image: TSN

As a native Montrealer, I was saddened when the Nordiques were sold in 1995 and became the Colorado Avalanche but that’s the nature of the game.  With all of the controversy surrounding the bankruptcy and ownership of the Phoenix Coyotes, a lot of people have been saying that they’d like to see another team up in Canada and I actually agree.  I don’t know if I want the Coyotes to move to Hamilton but a second team in Quebec or a new one in the prairies is worth a shot if California can have three clubs.

NHL commissioner, Gary Bettman, reportedly met with Quebec City mayor Regis Labeaume and former Nordiques owner Marcel Aubut.  No concrete details have emerged but Labeaume did say that more information about the meeting, which took place in New York on Friday, will become available soon.  There’s talk of a new arena being built in the city which, naturally, only fuels the speculation that the Nordiques are returning.

What do you think?  Should the Nordiques return to the league?

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image: TSN

He was in the middle of the Punch-up in Piestany.  In case you don’t know what it is (click on the link), this was a huge brawl that led to the disqualification of both the Canadian and Soviet teams at the 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.  Not great but it happens.  I think everyone was ready to move on.

The trouble continued to find him, however, even though some of it wasn’t his fault.  It became clear that he had been battling substance abuse problems since his professional career had begun.  His father got diagnosed with cancer, Fleury got diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and, while it seemed like he had quit drinking and doing drugs for a time, his problems came back around the time he went to the Olympics.  Later in 2002, he was suspended for six months and was placed in the NHL/NHLPA Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program for violating his aftercare program.   Sadly, his NHL career was over by 2003 although he played in the British Elite Ice Hockey League in 2005-2006 before entirely retiring from hockey.

Now, it’s been learned that Fleury has sent a letter to NHL Commissioner, Gary Bettman, asking to be reinstated which would mean that the NHL would have to lift his indefinite suspension after he failed to get his substance abuse issues under control.

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There’s just one catch – Balsillie would want to move the team to southern Ontario.  I don’t like the idea but Prime Minister Stephen Harper decided to weigh in on the matter: "I’d love another NHL team in Canada . . . particularly southern Ontario can support another team.  I have even (mentioned) to a couple of NHL owners I think southern Ontario is ripe to support more than one NHL team."

Uhhhh… I am one of the Canadians who actually likes Harper and I just want to say that I find it very bizarre to have our nation’s leader weighing in on this potential move.  I know he’s a hockey fan (and we’re a hockey loving country) but I’m sure he’s got better things to talk about.  What am I missing here?

Anyway, I’m sure earning the support of the prime minister bolstered Balsillie’s spirits but I’m equally sure that it has the NHL (particularly commissioner Gary Bettman) seeing red. 

Bettman doesn’t want the team to move and believes that it can still work in Phoenix.  His plan is to do his best to make sure the team stays right where it is.  My only question about that pertains to the fact that the Coyotes got into financial ruins somehow, right?  If it was a good hockey market then would the team be on the brink of bankruptcy? 

"We generally try to avoid relocating franchises unless you absolutely have to," he said. "We think when a franchise is in trouble, you try and fix the problems. That’s what we did in Pittsburgh and Ottawa and Buffalo prior to our work stoppage. That’s what we did when the perception was that five out of the six Canadian franchises around the turn of the century were in trouble. We fixed the problems. We don’t run out on cities."

Here’s my thing – is Ontario the only Canadian province that can get a new hockey team?  Every time I hear chatter about a move, it’s always about Ontario.  Guess what?  That place already has the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs so why not share the love a little bit?  The population in places like Saskatchewan has grown considerably and continues to grow and I think that it is a market that is ripe for the picking. 

What do you think?  Where should the Coyotes be?  Should they stay in Phoenix or move?

image: TSN

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Koivu will become an unrestricted free agency (along with nine of his teammates) on July 1, 2009 but contract negotiations have not been initiated.  "If I’m not signed by July 1, I don’t think I’ll be back in Montreal," Koivu said. "Finishing your career with one team would be awesome in a way, but it’s too early to say because I don’t know what the team’s plan is. We lost yesterday, so I need time to sit down with my family and figure out what’s best for us."

"There’s a lot of question marks right now, so I have to get away from the game for a while before making a decision," said Koivu. "It would probably be a pretty interesting and exciting morning to wake up on July 1 and see what the offers are and which teams would be there."

I guess that means Koivu is also considering leaving the team.  I don’t blame him after that embarrassing playoff loss and the uncertainty of the team’s future.

Depending on what happens, the roster could look very different at the start of next season.  With the team possibly up for sale and a new coach on the horizon, the Habs could reinvent themselves but I’m hoping it won’t go the same way as the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Here’s a list of the players who will become free agents:

• Alex Kovalev
• Alex Tanguay
• Robert Lang
• Tom Kostopoulos
• Mike Komisarek
• Mathieu Schneider
• Francis Bouillon
• Patrice Brisebois
• Mathieu Dandenault

There are some big names on this list so I hope the Habs don’t wait too long to make a decision.  Lang, Tanguay and Schneider have all expressed a desire to return to Montreal and I think these players, along with Koivu, are completely worth signing.

image: TSN

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Some rumored investors include the Caisse de dépôt et placement (in charge of the province’s pension fund), Guy Laliberté (owner of Cirque du Soleil), René Angelil (husband and manager of Céline Dion), Claridge Investment House, media giant Quebecor, Joey Saputo (owner of the Montreal Impact soccer team), Roustan Capital, the Molson family, Spectrum Equity and the Aldo Group.  As if that’s not enough, GM Serge Savard has said that he and a group of partners are interested and prepared to buy the NHL franchise.

I’m not surprised.  Who wouldn’t want to own the Habs?  They are an amazing team, they often make the playoffs, they have a great fanbase and they just celebrated their 100th anniversary!

image: TSN

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The defenceman allegedly went directly to  general manager, Bob Gainey, with his request.  This could be a mutually beneficial move – Dandenault could leave the team and, in return, the Habs will have a little more wiggle room in terms of their salary cap at the trade deadline.

The 33-year-old is in the third and final year of a deal that nets him $1.75 per season.

image: TSN

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Instead, I’ve been hearing that people in the front office down in Tampa are fighting because some want to trade him while others want to keep the original agreement.  With an $85 million contract extension and a team that is sucking majorly, I’m thinking they either want him to become a savior or free up some of that money.  Either way, this stinks. 

Tampa can blame everyone they want – Vinny, Barry Melrose, etc.. it’s not going to change the fact that something is not working and I’m looking at the owners.

Anyway, where could Lecavalier end up? With the Montreal Canadiens.  Apparently, there’s been real discussions with Habs GM, Bob Gainey, and the trade could include as many as four NHLers.  If that’s the case, this would be a huge deal so I will definitely be keeping my eyes and ears open for news.

image: TSN

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Apparently, fans saw her on the “hug cam” at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto in the VIP box with Fisher’s family.  Despite cheering him on during a battle against Toronto Maple Leafs, the Sens lost 3-1.

Here are some more hockey couple pics:

• Hillary and Mike Comrie out for dinner
• Elisha Cuthbert and Dion Phaneuf in Hawaii.
• Underwood, Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler cheering on Jordin Tootoo 

image: Bauer-Griffin

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I knew there was an investigation going on which revealed that he suffered from myocarditis (not enough blood gets to the heart and, technically, should have meant he couldn’t play hockey) but now it’s been announced that Cherepanov’s blood and urine samples contained performance-enhancing drugs.  Further, tests indicate that the rising star had been doping for months.  I’m surprised and saddened by this new development.

So, the kid had a career-ending heart condition, was taking performance-enhancing drugs and, 12 minutes after he collapsed, doctors finally arrived with a non-functioning defibrillator (battery was drained).  What the heck? 

Prosecutors are accusing the hockey club of negligence and, well, I have to agree.  Something is definitely wrong here…

image: TSN

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Anyway, the news now is that Sundin has narrowed his choices down to the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks.  The Canucks can offer more money but New York seems like a better fit so I’m not sure how this is going to go.  His agent said that he expects Sundin to make his decision in the next week so that “he can join one of those teams after Christmas.”

Uh huh… we’ll see.  There have been so many deadlines for his announcement (I was still remaining positive back in July when there were rumors of an August 1st decision) so it’s hard to really believe anything at this point…

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