Check out some of my latest pieces on the joy of jerseys, the historical home ice advantage for Canada’s women, and all the things to do in Vancouver beyond the rinks.

I also did a feature for the Georgia Straight, identifying 10 ways this Olympic hockey tournament will differ from previous ones.

When the New Jersey Devils general manager acquired sniper Ilya Kovalchuk from the Atlanta Thrashers on February 4, he made the following statement during a conference call about the blockbuster deal: “He [Kovalchuk] can do things that a lot of people can’t do, and put him into our lineup, he will become a part. He will be no different than any of our other players. He’ll be a part of who we are and help the team win.”

While most analysts agree that New Jersey wins the deal in the short-term–Kovalchuk adds dynamic offence while Atlanta gets solid second-tier material in rookie forward Nicklas Bergfors and D-man Johnny Oduya–Lamoriello is in for a nasty surprise if he honestly believes that Kovalchuk “will be no different than any of our other players.”

This, of course, mirrors the attitude New Jersey has parlayed into three Stanley Cup (1995, 2000, 2003). Everyone is expected to stick to the system. The team currently boasts the NHL’s lowest goals-against (125) with its defence-first attitude under coach Jacques Lemaire.

But Kovalchuk, in so many ways, couldn’t be a worse fit for this club.

The two-time 52-goal scorer is accustomed to being treated like a superstar. He’s known for taking extra-long shifts. In his seven previous NHL seasons, he has never finished with a positive plus-minus rating.

Does that sound like a guy who’s going to fit into Lemaire’s master plan? Certainly, he’s more mature than he used to be, but he hasn’t changed that much.

At age 26, Kovalchuk is a great, explosive player. But he isn’t going to bring the “Sure coach, whatever you say” attitude that made Sergei Brylin the most successful long-term fit among Russians in New Jersey.

And Kovalchuk reportedly turned down more than $100-million in a 12-year offer from Atlanta. It’s dubious in the extreme that the notoriously cost-conscious Lamoriello is going to step up at the end of the year and say: “Ilya, we’d be happy to pay you $3 million or $4 million more per year than veteran team leaders like Patrik Elias or Martin Brodeur.”

What does it all mean? Kovalchuk will get his share of goals with New Jersey, but will also likely end up at loggerheads with Lemaire. In the off-season, when he’s unrestricted, expect to see him either get his monster payday from a rich NHL club that needs to make a statement (like Philadelphia, Los Angeles, or the Rangers) or jump to the KHL, where even greater wealth awaits.

Playing in Russia wouldn’t just be about the money for Kovalchuk. He’s intensely patriotic, and suiting up in the KHL would enable him to represent Russia at the IIHF World Championship each spring. He’s done that three years in a row–in fact, he has played for Russia in some major international competition every year since 2000 (the World U18).

Lou? Enjoy Ilya while you’ve got him. Because this is anything but a marriage made to last.

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2009

By Lucas Aykroyd

The world was a tumultuous place in 1979. The Iranian Revolution, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the Three Mile Island nuclear accident made headlines. But the annual NHL draft offered a ray of light for hockey fans with an unprecedented influx of talent, mostly from the Canadian junior ranks.

“There’s been a lot of talk about the ‘79 draft being the best ever,” said Mike Gartner, who went fourth overall to Washington that year and would score 708 career NHL goals. So as we approach the 30th anniversary of that draft, it’s worth looking back at what made it so special.

Two big changes meant more young stars were available than usual. Firstly, the World Hockey Association (WHA) folded after attempting to rival the NHL as North America’s top pro circuit since 1972. Four of its clubs—the Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques, and Hartford Whalers—joined the NHL. An expansion draft where NHL clubs chose WHA veterans was held in June, and then the junior-aged draft (christened “Entry” for the first time to reflect the inclusion of ex-WHA players) took place on August 13, 1979 at Montreal’s Queen Elizabeth Hotel. Secondly, the eligibility age dropped from 20 to 19 for the first time. (In 1980, it would be reduced to 18, where it’s stayed ever since.)

The numbers tell the story of ‘79. Eleven of the 21 first-rounders would play more than 1,000 NHL games, including Hall of Famers like Gartner, 1980 Calder Trophy winner Ray Bourque (#8, Boston), and Michel Goulet (#20, Quebec). Nineteen of them scored at least 300 career points. With the exception of American defenceman Mike Ramsey (#11, Buffalo), a member of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympic team, each first-rounder had played in the WHL, OHL, or QMJHL. In a stark contrast to today, only six Europeans were taken.

Talent was pervasive among the 126 players drafted over six rounds. Whether it was Mats Naslund and Dale Hunter going in the second round, or Mark Messier and Guy Carbonneau in the third, general managers loaded up their shopping carts.

Some CHL clubs were particularly well-represented. For instance, the powerhouse Brandon Wheat Kings had 10 players drafted in total, including four first-rounders: Laurie Boschman (#9, Toronto), Brian Propp (#14, Philadelphia), Brad McCrimmon (#15, Boston), and Ray Allison (#18, Hartford).

Those ex-Wheaties have stayed close. Propp, the all-time leading NHL playoff scorer among left wings (148 points), recently reunited with Allison and McCrimmon at the 2009 NHL All-Star Game festivities in Montreal. It was a trip down memory lane. The draft was much more low-key in 1979.

“The WHA’s merger with the NHL reduced bargaining power for the players,” Propp recalled. “But everyone was just excited to be getting drafted. We played in the WHL, which didn’t get much press compared to the East. Back then, we weren’t prepared like they are today. You weren’t being watched so closely when you were 16 and 17. You just enjoyed hockey and played it.”

Even in hockey-mad Ontario, there was nothing like today’s frenzy of newspaper, TV, and Internet coverage for top juniors. Just ask Gartner, whose memories of being drafted remain fresh.

The ex-Niagara Falls Flyer shone with the WHA’s Cincinnati Stingers in 1978-79, and was the top-rated player in Central Scouting’s mid-season rankings. But injuries in the second half hampered Gartner. Another WHA star, Rob Ramage, went first overall to Colorado instead, and got a contract worth about $350,000 over three years.

Players weren’t even physically present at the draft that year. Waiting at his parents’ farm near Barrie, Gartner got a phone call from Capitals GM Max McNab afterwards, informing him he’d been taken. The swift-skating, hard-shooting right wing then did one print interview, with the local Barrie Examiner. And to celebrate being drafted? “I don’t think my family did anything,” Gartner said with a laugh. “My dad probably sent me out to cut the grass.”

Will we ever see a draft as great as ‘79 again? Certainly, it’s unlikely so many talents will step right in and have an impact, as they did in 1979-80, since now it’s an 18-year-old draft. “But still, you never say never,” said Gartner. “It would have to be the right circumstances. It takes a long time to assess, because there are a lot of guys from the ‘79 draft who had 15- or 20-year careers and are in the Hall of Fame now.”

First-Round Frenzy

Here are the top 21 picks from 1979.

1. Rob Ramage, D, Colorado - Birmingham (WHA)
2. Perry Turnbull, LW, St. Louis - Portland (WHL)
3. Mike Foligno, RW, Detroit - Sudbury (OHL)
4. Mike Gartner, RW, Washington - Cincinnati WHA)
5. Rick Vaive, RW, Vancouver Canucks - Birmingham (WHA)
6. Craig Hartsburg, D, Minnesota - Birmingham (WHA)
7. Keith Brown, D, Chicago - Portland (WHL)
8. Ray Bourque, D, Boston - Verdun (QMJHL)
9. Laurie Boschman, C, Toronto - Brandon (WHL)
10. Tom McCarthy, LW, Minnesota - Oshawa (OHL)
11. Mike Ramsey, D, Buffalo - Minnesota (WCHA)
12. Paul Reinhart, D, Atlanta - Kitchener (OHL)
13. Doug Sulliman, LW, NY Rangers - Kitchener (OHL)
14. Brian Propp, LW, Philadelphia - Brandon (WHL)
15. Brad McCrimmon, D, Boston - Brandon (WHL)
16. Jay Wells, D, Los Angeles - Kingston (OHL)
17. Duane Sutter, RW, NY Islanders - Lethbridge (WHL)
18. Ray Allison, RW, Hartford - Brandon (WHL)
19. Jimmy Mann, RW, Winnipeg - Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
20. Michel Goulet, LW, Quebec - Birmingham (WHA)
21. Kevin Lowe, D, Edmonton - Quebec (QMJHL)

By Lucas Aykroyd

Sam Gagner has a long way to go to catch up with his father Dave. To be precise, Sam trails by 791 career NHL games and 629 points. But the 20-year-old Edmonton Oilers center is gradually learning what it’ll take to match the consistency of the senior Gagner, who played for seven NHL franchises between 1984 and 1999.

Sam got a first-hand lesson during the last week of August at the inaugural Euro-Can Cup tournament in London, Ontario. It pitted current NHL and minor-league alumni of the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights against Austrian, Swiss, and German pro teams: EHC Black Wings Linz, EV Zug and EHC München.

In London’s opening 7-2 win over Linz, Sam’s father was a surprise last-minute addition to the roster since the 2009 first-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs, London native Nazem Kadri, was unavailable due to having his wisdom teeth removed. Both Gagners scored a pair of goals in the victory, a rare feat indeed. (Gordie Howe and Mark Howe might have done it in the 1970’s WHA, but who else?)

“I’m pretty excited,” said Sam, who racked up 118 points with the Knights in 2006-07. “Playing in front of the London fans again is a huge thrill for me.”

The Euro-Can Cup marked the second time Sam Gagner has performed with Knights alumni. Last summer, he participated in a seven-game exhibition tour of Germany and Austria in support of Shoot for a Cure, a charity for spinal cord injury research. Due to the risk of injury, some NHL clubs might object to their contracted players suiting up in games like these. But not the Oilers, who almost always encourage their players to go to the IIHF World Championships.

“The Oilers told me, ‘Just do what you need to do to get ready for our training camp,’” Gagner explained. “I feel like this is the best thing for me. Getting a chance to play games before camp and work on my timing is extremely beneficial. I can still continue my workouts and get ready for the NHL season.”

Preparation is crucial. Gagner only managed eight points before Christmas last year, and needed a late-season surge to finish with 16 goals and 25 assists. He had a rotating cast of linemates that often included Robert Nilsson, Andrew Cogliano, and Erik Cole (now with Carolina). Heading into his third NHL season, Gagner chooses to put a positive spin on his sophomore scoring drought.

“All along I felt like I had improved a lot over the summer and my rookie year,” Gagner recalled. “Things just weren’t happening offensively for me. It just goes to show you how big of a mental game it is. I learned a lot from the coaches and veterans about what it takes to be a consistent player. I feel like I’m continuing to make strides, and next year will be a better one.”

It needs to be better not only for Gagner, but also for the Oilers, who have missed the playoffs for three straight years after losing to Carolina in Game Seven of the 2006 Stanley Cup finals.

In 2009-10, Russian veteran Nikolai Khabibulin could prove to be an upgrade over Dwayne Roloson in goal. But even more anticipation surrounds new head coach Pat Quinn and associate coach Tom Renney, both of whom have guided Canada to Olympic gold medal games (in 2002 and 1994 respectively) but have never captured the Cup. Will Gagner’s offensive instincts mesh well with the new bench bosses’ uptempo style?

“They’re unbelievable coaches,” said Gagner. “They’ve got winning records and great reputations. When I go into training camp, I’m going to be told what’s expected of me, and will try to fulfill that as much as possible.”

Sounds kind of like listening to your father, eh?

By Lucas Aykroyd

The London Pro Knights beat Switzerland’s EV Zug 7-4 on August 31 to win the final of the inaugural Euro-Can Cup. Hosted in London, Canada, the week-long, eight-game tournament also featured Austria’s Black Wings Linz and EHC Munchen of Germany’s 2nd Bundesliga, which finished third and fourth respectively.

Based on the rosters, the results of this pre-season battle were fairly predictable. The host team consisted mostly of current NHLers and minor pro players who once played for the junior London Knights of the OHL (Ontario Hockey League). Sam Gagner of the Edmonton Oilers led the tournament with eight goals and four assists, while Oilers teammate Rob Schremp added seven points. The Pro Knights were bolstered by non-London NHLers, including some surprising names: Detroit’s Todd Bertuzzi, who had three points in the final, and former NHLer Dave Gagner (Sam’s dad), who scored a pair in the opener despite being retired since 1999.

EV Zug brought the biggest payroll among the European clubs with ex-NHLers such as forwards Paul DiPietro, David Ling, and Josh Holden, plus goalie Jussi Markkanen. The Finnish netminder backstopped Edmonton in Game Seven of the Stanley Cup finals versus Carolina in 2006, but suffered tragedy two years later when his young son died in a fall from a Moscow apartment window, and is clearly struggling to regain his form. Markkanen posted a 5.67 GAA in three Euro-Can Cup games.

While EHC Munchen battled hard, they just didn’t have enough firepower to keep up with their opponents. The German club suffered two overtime defeats (6-5 versus Zug, 5-4 versus London), and also barely fell short in a 3-2 loss to Linz. Vying for their first-ever promotion to the DEL this year, the Munchen players came into the Euro-Can Cup with just two weeks of training and one exhibition game under their belts.

“Because there’s so much hockey in Canada already, people don’t usually have much idea what goes on in Europe,” said Munchen coach Pat Cortina, a native of Montreal. “This tournament will hopefully be a pretty good showcase  for European hockey.”

Organizers had hoped to draw a total attendance of 32,000 at the 9,100-capacity John Labatt Centre, but even in a hockey-mad Canadian city of 350,000, they only got about 20,000 for summer hockey. Canadian-born Pat Curcio, a former Wedemark and Hannover Scorpions player who devised the tournament with 16-year German veteran Kerry Goulet, vowed the tournament will continue in future years.

Curcio explained the genesis of the tournament: “Last year, we took most of the London Knights who won the Memorial Cup in 2005 on a pro tour around Europe, playing all these teams. The competition was great. We thought, ‘Wow, wouldn’t it be great if the fans in London could see something like this?’”

There are plans to invite more top European teams, such as Hannover, Jokerit Helsinki (Finland), and CSKA St. Petersburg. Former London stars like Steve Mason, Rick Nash, and Corey Perry were unavailable this year due to attending Canada’s Olympic orientation camp in Calgary, but if they agree to play in the future, that should also pique more interest in the Euro-Can Cup.

By Lucas Aykroyd

Nowadays, in a hockey-mad country like Canada, the NHL trade deadline gets the kind of news coverage more typically associated with giant earthquakes and Beatles reunions. On March 4 this year, TSN and Sportsnet, the two dedicated cable TV sports networks, went head-to-head as usual with hours of announcements about trades as they happened, plus instant analysis.

But is all the hype really merited?

Understand this: we’re not talking about whether a sufficient number of famous names were moved around to pump up TV ratings. (This year, there were “only” 22 trades made, compared to 25 in 2008.) The question is whether teams who make big moves at the deadline typically see those moves pay off in the form of Stanley Cup championships.

This year, pundits pegged the Calgary Flames as the big winners for landing centre Olli Jokinen from the Calgary Flames and defenseman Jordan Leopold from the Colorado Avalanche. The excitement in Calgary escalated when Jokinen scored two goals in his Flames debut versus Philadelphia. But if the Flames are eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, nobody will be nearly as impressed by the cunning of Calgary GM Darryl Sutter.

The reality, of course, is that out of 30 NHL teams, only one can be the champion each year. History shows that very few deadline deals put teams over the top.

In 2008, Pittsburgh came close when they brought in Marian Hossa from Atlanta to team up with Sidney Crosby, and the Penguins marched to the Stanley Cup finals. But the actual victors, Detroit, didn’t do anything at the deadline besides bringing in D-man Brad Stuart from L.A., and while Stuart played solid hockey during the Cup run, it’s not hard to believe that the Wings would have won anyway with a top-drawer prospect like Jakub Kindl or Jonathan Ericsson in their lineup.

Classic examples of deadline deals that did help Cup winners immensely include the 1980 acquisition of Butch Goring from L.A. by the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh’s 1991 move to get Ron Francis, Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings from Hartford, and the 2001 deal that sent former Norris Trophy winner Rob Blake to bolster Colorado’s blueline.

But there are far more deals that fail to pan out each year, as general managers overpay for overhyped assets, squandering roster players, draft picks, and heaps of cash.

A great example involves Detroit. Bidding to win a third straight Cup in 1999, the Wings went out and acquired Samuelsson, Chris Chelios, Wendel Clark, and Bill Ranford at the deadline, a veritable buffet of big names past their prime. In the playoffs, Detroit fell to Colorado in the second round, and none of their deadline acquisitions had a significant impact, although Ranford’s poor goaltending against the Avs while filling in for starter Chris Osgood was unfortunately memorable.

Leading up to the 2009 deadline, speculation was rampant that the Wings might try to acquire Minnesota’s starting goalie, Niklas Backstrom, due to concerns about their current tandem of Osgood and Ty Conklin. However, that came to naught when Minnesota signed the 31-year-old Finn to a new four-year, $24-million contract before March 4.

“Niklas is our number one goalie, and it’s good that we’re keeping him for four years,” said Minnesota coach Jacques Lemaire. “It shows the organization realizes that he’s a good goalie and they want to keep him. It’s like this every year at the trade deadline with all the speculation, but what can you do? The players know what it’s about. You’ve just got to go through it.”

In the end, all the hype about the trade deadline is mostly just fodder for the news media. And columns like this one.

By Lucas Aykroyd

If you compare the first NHL season of Steven Stamkos to the rookie campaigns of other recent top draft picks like Alexander Ovechkin (2004) or Sidney Crosby (2005), it might seem like a failure. But as the 2008-09 regular season heads toward its conclusion, the 19-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning centre has clearly made big improvements.

“My confidence level is the highest it’s been in weeks,” said Stamkos after scoring Tampa’s lone goal in a 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on February 27. “Goals are starting to go in, and points are starting to come. I’m creating chances. Hopefully I can continue with that.”

The swift-skating native of Markham, Ontario notched his first NHL hat trick in a 5-3 loss to Chicago on February 17. It was a personal high for Stamkos in a season that’s had more downs than ups.

After being chosen first overall in 2008, Stamkos was featured in the Lightning’s pre-season “Seen Stamkos?” advertising campaign. Yet he struggled to get playing time early on.

Barry Melrose, whom the Lightning fired as their head coach in November, told reporters that Stamkos simply wasn’t ready to play in the NHL. That wasn’t easy to hear for Stamkos, who racked up 105 points in his last season of junior hockey with the OHL’s Sarnia Sting and has excelled at every level.

But it’s worth remembering that first overall picks like Joe Thornton and Owen Nolan also started off slowly in their first years. Thornton had a paltry three goals and four assists in 55 games for Boston in 1997-98, and Nolan was limited to three goals and 10 assists in 59 games for Quebec in 1990-91.

While Stamkos won’t win the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year, he’s proving he belongs in the NHL even as a teenager. And at least he’ll top the 30-point plateau.

“There’s a reason why Steven was taken #1 overall,” said Mark Recchi, one of the many well-known veteran names the Lightning signed in the off-season. “With his attitude and composure as a kid, he’s going to be fine. We just tell him to keep buying into what the coaches tell him.”

“Rick Tocchet and his staff have been giving me positive feedback,” said Stamkos. “They’ve been impressed with the way I’ve played lately, and they’ve rewarded me with the opportunity to play with guys like Mark Recchi and Martin St. Louis for the first time this year. I’ve also gotten to play the point on the second power play unit. I’m playing a lot and feeling great.”

Tampa’s roster next season will look quite different since the spending spree that co-owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie went on prior to 2008-09 simply didn’t work out. The Lightning will miss the playoffs for the second straight year, a far cry from their 2004 Stanley Cup victory.

Upgrading the defence will be a major priority. But although the forward corps will also get shaken up, GM Brian Lawton recently promised that captain Vincent Lecavalier isn’t going anywhere. Stamkos, one of the few other untouchables on the roster, was glad to hear that.

“It’s great news for us,” said Stamkos. “He’s our captain, he’s our leader. Nobody wanted to see him go. He’s the face of this franchise and somebody you want to build around.”

For Stamkos, his team’s goal for the rest of the season is simple.

“We just want to keep playing hard,” said Stamkos. “We’ve got to play for one another and respect. It’s tough when you lose, but we’ll hopefully find a way to beat some good teams down the stretch.”

By Lucas Aykroyd

In January, the Vancouver Canucks looked like they were about to freeze to death. In February, the club has begun to smell as sweet as springtime flowers.

After an overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild on January 31, the Canucks had truly hit rock bottom, registering their ninth consecutive defeat on home ice. But they finally gave the GM Place faithful something to cheer about on February 3 with a 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, kicking off a season-high four-game win streak.

San Jose, Detroit, Calgary, and Chicago have separated themselves from the pack in the Western Conference playoff race, and it will be tough for Vancouver to overtake Calgary for the Northwest Division crown. Nonetheless, the Canucks are hanging tough with their bid for a playoff berth. What’s behind the big turnaround?

One key factor is that head coach Alain Vigneault, despite being well-known for his constant line juggling, may finally have found some forward combinations that make him happy.

On the top line, agitator Alexandre Burrows has been a surprisingly good fit with star scorers Daniel and Henrik Sedin. The Swedish brothers became the highest-scoring twins in NHL history last month, overtaking Rich and Ron Sutter, who combined for 850 career points. Burrows, a 27-year-old former ECHL reclamation project, knows what he has to do to be an effective linemate.

“The Sedins are very easy to play with,” said Burrows. “For me, it’s just a matter of getting them the puck and going to the net, bringing some guy with me to open up more space for them. They’re awesome players and they’re going to make plays all the time.”

Vigneault has also found a way to get big-time free agent acquisition Mats Sundin going. The ex-Toronto captain had his struggles with Vancouver after debuting on January 7, barely denting the scoresheet and frequently taking bad penalties that led to opposition winning goals. However, when Vigneault paired Sundin with the smarts of Pavol Demitra and the speed and abrasiveness of Ryan Kesler, the result was a multinational success. During a five-game stretch up to and including a 4-2 win over Montreal on February 15, the trio combined for 26 points.

The Vancouver power play has begun to click as well, and having a productive, healthy blueline has been another tremendous asset.

While Vigneault counts on veterans like Mattias Ohlund and Willie Mitchell to shut down the opposition’s top forwards every night, the resurgence of younger defencemen like Kevin Bieksa and Alexander Edler has been just as important. Bieksa leads all Canucks defencemen in scoring, and Edler isn’t far behind. The second-year Swede recorded a career-best four points versus Chicago on February 7. Sami Salo, known for his 100-mph slapshot, has also gotten better and better since making his return in late January after missing 15 games with a broken rib.

The final piece of the puzzle will be in place when starting goalie Roberto Luongo returns to his usual all-world form. It’s not as if he’s played horribly during Vancouver’s February comeback, but the 2007 Vezina and Hart Trophy nominee knows he can still do a better job of shutting the door.

“I’m not where I want to be,” Luongo admitted. “I’m doing the right things on the ice and in practice, and it’s just a matter of giving it time.”

If Luongo starts recording shutouts in the near future, this team could actually see its playoff fortunes blossom like the cherry trees that line Vancouver streets.

By Lucas Aykroyd

When Roberto Luongo strained his groin while making a routine save on Pittsburgh defenseman Philippe Boucher on November 22, Vancouver Canucks fans had genuine reason for concern.

Their superstar captain has amassed 11 wins, five losses, and two ties for his team so far this year, along with a 2.17 GAA and .928 save percentage. But as Luongo told a news conference at GM Place two days later, he’ll be sidelined “week to week” with the injury.

“It’s the first time I’ve had an injury like this,” Luongo said. “I’ll be working hard with the training staff and the medical guys and try to get back as soon as possible, but I really don’t know how long it’s going to take.”

The 29-year-old Montreal native is one of the league’s ultimate workhorses, averaging 75 games over the last four years. He’s widely expected to be Canada’s starting goalie on home ice at the 2010 Olympics. So needless to say, Luongo’s absence places tremendous pressure on backup Curtis Sanford, who now becomes the starter. Sanford has never played more than 34 games in an NHL season (2005-06, when he posted a 2.66 GAA and .908 save percentage).

“We’re dealing with adversity head-on right now,” said Sanford. “We’ve had some key players out with injuries in the last few weeks. But I’m feeling more and more comfortable with every game.”

Meanwhile, 22-year-old Cory Schneider has been called up from the Manitoba Moose to serve as the second-stringer. He had 10 wins and just one loss in the AHL before the recall, and is considered one of the top goaltending prospects outside the NHL.

“You never want to see anybody get hurt, especially a guy like Louie,” said Schneider. “He’s such a good guy and a great goalie. But this is how opportunities are created.”

The Canucks got off to a good start in this no-Luongo era, as Sanford made 32 stops in a 3-2 overtime win over the Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings on November 24.

The return of Pavol Demitra to the lineup on November 15 has sparked the offence, as the slick Slovak is averaging close to a point per game, teaming up smartly with the Sedin twins. If the Canucks can continue to muster a stellar defensive effort, despite the absence of defenseman Kevin Bieksa (broken foot), it’s not necessarily a given that the team will fall out of contention for the Northwest Division crown.

But of course, the organization and fans will eagerly anticipate the return of King Louie.

From the 19th century to the 21st, Ottawa’s hockey heritage is legendary

By Lucas Aykroyd

Even if it was just about checking birth certificates, Ottawa’s contribution to hockey history would be huge. Dozens of NHLers were born in the host city for the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship, including old-time legends like Alec Connell and Frank Boucher, 1980’s stars like Rick Vaive and Doug Wilson, and current aces like Derek Roy, Marc Savard, and Rod Brind’Amour.

Yet Ottawa’s connection to Canada’s national sport, at every level, runs even deeper.

Now, Ottawa wasn’t the birthplace of hockey. The IIHF has officially awarded that distinction to Montreal, where the first organized game was played at the Victoria Skating Rink on March 3, 1875. However, the man who codified the rules for that game, James Creighton (1850-1930), brought his talents to the national capital in 1882.

While working as the Canadian Senate’s law clerk, Creighton set up a team called the Rideau Hall Rebels, which featured two sons of Lord Stanley, Canada’s Governor General. The British politician took a special interest in hockey. In 1892, Lord Stanley bought the original Stanley Cup trophy, and on March 22, 1894, the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association beat the Ottawa Generals 3-1 in the first true Cup final game.

Only in 1903 would Ottawa celebrate its first Stanley Cup, but that inaugurated a glorious championship run that lasted till 1906. The club, now officially known as the Senators for the first time, earned the nickname of the “Silver Seven,” as hockey was still played with seven men per side then. It was a colourful era when fans came heavily bundled up to cold rinks (even indoors), sometimes threw salt (or other objects) on the ice to slow down opponents, and gathered at telegraph offices for news of road victories.

Defending their title against all comers under a challenge system, the tough and skillful Senators boasted such Hockey Hall of Famers as Harvey Pulford, Harry Westwick, Alf Smith, Billy Gilmour, goalie Bouse Hutton, and Frank McGee, a legendary sniper with one eye. McGee’s greatest on-ice feat was tallying 14 goals in a 23-2 win over Dawson City in the 1905 Cup-clincher. He retired from hockey at age 24, and sacrificed his life for his country in World War I.

The Senators remained a force to be reckoned with in those early years, winning more
Cups in 1909, 1911, 1920, 1921, 1923, and 1927. The 1920’s squad is widely considered the NHL’s first dynasty. Its front-line scorers included Cy Denneny and Frank Nighbor. Clint Benedict backstopped Ottawa to three titles, and later made history as the first NHL goalie to wear facial protection after breaking his nose in 1930.

After the 1933-34 season, Ottawa sadly relinquished its NHL team. Tough economic times, the loss of star players, and declining attendance saw the Senators relocate to St. Louis. But passion for the game in the National Capital Region stayed strong.

This has always been a senior amateur hockey hotbed, and the Ottawa Cliffsides won the inaugural Allan Cup back in 1908. When Ottawa earned the trophy again in 1949 by defeating Regina, a big contributor was goalie Bill “Legs” Fraser, who joyfully tossed his stick into the stands whenever his team prevailed.

In 1958, the city celebrated its first Memorial Cup, representing Canadian junior hockey supremacy, thanks to the Ottawa-Hull Canadiens. They iced future mainstays of the 1960’s Montreal Canadiens dynasty, like Ralph Backstrom, Bobby Rousseau, and J.C. Tremblay. Later, coached by 2003 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Brian Kilrea, the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League captured Memorial Cups in 1984 and 1999.

There were attempts to revive pro hockey in Ottawa with the old World Hockey Association, but neither the Civics (1972-73) nor the Nationals (1976) sparked the imagination of local fans. Happily, the exciting new era of international hockey did.

The inaugural 1976 Canada Cup kicked off at the Ottawa Civic Centre, one of this year’s World Junior venues. The host nation, led by superstars like Bobby Orr and Bobby Hull, hammered Finland 11-2 before 9,500 spectators. Canada went on to win the tournament, ousting Czechoslovakia in the final. (Ottawa would also host two games in the 1981 Canada Cup, and three in the 1996 World Cup.)

The 1990’s proved to be a groundbreaking decade. For starters, Ottawa boosted its reputation as a women’s hockey stronghold. Some reports place the first-ever all-female game here in 1889 (although others point to Barrie, Ontario in 1892), and one of the earliest women’s hockey photos shows Lady Isobel Stanley, Lord Stanley’s daughter, with a puck and stick outside Government House. A century later, the IIHF organized the first-ever official World Women’s Championship in Ottawa in 1990. In this eight-nation showdown, Canada, sporting pink jerseys, beat the USA 5-2 for gold before 10,000 fans at the Civic Centre. Angela James shone with 11 goals in five games for Canada.

NHL buffs, meanwhile, rejoiced over the big league’s return to Ottawa in 1992-93. It was admittedly a rough start for the new-look Senators, who didn’t make the playoffs until 1997. Alexandre Daigle, the #1 overall pick in 1993, failed to deliver the goods, and star centre Alexei Yashin was repeatedly embroiled in contract disputes. But the leadership of captain Daniel Alfredsson helped turn things around. Despite some recent struggles, the club has usually emerged as a regular-season powerhouse over the last 10 years, and made it to the 2007 Stanley Cup finals versus Anaheim.

Ex-World Junior stars are big for today’s Senators. Dean McCammond (1993) and Chris Phillips (1996-97) both participated in Canada’s 1990’s five-peat. Scoring leaders Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza medaled multiple times in the early millennium, and D-man Anton Volchenkov captained Russia to gold in 2002. When Ottawa was chosen as the host city for this year’s tournament on May 3, 2006, the excitement locally was contagious. Now, international hockey fans look forward to seeing more World Junior history made at Scotiabank Place.

To learn more about Ottawa’s hockey history, you can also visit a free special exhibit at the City Hall Art Gallery (Dec. 5-Jan. 18, 9 am-6 pm daily, 110 Laurier Ave. West)