Originally published in the 2008 IIHF World Championship official program By Lucas Aykroyd Some people visit Halifax for attractions like the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Pier 21, or the Halifax Citadel. But for hardcore sports fans, this port city of 370,000 is renowned for staging outstanding international hockey events. Halifax’s Metro Centre will host […]

On top of the Hockey Hall of Fame inductions, this past weekend in Toronto also featured the official launch of World of Hockey: Celebrating a Century of the IIHF. The International Ice Hockey Federation is gearing up for the 2008 IIHF World Championship in Halifax and Quebec City (May 1-18), which will mark the organization’s […]

Originally published on HockeyCanada.ca in 2007 By Lucas Aykroyd When Cassie Campbell announced her retirement from competitive hockey in August 2006, she had clearly established herself as one of the most recognizable faces in Canadian women’s hockey. During a career highlighted by two Olympic and six World Championship gold medals, she captained Canada in 50 […]

Originally published on HockeyCanada.ca in 2007 By Lucas Aykroyd In August 2005, one of the most shocking events in women’s hockey history took place. Ben Smith, then-head coach of the USA national team, decided to cut longtime captain Cammi Granato from the roster for the upcoming Turin Olympics. The Americans paid the price for Smith’s […]

Originally published on HockeyCanada.ca in 2007 By Lucas Aykroyd Geraldine Heaney is often called “the Bobby Orr of women’s hockey,” and just like the great Boston Bruins defenceman, one spectacular goal this Canadian legend scored always stands out in the minds of fans. Who can forget the image of Orr sailing through the air after […]

Originally published on HockeyCanada.ca in 2007 By Lucas Aykroyd To the uninitiated passerby, the scene inside the suite at Winnipeg’s famous Fort Garry Hotel on Friday night might have looked like just another business mixer or high school reunion: people chatting animatedly, fruit platters and chilled drinks. But this was no ordinary get-together. After all, […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd Women’s hockey is full of great personalities, many of whom aren’t afraid to speak their minds more candidly than their male counterparts. However, for the general public, it’s often tough to catch more than a glimpse of those personalities beyond the quadrennial Olympics and the semi-annual […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd After a sumptuous media brunch organized at the IIHF House of Hockey adjacent to the Palasport Olympico, IIHF President René Fasel, NHL Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Bill Daly, and NHLPA Executive Director Ted Saskin sat down in front of a packed press conference […]

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 in Prospects Hockey in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd When Shannon Szabados was born in 1986, seeing a female goalie play in a WHL game seemed about as likely as watching the Berlin Wall come down. But times have changed and doors have opened up both in society and hockey. Thanks to her skill […]