Originally published in Eishockey News in 2008 By Lucas Aykroyd Rexall Place offers superb skating conditions, but has also seen some great hockey history, courtesy of CHL products. Historically, NHL players have hailed the ice in Edmonton as the league’s best. Since the 2007 debut of the expansion Edmonton Oil Kings, WHLers have also gotten […]

Gretzky to Lemieux: The Story of the 1987 Canada Cup By Ed Willes Published by McLelland & Stewart Hardcover, 256 pages Release Date: October 6, 2007 Considering how many books have commemorated the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union, it’s almost unbelievable that until this year, no one had given the same […]

Why did I choose September 15, 2007 as the official launch date for my new hockey site, HockeyAdventure.com? International hockey fans will quickly realize that today marks the 20th anniversary of Game Three of the 1987 Canada Cup final. That thrilling conclusion to Canada’s high-tempo clash with the Soviets culminated in a third consecutive 6-5 […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd On October 20, 1986, the International Ice Hockey Federation announced that all nations would be permitted to use professional players at the 1988 Olympics in Calgary, Canada. “There are no restrictions,” IIHF President Dr. Gunther Sabetzki said. “Canada can use Wayne Gretzky if it wants to.” […]

Originally written for the 2004 World Cup of Hockey Program By Lucas Aykroyd They say politics and sports should never mix, but in the 1980’s, the Cold War between capitalism and Communism sometimes cast a shadow over international athletic events. Two famous examples were the American boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics and the retributive […]

Originally written for the 2004 World Cup of Hockey Program By Lucas Aykroyd Nobody would deny that hockey is a team game. But success in a short, intense international tournament can sometimes hinge on a brilliant individual performance. Whether you’re talking about setting the stage for things to come or actually clinching a championship, this […]

Originally published on HockeyCanada.ca in 2005 By Lucas Aykroyd When you survey hockey history, few players can rival Wayne Gretzky as the best of all time. But Bobby Orr is one of them, and while Gretzky has been preoccupied recently with coaching the Phoenix Coyotes and picking the Olympic team, as well as family matters, […]

Originally published on HockeyCanada.ca in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd For hockey fans in the Great White North, there is no greater international rivalry than the one between Canada and Russia. That’s because historically the Russians have pushed Canada harder than any other nation. In saying that, there’s no disrespect intended toward the USA. Over the […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd Before yesterday’s shocking result, Sweden losing to Belarus in Olympic hockey seemed about as likely as Greta Garbo posing for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue or ABBA releasing a gangsta rap album. Belarus’s 4-3 upset in the quarter-finals will never be forgotten by Swedish hockey fans, […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd At the 2002 Olympic hockey tournament, a guy named Salo gained the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Swedish goalie Tommy Salo was beaten by a long shot from Belarusian defenseman Vladimir Kopat late in the quarter-finals, enabling Belarus to pull off an enormous upset. In […]