Tuesday was a history-making day for the great sport of hockey as Angela James and Cammi Granato were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Granato and James will be the first women to be in the Hall. They’ll be formally inducted on November 8.

James was a Canadian scoring superstar and played for Canada at the first women’s hockey championships. She was Canada’s dominant female player throughout the 70s and 80s, blazing a trail for other Canadian players to follow. James was often considered the female Wayne Gretzky, remaining as top scorer for eight seasons and winning the MVP award six times in the Central Ontario Women’s League. She also was MVP at eight Canadian championships.

Granato is the only woman to participate in each of the first nine women’s world championships sanctioned by the IIHF. She is the all-time leader in goals and points for the United States in world championships and was Eastern College Athletic Conference player of the year three straight seasons for Providence College from 1991 to 1993.

Dino Ciccarelli will also be inducted to the Hall of Fame in November as a player. His accomplishments made him one of the players that many considered as “overlooked.” After breaking his leg during his second year of junior and being told he’d never lace the skates again, Ciccarelli proved them all wrong by playing for 19 NHL seasons. He finished his career with 608 goals and 592 assists over those seasons.

In the builder category, Detroit Red Wings executive Jim Devellano and Calgary Flames founding member Daryl “Doc” Seaman will be entered.

The committee, 18 males, voted on Tuesday. Women were given their own player category for the first time this year and it was clear that this should have been done ages ago. The Hall has a maximum of two females that they can put in each year, so we can expect a few more inductees in the coming classes as the great women of the game are finally honoured properly.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

The general manager of the Phoenix Coyotes, Don Maloney, has been named the NHL’s GM of the Year.

For Maloney, the year was far from easy. Tackling the tricky desert franchise was a death sentence from day one, but he managed to turn things around and even iced a team that made it to the playoffs.

First on the agenda was the hiring of coach Dave Tippett, a move that many cite as Maloney’s best of the season. Tippett helped get the Coyotes to the post-season for the first time since 2002 and had the team landing 107 points overall, grabbing franchise records for points and wins in a single season along the way.

Maloney was able to get his players to deal with a tough internal situation in Phoenix properly and was able to put a quality product on the ice, something lesser managers wouldn’t have been able to do.

As for what’s ahead, however, Maloney isn’t sure that things are going to get better any time soon. The club is still looking for an owner and is still hanging off a precipice in Glendale, making things difficult around the office for the new GM of the Year.

Looking back, though, Maloney did a hell of a job. He acquired key players at key moments, adding guys like Adrian Aucoin, Robert Lang, Radim Vrbata, and others. And he piled up good players at the trade deadline, too, pulling the trigger on various deals that brought Lee Stempniak, Wojtek Wolski, Petteri Nokelainen, Derek Morris, and Mathieu Schneider to the club.

The Coyotes won’t be content with their success this season, though, and Maloney has got to know that. He’ll have to make sure he puts together a club that capitalizes on this year and excels even in the difficult internal circumstances. The award might boost his confidence, but he’ll need more than a good attitude to pull through the next season.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

With the end of another NHL regular season in the books, it’s time to take a breather before the playoffs start to take a look back at the season that was from a numbers perspective.

We already know that Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks will take home the Art Ross trophy. He becomes the first Vancouver Canuck to ever win the award and did so with 112 points, including a whopping 83 assists.

The Rocket Richard trophy will be shared this year by Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos. Stamkos and Crosby both finished with 51 goals. Alex Ovechkin could have easily been in on the action, but he finished at 50 goals after going pointless against the Boston Bruins on Sunday. The Stamkos/Crosby tie marks the second time the trophy has been split since its introduction in 1999. The Rocket Richard was first split three ways when Jarome Iginla, Rick Nash and Ilya Kovalchuk won it in the 2003-2004 season.

Ovechkin may not be left out in the cold in terms of individual hardware, however, as he’s a strong contender for the Hart Memorial. Two of his teammates turned out to be statistical leaders this season, with Mike Green leading all defencemen in scoring and Jeff Schultz taking the league’s best plus-minus ranking with plus-50.

Between the pipes, Martin Brodeur once again walked away with the William M. Jennings trophy for fewest goals against. He finished the season with a 2.27 GAA, also leading the league in shutouts, wins and starts. Brodeur could also obviously be up for the Vezina trophy and has to be considered a favourite in the voting, even with Ryan Miller and Ilya Bryzgalov in the mix.

Craig Anderson of the Colorado Avalanche had the busiest year overall, facing a league-high 2,233 shots on net.

In terms of rookies, Colorado’s Matt Duchene was a key to his team’s success this year. He finished leading all rookies with 24 goals and 55 points. Tyler Myers of Buffalo lead the newcomers in assists with 37.

New York Islanders prospect and superstar-to-be John Tavares finished strong, sure, but he endured a slow patch around the middle of the season and finished with 24 goals and 30 assists to come up just shy of Duchene’s totals.

In a season characterized largely by headshots and blindside hits, it’s good to get back to the basics of hockey. With newcomers like Tavares, Duchene and Myers and the reliable stars like Crosby and Ovechkin proving that they’re the most exciting athletes on the planet, it’s safe to say that our sport is in good hands for years to come.

And with Henrik Sedin (and his brother Daniel, of course) blowing through to become a top-tier player this season, the National Hockey League has proven yet again that there’s plenty of room for surprises and new stars yet to emerge.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Henrik Sedin has become the first Vancouver Canuck to take home the Art Ross trophy.

Sedin dropped in a four-point game against the Calgary Flames on Saturday night, taking on a lacklustre team with nothing to play for and putting on a clinic that included several highlight reel plays and assists.

When the dust settled on that game, it was up to Alex Ovechkin to come through against the Boston Bruins, but the Great 8 was held pointless. Sedin, then, took a 112-109 advantage to the Art Ross as the NHL season rolled to a close.

If Ovie had managed to tie Hank, he would have defeated him for the trophy as he had more goals. As it is, however, the Art Ross is headed to Vancouver to one of the game’s most humble players.

Some might look to the fact that Henrik played 10 more games in the regular season than Ovechkin and might argue that Ovie would have won the trophy, but that’s a bit of a lame duck point. It could just as easily be argued that Henrik Sedin’s point total would have been higher had he not missed out on playing with his brother Daniel for 19 games. It goes both ways.

In the end, injuries are part of the game. Ovechkin’s points-per-minute average is 0.00118, just barely nudging out Henrik’s 0.00116. Plus Ovie still has a shot at landing some other hardware, so fans ought not to feel too bad about it just yet.

While it’s nice to celebrate the scoring trophy victory, something tells me that Henrik Sedin is focused on something more significant as the Canucks get ready to open the post-season at home on Wednesday.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

The Toronto Star awards the Lou Marsh Award annually to Canada’s outstanding athlete and this year’s winner is none other than Sidney Crosby. The Pittsburgh Penguins superstar was voted on by a panel of sports editors, reporters and broadcasters.

At 22 years of age, it’s no secret that Crosby is fast becoming one of Canada’s most popular athletes. He already has a Stanley Cup on his resume and currently sits fourth in NHL scoring with 38 points this season.

Crosby’s been down this road before, too, winning the Lou Marsh Award in 2007.

The panel features representatives from the Star, CBC, The Fan 590, Globe and Mail, National Post, Sportsnet, TSN, Toronto Sun and The Canadian Press.

Also in the running for this year’s Lou Marsh Award were downhill world champion John Kucera, NBA star Steve Nash, doubles tennis pro Daniel Nestor, speedskater Christine Nesbitt and mixed martial arts fighter Georges St-Pierre.

Obviously the Lou Marsh Award is a nice thing for Crosby here, giving him even the slightest boost going into the 2010 Olympics where much is expected of the young star forward. While piling up accolades from the press is one thing, I’m sure Sid’s real focus is on nothing less than a golden performance in Vancouver.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Tonight was a special night as the Hockey Hall of Fame inducted a star-studded Class of 2009 into the record books. Forwards Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille and defenceman Brian Leetch were inducted as Honoured Members on Monday in the players category, while New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello was enshrined as a builder.

Yzerman, Hull and Robitaille accounted for 2,101 goals over the course of their careers. They all won a Stanley Cup together, too, in Detroit in 2002. And Leetch was certainly no slouch, helping lift the Rangers to their own Cup in 1994.

There’s really no questioning any of these selections for the Hall of Fame, as each has left an indelible mark on the game of hockey.

Yzerman helped transform the Red Wings franchise into a modern juggernaut, joining the team as Detroit’s fourth overall selection in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft and never looking back. After scoring 87 points in his rookie campaign, Stevie Y spent his entire 22-year career with the Wings. During his tenure, the Red Wings won three Stanley Cups, with Yzerman winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1998.

Brett Hull ranks third on the all-time list with 741 goals over his 19-year career. He first got his break with the Calgary Flames in the 1986 playoffs and has since been known as one of the league’s most potent offensive threats. Hull was one of the most consistent players in the league, usually good for over 30 goals a season. He laid out three consecutive 70-goal seasons with the St. Louis Blues and won Stanley Cups with Dallas and Detroit.

“Lucky” Luc Robitaille retired as the highest scoring player at his position in league history, ranking 10th on the all-time list with 668 goals. Not drafted until the ninth round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, Robitaille won the Calder Trophy in his debut season with the Los Angeles Kings and followed that up with seven straight seasons of 44 goals or more. His career best season came in the 1992-1993 season where he posted a total of 63 goals.

Brian Leetch was drafted ninth overall by the New York Rangers in the 1986 Entry Draft and would go on to become one of the club’s most popular players in its storied history. He enjoyed his career best season in 1991-1992 when he potted 100 points and won the first of two Norris trophies for his career. Leetch also won the Conn Smythe Trophy with the Rangers after helping them end a 54-year Stanley Cup drought in ‘94.

As for Lou Lamoriello, his contributions to the game of hockey over 40 years go without saying. He is one of the icons of organization, setting up the New Jersey Devils for three Stanley Cup victories during his time with the club and making an impact at the professional and collegiate levels of hockey.

It’s hard to argue with this list of inductees for 2009, as each has made an impact and impression on the game that will be felt for countless generations.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

As of October 28th, there have been 4 confirmed cases of H1N1 in the NHL. The Washington Capitals confirmed Wednesday that forward Quintin Laing is being treated for H1N1. Edmonton Oilers defenceman Ladislav Smid, Colorado Avalanche goalie Peter Budaj and New York Islanders forward Doug Weight have all been previously diagnosed as well.

Over the course of the last century, the NHL has had its share of battles with different ailments. Infections, Cancer (affecting some of the biggest names) and yes…you guessed it…the flu. The story of the flu and its impact on the NHL’s second year is actually quite interesting and tragic at the same time.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Spanish Flu outbreak of 1919 that ended up in the cancellation of the Stanley Cup Final…I’ll give you the short version;

Americans and Canadians were celebrating the end of World War I, but were growing more apprehensive about the influenza epidemic that had already ravaged Europe and seemed to be making its way to Canada. The Montreal Canadiens were taking the transcontinental train to the west coast to take on the Seattle Metropolitans for the Stanley Cup.

Upon arriving, there were some questions raised about having so many people in such a confined hockey arena. Large public gatherings were the breeding ground for the flu.

Game one went to Seattle, as they destroyed the Canadiens (feels good to write that!) by a score of 7-2. The Habs rebounded back in game 2 taking Seattle 4-2. The series was tied at one game each.

Game three was yet another pounding by Seattle as they beat Hall of Fame goalie, Georges Vezina 7 times for the second time in the series. It looked like the Metropolitans had Vezina figured out.

Game 4 was described by NHL historian Charles Coleman as “the greatest match ever played on the Pacific Coast”. The Canadiens “Bad” Joe Hall and Seattle’s tough guy Cully Wilson highlighted the night as the game ended in a 0-0 tie and 20 minutes of overtime settled nothing…a scoreless tie in the Stanley Cup final!!

In game 5, the Habs game back from a 3 goal deficit to tie the game. Two goals came courtesy of Newsy Lalonde and another by Jack McDonald. The game was sent to overtime where Montreal’s Odie Cleghorn beat Seattle’s net minder at 15:57 into the extra period to tie the series yet again.

Unfortunately, before the 5th game had ended, Montreal’s Joe Hall was rushed to the hospital with the flu. It hit the series hard with 4 additional players and Montreal manager George Kennedy all being bed-ridden by Spanish flu. Kennedy wanted to continue the series with substitute players from the Victoria team, as Montreal was unable to compete. Seattle opposed the suggestion.

Kennedy forfeited the Cup to Seattle coach Pete Muldoon, but he refused to accept it. The Stanley Cup was never awarded that year, but it will always be remembered for the spirited play and overwhelming sportsmanship of both teams. The Stanley Cup engraving reads as follows;
“1919: Montreal Canadiens, Seattle Metropolitans. Series Not Completed.”

Hall would never see his home arena again as he would die in hospital less than a week after being taken out of the game.

Joseph Henry Hall won two Stanley Cups in his career and was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1961.

Posted By Pat Lynch

The NHL added four new members to the Hall of Fame, selecting Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch, and Luc Robitaille for the 2009 class. The induction ceremony will take place on November 9 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Also, Lou Lamoriello was named to the Hall of Fame as a builder.

According to the CBC, “there were five forwards in their first year of eligibility who combined for more than 3,200 regular-season goals in their illustrious careers: Yzerman, Hull, Robitaille, Dave Andreychuk and Alexander Mogilny.”

It’s great to see Yzerman get into the Hall. He’s always been one of my favourite players and continues to be the epitome of class as the next stages of his career unfold. No other player was more revered in Hockeytown, with the exception of Gordie Howe, than Stevie Y. Drafted by Detroit in 1983, Yzerman ranks sixth in NHL scoring with an impressive total of 682 goals, 1,063 assists and 1,745 points through 22 seasons with the Red Wings.

The Golden Brett also more than deserves his spot this year. With 741 career goals, behind only Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801), Hull was a dynamic forward with a deadly scoring touch. He once scored 86 goals in a National Hockey League season, a feat bested only by Gretzky’s 92 goal season. Hull will always be remembered for his incredible release and ability to one-time a sharp pass across the ice.

Brian Leetch, the first American-born MVP in the NHL, boasted skating skills and a combination of passing and scoring ability that few defencemen would be able to match. As one of the best defenders of the 90s, Leetch ranks fifth in scoring amongst defencemen with 247 goals and 781 assists for 1,028 points. While Yzerman will forever be identified with the Red Wings, Leetch will forever be a Blueshirt. He spent the majority of his 18-year career with the New York Rangers, helping them win a Cup in 1994.

Lucky Luc leads all left-wingers in the NHL in goals and points. He ranks 10th overall in goals with 668 and sits 19th in total points with 1,394. With three seasons of over 50 goals and four seasons with over 100 points, Robitaille will probably best be remembered for his years with the Los Angeles Kings but finally won a Stanley Cup alongside Yzerman in Detroit in 2002. Robitaille’s 19 seasons in the NHL included tenures in L.A., Pittsburgh, New York (Rangers) and Detroit. His #20 jersey was ultimately retired in L.A.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Alex Ovechkin snagged the night’s two most impressive awards at this year’s incarnation of the NHL Awards in Las Vegas. Winning the Hart Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award, Ovie was the star of what was a very glitzy and glamorous evening.

Even Ovechkin’s arrival screamed Vegas glitz, arriving on the red carpet with a showgirl on each arm and boasting to have won $500 playing blackjack. He also won yet another Rocket Richard Trophy for leading the league with 56 goals, but noted that he’d trade away all of his hardware for a Stanley Cup.

In terms of the voting, Ovie was a runaway winner for the Hart Trophy. He finished with 115 of 133 first place votes, beating Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin and Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk in the first all-Russian group of Hart finalists.

As the first of three awards shows planned for Las Vegas, the NHL really rolled it out with a glamorous show that featured Chaka Khan and Robin Thicke among other celebrity guests.

The Boston Bruins joined Ovechkin as award-winning regulars, with Zdeno Chara winning the Norris Trophy, Claude Julien winning the Jack Adams Award, and Tim Thomas snagging the Vezina for a stellar season. His emotional acceptance speech was one of the night’s most touching highlights. “I never really allowed myself to believe that I might win,” said Thomas.

Detroit’s Datsyuk didn’t go home empty-handed either, winning the Selke and Lady Byng trophies for the second straight year.

The Calder Trophy for rookie of the year went to Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason, while Steve Sullivan of the Nashville Predators won the Masterton Trophy for perseverance and dedication. Roberto Luongo was voted fan favourite and Jarome Iginla won the Messier Leadership Award.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

The scoring champion of the 2008-2009 NHL season is *drumroll* Evgeni Malkin!

Malkin took the Art Ross Trophy, finishing the year with 113 points. Early favourite Alex Ovechkin was a mere three points behind his “rival” with 110. Malkin’s snagging of the trophy marks the 13th time in 21 seasons that a Penguin has taken the prize. He is also the second Russian in history to take the Art Ross. The first? You bet, it was Ovie.

Ovechkin certainly didn’t close off the regular season empty-handed, though. He finished with the most total goals (56) in the NHL and scooped the Maurice Richard Trophy. Ovechkin’s 528 shots was the second-highest shots total in league history, falling just short of the 550 shots that Phil Esposito had in 1970-1971.

Now it’s time to see what Ovie and Malkin can drum up in the post-season, as both players certainly aren’t content with their recent hardware.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.