I had the pleasure of covering the opening-day activities at the IIHF Semi-Annual Congress in Vancouver today. From IIHF.com: VANCOUVER, Canada — September 20 — As the IIHF Semi-Annual Congress kicked off in Vancouver, Canada today, perhaps the biggest news for hockey fans and member federations was the possibility of seeing the IIHF World Championship […]

Declining numbers don’t always mean declining fortunes for an NHL captain known as a sniper. In 1997, 1998, and 2002, Steve Yzerman led Detroit to the Stanley Cup, but only scored 85, 69 and 48 points respectively in the regular season. Those numbers were a far cry from his best year (155 points in 1988-89), […]

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 EuroReport.com in 2000 By Lucas Aykroyd They are 22 and 33, but on 26 September 2000, they both turned 20. With Vancouver Canucks fans hoping they will make those jersey numbers famous, Daniel and Henrik Sedin celebrated their birthday by turning in a solid performance against the Minnesota Wild in a 4-4 […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd “Ouch! Help! Stop! No!” From 1954 to 1991, those were probably the words you’d hear most frequently from Swedish players in games against the Soviet national team. At the World Championships, European Championships and Olympics, the Swedes won a paltry five out of 58 confrontations with […]

Originally published on HockeyCanada.ca in 2005 By Lucas Aykroyd At this stage of Alexander Edler’s career, some observers might project the 19-year-old to be a poor man’s version of Nicklas Lidstrom. That wouldn’t be a bad thing. But don’t forget something else: both those Swedish defencemen were drafted in the third round of the NHL […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd In one of the most stunning upsets in Olympic hockey history, Belarus defeated Sweden 4-3 Wednesday in quarter-finals action. Vladimir Kopat scored the winner on a freaky shot with 2:24 remaining in the third period. Coming down the right wing, the Belarus forward slapped a high […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd For Finland, winning the 2006 Olympic gold medal in hockey would be the equivalent of Canada’s 1972 triumph over the Soviet Union in the Summit Series or the USA’s 1980 “Miracle on Ice” win over the Russians. It would be a unique, defining moment in the […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd In international men’s hockey, there’s an ongoing debate about where the balance of power lies between North America and Europe. But on the women’s side, there’s no question. The economic equivalent would be something like General Motors and Ford versus the Bicyclemaker’s Guild of San Marino. […]

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, […]