Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2000 By Lucas Aykroyd The list of players who have worn number 30 for the Calgary Flames includes 11 goalies: Dan Bouchard, Mike Vernon, Dwayne Roloson, Tyler Moss, Yves Belanger, Rejean Lemelin, Pat Riggin, Rick Wamsley, Jason Muzzatti, Rick Tabaracci and Ken Wregget. That list does not include Peter Stastny, […]

Originally published in Rinkside in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd “Great” is a term that’s bandied about far too easily these days. You can rightfully complain when it’s applied to some lame pop band or over-hyped first novel. But when it comes to the Great Gretzky, the Great Houdini, or the Great Wall of China, you […]

  Originally published on IIHF.com in 2003 By Lucas Aykroyd It’s the afternoon of June 5, 2003. A heat wave grips Vancouver, Canada. This is a long way from the cold, crisp, intense atmosphere at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, where the USA achieved its 4-3 “Miracle on Ice” victory over the favored Soviet Union. […]

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2005 By Lucas Aykroyd Patrick Roy, Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Bernie Parent, and Bobby Orr provided some of their greatest hockey in pressure-packed playoff situations. They’re members of a very exclusive fraternity as the only players who have won multiple Conn Smythe Trophies as NHL post-season MVPs. But the […]

Originally published in Rinkside in 2007 By Lucas Aykroyd Although NHL fans have embraced the excitement of using shootouts to decide regular season games after overtime, it’s highly unlikely that penalty shots will ever replace the traditional unlimited sudden-death format of the playoffs. There are just too many once-in-a-lifetime plays, pulse-pounding marathons, and memories of […]

By Lucas Aykroyd When it comes to Vancouver’s burgeoning reputation as a venue for world-class events, “synergy” is more than a corporate buzzword or name for a high-tech hockey stick. Since being awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics, this scenic, multicultural city of 2 million has also earned the right to host the 2005 Grey Cup, […]

Originally published in Rinkside in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd July 22, 2005 was a historic day for the future of international hockey. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL and NHLPA was ratified then, and it included a clause stipulating that the League would make its players available to participate in both the 2006 […]

Originally published in the Prague Post in 2004 By Lucas Aykroyd Here’s an overview of the last five IIHF World Championships, focusing on Team Czech Republic’s performance: 1999: Two future New York Rangers make huge contributions to the first Czech gold medal at the World Championships since 1996. During the tournament in Norway, Jan Hlavac […]

Originally published in Referee Magazine in 2005 By Lucas Aykroyd When the USA confronted the Soviet Union in the 1980 men’s Olympic hockey tournament in Lake Placid, the February 22 matchup was viewed as a case of David versus Goliath. The veteran Soviets were the reigning Olympic and world champions and had convincingly defeated a […]

Originally published in Rinkside in 2004 By Lucas Aykroyd Getting good grades. Getting rid of pimples. Getting to know cute girls. These are typical concerns for guys who are 18 or 19. But when it comes to holding down that first professional job, few face the kind of pressure that a teenage NHL rookie experiences. […]