An end for Ivanans(?), and the dangers of concussions from fighting.

Raitis Ivanans of the Calgary Flames

Tying into some of my earlier thoughts on the mental and emotional effect on hockey players that concussions cause and exacerbate, I would like to delve a little further into that subject with a particular case that is very current but seems to have drawn little to no attention. The case regards of one of my favorite NHL enforcers, Calgary Flames forward, Raitis Ivanans.

Fighting in hockey. I have seen the pros and cons of it for many years, but I have always considered myself "Pro-Fighting" when it comes to fisticuffs being allowed in the game. I agree with the moniker; "Let the players police the game and themselves". Fighting holds would-be cheap-shot artists accountable for their actions. If you are going to deliver an elbow to the head, or decide to be an idiot and go for a knee-to-knee hit on an opposing player, then you SHOULD have to receive your comeuppance and pay a price for your actions. Hockey can quite often be a game of karma; what goes around comes around. And oftentimes, it does not always seem that time in the penalty-box or a temporary suspension without pay can make up for an underhanded act performed on a player that could forever be a detriment to both their career and their livelihood.

Raitis Ivanans, while with the Los Angeles Kings,
delivering a punch to Aaron Johnson of Calgary

There is the much argued and much maligned fighting instigator-rule. Ennacted in 1992, the rule used to dissuade fighting gives the player who starts the fight an additional 2-minute penalty for instigating, thus potentially putting his team shorthanded.  If the instigator-rule were to be abolished it would ensure that a player, likely a team's enforcer, could exact retribution on the opposing player who committed an offense without the fear of putting his team at a disadvantage for his actions. The guilty party would receive what is coming to him and would likely refrain from committing any further offenses. This would mean that players like Matt Cooke, Patrick Kaleta, Jarkko Ruutu, Sean Avery and Steve Downie, all of whom are widely considered "dirty" players would be held accountable for their actions. Knowing that they would have to tangle with the likes of imposing giants such as George Parros, John Scott, Jody Shelley, Brian McGrattan and Raitis Ivanans would act as a major deterrent for these "dirty" players when having to pay the price for their actions. And in theory, the game would be much "cleaner" and there would be far less instances of long-term and/or career-threatening injuries taking place due to one player intending to do harm to another. Less hits from behind, less overzealous stickwork, less instances intended bodily harm. The players police themselves and keep anyone from getting badly hurt by a cheapshot. Fighting serves a necessary purpose.

I have long agreed with that philosophy, and I know that the players in the game who are inclined to drop the gloves realize the risk involved. They are grown men, they are "big boys", and they know that there is always a chance of serious injury. But when that serious injury actually takes place, and that player not only misses playing time but is also out of work on a long-term basis and has ongoing major health-issues after the initial injury, the question that has to be asked is "was it really worth it?". Was it worth it to go toe-to-toe in order to avenge a violation of the sacred "code of conduct" in a hockey game? So a agitator slashed one of our finesse players - is the act of retribution worth the same price as a concussion that may prevent a player from ever playing the game again? When I look at Raitis Ivanans of the Calgary Flames, I do not know if I can truly justify fighting anymore, at least not to myself.

Strong arms of Raitis Ivanans

Raitis Ivanans is a giant and one of the fiercest and most intimidating enforcers there is. The most recent statistics that I saw on him listed him at 6'4" and weighing 240lbs. He has trimmed down a bit if that is the case, for I remember early in his career he weighed in at 265lbs., and was the heaviest player in the NHL; even heavier than the largest player in the League, Zdeno Chara. Ivanans has arms the size of Redwood tree trunks that look as if he could crush someone's skull with a single squeeze. The sight of him alone would be a major deterrent for most to stay away from doing harm to any one of his teammates. Ivanans is also one of the very few players to ever make it the NHL from the small country of Latvia.

After going undrafted, Ivanans was signed by the Montreal Canadiens where he played but 4-games, perhaps largely due to an injury during the 2005-06 season. In Raitis' very first NHL game, he fought fellow giant Zdeno Chara while Chara was still playing for the Ottawa Senators, and sustained a broken orbital bone after Chara threw a late punch once Ivanans was down. That summer, Ivanans would sign on with the Los Angeles Kings where he has played the bulk of his career. In all, Raitis Ivanans played four full seasons with the Kings, appearing in over 270-games while recording well over 500-penalty-minutes. Ivanans garnered (though it would not be that difficult for him to do so, due to size alone) a reputation as one of the most feared enforcers in the NHL.

Ivanans fighting Steve MacIntyre.
This is the fight that gave him
a severe concussion.

In the summer of 2010, Ivanans would leave Los Angeles for the Western Conference rival Calgary Flames, after signing a new 2-year contract. To this day, Ivanans has only played one single game as a Flame. I remember watching that very game and have not forgotten it. My wife and I were on honeymoon in Montreal in early October 2010, right at the start of hockey season. After a day of sightseeing, we returned to the hotel and I put a hockey game on the television. The game happened to be another "Battle of Alberta", as provincial rivals the Edmonton Oilers and Ivanans' Calgary Flames were playing each other. In the third-period, Ivanans squared-off with the Oilers' giant, Steve MacIntyre, who is listed even somewhat larger than Ivanans, at 6'5" and 250lbs. I was actually quite excited to see these two heavyweights drop the gloves. That was until the fight got underway. MacIntyre certainly got the better of the fight by landing about seven straight shots to the left-side Ivanans' face, while Raitis got only a few shots in. Seven hard shots to the face may have done a fair amount of damage in and of themselves, but it was the eighth punch that was the most damaging and most horrific to see. When MacIntyre caught him with that eighth and final haymaker, Ivanans slumped to the ice immediately. The first thought through my mind was, "Oh no, this is bad. He is in trouble". I think that everyone watching the game realized it as well, and the announcers duly noted it too, as medical training personnel hurried to assist Ivanans on the ice. Ivanans was practically knocked cold and badly concussed.

That was the last game that Ivanans has played in the NHL, as he has been out for over a year making efforts to recover from a debilitating concussion which was a direct result of the fight with MacIntyre. At 32-years of age, Ivanans isn't getting any younger, and he hasn't played for more than half of his 2-year contract with the Flames which is scheduled to run out at the end of this season. I can only imagine the large amount of frustration and stress that a longterm injury such as this must be putting on Ivanans. Recovering from a concussion is a lengthy process that has no definitive end of recovery time. There are good days and bad days of the symptoms involved (i.e. sensitivity to light, depression, irritability, headaches, etc.), not to mention the sense of not being able to work and competing with your teammates. It is my fear that Ivanans could never fully return from this injury in being the same player that he once was, and even a worse fear should he fall into the same struggles that afflicted fellow tough-guys Derek Boogaard, Wade Belak and Rick Rypien.

Raitis Ivanans

However, there is some very bright news which came about just recently on 10/20, as it was announced that Calgary had assigned Ivanans to their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat. Even better was the fact that Ivanans was able to play in his first hockey in over a year and already has a couple of games under his belt with the Heat, after a long, long recovery from his concussion. Regardless of this excellent news, who is to say that Ivanans' playing career and life will ever truly be the same, and whether or not he will ever make it back into the NHL. One concussion, especially a serious one, usually makes a player more prone to additional concussions down the road. And not being a skilled player makes Ivanans' role with a hockey club extremely limited. It is inspiring to see that Ivanans is moving forward and returning to the game, but has the concussion gotten the better of him and has it already made a lasting imprint and done its damage? For Raitis Ivanans sake, it is my sincere hope that with all of the recent attention to concussions and the emotional and mental strain that they can cause, that he will have all of the assistance and support he needs in returning to hockey permanently.

The tragedy of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

I haven't blogged in a while, and I wanted this to be my first entry now that I am writing again. It took me quite a while to gather my thoughts and to find a way to make a personal response regarding the horrible tragedy of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash that took place on September 7th, 2011. Over a month later and having had ample time to reflect, I think I can now put my thoughts into the most appropriate words for understanding the gravity of situation and its impact on hockey and on myself.

Brad McCrimmon

The crash claimed the lives of the entire Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team.  Nine members of the team I had once watched play in the NHL and had collected their hockey cards over the years; a few of whom since my boyhood. Coach Brad McCrimmon, assistant coaches Alexander Karpovtsev and Igor Korolev had been players that I had grown up watching when they starred in the NHL. At 9-years of age, I fondly remember Brad McCrimmon being instrumental for the 1989 Calgary Flames when they won their first and only Stanley Cup. I have McCrimmon's rookie card in a plastic sleeve set aside in a special box with many of my other cards that I treasure. I even remember seeing him play in person towards the end of his career with the Hartford Whalers during a game against the Buffalo Sabres in the old Memorial Auditorium.

Alexander Karpovtsev

Alexander Karpotsev was always one of my most favorite defensemen. He was openly criticized for laziness and being a soft player by some, who also acknowledged his immense talent when he put the effort in. I cannot help but wonder how some of Karpovtsev's most ardent critics must feel, what thoughts went through their minds when they learned that he had perished in this plane crash. I do not intend to sound morbid by posing this question. Rather, I am highly sympathetic. I would not know how to cope with openly criticizing someone and then learning that they had lost their life in such a horrific accident. I think of Karpovtsev in a much more positive light, though. I can still recall watching on television as Karpovtsev raised the Stanley Cup above his head in 1994 with the New York Rangers. He was a healthy-scratch that night and lifted the Cup over his held while wearing a shirt and tie and screaming a triumphant victory cry. Karpovtsev was one of the last Rangers to lift the Cup on the ice that night before the team went to celebrate inside the locker room. But he became one of the first four Russians ever to have his name enscribed on the Stanley Cup, along with teammates Sergei Zubov, Sergei Nemchinov and Alexei Kovalev.

Igor Korolev

Igor Korolev played in nearly 800 NHL games beginning in the early 1990s and then into the 2000s. I remember that when Korolev first broke into the NHL with the St. Louis Blues in 1992, he was part of the short-lived "Moscow Express Line" with teammates Vitali Karamnov and Vitali Prokhorov. Korolev would have much more longevity in the league than his two counterparts, moving on to play with the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks for many more years following his days in St. Louis. But what impressed me most about Igor Korolev was the way he was portrayed in Dave King's 2007 book "King of Russia: A Year in the Russian Super League". King documents his time as head coach of the Metallurg Magnitogorsk hockey club in the Russian Super League. The book discussed King's adjustments to life and coaching hockey in Russia, as he became the first Canadian coach to do so. Korolev, one of King's players for Magnitogorsk that year, was one of the few players on the team who had played in the NHL before and could also speak English. Reading the book, King talks in such high regard of Igor Korolev for how hard he worked on the ice during games, how much of a leader and inspiration he was to the younger players on the squad, and how integral a part he was for the success of the team. I was always impressed by Igor Korolev after reading that book.

Pavol Demitra, Ruslan Salei, Karlis Skrastins, Karel Rachunek, Alexander Vasyunov and Josef Vasicek were all players whom I had seen play throughout the years as well. I respect all of them for what they were able to accomplish as players. Perhaps I still cannot fully comprehend the loss of so many players that I had watched and admired who were taken from the world in an instant. It is too difficult to fathom and to grasp, though I am trying.

I also believe that I was touched in ways by this tragedy that others were not and could not fully understand unless they were in my shoes. Many, many more people were impacted on a far deeper level than I, and I am certainly not attempting to say my grief is greater than others or to make some type of comparision. But I think that my experience with this tragedy is unique in many ways.

I have traveled somewhat extensively in Russia. I have visited the country on five separate occasions. I have been in the cities of Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Ulyanovsk, Samara and Dimitrovgrad. I have taken flights on numerous occasions and made connections in the Moscow, Saint-Petersburg and Samara airports. Samara's airport is highly outdated, especially on arrival. You land in the middle of an open runway and gather your luggage in an old dilapidated "barn", for lack of a better word. I have studied the Russian language and can speak it fairly well, though I am getting rusty. I have known and have been very close with many Russians and have numerous Russian friends. I think that maybe I have an insight into how the Russian people may have felt when this tragedy took place.

Yury Urychev

During the weeks surrounding Christmas 2010 and New Year's 2011, I had the rare privilege of being able to work the World Junior Hockey Championships of 2011 when they came to Buffalo, New York. I worked 10 of the games that were hosted at Dwyer Arena at Niagara University. During that time I befriended members of the Russian contigent and Team Russia, some of whom I still remain in touch with. Team Russia was one of the four teams that were hosted at Dwyer Arena. I was in their locker room, I watched their practices and saw all of their games that were hosted at our arena. Team Russia would win the Gold Medal of the tournament by defeating Team Canada in the stunning Gold Medal game in Downtown Buffalo. Yuri Urychev and Daniil Sobchenko were both members of the Yaroslavl hockey club who I had seen play and practice during this tournament. The friends whom I had met during the 2011 World Juniors from the Russian contigent were all heartbroken and devasted by the loss of these two young men. Day after day following the plane crash, I read their posts on Facebook and saw how they grieved. I sent consoling messages to them, with the hope that at the very least they would know that the loss that they were experiencing was recognized and that they were being thought of during their time of grief.

Alexander Galimov

In the brief time following the plane crash, I prayed daily that Alexander Galimov, originally the lone surviving member of the Yaroslavl hockey club, would live and be able to recover from his horrific injuries. He was the one ray of hope that at least one member of the team would live on. That at least one player could survive would provide consolation to all of the grief-stricken hearts. But that was not to be, as Galimov would eventually succumb to the burns he sustained in the crash on September 12th. Perhaps comfort can be taken in knowing that Galimov would no longer be suffering from the excruciating pain of injuries such as these and he would not need to face that endless road ahead of trying to recover. He is at peace now with the rest of his teammates.

By putting my thoughts together here, I will move forward from this tragedy and find my own closure with it. May all the members of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl rest in peace. They will never be forgotten and they will continue to live on in the hearts of the people who knew them personally as well as those that had the honor of seeing them play.

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.