestant on "Press Your Luck" trying to avoid the Whammy: "We have to get it right in a hurry or we'll be in big trouble." Please recall that Florida had a 4-8-1 start last season. [Sun Sentinel]

• Damien Cox writes some column about sending Toskala and Jason Blake(notes) to the minors and having the Toronto Maple Leafs eat their contracts. But who's reading that when his first line is: "People forget the Tom Kurvers trade actually worked for a while." Which people? Devils and Ducks fans who have watched Scott Niedermayer(notes) skate the Cup? [Toronto Star]

• Please stop referring to Alexei Semenov's(notes) wife as the Russian Lauren Pronger and start referring to Alexei Semenov as delusional about his financial value as a hockey player. [Slap Shot]

• From the great David Staples, here's an image that launched a thousand slash fiction stories about hockey the ESPN The Magazine "Body Issue" shot of Edmonton Oilers players Ethan Moreau(notes), Sheldon Souray and Andrew Cogliano(notes). Probably the greatest number of six-packs seen in the Oilers locker room since the WHA days. [Cult of Hockey]

• Goalie Manny Legace(notes) earns a professional tryout contract with the AHL's Chicago Wolves. Legace, Chris Chelios(notes), Jason Krog(notes) ... the Wolves are suddenly skewing older than the demographics for the Hallmark Channel. [Wolves]

• Jose Theodore(notes) will get his third straight start for the Washington Capitals as they welcome the New Jersey Devils to D.C. [Capitals Insider]

• Cal Clutterbuck(notes) of the Minnesota Wild led the League in hits last season and set what the NHL called a single-season record in that category. Unfortunately, "hits" appear to be as nebulous and inaccurate a figure as the attendance numbers in NHL box scores. [Behind the Net]

• Patrick Sharp(notes) says the Detroit Red Wings are still the team to beat in the Central Division. Probably because they just beat him. [Slam Sports]

• Finally, Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito and Denis Savard take the ice together for the Chicago Blackhawks. What a moment for hockey fans. Fantastic job by the Hawks here:

Related: Hockey Fans, Gary Bettman, Commissioner for Life, When Hockey and Hollywood Collide, Puck Videos, Rumors, scuttlebutt, innuendo

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22 Comments

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  1. Joe
    1. Posted by Joe Mon Oct 12, 2009 1:45 pm EDT

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    If only there was a "Body Issue" picture of Bobby, Stan, Tony, and Denis.
  2. Court
    2. Posted by Court Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:10 pm EDT

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    Love how the jersey behind the guy in the middle looks like devil horns.
  3. Brian C
    3. Posted by Brian C Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:17 pm EDT

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    Damien Cox is a joke. He's a joke columnist who knows as much about hockey as I do - which is to say, not much, from the perspective that I'm not PAID to know about hockey.
    Do you think for one minute Toskala's or Blake's agents would accept their clients being sent to the minors? Try living in reality for a few days. The Tom Kurvers trade worked for a while? What ridiculous planet are you living on?
  4. Mazarin
    4. Posted by Mazarin Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:19 pm EDT

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    That was incredible in Chicago. My eyes got HUGE when Espo came out in his gear. Epic.
  5. Jerk Store
    5. Posted by Jerk Store Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:20 pm EDT

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    if the yotes paperless plans involve never having to deal with ticketmaster im all for it
  6. Mazarin
    6. Posted by Mazarin Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:21 pm EDT

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    JoeyP - ever see the pic of Bobby Hull baling hay? Good GOD he was built. "Country strong."
  7. John
    7. Posted by John Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:26 pm EDT

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    Gaborik.
  8. Louie
    8. Posted by Louie Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:33 pm EDT

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    How weird is it seeing a goalie take shots without a mask on?
  9. Wilf
    9. Posted by Wilf Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:52 pm EDT

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    Coyotes hockey: this year paperless, next year gameless!
    Looks like Guy Maddin was about ten years ahead of the curve by reference to that ESPN photo. And, Wysh, there's always been six-packs in the Oiler dressing room-- think of that famous bottle of Red Stripe hovering near Gary Coleman's autograph book.
  10. habs1rule
    10. Posted by habs1rule Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:32 pm EDT

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    Ken Campbell...The Kansas City Scouts lasted a grand total of two seasons, less time than your last menstruation...And furthermore...Ouuu Beefcake!!
  11. paulinho
    11. Posted by paulinho Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:34 pm EDT

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    why does kansas city deserve a team?. if bettman isn't fired in the next 5 years, the nhl is done.
  12. The Nacho
    12. Posted by The Nacho Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:39 pm EDT

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    About the HNIC Intro... RDS had all of its TV ads for the 08-09 NHL season on this particular theme, so I'm not really surprised or overwhelmed.
    Will Québec mayor Régis Labeaume one day earn a nickname like «Le Bum»? I guess this isn't the place to discuss such matter. Anyway, among the cities hoping for an NHL, there is a noted bum (Southern Ontario, anyone?)... By the way, to make sure you guys don't massacre the name, Labeaume rhymes with dome.
    While I'm eager to hear what Quebec City officials, I'm longing for the beginning of the ALCS even more. I say this with no shame, considering October as the most wonderful time of the year on TV (come on, baseball playoffs and hockey rising back as leaves turn red... what's not to like about that?)
  13. Wandy.Rood
    13. Posted by Wandy.Rood Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:54 pm EDT

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    @BrianC
    how could their agents have any say if toskala and blake get sent to the minors? if they dont have a no-movement clause, burke could send them to [profane]in siberbia if he wanted to.
    and if youd read the article, cox was saying that when the leafs got kurvers, it gave them a little push into the playoffs that year. thats it.
    if you dont know anything about hockey then keep your mouth shut.
  14. big audio
    14. Posted by big audio Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:05 pm EDT

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    not knowing anything about hockey has never stopped this blog ..... and it probably never will .....
    STILL laughing over a fantasy owner actually SELECTING Scott Gomez ..... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
  15. timthenchant3r
    15. Posted by timthenchant3r Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:54 pm EDT

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    Love the nobel joke
    that is all
  16. Max Hunter
    16. Posted by Max Hunter Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:11 pm EDT

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    Wow, what a great video. It's kind of weird though seeing Hull have a tough time skating. Great vid. :D
  17. Bubbabanjo
    17. Posted by Bubbabanjo Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:31 pm EDT

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    The Nords should be back...........but ya'll gotta get an arena.
    Wyshynski you stink and get the Nobel P.O.S. prize for the bathhouse pic. Eye Drano.....stat!!!
  18. Enemy Of Perfection
    18. Posted by Enemy Of Perfection Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:42 pm EDT

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    • Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch is worth $1.4 billion. Luckily, GM Ken Holland structured his fortune in a long-term deal that only counts $500,000 against the cap. [Snapshots]
    -----First time you have made me laugh out loud in awhile Greg.
  19. Brian C
    19. Posted by Brian C Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:02 pm EDT

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    Wandy Rood - If you think for one second players like Toskala and Blake would accept being sent to the minors, you need your head examined. I guarantee you Blake has a no movement clause - he has a no trade clause fachrissake - unless his agent is an absolute 'tard, there's no way you are saavy enough to have no trade, but not a no move. Beyond that, even if he DOESN'T have a no minors clause, there isn't a pro athlete alive who would get sent to the minors with the years of experience and salary those two make. Beyond a Chelios situation of trying to extend your career, no pro athlete accepts a demotion as a cost saving measure. It's never going to fly and it will create more animosity and ill-will. It's one thing with rookies, but unless you want a locker room revolt from every other guy in the room who may be next to go to the bus leagues to save the owners a few bucks, it's not a valid option, and someone who covers pro sports like Cox should know that. If it's such a great and genius move, why hasn't anyone done it before? Why isn't the Islanders sending DiPietro to the AHL, eat his salary but free up cap space to rebuild that team? It's a stupid suggestion, that's why.
    As for Kurvers, saying the trade "worked" in the short term is the definition of "not seeing the forest for the trees". You and Cox can comfort yourselves with the knowledge that Toronto briefly made respectability for that one year, but lost out on a franchise saving defenseman
  20. skapunknj
    20. Posted by skapunknj Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:49 pm EDT

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    Watching the game on Saturday, I half expected Hull to throw an elbow to one of the Avalanche players. Not a real elbow mind you, but at least to mimic it.
  21. mahemood2003
    21. Posted by mahemood2003 Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:48 am EDT

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    Fist of all Bettmen wasn,t a hochey player in his day,s and he became a NHL commissner . Can someone fire him? He is just like George W Bush.
  22. Anthony
    22. Posted by Anthony Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:26 pm EDT

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    I MUST have that Nords hat. Anyone know where I could find it?

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