Luc Bourdon Killed In Motorcycle Crash

Joe Pelletier has posted that Luc Bourdon has been killed in a motorcycle accident. Early reports came out of the French media, and are now appearing in Vancouver media.

The accident occurred just outside of Shippagan, N.B., where Bourdon was from. He was 21. A first-round pick, 10th overall in 2005, Bourdon played 27 games in Vancouver this season on the blueline and spent another 41 with the Manitoba in the American Hockey League.

It is a sad tragedy that leaves a legacy of potential greatness in the National Hockey League unfulfilled.

When Luc Bourdon attended his first Vancouver Canucks training camp the coaches were astounded by the raw skill shown by the 18-year-old, and thrilled about the first-round draft pick’s NHL potential.

Here are some notable quotes from people close to Bourdon:

“Luc was a winner; he was a competitor,” said Kent Hughes, his agent. “There was no quit in him. He persevered through a lot. He was a great guy and a great teammate.”

“Luc was an extremely talented player with a bright future,” Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said in a statement. “He brought great passion to the game and was a valued team member on and off the ice. He will be greatly missed.”

The summary of a career that was all too short:

Draft: Selected 10th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft

Previous Teams: Val-D’Or Foreurs (QMJHL), Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL), Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL), Manitoba Moose (AHL)

NHL Debut: Oct. 10, 2006 versus Minnesota Wild.

First NHL goal:компютри втора употреба Nov. 16, 2007 against Minnesota Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom in 6-2 Vancouver win.

International Representation: Played six games for Team Canada’s U-18 team in 2005, picking up one assist. Led all defencemen in scoring and was named to all-star team at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in 2006, scoring a goal and five assists in six games. Scored two goals and two assists in 2007 tournament, helping Canada win gold for second straight year.

NHL Stats: Two goals, zero assists, 24 penalty minutes in 36 games.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends in this time of sorrow.

Source: Canoe

Crosby and Company Come Alive

After Sidney Crosby, and the rest of the Penguins were nowhere to be found for the first two games of these Stanley Cup Finals, the young guns finally made an appearance. Sparked by Crosby’s two early goals and the gritty physical leadership of the crafty veteran Gary Roberts, the Penguins gave their hometown fans something to cheer about.

Detroit continued their torrid pace of secondary scoring, getting goals from both Johan Franzen and Mikael Samuelsson on the evening. However, it was the lack of finish by their top guns in Datsyuk and Zetterberg that spelled the difference in this game for Detroit.

One of my favorite playoff quotes held true tonight and it goes something like this:

” In the Stanley Cup Finals, the team whose best players are the best players will always win the game”

On this night, it was clearly Sidney Crosby who was the game’s best player as he came out with a vengeance in Game 3 after being called on the carpet for his illustrious performance thus far in the series.

Crosby’s Boring Interviews

Crosby pulled out every cliche in the book during his post-game interviews. Here is a sample of Crosby’s robotic interviewing skills.

We still have a ways to go,” Crosby said. “It is just going to get tougher from here.”

“We had to leave it all out there tonight,” [...] “It wasn’t easy, but it was a good one for us.”

“It wasn’t that the chances weren’t there, it’s just that finally one went in for us.

“It was a big game,” Crosby said. “Every one from here on is a must-win, so we have to be sure we play well.”

It’s no secret that I believe Crosby is good for the game and he is a well coached in his public address approach, but he has the personality of a dead moth.

I much prefer the broken english of Alexander Ovechkin, who was spotted during Game #3 speaking with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. When asked what he and Bettman were talking about, Ovechkin smiled and said:

“Raising the salary…getting more money”

Alexander then calmly continued by saying that he was really talking about the World Championships and life in general. At least he has a sense of humor.

On Malkin

Pierre Lebrun thought Malkin was “electric” in Game 3. I’m going to have to disagree with Pierre on this one. While Malkin was considerably better than he had been in the previous two games, it would be a stretch to call his performance “electric”. Lebrun point out not that Crosby carried the team on his back, which I will agree with (even though it was quite obvious). As much as I have said I am tired of all of the hype around Crosby, Sidney was by far the best player on the ice in this game.

Get Your Game 5 Tickets

Detroit fans, be sure to pick up your Stanley Cup Final tickets because Game 5 is coming your way and it should be a dandy!

Valtteri Filppula Game 2 Goal Video

Just in case you missed Valtteri Filppula’s amazing goal in Game 2 of these Stanley Cup Finals, I have provided the video below.

One of the reasons that Detroit is so dominant and continues to be a force to rekon with year after year is their ability to get timely scoring from their secondary stars like Filppula.  While superstars like Datsyuk, Lidstrom and Zetterberg garner most of the attention and praise, Detroit’s deep bench continues to quietly churn out goal after goal.  Often, these goals come in key situations and have frequently been game winning goals.  For instance, Kris Draper managed to score the first goal in a “first goal wins series” off of his bearded bottom lip!

You can bet that Detroit will get ample production from their secondary stars in Game 3, it’s just a matter of who will step up and get the job done!

Detroit Wins Stanley Cup!

Well…statistically speaking, the league might as well forgo the next games in the series and simply give Lord Stanley to the Red Wings right now.

After taking a 2-0 series lead following Monday night’s domination of the Penguins, the Red Wings have taken what history has shown to be an insurmountable lead in the Stanley Cup final series.

The Penguins now find themselves up against the slimmest of odds. In fact, the all-time championship series record of home clubs winning the first two games is 30-1. The 1970-71 Chicago Blackhawks were the only team to blow a 2-0 lead built at home, losing to Montreal in seven games.

If you want to catch one more hockey game this season you had better get tickets for either of Games 3 or 4.

Home Sweet Home

If there is any luck remaining for the Penguins in this playoff run, it is the fact that they are 8-0 at home during these playoffs. Heading to the familiar confines of Mellon arena may be just the spark that this team needs to get back on track and build some momentum.

Of course the officiating is always to blame. However, Coach Therrien’s claims are very shallow and seem to be what is amounting to a last-ditch effort to gain some sympathy calls in the next couple of games. I suppose you have to pull out all of the stops to win a Stanley Cup.

Here is a sampling of Therrien’s complaints:

“They’re good on obstruction. It’s going to be tough to generate offence if the rules remain the same.

“This is the first time we’re facing a team where the obstruction is there.”

Interestingly enough, Sidney Crosby isn’t finding fault with the officials.  Although, Crosby spends his fair share of time whining at the men in stripes, he’s turned in another direction after the loss in Game 2.

“To be honest, they’re not getting that many more chances than us,” said Crosby, who had six shots on goal Monday. “If they were skating down every time getting tons of chances, I’d be worried. But it’s the nature of the game. They’re capitalizing (on their chances) and we’re not.”

As Good As Osgood

Chris Osgood has been fantastic behind an equally fantastic Detroit defense. As much as Osgood’s two straight shutouts in the Stanley Cup final have impressed fans, the defensive system of the Red Wings has stifled the most potent of NHL offenses by allowing just 42 shots in two games.

Here is what coach Babcock had to say about the Red Wings’ stingy defensive system:

“It’s the Stanley Cup Final. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime. You gotta be jacked up to play, and it’s pretty evident who – Malkin is up for the MVP of the League. It’s evident that him and Crosby and Staal, and you can go through a lot of the forwards, are really talented people. So we have to shut those people down if we’re going to be successful.”

Brad Stuart, who played terrific in Game 2 was qwuick to praise his netminder. “A lot of credit has to go to Ossie,” Stuart told Hockey Night in Canada after the game. “He’s made some big saves, they easily could have had a couple goals in the first and second period.

The series can be summed up as follows:

• Osgood is on point and currently facing very few quality scoring opportunities.
• Niklas Kronwall is the best open ice hitter in the NHL next to Dion Phaneuf.
• The Red Wings have the best breakout and transition game in the league…period.
• Detroit gets secondary scoring in every single game – a key to their success.
• The Red Wings rarely retaliate and are much more disciplined than the Penguins.

Any other thoughts?  Feel free to share them in the comments!

Tired of All The Crosby Hype

Time for another “Bubba rant”.

Am I the only person alive who feels this way, or are other hockey fans getting sick and tired of the never-ending love-fest for Sidney Crosby? “Sid the Kid” this and “Crosby” that, it’s practically all you get to read about.

The hype started way back before the youngster was even drafted. It continued into his rookie year, (even though he didn’t earn rookie of the year honors), and now the over-kill has reached a crescendo of epic proportions.

This blogger has finally reached his breaking point.

Reading articles day after day which state things like “Crosby has his team in the Finals” makes me wonder if the rest of his team-mates feel slighted. The last time I checked, hockey was a team game. Did the other Penguins have nothing to do with getting the team into the Finals, or are they not worthy of mentioning in the same way?

The problem is, it doesn’t stop there.

There have been numerous articles written about how Crosby is the “Face of the NHL”, or is the “Future of the NHL”. Excuse me, but in my mind “the kid” might not even be the best player on his team, let alone the entire NHL.

Let’s put the hype aside for a moment and take a look at some facts.

During the regular season, Evgeni Malkin led the team in scoring with 47 goals and 106 points in 82 games. Crosby scored 24 goals and had 72 points in 53 games.

While Crosby had a bad ankle and missed several games because of the injury, Malkin still averaged more goals per games played (.57) than did Crosby (.45). Malkin’s shooting percentage was 17% while Crosby’s was 14%. Both averaged about the same amount of time on the ice per game, (21 minutes).

While Crosby was injured, Malkin stepped up and arguably was more of a force than Crosby had ever been. The team responded and played their best hockey of the year, (before the playoffs) during the superstar’s injury. Was the team trying to send a message to the rest of the NHL? Maybe, just maybe, they are not a one-man hockey team?

The battle for the Conn Smythe should be interesting. Will Crosby win it by default? He has a slim lead in the playoffs scoring race with 21 points while Malkin and Marian Hossa have 19 each.

Although, the surprise of the playoffs for me so far has been the outstanding play of Marc-Andre Fleury. He certainly has to be in the running.

Detroit has a few players who will be making a case for themselves as well. Henrik Zetterberg has 21 points while Pavel Datsyuk has 19. Nicklas Lidstrom is always a force on defense and Chris Osgood has been a rock between the pipes.

Any of them are as equally deserving as Crosby, at least so far.

I have a feeling that the Red Wings will be out to show the world that it might just be a bit too early to dub “the kid”, as the “Face of the NHL”.

More Stanley Cup News

It seems that the NHL had another brain-dead moment when they scheduled this series. The first three games between the Pens and Wings are on the same exact nights as the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs. That means that the Detroit Red Wings will be playing on the same nights as the Detroit Pistons play.

For instance, the Pistons will be playing at home tonight, the exact same time that the Red Wings are playing at home. The NBA set their times up first, so it’s hard to believe that the NHL couldn’t have been a bit more creative with their scheduling. Maybe they are required to do Versus’ bidding, regardless of other factors?

Would it be surprising to see a few empty seats at the Joe tonight as corporate executives who have over-lapping tickets make the tough choice of watching the Pistons game instead of the Wings? Not only that, but the NHL will be butting heads with the television coverage as well. If you are a Pistons fan in addition to being a Wings fan, which game will you watch?

Fans Vs. Versus

If you are just an “average joe” sports fan surfing the channels for something to watch tonight, are you more apt to watch the basketball playoffs on ABC TV, or watch hockey on Versus? Don’t think too hard before answering that question. Most of the “average joe’s” won’t even be able to find the hockey game.

While Versus is liable to do very well, (for them), as far as ratings go for this game, the overall ratings could be much better if things were handled properly and with better planning.

Right now the NHL has a huge opportunity to bring new fans into the sport because of this premier match-up between two of the most skilled, exciting teams in the league, yet it seems as if the people at the top of the league think small. As long as they continue to think small, the league will always remain a 2nd tier sport to most people who follow sports.

By the way just in case you haven’t heard, Sidney Crosby is the youngest Captain to ever play in a Stanley Cup Finals. I thought you might like to know that little tidbit before I sign off and go mow my yard.

Stanley Cup Final Week News

In gearing up for the Stanley Cup finals this weekend, I thought it would be a good idea to provide you with links to the essential news leading into the weekend.

The Stanley Cup final is a dream situation for the National Hockey League pitting the two best teams and many of the leagues highest profile stars versus each other. As one person put it…it is Goliath versus Goliath.

Here goes!

• It looks like everyone’s favorite reformed mullet-head, Jaromir Jagr will not be plying his trade in Novosibirsk Russia next season after all. Sources have confirmed that the veteran all-star is in serious negotiations with New York Rangers brass.

• James Mirtle has the list of officials that will be working the Stanley Cup Finals. The men in stripes will be as follows:

Referees: Paul Devorski ; Brad Watson; Dan O’Halloran; Marc Joannette.
Linesmen: Jean Morin; Jay Sharrers; Shane Heyer; Pierre Racicot.

What, no Mick McGeough?

• The Penguins say that they don’t want to be compared to the 1983 Edmonton Oilers. Hmmm…not wanting to be compared to the beginning of a dynasty seems odd (other than the young Oilers lost to the Islanders in 1983). However, there are those who may not think the 2008 Penguins are worthy of such a comparison.

What do you think?

Here’s a quote by Coach Therrien from Wayne Gretzky that might sum up what needs to be done:

“I read Wayne Gretzky’s book and we’ll approach it with our players,” Therrien said. “I remember a quote of Wayne’s that they thought they had given everything. But when they (Oilers) crossed in front of the (Islanders’) dressing room, there was not much celebration because they had ice packs on their bodies. That’s the price you’ve got to pay to win the Stanley Cup.”

• Jeremy Roenick agreed to a one-year contract Wednesday to return to the San Jose Sharks after his revitalizing comeback season with the club. Roenick’s contract is reported to be worth $1,000,000 or about double what he earned this season.

• ESPN’s Scott Burnside has selected his three picks for the Conn Smythe trophy from each of the final two teams. Burnside doesn’t take any chances here as he picks the no-brainers in Crosby, Malkin, Zetterberg, and the two goaltenders. The one semi-surprise out of his picks would be Niklas Kronwall who, as Burnside mentions, is finally starting to show the talent that the Detroit brass has been so keen on.

• After overcoming a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Philadelphia Flyers are looking to quickly re-sign their young talent. Look for Carter and Umberger to get good pay-days from Flyers management.

• Alexander Ovechkin has captured the Sporting News NHL Player of the Year Award. In other Sporting News awards announcements, Bob Gainey was selected as General Manager of the year for somehow getting the Canadiens to overachieve to the point of leading the Eastern Conference at the end of the regular season.

• The LA Kings are having an open call for acquiring a defenseman. Here is what assistant GM Ron Hextall had to say:

“Our biggest concern is our defense. We will actively try to make trades. We won’t try to trade for a 30-year-old defenseman with one year left on his contract. We will try, actively, to trade for a young defenseman between now and the draft.”

• Phoenix Coyotes left winger Daniel Carcillo had a league best 324 penalty minutes in his first full season in the league. Here he offers 10 tips for surviving and thriving as a middleweight fighter.

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