The NHL Is Paying it Forward

by Jan Snyder

What a Great Idea!


The National Hockey League collectively and the individual teams do their share of giving back to the community. Initiatives like Hockey Fights Cancer and Hockey is for Everyone make a big difference. Each team does its share of hospital visits and school visits striving to build awareness and help where they can.

But the program that caught my eye is Rock and Wrap It Up! The NHL has partnered with this organization to fight hunger across the United States and Canada, with all 30 teams involved.

I grew up in a family who wasted nothing! I don’t remember any food ever being thrown away unless it had gone bad. My grandparents immigrated from what was then Czechoslovakia and instilled in their children the importance of sharing and not wasting. Obviously, that mentality was passed down to the grandchildren as well. My grandparents grew all their own vegetables, many fruits and raised chickens. We ate everything they grew including grapes, raspberries, blackberries, pumpkins, bean, peas, etc. My “Bubby” made jelly, juice, preserves, you name it. Her pies were out of this world and she could make anything taste like gourmet food.

So seeing that “waste not, want not” mentality growing up has led me to feel the same way. I hate to see food go to waste especially in an economic climate that finds so many families struggling. I’ve been lucky enough to spend some evenings in suites at different venues. At the end of the evening, more food is leftover than ever should be and I would leave the event feeling badly about that.

But now, through Rock and Wrap It Up!, that’s all changed. The teams are packing up all prepared but unsold concession food on game nights for redistribution to local shelters and places of need. After the first two games in the new Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh alone, 1150 pounds of unsold food found its way to the Pittsburgh Food Bank. What an incredible difference that can make times 30 teams!

Rock and Wrap It Up! was founded by Syd Mandelbaum, who began the program in 1991, by redistributing food leftover after rock concerts. Then the program moved on to the sports venues. Both of Syd’s parents were Holocaust survivors who almost starved to death in Nazi concentration camps as teenagers. The experiences of our elders always leaves it mark on us and Syd decided to try to make a difference in the States, who accepted his parents in 1950, after they spent five years in a displaced persons camp in Germany. Now he is the difference maker for so many people who need help. Pay it forward is a great concept!

If you want to get involved with volunteering in your city, simply visit your team’s website. There is so much to be done that we all have to do our share.

please visit Rock and Wrap it Up's website

Mr. Potato Head PSA and Other Ideas to Reduce Dangerous Hits in the NHL

By Lisa Ovens

As a fan of this great sport, I care about hockey players, and like so many others, I'd like to see fewer stretchers and trainers on the ice aiding the victims of dangerous hits. So does Mr. Potato Head...

Mr. Potato Head's Public Service Announcement

Yo, I wanna talk to the players right now, especially those ones that are running other players down. There's only one player out there on the ice that can take your hits, and that player is me. Why? Look at me...I'm a potato! You knock me flyin', I lose an eye or my duster, I just go into the compartment in my ass and get my replacement parts out. It's a no brainer for a potato like me. But if you headhunters out there keep doing what you are doing there'll be too many players with "no brainers", and that just isn't good for this game.

Take it from a potato...an NHL career is already too short for most, let's help make it last as long as it can for you and your brothers. Thanks for listenin'!

---------------------

I've been waiting for a few years to use the Mr. Potato Head the hockey player photo. Seriously speaking though it's bothersome to learn both sides of the league are so divided when they really need to be working closely together on a concern as important as safety. And let's not forget the other concern: popularity.

I really like this quote from Brian Campbell, Chicago Blackhawks defender and recent victim of a season ending hit....he's got the right idea...

"We come off the Olympics, which was so great for hockey, and then within two weeks you have the hit on Savard and now this. What parent in the US watching is going to want to put there kid in hockey? We have to do something to stop this.”

As far as the players are concerned, perhaps in the off season they need to gather in an airport hotel ballroom, with some lousy coffee and little Club House sandwiches and have a conference. A two or three day affair to sort out their issues with respecting the game and each other and what the heck, why not discuss “the Code” while they are at it because everyone appears to be in a state of confusion when it comes to clean hits, dirty hits, when to retaliate, etc.

This has to be done, and as Don Cherry might say, do it "face to face."

The boys needs to get it all sorted out for next season. Either refresh everyone on the code, or re-vamp it or throw it out, but whatever they do get everyone on the same page, and keep it simple. Maybe someone could write a jingle. I remember the jingle for kilometers per hour vs. miles in relation to speed...this is something I would sing in my head when driving in the States,

20 get’s ya 30
30 get’s ya 50
50 get’s ya 80

I will never forget that jingle (trust me it was the cheesiest one ever). The players could use a jingle to help them stop and think about the consequences of their actions....

I wrote a sample jingle that they could use, or it could be a reference point for them to come up with their own easy reminder system. It's sung to the tune Is She really Going Out With Him? by Joe Jackson...

Do I really need to charge at him?
Do I really want to leave my feet right now?
Do I really need to elbow him?
Cause his eyes can’t really see me
and something could go wrong around here.

Could you imagine every player in the Mississauga Ballroom at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel singing that out loud? Okay, I am obviously being silly, but they gotta try out some stuff and they should show the fans at least that they really care about the future of this game.

Too many times, at the end of the season we hear about how the players just scatter around the world and begin their summers. Well I don't think that should happen this year. They need to come together, as a big group, hitters and victims, the fighters and the skill guys and have a big "players only" conference.

Dudes, June's a good time as any to strenthen your association by way of a conference. And the NHLPA needs to be stronger...Mr. Potato Head kind of strong ;o)

I've got more coming on this topic...It's like Dangerous Hits Week in Lisa's Hockey Lounge!

Upper Body, Lower Body?

by Jan Snyder


Is it just me or is anyone else tired of hearing about upper and lower body injuries in hockey? Seems to me that before this season, the designation of upper and lower body happened only during the playoffs when the teams searched for any possible edge on their opponents.

  Forrmer Red Wing, Jiri Hudler, reeling from a hit

during the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs

But this year we hear it constantly, now, during the season. Why? If we see one of our favorite players hardly able to walk, we can assume it’s a leg injury. If they go over the ice dragging their arm, the problem could be a shoulder injury. Why can’t we, as fans, know what’s wrong so we have some idea when the player will be coming back?

After all an upper body injury could be anything from a hangnail to a paper cut to a dislocated shoulder or cracked rib. A lower body injury? An ingrown toenail? Blisters? Torn ACL? How can we know? What if you are like me and travel to see teams. Maybe there is a particular player you really want to see in action. Right before you are to leave you get the news of the dreaded “upper body” injury. Should you cancel the trip? Hope he’ll recover from whatever the malady is in time for the game you are attending?

Or am I being too harsh? Does non-reporting of injuries keep the players who have shoulder injuries from being slammed into the boards with a little extra gusto when they return to the lineup?

The Pittsburgh Penguins stated earlier this year that they would be willing to say what the player injuries are, but if they did, they put their players at a disadvantage because the other teams aren’t fessing up. I just don’t like surprises, good or bad. If a player is hurt, I’d like to know what the problem is so I can have some kind of feel for when he might play again. I just wonder why this is happening this year when it hasn’t before.

Injuries and More Injuries

Maybe I’m just noticing this lack of reporting because there have been so many major injuries to so many big name players. According to USA Today, more than 230 players have missed at least one game with injury. Some teams have been fielding, in essence, minor league teams because so many of the regular players are out. Cam Ward, Carolina goalie, suffered a horrible cut from a skate while broken arms and legs, torn up knees and assorted other major problems have kept a plethora of players out of lineups. Poor Ottawa goalie, Pascal Leclaire, was just sitting on the bench when a puck came out of nowhere, struck him in the face and fractured his cheekbone. And how about Florida goalie, Tomas Vokoun, who suffered the ultimate – a smack in the head from his own defenseman! Angry, that he’d let in a goal, Keith Ballard, swung his stick with a lot of force, meaning to hit the goal post. Unfortunately, Vokoun’s ear got in the way and he crumpled to the ice, bloodied and dazed. He was taken off the ice on a stretcher. Talk about a tough day at the office!

Hopefully, this won’t be reported as an “upper body” injury, since everyone in the hockey world saw what happened – but I won’t be surprised if it is.

Why We are Such Good Hockey Players

        


By Uncle Skeppy





Watching the Penguin's Sidney Crosby score another amazing goal the other night, evoked memories, not of Sid so much, but rather a forward line with as much flash and dash as any in the annals of Hockey. These three guys would create a crescendo of cheering and yelling as they stick-handled, passed and scored the "clutch" goal for another team victory.

Old time hockey gloves. photo: Lisa Ovens

You have probably never heard of them, unless your in your Sixties, lived in a small Ontario town and grew up lugging your duffle bag to the local ice-box. And by golly, it was an ice-box. No heaters in the old Port Colborne Arena on the shores of Lake Erie. No sir; which wasn't a bad thing for the kids who played hockey. The layers of clothing helped on the ice too, when one of those over-grown six foot defensemen whammed you into the boards.

But this old arena, with its steel girders blocking your view if you couldn't get a better seat, hosted some of the best hockey ever played.

There were only six NHL teams at the time and the caliber of players in our Senior and Intermediate teams was exceptional. So many of the NHL wannabees played in the AHL or senior teams on this side of the border, so we got to see some of the best action at the lowest price.

Speaking of the cost of a ticket, one of the off-ice challenges in those days was to be able to secure a pair of tickets to a Maple Leafs Game...90 miles down the highway. Many of our juvenile hockey peers did so: the tickets were the prize in a local Billiards room draw once a week !

But we digress... the memories we refer to at the beginning of this article are reserved for the Port Colborne Sailors Line of Mahoney, Katzman and Spence. The way this trio performed on the ice was an inspiration to all who saw them ...including many of the kids in the Bantam, Midget and Juvenile leagues throughout the area.

This is one example and there are thousands more across this great country, of why we develop the
best hockey players in the world.

Brendan Shanahan Retires

by Lisa Ovens


Brendan Shanahan played a whopping 21 seasons in the NHL, and he had this to say...

"I would like to thank my family and all of the friends who have helped me achieve and maintain my childhood dream of playing in the National Hockey League. I am enormously grateful to all of my coaches and teammates I've had the privilege of learning from and playing along side of, throughout my career. While I always dreamed of playing in the NHL, I can't honestly say that I would have ever imagined that I'd be this fortunate and blessed. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped me fulfill this dream."

Here's an interesting Shanahan statistic: he leads the league with 17 career Gordie Howe hat-tricks. That's pretty impressive stuff. Plus Shanahan is the only goal scorer to score over 600 goals and tally over 2000 penalty minutes. (total goals 656, points 1354). Shanahan is one of only 22 hockey players in the world who have won a Stanley Cup, and Olympic Gold Medal and a World Championship.

Teams Brendan played for...

New Jersey Devils
New York Rangers

Detroit Red Wings  - won three Stanley Cups here- woot!
Hartford Whalers
St. Louis Blues 

Brendan Shanahan may have retired from the game, but the hockey world should hope he finds a position where he may offer some input and guidance to the National Hockey League or the NHL Player's Association or both.

During the2004/05 NHL Lockout he intstigated a summit with a prime directive calling for some desparately needed changes to the game. This event led to the forming of the Competition Committee and those changes being implemented, making the game what it is today.

Above all of that, Brendan Shanahan is a really funny guy :o)

Best of Luck, Shanny!

 The above photo: The Brendan Shanahan card is a cut out hockey card from a box of Kraft Dinner. This was part a promotional series of hockey cards from "The 1998/99 Kraft Collection." My sweet Mom, Stella cut out the Shanahan card and gave it to me.

Shanahan Swag from Lisa's Hockey Collection...

2nd Annual NHL Coaches in Costume

by Lisa Ovens

Hey, wouldn’t it be cool to tune in to an NHL game and see the coaches dressed up in costumes? It would be so refreshing to see the men of hockey do something different, something shocking, or silly, like dress up in Halloween costumes for the end of October games. The rest of us working stiffs have to dress up in costumes for work, why should it be any different for these guys?

The following are some super costumes ideas for the bench bosses on the clock this Halloween....

Hurricanes vs. Flyers

 Paul Maurice: Since his team leads the league in penalty minutes, Maurice and staff should dress up as NHL referees, complete with whistles so they can call penalties on themselves.

John Stevens adds a fake ‘stache and an apron, and voila, he’s the “No Soup for You guy” from Seinfeld. He can modify his character line and shout “No ice time for you!” and shake a soup ladle at the refs when necessary.

Oilers vs. Bruins

 Pat Quinn will look fabulous dressed as a leprechaun. But one of those traditional leprechauns that closely follows the "code".
Claude Julien: He could do a reasonable Don Cherry, non?

Thrashers vs. Senators

John Anderson: could dress up like a Thrashers fan. They appear to need more.
Cory Clouston I would love to see the entire staff dressed as the Pierre McGuires! I want to see Clouston and crew, wearing bald heads and glasses with all of that monster McGuire enthusiasm we are exposed to every time we see Pierre on TSN.!! (Pierre is a former Sens assistant coach and pro scout. – dude knows his monsters, too)

Devils vs Lightning

Jaques Lemaire:  He’s hockey’s wise old shaman...Obi Wan Kenobi. Screw the Force...It's now May the Trap be with you!!!
Rick Tocchet Lightning owner,Oren Koules already gave Rick the Jigsaw costume from Saw 6...and it's scary. But not as scary as Paranormal Activity.

Sabres vs Islanders
 Lindy Ruff: Personally, I could see Lindy “Wastin’ away in Margarita Ville” decked out in holiday fun wear – tropical shirt, shorts, straw hat, a little zinc on the nose, and a salt rimmed cocktail glass as a prop. Go Lindy!
Scott Gordon This is a group costume: the bench staff dressed like Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda from Sex and the City!!

Leafs vs. Canadiens

Ron Wilson might like to be the Invisible Man wrapped in bandages under a nice suit, bowler hat and spectacles. (Would be a dream costume should Wilson want to skip out on the occasional post game interview)
Jacques Martin Hey...we need a Dracula, and Jacques fits the bill. Full marks given if he can keep his fangs in for an entire game!

Wild vs. Pittsburgh

Todd Richards Black T-shirt printed with the words "Mr. Playoff" That's all anyone needs to know.
 Dan Bylsma: Imagine Dan in a slightly ill fitting black wig, and a Penguins jersey. That’s right....he’s Mario Lemieux!

Panthers vs. St. Louis


Peter DeBoer: For one night only DeBoer is the head Chef of the Florida Panthers, big poofy hat and all. Mike Kitchen will loves this.
Andy Murray and crew have the easiest costume idea, ever...the Blues Brothers. Just a bunch of groovin' Blues Brothers.


Stars vs. Predators

Marc Crawford His nickname is crow, and he will be the Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz. Watch the hay fly everytime Crow loses his temper!!
Barry Trotz Barry Trotz plus shades and a tux equals Jack Nicholson. He will out-cool everyone in the place.


Ducks vs. Phoenix
 Randy Carlyle: Buzz Light Year...to the top of the standings and beyond!!!
Dave Tippett: Also from Toy Story... Woody, the adorable cowboy doll.

Wings vs. Flames

Mike Babcock and friends will be rockin’ out dressed as the rock group Kiss. Arena DJ will add to the atmosphere by playing snippets from Detroit Rock City. Bonus points for sticking and flicking tongue out at the refs after lame calls.

Brent Sutter: He wears his Devil costume from last year, and convinces brother, Darryl to wear one too, in the GM box above. They both have to throw their pitch forks down in disgust everytime Pavel Datsyuk scores.

Wishing everyone a safe happy Halloween!!
-Lisa

Random October Hockey Notes and Aliens, too

By Lisa Ovens


Although I spent most of the weekend watching the Alien movie franchise on AMC, I did take some hockey breaks. It can’t be acid for blood, humanoids and that bad ass flight engineer, Ellen Ripley running into that darn alien species all the time.



Canucks Above 500

Yes. This is good, now all the boys have to do is start winning some road games. Can’t do much about the injuries other than trick the call ups and the rest of the team into thinking they are like aliens that happen to have acid for blood. 

Canucks: 11 games played, six wins, five losses, no overtime losses

The Real Reason Vancouver has the “No Fun City” nickname?

For those of you who watched the Toronto Maple Leafs lose to the Canucks on HNIC Saturday night, you may have noticed the large presence of Leafs fans in the Canucks home rink. Oh, the “blue for blood” aliens were loud that night. The truth is, Vancouver is home to many former Ontario residents, and the number of these Eastern ex-pats must increase every year. Perhaps it’s all of these Leaf lifers that brought the fun level down in Vancouver. It’s a theory...

Gary Bettman: The Ultimate Alien with Acid for Blood?

As a member of the National Hockey League Fan Association (yes there is one of those) I receive emails from time to time. This weekend the NHLFA had this to say....

The following note is being sent to the 30,000+ Members of the NHL Fans' Association.

Recently, many suggestions have been received from Members related to the activities the NHLFA should pursue in its attempt to have Gary Bettman removed as the commissioner of the NHL this season. One such suggestion is to coordinate a league-wide protest week that will rally fans attending games to hold signs calling for the dismissal of Bettman.


If you would like to contribute an idea, please visit http://www.nhlfa.com/minipoll09_10Season

Thanks.

It’s free to be a member of the NHLFA. Perhaps president, Jim Boone needs to sign up thousands and thousands more hockey fans in order to have some influence over the NHL Board of Governors. He is looking for corporate sponsorship, too. The association has been around since 1998, and with a growing membership, it looks like they don’t intend to quit anytime soon.

Goalie Masks Far Cooler than the Alien’s Head

TSN.ca is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the goalie mask with an online vote. For those not in the know, Legendary Canadien’s goal tender, Jacques Plante made his own mask to protect his face. He was only allowed to wear it during the pre-season, and while practicing. On Nov. 1, 1959 his coach, Toe Blake had no choice but allow Plante to wear the mask during a game.

Check out the rest of the story and vote for your fave goalie mask here. The winner will be announce on Wed. Oct. 28th, so make that vote...you are running out of time...kind of like how Ripley always seems to be when she’s planning on blowing up multi billion dollar spaceships and inter galactic colonies!

Welcome Back Stanley!

by Jan Snyder

The Penguins did the banner-raising right, that’s for sure. I traveled to Pittsburgh to attend Opening Night for the Penguins and Rangers. “It was a dark and stormy night” to quote many bad writers, but the rain didn’t keep the fans from whooping it up, showing their enthusiasm for the start of the season.

Jen, Jim and I got there relatively early because we wanted to be sure to be in our seats and not miss a minute of any of the celebration. The first thing I noticed was what looked like draperies hanging around the scoreboard. The teams took their pre-game skate, the Zambonis did their thing, and then the celebration began. The Rangers left the ice, not to return until the drop of the puck, despite the fact that Coach Tortorelli was quoted in the papers as saying he wanted his team on the ice to see what they will be working towards. The Pens said later that “logistics” kept the Rangers off the ice during the ceremony.

What I thought were draperies fell to the ice and magically became a four-sided video screen where the audience was treated to a recap of the playoffs, culminating with Sidney Crosby taking the Cup to the other players. After that, the announcer said, “Ladies and gentlemen, the Stanley Cup!” The “draperies” fell from the top of the scoreboard to the ice, revealing Stanley in all his glory. What a breath taking sight! There it was, back after 17 long years, in Pittsburgh with the Pens.

They rolled out the red carpet and the first to grace it with his presence was none other than Mario Lemieux, freshly back from Toronto where he helped open the season with some of the other members of Team Canada. The other brass made their way to their places on the red carpet. Coach Dan Bylsma received a rousing ovation from the grateful fans.

From the other side of the ice, the Zamboni entrance opened and each member of the Penguins was introduced to wild cheers from the crowd. The newest Pens were “welcomed to Pittsburgh” and even though they hadn’t been members of the Cup-winning team, they were given big kudos as well.

Max Talbot, who scored two goals in Game Seven of the Finals, had shoulder surgery and won’t be playing until mid-November. But he still “dressed” for the game and when he was announced, the crowd went wild! Max did so many good things in the playoffs and the fans fondly remembered every one – from the goals to the big fight against the Flyers. The only ones who got as much applause as Max did were Crosby, Malkin and Fleury. There was plenty of love and good will to go around to everyone! Even though I watched almost every game from the comfort of my living room in Texas, it was nice to be able to cheer and let the boys know how much I appreciated all their hard work.

The players were asked to move to the other side of the ice where the Cup and some other trophies were placed on tables. As the team gathered around to watch, the banner was raised to the rafters, much to everyone’s delight. But then, the 2008-09 season officially ended and a new one began.

The game started and the team looked pretty much in control on their way to beating the Rangers to end a terrific night for the fans and players.

The team traveled on to Long Island after the game. We traveled back to Mellon Arena on Saturday night, just as the puck was dropping against the Islanders. We were back to get a “Snaphot with Stanley”. The line was very long, but everyone was in a good mood and anxious for their turn with the trophy.

As the never-ending line of jersey-clad fans snaked though the concourse of the Arena, we were able to see a TV occasionally and listen to the game on cell phones. Just as we reached the entrance to the ice, the Pens tied the game and we saw the most exciting part on the Jumbotron as we stood in line. When we were only about four turns away from ours, someone from the Pens took Jim’s camera to make sure he knew how to use it. He took a photo of just the Cup, then about three of us surrounding it.

All in the Family! Jan Snyder, her daughter and son in law, Jen and Jim

No matter how many times I see the Stanley Cup, it’s always a thrill – and this time especially because it was “ours” for this year. To see the excitement on Jen and Jim’s faces was special too, since this was the first time they had seen Stanley up close and personal. We watched overtime and the shootout from Pens Station, the Penguins store. The Pens took their record to 2-0 when Letang and Crosby scored in the shootout.

The next day, Jen cropped the photos and we went to Ritz Camera to have the picture printed on nice photo paper. I brought my copy home with me to show everyone.

Both days were great days for hockey!!

There's No Biting in Hockey

by Jan Snyder


Just as there is no crying in baseball, there is no biting in hockey.


As if the Pens/Flyers rivalry isn’t heated enough already, in the first game of the season between these two teams, we have “Bite Gate”.


With just seconds left in the game, the Broad Street bully’s captain, Mike Richards, took a run at Fleury, to which the Pens’ defensemen objected – vehemently. Kris Letang and Scott (the hairy one) Hartnell slammed each other to the ice and a wrestling match ensued. Shortly thereafter, Letang skated off, holding his injured finger.


After the game Letang just said, “Ask him what he did, he knows.” He wouldn’t accuse him of biting his ring finger, but just implied it. Hartnell’s lame response was that Letang was giving him a face wash a lot of things were going on as they rolled around on the ice. But he didn’t think he’d bitten him.


What’s next? Will we see an ear bitten off during a game, a la a Mike Tyson boxing match? Will Letang need a tetanus shot? I love a good rivalry and there is no doubt both teams were up for this game. The game itself was really exciting, lots of scoring on both sides (and one that the Flyers scored for the Pens). Emery and Fleury were both good and Pronger held Crosby to no points. But let’s leave the biting out of it! I know the Flyers are bullies, but this is even beyond what I thought they were capable of doing.


There will be no discipline for Hartnell from the League. After a conference call with Colin Campbell, Hartnell was found “innocent.” How about looking at Letang’s finger? That should provide all the needed evidence.


Kris, in the immortal words of Shane Falco in one of my favorite movies, “The Replacements” –


“Pain heals, chicks dig scars, but glory lasts forever.” You’ll have a scarred finger for chicks to dig, and the glory of last year’s Stanley cup will last forever.


Beating the Flyers in the remaining five games this season will be the best revenge.

Lisa’s Fantasy Pre-Season Hockey Festival

By Lisa Ovens

Now that the NHL Pre-season is winding down, I will share an idea for next year. If the NHL follows this idea, they just might move up in the pro sports food chain.


Several years ago I wrote a piece for my book about a pre-season hockey festival I cooked up while lying around the house. In my opinion, the pre-season is an under utilized sales and marketing season for the NHL. Unfortunately Lisa’s Fantasy Pre- Season Hockey Festival ended up on the cutting room floor during the editing stage (except for the hockey film festival segment).


It’s been four NHL pre-seasons since I wrote the bit, and I am still convinced it’s a good idea, because the NHL has yet to make some noise during what should be considered a prime marketing season. And wouldn’t it be sweet to silence the yearly parade of critics complaining about too many pre season games, the games don’t mean anything blah blah blah. Here it is. A condensed version that is...

My idea was pretty simple: each NHL division picks one city to host a tournament involving the division teams. Perhaps the team selected could be the team that’s hurting the most for ticket sales and general public interest. A good example of this might be the Pacific Division, with the Phoenix Coyotes hosting the Kings, Sharks, Ducks, and Stars.


It could be one week long, using the weekends to throw parties, events and promotions mixed in with games held over the entire week. In my fantasy pre season festival, the pre-season tournament games tickets only cost $19.99 each, because in order to attract new fans, the tickets need to be cheap. In my festival new and casual fans would have the opportunity to learn about their home team’s rivals and will have the opportunity to experience a mini season of rivalry, fights, winners, losers and one champion all within nine days. What a way to hook’em in for the regular season, eh?


The host team could offer great deals on regular season ticket packages that are only valid if purchased during the pre- season festival. The four visiting teams could also use this festival to offer special deals and promotions to their fans at home. The tournament itself can still be like the way the pre-season is now: prospects and invited players will still be showcasing their talent and fighting for roster spots. Coaching staff will still be testing and evaluating players’ fitness and conditioning levels. This stuff will just have a “festival” back drop, and it would play out over a nine day period of time. Plus everyone would meet me as I signed their copy of Hockey & High Heels because the league bought hundreds of them to give away (remember this is MY fantasy pre-season festival – haha!).


The host city will be in charge of planning events and publicity stunts to attract media and public attention. This is where the Hockey Film Festival came into my idea. The host team partners up with a movie theatre that will show a variety of hockey films over the nine days. Both the theatre and the hockey team could invite local sponsors to host a film night with prize give aways. Hockey Festivals in the United States could really push showings of the movie Miracle: the one win that almost all Americans identify as the most important sports moment of their nation’s history. Other event ideas I had...a celebrity dunk tank, General Manager’s Pancake Breakfast, a formal charity evening event perhaps centering around a fashion show, a casino night or a roast, any of those would do, but there has to be a “red carpet” paparazzi and fan filled extravaganza preceding the event.


Speaking of fans, fans of the visiting teams would make the trek to the host city. Partnerships would be established with hotels, restaurants, tour operators etc offering special deals. Travelling hockey fans are the best of the bunch: they add colour and fun to the event. I caught quite a few Memorial Cup games when it was held in Vancouver two years ago. That was fun. All kinds of jerseys and fanatics in the crowd made the games extra special.


I really believe the NHL should consider something like this for next season. It’s a way to shake up the current schedule. It’s a way to shorten the pre-season without affecting the usual hockey operations activities at this time of year. It’s a way to welcome new fans to the game, and a way for committed fans to celebrate their passion.


Until this happens, it will be forever known as Lisa’s Fantasy Pre-Season Hockey Festival. Come on, NHL...don’t let me have all the fun!

Photo: Jobing.com Arena, home of the Phoenix Coyotes


Photographer: Lisa Ovens

More to Mathieu

By Lisa Ovens

As a Canuck fan and I am pleased to have defenseman Mathieu Schneider join the home team. I am hoping he’s the answer to our puck moving, quarterback on the point questions. Plus he’s a Stanley Cup winner (Canadiens 1993) and lord knows the Canucks need Cup luck!

Schneider split his time last season between the Atlanta Thrashers and the Montreal Canadiens, so he should find the Canucks a nice change considering they are secure with their ownership unlike the Thrashers, and well, our type of drama is different than the Habs.

Schneider was born in New York, New York 40 years ago. He’s played 1264 NHL games over a nineteen year career with 212 goals and 513 assists. As far as the playoffs go, Schneider has recorded 10 goals and 43 assists in 111 playoff games. That’s 1264 games with eight different teams. It’s his stint with the Maple Leafs that caught my attention.

There is more to Mathieu Schneider than his blue line skills.

Not long after Schneider signed with the Canucks, I was rummaging through my hockey swag collection and I came across a twelve year old recipe calendar from Kraft. My mom had given it to me a few years ago when she was downsizing her swag. The stand up calendar is called...

Kraft Kitchens & NHL Moms Recipes

And guess who’s on the last page? That’s right; Aline, Mathieu Schneider’s mom contributed a recipe, and a little hockey mom advice. Aline is posing in her son’s hockey sweater, along with 17
other NHL moms on the front cover.

Now that we’ve covered Mathieu’s career stats, I am sure everyone is dying to know about the recipe. It will make a great snack for Canucks fans over the coming season. Though, you need to like popcorn.

3 Star Popcorn Treats

(According to Kraft it’s “a perfect snack for those on the go kids.”)

Prep. Time: 15 min.      Microwave time: 2-3 min.

Ingredients (metric conversion included)

8 cups (2L)            popped popcorn

3 cups (750 mL)    Post Shreddies

¼ cup (50 mL)       butter

¾ cup (175 mL)     Kraft Smooth Peanut Butter

1pkg (250 g)          miniature marshmallows

Toss popcorn and cereal together. Set aside.

Microwave on medium power butter and peanut butter in a large microwavable bowl for one minute.

Add marshmallows; microwave on medium for another minute or until the marshmallows puff; stir until blended.

Add cereal mixture to bowl, stirring well to mix. Using moistened hands, form into small balls. Makes about 18 balls.

The good people at Kraft also listed the nutritional facts on the Hockey Mom recipes. Here are stats on Aline’s 3Star Popcorn Treats...

Per serving (one ball)

180 calories, 4.3 grams of protein, 8.2 grams of fat, 24.1 gram carbohydrates, 1.8 grams dietary fibre. A good source of Thiamine

Enjoy!

People who know me know that cooking food doesn’t really hold my interest. So When Mathieu Schneider scores his fifth goal for the Canucks during the 2000/10 NHL season, I will make his
mom’s recipe. How’s that for incentive, Schneids????

Now we just need a Jerome Iginla story, and I'll blend in his mom's recipe. Standing by for Iggy News...