http://svtplay.se/v/1682971/backstrom_ser_fram_emot_os

Nicklas Backstrom video in Swedish. He talks about hopefully playing in the Olympics, and playing with Alexander Ovechkin. This was in the summer back home in Sweden,so kind of dated, but cool nonetheless...
backis ar min kille

FLAMES Camp - Group A - Day One

Group A at Flames training camp featured a unit of Captain Jarome Iginla, vet Olli Jokinen (acquired last season at the trade deadline) and Swedish twenty year old Mikael Backlund. Rather than returning to his home club in Sweden (Vesteras IHK) after the World Junior Hockey Championships, Backlund played one NHL game with the Flames and was assigned to the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League. With Backlund as an integral part of the team, the Rockets won the Ed Chenowyth Cup (WHL Champioship) and represented the WHL at the Memorial Cup Championship.

As far as Day One of main camp (GROUP A) goes, Backlund was a standout. What was most impressive is that he was able to keep up and actually excel in drills with his much more experienced linemates. Also, he never stands around waiting for things to happen. For example, while his group session was winding down, Backie skated up and down the neutral zone working on his stick handling skills. He even passed the puck to himself using the boards during his self-assigned drill. He's going to make it very difficult to send him to Abbotsford, I think.

I would consider myself biased because I watched Garth Murray with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League for two seasons, but he is a pretty decent player. Maybe not NHL decent, but definitely Abbotsford decent.



Jay Bouwmeester was part of this group. He, of course, is a lock to make the team. He's stronger and smarter than he was when I watched him in junior (I lived in Medicine Hat in his draft year), about 6 seasons ago.



More later...

Flames Training Camp

I just got back from 4 hours at the Saddledome. It was a lot of fun for me as a fan (of the NHL, not the Flames). There were three groups on the ice, and all ran the exact same drills. I intend to do a little blurb on each of the three groups, and players that stood out to me. I just need a few minutes to collect my thoughts, and go through my mental notes (because I forgot to bring a pen!!)

Ovi at practice - Kettler in Arlington, VA

I miss hockey...and Ovi...and the Caps.... :(

notable July 1 tidbits (according to me)

The acquisition that never was is the thing that's got me reeling. I like Dany Heatley. I remember when he was a youngster who played on the WJC when he was still in College. I followed him when he was in Atlanta, and then when he moved to Ottawa, I thought it was great that he was going to play with Spezza. When the networks were prematurely reporting a trade between the Oilers and Sens, I was completely overcome with joy. I mean, I can't even explain how excited I was to read that...even though we would have had to give up Cogliano and Smid in the trade. I listed the Pat Quinn/Tom Renney combo, the drafting of Magnus Paajarvi Svensson and the acquisition of 'Heater' of the most exciting news in recent (1o year) Oiler history. It's a good time to be a Oiler fan.

As far as my Caps, we gave up Donald Brashear and gained Mike Knuble. I figure there are more changes coming, given that we are in need of a mobile dman.

Chicago is looking really good, after acquiring Marion Hossa (who is with his 4th team in 3 years!!), Tomas Kopecky (who I watched quite a bit when he was in Lethbridge for a couple of seasons in junior), and JOHN MADDEN!! (madden has long been on my radar, particularly because he's a Selke guy). I think Chicago were only missing a couple of key players, and now, wow, they're going to be good...

The Rangers, Leafs and Canadiens are the others who have made some pretty serious changes. Gaborik signs with the Rangers, the Habs got Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta, Hal Gill, Scott Gomez and Jaro Spacek. Nik Antropov signed with Atlanta (yikes!!), and Havlat signs with the Wild.

Even though I live in Calgary, I wouldn't consider myself a Flames fan. (I have gone to Flames training camps and morning skates, just for the love of NHL hockey). But I'm really excited about the acquisition of Jay Bouwmeester, and Fredrik Sjostrom. I just read that the Flames also got Garth Murray (from Regina) and Riley Armstrong (from Saskatoon). While they may never actually suit up for the Flames, the prospect of them getting a shot at the NHL is great. Murray played for the Pats in Regina when I lived there and he played a few games for the Habs back in the day.

It's been a really exciting few days - the draft last weekend and now July 1. I can't wait for next season...

July 1st

Tomorrow is July 1 and I'm freaking out. I wonder if either of my teams are going to be making any acquisitions (Caps/Oilers). I also wonder how the Flames will make out with JBo (that used to be he name at the height of the JLo craze).
It's going to be interesting. It's always hard to get used to the changes because really, we don't see new guys in their new colours until October, and by then, I've forgotten half of them.

This photo is at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C., at the Caps store. That Ovechkin bag on my arm - I bought it.
I took it to the beach with me today, and a guy commented 'I like your bag'. I turned around and he had on a Capitals t-shirt with Ovechkin on the back. I felt 'the best'...

2009 NHL Entry Draft (from Montreal)

Well, the 2009 edition of the NHL Entry Draft is in the books. I've literally been waiting for a couple of years to see who would be the first overall pick - John Tavares or Victor Hedman. To no one's surprise, Tavares went to the Isles, and my guy, Swedish hulk of a dman, Hedman, who plays for Modo in the Swedish Elite League, went second overall to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
I've been following Hedman for a while now, having first watched him two seasons ago on the World Junior Championship edition of Tre Kronor. I keep in contact with a guy who lives in Orskoldsvik Sweden where Modo play out of, and he's given me pretty regular updates about Hedman. Hedman is an amazing player - really fun to watch. Although it is a men's league, the SEL is so much different from the NHL. They play on the big ice, and although there is more time and space and a few extra miliseconds to think, the game is a couple of steps slower. I can't wait to watch him as he adjusts to the NHL game. It's too bad he was drafted to a team that's about as far away from Calgary as one can get. Here's hoping he lives up to the hype...and earns a spot on the 2010 Tre Kronor OS!

In other news, there were a total of 7 Swedes drafted in the first round.
That's huge!!
2. Victor Hedman - Tampa Bay - Modo - d
6. Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Phoenix - Leksand -d
10. Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson - Edmonton - Timra - lw
17. David Rundbland - St. Louis - Skelleftea - d
20. Jacob Josefson - New Jersey - Djurgarden - c
23. Tim Erixon - Calgary - Skelleftea - d
24. Marcus Johansson - Washington - Farjestad - c

For me, the most exciting thing is that there is another Swede on the Oilers!! I first saw Magnus at the World Juniors and he impressed me with his skating, number one, but his sort of 'Canadian style' of play. I think he will fit right in - he plays Oiler hockey from what I've seen...well, the Oiler hockey from maybe three seasons ago.

It's always fun waiting to see how many of the first rounders are going to play in the NHL next season. I'm not sure who's ready yet. There was talk of Tim Erixon having to leave Sweden to play major junior, because Sutter will want him to play in the WHL and adjust to the NA style of play...smaller ice, more physical, etc, etc, etc.

Now I'm waiting for July 1st...

eBay rocks - won a couple of items

I bid on a hockey card with Nicklas Bäckström and Peter Forsberg on it, and I won it. Maybe someday, it'll be signed by both of them. It is realistic to think that I can get Bäckis to sign it, given that I plan on another trip to Washington next season. The Forsberg signature might take some doing, although I do plan on visiting his home town when I travel to Sweden. Veckefjärden (his golf course) is on my list of places to see, so maybe I'll bump into him there. Weirder things have happened, like the time I saw Georges Laraque walking in downtown Calgary on game day (I have photographic evidence); or the time I bumped into Vinnie Lecavelier at the movie theatre the day before Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final here in Calgary (again, I have the photographic evidence); or the time Dany Heatley was playing a game right beside us at the Stampede a few years ago (you guessed it...photographic evidence!!)
The other thing I won on eBay today is a road Ovechkin authentic jersey (white) - the one with the A on the front and the fight straps in the back. It matches my home (red) one - same size even - minus the Ovechkin signature I got when I went to watch practice in Arlington, VA in March 2009. I hope to get it signed in the aforementioned trip to Washington next season.
eBay is great....

I don't watch a whole lot of Much Music anymore. I dunno if I've outgrown it, or if it's that I find myself getting easily annoyed with the over-enthusiastic, seemingly uneducated hosts (ASIDE: if I was wavering any, the turning point was when the VJ search ended with the flamboyantly cool (gay) guy coming in second, when the whole country knows he would have been the best for the job).
But, I just saw that Alexander Ovechkin will be on the awards today! So that means I have to sit through hours of low entertainment value, mindless tv, just to catch the crowd's reaction (rather, Ovi's reaction to the crowd - I know he'll be in his element!!).
Stay tuned for a post-awards report...kanske. (maybe, in Swedish). I don't know if I have the energy....

This is Ovi in Vegas, the night before the Awards. He played in a poker tourney...

That's the look of a guy who's having fun.

NHL Awards

Well, another edition of the NHL Awards is in the books. It was broadcast from Vegas this year and I'm not even going to comment on the lack of excitement at the venue, the famed Palms casino and resort. Oh sure, there were a few big names there, but come on, Chaka Kahn as the entertainment??! OMG. And the NHL Awards without Ron McLean hosting was definitely lacking. I missed him. I remember that year that the Hip performed. That was a good show.

On to the Awards.
No surprises for me. My big three were: the Hart (League MVP), the Norris (Dman of the year), Calder (Rookie of the Year). Oh, and the Pearson is right up there too (MVP as voted by NHL players).
My guy Ovi won both that he was up for, the Pearson and the Hart. He also earned the Rocket Richard trophy for most goals on the year. I was very proud of him. I missed him, actually. As expected, his charisma shone through. When he was presented with the miniature Hart trophy, he pretended it was too hot...lol...he's just too funny sometimes...
As far as the Norris goes, my hockey brain said Zdeno Chara would win it, but my heart wanted Mike Green to win. With him being a Capital, I'm biased. He rocked the fauxhawk with a tux. I think he was the only guy wearing a tux, actually. Ovi wore a nice greyish suit, not like last year's tux with Russian red accessories.
The Calder was presented by Luc Robitaille and Patrick Kane. Jackets goalie Steve Mason earned it, and he actually had a speech prepared and written down. I cannot stand that! It's like saying, 'I knew I was going to win.' and that bugs me.
I should say that both Pavel Datsyuk and Evgeny Malkin had stuff written down, but they're both ESL, so that's not cocky, that's thinking ahead, given the obvious language barrier. I know after all, that it is difficult speaking in another language when you're put on the spot. You're afraid to make mistakes. (Malkin's was for the Art Ross, though. It wasn't a trophy that he won; he earned the most points this season)
Other than that, Claude Julien won the Adams (over Sask boy Todd McClelland), Tim Thomas won the Vezina (for goaltender of the year), the Selke went to Datsyuk, as did the Lady Byng. It just dawned on me that he could have won 4 trophies in total, like Ovi did last year. A completely different set (Ovi was not nominated for either the Lady Byng or Selke), but nonetheless, that's impressive.
My Sergei presented the Hart with Michael Buble (who should have sang instead of whatshername). It was good to see him. I missed him too. (Aside: there was talk of him signing with the KHL for next season, but I don't believe it. He's too important to the Caps younger Russian players, and Backis ocksa. I've noticed a significant change in Backis' game since Sergei came along at the trade deadline last season)
Oh, and Iginla won the Mark Messier Award (for Leadership).

All in all, it was a great night for me as a fan. But the production of the show was lame. Completely lame. It was definitely the wrong venue, and for that matter the wrong city. I'll take it one step further and say the wrong country!
Here's hoping it's back in Canada where it belongs. They should rotate it between Canadian NHL cities, like the Juno Awards. But I fully understand trying to make the players/game more visible in the US.
One last note - the NHL Entry Draft will take place next weekend from Montreal. It will finally be decided who goes first overall - Swede Victor Hedman or Canadian John Tavares. We'll also see what happens with the Brian Burke show. He's gone on record as saying that he will do pretty much anything to get John Tavares to Toronto. That means working some magic, like he did back in 1999 to get both Sedins, 2nd and 3rd overall. I have no doubt in his influence and ability. He's one of the few guys I actually pay attention to when he talks. He's outspoken and intelligent.

For now, AJ's out.
I miss Ovi already...

Cabral Richards

One of my favorite people to watch is Cabbie on the Score. Check out his Stanley Cup stuff at www.thescore.com/journey.

In February 2009, I met him in Calgary at the Saddledome. It was a real quick - I mentioned to him that I'm in his fan club on facebook. He's a cool dude. Guys really respond to him. Chicks do too, dispite what he let's us believe...

Avery...

Sean Avery ticks me off!! I used to like him...I really did. I liked his edge. But I think lately his edge has turned to something that can only be described as selfish...

Case in point, Game 4 of the Eastern Confernce Q-Finals between the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers. Actually, let's back-track to Game 3 where Avery took 4 minor penalties and a 10 minute major. That's 18 minutes in penalties, which is probably more ice time than he had in the game. There was a missed penalty (that if called, may have resulted in a suspension) when Avery slashed at the throat of Caps dman John Erskine with his lethal-weapon stick.

So, I thought when Game 4 rolled around, he'd exercise a little self control. But there he was, at it again, when he took three minors, for a total of 6 penalty minutes. What was shocking was the timing of the penalties, two of which came in the third period when the Rangers had a measely one goal lead, 2 - 1. The last penalty was late in the game, with just over three minutes left when Avery kind of elbowed/high-sticked/cross-checked Caps dman Brian Pothier right in front of the ref. Who does that???!!

The thing that I don't get is why his coach, John Tortorella (mmmm, his name makes me wish for some sort of cheezy pasta dish!!) continues to give this guy ice time! I don't get it, but as Don Cherry said tonight on CBC's Coaches Corner, Tortorella wants to prove that he can control Avery.

We'll see what happens if Game 5. As an armchair coach, I think Avery should be watching the game from the comfort of his own home in Manhatten (I don't actually know if he lives in Manhatten, but I feel like it's a safe guess...) I wouldn't even allow him anywhere near the team, cause I can only imagine how his teammates feel about him. He's definitely not a team player...and with the playoff series heating up, a guy can't afford to be self centred and selfish the way Avery has been.

My favorite players

So, I thought I'd start out my very first post by talking about my history with hockey. I was 7 years old when I started asking questions about the game. I remember asking my pa stuff like, "what does offside mean?", "what does it mean when he says intercepted?", "Who are those guys in the striped shirts?"

My pa and uncles were fans of the Habs. I myself liked the Leafs Borje Salming, probably because of the sound of his name more than anything. At the time, from what I've read, there were very few European players in the NHL. And although I was a wee lass, I liked the way he played.

Salming in the eighties, and my next favorite player was the Great One. I was an Oilers fan for a long time, and when he left us for the green pastures (and better weather) that LA could provide, I followed him. I wasn't yet in high school when he was traded. I don't know how old I was, but in a class photo, I'm wearing an LA Kings sweater. I had enough LA Kings clothes to make it through the entire school week. I loved the Kings, and was devastated when they lost in the Cup final to the Habs in 1993.

During my Gretzky phase, I started to like Pavel Bure. Bure drew my attention to Russian players, I guess. I liked how fast he was, and what a strong skater he was. He could handle the puck at his top speed, which amazed me.

When Bure's career started to go down hill with the knee injuries and such, Peter Forsberg started to look good as a replacement. In about 2000, I started to realize how much fun he was to watch. He was vicious when he wanted to be...he could totally dominate a game when he was in his prime. After 'Foppa' left the Avalanche the first time, I went 'favorite player-less' for a few years. Oh sure, I liked guys like Sergei Fedorov and Jaromir Jagr, but there wasn't anyone I would have considered my favorite.

Enter Alexander Ovechkin. My god, I love this guy. In a post to be written later, I'll try to put in to words my love for the Russian Machine. I might even post photos of the trip I took to Washington a few weeks ago.

So there you have it. My short-list of favorite players. Salming, Gretzky, Pavel Bure, Forsberg and Ovechkin. There were and are a lot of players that I like to watch...but these five stand out in my mind. I'm trying to figure out what, if anything they have in common.

Next post will probably involve my favorite teams....