Random Rabble: May 16

For those who can't get enough of me -- and I can't imagine there are many of you -- I'm covering Chicago-Detroit for SBNation's NHL hub. I'll have stories throughout the series. My take on Game 1 is here. At this point, I'm not sure I see anyone beating Chicago. The Blackhawks are playing at an exceptionally high level, and they have gotten the kind of goaltending championship teams need to get, no matter how well they're playing.

As for the Wild, anyone who follows me on Twitter knows I'm somewhat conflicted on what I've seen from head coach Mike Yeo. That said, he had to stay, for a number of reasons. I'm not sure it's totally fair to judge a second-year coach after a shortened season like this. The Wild made a slew of big changes over the summer, and the young players GM Chuck Fletcher set out to start acquiring when he arrived are just now starting to make a real impact.

That said, improvement is a must now for Yeo. I didn't think the personnel was handled exquisitely. It seemed too much faith was put in veterans, even when they were struggling. Not enough lineup changes were made during the playoffs when things were clearly going south. The power play never really got going, and it was 0-for-17 in the five-game series loss to Chicago.

Wisconsin racing legend and former NASCAR driver Dick Trickle died Thursday of an apparent suicide. I don't quote Wikipedia often, but here's the lowdown on Trickle's short-track career, much of which came in the Badger State.

A big turning point in Trickle's career happened at the National Short Track Championship race at Rockford Speedway in 1966. Trickle said, "The cars in that area were fancier and looked like they were ahead of us. The didn't treat us bad, but they sort of giggled at us kids with the rat cars. After two days, they look differently at those rat cars. I won and pocketed $1,645. Before, I questioned spending the money to travel that far. But if you could win, that was a different story." Trickle started the 1967 season by winning at State Park Speedway and ended the season with 25 feature victories including wins at Wisconsin Dells Speedway (now Dells Raceway Park) and Golden Sands Speedway (near Wisconsin Rapids).

He toured on the Central Wisconsin Racing Association (CWRA) tracks in 1971. The circuit consisted of larger asphalt track racing on most nights of the week.[9] CWRA regular drivers were able to run over 100 events in a year, and most did the tour with one car and one engine. Drivers would drive on Wednesday nights at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, Thursday nights at State Park Speedway near Wausau, Friday nights at Capitol Speedway (now Madison International Speedway) near Madison, La Crosse, or Adams-Friendship, Saturday nights at Wisconsin Dells Speedway, and Sunday nights at Griffith Park. Tuesday nights were available for special events.

On Thursday nights at the quarter mile State Park Speedway, he won seven features and lowered his July 1 14.27 second track record to 14.09 seconds on the following week. On Friday nights he raced primarily at Capitol Speedway, winning most nights that rain or his car did not break. Trickle went to Adams-Friendship on July 23 and won the feature after setting the track record. He held the track record at six tracks: Adams-Friendship, Capitol, Wausau, Wisconsin Dells, and La Crosse. He raced at the newly opened third mile Wisconsin Dells Speedway on Saturday nights. By the end of the year, Trickle had won 58 feature events.

Trickle started his 1972 season by winning at Golden Sands Speedway near Wisconsin Rapids. Wisconsin's short track racing season starts in April. By May 13, he had twelve wins in thirteen events. He got this fifteenth win in twenty starts on May 27. Trickle became the winningest short track driver that year when he won his 67th race.

Trickle won numerous special events outside of Wisconsin in 1973, including a 200-lap feature at Rolla, Missouri in April, following by winning a 50-lap feature the following day at I-70 Speedway near Odessa, Missouri. In May he won a 50-lapper at Springfield, Missouri and two more features at I-70 Speedway. Trickle used his purple 1970 Ford Mustang to win at the Minnesota Fair and at Rockford Speedway in September. He had a total of 57 wins in 1973.

Trickle became well-known nationally during his NASCAR Winston Cup career. The old ESPN SportsCenter pair of Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann always made a point to mention where Trickle finished. Maybe they liked his name or something. Olbermann noted the following on Twitter upon word of Trickle's passing.

Awful news: Dick Trickle is dead ... No sports figure Dan + I had fun with took it more graciously. In fact, gratefully.

Olbermann went on to credit Trickle for helping increase NASCAR's visibility on SportsCenter. He said the attention they gave Trickle eventually trickled down (pun intended) to the races themselves, whether Trickle raced in them or not.

His name probably made him famous more than his driving, but Dick Trickle was one hell of a race car driver.

Don't **** With Shawn Thornton

Boston Bruins forward Shawn Thornton is a tough son-of-a-gun.

He's not the most talented guy in the NHL, but he's built quite a following for himself in Boston by simply being a stand-up guy on the ice who can pitch in some offense and score some big goals.

Tuesday night, he added to his own legend in Boston with one of the ultimate "tough-guy" maneuvers.

Shortly after taking a skate blade above the eye (total accident), Thornton was skating off the ice while he bled all over it. Apparently, some idiot on the Chicago bench had the gall to say something to Thornton, and that set him off.



To recap: Thornton was clipped by a skate blade and needed 40 stitches, and someone on the Chicago bench thought it was funny enough to say something. Whatever it was, Thornton wanted to fight the guy while he was bleeding all over the place.

And you don't think hockey players are different ... ?

Dylan Olsen Signing Doesn't Hurt College Hockey

As I mentioned Friday, former UMD defenseman Dylan Olsen chose to cement his departure from school by signing a pro contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. He will report to Rockford of the American Hockey League after Canada is done playing in the IIHF World Junior Championships.

As is true whenever a college hockey player bolts midseason -- whether it be the likes of Brock Trotter or Kyle Okposo or Olsen or anyone else -- this has resulted in some hand-wringing, including by some UMD fans who went from hoping for the best for the Canadians in the World Juniors to practically hoping the arena collapses during one of their games.

The other thing you'll hear -- if you listen closely enough -- is talk that Olsen's signing is a blow to college hockey.

The same thing is said when a player like Sam Lofquist or Josh Birkholz leaves college for major junior. The same is said when a player like Jarred Tinordi jumps from a college commitment at the last minute to go play major junior.

While Olsen leaving doesn't do anything to make college hockey better, it's also hard to argue that Olsen's departure is any kind of blow to the reputation of the college game or its ability to attract and develop top players.

Instead, it's another example of what we mean when we say college isn't for everyone.

Some people flourish when given the added responsibility of being a student along with being a top-notch Division I athlete. That doesn't mean every Tom, Dick, and Harry who gets picked in the first round should go that route. For a guy like Olsen, there were signs that it just wasn't meant to be.

Olsen was allegedly a recruit with academic baggage when he signed at UMD. More than one hockey publication noted that other Division I schools tried to recruit him, but they didn't think he would qualify. Then sources last December indicated that Olsen might not return to the team. He managed to stay eligible then, and again to start his sophomore season.

After an uneven freshman season on the ice, Olsen really started to blossom as a sophomore. More than once, UMD coach Scott Sandelin talked about Olsen's development, referencing his failure to make the 2010 Canadian World Junior team as a negative turning point in his first year with UMD. It made sense. After all, Olsen was 18, carrying the weight of insanely high expectations, and generally having trouble with the speed of the Division I game. Then throw in the major disappointment of not having a chance to play for your country. It was a lot.

This season, Olsen got better. He developed chemistry with freshman Justin Faulk, who is on the American World Junior team. The two played together a lot, and eventually developed as UMD's best defensive pair. They saw extensive ice time in all situations, even if they weren't always on the ice together on power play and penalty kill.

Both left for the WJCs, and the roof fell in Thursday against North Dakota.

Rumors were out there for a week or two prior to that night that Olsen was going to be gone because of academics. Then Kyle Schmidt got hurt in practice Wednesday (out a month or so). Come Thursday night, the press box was buzzing with word that Olsen's fate was sealed: He was not going to return to UMD. It was confirmed Friday with his signing.

This was not an Okposo. Olsen didn't have a choice but to leave UMD. He sealed his fate by not taking care of his academic business.

College wasn't for him.

The sad thing is that we basically all knew that going in.

Olsen's loss isn't a loss for college hockey. He had a chance to go to UMD and better himself as a player and a person.

Unfortunately for him, he only chose to take advantage of one of those opportunities.

That doesn't hurt the college game. We already know that college hockey isn't the right place for every 18-year-old. Some need more time in juniors to mature ... physically and mentally. Some need to play in Canada's major junior system to develop, then move on to the pros. Unless you're a completely irrational supporter of either the CHL or NCAA, you recognize and understand this, and you're okay with it.

Olsen leaving proves nothing about the college game. It would have proven nothing had he left for major junior at some point, or if he hadn't come to college to start with.

Moreover, this story shows no previously undiscovered inadequacies in the NCAA system, nor does it show any real flaws in the NHL system.

******

The theories are out there. Some are speculating that he never intended to come back. He was gone no matter what. That's unfortunate, but I can't confirm any of that, and I'm not about to assail someone for something that can't be proven.

One thing I have a serious problem with is how this was handled. As of Friday, two sources told me that UMD coaches had not heard directly from Olsen or his agent about his decision. Duluth News Tribune writer Kevin Pates, who broke the story, had to find out from outside sources. Meaning someone with the Blackhawks or NHL.

That's disappointing, and no matter the other circumstances involved, it speaks to the character of the people involved. Before ink was put to paper, that phone call should have been made as a courtesy. UMD's coaches invested a lot of time in Olsen's development, in terms of ice time, practice hours, and off-ice work. The common courtesy of a phone call when he decides to leave early for pro hockey -- especially when leaving early during the season -- is the least that can be expected.

Hopefully, it's a phone call Olsen made this weekend. Better late than never, right?

It doesn't change the reality. UMD gave him a lot of ice time over the first 17 games (he left before the 18th game for the World Junior tryouts), and now they have to adjust on the fly to not having him again this season. For the likes of Wade Bergman, Brady Lamb, Mike Montgomery, Drew Olson, and Faulk, the job is tougher. Olsen not being around doesn't make this a better team. Instead, it's up to the Bulldogs to respond in a way that makes them a better team.

We'll find out starting Monday night if it's something UMD can make happen.

Dylan Olsen Signs With Chicago

On one hand, it's nice to know that you have players on your team that are talented enough to turn pro in the middle of a season.

On the other, this really sucks.

Take it away, Mr. Pates.

Former NHL first-round draft pick Dylan Olsen, a Minnesota Duluth sophomore defenseman from Calgary, Alberta, signed a three-year, two-way contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday and will join the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Rockford, Ill., following the World Junior Championships.

Olsen, 19, leaves UMD with two goals and 22 assists for 24 points in 53 career games. This season, he had a goal and 12 assists for 13 points in 17 games before leaving to join Canada for the World Junior Championships in Buffalo, N.Y.  The tournament runs through Jan. 5.

“Dylan made huge strides in the last year and was really helping us in a good start through the first half of the season,” said UMD assistant coach Brett Larson. “We are disappointed that he’s not finishing the season with us.”

In the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Olsen was selected in the first round and 28th overall by Chicago after playing two seasons with Camrose in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. His contract calls for an NHL salary of $525,000 the first year, $700,000 the second and $810,000 the third, with a signing bonus of $90,000 each year. He would make $67,500 playing in the minor leagues.

I'll be with UMD Saturday, as we make our way to Canton, N.Y., which will be our homebase for a two-game series against Clarkson Monday and Tuesday. I'll try to get you more on this story, and will perhaps blog a few thoughts then.

For now, it's just the facts, sirs and ma'ams. Have a good New Year's holiday.

Gophers Lose Two More

Not much has been going right for the Minnesota Gopher hockey program. They hadn't left the state in 20 years for a first-round WCHA playoff series until they headed to Grand Forks in March. That was their second road trip for a first-round series in three years, and they've now missed a Final Five and been knocked out in the play-in game over the last two years.

Making matters worse, close rivals UMD and North Dakota each won three games in three days to win the last two Final Five titles.

Oh, and Minnesota has hosted NCAA regionals in each of the last two years, seasons in which they missed the NCAA Tournament.

What appeared to be a relatively calm offseason for early departures has blown up on the Gophers recently. They have seen two forwards decommit, they reported ticked off another prospect when they told him to stay in juniors one more year, and now we learn of two early departures involving active players.

The first was announced officially by the Gophers themselves early Tuesday afternoon. Forward Josh Birkholz, a sophomore, was apparently about to get suspended for "violating team rules" (use your imagination, I guess). Instead of sitting out however many games, Birkholz is taking his talents elsewhere.

Birkholz "has decided to leave the program," the school announced in a terse statement that offered no further comment. Reports have him heading to the Western Hockey League's Everett Silvertips, a Canadian major junior team. His college eligibility will be relinquished with the move.

It's unclear if the Florida Panthers -- who drafted Birkholz in the third round in 2009 -- had anything to do with this decision. If so, it's sad that the pro team stepped in and kept a college team from instituting discipline. Shipping him to the WHL teaches him nothing about what he did wrong -- whatever it was.

Birkholz wasn't the only player Minnesota lost today. The long-rumored signing of defenseman Nick Leddy by the Chicago Blackhawks has apparently happened. Leddy was traded by the Wild in the Cam Barker deal, then apparently had a heck of a prospect camp for Chicago. Since the Blackhawks are strapped on the salary cap, and the Gopher program is in tatters, it makes sense to start his professional clock maybe a year earlier than expected. Chicago needs cheap options for depth, and Leddy was a player who got better on a pretty mediocre team last season.

Since Chicago has typically been very supportive of college players, it makes me want to read more into this than there probably is. Reality is that Chicago has lost a lot of players because of the salary cap at the NHL level. The pressure is on for prospects to make an impact to keep the team competitive. That puts pressure on the scouts to replenish the system with more prospects to keep things moving in the organization.

Of course, you could also say they looked at the prospect in this case (Leddy), saw a program where things haven't been going well, and they convinced him to bail for his own good (and, ultimately, the Blackhawks' own good, too).

Either way, the Gophers' task of getting back on the good side of the WCHA's home-ice ledger just got more difficult. It was bad enough that the seventh-place team from 2009 saw two teams come into the league that could immediately be at least as good as them (Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha).

Now, head coach Don Lucia, with obvious pressure on him to right the ship, has to make due without a player who was going to be one of his top defensemen.

They haven't fallen as far as, say, Michigan football, but the Gophers don't appear to be on the rise this winter. It could be a very difficult season for Minnesota. That they could have two of those in a row is quite the rarity.

Farewell, Bob Probert

On Monday, we lost longtime NHL enforcer Bob Probert, who collapsed and died while boating with his family. Probert will be remembered by many as one of the most feared players of his time.

He was a rarity, a player who lasted 17 years, persevered through drug problems, was a consistently great fighter, and who was loved for a long time in both Detroit and Chicago.

As Red Wings and Blackhawks fans come together to remember their former player, the rest of the hockey world looks back on what made Probert great. While the big man scored nearly 400 points in his career -- not bad for a tough guy -- and he will always be the guy who scored the last NHL goal at Maple Leaf Gardens, Proberts fists were the stars of the show.

Here is a legendary fight he had with fellow fighter extraordinaire Tie Domi.



Probert was fishing with his four children, father-in-law, and mother-in-law when he was stricken by what his father-in-law called "severe chest pain."

Bob Probert was just 45 years old.

NHL TV Promo Comes to Life

Earlier in the playoffs, I showed you the video of a gripping NHL promo. It showed a number of star players -- including Hall of Famer Brett Hull -- full of emotion after winning the Stanley Cup.

Effectively, the players were speechless, and the premise of the spot was that "There are no words" to describe what it's like to win the Cup.

In short, it was a super ad, wonderfully-produced and a great idea. The league got a lot of positive attention over the spot.

Wednesday night, the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. Captain Jonathan Toews was interviewed on NBC after teammate Patrick Kane scored the Cup-winning goal.



"It's like the commercial ... I'm speechless."

Never mind that it's nice to know Toews had time to watch TV during the playoffs. The league should be immensely proud of the promo. After all, it affected Toews to the point that he was able to immediately recall it after living the dream of every young hockey player.

The NHL has done a great job marketing the Stanley Cup as something truly special. For a guy who never won a Cup during his Hall of Fame career, Jeremy Roenick is the best available example of what the trophy means to those who try so hard to win it.



Scoff at him all you want, but Roenick's emotion showed a couple things. First off, that damn trophy will always have an affect on him because he never won it. Lastly, it showed how happy he was for Chicago and the Blackhawks. He got so close when he was there, and when Roenick left, things really started to go downhill.

Only now have the Blackhawks truly recovered from the abyss they were in. It's an emotional thing for their longtime fans and former greats.