Hockey Hearsay compiles stories from around the hockey world and runs weekdays, 12 months a year.
BOWMAN’S COACHING INFLUENCED HARTLEY
The Calgary Herald lays the foundation that with Wednesday’s win over the San Jose Sharks, Bob Hartley quietly took his place beside Michel Bergeron on the all-time coaching wins bench, at 338.
“I have two coaches, they are my idols. No. 1 is Scotty Bowman. I saw him win so many Cups when I was cheering on the Montreal Canadiens as a kid. Obviously, I had the chance to coach against him. He’s the best. Period.”
Bergeron was Hartley’s other idol and was the main focus of the article. But The Herald goes on to note the Bowman influence — as well on virtually anyone of the last two decades who ever toted a whistle white board and a pair of skates — is one the Flames’ boss will happily acknowledge.“I remember matching myself against Scotty during that Colorado-Detroit rivalry. It’s something I’ll never forget. I’d go over game tapes again and again, and I would write down every one of his line changes. Every one. Just to try and figure out Scotty Bowman. Which, of course, is impossible.
“When he started to coach, I was not even born. And all he did was win. Win, win, win.
“It was always a very uneven matchup. But I felt my team was as good as his team that time so I had to try and prepare my players well enough to win. When the game started, I had to forget that it was Scotty behind the other bench. But it was always great to watch his team practice, to watch his strategy during games, to try and measure up, you know?”
SENS’ NEIL, PHILLIPS ON VISOR DEBATE
The New York Times tackles the hot-button issue of visors in the wake of Rangers defensemen Marc Staal’s injury, stating that Senators tough guy Chris Neil appears to be in denial about visors preventing eye injuries.
Neil was struck in the eye in January 2011 by the stick of Montreal’s Max Pacioretty. He wasn’t wearing a visor then and still doesn’t.
“I think that situation is a fluke accident, but as far as sticks coming up, that’s the scary thing,” Neil said, referring to Staal’s injury. “I think if everyone’s wearing no visor guys would be more respectful around the league with their sticks.”
Despite players such as Tye McGinn of the Flyers, who has three fights this season, and Kings forward Colin Fraser now wearing visors, Neil had this to say regarding Rule 46.6 (which gives the extra penalty to fight instigators who wear visors): “I don’t really look at that either because, you know, usually guys aren’t fighting if they’re wearing visors.”
Chris Phillips, who is the Senators’ union rep who sustained an eye injury in 1998, admits the rule does raise some red flags.
“That’s what makes it a good debate, you don’t want to see guys get hurt,” Phillips said. “I’ve seen guys take their helmets off in sort of respect to each other … you don’t want to see a guy get a concussion cause he’s fallen down in a fight and hit his head. There’s always a trickle-down effect from doing certain things that makes it a good debate. At the end of the day you don’t want to see guys get hurt.”
LEHNER HOPING FOR LUNDQVIST SHOWDOWN
The Ottawa Citizen describes how when he was a boy growing up in Sweden, goaltender Robin Lehner knew Henrik Lundqvist as the great Swedish netminder that Lehner’s father, Michael, worked with as a goalie coach. Young Robin would go to the practices to watch, and Lundqvist gave him pointers.
“When I could barely stop a puck, he would go on the ice and help me out,” Lehner said.
Friday, they could be facing each other at Madison Square Garden.
“I don’t know if he’s playing or not, but if he is, it’s pretty cool,” Lehner said.
“I’m quite excited actually, it’s surreal.
“I’ve got lots of respect for him. He’s a great, great guy and a huge goaltender – one of the best if not the best in the world, for a few years now.
EARLY REALIGNMENT REACTION
The NHLPA approved the league’s realignment plan and the NHL’s Board of Governors is expected to follow suit quickly. Here’s some early reaction:
The St. Paul Pioneer Press: “It could be approved within days,” Wild owner Craig Leipold said. “One thing is certain: We will have realignment next season, and we’re anxious to be able to communicate to all our fans that we’re going to be playing in the Midwest Division and the Central time zone. We’re very pleased.”
The Midwest will somewhat resemble the NHL’s old Norris Division that included the North Stars, Blackhawks and Blues, prompting John Maher, Wild vice president for marketing and communications, to immediately post on Twitter: “Bring on the Norris rivalries!”
“It’s good for us, good for the league,” Wild forward Zach Parise said. “It’ll be nice for us to have those short, hour flights to Chicago, St. Louis and Winnipeg. It’ll be good for the fans, too, just watching on TV.”
The Dallas Morning News: “Travel distance is big, but really, the start times are the main thing,” said Stars president and CEO Jim Lites. “It’s a big deal to us, and to our fans, and that’s why we’ve been pushing so hard for this.”
Lites said the move will not only help television ratings, but also will get Stars players in their beds at the right time.
“I just think the time zone difference messes up a lot of things, and nobody knows that better than us,” he said. “There are times of the year when every one of our division opponents are two hours out of our time zone. That means we get back late, or we have to stay over, and that adds to wear and tear on the players and loss of practice days. Look, the flights aren’t what kill you, it’s changing time zones. And I can promise you that starting all of our road games at 7 or 7:30 will make our TV numbers soar. It’s a great day, and we have waited a very long time for this.”
Denver Post: Midwest Division teams will be Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis and Winnipeg. The change will cut down on the length of some trips for the Avalanche, which is in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference with Calgary, Edmonton, Minnesota and Vancouver. Avalanche vice president Jean Martineau said the team is happy with the new realignment.
The Nashville Tennessean: The Predators have declined to comment on realignment since it has not officially been ratified.
Under realignment, all teams outside Nashville’s division would play the Predators at least once. Currently, Eastern Conference teams visit Nashville on a rotating basis. Nashville’s travel would increase under the new plan.
“It’s only 2,000 more miles per year, and the last seven years we averaged 40,000 miles … so it’s not much of a difference, obviously, but it is still a difference,” Predators forward and NHLPA player rep David Legwand said last week.
WINGS STILL SEE WHITE IN PLANS
The Detroit News indicates Thursday’s game against Edmonton was the fifth consecutive game Red Wings defenseman Ian White will be a healthy scratch.
White has met with both general manager Ken Holland and coach Mike Babcock to get an idea of where things stand. White didn’t ask for a trade when talking to Holland but does wonder about his future with the Red Wings. White is an unrestricted free agent after this season. His cap hit this year is $2.875 million.
“From speaking with them, they’re clear they want to keep me around,” White said. “You just hope by keeping around it means putting you in the lineup, and hopefully get back in soon and forget about this.”
But with the Red Wings winning games, playing well defensively and Babcock liking what he sees from his defensive unit, White will have to be patient.
“It’s tough to change the lineup when you’re giving up one goal or so a game,” White said. “I have to come to the rink and be a good teammate. You can’t put yourself above the team and mope around here. That doesn’t do anyone any favors. Just stay positive.”
DEVILS HELPING SANDY RELIEF
Fire & Ice reports the New Jersey Devils will hold Mystery Puck Night on Wednesday, March 13, when the team hosts the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:30 p.m. at Prudential Center.
The proceeds from the sale of the pucks will benefit the Superstorm Sandy relief effort.
A total of 500 pucks will be on sale on the main concourse for $20 each. The identity of the player who signed the puck is kept secret until after it is purchased. The wives/girlfriends of the Devils’ players will be on hand to sell the pucks and there is a one-puck limit per individual.