Kukla's Korner Hockey

Stars Extend Jackson & Hull

by Paul on 05/22/08 at 02:48 PM ET
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via the Dallas Stars,

Dallas Stars Chairman of the Board and Owner Thomas O. Hicks announced today that he has signed Brett Hull and Les Jackson each to three-year contracts as Co-General Managers for the hockey club through the 2010-11 season. Hull and Jackson were named as Interim Co-General Managers on November 13, 2007.

  “Brett and Les have earned these extensions, doing an excellent job in leading this hockey club this past season,” said Hicks. “The move to make them interim co-general managers was a different approach that proved to be strategic. The two compliment each other very well. Les has over 20 years of experience with this organization as a scout and an executive and he is the consummate hockey man. He is highly regarded and respected throughout the league. Brett had 19 years of success as a player in the NHL and is a solid link between the front office and locker room. He thinks outside the box and provides a different perspective for our management staff.

“This unique combination of talents gives us many advantages for our hockey club. Signing Les and Brett to these contracts provides stability for the future. We look forward to building on this year’s relative successes.”

Filed in: NHL Teams, Dallas Stars, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Pressure On Crosby

by Paul on 05/22/08 at 02:07 PM ET
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from Damien Cox at ESPN,

Now, with the Penguins about to face the Detroit Red Wings in a glitzy 2008 Stanley Cup finals filled with marquee names and intriguing story lines, Crosby, as the league’s top individual marketing tool, is being asked to deliver a virtuoso performance that will somehow vault the NHL into a new level of success and profitability.

Oh yes, and be a humble, unselfish teammate at the same time while figuring out a way to outfox the Red Wings, merely the NHL’s best team this season.

Sounds doable for a 20-year-old, yes?

read on

Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: sidney+crosby

Hockey Has Changed

by Paul on 05/22/08 at 02:03 PM ET
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from Loose Change at the Hockey News,

One look at the Detroit lineup and you’ll realize the United Nations seems sectarian by comparison. Aside from a Japanese player and a Samoan, the Red Wings have every nation on earth represented on their roster….

The Penguins have an average age of 14. They have raging hormones, but are also brutally self-conscious. Intimidation is simply a matter of pointing out their pathetic attempts at playoff beards (“I’ve seen more hair on a parrot”). That one was easy.

more

Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Granato Named Head Coach of The Avalanche

by Paul on 05/22/08 at 01:52 PM ET
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Colorado Avalanche Executive Vice President & General Manager Francois Giguere announced today the appointment of Tony Granato as the franchise’s head coach.  Granato previously served as the team’s head coach from 2002-2004.

more at the Avs site…

added 12:31pm, Adrian Dater at All Things Avs,

Well, so much for going with a fresh, new approach.
I’ve said it before - nothing the Avalanche does ever totally surprises me. At this point, today’s news that Tony Granato will be the head coach - again - was like the effect on me of an already electrocuted man falling into the live wire fence one more time.

 

Filed in: NHL Teams, Colorado Avalanche, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: tony+granato

The Hockey News Picks…

by Paul on 05/22/08 at 01:37 PM ET
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Please, don’t put your first born child on the line because of what any of our writers or editors predict will happen…except maybe Edward, that guy is on fire!

So, for the final time this playoff season, here is our rundown of who each one of us thinks will win the Cup, in how many games and a quick one-liner why.

If you’re sitting on the edge of your seat, dying for the updated standings, the waiting has ended. Here are the rankings heading into the final:

read on at the Hockey News…

Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

A Look At The ‘Binker’

by Paul on 05/22/08 at 10:28 AM ET
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from Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette,

Where to begin with the remarkable career of Les Binkley, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first No. 1 goaltender who wore 15 sweaters from his junior debut in 1949 through his pro-hockey retirement in 1976?

Surely with his highlight-reel goals-against:

- Being scored on twice by future motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel in a train-wreck-ugly, 1970s World Hockey Association penalty-shot publicity stunt at Maple Leaf Gardens.

continued

added 9:32am, for more on Les Binkley and some great pictures too, check out Habs Inside/Out...

Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Too Many Numbers For Me

by Paul on 05/22/08 at 10:20 AM ET
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from Empty Netters,

The NHL has staged a player draft every year since 1963. That’s 45 different drafts with 45 different first overall picks. Surprisingly, only 12 of those men have their name on the Stanley Cup. Should Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury lead the Penguins to their third Stanley Cup title, they’ll be two the “earliest” former No. 1’s to claim the trophy.

In other words, among all former top overall picks, they’ll have played the fewest seasons in the league before winning their first championship:

check the chart for more…

Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Hockey Heat

by Paul on 05/22/08 at 10:14 AM ET
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from Ron Kantowski of the Las Vegas Sun,

It was 108 in the shade Monday — and the Wranglers were getting ready to play another hockey game.

One hundred eight degrees. Hockey.

That had to be the strangest convergence of diametric entities since Julia Roberts married Lyle Lovett.

Human Torch, meet Mr. Freeze.

“The Flight of the Phoenix,” meet “Ice Station Zebra.”

Habanero pepper, meet Chunky Monkey.

continued

Filed in: Non-NHL Hockey, Minor League, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Chelios and Roberts Meet Again

by Paul on 05/22/08 at 09:21 AM ET
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from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

Every 20 years or so—or in this case 19—Gary Roberts and Chris Chelios play against each other for the Stanley Cup.

It happens about as often as all-Canadian final, which it happened to be when Roberts and Chelios met for the Cup in 1989.

For Chelios, this really is nothing new. He has rings older than Evgeni Malkin and trips to the final with Montreal and Chicago in ‘89 and 1992, and of course, a Cup ring from the Red Wings six years ago.

But for Roberts, this wait has almost been forever. From the time he won his first and only professional championship, so much has happened.

continued

Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Osgood Just Wins

by Paul on 05/22/08 at 09:15 AM ET
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from Damien Cox of the Toronto Star,

Chris Osgood has been labelled the worst goaltender to ever win a Stanley Cup.

Now, he could conceivably be the worst to ever win two.

Before we all get all weepy over Osgood’s legacy, or suggest he’s been unfairly criticized and evaluated over the course of his career, a little historical review would be in order.

continued

Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: chris+osgood

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