Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” But does that apply if you play for the Montreal […]

Two remarkable facts distinguished Jesse Boulerice’s vicious cross-check to Ryan Kesler’s face last week. First, the blow didn’t injure the Vancouver forward nearly as badly as it could have if Boulerice’s stick hadn’t broken on impact. Second, as of October 15, the Vancouver Police Department has not announced a criminal investigation into the incident, nor […]

I can only imagine that after Frank Deford completed his latest piece for Sports Illustrated’s web site, he lit a big cigar, leaped into his Hummer, fired up an American Idol CD, and zoomed off to his favorite steakhouse for a 64-ounce prime rib. The veteran columnist’s argument that the NHL and NBA should both […]

The leaves are turning brown and the nights are getting colder. But NHL hockey in October always seems livelier than any other time of the year. It’s nice to think the peak excitement occurs with the Stanley Cup finals, but in June, when you’re down to two not necessarily beloved teams and it’s hot enough […]

It isn’t just because the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers finished eighth and twelfth respectively last season, instead of both being true perennial Stanley Cup contenders. It isn’t just because these two clubs haven’t clashed in the playoffs since 1991, instead of meeting almost annually in the Smythe Division playoffs. It’s because a rivalry is […]

Interesting speculation in Friday’s Montreal Gazette from Pat Hickey. Could Scott Niedermayer’s indecision about whether to continue his playing career relate to his concern about past concussions? If so, that would explain the 34-year-old superstar defenseman’s seemingly extraordinary ambivalence about trying to captain the Anaheim Ducks to a second straight Stanley Cup. Perhaps he “got […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd The USA-Russia semi-final provided twenty of the greatest minutes in Olympic hockey history. The key to the amazing third period was the emotional high both teams maintained down to the final buzzer that confirmed the USA’s 3-2 victory and berth in the gold medal game against […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2007 By Lucas Aykroyd As much as I enjoy watching Evgeni Malkin team up with Sidney Crosby on the Pittsburgh Penguins power play, there’s a part of me that wishes Malkin had stayed in the Russian Superleague. Not under compulsion, not due to any contractual or political impasse. Frankly, the […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd There’s no way around it. Finishing seventh at the Turin Olympics after losing three 2-0 games was the worst failure in Canadian hockey history. Just go down the list. In 1954, the Soviet Union shocked the world by thumping Canada 7-2 to clinch its first-ever IIHF […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2004 By Lucas Aykroyd April 30, 1990. Theoren Fleury is breathless, angry, and frustrated as he chases Sergei Makarov around the sprawling ice surface of the Eisstadion Allmend in Bern, Switzerland. Two weeks earlier, these Calgary Flames teammates were bounced out of the NHL playoffs in a six-game first-round loss […]