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DODGER STADIUM EVENT ALMOST A ‘VALENTINE’ TO GRETZKY
The Los Angeles Times reports Wayne Gretzky will be honored during the outdoor game between the Kings and Ducks at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 25. It’s a perfect moment for Gretzky to embrace — and be embraced by — the sport he elevated in Southern California.
“In many respects Wayne got it all going,” said John Collins, the NHL’s chief operating officer.
“Twenty-five years ago, who would have thought you’d be playing an outdoor game in Dodger Stadium? Who would have thought that you’d have two Stanley Cup-winning teams in recent history? Who would have thought you’d have the success of the young players coming up and getting drafted and making the kind of impact that they are in hockey around the world?
“Wayne started it all, and in many respects not to have Wayne at this event would be almost unimaginable. It’s almost a valentine to him and everything that he accomplished.”
BRODEUR WANTS TO PLAY ANOTHER SEASON
The Star-Ledger describes how Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, who is on the last season of his current two-year contract, wants to play again next season, but…
“We’ll go through the season and go from there. If the body holds up, that’s going to be I think more of the guideline because I’m enjoying what I’m doing right now,” Brodeur said Sunday morning. “It’s kind of fun to go to the rink. And sometimes on days off I’m like, ‘This is going to be retirement. It’s not fun.’
“My body will tell me if I allow myself to be able to play.”
So far his body is holding up.
“My heart is in (returning for another season). My body could be another story,” Brodeur said. “We’ll see. I’m done after this year with my contract depending on what’s going to happen in the next few months. If I feel good body-wise I’ll see what is the best scenario for me, if it’s back in New Jersey or somewhere else. That’s something the future will bring.
“Right now my heart is here to try and finish strong to prove I can still have a big impact and win hockey games.”
CONFIDENT ZIBANEJAD PLAYING ON INSTINCT
The Ottawa Citizen asserts Mika Zibanejad has been, perhaps, the Senators’ most dangerous scoring threat in the past several weeks.
“The more confidence I have, the more I can go on my instinct and just play, rather than think out there,” he said. “And I think that’s what I’m doing right now. The confidence is there when I hold on to the puck. I don’t have to maybe throw it away all the time. I’m able to skate with (the puck) and that comes along with it.”
Zibanejad, who has been skating with Milan Michalek and Cory Conacher, believes this is the best stretch he has played in the big leagues.
“On a consistent basis, I think so,” he said. “I try to improve every day at practice, but I don’t want to let up now. It’s a good building (block) for me, a good model to go out there. I know what I’m doing when I play well and I have something to rely on, to go back to.”
RANGER, FRANSON DEALING WITH TORONTO MEDIA CIRCUS
The Toronto Sun writes that asked about the big-top media atmosphere that surrounds the Leafs on a daily basis, defenceman Paul Ranger offered a candid take.
“Let’s put it this way: This is part of our job,” he said. “When things are going great and we’re getting lots of good questions, you feel pretty good. It’s times like this where you need to learn to handle it. And everyone has their own way. I can’t speak for anyone else. But, no, it’s not fun to answer questions when things aren’t going well. Especially when that’s the focus. But we’re learning how to handle it.”
Added Cody Franson: “This is our job right here and every one of us takes a lot of pride in what we do. When it doesn’t go your way, especially in Toronto, you feel it. But it’s up to you as an individual to find a way to balance that, to make sure you’re in the right frame of mind every time you come to the rink.”
WAIT AND SEE FOR MILLER WITH RETOOLING SABRES
The Buffalo News points out Pat LaFontaine made it clear Thursday the Sabres’ current preference is to sign pending UFA Ryan Miller to a long-term contract extension.
“It’s nice of him but I still need to kind of see what’s going on in the bigger picture,” Miller said Saturday.
Miller said he expects the process to move on the Sabres’ timeline and not to wait until after the Olympics, since the trade deadline is just a week after the Sochi Games end.
“It’s up to them how they want to handle it. Either way I’m fine, professional, go and do my job,” he said. “Olympics, I can definitely make that something that’s separate. Just trying to use the next few weeks to see where we’re at for things and also play some hockey.”
CHECKING DRIVES HITCHCOCK’S SUCCESS
Enlightening info via The St. Louis Post-Dispatch about Ken Hitchcock. He’s known as a defensive coach, but his Blues are routinely among the league leaders in goals per game this season.
“The reputation came by accident, not by design,” Hitchcock said. “When I coached junior hockey, all we did was score. When I coached in the (International Hockey League), all we did was score.
“The defensive reputation was born out of necessity from the Dallas days. We had a lot of veteran guys that needed to play a counterattack game. For me, it’s more about goals against. It’s not, ‘Hey, we’ve scored two, that’s enough.’ I’ve never been like that.”
Checking is the key.
“I’m not a defensive taskmaster,” he said. “There’s a big difference. The two things are related checking-wise. We’ve been scoring a lot of goals because we’re checking well, offensively and defensively.
“We’re a team that plays on our toes. We check and we forecheck like crazy. We’re scoring because we’re creating more turnovers with this group than any I’ve had in three years here. This group creates more turnovers off their checking than anybody.”
LANDESKOG LEADS AVALANCHE ON THE ICE
The Denver Post points out Gabriel Landeskog does most of his leading on the ice as captain of the Colorado Avalanche.
“I don’t think you have to be the cheerleader, the guy always chatting it up in the dressing room, pumping the guys up,” said Landeskog, the NHL’s youngest captain at 21. “There’s a time and a place to say things, and I’ll say it. But I’m trying to channel my energy and put it all on the ice instead of sitting and screaming in the dressing room. I try to just focus on what I’ve got to do on the ice. When I focus on my game, I help our line get going and help our team get going as well.”
He added: “I just want to leave everything out there on the ice every time. Hard work is what it’s going to take for us to accomplish our goal, and I know I have to set that example.”
Coach Patrick Roy offered this: “Joe (Sakic) was a bit like this too as a captain. What I like is, when these kinds of guys take the ice, that’s exactly the kind of leadership we get on the ice.”
PANTHERS WILL SPEND TO WIN
Reinforcement over the weekend via The Sun-Sentinel following the Florida Panthers’ midseason budget meeting, where new owner Vinnie Viola gave General Manager Dale Tallon carte blanche to spend to the cap to acquire elite free agents.
“This team’s been bleeding money for a long time, but I’ve been told we’re going to be a cap team and want to try to break even. They want to invest money into the team,” Tallon said.
“They want to win. That’s what’s going on here. They’ve given me the green light to be a cap team. So that’s fantastic. Not a floor team, a cap team. We’re excited.”
More Tallon: “We want to win. We’re going to the top. We’re going to spend. We’re moving forward. We’ve been given the opportunity by Vinnie to spend the money wisely and God bless Vinnie, they’re willing to put maximum amount of money into the team so we can win.”
THEY TWEETED IT