The Northland “Dome” Hockey Helmet

A while ago I wrote a series of posts entitled the Worst Hockey Equipment Ever. Within that series I noted that the Cooper XL7 helmet was the worst hockey helmet ever produced. While I still stand firmly behind my decision to proclaim the Cooper XL7 as the worst, there is a close second.

The Northland “Dome” Helmet that is probably best known for being worn by none other than Lanny McDonald, is rather ugly itself. I had several requests to feature the Northland “Dome” Helmet as one of the ugliest pieces of equipment and, I admit, there were days when it did seem uglier than the XL7.

I’m not sure if it was just me, but I think the helmet’s ugliness was lost on me due to Lanny’s flaming red mustache. Had McDonald not had such an enormous red mustache, the hideousness of the Dome Helmet may have overtaken that of the Cooper XL7.

If you are in need of a new hockey helmet, you can get some great deals at Total Hockey.net !

Conference Final Impressions & Predictions for Cup Finals

Conference Final Impressions

I don’t know if these conference finals were all that fans expected them to be, but they have sure paved the way for what promises to be a terrific championchip series.

I suppose I’m glad to say that I had this series mostly right. I thought the Pens would be too much up front, and they were. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were a 2-man army that completely dismantled what was left of the Hurricanes. I thought Carolina would have had a little more juice left, but Eric Staal had hit empty after his 7 game marathon with Zdeno Chara. And needless to say, if Staal is not bringing his A game every night, the Canes just don’t have the depth to compete, no matter how much magic they may have, or how much the hockey gods were smiling on them. The only hope they had was for Cam Ward to be utterly spectacular, but he was shelled in games 2 and 3 and may have lost all confidence. It even looked as though his teammates knew that their run was over. Let’s remember that they were an overachieving team that went through 2 grueling 7-game series with the Devils and Bruins, neither of which they were expected to win. A tip of the hat to the Hurricanes for a good run this season, but they were soundly beaten by a team that looks possessed right now, especially Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin . Suddenly the Habs fan in me doesn’t feel so bad. A team was swept in more dominating fashion than the Canadiens were.

What can be said about the Red Wings? in my lifetime I don’t think I’ve seen such a complete and competent team. They simply do everything right, even with Pavel Datsyuk, Nik Lidstrom and Draper out of the lineup. Marian Hossa stepped up in games 4 and 5 to lead the offensive charge in the absence of Datsyuk. Chris Osgood is proving that he can indeed be a clutch goalie, with a huge performance in game 5. From top to bottom, the Red Wings get it. They know their roles well, they know how to win and they are smarter than any team out there. I salute the young Blackhawks for their tremendous season. Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg and Martin Havlat  will be a formidable core for a long, long time. And they’re supported with tons of other great young talent on the blue line that will ensure Chicago’s restablishment on the hockey map. Next season the Red Wings may not be so lucky, but then again, when have the Wings ever depended on luck for their success?

Stanley Cup Final Predictions

Will it be Mr. Wonderful or Mr. Balsillie for the Phoenix Coyotes?

Hockey in the desert. A beautiful building in an inconvenient location. An owner/coach. One playoff series since 2000. A disadvantaged lease and poor attendance.  In this economy, is it any wonder that the Phoenix Coyotes have ended up in Chapter 11?  Quite unexpected, is the guerilla bid by Blackberry magnate Jim Balsillie and attempt to circumvent league rules on ownership and relocation and a distraction from an otherwise great spring for hockey.

The Court Hearing Issues

The hearing May 19 revealed several fundamental issues:

1. Who has control of the franchise?
2.  What is the nature of the franchise? Is it a franchise only in Arizona, one with unlimited relocation rights, or one with relocation rights pending Board of Governors approval?
3.  Can a league enforce territorial rights and dictate ownership, or can a court overrule these rights?

The judge’s decision to order Moyes and the NHL into mediation was a shrewd one and allows both parties to save face- something the NHL was doing for Jerry Moyes until his sudden Chapter 11 filing May 5. The court-ordered mediation is to determine whether Moyes or the league have control of the team and is a step to avoid a contentious court battle that would require the major players (Moyes, Bettman, Daly, et al) to answer questions under oath and answer to accusations of each side being a liar in court documents.

NHL Prepares for Bankruptcy Court

The NHL made a significant shift during the trial, conceding that the Coyotes are heading for an auction and bankruptcy court may be a suitable venue, even if Moyes lacked the authority to actually place the Coyotes in bankruptcy. This also removes the ability of Moyes or the league to set a reserve price on the franchise.

One interesting non-participant during the proceedings was the NHLPA, who have strongly supported a seventh Canadian franchise. Section 2018 (d) of the Federal Bankruptcy Code specifically gives labor unions the right to be a part of proceedings regarding any reorganization plans and how the plans impact their constituents. Since Mr. Balsillie attended the hearing without true standing before the and a litigator for the NFL addressed the judge, this is a surprising quiet position from the NHLPA.

The Relocation Issue

As expected, the city of Glendale asserted its rights as leaseholder before the judge and asked to be added to the list of nonsecured creditors if he rules that the franchise is a mobile asset. In that case, the lease could be broken and the $500 million penalty imposed. Like the Pittsburgh Penguins fighting the SEA during their 1999 bankruptcy for the right to relocate, Glendale does have both precedent and experience on their side.  The major risks to their claim are the discretionary powers of a bankruptcy judge to nullify contracts and a Congressional cap on punitive damages at one year’s rent ($500,000)- which has been untested in a case like this.

The determination of whether the franchise itself is mobile also has far-reaching implications in the quantity and type of bids received in the auction. If the franchise is a mobile asset, total liabilities jump to $610 million from the current $108,401,367.79 million (to the top 40 unsecured creditors per the filing) due to Glendale’s claim.  Under any scenario, secured creditors of $95 million will be paid first.  

• Under Balsillie’s plan, Gretzky will also receive a payout of $22.5 million If Glendale’s claim is upheld, Balsillie’s plan will pay $95,000,000 among $610,000,000 of claims, or 15.61%. 
• Reinsdorf’s reported bid of $130 million does not breach the lease or include a payment to Gretzky.  This plan leaves $35 million to be paid among the $108 million held by unsecured creditors, or 32.29%. It’s also likely that another ownership group eyeing a different location outside of Phoenix will step forward and outbid Balsillie. 

 So even if the judge rules against the NHL in the relocation arguments and opens the door for the Hamilton Coyotes, remember that the judge has the sole responsibility of making as many creditors whole as possible.

NHL Raises The Stakes!

The NHL raised its line of credit from $70 million to $200 million Monday, citing low interest rates and the need to be prepared for the future. These reasons seem hollow and the timing suspect at best.  A US bank holds the credit, whose rates are directly impacted by the Federal Reserve. The next scheduled Fed meeting regarding rates is June 23-24, or well after the Cup finals. If interest rates were the true motive, they will likely still be there after the Cup is awarded and the deal did not have to be executed the day before the first major hearing. 

Could the NHL potentially be a bidder to stabilize a market they obviously believe in? Could they be ready to run the team and bankroll its operations throughout a prolonged legal battle? Or is the financial health of other franchises far worse than anyone knows, with this being the first of many dominos to fall during the recession?

Balsillie’s Calculated Bet

Balsillie has taken a calculated risk with this strategy. The Board of Governors requires a three quarters vote (23 of 30) to approve a new owner, and they won’t quickly forget that Phoenix is #5 on the hit list. It’s unlikely that the previous four franchises would affirm his ownership. MLSE and Buffalo are wildcards, with true claims to territorial infringement. MLSE has made statements implying that there could be a satisfactory financial arrangement.

It’s doubtful that Buffalo would feel similarly, with recent estimates attributing 15-20% of revenues to southern Ontario. For a smaller market recently out of bankruptcy, this could spell long-term ruin. While other owners may see the revenue southern Ontario can bring, questions of trust regarding Balsillie and his methodology will remain.

Balsillie’s strategy is based upon a PR campaign to tap into nationalistic pride. He neglects to mention his play for the Ottawa Senators with hopes of moving them to Hamilton and instead reinforces the common stereotype of “Canada v Bettman.” He is banking that a league still in damage-control from the ultimate PR disaster of the cancelled 2004-05 season will eventually capitulate to quiet the media storm and save face.   What he didn’t certainly expect was the entry of NFL, MLB, and NBA into the fray with their combined influence, deep pockets, and army of litigators. 

Can one man rock the boat in all of mainstream professional sports?

It looks to be a tall task and one that would challenge anti-trust law more than bankruptcy law.  While the Canadian Competition Committee has sided with the NHL’s practices, the NHL lacks an anti-trust exemption in the US like MLB owns.  Balsillie may lose this battle, but his war is more appropriate for a different court of law.  Furthermore, precedent is based on older case law and now might be the time to challenge it before a progressive judge.  Balsillie may have led Moyes down the wrong path as a cohort, as Moyes stands to lose far more than he can gain.

What Is Moyes’ Angle?

Moyes’ gamble is also a tricky one. He certainly is tied personally and professionally to a sinking ship. Even if he didn’t have control May 5, the team was bankrupt without the tag.  The NHL strategy of keeping things quiet during the season was to protect the Coyotes and NHL brands and keep sponsorship and fan money flowing into Phoenix. If their true woes had been disclosed, corporate sponsorships would’ve likely dried up, and fans would have been less likely to support a lame duck team with their lean entertainment dollars.  By taking this to bankruptcy court, Moyes may lose nearly everything he’s invested in the team- unless a Mr. Wonderful appears.

Rumors have surfaced that minority owner John Breslow may be preparing a bid for the team to keep it in Phoenix.  When Mario Lemieux bought the Pittsburgh Penguins out of bankruptcy in 1999, he turned his $31million in deferred salary into ownership of the team, worth an estimated $100 million at the time.  Where did the rest of the money come from? Mr. Wonderful, a majority owner with deep pockets and a love for hockey, as Lemieux referred to him prior to presenting the bid to open court.  A quick look at the four teams still playing this spring shows that things worked out wonderfully for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Does Phoenix have a Mr. Wonderful ready to ride in on a white horse to keep the team in place, or will the players be packing their bags for Hamilton with Mr. Balsillie to become the seventh NHL franchise?

This article has been contributed to NHL Digest exclusively by a legal source well versed in diplomacy, international relations and mitigation. Because of confidentiality agreements and security clearances, the source must remain annonymous. 

Please feel free to direct any questions via the website comments section.

Hockey T-Shirt Design Contest

There is really nothing better than a great T-shirt for a hockey fan to show your love for the team or the sport in general.

NHL Digest is looking for great slogans and designs for T-shirts and we have teamed up with www.hockeytshirt.net to launch a contest for the best hockey T-shirt design.

Details:

The contest is easy.  Submit your slogan or a link to your T-shirt design in the comments before Midnight (EST) Friday May 22, 2009 for your chance to win one of two T-shirts featuring your design from hockeytshirt.net.

The winners will be judged by the NHL Digest and Hockey T-Shirt panel in thier sole discretion.

Rules:

1. Nudity of any kind is prohibited
2. Profanity is forbidden
3. Creativity is required
4. Humor is always appreciated

There you have it folks…let the creative juices flow!

Pavel Datsyuk Highlight Reel

Pavel Datsyuk is well known for his defensive play, but often lost in the shuffle is his magnificent agility, vision and puck handling ability.

Even though Datsyuk plays within the defensive system of the Detroit Red Wings, he still manages to score his fair share of highlight reel goals!

The following video is just a sampling of what Pavel Datsyuk has to offer:

2nd Round Impressions and Conference Finals Predictions

Raise your hand if you think this is the best hockey you ever seen? Outside of International hockey which tends to always be this good, I can’t recall a playoff year being so full of exciting end-to-end hockey. For years we were used to guys “water skiing”, chipping their way through the playoffs with stifling defense and sluggish flow.

Not this year. And it’s not likely to start any time soon.

 
Thoughts on the Second Round

Boston vs Carolina 

The Hurricanes have made me, and I suspect most of us look silly twice now. I don’t know if many predicted them to beat the Devils (though I did), and I think even fewer predicted them to beat the Bruins (I did not). I don’t know what it is about this team, but it sure feels like they’re a team of destiny, doesn’t it? How can you not like this team? From Paul Maurice and Ron Francis , to Eric Staal and Cam Ward , what’s not to like? I guess if you’re a Bruins fan, you don’t like Scott Walker very much now…the guy who kayoed Aaron Ward , and then kayoed the Bruins entirely . I thought the Bruins played well enough to win game 7, but they slipped in games 3 and 4, which cost them dearly. The Bruins have never overcome a 3-1 series deficit, and that history will continue for at least 1 more year. I feel bad for Tim Thomas, Claude Julien , and Aaron Ward, but the Bruins had a great year and should be back next year to challenge again. The questions will begin to circle around Tim Thomas now, especially now that he has a fat long-term deal. He’s now 0-2 in playoff game sevens and he’ll be dogged by that until he wins one.

Pittsburgh vs Washington 

What can you say about this series that hasn’t been said already? A series featuring several of the games brightest stars, highlighted by Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin . This series was hyped as a showdown between these 2 stars as if they were the only ones playing, and for long stretches, it seemed like they were the only 2 doing anything. Crosby had 13 points in the series while Ovechkin had 14. But in the end, Crosby was there in game 7 while Ovechkin seemed to fade after being robbed by Marc-André Fleury early in the first period. That save was the turning point of the game. It looked like this series was going to be a quick one after Washington took a 2-0 series lead, but the Penguins battled back on home ice and won 4 of the next 5 games, which many thought would be next to impossible. Again, the old adage of “you’re never in trouble until you lose on home ice” proves true. As for the Crosby/Ovechkin feud, I think it’s time to say that Crosby gets the edge. Sure Ovechkin has the flair and the personality – no debate there. But at 21, Crosby has already been to the Cup finals and is 1 series away from doing it again. He brought it and delivered big time in game 7 when it mattered most, and without a doubt understands the team game and how to use his teammates better than Ovechkin does. The poignant image in this series for me is when Crosby stole the puck from Ovechkin, streaked down the ice and beat Jose Theodore to seal the series. If that was not the series in a nutshell, what is?

Detroit vs Anaheim 

This series seemed to be littered with blown calls, missed calls, weird brawls involving lightweights, stars and mismatches and of course, controversy. In the end I believe everything balanced out and the better team won, though it took longer than it ought to have taken. If not for the heroics of Jonas Hiller , this series is over in 5. Even with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom sound asleep this playoff year, the Wings are still getting consistent scoring from “the Mule” Johan Franzen, Henrik Zetterberg, Nik Lidstrom, Marian Hossa and Jiri Hudler . Anaheim seemed only to be able to go as far as Hiller and Getzlaf could take them. Niedermayer and Pronger are not the players they used to be, nor is Teemu Selanne . It may be time for a changing of the guard in Anaheim, as many of their key veterans are unrestricted free agents.

 
Vancouver vs Chicago 

Who says young teams can’t win this deep in to the year? The Blackhawks are the youngest team in the league and are impressively showing everyone that you can’t lose if you don’t know what losing is. Call them the Canada killers, but they’ve knocked out the 2 Canadian representatives in the Western Conference in impressive fashion. They rattled and eventually shredded Miikka Kiprusoff , and did the same to Roberto Luongo . Speaking of Luongo, what a bad time for the team captain to play his worst hockey of the year. For a guy that everyone expects to be named Canada’s #1 goaltender at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, he sure didn’t play like he can handle the pressure (In fact, neither did Brodeur , which begs the question – is Cam Ward the best Canadian goaltender in the game right now? One thing is for sure today, if Luongo is named Team Canada’s #1 guy, it will be in large part due to the politics of having the home town guy between the pipes. Hopefully Team Canada General Manager Steve Yzerman and the coaching staff can see through this and make the correct call. It may end up being Luongo come next year, but right now it’s not.).

I wonder how the Canucks feel today about bringing in Mats Sundin , as he did not quite live up to expectations, despite respectable playoff stats. It’s evident that skipping training camp hurt him, and father time is catching up. Will he be back next season? Will the Canucks want him back? If the Sedins leave, they may be forced to bring him back just to keep them competitive. The rest of the Canucks seemed not to be able to raise their game in the playoffs. Steve Bernier, Ryan Kesler and Pavol Demitra were not able to match the skill and production of the Hawks. Going back to the Hawks, there’s no shortage of extremely talented kids that can flat out get the job done. From Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, to Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg and Martin Havlat , the scoring is there in spades. And with role players like Burish, Byfuglien, Bolland, Ladd, and Sammy Pahlsson, the sandpaper and intangibles are there too. The defense is able, and more importantly, willing to take abuse and give it out. Joel Quenneville is to be commended for what he’s done with this collection of youngsters. It’s clear that the firing of Denis Savard so early in the year was the right move, after it left so many shaking their heads.

Predictions for the Conference Finals

Carolina (6) vs Pittsburgh (4)

I don’t want to make the mistake of disrespecting Carolina again, since they seem to be proving just about everyone wrong, but I have a tough time making a case for them to beat the Penguins. I can easily say that fortune is smiling on the Canes and that will somehow carry them through the series, but I’m not going to do that. I think that the Penguins have the 2 best, or at least 2 of the 3 players in the league. And in Crosby’s case, he looks as though he’s just warming up. The Canes don’t have the defense to contain all of the Penguins up front talent…do they? Paul Maurice will have to roll lines because he won’t win many matchup battles. On the other hand do the Penguins have the necessary defensemen to lock up Eric Staal? Does it matter? Staal asserted himself quite well against Norris candidate Zdeno Chara , so maybe it doesn’t matter who the Penguins run out there. On the Penguins front, Sergei Gonchar came back for game 7, and had a positive contribution in the outcome. Will his knee be able to last for whatever amount of hockey is left in their season? I expected this to be another fast-paced series, with the Penguins talent being the difference. Though I will NOT be surprised to see the Canes advance. After all, Cam Ward STILL has never lost a playoff series (6-0), including a sparkling 4-0 record in 7th games. If that’s not clutch, I don’t know what is. Even after being seemingly rattled after the Bruins dominated games 5 and 6, he came back with a stellar effort in game 7. I don’t want to keep betting against this guy, but I also don’t want to bet against Sidney Crosby on a mission. The Canes are certainly battle tested, with both series this year going down to the wire in 7 games (to the last minute vs the Devils and OT vs the Bruins). That’s invaluable experience, but begs the question – how much do they have left in the tank. This is a team that will heavily rely on Staal to carry the mail offensively, as they have in both series to this point. Can he do it again? Maybe, but not quite enough.

Pittsburgh in 6 (though if it gets to a 7th game, I can’t help but think the Canes will win).

Chicago (4) vs Detroit (2)

Let’s hope that this original six matchup provides better entertainment than the Canadiens / Bruins series, which was as anticlimactic as it gets. In this matchup, we have division rivals, original six rivals, defending champs & league’s oldest team (Detroit) against the upstart, youngest team in the league with their sights set on the prize (Chicago).

This series has major potential for fireworks and drama, the same way the Penguins / Capitals series gave it to us. I think a lot of people are waiting for the air to slip out of the Blackhawks balloon, but so far it has not happened. People thought that the rougher, bigger defense of the Flames and Canucks would punish and smother the smallish, inexperienced Hawks forwards. But the Hawks have proven that they are more than up to the challenge. They’ve fought back and dished out as much as they took. On the flip side, the Red Wings do not play a bruising type of hockey. They play smart, they move the puck and they are disciplined. They are led by guys with multiple cup rings, guys who have been here many times and know precisely what it takes to get the job done. How much more can Quenneville get out of his troops? For Detroit, Mike Babcock also has a tremendous amount of experience at this time of year and can handle anything. So far he’s beaten a Columbus team that rode an extremely hot Steve Mason in to the playoffs, he’s beaten an Anaheim team that wanted to grind the Wings to a halt, and now they’re playing a Hawks team that will try to skate and finesse them in to the ice.

It’s time to throw the inexperience argument out the window. The Hawks don’t care. Whether they are right in thinking this remains to be seen. I’m calling the talent on both sides as a draw. In my mind this series will boil down to Osgood vs Khabibulin and how well their defensemen can contain the skill. I think now is the time we will see Datsyuk and Holmstrom wake up and make their contribution. Notice has been served however, that the Chicago Blackhawks are for real, and they’re going to challenge Detroit for the division title starting from game 1 next season. But for now, the champs will continue their march towards a rare Stanley Cup repeat.

Detroit in 6.

I believe we are looking at a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup Finals, which should be even better this year. The Penguins are a better team, and the Wings…well, when aren’t they great?

As an interesting side note, 3 of the 4 coaches still standing were hired DURING the season after the previous coach had been fired (Therrien, Laviolette, Savard). As a copycat league, where teams try to mimic the Stanley Cup champ, I wonder if we will see a rash of firings next season as teams try to capture lightning in a bottle?

Please leave your thoughts and predictions below!

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