The new "Little Ball of Hate" - Nathan Gerbe

Pat Verbeek - the original "Little Ball of Hate"

During the mid-1990s while playing with the New York Rangers, winger Pat Verbeek was given the nickname "The Little Ball of Hate" by his backup goaltender, Glenn Healy. The name was partially applied to Verbeek because his teammate, Ray Ferraro, had already been nicknamed "The Big Ball of Hate". However, the moniker seemed to most fit Verbeek due to the tenacity (combined with a high level of skill) that he played the game with, despite the fact that he was a short and stocky 5'9" player with a build of 190lbs. Verbeek never backed down from anyone throughout the 20 years that he played in the National Hockey League, oftentimes playing the game just downright mean and ornery. His determination and drive made him a success in hockey for many productive years. Winning a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999, Verbeek is the only player in NHL history to score over 500-goals and record over 2,500-penalty-minutes. Verbeek's nastiness, along with a healthy scoring prowess allowed him to play the game like a much bigger man would, and gave him longevity in the NHL with five different teams (Rangers, Stars, New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers and Detroit Red Wings).

Diminutive but fearless Nathan Gerbe

In the NHL today, "The Little Ball of Hate" moniker most befits Buffalo Sabres winger Nathan Gerbe. Even Verbeek would have had some size on Gerbe if both were playing today. Gerbe stands a diminutive 5'5" but is a very sturdy, tank-like 178lbs. Gerbe's build is reminsicent of other tank-like forwards who found success in the NHL, such as Steve "Stumpy" Thomas, Randy "Stump" Burridge and Andrei "Tank" Kovalenko. With a low center of gravity, muscular build and dominant speed, Gerbe is very difficult to knock off of the puck when he is out on the ice. His small stature allows him to maneuver well in corners and along the boards, and he is able to sneak through the opposition and beat them to the punch before they are able to make a hit on him.

Besides his build, Gerbe has excellent hockey sense out on the ice. He makes very smart plays in terms of his positioning when back-checking and he can oftentimes be found sacrificing the body in order to make a pinch along the boards for the puck or to put a shooter at a bad angle. Knowing how a play is going to develop, Gerbe has been able to put himself in the right place at the right time and has contributed well offensively in the short time he has played thus far in the NHL. Gerbe has the Sabres record for the fastest 2-goals by a player when he scored twice a mere five seconds apart against the New York Islanders on January 21st, 2011.

Gerbe up against a much larger Zenon Kenopka

But what is perhaps most impressive with Gerbe's style of play is that he is completely fearless - in an "oh so similar" way to Pat Verbeek. Giants who tower over him like Zdeno Chara and Chris Pronger do not intimate Nathan Gerbe in the least. When there are scrums in front of the net or in front of the benches, Gerbe is right in the thick of things. Gerbe plays well beyond his own size limitations and routinely out-hussles opposing players that are larger and stronger then he is. In Buffalo, fans have taken to calling Gerbe "Tasmanian Devil", which was a nickname once applied to former big, bad Bruin Terry O'Reilly in the 70's and 80's. But O'Reilly was a much larger player and one of the greatest enforcers and pugilists to ever play in the NHL - a much different style of player. I feel that Gerbe's style of play more closely resembles that of Verbeek, and that the "Little Ball of Hate" title is far more suitable.

Gerbe's initial success came in college while playing for Boston College from 2005 to 2008. Gerbe's finest season with Boston was in 2008 when he tallied 35-goals and totaled 68-points in just 43-games. That year in the "Frozen Four" Hockey Tournament in Denver, which is the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament championship, Gerbe stole the show entirely as he notched 5-goals in the final 2 games of the tournament, while leading Boston to the championship. Gerbe was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament and was named to the All-Tournament Team. That same year Gerbe was also a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award which is given annually to the top collegiate men's ice hockey player.

Gerbe led Boston to a Frozen Four
championship in 2008.

In 2007, Nathan Gerbe was part of Team USA's bronze medal winning team at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Mora, Sweden. Gerbe played alongside fellow NHLers Patrick Kane, Erik Johnson, Jack Skille, Kyle Okposo, Justin Abdelkader and James van Riemsdyk, as Team USA lost to Team Canada in the semi-finals but would defeat Team Sweden in the Third Place game. Gerbe recorded 6-assists in 7-games during the tournament.

The Buffalo Sabres had taken notice of Gerbe's skill in 2005 when they drafted him 142nd overall in the NHL Entry Draft. Since that time Gerbe's hard work and determination have given him a permanent spot on the Sabres roster. In May 2008 Gerbe signed his first NHL contract, a 3-year deal with the Sabres. During the 2008-09 NHL season Gerbe first cracked the roster for 10 games managing just one assist while playing mostly in the AHL with the Portland Pirates where he recorded 30-goals and 56-points in 57-games. Gerbe followed that up the next year with 10 more games with the parent-club, this time scoring his first NHL goal against the Washington Capitals in December 2009 and finishing off the season with 2-goals and 3-assists in those 10-games.

Gerbe standing up the Philadelphia Flyers

The 2010-11 season would see Nathan Gerbe land a permanent spot with the Sabres, as he appeared in 64 regular season games, along with all 7 playoff games in a heated series against the Philadelphia Flyers that the Sabres would eventually lose. Gerbe potted 16-goals and 31-points during those 64-games but perhaps made a bigger impact in the playoffs in a very hard fought series with Philadelphia that saw him endear himself both to the Buffalo fans and his teammates. Gerbe would lead all Sabres in penalty-minutes in the playoffs with 18 as he waged war with numerous members of the Flyers, most notably Philly's premier disturber at the time Daniel Carcillo, who like Gerbe is also small in stature but is a very physical, in-your-face type of player. During the series Gerbe notched 2-goals which tied him for second on the team with Tyler Ennis for most playoff goals for the Sabres that season, behind Thomas Vanek who had 5. However, it would matter very little as the Sabres would fall to the Flyers at the end of the 7-games.

Nathan Gerbe has maintained his effective style of play in Buffalo during the present season 2011-12, though he has missed numerous games due to a concussion and an upper body injury. Never wanting to see a player injured, it does however make sense that Gerbe would be putting himself at a higher risk for injury with his fearless style of play and high-speed skating which is fueled by guts and determination. Gerbe has 3-goals and 9-assists for 12-points this season while playing in 27-regular season games thus far.

Gerbe celebrating a Buffalo goal

Believing that attitude, determination and heart can more than make up for a lack of size, Gerbe also possesses skill and speed that most others do not. His heart in particular is much bigger than the hearts of most of those players who outweigh him on the scale or stand over a foot taller. It is my thought that the new "Little Ball of Hate" has all of the necessary tools needed to have the same longevity that Pat Verbeek once had, and that he can develop a similar knack for scoring goals and putting up big numbers. Gerbe is a difference maker on the ice and with Buffalo's lackluster record at this point in the season (17-17-4 as of January 2nd), he is one of the few players on the team who has been giving it his all each and every shift.

The re-emergence of the Florida Panthers

For a team that made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in only their third year of existence (way back in 1996), the Florida Panthers have been in a playoff drought ever since the 2000-01 season and no one has taken them seriously. That is until now. Having missed the post-season for ten consecutive years (the last time they were in the playoffs, the "Russian Rocket" Pavel Bure was leading the way for them with 58-goals and 36-year old Mike Vernon was in goal), which also included eight different head coaching changes during that span, the 2011-12 edition of the Florida Panthers are suddenly one of the top teams in the League and give all appearances that the years of being in the bottom-half of the Eastern Conference are finally over.



Kevin Dineen - Head Coach

 First year Panthers' head coach Kevin Dineen demands respect and accountability. It is in his nature, from the way that he played the game as a player himself, and continuing on into his role behind the bench. Dineen played parts of 19 seasons in the NHL, tallying 355-goals, 760-points and 2229 penalty-minutes in over 1100 regular season games. All in all, a very successful career as a tough, rugged player, which has continued on into his pursuits as a coach.

When his playing days ended in 2002, Dineen would eventually move onto being the head coach of the Portland Pirates in the American Hockey League in 2005 and quickly garnered accolades as a highly successful coach. In his first season alone as Portland's head coach, Dineen led the team to a 53-19-5-3 record, which is quite an accomplishment for a first year head coach. Dineen would continue to coach in Portland from 2005 through the end of the 2010-11 season, and would never once have a losing coaching record in any of those six seasons. During that time Dineen would also provide tuteledge to some of hockey's top young talent in the game today. Dustin Penner, Bobby Ryan, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Kent Huskins, Nathan Gerbe, Jhonas Enroth, Tyler Ennis and Luke Adam, among numerous others, all saw their careers advanced while playing under Dineen in Portland.

It would be no surprise that Kevin Dineen's coaching talents would become widely recognized and an NHL team would take note. Looking to make a break from their repeated years of coming up short and being lackluster, the Florida Panthers made a very wise move by naming Dineen their head coach in May of 2011. And since the start of the 2011-12 season, and Florida's almost miraculous accension in the NHL standings, it would appear that not only will the Panthers return to the playoffs but that Kevin Dineen is also an early favorite for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top coach.

Brian Campbell

With Dineen now at the helm, the Panthers are one of the best team's in the league this season. Here in early-mid December, the Panthers boast a record of 16-8-5 for 37-points, which is presently tied with Philadelphia for first overall in the Eastern Conference (although Philly is officially in first place by having more wins in less games) and first overall in the Southeast Division; at least six points ahead of all other teams in their division.

Perhaps even more important than Dineen's coaching success, Panthers' Executive Vice President and General Manager, Dale Tallon, has assembled a Panther's roster that is cohesive, experienced and remarkably talented. Remember, Tallon got his name on the Stanley Cup and was chiefly responsible for building the team that won the championship in Chicago with the Blackhawks in 2010. Since Tallon stepped into his present role with the Panthers after leaving Chicago in May 2010, he has acquired the main core of players that comprise the team, including Jose Theodore, Ed Jovanovski, Tomas Kopecky, Brian Campbell, Tomas Fleischmann, Scottie Upshall, Kris Versteeg, Sean Bergenheim, Marcel Goc and Matt Bradley, as well as drafting highly promising young star Erik Gudbranson. Three of those players, Campbell, Kopecky and Versteeg, won the Stanley Cup together in Chicago. The other players are a core of veterans that having been joined together, give all appearances that the Panthers are now in fact legit.

Stephen Weiss

The line of Fleischmann, Versteeg, along with ninth year Panther Stephen Weiss, are arguably the most productive line in the NHL right now. All three are averaging at least a point per game, and have combined together for 36-goals and 89-points in the 29-games that the Panthers have played so far this season. Combining these three on a forward line together with the fact that Florida has a highly offensive defense making them one of the most formidable teams in the NHL offensively. D-man Brian Campbell is presently second overall in the league for scoring amongst defensemen with 24-points in 29-games (2-goals, 22-assists). Another Florida blueliner, Jason Garrison, leads all NHL defensemen in goals scored as he has netted 9 of them already this season. Add in Dmitry Kulikov's 17-assists and 20-points in 28-games, and you also easily have a trio of the league's deadliest defense corps from the point.

Ed Jovanovski

Another marquee defenseman, but a familiar face in Florida, Ed Jovanski re-signed with the team during the past summer for a four-year term. Jovanovski was a 19-year old rookie with the Panthers in 1996 when they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they would eventually lose in four straight games to the Colorado Avalanche. The first overall draft pick by the Panthers in the 1994 draft, Jovanski played three-and-a-half seasons in the "Sunshine State" before he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the Pavel Bure deal during the 1998-99 season. Making his heralded return to the Panthers organization this season, Jovanski brings with him a resume that includes an Olympic Gold Medal in 2002 and NHL All-Star honours in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2008. And at 6'2" and 210lbs., Jovanovski has always been an intimidating presence in his own zone.

Tim Kennedy

Mix in role players such as Buffalo cast-off Tim Kennedy, long-time NHL veteran of over 900-games Marco Sturm, Mike Weaver, Jack Skille, Shawn Matthias, Evgenii Davydov, Mike Santorelli, and another Stanley Cup winner in Mikael Samuelsson, the Panthers seem to have all the parts needed on both forward and defense.

The other staple to any hockey team's success is who they have in net, and Florida's goaltending tandem is a couple of old reliables. At 35 and 34 years of age respectively, Jose Theodore and Scott Clemmenson have backstopped the Panthers to their success this season. Theodore, the 2002 Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL's best goaltender and the Hart Memorial Trophy winner as the League's most valuable player that same season, has registered an 11-5-3 record between the pipes, while recording 2 shutouts, a 2.17 goals-against average, as well as a .929 save-percentage. Clemmenson, standing at a record of 3-0-1 has also notched a shutout this season and has numbers of 2.23 and .913. Obviously, both goaltenders are very steady and have been playing the game long enough that Florida can rely on them wholeheartedly to continue manning the nets and winning.

Jose Theodore

When examining each facet of the 2011-12 Florida Panthers, there is no doubt that they are strong on all ends. From the leadership at the very top that both Tallon and Dineen provide, all the way down through their bench and the character and talent of the players that they have on their roster, there is little to no doubt that they will in fact end their playoff drought this season. Dare I say it, there is even potential for a Cinderella-run to the Stanley Cup like they had back in 1996. It would seem most-fitting, almost storybook-like, that with Jovanovski back with the team for one more run that it could in fact be possible. Regardless of what playoff success they may earn this year, the Florida Panthers have re-emerged and are formidable.

Yet another loss - the passing of Wade Belak



Wade Belak

 It seems rather surreal that the hockey world could lose yet another of its most beloved members in such a short period of time. August 31st, 2011 marked the passing of one of the NHL's most colorful and most charismatic former players; recently retired defenseman Wade Belak. After parts of 15-seasons in the NHL, Belak had just retired from the game as a member of the Nashville Predators on March 8th and had moved onto television work with the intention of remaining with Nashville in an organizational role. The sad irony of Belak's passing is that within a matter of a four month timespan, he was the third of three toughguy enforcers to have died; the first being New York Rangers' enforcer Derek Boogaard and the second being Winnipeg Jets' scrapper Rick Rypien. In each of the three instances there appears to be concern that depression or misuse of substances (albeit accidental) played a factor in each players' demise.

As stated in my August 21st entry Mental health of players, both during and after their careers, I touched upon the idea that the NHL ought to look into providing services for retired players that help to promote mental health awareness and positive decision making skills. There is always a difficulty in having to let go of something, especially when that something has been both your career and your life. In letting go of the game of hockey and moving onto other roles in life following retirement, some players are able to adjust and handle the changes better than others. The instances are numerous of players who have suffered from depression and/or fell victim to substance abuse after they have retired from their professional hockey careers. More needs to be done to help assimilate retired players into life post-hockey, and the mental health concerns of retired players need to be studied as well in order to prevent any further tragic deaths. There has to be some type of outreach or program to help former players who are in trouble and give them the support that they need.

Outwardly, Belak had so much going for him. Not only was he widely respected by fans, former teammates and opponents, and the hockey world in general, but Belak had found success in other avenues of life. Married with two young daughters, preparing to take part in the upcoming third season of the reality show Battle of the Blades, working in Nashville's broadcasting booth providing color-commentary all seem like such wonderful things. But were they enough to outweigh the loss of retiring and leaving at least the playing-portion of the game behind? According to Belak's mother, Lorraine Belak, he was suffering from depression in the recent times preceeding his death and it was something that he was endeavoring to take control of. Sadly, it appears that Wade Belak was unable to control his bouts with depression which may have in turn led to his untimely death.

Many are left to ponder - is there any significance to the fact that the three players to lose their lives were all enforcers and were all frequenters of dropping the gloves to fight? Some speculate that the repeated blows to the head that these players endured may have damaged their brains in a way that may have caused these players to suffer from depression. In Boogaard's case, his family has decided to donate his brain to the Boston University Medical School, where it can be studied and perhaps shed insight on the effects on the brains of athletes who partake in high-contact sports, especially in regards to the degenerative brain condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The symptoms of this brain condition are somewhat similar to dementia, and include memory loss, aggression, confusion and, perhaps most significantly in these particular instances, depression. Could brain injuries be at least partly responsible for the deaths of these three players?

Regardless of what the underlying reason is in the deaths of Belak, Rypien and Boogaard, the solution is the same - something must be done not only to help players that are presently active in their careers, but also give them the support that they need and provide helpful services to them after they retire. Maybe some form of post-traumatic stress disorder treatments or programs should be offered to retired hockey players. I pride NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on his adamant statement that the League will be reviewing their programs for players dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues, but I firmly believe that the same must be done for players once their playing days are over, and perhaps most crucially during the time frame when they have recently retired from the sport. There has to be a support network for past and present athletes of the game in order to prevent any further tragedies.

Houda gets his name on the Cup

Doug Houda played his first NHL game as a young defenseman way back during the 1985-86 season with the Detroit Red Wings. He was a journeyman who played with seven different NHL teams during his 18-year professional career, including two separate stints with both the Detroit Red Wings and the Buffalo Sabres. Known for his rugged physical play and willingness to drop the gloves, Houda spent the last five years of his career playing mostly in the American Hockey League with an occasional call up to a parent-club when injuries gave him the opportunity to crack an NHL roster.

I remember Doug Houda mostly from his days with the Buffalo Sabres and also from the Hartford Whalers when they waged epic battles against Buffalo. Houda was always one of the tough guys; never hesitating to go toe-to-toe against an opposing enforcer in an effort to stand-up for a teammate, gain momentum for his team, or rectify an injustice done to his goaltender. Doug Houda was a follower of "The Code"; the unspoken code of conduct for fighting in the game of hockey, allowing the players to police themselves and making certain that each player is held responsible for his own actions. During his career, Houda squared-off with the likes of Tie Domi, Rob Ray, Ken Baumgartner, Brad May, Jeff Odgers, Shawn Antoski and many more.

Following Houda's retirement as an active player in 2003, he stepped into the role of assistant coach with the Rochester Americans of the AHL. Houda had already served as the Amerks captain during his final season of professional hockey, and was already the respected leader of the team (he played in 77-games that year with the team at the age of 36 and racked-up 191-penalty minutes). It is clear that the respect that Houda garnered during his playing career immediately carried on into the coaching life afterward. At that late age in his career and playing on a team of teenagers and twentysomethings, it was the perfect decision to bring him onboard as a coach for the team upon his retirement.

Success and recognition for his abilities continued to carry Houda back onto the "big stage" in the NHL only a short time later. In the summer of 2006, Houda was hired as an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins. Since that time time, Boston has been known for possessing one of the most intimidating and effective defenses in the game today. The 2006-07 season would also mark the first season that Bruins' captain, all-star defenseman and eventual Norris Trophy winner Zdeno Chara would join the team, and the success of the Bruins and their defense would just continue from there. Minus the scoring touch, Houda personified during his playing career the style of play that Chara brings to the table; tough, rugged, no-nonsense hockey. With Chara merely being the biggest name on the Bruins backend, Boston, with help from Houda's coaching, have developed some of the NHL's more highly touted defensemen like Dennis Seidenberg, Andrew Ference, Johnny Boychuk and Adam McQuaid.

Hard-work, determination and overcoming from previous seasons of heartache and failure would pay off this past spring, as the Boston Bruins hoisted the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1972. Becoming champions is a developmental process, and with their team captain and premier defenseman Chara and assistant coach Houda both arriving at the same time, the Bruins were able to ensure that the key members for growing their defense were all on the same page and that this defense was fostered into becoming the corps needed to win the Stanley Cup. The integral role that Houda played in helping to orchestrate last season's championship run can be seen on the faces of each of the Bruins defensemen, most notably their captain as he received and hoisted the Cup for the first time.

There is no question that the tenacity and leadership that Houda displayed during his career enabled him to become a great teacher of the game for young players and have shown that he has always maintained a desire to win and compete, which he can impart to others. Finally, after many years of playing the game, and at times literally fighting to win and rally his team, and then now after continued success each season with coaching, Doug Houda is able to raise Lord Stanley's Cup himself and have his named inscribed upon hockey's most prestigious trophy where it shall remain forever. After 18-years as a player, 561-games in the NHL (plus 18 more in the playoffs), along with 1104 penalty-minutes, it is nice to see that hard work has more than paid off for Doug Houda. I am certain that he and the Bruins shall have continued success, and that Houda especially will contine to blossom in his coaching career that will likely land him a head coaching job someday in the NHL.

Coffee with "The Crow"

A few years back while having morning coffee with my future wife, while sitting at the nearby Tim Horton's restaurant in the suburbs of Buffalo, I recognized a familiar face making his way through the doorway. I had never met the man before, but any true long-time Sabres fan would have recognized him. Our eyes met and he smiled and nodded to me. I kind of beamed from his acknowledgement to me, and said "Hi Joe! How are you?". He proceeded to move in line to grab his morning coffee and a box of Timbits. It was former Sabres coach, Joe Crozier; "The Crow".

I probably would have thought nothing more about it, other than perhaps to say to people, "Hey, I saw Joe Crozier this morning at Tim Horton's", but Joe actually proceeded to come over and sit with us once he had gotten his order. I won't ever forget that. He really did not have to. He didn't know me or my girlfriend. He is an older gentleman who is not in the best of health, and I am sure that he is also very busy in his personal life. I can certainly see how this man, a great hockey coach in his own right and highly respected in various hockey circles, had heavily endeared himself both to the players that he coached and to those of the community.

Mr. Crozier stayed with us a good 15-minutes, drinking coffee, updating us on his health and what he was doing these days, signed an autograph for the girl I would eventually marry, shook my hand and said goodbye as he was leaving to make his way up to Tim Horton's "Camp Days" over the border in Welland, Ontario. Again, he did not need to stop and spend a portion of his morning with us. I won't ever forget how he extended that courtesy to us of his own accord.

Joe Crozier was the first head-coach to lead the Buffalo Sabres into the playoffs when he did so during the 1972-73 season; only their third season of existence. This was also the first full season that the newly united "French Connection" line of Gilbert Perreault, Rick Martin and Rene Robert was assembled. There were a few rookies on that team as well and also a group of younger players in their early-mid 20s that were trying to make names for themselves and land permanent jobs in the NHL. Don Luce, Craig Ramsay, Jim Schoenfeld, Larry Mickey, Mike Robitaille, Larry Carriere, Paul Terbenche, Dave Dryden, captain Gerry Meehan, Steve Atkinson and others all saw their game improve from the guidance and knowledge that Crozier imparted to them. And though for the most part that Sabres team was very young, Crozier and general manager Punch Imlach blended in a nice mix of veterans as well with the likes of 35-year old and multiple Stanley Cup champion Larry Hillman, the acrobatic netminder and former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Roger Crozier, and the late, great Tim Horton who also was a multi Stanley Champion and an eventual Hockey Hall of Famer.

Regardless of experience and talent level of those players that Joe Crozier coached that year for the first time playoff run, one thing that they all say in interviews and in storytelling is that Crozier taught them to be closely knit and to have fun. They were a team that loved playing together and believed in where Crozier was leading them. I am certain that all of those players have been able to look back upon how positively Joe Crozier effected their playing careers and their lives.

When I think of how Joe Crozier took some time out of his day to spend it with me for just cup of coffee and small talk, it is no wonder that his former players hold him in such high-regard as not only a coach but as a person as well. You get a sense that Crozier can see the importance of everyone whom he meets and the role that they play either on the ice or in life. When a coach is able to recognize the significance of each individual and make them feel that their particular job matters and is vital, that coach is then able to orchestrate a true team that can succeed by believing in each other and counting on each other. I suppose that it is the same way in everyday life as well. Maybe some people, like Joe Crozier, realize that more than others and that has what has made them successful and respectable in life.

Getting your name on the Cup



Shane Hnidy



With the Boston Bruins in the midst of their summer long celebration with Lord Stanley's Cup, I am curious as to whether any of the Boston players who did NOT qualify to have their names inscribed on the Cup will in fact end up having that honor of being forever engraved. Today, and since the late 1970s, in order for a player to qualify for having his named inscribed on the Cup that player must have played at least 41-regular season games (which equates to exactly half of the regular season games in an NHL season) or has to have appeared in at least one game in the Stanley Cup Finals. Championship teams are able to lobby for players who don't meet the criteria, but whom they still want included on the Cup-engraving for the team by petitioning the League for their inclusion. Usually a team will argue that the player was unable to meet the requirements due to injury or some other extenuating circumstances that limited the number of games that they played.

I always hope that the winning team will petition to have that long-time veteran who has typically been around the game for years but tends to teeter between being in the "Big League" and the minors. That player on the cusp who works hard day-in and day-out but who doesn't quite have the talent to solidify himself a permanent spot on the active roster. With the Bruins having won the 2011 Stanley Cup, I have to route for veteran defenseman Shane Hnidy to have his name included with the rest of his teammates. Hnidy only played 3-regular season games and 3-playoff games in Boston's run to the Cup, after being signed in February '11 as a free agent to be used as a depth defenseman. But here is a guy who is 35-years old, is a veteran of 590 NHL games (regular season and playoffs combined) and is an all-around hard-working, rugged player. I think it would be rather unfair that after all his years of playing the game that Hnidy would not be included in the name engraving. Let's hope that Boston does go ahead and acknowledge his efforts, and that the League approves of Hnidy's inclusion.



Stanislav Neckar



It seems to me that sometimes the NHL is a little more laid back some seasons more than others when it comes to being accepting of championship team petitions. For example, I remember being ecstatic in 2004 when the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Cup and that veterans Darren Rumble (a guy who had spent most of his professional career in the AHL) and Stanislav Neckar had their names included on the Cup despite not even coming close to meeting the requirements for name engraving. Rumble, who had bounced in and out of the NHL for years and years, never quite being able to land a permanent spot in Philaldelphia, Ottawa, St. Louis or Tampa Bay, played a mere 5-games the season that the Lightning became champions. Stan Neckar played even less; only 2-games in the Semi-Finals and not a single regular season game for the team (he did in fact play ONE regular season game with Nashville that year before being acquired by Tampa later that season). I readily admit that I had always been a fan of both Rumble and Neckar (I have their autographed photos hanging on the wall in one of our rooms at home). I remember e-mailing the NHL, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Hockey Hall of Fame that summer after the Lightning won the Cup to find out if their names would in fact be included on the Cup. The Hockey Hall of Fame eventually e-mailed me back and stated that both Rumble and Neckar would in fact be included, along with rookie Eric Perrin, who as well only played 4-regular season games plus 12 more in the playoffs. I also remember coach John Tortorella (the Lightning's coach for that championship run) stating adamantly to the NHL that Neckar's, Rumble's and Perrin's names MUST be included because they were each a part of that team and they were there for the practices and traveling with the team even if they did not play in all of the games that season. The league seemed to be relatively relaxed and allowed for them to be included on the Cup.



Eddie Olczyk



However, when the New York Rangers won the Cup in 1994, ending a 54-year drought, they really had to fight hard to make sure that both veterans Eddie Olczyk and Mike Hartman would have their names engraved with their teammates despite neither playing enough games (Olczyk played in 37-games that season and 1-playoff game; Hartman played in 35-games, but none in the playoffs). The NHL relented, but took their time in deciding as both Olczyk's and Hartman's names were added after the engraving had already been completed; they were tacked on at the end. The League eventually accepted the fact that both Olczyk and Hartman WOULD have played in more games that season and met the requirements if it were not for injuries.



Kim Johnsson

 And while some teams really seem to go to bat for their players to have them included, others do not really seem too concerned about the sentiments of their veterans. When the Chicago Blackhawks won the Cup in 2010, they picked up long time veteran defenseman Kim Johnsson from the Minnesota Wild to be used as an additional experienced player on their blueline. Johnsson, who had well over 700-NHL regular season games to his credit and had also played 52-games that season with Minnesota prior to being traded to Chicago, was NOT(!) included on the engraving as he had only played 8-regular season games with the Blackhawks after the trade. Chicago did not even request to have his name on the Cup, despite the fact that they could have argued that Johnsson had missed games from a concussion and even the fact that he had played 52-regular season games that year, albeit with another team. At the very least, you would think that Chicago would have asked for Johnsson's inclusion for sentimental reasons because he had played for so long in the NHL. But alas, the Cup is engraved with the Chicago Blackhawks championship players from that season, minus Johnsson.



Ivan Boldirev

 And some Stanley Cup engravings don't make any sense whatsoever. Look at Ivan Boldirev. When the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup during the 1969-70 season, Boldirev's name was engraved on the Cup with the rest of the Bruins despite the fact that Boldirev had not even played a single NHL game at that point! Boldirev had been called up as a spare player for the playoffs that season and despite not playing a single game still was able to get his name on the Cup. Boldirev would eventually play his first two NHL games with Boston the next season, and would go on to over 1,000 games total and record nearly as many points (866-points in 1,052-regular season games). But still - to have his name included on the Stanley Cup when he had never played an NHL game at that point is just absurd!



Marc Savard



Considering at how lax the NHL can be with name engravings, I truly hope that Shane Hnidy will end up having his name engraved on the Cup. And for that matter, talented veteran Marc Savard too. I see no reason why Savard, who only managed 25-games with Boston last season due to numerous problems from concussions, should not be included on the Cup. Due to his serious and career-threatening injuries, it should be a no-brainer that the NHL would grant that Marc Savard's name be included on the Cup. I do know that fortunately Boston's general manager Peter Chiarelli has stated that he will petition for Savard's name to be included.

The ever important steadying veteran defenseman

Summer usually signifies the time of rampant free-agency in the NHL, and I am always curious to see which teams will land a veteran defenseman to help bolster their blueline and provide ample tutelage to their younger players. I guess that I have always been impressed by the impact that a 10-year plus veteran is able to have upon a younger kid who is maybe only in his first couple of years in the League.

My favorite example of that presence that a steadying veteran defenseman is able to provide would be the late, great Tim Horton and the time that he spent with the Buffalo Sabres. When Horton first arrived in Buffalo for the 1972-73 season he was 42-years old and had already been a stalwart defenseman in the League since 1950. By that time he had already won four Stanley Cups with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was regarded as one of the greatest defensemen of all-time, not to mention one of the most imposing as well (though not abundantly big in size by today's standards, Horton is still regarded by many as the strongest player to ever play the game). At the time, the Sabres were laden with youngster defensemen; rookies Jim Schoenfeld and Larry "The Hawk" Carriere were both just 20-years of age, Mike Robitaille was 24, and Paul Terbenche was 26. To sum it up, Tim Horton was the same age as Carriere's father during their first season together in Buffalo. Not only did Horton provide priceless tutelage to these youngsters that they would carry with them for the rest of their careers (and lives), but he helped to garner a solid defense-corps that would lead Buffalo into the Stanley Cup playoffs for the very first time in only their third year of existence. The work ethic and character on and off the ice that Horton exuded rubbed off on all of these youngsters and taught them to become both better players and better people.

Looking at the free-agent signings throughout the summer of 2011 I can see a number of movements that teams have made that echo the same impact that Horton had in Buffalo. Take for instance 33-year old Colin White being signed to a 1-year contract by the San Jose Sharks after 11-years with the New Jersey Devils. Not only does White bring 743 regular season games of NHL experience, plus 111 more in the playoffs, but he has two Stanley Cup championships to his credit that he won with the New Jersey ('00 and '03). Though the Sharks are perennially one of the most powerful teams in the Western Conference and are routine Stanley Cup contenders, they have had a habit of falling short over and over again in the playoffs. By signing a defenseman like Colin White who knows what it takes to win and become a champion, the Sharks have brought in a player who can impart that experience and that knowledge to younger players who have not reached that apex. Despite already having savvy veterans like Dan Boyle and Douglas Murray, White helps round-out the top-six defensemen for the Sharks and personifies the "lunch-pail" mentality; he shows up, does his job and each night strives to win despite not being known as a talented defenseman. White makes up for any lack of skill with hard-work and effort. The Sharks' young blueliners Jason Demers (23-years old), Marc-Edouard Vlasic (24), Brent Burns (26) and Justin Braun (24) will only benefit from what Colin White brings to the table.

I also look at the Columbus Blue Jackets signing 10-year veteran defenseman Radek Martinek to a one-year contract. Martinek is 34-years old and had spent his entire career with the New York Islanders before being signed by the Blue Jackets. After making the playoffs only once(!) during their 10-seasons of existence in the NHL, the Blue Jackets are desperate to get back into the post season and anything short of making the playoffs this season will be deemed a failure. Columbus hopes that the veteran Martinek will be an addition that can help them solidify a playoff position. Columbus, not known as a hockey hot-bed, possesses a relatively unknown group on defense. Grant Clitsome, Kris Russell, and Marc Methot aren't necessarily household names outside of Columbus and well-learned hockey fans. Martinek is presently their only blueliner over the age of 30. The Blue Jackets are hoping that by adding that same "steadying presence" with Radek Martinek that they will be able to be a contender this season and will no longer be on the outside looking in come the month of May.

The Washington Capitals, who are likely as frustrated as the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks for having such outstanding regular seasons and yet not being able to keep it together once the playoffs begin, sought out long-time NHL veteran Roman Hamrlik. The Capitals, arguably the team in the NHL with the most amount of talent and firepower when you look at the likes of Alexander Ovechkin, Mike Green, Alexander Semin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Knuble, Brooks Laich, All-Star netminder Tomas Vokoun and newcomer Joel Ward have suffered disappointing playoff exits in each of the past four seasons. One way that the Caps are endeavoring to turn that tale around is by bringing in the 37-year old Hamrlik, who played his first NHL game way back in 1992 as an 18-year old. Hamrlik , who was with Montreal last season, brings along 1,311 regular season games to his name, and with 624-points during his career he still has some offensive touch at his age and can help out on the powerplay which is normally quaterbacked by Mike Green. Perhaps Harmlik's skill and experience-level are just what Washington needs to go the distance in the playoffs.

Garnet Exelby (Detroit), Kent Huskins (St. Louis), Ian White (Detroit), Jim Vandermeer (San Jose), Sheldon Souray (Dallas) and 2011 Stanley Cup champion Tomas Kaberle (Carolina), who was maybe the most lucrative player of the bunch are all veteran defensemen who found a new home this upcoming season with teams looking to strengthen and solidify their bluelines. And with still some time left before the 2011-12 regular season begins, we may in fact see other teams snatch up a veteran defenseman such as the likes of Bryan McCabe, Steve Staios, Nick Boynton or Paul Mara.

Do or die for Ponikarovsky

Carolina Hurricanes forward Alexei Ponikarovsky has a lot to prove this year. Last season, his lone year with the Los Angeles Kings, was absolutely abysmal compared to normal Ponikarovsky-standards. After five straight seasons of posting double-digits in the goal column, including four in which he surpassed the 20-mark, Alexei dropped to an embarrassing mere 5-goals in 61-games last season.

Was it an off-year for the 6-foot, 4-inch Ukrainian power-forward? Arguably so. But the concern comes from the fact that not only did Ponikarovsky not live up to expectations in Los Angeles after signing a one-year $3-million contract with a $200,000 signing bonus, but Alexei is also getting older now. At 31-years of age, Ponikarovsky is moving out of his prime and with such a drop stastically as he had last year, some will be wondering whether "Poni" is able to rebound from such an poor year.

Ponikarovsky will have every opportunity in Carolina to prove that last season was a fluke and that he still possesses a scoring-touch and the ability to be an effective top-six forward offensively. With the Hurricanes he will be surrounded by plenty of offensive talent which should only help to bolster his abilities as well. With such starstudded forwards as Eric Staal, Jussi Jokinen, Tuomo Ruutu, Brandon Sutter and exciting Calder Trophy winner Jeff Skinner, Alexei will not likely be a primary focus of the opposition. With more focus by opposing teams on the rest of the Hurricanes star players, Ponikarovsky should be able to get the opportunities he needs to produce and put the puck into the net.

If Ponikarovsky can rebound and regain his knack for scoring 20-plus goals every year, then the Hurricanes have only further added to their offensive fire-power. At $1.5-million for one-year, that may in fact be considered a bargain depending upon how Ponikarovsky performs. Regardless, being back in the Eastern Conference and with a new team will give Alexei a fresh start that he may really need.

Mental health of players, both during and after their careers

Derek Boogaard

With the recent untimely passing of Winnipeg Jets' forward Rick Rypien, I am pleased to see that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has adamantly stated that the League will review its programs for handling both substance abuse and behavioral health programs which are utilized to promote and foster overall strong mental health among the NHL's players accompanied by positive decision making. With the passing of both Rypien and New York Rangers forward Derek Boogaard only months apart, there is obvious cause for concern that the players, just like all people, may need assistance in coping with and handling the strains of everyday life, along with the inherent stress of fame and fortune.

Tom Cavanagh

Sadly, Rypien and Boogaard are not the only hockey players to have been lost to us too young and too soon at the hands of substance abuse or bouts with depression and mental health. Perhaps lesser publicized than Rypien's and Boogard's passings, was the death of former San Jose Sharks forward and Harvard University graduate, Tom Cavanagh, who apparently took his own life in January 2011.

Cavanagh had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had been insitutionalized several times during the last months of his life.

Former NHL enforcer and Stanley Cup champion John Kordic died of a drug overdose in the summer of 1992 at the young age of 27. Kordic, one of the most feared enforcers of his time, recorded 997 penalty minutes in only 244 career regular season games. Kordic was one of the many youngsters that contributed to the Montreal Canadiens run to the Cup in 1986, appearing in 18 playoff games that year including all 5 games of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Former New York Rangers' and Dallas Stars' forward Roman Lyashenko took his own life during the summer of 2003 while vacationing with his mother and sister in Antalya, Turkey. Many feel that he had difficulty coping with life in North America, far away from home in his native Russia.

And a handful of other players lost their lives in car accidents where large amounts of alcohol had been involved, including superstar goaltender Pelle Lindbergh, defenseman Steve Chiasson and former St. Louis Blues player Bob Gassoff.

Bob Gassoff

The deaths of all of the aforementioned players stand from Gassoff's passing in the late-1970s until this summer with the deaths of Rypien and Boogaard, so there is an obvious ongoing need to supply NHL players with the proper support and counseling on making wise decisions in life and providing medical support and treatment to the players who may be battling mental illness and depression. But my concern comes in for the players who have retired and have put their playing days behind them. I fear that maybe once a player retires, which in and of itself is a major life-decision and major career-decision that may bring about large amounts of stress and anxiety, that there may not be that support that a person, whether a hockey player or not, would need in life when taking such a major step. For there have been numerous retired hockey players to have either taken their own lives or lost their lives to substance abuse long AFTER their playing days have ended.

Larry Mickey

For example, former NHL journeyman Larry Mickey committed suicide at the age of 38 in July 1982; 7-years after his last game in the NHL. Mickey had lost his first wife in a fatal car-accident in which he was behind the wheel in 1967. In 1982, with his second marriage on the rocks and his career over with having been shortened by injuries and a lack of natural talent, Mickey took his own life. Those close to Mickey believed that he simply could not cope with life after hockey.

A former 50-goal scorer in the NHL while with the Quebec Nordiques, Jacques Richard, played a troubled career and had lived a troubled life. Though Richard had great potential and was slated to be a premier player, he faced injuries during his career which was further marred by bouts with alcoholism, gambling and even cocaine. Having played with the Atlanta Flames, Buffalo Sabres and Quebec, Richard's career was over in 1983. 6-years later, Richard would be arrested for attempted cocaine smuggling and sentenced to 7-years in prison. Richard would eventually die in a car-crash on his 50th birthday after a day of drinking.

Theoren Fleury

As documented in his 2009 book Playing with Fire former NHL superstar Theoren Fleury battled alcohol abuse, drug abuse and depression throughout his playing career and in the years following (not to mention the sexual abuse that he fell victim to at a young age). Fleury, who doesn't receive the accolades he truly deserves in my opinion for being the phenomenal hockey player that he was, has turned his life around for the better and even attempted a comeback with the Calgary Flames.

Considering the tragic lives of these players after their playing days were over, not to mention numerous other players who faced similar problems post-hockey, I think that the League also needs to consider including treatment plans and programs for retired players after they decide to retire in order to help acclimate them to life after hockey. I give full props to the NHL for wanting to better help their present young players in leading healthier lives both mentally and physically, but there also should be options for players who have retired and are having difficulty with moving on with life once they have left hockey. Perhaps some type of grief and loss counseling or programs, open to players who have retired and need to seek help in living life once they have left the game. The NHL should not forget their players of past seasons, and should look out for them with the same care and concern that they do with their present day players. For it would appear that individuals troubled with substance abuse and mental health concerns during their playing days are maybe even more susceptible to troubled personal lives when their playing days are over.