Originally published in Eishockey News in 2008 By Lucas Aykroyd J-P Dumont is one of the NHL’s most anonymous stars. He recorded a career-best, team-leading 72 points with the Nashville Predators last season, but few hockey fans could pick him out on the street. That’s not really surprising. The talented right wing was chosen third […]

Originally published in Eishockey News in 2008 By Lucas Aykroyd A 6-0 road loss to the Vancouver Canucks on October 9 certainly wasn’t the way Todd Bertuzzi wanted to start the next phase of his NHL career with the Calgary Flames. The 33-year-old power forward has never been able to regain the form he showed […]

Originally published in Eishockey News in 2008 By Lucas Aykroyd Leaving Vancouver wasn’t easy for Brendan Morrison. Not only did the smart 33-year-old centerman spend eight productive seasons with the Canucks, but he’s also a native Vancouver son. So when he returned to GM Place for the first time as a member of the Anaheim […]

Originally published in Eishockey News in 2008 By Lucas Aykroyd When the San Jose Sharks offered Rob Blake a one-year, $5-million deal on July 1, the start of NHL free agency, it wasn’t because they wanted him to come in and serve as a glorified assistant coach. The Sharks believe the 38-year-old defenceman, who had […]

Originally published in Eishockey News in 2008 By Lucas Aykroyd Is this the year that Dion Phaneuf wins his first Norris Trophy? Since debuting with the Calgary Flames in 2005-06, the 23-year-old famed for his bodychecks has been touted as the most likely young candidate to end Nicklas Lidstrom’s reign as the NHL’s best defenceman, […]

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2008 By Lucas Aykroyd Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Gordie Howe never finished high school, and they might be the three greatest hockey players ever. So can major junior prospects afford to slack off with their education? No way. Only a few players go on to NHL careers that […]

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2008 After winning gold in 1979, 1989, and 1999, Russia hopes to end this decade with another World Junior title By Lucas Aykroyd There are no sure things in international hockey anymore. Even Canada, currently riding a streak of four straight World Junior gold medals, can’t succumb to overconfidence. […]

Originally published in Eishockey News in 2008 By Lucas Aykroyd Yes, the NHL has a “war room.” And no, it’s not to be confused with the one in Stanley Kubrick’s classic 1964 movie Dr. Strangelove, where crazy generals nearly start a nuclear war. The “war room” is actually the popular name for the Roger Neilson […]