The Hockey Stop

Not excited about the playoffs yet?

The National Hockey League's new video spots airing on television and the internet should get the lamp lit for puckheads nationwide who aren't yet feeling the April Anarchy to come in two weeks.

Despite the Kings coming down to earth of late, the excitement is still building in the City of Angels for their expected return to the playoffs after years of mediocrity.

But I'll be flying from my adopted city of L.A. to my hometown of Washington, D.C. to see the Capitals compete in the first round.

I'll be at the Verizon Center rockin' the red for the first two games in mid-April so watch out for updates on The Hockey Stop as the NHL's top team begins the quest for its first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Here are the videos to get you in the mood:

History Will Be Made -- Mark Messier



History Will Be Made -- Ray Bourque

NHL legend Wayne Gretzky is holding his fantasy camp at the Bellagio in Las Vegas this year and he was gracious enough to sit down with NHL Live! interviewers E.J. Hradek and Craig Button to talk shop.

Here are a few gems from the Great One:

On what it will take for the Washington Capitals to win the Stanley Cup this year (hint: it has to do with the same position played by Grant Fuhr when the Edmonton Oilers and No. 99 were a Stanley Cup dynasty):



On the Phoenix Coyotes' cinderella season and Ilya Bryzgalov for MVP:



On what L.A. Kings defenseman Drew Doughty brought to Team Canada's gold medal run in the Vancouver Winter Olympics:



On Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane's great play in the Olympics and his teammate Jonathan Toews being a modern-day Bryan Trottier:



On Sidney Crosby:



On what Wayne is doing now:

Of course the game lived up to the hype. It seems every time these bitter rivals tangle that fans are treated to some fantastic hockey from both sides.

But my how the tables have turned. With their come-from-behind shootout victory over Pittsburgh tonight, my Washington Capitals have won all three games against the Penguins this season.

When I was growing up as a Caps fan in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, there were two constants every spring -- the Cherry Blossoms would bloom along the Tidal Basin and the Caps would lose to the Pens in the playoffs.

For so many years the Pens had our number and the number of fans from Western Pennsylvania filling up half of the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland was just plain embarrassing. Bus after bus would roll into the Capital Centre parking lot and unload thousands of black-clad fans with Lemieux or Jagr on the back of their jerseys. And more times than not they would celebrate another playoff series win over the Caps.

But change has come to Washington and I'm not talking about Obama. While Pittsburgh beat Washington in seven games last year to eventually win the Stanley Cup, the Caps have their best chance in a long time to finally silence all those obnoxious Penguin fans.

Owner Ted Leonsis and General Manager George McPhee have been nothing short of brilliant in building the pieces of this team to shape a Stanley Cup contender.

Now we have the answer to the hated Penguins. They have Crosby, Malkin and Staal. But we have Ovechkin, Semin and Backstrom. They have Fleury. But we have Theodore, who played tonight like the Hart and Vezina winning goalie that he is.

And instead of half of Pittsburgh busing down to D.C., the Verizon Center rocks the red every home game. The Caps have some of the most passionate fans in the NHL as is evident when every seat is taken and the VC becomes a sea of red.

The ultimate goal is to win the Stanley Cup, but I hope the Caps get to face off against the Pens in the playoffs this year because after years of suffering at the hands of Pittsburgh, it's about time for some sweet, sweet revenge.

Highlights from tonight's game courtesy of NHL.com:

I'm a big fan of the NHL Network. The channel is a hockey fan's dream with the NHL on the Fly show providing nightly updates, live game look-ins, instant analysis from legends like Denis Potvin and Larry Murphy, and marquee matchups such as tonight's Caps-Pens battle in D.C.

The channel is offering a free preview on many cable providers nationwide until the end of this week. That means many channel surfers will be pleasantly surprised when they stumble upon the best rivalry in hockey.

Ovechkin vs. Crosby. Steel City vs. Nation's Capital. Defending champs vs. the team that wants to unseat them this year. Blood. Sweat. Tears. Passion. Everyone gets amped up for Pens-Caps and it should be a great game tonight on NHL Network.

Throw the book away when these teams meet. Previous records, stats, trends don't matter. This is personal. This is the Pittsburgh Penguins versus my Washington Capitals.

My advice is forget ESPN and turn it to the only channel in the universe that matters tonight and that is the NHL Network.

Game starts at 7 p.m. EST and 4 p.m. PST.

Let's go, Caps!

Question: What Western Conference team has won nine straight games as the playoffs approach for a conference-tying 97 points?

Hint: It's not the Sharks (losers of five straight), Blackhawks, Kings, Canucks, Avalanche, Predators (although they've won six straight) or the Red Wings.

Answer: The wily Coyotes are giving the competition a big cactus prickle as the financially troubled franchise from Glendale is getting hot just at the right time.

And tonight Phoenix improbably has a chance to surpass Chicago for sole position of first place in the Western Conference. And if the Flames lose in regulation and the Coyotes beat the 'Hawks, then they will clinch a playoff spot. Wow. No one saw this coming.

Chicago has lost five of its last seven games which is why coach Joe Quenneville told NHL.com this is the biggest game of the season.

The 'Hawks might have reason to worry as the Coyotes recently defeated them 5-4 at home, coming from two goals behind to claim the victory.

Streaks come and go, but Phoenix is getting hot just at the right time. While it is entirely possible the Coyotes will go ice cold when the playoffs start and this might be a fluke, I wouldn't underestimate this team.

Regardless, the game against Chicago tonight will be an interesting test to see if this team is for real and might make a playoff run.

Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin has been suspended two games for his hit on the Chicago Blackhawks' Brian Campbell in the first period of Sunday's game at United Center.

The game, in which the Ovechkin-less Capitals came from 3-0 behind to stun the 'Hawks by winning 4-3 in overtime, was televised to a national audience on NBC and evidently since Ovechkin is a repeat offender the NHL wanted to send a message.

But is this the right instance to send that message? I don't think so. I watched the hit live and on replay several times and there is nothing malicious about the hit. Yes, it is unfortunate Campbell took a bad spill and knocked hard into the boards. He will reportedly miss the rest of the season with a broken clavicle and ribs. I wish Campbell a full and speedy recovery and I know Ovechkin wishes the same.

But the hit was from the side, not the back. It should have been a double minor or five-minute major for boarding, but not a game misconduct and certainly not a two-game suspension.

What is clear, however, which has nothing to do with the NHL's wishy-washy decision making, is that Ovechkin at times doesn't seem to realize his own physical power. Ovechkin loves to hit and that isn't going to change, nor should it. He is a complete player who can score goals and plays a physical game. However, Ovechkin needs to be more aware of his enormous physical advantage over most players. As Don Cherry says, he is a "pit bull" out there on the ice and he needs to stay physical but be more mindful of his raw power.

I saw that firsthand last year in a game I attended at the Verizon Center against the Tampa Bay Lightning when a Tampa Bay player had to be carted off the ice on a stretcher and sent to the hospital after a similar crushing hit by Ovechkin against the boards.

Ovechkin should not change his game one bit. But part of growing and maturing is being aware of your strengths and weaknesses and unless Ovechkin, who I consider the best hockey player in the world, wants to get more suspensions and possibly seriously injure another player, he needs to be aware of his awesome physical power.

And the National Hockey League needs to get their act together when it comes to enforcing penalties and setting proper guidelines. The way the rules are set up right now makes it confusing for referees, players and the fans.

The Caps proved in front of a national audience and against the best team in the West that they are more than Ovechkin. They are a complete team and a legitimate Cup contender this year.

But we fans sure want Ovechkin on the ice to share in the celebration when our Washington Capitals are hopefully hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup in June.

Most hockey fans remember goalie Mike Richter leading the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup in 1994.

It was the Blueshirts' first championship since 1940 and happened in a thrilling Game 7 victory at Madison Square Garden over the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 3-2 to send Gotham into a frenzy.

But not many know about the Hall of Fame netminder's off-ice heroics of late. Richter is committed to a much tougher task than stopping pucks -- he is speaking out about fighting climate change and his target is the tar sands of Canada.

The Abingdon, Pa., native and father of three sons recently teamed with the Sierra Club to advocate for a clean energy economy in America and he also wrote an op-ed against a proposed Canada-to-USA dirty oil pipeline that ran in newspapers in the United States and Canada.

In the op-ed he points out the inconvenient truth of the Athabasca Oil Sands and the devastation they cause the environment (including the threat of killing as many as 166 million migratory birds over the next five decades, one of which is seen below):

"The Canadian province of Alberta is home to a form of oil that is considered the dirtiest on earth. It's called the oil sands, and each barrel creates three times the global-warming pollution of conventional oil. That's a staggering amount of carbon," writes Richter.

And in his letter to Sierra Club supporters he says the following:

"I'm calling my senators because I want my three sons to benefit from a lifetime of winter sports, to graduate in a country that continues to be a world leader in industry and innovation, especially when it comes to clean energy, and to protect them from the reliance on foreign oil that threatens our national security."

But is it too late to stop the dirtiest oil on the planet from crossing the border into America? Perhaps. From Wikipedia:

"On August 20, 2009, the U.S. State Department issued a presidential permit for an Alberta Clipper Pipeline that will run from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior, Wisconsin. The pipeline will be capable of carrying up to 450,000 barrels of crude oil a day from the Athabasca Oil Sands to U.S. refineries."

I checked the State Department website and in the press release of the Alberta Clipper Pipeline permit it includes the strikingly contradictory statements that greenhouse gas emissions were taken into account and that the United States is committed to reducing carbon emissions and reducing dependence on oil.

Huh? Then why start pumping the filthiest fossil fuel on the planet into Wisconsin. Doesn't make sense. If this is the idea of addressing climate change than I agree with Richter and suggest scrapping this pipeline. But I'll let Richter speak for himself:

"We can't seriously combat global warming while getting fuel from the world's dirtiest source. If we allow Canada's oil sands project to creep across our border, it will lock our nation into dependence on yet another foreign source of oil, just as our local clean-energy industry is beginning to thrive.

Right now, we are poised to become a leader in the global clean-energy economy. By taking the steps to ensure that we are the leader of the next industrial revolution, we can reignite our economy, bolster national security and improve the health of our people.

One of the most important things we can do to demonstrate that leadership is to say no to Canada's oil sands. For now, the decision rests with the Obama administration. By denying permits for pipelines and refineries in the United States, President Obama can signal to the world that we are serious about fighting climate change and helping American clean-energy technologies thrive.

If he does, we just might be able to save the winter games we love -- and set a new course for the nation we cherish."

Thanks, Mike Richter, for doing what's right and taking a stand on this important issue. While he is busy as a founding partner in the private equity firm Environmental Capital Partners and was considering running for U.S. Congress under Connecticut's 4th congressional district in 2008, my hope is that Richter brings his message to Washington. President Obama and Congress need to hear from a hero like Richter.

My brief trip to Vancouver for the Winter Olympics was simply amazing. Most Americans only viewed the Games through the prism of NBC, which is unfortunate. While much early emphasis was rightly placed on the tragic (and avoidable) death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, the event didn't tarnish the spirit of the Olympics at all.

This was my first Olympics so I have nothing to compare it to, but kudos to the city of Vancouver, the province of British Columbia and the country of Canada for a superb job hosting the world.

Vancouver is a modern, clean, efficient, friendly and cosmopolitan city that is easy to get around. While it was crowded, I never felt claustrophobic and while the security was tight, it was always in the background.

Here is a photo and video tour of my two days at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics:

Welcome to Vancouver, eh! There was a large Korean group in line at customs so the wait was long. But everyone was in good spirits and friendly. This is Canada after all! Plus there was a humongous video screen showing the Olympic events to pass the time.


Who's that waiting in line at customs? It's actor Michael Madsen! He is probably the only straight guy who can get away with carrying a Louis Vuitton bag through an airport. Would you question his masculinity? I didn't think so.


NBC hospitality program representative. She wasn't very friendly. Go figure. This is the network that forced out Conan O'Brien and decided to tape delay the Olympics by three hours on the West Coast even though the games are on the West Coast. To say NBC has problems is an understatement.


Vancouver's brand new Canada Line SkyTrain zips you from the airport to downtown. It is fast, frequent and clean. Upon my return to Los Angeles while I was choking on exhaust fumes waiting for the FlyAway bus at LAX, I was wishing L.A. had a train to the airport like Vancouver. There was lots of room for luggage and bicycles or strollers for families. It never felt cramped even on a packed train coming back to the hotel from the hockey game at Canada Place. And again those Canadians are just so darn friendly.


Here is video of the trip from the Vancouver airport to our hotel in Richmond. One day L.A., one day we will get a train like this to LAX!




Canada is the most apologetic nation in the world. Saying sorry is not a sign of weakness as in the United States but simply a part of everyday conversation. Even the buses say they are sorry when they are not in service or full.


What's a trip to Vancouver without a Mountie picture! Well, at least a cardboard version. There are few more recognizable uniforms in the world than those of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.


Welcome to the Visa-McDonald's-Starbucks-Nike-Coke Olympics! One has to wonder what the Ancient Greeks would have thought of the corporatization of the Games. The Olympics should be about country not commercials and consumption. But this is the reality so charge that Big Mac and Dr Pepper on your Visa card and get ready for some hockey!


The Olympic Rings and the Olympic Cauldron. These are the real lasting symbols of the spirit of the Games. Not Visa. Television does not do the Olympic Flame justice. It is breathtaking up close and was the highlight of the trip.

Here is video of the Olympic Cauldron:




The stereotype of Canadians is that they are a humble people lacking in national pride compared to the United States. So it was both surprising and refreshing to see the streets of Vancouver turned into a sea of red and white. The patriotism was especially evident after Canada defeated Russia 7-3. "O, Canada" was full-throated on the SkyTrain by Canucks with one too many Molsons and the Maple Leaf flag was draped across the backs of many proud people from the Great White North. These two guys above are celebrating Canada's win over Russia.


The thousands of volunteers were amazing. They did a fantastic job riling up the sometimes nonpartisan crowds at the events. This crazy Canuck got the crowd juiced up for the men's hockey game between Sweden and Slovakia.


Video of Sweden vs. Slovakia:




Sometimes you just shrug your shoulders and don't even try to understand what they were thinking. But hey, it's the Olympics. It's all good fun.


The Vancouver Winter Olympics were the greenest Games ever. The organizers made sure to make the events as environmentally friendly as possible. There were plenty of recycling and composting receptacles, and of course every venue was easily accessible by bus or rail. The bar has been set high in terms of reducing the carbon footprint of a major international event. Great job being green, Canada!


Team Sweden's two biggest fans. Too bad for them the Swedes lost to Finland in overtime. The president of Finland, Tarja Halonen, was on hand to witness the Suomi women win the Bronze Medal at Canada Place. It was a special moment. I've personally never experienced anything like it. To see the emotional reaction of a country like Finland after winning a medal was exhilarating. At that moment for the first time I understood what the Olympics Spirit is all about.


The thrill of victory.


The agony of defeat.


Video of the Finns celebrating their overtime win for the Bronze Medal:

The Washington Capitals had a busy time at the trade deadline, adding toughness to the front and back lines. Carolina defenseman Joe Corvo (pictured above) is heading to Washington for Brian Pothier and prospect Oskar Osala. The Capitals also picked up Hurricanes forward Scott Walker in exchange for a 7th round pick in the 2010 draft. Washington also nabbed Wild center Eric Belanger for a 2010 2nd round pick. And in a surprise move the Blue Jackets' Milan Jurcina will be returning to Washington. The Caps traded Jurcina and Chris Clark to Columbus earlier this season for Jason Chimera. The blueliner played for Team Slovakia in the Winter Olympics.

More trades at the deadline:

Sabres forward Clarke Macarthur to Thrashers for 3rd and 4th round picks

Blue Jackets forward Raffi Torres to Sabres for defenseman Nathan Paetsch and 2nd round pick.

Ducks goalie Vesa Toskala to Flames for goalie Curtis Mcelhinney.

Lightning forward Jeff Halpern to Kings for forward Teddy Purcell and 3rd round pick.

Canucks defenseman Mathieu Schneider to Coyotes for defenseman Sean Zimmerman and 6th round pick.

Full list of completed trades at NHL.com

Roundup of yesterday's trades:

The Ducks nabbed Hurricanes defenseman Aaron Ward in exchange for goalie Justin Pogge and a 2010 or 2010 4th round draft pick.

Defenseman Derek Morris is returning to Phoenix as the Bruins traded the player to the Coyotes for a 2011 fourth-round pick. The Bruins then replaced Morris by picking up defenseman Dennis Seidenberg and a prospect from the Panthers in exchange for Craig Weller, Byron Bitz and a second-round draft pick.

The Blues nabbed forward Matt D'Agostini from the Canadians for Aaron Palushaj.

Well it didn't take long for the Isles' Andy Sutton to find a home -- and it isn't with the Capitals. The Ottawa Senators acquired the veteran defenseman in exchange for a 2010 second-round pick that formerly belonged to the San Jose Sharks.

The Atlanta Thrashers have signed 48-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios. The three-time Stanley Cup winner would be the oldest NHL player if he returns this year. The deal is for $700,000 and Chelios will stay with the Chicago Wolves minor league team unless he is claimed on waivers.

Right hip injury sidelines Flyers goalie Ray Emery for the season.

The Sports Network is reporting that a deal is in place to trade Toronto forward Alexei Ponikarovsky to Pittsburgh for prospect Luca Caputi.

With the NHL trade deadline looming the rumors are ramping up.

Some moves have already been made and others are on their way before the 3 p.m. EST / 12 p.m. PST Wednesday deadline.

One player to watch out for is New York Islanders defenseman Andy Sutton. A report today on Newsday.com says the Isles don't appear likely to re-sign the 35-year-old blueliner who becomes a free agent after this season. General Manager Garth Snow has had discussions with Sutton's agent, Pat Morris, but they apparently haven't been fruitful.

Now the speculation centers on where Sutton may end up if he doesn't stay with the Isles. In my mind the most logical place is Washington. Many Capitals fans and analysts have repeatedly made the point that the team is one shutdown defenseman away from a Stanley Cup run. Whether that man is Sutton is up to General Manager George McPhee, but he could be the last piece of the puzzle the Caps arguably need to sip from Lord Stanley's Cup.

Sutton has been having an excellent season so far for New York. The 6-6, 245-pound player has four goals and eight assists for 12 points and a minus-three with 73 penalty minutes. But it is his gritty work clearing the crease that would benefit the Caps in the playoffs.

But the Ottawa Senators are also looking to plug a hole on the blue line so they might nab Sutton before the Caps make a bid.

Other defensemen similar to Sutton who could be on the trade block include the St. Louis Blues' Barret Jackman, the Carolina Hurricanes' Aaron Ward and the Atlanta Thrashers' Pavel Kubina. However, it is unlikely two Southeast Division rivals would make a deal with the Capitals so Jackman is the more likely option.

So will the Caps nab Sutton or someone else or do nothing at all given the d-man talent down in Hershey (John Carlson and Karl Alzner)? Or will George McPhee instead trade for a forward instead (Sens' Matt Cullen and Blue Jackets' Raffi Torres could be in mix according to NHL.com)? It will be interesting to see what develops over the next few days.

Other recent trade deadline news courtesy of NHL.com:

The Flames signed center Matt Stajan to a multi-year contract extension.

The Stars signed left wing Steve Ott to a contract extension and are likely to keep goalie Marty Turco.

Florida defenseman Jordan Leopold has been dealt to Pittsburgh for a 2010 second-round draft pick.

The Predators have picked up Oilers defenseman Denis Grebeshkov for 2010 second-round draft pick.

The Blackhawks nabbed Blues prospect goalie Hannu Toivonen along with defenseman Danny Richmond in exchange for goalie Joe Fallon.

The Thrashers picked up forward Evgeny Artyukhin from the Ducks in exchange for defenseman Nathan Oystrick and a conditional draft choice in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.