Kukla's Korner

Khan(!) Answers The Mail…Maybe

Blog: Abel to Yzerman By IwoCPO

07/21/07 at 07:49 PM ET | Comments (0)

I love the “ask the beat writer a question and have your answers published” features.  But, I’m always just a little skeptical.  Did “Judy” really script a grammatically perfect question regarding the salary cap and its ramifications on the Wings’ custodial crew?

Whatever. Maybe I’m just overly cynical today.  Maybe Ansar Khan is really monitoring his email and maybe Wing fans are really writing him consistently.  Maybe they’re sad and lonely and Khan(!) is their cyber soulmate, there to answer those Wing-related questions that keep them tossing and turning.  This week?  Jack, Cam, Chris, Dan, S.J., Steve and Pat (no hometowns listed) put our Deep Digger Captain on the spot.

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Penalize The Head Shot

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/21/07 at 03:32 PM ET | Comments (0)

from Mike Chen at Fox Sports,

I’ve often wondered why the NHLPA doesn’t do more to actually protect the physical health of its constituency. Sure, they do things like try to drive up salaries and pensions and stuff like that, but what about actual on-ice health concerns? Visors, dirty hits, hits to the head — the PA seems content to allow its players police themselves on these issues rather than looking at the big picture.
The problem is that almost every hockey observer, from former players to longtime media members, have remarked on the degeneration of on-ice respect between players. Is it an old-school mentality or is the membership just too proud to acknowledge the dangers of these issues — especially concussions?

continued

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Hockey Greats Attend Ferguson Memorial

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/21/07 at 03:30 PM ET | Comments (0)

from the Windsor Star,

More than 400 mourners bid farewell to hockey great John Ferguson in a downtown Windsor church Saturday morning.
Ferguson, a former Montreal Canadiens player who made Windsor his home, died last week at the age of 68 after battling cancer.
A slow procession, including Ferguson’s son John Ferguson Jr., the Toronto Maple Leafs’ general manager, and many former National Hockey League players, marched into All Saints Anglican Church to the piercing sound of bagpipes.
A Windsor police officer saluted them as a few onlookers bowed their heads in respect.
Inside the church, friends, family members and well-known hockey players and coaches of the past and present, such as Jean Beliveau, Serge Savard, Scott Bowman and Jean-Guy Talbot, filled the pews to listen to tributes to Ferguson, better known as Fergie.

read on

Filed in: Hockey Related Stories, Old School, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Michigan Sports Blog of the Week: Out of Bounds

Blog: Abel to Yzerman By IwoCPO

07/21/07 at 01:25 PM ET | Comments (0)

Last year we decided to pass the uneventful days that made up much of the Summer of Ken with a few new features.  One was highlighting a Michigan sports blog every week that wasn’t necessarily hockey-specific.  One of the early sites we focused on was Where Have You Gone, Johnny Grubb?  Greg Eno, one of Michigan’s true sports historians and that blog’s creator, has another one we’ll look at today. 

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Bowman: “When the Red Wings need me, they call me.”

Blog: Abel to Yzerman By IwoCPO

07/21/07 at 11:46 AM ET | Comments (0)

The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James had the opportunity to speak with Scotty Bowman earlier this week. 

Q: The Wings weren’t able to re-sign Mathieu Schneider and Todd Bertuzzi, but kept Dominik Hasek and signed Brian Rafalski. How do you like the team’s outlook?

A: They got a good defenseman to replace Schneider. I think they’d like to get another forward. It’s just a matter of filling the spots.

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Fresh Start For Zherdev

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/21/07 at 10:44 AM ET | Comments (0)

from the Columbus Dispatch,

This is a make-or-break season for Zherdev, still only 22 years old but already saddled with a reputation for being moody, selfish and immature. Howson has heard the stories. Now he wants to meet Zherdev face to face for the first time.
“We appreciate the outreach,” Hedges said. “It makes sense for (Howson) to make sure everybody’s on the same page heading into training camp. … The relationship isn’t with the GM, it’s with his coaches and teammates. But we’re hoping a new GM can convince Nikolai that there’s an opportunity here for him.
“But … Nik’s the one who’s got to make it happen.”...
It looks as if a messy divorce has been delayed for now. Zherdev won’t be traded.

read on

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Peca Wants To Make A Decision Soon

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/21/07 at 10:37 AM ET | Comments (0)

from the Toronto Star,

If the Maple Leafs want to retain the services of forward Michael Peca, their window of opportunity is beginning to close.
Contacted at his Buffalo-area home, Peca said the Leafs were in touch with his representatives about a week ago, claiming they still have interest in bringing him back.
“I would like to have something done in the next five days to a week,” Peca said. “I’ve got to consider living arrangements, school arrangements for the kids, things like that.”

continued

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Hockey Greats Gather In Windsor To Pay Respect To Ferguson

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/21/07 at 10:21 AM ET | Comments (0)

from the Windsor Star,

Friday night’s visitation saw Ferguson’s son, John Jr., the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and his three sisters and their spouses accept condolences from a long line of friends.
The family members stood by a wooden urn containing the ashes of Ferguson, who was cremated earlier.
A video montage played on a screen above the urn, and the room was filled with flowers from many in the hockey community, including Thomas Steen, father of current Maple Leaf Alex, who played for Ferguson on the Winnipeg Jets.
There were several collages of photos showing Ferguson playing hockey, with his racehorses, and going about everyday life.

more

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And Your Vote Would Be For…

Blog: Abel to Yzerman By IwoCPO

07/20/07 at 09:55 PM ET | Comments (0)

ESPN SportsNation is asking you which Detroit pro sports team “matters the most”.  Pretty overwhelming results so far. Check them out here.

If I had to rank them, I’d say (1) Wings (2) Tigers (3) Lions (4) Pistons.

Edited 21 July:  that’s my personal ranking.  If I had to guess what the rest of the state feels, I’d probably rank them this way:  (1) Tigers, (2) Wings, (3) Lions, (4) Pistons

I’ll always believe that the Tigers have a certain place in the heart of all Michigan sports fans.  As someone said below, ‘68 was an amazing year and it affected much more than the Detroit hardcore baseball fan.

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Did Bettman Stop The Balsillie Talks

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/20/07 at 05:11 PM ET | Comments (0)

from Scott Burnside at ESPN,

Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie has accused NHL commissioner Gary Bettman of forcing the owner of the Nashville Predators to break off discussions about the sale of the team to Balsillie, ESPN.com has learned.
The Canadian ownership group also alleges Bettman directed Predators owner Craig Leipold to focus on closing a deal with William “Boots” Del Biaggio III, who is the front man for a group trying to bring an NHL team to Kansas City.
“We were advised by Mr. Leipold that the commissioner had found out about the existence of the negotiations and ordered him to immediately cease any further communications with us,” Balsillie’s legal representative, Richard Rodier, told ESPN.com this week.

continued

Filed in: Nashville Predators, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

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