Welcome Back, Winnipeg

What's been speculated forfreakingever will be made official Tuesday.

Like it or not, the National Hockey League is returning to Winnipeg.

The announcement that True North Sports and Entertainment has purchased the Atlanta Thrashers and will relocate them to Winnipeg is expected in the late morning hours.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is rumored to be on his way to Winnipeg to attend.

I wrote recently that this is not a 100 percent happy day, because there were indeed some dedicated fans in Georgia who are heartbroken that there weren't enough fans and wasn't enough competency with ownership to make the Thrashers work.

Those fans bought jerseys, hoodies, keychains, pennants, hats, signs, and other memorabilia, just like you and I do for our favorite teams. Those fans aren't going to all just jump on another team's bandwagon. Some will try to follow the team to their new city. Some will abandon the sport. Others will find another team to root for, but not all of them will.

That said, this is a generally good day for the NHL. Hockey is Canada's national sport, and they've shown they can support more than the six franchises they currently sport in the league.

Welcome back to the NHL, Winnipeg. May your whiteouts be plentiful and enthusiastic, and may your support for this second-chance team never wane.

The announcement will be aired on NHL Network in both Canada and the United States, and it will also be streamed live on NHL.com.

USA Hockey Has a Ways to Go

While UMD was busy taking care of business at Clarkson Monday night, we were getting texts and Twitter updates on a game that wasn't going terribly well.

Unless you're Cody Danberg or one of the other six Canadians on the UMD roster.

None of us had a chance to watch Canada thrash the United States 4-1 at the World Juniors. We had the texts and tweets to tell us what was going on. From the sounds of it, we didn't miss much, and we didn't have to see the game. This dance has been danced before.

Pure Canadian domination. An American team that wasn't ready to play, even if they were talented enough to compete.

There's a reality that comes with a whipping like this. For the United States, it's another sign of both the progress that's been made, and the work that remains.

There is undeniable progress for USA Hockey. After all, they entered this tournament as no worse than a co-favorite, and many thought they could pick off Canada and win a second straight gold. The fact that sober, sane people could say this is a sign that USA Hockey has come a long way.

But getting beat 4-1 by a Canadian team missing at least six age-eligible players who could have made a difference is an unmistakable sign that much more progress is needed.

While Cam Fowler is patrolling the Anaheim Ducks' blue line, Canada is missing, yes, six players who were eligible by birthdate to compete in this tournament. Among them are Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin, the top two picks in the 2010 draft. Evander Kane and Matt Duchene are also playing in the NHL and weren't released to play in the World Juniors.

More than any other country, Canada is stuck playing more of a "B" squad in this tournament. Sweden has guys like Magnus Paajarvi and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, but they're not missing the bodies Canada is.

This happens every year, and it's not meant as an insult to any other country who misses players in this tournament because of pro commitments. Instead, it should be taken as a sign of Canada's superiority at this level.

Get to the national team level, and the Olympics proved that Canada doesn't have some sort of ridiculous advantage. As players get older, the gap narrows. When you pick teams of adults and have no restrictions on the players you can select, the United States can totally compete. They beat Canada in the Olympics last year before losing to them in overtime for the gold medal. As great as Ryan Miller was in the gold-medal game, final shots were only 39-36 in favor of Canada, hardly a dominant performance where they were simply thwarted by a hot goalie.

But at the U-20 level, Canada has a ridiculous edge in talent. Is it better youth development, or is there just an age where Canada has the talent and numbers to dominate the world?

If the U.S. is that capable of competing at the Olympic level, is it simply a matter of their players getting better at older ages? What's closing that gap?

There are a lot of questions, but again, we're back to the basic. When you look at this U-20 tournament, there's no question the United States has a way to go to become competitive on an annual basis.

A medal Wednesday would be huge for the Americans. Yes, the bronze sucks. It's not as pretty as the gold, and third place isn't nearly as sexy as first place. But it means you ended the tournament with a win, and it's a win that will mean something for an American squad that has never medaled in back-to-back World Juniors.

Canada will play for their 16th gold in this event later Wednesday, but you aren't going to magically start competing with the big dog on an annual basis. You have to build to that, and consecutive medals are a significant step in that build.

Just don't mistake last year's gold as a sign that the build has been completed.

CHL Brass Continues Unnecessary Campaign of Lies Against NCAA

If you're an outsider, or you're Canadian, you probably believe the NCAA has taken some impressive hits lately.

A number of college players have turned pro lately, hoping to start playing hockey for money. Worst case: They're going to play for a CHL team because the NHL franchise doesn't want to start the player's entry-level deal with a stint in the AHL.

Most recently, Notre Dame lost defenseman Jarred Tinordi to the OHL's London Knights, who fed Tinordi lies about him getting to the NHL faster if he played there.

Nope. Still looking at 2-3 years, kid. Way to get suckered in, though.

It's brought to light the continuing war between the NCAA and CHL. Of course, it's not much of a war, because the CHL continues to spread lies and innuendo about the NCAA's tactics.

Paul Kelly of College Hockey, Inc., the organization commissioned by the NCAA to somehow stop this madness, is in the middle of it all. Apparently, he's hurt a few people's feelings in Canada by saying mean (if not entirely accurate) things about the CHL's way of doing things.

Now, the CHL wants to talk about it, only after years spent discrediting the college game and the players who choose to take part in it.

(Nothing chafes the CHL more than when a kid like Mason Raymond, Patrick Wiercioch, Joe Colborne, or -- more recently -- Dylan Olsen or Jaden Schwartz choose to play Junior A hockey so they have the ability to go to college if they decide to do that once they're 18. You can't argue these players weren't good enough to play in major juniors, and you can't argue that they made poor choices, even if the jury is still out on a few of them as college players or professionals.)

So the World Hockey Summit is coming next week, and the CHL wants to sit down and discuss their feud with the NCAA. Of course, they didn't want to talk about this feud until they noticed someone calling them out on their fraudulent education package or the other bags of lies they tell kids.

Funny how the NCAA's decision to fight back has affected things.

"It's not on the agenda, but we've certainly indicated to Hockey Canada and USA Hockey that we think there is an opportunity to sit down," said Ron Robison, a CHL vice-president and commissioner of the Western Hockey League.

"We're committed to continuing to try to improve relationships with USA Hockey, NCAA Hockey and so forth. We have a responsibility in North America to the development system to do that in the best interest of the players. Our goal is to attempt to sit down (with them). Whether we can do that at the summit or soon thereafter, that will be our objective."

Someone should tell these geniuses that Kelly hasn't yet been invited to this summit. It's going to be exceptionally difficult for Kelly to sit down with the CHL when he isn't on the guest list for the event. Maybe the CHL is going to talk to a cardboard cutout of Kelly.

They'd still lose the debate, of course.

The money quote comes from a WHL team executive who clearly doesn't understand the old saying about the pot calling the kettle black.

"(Kelly) wants to turn this into a pissing match, but all he's doing is getting the kids caught in the middle of it," said Brent Parker, president of the WHL's Regina Pats. "I don't think it's fair to them. They have tough enough decisions as it is. That's where our league has really tried to take the high road through all of this. We recognize it's not the right way to go about it in terms of getting into running down each other's programs.''

Who wants this to be a pissing match?

This is like Brett Favre calling someone out for being indecisive.

Parker misses the point completely. Yes, kids have tough decisions to make when they're really young. The CHL does NOT make any of these decisions easier by continuing to pursue kids who have made up their mind to play college hockey. Expecting a 17-year-old kid to hang up the phone on a recruiter -- even if said kid has allegedly made up his mind to attend a college and play hockey there -- is just ridiculous.

As Chris Dilks suggests, maybe the CHL and NCAA can come up with a sort of gentleman's agreement not to pursue each other's commitments.

Of course, we have better odds of seeing blizzard conditions in downtown Miami than we do of seeing the CHL agree to keep their grubby, dirty paws off kids who have signed letters of intent to attend U.S. colleges.

This is still the ideal situation. It isn't perfect -- as evidenced by the WCHA's gentleman's agreement -- but it's one of those things that can be quite helpful to at least create the impression that the two sides are willing to work together.

Perhaps we can end the days where kids like Tinordi get pressured to break commitments while some teams are starting off-ice workouts.

NFL Network Nabs CFL Games

For the last few years, games from the Canadian Football League have aired on a mish-mash of American channels. Regional sports networks like MSG and Altitude have aired games, both live and on tape delay.

No more.

Wednesday, it was announced that the NFL Network has agreed to a deal that will put 14 games on nationally during the CFL season.

Here is the release from the NFL:

The Canadian Football League and NFL have agreed to a new telecast deal for 2010, it was announced Wednesday. NFL Network will broadcast 14 regular-season CFL games, starting with the season opener Thursday, July 1 at 7 p.m. ET, featuring the Montreal Alouettes and Saskatchewan Roughriders in a rematch of last year's Grey Cup championship game.

"This is great news for CFL fans living in the United States, a group that includes some of our most passionate and dedicated fans," said Rob Assimakopoulos, the CFL's senior vice president for marketing and commercial assets. "And it promises to expose our brand of football to a broad, new audience."

NFL Network adds the fast-paced, wide-open CFL football action that features familiar names from U.S. college football.

"We continue to acquire more games for our fans and look forward to CFL action kicking off on Thursday with a rematch of the Grey Cup," said Charles Coplin, vice president of programming, NFL Network. "With the addition of the CFL, we now have live games from every level to deliver to our viewers who want football 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year."

The 14-game CFL schedule on NFL Network in high definition features three games on Saturday nights in July following the Thursday night debut on Canada Day. Due to NFL Network's commitment to air every NFL preseason game in August, CFL action resumes on Friday nights in September, October and November.

The games will be produced by TSN, the leading sports broadcaster in Canada. NFL Network subscribers in Canada will get alternative programming due to TSN's exclusivity. NFL Network's programming includes live NFL regular-season Thursday Night Football games, Arena Football Friday AFL games, college and high school all-star games, and now the CFL.

Canadian football has a history spanning more than a century, and its championship game, the Grey Cup, is annually one of the most-watched television events north of the border. Home to eight teams, all in Canadian cities, the league features three downs instead of four, 12 men per side instead of 11, unlimited motion before the snap of the ball, and a playing field that is 65 yards wide and 110 yards long, with end zones 20 yards deep.

Some of its most recognizable alumni include former NFL quarterbacks Warren Moon, Doug Flutie, Joe Theismann, and Joe Kapp, and legendary coach Bud Grant. Moon and Grant are members of both the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

2010 CFL schedule on NFL Network

Thursday, July 1: Montreal at Saskatchewan, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, July 10: Calgary at Hamilton, 1 p.m. ET
Saturday, July 17: Edmonton at Saskatchewan, 4 p.m. ET
Saturday, July 24: Edmonton at Winnipeg, 6 p.m. ET
Saturday, July 31: Hamilton at Saskatchewan, 6 p.m. ET
Friday, Sept. 10: Calgary at Edmonton, 9 p.m. ET
Friday, Sept. 17: Calgary at Saskatchewan, 9 p.m. ET
Friday, Sept. 24: Montreal at Winnipeg, 8 p.m. ET
Friday, Oct. 1: Montreal at Calgary, 9:00 p.m. ET
Friday, Oct. 8: Edmonton at Hamilton, 7:30 p.m. ET
Friday, Oct. 15: Hamilton at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. ET
Friday, Oct. 22: Montreal at Hamilton, 7:00 p.m. ET
Friday, Oct. 29: Montreal at Toronto, 7:00 p.m. ET
Friday, Nov. 5: Calgary at Winnipeg, 8:00 p.m. ET

As a football fan, I view this as good news. The CFL features some good athletes, players who weren't quite good enough to make it in the NFL, and players who could argue they were overlooked for a real shot at the NFL. The different rules and field dimensions add a little bit to the game, and TSN does a good job with the broadcasts.

It's a great opportunity for the CFL to get some exposure with the truly hardcore football fans. Their games were hard to find in the United States for many years, so having a consistent and reliable home like NFL Network could serve as a shot in the arm for stateside interest in the league.

If you're a fan of the BC Lions, sorry. For some reason, they're the only team in the league who won't appear on NFL Network. People hoping to follow former TCU quarterback Casey Printers are going to be mad.

Canada's Defense Shallow at Best

As they did in the World Juniors, Team Canada's entry in the Olympic women's hockey tournament seems to enjoy rubbing their superiority in their opponents' faces.

How did that turn out for Canada in the World Juniors again?



Oh, yeah. That's right.

Karma.

Canada's women's team has won their first two games by a combined total of 28-1. They've outshot Slovakia and Switzerland by a combined 129-21.

They beat Slovakia 18-0 in the opener Saturday, outshooting the outclassed opponents 21-3 in the third period, a period that started with Canada already leading 13-0.

21 shots in 20 minutes while leading 13-0? Really?

Canada's players don't have much of a defense for this behavior, and it's obvious given how meekly they've tried so far.

"I think it's just about getting something out of the game, and making sure we're playing together, and we're getting better each game we play," Apps said. "I think we respect our opponents absolutely, but as far as our team is concerned, in our locker room it's all about getting better each day and moving forward."

How much better are you going to get by pistol-whipping a team that doesn't have a prayer against you?

It's a dumb defense for a senseless tactic. Canada spent the third period of a 13-0 game TRYING TO SCORE GOALS. Meanwhile, Team USA pulled back on the throttle in the second period against China, a team that they didn't dominate quite as badly as Canada did Slovakia, preferring to play a puck-possession, cycling game in the offensive zone. Many of their shots were unscreened, with little traffic in front of the net because Team USA's players chose not to go there.

(In Canada's defense, Slovakia had it coming. They beat Bulgaria 82-0 in 2008. Seriously.)

To follow up 18-0, Canada showed it learned nothing by hanging five third-period goals on clearly-overmatched Switzerland Monday.

If there were a way to disqualify a team for crappy sportsmanship, we'd boot the Canadians. Instead, we're just left to hope Team USA gives them what they have coming to them.

New Widget

You'll notice a new widget on the upper left.

It's temporary, and it will keep you posted on the latest news surrounding Olympic hockey. The Games start Friday, with the men's hockey tournament set to start Tuesday.

The Morning After: Thoughts on Brian Burke's Day of Dealing

In retrospect, Sunday wasn't the best day to virtually go into hiding. Instead of just letting the hockey world get by with one easy, news-free day, Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke went crazy.

Saddled with a low-rung team in the Eastern Conference, Burke -- who famously stated he "wouldn't watch this again" after Toronto finished 12th in the East last year -- saw enough of mediocrity, and he attacked this team's biggest weakness.

In two moves, Burke performed a bigger shakeup than any we've seen on one day in the NHL in a long time, definitely since the salary cap came into play after the lockout.

Joining him in the "Enough is enough" line was Calgary Flames general manager Darryl Sutter.

Calgary trades defenseman Dion Phaneuf to Toronto in seven-player swap.

It was the first major deal announced Sunday, and it's definitely the biggest. Burke saw enough of his team not being tough enough in their own zone, and he dealt away forwards he wasn't likely to bring back next season, anyway.

Niklas Hagman and Matt Stajan are capable players, but they aren't superstars. It's clear that Burke thinks highly of youngster Tyler Bozak, and he already has his top scoring winger in Phil Kessel.

Impending free agent defenseman Ian White joins Hagman and Stajan in Calgary, as does veteran forward Jamal Mayers, who wanted out anyway, and he played like it Saturday against Vancouver, lazily playing defense on Daniel Sedin while the latter scored the game-winning goal.

While this looks like a good move for both teams, it's more intriguing for Calgary than it is good for Toronto.

The move keeps the Flames positioned as a strong defensive team. As Bob McKenzie notes, White is no slouch, even if he's not necessarily as well-known as Phaneuf. With that said, White is a free agent (restricted) after the season, so it's not a total lock he'll be back.

Stajan and Hagman upgrade the offense, giving them more depth across their lines, something they haven't had much of. It doesn't help them at all that Olli Jokinen hasn't fulfilled his potential there, and they haven't found anyone to center Jarome Iginla the way Mike Cammalleri did last year.

However, is this a move that sets up something potentially (much) bigger?

Last week, McKenzie noted that Calgary was potentially interested in Ilya Kovalchuk, a free-agent-to-be superstar in Atlanta. The Thrashers are trying desperately to re-sign Kovalchuk, but let's not be stupid. This is a long shot.

(Yes, McKenzie mentions Phaneuf in his report, but let's play along for a moment.)

It could be said he belongs somewhere that will take hockey seriously, instead of playing in front of third-full buildings (if that) in Atlanta. Of course, the Thrashers are improving, and they need Kovalchuk to be a part of the effort to make this franchise viable.

Either way, Atlanta has to trade him by March 3 if they can't re-sign him. It's either that or let his negotiating rights go for a draft pick after the Stanley Cup Finals. This is a much more attractive option, because it gives them a chance to pick up some talent in return.

Now, Calgary has some assets they could afford to flip for Kovalchuk, should they choose to be aggressive. The beauty of this is that Sutter can wait through nearly two more weeks of games to see how the new guys come along, and he can play around with numbers and trade possibilities during the two-week Olympic break before he has to make a decision.

Chances are Atlanta would want NHL-level players, a top prospect, and/or a draft pick for Kovalchuk. The draft pick is less valuable because you're dealing Kovalchuk to a contender, so the pick is in the bottom third of the first round.

Instead, Atlanta is better off taking players, even if they're guys like White and Dustin Boyd, who are RFAs after the season. You could envision the Flames flipping Hagman, who has two reasonably-priced years left on his deal, or Stajan, who would be reunited with former Leaf mates Nik Antropov and Pavel Kubina in Atlanta.

You can't replace guys like Kovalchuk, but the Thrashers have to get NHL value for him, as they are still in the thick of the East playoff race. With the break coming, it's unlikely Atlanta will fall off the map before the trade deadline.

Burke gets his big, bruising defenseman who has a big name. Phaneuf upgrades a bad defensive team, and he also brings the kind of edge that Burke loves. One thing that is driving Burke nuts is how easily his team gets pushed around, and he's been trying to change that for a while. The Mike Komisarek signing backfired because of injury, and holdover Jeff Finger hasn't been very good this year.

Short-term, the Leafs win. They make a big splash when Burke needed to shake things up, and he gets a long-term solution in Phaneuf -- who's only 24, by the way -- in exchange for three impending free agents and Hagman.

Oh, and Burke also got the best young player in the deal, because he wrestled prospect defenseman Keith Aulie from the Flames, too.

Sutter's team was short on scoring and depth, and he actually looks like the more desperate guy in the deal, giving up two big young blue-liners for a guys who might not be around past this spring.

Anaheim swaps Jean-Sebastien Giguere for Jason Blake and Vesa Toskala from Toronto.

This is much simpler. Giguere needs to get his mojo back if he is ever going to come close to justifying his huge contract. This move reunites him with Burke and Francois Allaire, Giguere's longtime goaltending coach.

He wasn't going to play much in Anaheim, as the Ducks had just made a four-year, multi-million dollar deal with Jonas Hiller. He is their guy moving forward, and Giguere had to go.

Burke, meanwhile, was tired of watching Toskala look fantastic one night and incompetent the next. Now, youngster Jonas Gustavsson gets a high-quality on-ice mentor in Giguere, and the Leafs get a guy who is actually capable of being a No. 1 goaltender. This is a no-lose for both sides.

Blake wasn't exactly lighting it up in Toronto, with ten goals and 26 points in 56 games. Now he gets a change of scenery, and he joins a forward group in Anaheim that includes tough veterans like Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne.

The Ducks get future cap flexibility, and they rid themselves of a $7 million backup goalie. Good deal for them. Having to take on Toskala's salary is a small price for shipping Giguere north.

It was a big Sunday for the Maple Leafs, who might be in last place in the Eastern Conference, but they're still not dead, and now they get a chance to prove that.

One thing is certain: If they continue to play like they've been, Burke will find more deals to make before the March 3 deadline. He's not really good at "standing pat" or "being patient."

McKenzie's Draft Watch Includes Familiar Names, Duluth Native

Respected TSN hockey analyst Bob McKenzie, one of the most connected people in the business, has put out his latest list of top 30 prospects for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.

While it's a major-junior dominated list, as expected, there are some names on it that college hockey fans will know.

One name in particular will be familiar to local hockey fans.

Duluth native Derek Forbort, who skipped his senior season at Duluth East to play for the U.S. Under 18 National Team (based in Ann Arbor, Mich.), is rated 18th by McKenzie, meaning he's a likely first-round pick this summer.

Forbort is headed to the University of North Dakota next year, and barring something unforeseen, he won't be a four-year guy there.

Other Minnesota-based players on the list include future Gopher Nick Bjugstad, a Blaine High School senior rated No. 14. Minnesota State freshman Tyler Pitlick, an impressive-looking young player who played his prep hockey at Centennial, comes in at No. 20. Warroad center Brock Nelson is 25th. He's a very impressive playmaker who will also play at North Dakota.

Obviously, there is going to be some tweaking done to these ratings. Not only that, but despite McKenzie's impressive pedigree and contacts, it's hardly gospel when it comes time for the draft.

However, it's obvious that plenty of Minnesota kids are impressing NHL scouts, and there is likely to be an increased number of college or college-bound players going in the first round this summer. That's good news for the NCAA as they try to defend their reputation as a developmental tool for young hockey players against the assault by major junior leagues in Canada.

Patrice Cormier's Punishment Fits

The horrifying, completely uncalled-for hit by Canadian major junior Patrice Cormier shocked the hockey universe last week.

Monday, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League spoke on the hit as loudly as they could. Cormier was suspended by the QMJHL for the remainder of the season and playoffs. Since his team, the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, is likely to make the playoffs, this is a pretty steep punishment.

Calling the hit "dangerous and unacceptable," the QMJHL ended Cormier's season and also banned him from playing for any Hockey Canada leagues during the suspension.

In addition, Cormier will not be allowed to play for the New Jersey Devils -- the team that holds his NHL rights -- or their AHL affiliate in Lowell, Mass., until after the Huskies are knocked out of the playoffs.

Devils' GM Lou Lamoriello, after a rather odd statement on the situation last week, cleared up any doubts about the dignity of his organization. He said the team would not try to circumvent the suspension, and they will not seek any place for Cormier to play.

“We said the end of the season and, at this given time, we’re going to honor that 100 percent,” Lamoreillo said. Lamoriello clarified again that. “Under no circumstances did we ever feel that he should not get suspended for an action that he took. If I felt that he should not get suspended then I deserve any criticism that was put that way.” Lamoriello had said that he didn’t think “any criminal action should be involved.”

Cormier still has not shown the proper public remorse, which only makes his crime even worse, given the potential of a criminal charge in the case.

By all sides involved, it was the right move. Cormier has thrown a couple dangerous elbows in recent weeks, and he needs to learn from his actions. Maybe in a few weeks, he will be capable of showing the kind of remorse the hockey world needs to see from him. Not showing any sincere regret over his horrendous actions will not help him get back in the game anytime soon.

As a parent with a child in hockey, I fear where this game is going. We are seeing more and more hits like this in the sport, and there is no easy answer as to why they are continuing to happen. It boils down to a lack of respect for the sport and its competitors, but it also seems to run deeper than that.

While lifetime bans should not be dealt with lightly, we are reaching the point where repeat offenders need to be punished that way. Without the threat of a lifetime ban from the sport, the proper punishment for repeated behavior like this may not exist.

What Should Happen to Patrice Cormier?

If you haven't seen this video by now, brace yourself. It's ugly. The video below also includes some comments from Quebec Remparts coach Patrick Roy, the team Mikael Tam plays for in the QMJHL (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League). The hit by Patrice Cormier of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies is one of the worst you'll ever see.



Cormier, the captain of Canada's silver-medal winning World Junior team, has been suspended indefinitely. There will be a hearing Thursday where he could learn his final fate with the QMJHL, but that won't solve the problem of possible criminal charges from the authorities in Quebec.

For now, let's set that aside. It's hard to argue with the idea that Cormier deserves to have a day in court over what he did. I've always been one to believe that criminal charges stemming from events inside the arena of sport should be saved for the truly extreme cases. No one should be arguing for the arrest of, say, Kael Mouillierat because he threw an illegal elbow.

But if you can't understand the stark difference between the kind of elbows you see on the ice occasionally and what Cormier did, this post probably isn't for you.

Cormier left the bench, coming on the ice during a routine line change, and immediately made a beeline for Tam. Instead of lining him up for a routine, hard, clean hit that keeps guys from admiring their neutral-zone pass for more than .003 seconds, Cormier skated away from body contact and proceeded to stick his elbow out. He struck Tam while skating by him at full speed, and he got him right in the chops.

This wasn't an insane and emotional reaction to taunting, ala Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup Final. While it may not have been a calculated and premeditated act like Todd Bertuzzi's attack on Steve Moore, it was much closer to that than anything Zidane did.

Tam had not just launched into a trash-talking tirade on Cormier, leading Cormier into a rage and causing him to do something stupid. Had that been the case, perhaps the hockey world would be more understanding.

The QMJHL has a tough decision to make Thursday -- or whenever -- because no suspension is going to be good enough for everyone. If they suspend him for the rest of the season, they're going to tick off New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello, whose team holds Cormier's NHL rights.

Lamoriello does not believe that criminal charges or a suspension for the remainder of the season are warranted for the elbow.

“I’m not the judge and jury of things, but in my opinion this is not something that should be talked about,” Lamoriello said.

... Lamoriello was concerned enough that he made an effort to contact Cormier.

“Only because of the rhetoric that was talked about (with supsension and possible criminal charges) and just asking him how he felt,” Lamoriello said.

Good to know he was concerned enough to contact Cormier. Perhaps someone should call Tam, since he was the one in the hospital!

Lamoriello has reason to be concerned about Cormier, however. As Tom Gulitti points out, Cormier would have to go through an AHL review before he can play for the Lowell Devils if he's suspended for the rest of the QMJHL season.

Frankly, that's the bare minimum punishment we should be talking about here. Since there's no way to punish Cormier beyond that (the NHL isn't going to suspend him for something he did in junior hockey), it's likely where everyone will have to settle.

And if you're one of those who thinks Cormier shouldn't be punished that much, you'd best resign yourself to the idea that he will never again play major junior hockey.

UND's Kristo Led Now-Famous Song

By now, you've probably heard the song done by members of the gold-medal winning United States World Junior team.

You haven't? Well, I'm here to help.



Purely awesome.

It was led by North Dakota freshman Danny Kristo, a veteran of international play (he's an alum of the Ann Arbor NTDP). Kristo talked to Grand Forks Herald writer Brad Elliott Schlossman, who does a great job covering the Sioux hockey team.

That goes back to when I played on the national team (U.S. Under-17 and 18 teams). Our boxing coach there made up that song. Whenever we had big victories, we sang that song in the locker room. We had a lot of guys from the national team on the (World Junior) team. Before the game, I told the guys that if we win, we’re singing for sure. After we won, someone asked if we were singing tonight and I said you bet we are. It was pretty fun to sing that song one last time. I couldn’t be more happy to win that gold.

Yes, this means the song was somewhat premeditated.

Doesn't change anything, though. It's still awesome, as is what this team was able to accomplish in Saskatoon.

Go America

The United States has an opportunity to win a second international hockey gold medal in as many days Tuesday night, as they battle Canada for the World Junior Championships gold in Saskatoon.

The last time Team USA played for World Juniors gold was back in 2004, a game highlighted by a famous gaffe that led to the American victory.



Seven WCHA players are on the Team USA roster. Team Canada has none. If, for some reason, you're having trouble figuring out who to root for, that should help you.

This is a rare chance to cheer for guys like Danny Kristo (North Dakota), Jordan Schroeder (Minnesota), Matt Donovan (Denver), Mike Lee (St. Cloud State), and three guys from Wisconsin (John Ramage, Jake Gardiner, and team captain Derek Stepan). They're all great players who we hope to watch UMD shut down when they meet.

For now, they're part of a great hope for a internationally-recognized hockey upset.

Raymond's Big Night

Hope everyone had a great holiday. Regular posting resumes this week. Well, as regular as we get around here.

Third-year pro Mason Raymond continues to impress for Vancouver. The former Bulldog is up to 17 goals after a huge first period Sunday night in Calgary.

Against the rival Flames, Raymond posted his first career hat trick, and he did it the natural way. His three-goal outburst in the first period gave Vancouver a 4-1 lead, and before he chased Flames netminder and Finnish Olympic hopeful Miikka Kiprusoff, Raymond embarrassed the star a little bit.

Watch this incredible goal. Oh, and it's not necessarily the good kind of incredible of you're a Flames fan.



Vancouver won the game 5-1.

In just 39 games, Raymond has set career highs in goal (17) and points (29). It's been a great start for him so far.

• Also, former Bulldog Michael Gergen is playing professionally in Salzburg, Austria. In a message last week, he told me he's enjoyed his move to defense. I have invited Gergen to put together a guest blog for us when he has time.
  

Gary Thorne Back in Hockey

The last time veteran broadcaster Gary Thorne had the chance to call a hockey game, he had a pretty good one unfold in front of him.



That was the 2009 Frozen Four title game, a great comeback win in overtime for Boston University, and Thorne absolutely nailed it.

The problem with Thorne is that he works for ESPN. No, this isn't some kind of anti-ESPN diatribe. However, the Frozen Four is really the only hockey ESPN has coverage of. Makes it hard for Thorne to work in the sport he's best at.

Until this year.

Thorne has signed on to broadcast Team USA's games at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championships for NHL Network.

From the press release:

A holiday-season tradition will return to the NHL Network-U.S. for the third-straight season, as once again the network will broadcast all of Team USA's games at the 2010 World Junior Championship.

Gary Thorne, Dave Starman and Fred Pletsch will be the broadcast team for the tournament, which runs Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Saskatoon and Regina, Sask.

Good deal for hockey fans. Matt McConnell did a good job on this last year, but he's now the full-time TV voice of the Atlanta Thrashers. Thorne here is a no-brainer choice. Few can call a hockey game with his acumen or enthusiasm. He's the only one on the planet close to Mike Emrick's league at this point.

Denver, Patrick Wiercioch Screwed by Hockey Canada

Hockey rules in Canada. The sport is revered in a way it will likely never be in the United States, and they take it quite seriously.

The 2010 IIHF World Junior Championships are coming to Saskatchewan starting next Friday. This past weekend, top candidates for the Canadian team gathered in Regina for a tryout camp.

For many youngsters, the first real big-time hockey dream they have is the chance to help Canada win the World Juniors, a tournament that has gained significant prestige in recent years.

Coming off a stirring gold-medal win last year in Ottawa, Hockey Canada is looking to form another elite team of youngsters for this year's tournament. Among the candidates at their weekend camp were UMD freshman Dylan Olsen and Denver sophomore Patrick Wiercioch (pictured).

Both had to forgo the chance to play in Saturday's series finale in Duluth to fly to Regina for the camp. While Olsen got on the ice and was given an opportunity to impress the brass who are putting the team together, Wiercioch never saw the ice.

A knee injury Wiercioch suffered last month didn't keep him out of the lineup for long, and it didn't prevent him from practicing with the Pioneers for most of November into December.

However, Canadian officials determined that the knee wasn't good enough for Wiercioch to try out, and he was cut without actually getting a chance to make the team.

"Our medical staff had been in direct contact with their medical team over the past four to five weeks," (DU coach George) Gwozdecky said. "They were very aware of not only his injury, but how it was diagnosed and treated, and obviously the fact he had been practicing and playing. It's very surprising they would bring him up there and decide to not clear him."

A frustrated Gwozdecky added: "They have no different diagnosis than we do. I think the bottom line with them is: They had 11 or 12 defensemen, and like it or not, this is probably an easier way to whittle the group down to six or seven. We all knew Patrick is not 100 percent healthy."

As Mike Chambers points out, Wiercioch played in Friday's game against UMD, and he was never given any indication that his injury would keep him from having a realistic shot at making the Canadian team.

Let's face it: This was an awful move by Hockey Canada. There is no reason to take a kid away from his team if you're not certain you are going to let him try out. That means you either trust the doctors DU is using, or you send him for an independent opinion in Denver the week of the tryout. You don't fly him to Regina, prevent him from playing in a big game for his team, and then tell him his World Junior dream is dead.

The well-respected Gwozdecky is likely correct. This was the easy way for Canada to knock that high number of defensemen down without making any difficult decisions. If that's the case, it's all the more reason not to waste everyone's time and energy flying Wiercioch to Regina.

On the bright side for Denver, the big defenseman now gets two weeks to rest that balky knee before the Pioneers host Nebraska-Omaha Jan. 1 in the Denver Cup.

Canada, United States Work to Finalize World Junior Rosters

The IIHF World Junior Championships are set for Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Saskatchewan. Last year's tournament was a disappointing one for the United States, as they lost a preliminary-round game to Canada by blowing a 3-0 lead, then bowed out to Slovakia (!?) in the quarterfinals.

To get back on the medal stand, USA Hockey called on an old friend for this year's tournament. Former North Dakota and current Nebraska-Omaha coach Dean Blais has plenty of international experience, and he is very good with young players.

Canada is the defending champion, and they're again playing on home soil (it was in Ottawa last year). No pressure, guys.

Both countries announced preliminary rosters this week, and both have NCAA players at least in position to make the final rosters.

In Canada, UMD freshman defenseman Dylan Olsen is on the preliminary roster. A first-round pick of the Blackhawks this past summer, Olsen has eight assists in 12 games for UMD.

He is joined by Denver sophomore defenseman Patrick Wiercioch. It was inconceivable to me that Wiercioch didn't make the team last year, and he should have a pretty good shot this time around. Wiercioch has 14 goals and 45 points in 49 career games with the Pioneers.

The Canadian World Junior camp is Dec. 13-15 in Regina, Sask. According to sources, both players are expected to miss the Denver-UMD game at the DECC on Dec. 12, as they make their way north for the camp.

Harvard freshman Louis Leblanc is the only other college player on the Canadian roster for that camp.

On the U.S. side, a preliminary roster of 29 will be whittled down during a camp scheduled for Dec. 15-19 in Grand Forks, N.D. UMD recruit Justin Faulk -- now with the U.S. National Team Development Program -- is on the roster, as are a number of current college players. Minnesota's Jordan Schroeder will play in his third World Juniors, and Wisconsin (Derek Stepan, Jake Gardiner, John Ramage), North Dakota (Danny Kristo), and Denver (Matt Donovan) are also represented on the preliminary roster.

Why People Rag On Major Junior

For the most part, the debate between NCAA and Canadian major junior hockey is driven by one side.

It's not that the folks behind college hockey don't care about the sport's reputation or image. It's that they have more important things to do than promote themselves.

Perhaps we need to change that.

As written in this space before, this isn't really a good debate. Every kid's development is going to be different, and it will be sparked by different things. There are kids who -- at age 18 -- are better off playing with kids their own age and younger, and others will get better by playing against bigger, older, more experienced competition. The young people involved simply should be given the best information possible so they can make intelligent decisions that are free of any potentially harmful biases.

Consider the case of goalie Jack Campbell. He decided to pull out of a verbal commitment to Michigan so he could go play for the OHL's Windsor Spitfires. Give the kid credit, because he didn't shy away from his decision. On the other hand, maybe he should have.

"I am honored the University of Michigan recruited me to play college hockey. My goal is to be playing in the National Hockey League within a year or two, and I did not want to put Michigan's hockey program in a bad position where I left after one season.

"By going to the Ontario Hockey League, I feel it will accelerate my development so I will be able to more quickly achieve my goal of being an NHL goaltender.

"I feel awful about breaking my commitment to U of M. It's something that was not easy to do or that I intended to do. College hockey is a great game that produces a lot of NHL players and I am grateful for the opportunity the University of Michigan gave me."

With all due respect, this is garbage.

Yes, Campbell might develop better in the OHL. However, it's practically insulting for him to suggest that he'll get to the NHL faster there than he would at Michigan.

Chris Dilks of Western College Hockey crunched the numbers, looking at how quickly first-round CHL goalies got to the NHL. Let's just say it isn't a high rate of quick success.

Over 10 drafts--1999-2008--there has been a grand total of one goalie from the CHL (Dan Blackburn, if you're curious) drafted in the first round that wasn't still eligible for the Calder Trophy (no more than 25 NHL games played, or 6 in two separate seasons) at the end of the timeframe with which Campbell suggests he'll be in the NHL.

Ouch.

Good luck, kid.

You can believe that Campbell invented this philosophy, and maybe he did. However, you hear all the time about how Canadian major juniors are the fast track to the NHL. No one questions it, because all you have to do is prop up Sidney Crosby and you win. But Crosby is a special talent that the QMJHL may never again see. Is it really fair to point a finger at him and talk about how major junior is better than college?

In all honesty, I still feel the same way about this debate. Campbell sure could be doing what's best for himself after some serious thought. However, there are rats crawling all over this, and it's hard to get past the idea that the Spitfires exacted some sort of influence by somehow convincing Campbell and his family that going to Michigan would hurt his development.

Even if it didn't happen in this case, you know it does in others.

When was the last time you heard about a college coach going the extra mile to talk a kid out of going to a CHL-affiliated team?

The NCAA/Major Junior Debate Continues

The decision by Chicago Steel defenseman John Moore to sign with Columbus and head to major junior was not a surprise. Moore had been rumored to be firmly on the fence regarding college hockey for some time, and all it took was the influence of people on the outside to tip him one way or the other.

Obviously, those who spoke to him about the benefits of major junior were more convincing than those who spoke about college hockey.

John Moore should not be hated over this decision. He did what he feels is best for him. As an American-born hockey player, I hope he does really well in the OHL, because I think every American who becomes a professional hockey star is a win for the country. I'm hardly a xenophobe, but I do feel we need as many Americans to develop into stars as we can get. It will only help grow hockey as more than just a regional niche sport.

What his decision has done, in some circles, is re-ignite the debate over college versus major junior hockey as a path for NHL development.

With that in mind, here are some thoughts.

For starters, there is no question that Canadian major junior hockey produces more star-caliber players for the NHL than the college game does. The proof can be seen just by looking at a list of top NHL players.

However, the overall percentage of NHL players with NCAA ties has been on the increase, and it will continue to be that way if current trends hold.

There are benefits to both. Major junior might be considered a higher level of play overall, but high-end skill players are starting to find more success in the college game. Just ask guys like Colin Wilson or James vanRiemsdyk. The two -- who should both have a shot at making the NHL this season -- combine with guys like Jonathan Toews to help dispel the notion that you have to be over 20 before you can succeed in college hockey.

In fact, that is a primary benefit for an 18-year-old who wants to play college hockey. While the CHL leagues (OHL, WHL, and QMJHL) may look to provide a higher level of play, college hockey gives a kid the chance to prove himself against older players, many of whom have something to prove in their hopes of playing professionally.

Jordan Schroeder of Minnesota, for example, routinely dealt with 23- and 24-year old centers in the WCHA last season. While it might seem unfair for a kid to be out there against players who can actually be seven years older than him, it's not a bad developmental ground. Schroeder routinely showed last year that he belonged on the same ice as these older and more experienced players, and it helped cement his status as a first-round pick in the 2009 draft.

The NCAAs also provide a second chance for kids who might be late bloomers. Last year, guys like Hobey Baker winner Matt Gilroy of Boston University, Denver's Tyler Bozak, and Notre Dame's Christian Hanson were highly-sought free agents after playing stellar hockey in college and overcoming inadequacies that kept them from being drafted when they were younger.

Had any of these players tried to go major junior when they were 18, the opportunity to earn a lucrative NHL contract may have been lost forever. Instead, they went to college, got quality educations, and now have a chance to play pro hockey because they didn't give up on their dreams.

For an elite 16-year-old, there still aren't a lot of options in North America better than the CHL. An American teenager now has a good program in Ann Arbor, but the NTDP hasn't produced the way some expected it to when the program was put together. For that reason, these prospects still seriously consider the CHL as a method to more quickly get noticed by scouts.

The reality continues, though, that there is no clear-cut path to NHL superstardom for a hot young prospect. There are kids who will benefit greatly from playing major junior hockey in Canada, as there is still more prestige and notoriety to be had there than anywhere else. Others would do well to take the American college route, both because it offers a chance to play against older kids and because it's an improving on-ice product that will test a young player's skills and allow them to develop into the kind of player who can make it in the AHL and eventually the NHL.

There should be no blanket rules or statements made about what is best for all players, because everyone is different.

The debate will continue indefinitely, because there is no way that one can eradicate the other from the planet. Those who blindly advocate for one or the other (biases aside, obviously) are only hurting the system as a whole.

I'll admit my pro-college biases, argue to the death that the NCAA route has worked well for many, many NHL players, but freely admit that a kid like John Moore is absolutely doing the right thing for him. And for John Moore, looking out for John Moore should always be of the highest priority.

NCAA Reaches Across Border

Back in 2008, the NCAA decided it would accept applications for membership from schools outside of the United States.

Crickets were heard chirping, as practically no one jumped at the chance to join.

Finally, the NCAA got a bite.

Simon Fraser University is based in British Columbia, and they have a past history of competing against American schools. Many of their old U.S. rivals are based in a Division II league called the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

In 2011-2012, SFU will be a part of that league, as they have become the first non-American university approved for NCAA membership.

"I am extremely pleased with today’s decision,” said SFU’s senior director of athletics, David Murphy.

“It’s humbling to know we have been chosen as the first foreign university to compete in the NCAA as a member. I believe we are reaching back to the original intentions and philosophy of the university’s founders: to offer a great Canadian education with the ability to compete athletically in the NCAA."

Added Lorne Davies, SFU's legendary first athletics director: "It is the most important step in SFU athletic history. The athletics department is keeping in step with the university's commitment to provide excellence in education and athletics and to challenge our students and student athletes to be the best."

Since SFU will be competing in Division II, they will be able to offer limited scholarships in their sports. Their teams -- called the Clan -- compete in 19 varsity sports, including football, basketball, and soccer.

Oddly, they don't have a hockey team. I hate to stereotype, but I figured every Canadian university offered hockey. Then again, British Columbia has a pretty successful junior hockey league (the BCHL), along with the NHL's Vancouver Canucks. Perhaps this isn't all that surprising.

It's probably a good thing SFU doesn't offer it. Because of their Division II affiliation, they would be forced into the abyss of NCAA hockey. No longer can schools start programs in Division I when they compete at the Division II level in other sports. It's all or nothing, and asking a newcomer to NCAA sports to make the leap to Division I is probably asking too much.

People have wondered for some time what the impact would be on college hockey if Canadian schools ever tried to join the NCAA. I am guessing it won't be great, since you are now looking at Division I using a "super conference" format that will make further expansion difficult to successfully pull off. A school like the University of Calgary or University of British Columbia might be tempted to join the ranks of NCAA Division I, but the odds of being successful as an independent -- especially in hockey -- are pretty slim.

Anyway, good for the Clan. This is an interesting step being taken by the NCAA, and I'm curious to see if any other Canadian universities try to follow the path now forged by Simon Fraser, even if that path leads to Division II and has no impact on hockey.