While teams can perhaps see how their prospects stack up against the rest of the league, most importantly it is a chance for these young players to work with Wild / Aeros’ coaches and develop their game at a higher level.  For Wild draftees they work their hardest to justify a look at training camp.  A good showing at the tournament by Colton Gillies or Cal Clutterbuck could ensure themselves a long look by the Wild’s management.  This is also another opportunity for 2008 first rounder Tyler Cuma to give coaches an even better idea of what skills he brings to the blueline.  Yet for the tryout players the stakes are possibly even greater as they attempt to show the Wild and other NHL teams in attendance they are worthy of a pro contract.  For these kids their NHL dreams Minnesota had two fairly weak draft classes in 2004 and 2005 so the team has no less than 13 tryout players out of the 24 it is taking to the tournament.

Among this group of tryouts is Justin Hodgman, a 6′2″ 183lbs center who has a bit of an intriguing story.  After having a strong overage season with the Erie Otters of the OHL, where he scored 37 goals and 80 points in 67 games last season he decided to challenge himself by joining the Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL once his junior season had ended.  Hodgman helped the Komets win a Colonial Cup championship.  The Brampton, Ontario native was named Colonial Playoff MVP for leading the Komets with clutch scoring 14 points in 13 playoff games.  Another area of intrigue for Wild tryouts is between the pipes where the organization desperately needs to establish some more depth at goaltender as the cupboard is virtually bare apart from Anton Khudobin.  This will be a huge opportunity for Prince Albert Raider (WHL) Steven Stanford and Cody St. Jacques of the Guelph Storm (OHL) .   If either of those two can demonstrate stability between the pipes they could very well find themselves a pro contract offer from the Wild / Houston Aeros.  The team could use a similar infusion of young talent on its blueline where the prospect depth is also rather thin.  One last story of note is one of Chris Culligan who was former teammate of Wild centerman James Sheppard with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL).  Culligan was a clutch scorer for the Screaming Eagles but like Sheppard possesses good vision and playmaking ability.

In some ways with the Wild attempting to restock its prospect pool you couldn’t blame the team if they decided to hang a “Help wanted: inquire within” sign on the lockeroom door.  So it would be a great time to see Hodgman, Stanford, St. Jacques, Culligan as well as Tyler Schmidt, Frederic St. Denis, Alexandre Neron, Eric Doyle, Scott Wasden, Jordan Mistelbacher, Tomas Knotek, Kevin King, and Ryan Graham to step up and impress to earn a spot in the organization.

Here is the schedule for the tournament for the Wild’s prospects.

Sept. 13th - Wild vs. Blue Jackets @ 2:30PM

Sept. 14th - Wild vs. Blues @ 1:00PM

Sept. 16th - Wild vs. Stars @ 5:30PM

Sept 17th - Tournament games (7th, 5th, 3rd, and 1st place)

The State of Hockey News will do its best to provide updates on how the State of Hockey’s prospects fare in Traverse City next week.  Here is the Wild 24-man roster for the tournament, tryout players are in italics.

Forwards:

#75 - C - Cody Almond - 6′2″ 199lbs (Kelowna, WHL)

#78 - RW - Cal Clutterbuck - 5′10″  203lbs  (Houston, AHL)

#45 - C - Chris Culligan - 6′0″  174lbs  (Cape Breton, QMJHL)

#61 - C - Colton Gillies - 6′4″  193lbs  (Saskatoon, WHL)

#76 - LW - Ryan Graham - 5′11″  217lbs  (St. John’s, QMJHL)

#52 - C - Justin Hodgman - 6′2″  183lbs  (Erie, OHL)

#57 - LW - Matt Kassian - 6′4″  247lbs  (Texas, ECHL)

#68 - RW - Kevin King - 6′0″  185lbs  (Kootenay, WHL)

#65 - C - Tomas Knotek - 6′1″  171lbs  (Halifax, QMJHL)

#63 - C - Morten Madsen - 6′2″  185lbs  (Houston, AHL)

#39 - RW - Carson McMillan - 6′0″  200lbs  (Calgary, WHL)

#54 - C - Scott Wasden - 6′1″  201lbs  (Medicine Hat, WHL)

Defenseman:

#71 - D - Tyler Cuma - 6′2″  182lbs  (Ottawa, OHL)

#59 - D - Eric Doyle - 6′2″  191lbs  (Swift Current, WHL)

#73 - D - Justin Falk - 6′5″  215lbs  (Spokane, WHL)

#79 - D - Alexandre Neron - 6′0″  180lbs  (Rimouski, QMJHL)

#72 - D - Frederic St. Denis - 5′11″  180lbs  (U. of Quebec: Trois Rivieres)

#64 - D - Marco Scandella - 6′2″  195lbs  (Val ‘d ‘Or, QMJHL)

#62 - D - Tyler Schmidt - 6′1″  200lbs  (Tri City, WHL)

Goaltenders:

#70 - G - Anton Khudobin - 5′10″  183lbs  (Texas, ECHL)

#43 - G - Cody St. Jacques - 5′11″  170lbs  (Guelph, OHL)

#50 - G - Steven Stanford - 6′0″  170lbs  (Prince Albert, WHL)

This past week, Derek’s 3-part series ranking the best and worst fans in the league was picked up by the Puckdaddy blog over on Yahoo! Sports. First, with Greg Wyshynski’s take on Derek’s ranking, I’d say we owe him for probably the most traffic that MVN’s hockey blogs have seen in a long time (if ever). It’s too bad that most of the responses to what Derek wrote couldn’t remain civil. Clearly the concept of “Minnesota Nice” is a novel one outside of the Upper Midwest. Well, it’s our turn to return the favor.

Yesterday, Wyshynski’s partner, Sean Leahy created a list of a very different sort. Leahy’s list, was one containing 5 things that he think would improve the National Hockey League. While I can completely agree with him about getting rid of the consolation points awarded for an overtime loss or a shootout loss and the idea of bringing back the division/conference names, there was one point that I, and fans around the league want absolutely no part of:

2. Ice Girls for every NHL team. I can’t emphasize this enough. The lovely ladies who shovel the snow so elegantly are the only reason to attend games in most arenas around the league. Then there’s the Rangers. They have dudes who skate around picking up the extra snow. DUDES! Why would you not want an Ice Girl to patrol the rink, making sure creases are so fresh and so clean? C’mon, just look at them. Just. Look. At. Them. Craig Anderson sure did.

If you want to watch scantily clad women on the ice, I suggest you stick with either the Ice Capades or Champions on Ice. Of course, no single, straight man would ever be caught dead watching the Ice Capades. So what do they push for instead? Combining the best sport around with scantily clad women. There’s so much about hockey that’s unique. Why do you wish for hockey to become more and more like the National Football League or the National Basketball Association? What’s next, will Major League Baseball succumb to the trend of scantily clad women on their sidelines? Really, why even bother going to the game if what really gets you hopped up is watching women skate around with shovels? Stay home and watch reruns of Baywatch. It’s a heck of a lot cheaper.

The problem that I have with the very idea of Ice Girls, is that, what is conjured up in my mind are the bimbos on skates. What do midriffs and cleavage have to do with hockey? Last I looked, there wasn’t an league award such as the “Duff Cup,” which is awarded for sexiest babes with shovels. The online shop at NHL.com sells a female-cut hockey jersey. Why don’t the teams that have Ice Girls dress them in those instead? It just might be a way for the league to sell more merchandise. But no, the Y-chromosome rules in sports, and whatever they want, they get. As Julia Robert’s character in Erin Brokovich said, “they’re called boobs Ed.”

It’s really sad that professional sports haven’t come to the realization yet that women are in the stands as well. First and foremost, we’re there to enjoy the game. We are fans of the game. The last thing I want to hear is the drunk guy sitting behind me essentially getting off watching the hot babes. Mind you, I’m not easily offended, but there are people who are. Plus, even in these hard economic times, families are still attending with children, some of them pretty young. They too don’t need to hear what’s coming out of your mouth. It’s bad enough when you’re spouting off about the officiating, the last thing they need to hear is what you’d “do to her” if you got the chance.

If you seriously think this is going to improve attendance in some of the slagging venues, you’ve got another thing coming. The National Hockey League has problems, that adding Ice Girls isn’t going to improve things. Adding additional “staff” to the organization is certainly not going to help the price of my ticket, which is high enough as it is. Plus, hockey already has the black-eye of being considered too violent. Do we really need to add sex to the mix as well?

It’s bad enough that the Wild have announced that they’re adding a mascot after all these years. If we had to tolerate Ice Girls as well, I don’t know what I’d do. Minnesota clearly does not need the added allure to bring the fans in. We have one of the best ice maintenance crews in the league, so why mess with it?

Spandex belongs in the gym, not on the ice. And for the love of all that is good and holy in hockey nix the Ice Girls that are already out there.

Without further prelude I bring to you the Top 10. Enjoy and let the comments (and perhaps fists) fly!

10. Edmonton Oilers

~ Average Attendance Rank ~ 16th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 7 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 6 out of 10

Like the Alberta oil economy, the Edmonton Oilers have gone through glory and dry periods after joining the league in 1979. At times the Oilers have been amongst the most exciting teams in NHL history to watch and at times one of the most disappointing. Meanwhile the fanbase has stayed fairly loyal, even in one of the league’s smallest arenas. The fans travel fairly well for being in the NHL’s most remote outpost. Upper management has made some bold attempts to bring in top level talent to the team, but largely to no avail. The defection of Chris Pronger after almost delivering the franchise’s 6th Stanley Cup was brutally painful for Oilers fans and they let their disdain be known. The online presence for the Oilers is somewhat muted compared to the fact the routinely fill the just under 17,000 Rexall Place. The patience of having star players pass up on Edmonton may be over as the team has a new billionaire owner and a new arena is in the works.

9. Buffalo Sabres

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 8th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 8 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 7 out of 10

The Sabres fans have managed to endure lots of drama both off and on the ice the last few years but HSBC Arena remains one of the loudest in the league. With the drama’s with a former owners legal troubles to the defections of star talent Chris Drury and Daniel Briere as well as a thrilling run to the Eastern Conference Finals the Sabres rarely fail to keep fans on the edge of their seats. Buffalo continue to prove how western New York is truly one of the stronger hockey regions in the United States. Online the Sabres fans are knowledgeable as they hope the team can turn it around to climb to the elite of the Eastern Conference.

8. Calgary Flames

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 7th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 8 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 7 out of 10

The “Red Mile” is a phenomenon that is perhaps one of the more visually stunning displays of fandom in the NHL. As the Flames have risen from a team that perennially struggled throughout the late 90’s to a team that is a contender for the division championship each year the fans have filled the Saddledome. Led by the ever-smiling but tenaciously competitive Jarome Iginla the fans are generally loud when things are going well but it is possible to silence them with solid play. Online Flames fans again have a modest following, but that is to be expected in hockey mad Canada.

7. New York Rangers

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 11th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 7 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 8 out of 10

All anyone has to hear is the “Potvin Sucks” chant the Madison Square Garden crowd roars when the Florida Panthers come to town as the former Islanders defenseman Dennis Potvin is now an analyst to see how raucous these fans really are. Rangers fans are also fairly active online as all one has to do is visit RangerNation.com to see how the Blue, Red and white are represented by a very loyal fanbase. The fans relished a rather dominating playoff series over their hated rival the New Jersey Devils this season. This domination was perhaps culminated by the antics of Sean Avery as he got into the heads of New Jersey and their star goaltender Martin Brodeur. Yet, this is a team in clear transition with the departures of Avery as well as its best offensive player Jaromir Jagr who decided to play in Russia instead of the Big Apple. If the Rangers struggle will the fans bolt? I doubt it.

6. Philadelphia Flyers

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 5th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 8 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 8 out of 10

It is fairly well known fans in Philadelphia are about as tough as it gets from the way they cheer (and at times boo) their local teams. The Flyers are no different; but Flyers fans are loud and intense even when the team is not doing so well. Despite the biggest turnaround in the league last season; going from basement dweller all the way to the Eastern Conference Final the team averaged just around 500 more fans per game in 2007-08 than 2006-07. That is not to say the team wasn’t getting respect, but rather there really wasn’t many more seats to fill in Wachovia Arena even when the team was as bad as its ever been in franchise history (as was the case in 2006-07) which is a testament to the dedication of its fanbase. Online, the Philadelphia Flyers have a following equally as boisterous as the fans at the game; always looking to agitate and immensely proud of their team. The Flyers made the majority of their big roster moves last year, and for the most part the team did little to nothing this offseason so it will be interesting to see how the fans react if the team cannot create the same level of success it had a year ago. Either way, Flyers fans will be there to support their team no matter what happens.

5. Vancouver Canucks

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 9th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 9 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 10 out of 10

Admittedly the Top 5 are incredibly close to call and Vancouver fans are about as passionate about their team as any in the league. The team has been rock solid in sellouts at GM Place and while their team hasn’t been as powerful on the ice as it was before the lockout and the Todd Bertuzzi Incident the fans still fill the place to the rafters and cheer their team on uproariously. Canucks fans also have a huge presence online and every move their organization makes is scrutinized ad nauseum on numerous blogs and message boards. Their fans call in to radio shows to praise or berate their organizations moves on a level that rivals that of fans in Montreal and Toronto which is no small feat. While the style of game employed by Head Coach Alain Vigneault may have his team playing most entertaining style of hockey but it is one that keeps the team competitive most nights. However this group of fans is not interested in simply being competitive, it wants wins and wants to bring home the city’s first Stanley Cup since the Vancouver Millionaires did it back in 1915. Will simply being competitive make the team sour in the eyes of its fans, doubtful.

4. Minnesota Wild

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 10th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 9 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 10 out of 10

Former North Star Mike Modano once questioned the logic of bringing the NHL back to Minnesota when it was announced the league was granting it an expansion franchise in 1997. In the years since its inaugural season in 2000 to the present there has been no doubt that it was good move by the NHL as the team has sold out every game in the team’s existance; from exhibition games, regular season and the playoffs (over 300 consecutive games). Wild fans have filled the Xcel Energy Centre to 102% of capacity all season long in 2007-08. There is perhaps no other area in the United States that is as passionate about hockey in general as Minnesota is and the fanbase is dynamic and incredibly loyal. The team has been amongst the league leaders in terms of merchandise sold and in many ways the Wild have been the model franchise in terms of fan atmosphere and marketing. Online the Wild have a tremendous presence including many different blogs and message boards which pour over all aspects of the organization. The 100+ year tradition of hockey was rather tactfully marketed by the team calling it the “State of Hockey” and that is a reflection of its incredibly knowledgeable fanbase which is on a level that you would normally find in Canada. There have been times when the fanbase has been annoyed or unhappy but the team has 16,500 season ticket holders and almost 10,000 on a waiting list to get them so the team’s future fanbase appears to be immensely strong.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 4th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 10 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 10 out of 10

The only professional sporting franchise that truly sort of compares to the Maple Leafs in recent history is the Chicago Cubs. While the Leafs have only a 41-year drought for the Stanley Cup compared to an almost 100-year drought for the Cubs there are some interesting similarities. Both storied franchises have tremendously loyal and die-hard fans who proudly sport team colors, apparrell wherever they go. Maple Leafs fans are loud and highly critical of even their team’s smallest moves. Online Leafs fans blog incessently and participate in message boards and can turn the city into quite a pressure cooker for players not used to such incredibly detailed scrutiny. The fanbase is very knowledgeable and does not hesitate to call into radio sports talk shows to aire their grievances or praise over the direction they see their team going in. Toronto may not be the capitol city of Canada, but it certainly is in large part the focal point of much of the nation’s sports media (which coincidentally is based in Toronto). In that way, the Maple Leafs are to Canada what the New York Yankees are to baseball which is pretty rarified air indeed.

2. Detroit Red Wings

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 2nd in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 10 out of 10*

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 10 out of 10

Even though it somewhat pains me to say this, if “America’s team” for the NFL is the Dallas Cowboys then “America’s team” for the NHL is clearly the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings have had tremendous support and perhaps have the best traveled fans in the entire league. Wherever the Red Wings play in the United States there will always be a very noticeable contingent of Red Wings fans in attendance. At Joe Louis Arena Red Wings fans are loud and very knowledgeable and have enjoyed considerable success for the last 10 years that in some ways offsets the not so good years of much of the 1980’s and 1970’s. At the beginning of the 2007-08 season it was a shock to hear that the Red Wings failed to sellout its home opener; but few places in the United States have had their economy hit as hard as it has been in the Motor City. With the major U.S. auto makers in critical condition, and slashing jobs many of whom are die-hard Red Wings fans it was only a matter of time before those cuts were going to be reflected in the attendance of the United States’ leader in Stanley Cup victories. The tossing of the octopus is a fan tradition that no other NHL team can match as it has become a part of the lore of the Red Wings. Online Red Wings fans debate their team in numerous blogs and message boards and are amongst the most savvy fans on the web. It will be interesting to see if the sagging economy will mute the effect of a Stanley Cup championship; but I have no doubt the place will be sold out as they haul up yet another banner to the rafters.

1. Montreal Canadiens

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 1st in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 10 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 10 out of 10

While many other teams have fans that are very close to being as passionate about their team as many of those listed here in the Top 10, the Montreal Canadiens fans take it one step farther. For many of them, their fanaticism for their team takes on a true cultural identity for which they are immensely proud almost in the same way their language does. I totally understand and recognize the fact the team has English-speaking Canadiens fans, what makes Habs fans special is the near idol-type status they hold their team in. These fans sellout the 21,000+ seat Bell Centre are amongst the loudest in the league everynight; making virtually every game have an energy that most teams only find in the playoffs. The Canadiens have a giant fanbase online as well with a huge plethora of blogs and often have large contingents on message boards. The Championship banners are many as well as the huge list of retired #’s, but the fans are integral part of what makes the Montreal Canadiens the most successful NHL franchise ever.

However, this writer will not back down because a few Matt Cooke clones have decided to try to stir things up with a few weak insults. While this article may have a few of you wondering whether Sean Avery got onto a computer I assure you the rankings have been carefully considered and are entirely objective. Besides if no one left comments it certainly wouldn’t make hockey fans appear all that passionate. One can question how honest and truthful attendance records are but that’s a whole other story in itself. I will simply trust the attendance figures; where they likely indicate PAID SEATS rather than actual people in them. Enjoy the ride!

20. Washington Capitals

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 24th in the NHL

~ Observations of fan activity ~ 4 out of 10

~ Observations of fan activity online & blogs ~ 7 out of 10

The Washington Capitals are one of the teams on the rise yet it seems strange the team has struggled to fill its arena despite having one of the league’s brightest stars in Alexander Ovechkin. Last season, the Capitals fans finally started to show up to Verizon Centre towards the end of the season but the organization still finished 24th in attendance for 2007-08. Online the Capitals have above average activity due in part to the tech savvy-ness of the team’s owner Ted Leonsis who was on of the founders of American Online. Leonsis’ blog is fairly unique and is far from just a pro-Capitals propaganda machine and is known to respond personally to fans who E-mail him demonstrating how much of a fan he is. While Ovechkin has created a buzz about the NHL not seen in America’s capital since the Caps Stanley Cup run in 1998 yet with such an electrifying star on their team it is a shame they’re still in the bottom 1/3rd in attendance.

19. Los Angeles Kings

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 17th in the NHL

~ Observations of fan activity ~ 4 out of 10

~ Observations of fan activity online & blogs ~ 4 out of 10

Los Angeles is America’s 2nd biggest media market and the Kings have seen a rather steady decline since the infamous trade that brought Wayne Gretzky to the organization in 1988. Gretzky’s arrival to the Kings had a great deal of influence on many Southern California youngsters taking up the game of hockey, but a struggling team has faded the profile of the Kings considerably. While Anze Kopitar is an exciting youngster to watch he hasn’t been enough of a draw to keep Staples Centre filled most nights. The Kings have tried all kinds of various promotions as well as bringing in some Hollywood stars to help raise the team’s profile but to very limited effect. Online Kings fans are a passive bunch and quietly hope the team’s massive youth movement will yield success in the next few seasons.

18. St. Louis Blues

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 22nd in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 4 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 4 out of 10

The St. Louis Blues are perhaps victims of their own past success. For over 25 years the Blues were a model of consistency making the playoffs every year from 1979-80 to 2003-04 but after the lockout the Blues were a shadow of what they once were. They no longer had team leader Chris Pronger on their blueline and for the next two seasons their team resembled more of an AHL team than an NHL one. Attendance plummeted, and it took a coaching change as well as some solid leadership from team president John Davidson to will the fans back (as well as some free food offers). Blues Head Coach Andy Murray seemed to bring back some energy but last season after starting out fairly strong the team again faded in the 2nd half of the season and out of the playoffs. Yet, the team jumped in attendance just under 5,000 in 2007-08 in comparison to 2006-07. Online the Blues have a moderate amount of activity but fans yearn to be listed amongst the Western Conference elite sooner rather than later. If the Blues miss the playoffs again, will their fans have enough patience to deal with the growing pains a youth movement entails?

17. Anaheim Ducks

~ Average Attendance Rank ~ 17th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activty ~ 5 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 6 out of 10

The euphoria of winning a Stanley Cup appeared to have a hangover on the Anaheim Ducks and its fans. The Ducks just were not the same suffocating team it was in 2006-07 and while the team continued to announce sellouts there were plenty of vacant seats at Honda Centre most nights. Online the Ducks have a fairly strong contingent of blogs and message board activity. The Stanley Cup was the first one for Southern California yet still was 2nd page news in comparison to banter about the Lakers, Dodgers and USC football. The fans show up when the team is rather successful and it hasn’t helped that cross-town rival LA Kings have not been that successful the last few years. Team captain Scott Niedermayer will be with the team from the very start, unlike last season so that should help the Ducks get off to a fast start and hopefully the fans take notice and make their presence felt.

16. Colorado Avalanche

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 15th in the NHL

~ Observations of fan activity ~ 6 out of 10

~ Observations of fan activity online & blogs ~ 5 out of 10

The Colorado Avalanche appear to be a team in transition. The star talent that yielded the team 2 Stanley Cups are getting older (like franchise leader Joe Sakic) or have left for other teams and predictably the organizations level of success has been far more erratic. Yet after nearly 10 years of sellouts the team has started to fade as the team competes for fan dollars with the Denver Nuggets. When the Avalanche arrived they won a Stanley Cup and raised the level of expectation rather high and it seems if the team is not considered a cup contender Colorado fans would rather do something else with their time and money. The Avalanche had to resort to a last-minute marketing blitz just to sell out its playoff games this spring. Online Avalanche fans are somewhat active but as the team’s struggles have been more pronounced the activity in blogs and online has also seen a decline. With Joe Sakic still contemplating retirement and a season of uncertainty ahead attendance will likely be a battle for the Avalanche. NHL hockey failed in the 1970’s because the Colorado Rockies were a terrible team; to see the team struggle on the ice and also at the gate is not a good sign. Its certainly not panic time yet, but in area that has been hard hit by a slow economy a bad season might convince many Avalanche fans to pass on buying tickets.

15. Dallas Stars

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 12th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 5 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 5 out of 10

The Dallas Stars have been one of the best teams in the last decade yet it has not been easy to get fans to show up to watch the team play. The Stanley Cup in 1999 is definitely a bright spot but that is almost 10 years ago and the locals have been frustrated by 1st round losses. Last season, the Stars finally added a little buzz when they swung a deal to bring in Brad Richards and Marty Turco delivered by taking the team to the Western Conference Final. Online the Stars do have a bit of a presence but still is fairly quiet for a team that has been amongst the Western Conference Elite for a decade. While the trip beyond the first round will help a bit at the gate the team will likely have to improve on last year’s result in order for the fans to continue to sellout American Airlines Arena.

14. Pittsburgh Penguins

~ Average Attendance Rank ~ 17th in NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 6 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 5 out of 10

The Penguins have gone through quite a roller coaster the last few years. It really was not that long ago that the main headlines revolved around to various cities where the team could possibly relocate to. Just prior to the lockout where the Penguins had a lineup that was loaded full of youngsters the attendance was amongst the league’s worst at just over 11,000 showing up at Mellon Arena most nights. The team wins the lockout draft lottery and thus the right to select Sidney Crosby to go along with the previous Pittsburgh 1st round pick (2nd Overall) Evgeni Malkin and a dynamic duo was born that would lead the team all the way to the Stanley Cup Final this spring. The Penguins soared back into relevance in Western Pennsylvania. Last season the team tried to keep the buzz going by offering discounts for those who showed their student ID and for the most part the arena was full. Online the Penguins have a fairly mild presence despite the plethora of young stars on their team. With a new arena in the works it will be interesting to see how long the organization can keep its string of good luck going.

13. San Jose Sharks

~ Average attendance activity ~ 14th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 6 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 4 out of 10

The ‘Shark Tank’ as the HP Pavillion is better known is always one of the loudest arenas in the league. The fans are always intense and while a local TV commercial points out how they may know technology better than hockey the Sharks’ faithful keep the place noisy and filled most nights. Upper management made some significant changes after its team was defeated in the Western Conference semi-finals, firing Head coach Ron Wilson as well as allowing key deadline deal defensemen Craig Rivet and Brian Campbell to sign elsewhere. Online the Sharks have a fairly small close-knit circle of fans. The question really becomes how much patience do these fans have after underwhelming in the post-season so many times?

12. Tampa Bay Lightning

~ Average Attendance Rank ~ 8th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 6 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 4 out of 10

The Tampa Bay Lightning are a bit of an enigma. Most Sunbelt teams have struggled to keep their fans after winning a Stanley Cup (see Carolina as an example) but the Lightning have managed to more or less maintain the crowds that came to cheer them to ultimate success just prior to the lockout. This holds true even after the team has undergone a dramatic shift to being the worst team in the NHL last season, and still the fans showed up. Yes, the team did have to resort to some buy one 1 get one free gimmicks to fill the stands at times but the fans still fill up the St. Pete Times Forum on a regular basis 3 years after winning a Stanley Cup. The team has aggressively promoted a change as new owner Oren Koules takes over and wants to rejuvenate the excitement in Tampa Bay. Online the Lightning have a devoted fanbase but it is not overly pronounced; yet fans were sporting Steven Stamkos T-shirts before the team even drafted him this summer. If the Lightning can re-take command of the Southeast Division there is little doubt the fans will fill the 19,000+ seat arena once again.

11. Ottawa Senators

~ Average Attendance rank ~ 5th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 7 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 6 out of 10

The first Canadian team on my list is the Senators who at times have struggled to keep the faith with a team that has continued to tease their fanbase by being so close to greatness only to disappoint. The Senators got off to a tremendous start but self-destructed in the 2nd half in rather volatile fashion that had a firing of Head coach John Paddock and a nasty drama around goaltender Ray Emery. The fans have to have a feeling that perhaps some of the best days this team has had are behind it as it still has a strong core but with many more question marks than it is used to dealing with. Would you believe this team has to battle to sellout its arena? Online the Senators have a reasonable presence but most of Ontario is captivated with its resident drama queen the Toronto Maple Leafs.

That does it for 20 thru 11, stay tuned in the next few days for our countdown to #1. It may not be who you think! Feel free to drop comments.

The situation begs a simple yet important question, can there be an objective measure in rating the fans of a particular league? To be honest, I’m not sure but we’re going to try. Each of the league’s 30 teams will be assessed on three basic criteria: 1. Attendance average for last 3 seasons, 2. Observations of fan activity during games, 3. Observations of fan activity on message boards and blogs. Each component will be graded on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being outstanding or perfect and 0 being very poor. A portion of this grade will take into account the team’s average finish during that span of time. For every assessment there will be an explanation for the grade.  I would also like to toss out a small disclaimer.  While the title of the article is the best and worst fans of the NHL it does not mean that all of the fans of any particular NHL team are bad.  It just means the support for the team; one way or the other isn’t as great as it may be between various teams.

In the spirit of Late Night with David Letterman we will begin our countdown from worst to best. If you wish to debate the grade feel free to do so by leaving a comment. Let the evaluation begin.

30. New Jersey Devils

~ Attendance Avg. rank ~ 24th in NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 1 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 3 out of 10

The New Jersey Devils moved to Newark last year to their new home at Prudential Arena and this resulted in a modest spike in attendance. Yet despite the new state of the art arena the team still struggled to sellout games even though the rail system makes it easy to attend games. At times the excuses has been the poor neighborhood, but on the ice year after year the New Jersey Devils are among the top teams in the league but that does not seem to be enough of a draw to fill the stands most nights. Others might point to the defensive system the Devils employ but true fans care more about wins than being entertained but considering the success the team has had its a shame the fans in New Jersey have not been more active and filling the seats on a nightly basis. Online the Devils have a small presence but still a far cry from what you’d expect from such a successful organization.

29. Phoenix Coyotes

~ Attendance Avg. rank ~ 25th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity ~ 2 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs ~ 3 out of 10

While the Great One being traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings was a huge catalyst into NHL expansion into the sunbelt even he cannot seem to be enough of an attraction to bring the fans into basically new Glendale Arena. The major reason for the poor attendance has been the team’s near constant state of reconstruction which has led the team to the playoffs just once since migrating to the Arizona desert from Winnipeg. Wayne Gretzky, who is still a partial owner of the team in addition to his duties as coach knows his team must win soon which prompted the team to make a bold trade to add Olli Jokinen. The question is, will a successful Coyotes team finally bring in the fans or has the team already been forgotten?

28. New York Islanders

~ Average Attendance rank: 29th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity: 2 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs: 5 out of 10

The last two seasons the Islanders have had the worst attendance in the NHL. Their arena, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum sometimes referred to ‘Mausoleum” because it often seems rather void of spectators most nights. Islanders fans may not be terribly active during games but online they are a close-knit and diehard group. The Islanders have not been all that successful despite the work of now former Islanders Head Coach Ted Nolan who got an odd assortment of players to overachieve. If the Islanders reverse their fortunes will the fans finally fill up the arena the way the team did in the franchise’s dynasty days?

27. Florida Panthers

~ Average Attendance rank: 23rd in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity: 2 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs: 3 out of 10

The Florida Panthers have gone 8 seasons since their last playoff appearance if you’ve ever seen a game its hard to ever believe the team comes close to the 15,436 the average announced attendance for this club.  Most nights, the relative silence of BankAtlantic Centre does not change much whether the Panthers are doing poorly or playing well.  The team allegedly has a lot of fans that are transplants from more traditional hockey markets but there is virtually no buzz online for this team and it is in dire need of some attention but likely it will have to start with better results on the ice.  It would be good of Florida General Manager Jacques Martin to consider that; and perhaps a reason the organization hired Peter DeBoer as coach so he could focus on his GM duties full-time.

26.  Atlanta Thrashers

~ Average Attendance rank: 22nd in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity:  2 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs:  4 out of 10

The Thrashers thrilled its fanbase with its first playoff run back in 2006-07, but it immediately took a big step backward with a horrendous finish in 2007-08.  For some hockey markets the team would’ve received a scathing backlash from fans and media for such a drop off.  Instead it was barely noticed and the apathetic fanbase found other ways to occupy their time.  While Ilya Kovalchuk at time dazzles, very little else brings the fans out of their seats (or attracts them to buy tickets to the games).  The Thrashers have a slight buzz online thanks to a fairly progressive city that has attracted many from more traditional hockey markets to enjoy one of the U.S. more well-rounded urban centers.  Having gone to the playoffs once was nice, but more will be needed to drag this Southern team out of the attendance basement.

25.  Carolina Hurricanes

~ Average Attendance rank:  18th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity:  3 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs:  5 out of 10

In 2005-06 the Carolina Hurricanes surprised many by winning the Stanley Cup in the first year after the lockout and predictably the next season’s attendance wasn’t too shabby at 15th in the league.  Yet after a 2nd straight season of missing the post-season in 2007-08 the team had dropped to 20th.  If you watched the Hurricanes on TV it is highly doubtful the team averaged 16,633 in actual fans in the seats at the RBC Arena.  The team suffered through an up and down season and ultimately out of the playoffs which likely will result in a further dip in those buying tickets.  There is a moderate amount of ‘Caniacs’ that blog and participate online but apparently a fair portion choose to watch the games from the comfort of their homes instead.  As the team’s beat writer Luke DeCock would probably say, if they win the fans will come.

24.  Columbus Blue Jackets

~ Average Attendance rank:  26th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity:  3 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs: 7 out of 10

Its now or never for the Columbus Blue Jackets and especially for its fairly patient fanbase the team needs to find a way to get to the post-season.  It is painful for the fans to see the success of its expansion cousin Minnesota Wild while the team continues to have the dubious distinction of never having qualified for the playoffs.  In fact, the team has never really been close to the playoffs.  With GM Scott Howson making some rather bold but calculated moves there is hope that the team will be able to erase that aforementioned distinction this season perhaps, but many poor seasons has eroded the fanbase considerably.   The tricky season ticket program did not help matters as fans weathered the first few seasons but as the Minnesota Wild became more successful some of those fans began to drop by the wayside and doing just about all they could to get rid of their tickets.  Online, the Blue Jackets have several cores where the fans hope and pray the organization’s fortunes will turnaround.  The patience is wearing thin and the excuse of being an “expansion team” is no longer a valid excuse for not making the post season for its disgruntled fanbase and rightfully so.

23.  Nashville Predators

~ Average Attendance rank: 27th in NHL

~ Observation of fan activity: 6 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs: 5 out of 10

This ranking might surprise some people considering how well known Nashville’s attendance problems have been publicized.  In fact, it was just last year that the Predators were going through a change in ownership that was at times speculated might result in the relocation of the team.  However, despite the terrible speculation about team relocation (which we all know painfully well here in Minnesota) the fans still came out in fair numbers.  While there may be teams that might have more fans in the seats there are very few arenas who boast as rowdy of fans as the Nashville Predators.  Section 303, aka the Cellblock is perhaps one of the most organized and loud sections in the NHL.  Every game the Cellblock serenades opposing teams and goaltenders with a variety of lewd cheers that come over quite clear on the team’s broadcasts.  The Predators have a small but very loyal fanbase but for whatever reason corporate support has not been there and thus the team has an official attendance problem.  Online Predators fans are boisterous and have come along way in learning the game even though most of its fans are fairly new to hockey.  This might shock some people; but part of the reason of expansion (apart from the nice expansion fees the league charged) was to help grow the game in non-traditional markets and in Tennessee it has been a success and now the state even boasts a few high school teams.

22.  Boston Bruins

~ Average Attendance rank:  23rd in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity:  5 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs:  3 out of 10

This might be another surprise but Boston ranked 26th in the NHL in attendance this season despite making the playoffs for the first time in two years.   When your team sits in America’s best sports city the last few years with the World Championship Boston Red Sox, Celtics and pretty damn good football team in the New England Patriots its easy to see why Bostonians may have forgotten about its hockey team who hasn’t won a championship since Bobby Orr played for the team in the early 1970’s.  Yet to watch a Bruins game on TV, the fans are knowledgeable bunch who live in a traditional hockey market but too many times fail to show up to root for their hometown team in TD Banknorth Garden.  Online the Bruins do not have a large showing either so even though the area has a fair amount of hockey tradition it remains a very small niche on such a large sports scene that really is enjoying a lot of success in places not on the ice.  One interesting question to ask a Bruins fan is, if they did win the Stanley Cup would the papers stop talking about the Red Sox long enough to take note of it?  Or would the Bruins still get relegated to the 2nd page if David Ortiz gets a hangnail?

21.  Chicago Blackhawks

~ Average Attendance rank:  26th in the NHL

~ Observation of fan activity:  4 out of 10

~ Observation of fan activity online & blogs:  4 out of 10

If I had created this list last year the Blackhawks could very well have been at the bottom of this list.  Having gone to Blackhawks games at United Centre; where you get lost in its supersized 21,000+ capacity (built to take advantage of Michael Jordan powered Bulls-mania during the mid-90’s) it was not very long ago when the team was not on television and few (even those in the stands) paid closely attention to the miserable team on the ice.  The arrivals of wunderkinds Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have changed everything; as well as the death of long-time team owner Bill Wirtz now has the team on TV screens and Chicago is quickly warming up to its hockey team once again.  Last season the crowds started coming back and the team finished 19th in the league in attendance; a jump in its average by over 4,000 fans than the season before!  The buzz is likely to increase as the teams tremendous amount of young talent gets better, which will possibly have it contending for a playoff spot this season.  During the early 1990’s Chicago’s fans were among the best and loudest in the entire NHL, but 15 years of bad moves and poor teams nearly killed the fanbase causing it to go into hibernation.  Now the time for an awakening is here and even online the buzz around the team continues to grow.

We will continue our series in the next few days as we countdown from 20 to 11 in the best and worst fans of the NHL.  Check back for those updates!

The next advent in media really came with the radio.  Suddenly the event that was compressed into a small box on the third page came alive.  A game was an event, not an afterthought read about in box score.  Plus, depending on the voice behind the microphone, you felt like you were at those places you only read about.  My own dad was of the radio generation, having been born in 1932.  Programs like Little Orphan Annie and Fibber McGee were weekly happenings in his home.  Plus, being a child during World War II, his family like all families across America would tune in to hear President Roosevelt’s fireside chats or news from the war.  The radio, like the newspapers brought people together. 

Enter the television.  Suddenly the voices had a picture to go with them.  Sure, the programming at first was extremely limited, and sports were often not the focus.  However, at that time, I’m positive someone had to have had that thought.  Yes, there were some sports tidbits in the news reels in the movie theaters, but it was the television that fully brought sports into the average home.  However, the first televised sporting event probably happened much earlier than most would think.  In 1939, a college baseball game between Columbia and Princeton.  In retrospect that was probably an appropriate game to broadcast, as only people who attended either school could afford a television set at that time.  For myself personally, the first games I remember watching were some Cubs games on WGN from the comfort of my living room in Minnesota.  I also remember watching some early 80’s North Stars games when visiting relatives in the Twin Cities.  Of course there were Packers and Vikings games on network television (even though they weren’t actively viewed in my home). 

However, once ESPN hit the cable television market, sports media was forever changed.  Now, an average person could have access to any sport, any team.  A channel devoted to sports almost seemed sinful.  Because now, we could watch sports at anytime instead of just the set time of a game start.  We didn’t have to share the channel with talk of hostages in Iran, soap operas, or cartoons.  It was all sports and nothing but sports all the time.  Yet, the television still entertained an entire family.  I would hazard a guess that it wasn’t until the late 1980’s or early 1990’s that households had more than one television.  With the advent of disposable income, came the splintering of family entertainment, and in a sense, sports viewing became more individual.

Yet, the greatest invention when it comes to sports media has to do with the method in which you are reading this entry.  The internet has truly given us the world at our fingertips.  A few letters typed, and a click or two and you can look at the runners from Qatar in this year’s Olympics.  Countries some people didn’t know existed are suddenly alive in front of their eyes. 

Yet there is a downside to this great invention.  Sports (and in turn any subject) almost have become too personalized.  Sure, we still need the writers and photographers who bring the sports to our computers, but I don’t need people around me to interact.  Many households these days have more than one computer as well as more than one television.  I can be in an entirely different part of my house watching the same game as another person in my house.  While watching this game, we can be using one of the many instant messaging programs out there, talking to someone halfway around the world.  The premium sports packages offered by the satellite television companies are now available world wide, however online and not on the television.  While sports have gone global, we as humans have gone very individualistic.  This can be evidenced by the mass growth of blogging (MVN included in that growth).  Anyone can write a blog about anything they want at any time.

Now, if you’re still reading this (and I hope you are), you’re probably wondering what the heck I’ve been babbling about.  I am one of those people who still subscribes to print media.  As a devout hockey fan, I subscribe to the hockey bible, otherwise known as The Hockey News.  During the NHL season, I am one of many people in North America who eagerly awaits her weekly issue.  The off-season is hard, as it only comes once a month.  However, I recently received my copy of their Yearbook.  I think they send it right about this time because they know that the die-hard fan is desperate for anything hockey related.  Everyone has their own way of dissecting the 210 page Yearbook.  Personally, I start immediately with the charts that show the predicted finishes of the conferences (ironically, they have Minnesota winning the Northwest Division again).  From there, I immediately go directly for the Wild’s writeup.  It is that very writeup that prompted this strange history lesson of sorts.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Wild beat writer, Michael Russo, provides the Wild articles for the Yearbook as well as the regular issues of The Hockey News.  Towards the very end of his writeup, Russo makes mention of message boards and blogs.  The frustration felt by the fans at the Wild’s official message boards (http://boards.wild.com/index.php) as well as in the blogosphere finally made its way into the mainstream print media.  Those of us on the official boards (yes, I am an active member there) have often joked if all our ramblings have simply given the mainstream writers their ideas and sometimes even material.  Remember my talk of radio in my history lesson?  Some of the sports talk radio personalities in the Twin Cities have actually mocked us on air (which is funny for the most part because the guilty parties are absolutely clueless when it comes to hockey).  However, in Russo’s case, he has finally given us credit for what we have been saying, many of us from the beginning.  Yes, we are die-hard Minnesota Wild fans, but we refuse to be taken for a ride by the team and by the management.  We want a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.  We are not neophyte fans.  We know how the game works, and we know that what we’ve been given for the upcoming season will at best get us another dreaded first-round exit.    

What does this have to do with you?  Simply, become a part of the sports media process.  Call into radio shows, respond to articles in the print media (even if you use online sources to do so), join a message board, write a blog.  Make your voice heard.  While we’ve become individualistic in our viewing, we can become stronger as groups when venting our frustrations.  Plus, you can feel sure that the mainstream sports media are checking up on our voices.  This isn’t about the Wild or even hockey in general.  These same issues happen in all sports and in life in general.  We don’t have to humbly accept what is given to us.  Remember, we’re the ones who buy tickets and merchandise.  We all have a part in the success of our respective teams.  Make sure that the people who need to hear your voice do.

Now with that all being said, let me say this.  Hockey can’t start soon enough.  I don’t know about you, but the political ads are already driving me crazy and it’s only August. 

For fans of the Minnesota Wild the team has had little to read apart from rumor regarding its star winger, Marian Gaborik. Part of that comes through his importance to the team, but really its the most ominous story left contract-wise for the team. The team has already settled the drama with the re-signing of Pierre-Marc Bouchard and the buyout of local Mark Parrish. So what are some of the latest rumors revolving around the State of Hockey’s Slovakian sniper?

According to hockeyleaks.com they believe the Carolina Hurricanes are quite interested in the Trencin, Slovakia native and believe he could be a tremendous linemate for Eric Staal and would be willing to part with Justin Williams, Frantisek Kaberle, as well as Edina-native and current Whalercanes’ prospect Jamie McBain in addition to a 1st round pick. While this is at least an attempt to offer a fair amount for Marian Gaborik why would the Wild want Frantisek Kaberle? The Wild already have a fair amount of offensive-minded defenseman; so why would we add another one? Justin Williams may fit in nicely sort of the same way Brian Rolston did, but Williams arguably less durable than Gaborik which has always been the biggest knock the speedy Slovak so he is hardly can be called an ‘even’ trade. Take this rumor to the circular file Wild fans; this is more hopeful thinking by Carolina fans’ than substantive news.

Hockeybuzz.com reported a rumor that was going to have Gaborik traded to Florida for defenseman Jay Bouwmeester who is allegedly not happy the direction he feels the Panthers are going. Like Gaborik, Bouwmeester is set to be an unrestricted free agent next fall so it seems rather odd the Wild would try to avoid the problem of signing a future UFA in Gaborik by trading for another.  No General Manager with a fully functioning brain is not going to trade a problematic situation for another one.  Once again, place this rumor in the circular file right next to the Carolina rumor.

Easily the most alarming rumor is the one from the New York Times’ hockey blog that reported that Marian Gaborik’s agent was sort of out hunting for interest from Russian Superleague teams. Such an action may have seemed rather laughable; but with Russia enjoying the wealth of oil dollars fueling its pro hockey league ambitions they shocked more than a few when they brought Jaromir Jagr to Avangard Omsk. Why? Russian teams often to pay any taxes on the contracts allowing their star players to potentially make more than they would in the NHL. For years European leagues have felt picked on by the NHL but with a weakening U.S. dollar some of the European leagues are striking back and hoping to ’steal’ back talent. You didn’t think the Russian League was just going to stop by simply bringing in Branko Radivojevic and Chris Simon did you?

The Russian threat is a realistic one, and while Gaborik may not enjoy playing in front of as big of audiences in Russia as he would in North America the KHL would likely make a very lucrative offer towards him that perhaps the Wild cannot match. Even if this scouting for potential interest is simply a precaution it is one the Wild must take seriously.

Perhaps that is why Wild President and General Manager Doug Risebrough has gone to Europe, to Slovakia to ‘talk’ with his star player. You can be assured he’s not just going over there to have a cup of coffee at the Starbucks in Trencin. The team is hoping to sign him to an extension which would pay him a salary commensurate with the top players in the league like Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin and Vincent Lecavalier. This deal is said to be in the realm of around $8.5 million per season.  Let’s hope the Wild’s plan to get a deal done with Gaborik isn’t just a rumor!

In the July 1st, 2008 issue of the Hockey News, their offbeat writer Adam Proteau interviewed Mike Myers about his latest film the Love Guru which didn’t exactly do that well at box office. Apart from talking about the Love Guru Proteau asked Myers as well as 40-Year Old Virgin star Steve Carrell (November 6th, 2007 issue) if they would be willing to be a part of a remake of hockey parody / cult classic Slap Shot. No film is so revered amongst hockey fans and especially hockey players (pro’s and amateurs alike) for all of the humor both on and off the ice of aging player/coach Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman), cynical star forward Ned Braden (Michael Ontkean), and of course the hard charging and quite hilarious Hanson Brothers (Jack and Jeff Carlson, and Dave Hanson). The Hockey News‘ writer asked Myers, “If you had your pick of roles, who would you want to play, Reg Dunlop?” Myers responded by saying he’d like to be one of the Hanson brothers. Carrell, does have a hockey background as he was a goaltender in college explained he would love to be a part of a remake of Slap Shot. Dennis Leary was another name that was also dropped during the interviews as they are all actors who are known to love hockey. However this speculation begs a very simple question? Is the 1977 cult classic Slap Shot a movie that needs to be remade? Perhaps Hollywood is out of ideas but it has had a number of remakes and many have been successful but is Slap Shot a film that would benefit from an update? Ask yourself this question, did you ever see Slap Shot 2: Breaking the Ice (2002)? That film clearly demonstrates how a remake can be a fiasco.

While Carrell, Myers and Leary could potentially be a very funny combination, part of what made the original Slap Shot so endearing was the fact you were not distracted by lots of big name actors and simply enjoyed the characters as they were. Would we really wish to see Mike Myers play a Hanson brother? While Leary, Myers and Carrell are known to have skated and played hockey are they going to be as realistic as actual pro’s like the Hanson Brothers were? While in someways Slap Shot was an over the top rendition of the Johnstown Jets, many of the scenario’s truly reflected the life of a minor league hockey player. The long bus rides, the instability of minor league franchises, as well as replicating the rough-and-tumble style of the game that was prevalent at the time. Toughness still plays a definite role in the professional game, but its far more regulated than it was then. You do not see many truly feared goons as you did back in the 1970’s which valued carrying a few players who may not have been able to skate but were good with their fists. The 1970’s were an era where tough guys still carried colorful nicknames like Dave “the Hammer” Schultz and Tiger Williams. Slap Shot captured this love of the tougher side of the pro game with the characters Ogie Oglethorpe and Tim “Dr. Hook” McCracken. Would a remake of the film be the same if those characters were eliminated or minimized?

Some movies really ought to be left alone and kept in its original state; movies like Blazing Saddles, Caddyshack as well as Slap Shot are best kept as they are. While certain portions of the film may date it, the humor and its appeal is timeless and do not require an update. If someone really wants more of an updated funny hockey movie then let them rent Mystery, Alaska but leave Slap Shot alone.

As the league’s General Managers use the offseason to address the team’s needs the fans also evaluate their team’s progress or regression depending how you look at it. Its no different here at the State of Hockey News as we will examine the rest of the Northwest Division and see how the Wild stack up. We will identify the new arrivals and departures and predict which teams will do well and which will falter. The teams will arranged in the order of predicted finish.

1. Calgary Flames

Arrivals: (RW) Todd Bertuzzi, (LW) Rene Bourque, (C) Mike Cammalleri, (LW) Curtis Glencross

Departures: (RW) Eric Godard, (LW) Kristian Huselius, (G) Curtis Joseph, (RW) Owen Nolan, (LW) Alex Tanguay, (D) Rhett Warrener

Why they’ll finish first: The Calgary Flames are a rough gritty team with a hard nosed coach in “Iron” Mike Keenan. The Flames still have the best overall scorer in the division in Jarome Iginla. While the loss of Alex Tanguay may appear to be a setback he never really lived up to his billing anyways and adding dynamic overachiever Mike Cammalleri could deliver the goals and points that Tanguay never did. The addition of Todd Bertuzzi could end up being a bargain and it will be interesting to see how he works with either Iginla or Cammalleri on the power play. The Flames still have a tough physical defense led by Dion Phaneuf although it did lose a little of its edge with the buyout of Rhett Warrener. Relative youngster Curtis Glencross had a great 2nd half of the season for the Oilers and is a tremendous forechecker who has a good-sized frame which will fit in well with Keenan’s system. It will be intriguing to see how former University of Wisconsin star Rene Bourque fits into this organization; he is a gritty forward with good hands but now he projects to be a 3rd liner which may see him get lost in the shuffle.  Some may point to the loss of Kristian Huselius as something that might hurt the Flames’ power play but Cammalleri is excellent on the man advantage and having Bertuzzi’s big body as a screen will help as well.  If Miikka Kiprusoff returns to his 2006-07 form the Flames will be extremely tough to beat and must be considered favorites to win the Northwest Division.

2. Minnesota Wild

Arrivals: (D) Marc-Andre Bergeron, (LW) Andrew Brunette, (LW) Antti Miettinen, (RW) Owen Nolan, (D) Marek Zidlicky, (RW) Craig Weller

Departures: (C) Pavol Demitra, (LW) Todd Fedoruk, (D) Petteri Nummelin, (RW) Branko Radivojevic, (C) Brian Rolston, (RW) Chris Simon, (RW) Mark Parrish, (LW) Aaron Voros, (D) Keith Carney, (D) Sean Hill

Why they’ll finish 2nd: The Minnesota Wild will look significantly different from last season. The amount of departures is tremendous but they still retain a fairly solid core of talent built around its francise winger, Marian Gaborik. The losses of Pavol Demitra and Brian Rolston will mean many of its younger players will have to step up their offensive game; most notably Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Mikko Koivu and James Sheppard to make up the 46 goals lost (from last season’s lineup). The Wild made significant upgrades offensively to its blueline, which should easily be the most potent group the franchise has ever had after trading for Marc-Andre Bergeron and Marek Zidlicky in addition to Brent Burns who is coming off a breakout season. The Wild surprised (and to a degree irked) its fanbase by signing Owen Nolan to a two-year deal to be the hard charging forechecker it has desperately missed, but does he have enough in the tank to deliver? Antti Miettinen was being passed over in favor of other youngsters in Dallas; will he shine now that he has a chance to play a bigger role with the Wild? Both Nolan and Miettinen must deliver otherwise the Wild will be lucky to finish in 2nd. Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding return between the pipes, but both must be more consistant then they were last season. Wild President / General Manager Doug Risebrough made offers for Marian Hossa, Markus Naslund and Olli Jokinen but missed and if the team’s acquisitions do not deliver this may be the season of woulda coulda shoulda. Wild Head Coach Jacques Lemaire has done more with less, but he definitely has his work cut out for him this year!

3. Edmonton Oilers

Arrivals: (C) Gilbert Brule, (RW) Erik Cole, (D) Lubomir Visnovsky, (D) Jason Strudwick

Departures: (LW) Curtis Glencross, (D) Matt Greene, (D) Joni Pitkanen, (C) Jarret Stoll, (LW) Raffi Torres

Why they’ll finish 3rd: The Edmonton Oilers again had a late season surge come up short for the 2nd straight season in a row. Both Matheiu Garon and Dwayne Roloson had stints where they played extremely well by the very young roster in front of them surprised with their tenacity and resilience. Rookies Sam Gagner and Andrew Cogliano stepped in and buoyed the team offensively while the team battled injuries to veterans Shawn Horcoff and Sheldon Souray. Recently promoted / demoted Kevin Lowe made a huge offer for Marian Hossa (at $9 million per season) but missed, yet the Oilers still made a good splash by trading Joni Pitkanen for hard working two-way forward Erik Cole from Carolina. Cole is a tremendous competitor and will provide goals as well as grit. Yet the Oilers still do not have a true offensive beacon to look to each night and will again be forced to score by committee. Ales Hemsky is fairly consistant but still needs to shoot the puck more, and Bloomington, Minnesota-native Tom Gilbert looks to start living up to the big contract extension he signed. The addition of Lubomir Visnovsky along with a healthy Sheldon Souray will no doubt help a power play that was notoriously ineffective last season. If things go well the Oilers might leap frog the Wild.

4. *Vancouver Canucks

Arrivals: (RW) Steve Bernier, (C) Pavol Demitra, (C) Kyle Wellwood, *(C) Mats Sundin

Departures: (RW) Trevor Linden, (C) Brendan Morrison, (LW) Markus Naslund

Why they’ll be in 4th*: You’ve got to love the asterisk right? The asterisk in this case is the potential signing of Mats Sundin. Despite the giant offer (of $10 million per season for two years) by new General Manager Mike Gillis the Swedish centre still hasn’t said yes or no yet. Sundin has little more to prove statistically in his career; and really the main accomplishment he doesn’t have is hoisting a Stanley Cup over his head. Is Vancouver the best destination for that? The Canucks struggled mightily to score goals last season, and leaned heavily on Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin and just ran out of gas and fell out of the playoff hunt in pathetic fashion. The team will be without its emotional heart as Trevor Linden retired and its long-time captain Markus Naslund. Are the Sedin’s ready to take a leadership role? Canucks fans have probably been pulling their hair out over the passive moves Gillis has made beyond the big offer to Sundin. If Sundin doesn’t sign Gillis may have just have one season in Vancouver, but if he signs the team looks as if it could potentially be as high as 2nd in the Northwest Division. Even in his late 30’s Sundin is an offensive force, but will he want to play the trap under Head Coach Alain Vigneault? The trade for Steve Bernier was a steal, and he is a young power forward who has a great drive for the net, but beyond the Sedins (possibly Sundin) and Bernier there is not alot of scoring on this team. Alexander Edler and Sami Salo will be looked to provide some offense on the blueline but it could be another long season in Vancouver.

5. Colorado Avalanche

Arrivals: (G) Andrew Raycroft, (RW) Darcy Tucker

Departures: (LW) Andrew Brunette, (D) Jeff Finger, (D) Kurt Sauer, (G) Jose Theodore

Why they’ll finish 5th: Colorado Avalanche General Manager Francois Giguere was surprisingly quiet during this offseason. His biggest moves were to retain Adam Foote, and John-Michael Liles but he let some of his other minute munching defenseman; Kurt Sauer and Jeff Finger as well as their season savior goaltender Jose Theodore walk. The team instead opted to bring in the firery Darcy Tucker and enigmatic goaltender Andrew Raycroft. All this while franchise centre and veteran leader Joe Sakic contemplates retirement. Sakic has been the model franchise player and still possesses great scoring ability and if he does not return the Avalanche will be hard pressed to replace the lost production. Ryan Smyth battled injuries but still did not give the team the alternate go-to scorer the team had hoped for. Wojtek Wolski and Paul Stastny had strong sophomore seasons and will again be looked to carry much of the offensive load. The Avalanche surprised some by defeating the Wild in 6 games, but were handily crushed by the eventual Stanley Cup winner Detroit Red Wings and thus Joel Quenneville lost his job as Head Coach and Tony Granato becomes bench boss again. The Avalanche basically maintained what they had if Sakic leaves it will take a lot more than TJ Hensick to make up for that loss.

How can this be?  For those newer to the game and unfamiliar with Ciccarelli who was a firey hot tempered ball of hate on the ice there are a few incidents both on the ice and off the ice that are allegedly holding him back from this honor.   The Sarnia, Ontario-native was known for being a little nasty (even a little physical) to the media; but the most notable shot against Ciccarelli occurred on January 6th, 1988.  In a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs after what he felt was a cheap shot by then young Maple Leaf defenseman Luke Richardson, Ciccarelli swung his stick and struck Richardson in the head.  Ciccarelli was not only fined $1000 by the league he also spent a day in jail for assault.  So that should end any discussion about whether a precedent existed for holding a player legally culpable for an on-ice incident, listening Todd Bertuzzi?  Yet if off-ice incidents really hurt a player’s chances to make the Hall of Fame how did Glenn Anderson recently get inducted?

Either way, these incidents may be bad he is still the only former NHL that has scored 600+ goals not to be in the Hall of Fame.  In fact, Ciccarelli is 16th all time in goals; ahead of such NHL Hall of Fame luminaries as Maurice “Rocket” Richard, Mike Bossy, Guy Lafleur, and Darryl Sittler just to name a few.  His 1200 points is 44th all time ahead of NHL Hall of Famers Bobby “the Golden Jet” Hull, Bobby Orr, and Lanny McDonald.  While some critics may point out that most of his goals were scored near the crease, so were a great many of the goals that Hall of Famer Phil Esposito.   No matter how you cut it Ciccarelli’s numbers stack up very well against some of the games biggest names making it a travesty he is not in the Hall of Fame yet.  While Ciccarelli never won a Stanley Cup he had a nearly point-per-game consistency throughout his 19-year career.  Hopefully the NHL will realize its mistake and put him in the Hall of Fame where he belongs.

Much the same sort of cases can be made for another player; perhaps the best player to ever come out of Minnesota, the smooth skating blueliner Phil Housley.  The South St. Paul native thrilled High School crowds in his days playing at Wakota Arena in South St. Paul looking like a man amongst boys as his incredibly effortless looking stride had him flying all over the ice.   Housley shocked many by foregoing college and making the immediate jump from high school star to the NHL when he was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres 6th Overall in 1982.  Many wondered if he made a mistake by going pro so soon, but he soon put those fears to rest by having a tremendous rookie season with 19 goals and 66 points in 77 games.  In 21 NHL seasons, Housely scored 338 goals and 1,232 points as a defenseman!

How can this be?  Bad timing, as Housely arrived in the league at a time where there were several other great players that arrived in the league at his position.  Players like Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey, and Brian Leetch have recently earned trips to the Hall and pushed Housley back on the list of future inductees.

Yet the case is very strong for Housley to reach the Hall of Fame as his numbers stack up extremely well.  The Minnesotan is 2nd all time amongst Americans in scoring with 1,232 points which is also good for 35th amongst all NHL’ers.  Housley is ranked 4th all time in scoring amongst defenseman ahead of such esteemed Hall of Famers Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, and Scott Stevens.  Like Ciccarelli, Housley never did win a Stanley Cup but he was almost always amongst the league’s best at his position.  The 5′10″ 185lbs defenseman was recently inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame as well as the Sabres’ Hall of Fame.  The NHL Hall of Fame should be a mere formality.

If players like Glenn Anderson, Clarke Gillies and Dick Duff can make the NHL Hall of Fame it is completely inexcuseable if Dino Ciccarelli and Phil Housley are passed over.   It would be a total slam if some Canadian writers get their way and push Paul Henderson (the hero of the 1972 Summit Series) before Ciccarelli and Housley who were vastly superior players to this overrated hero of an exhibition tournament.  If the NHL Hall of Fame wishes to maintain some level of respectability it cannot continue to pass over such two obvious HOF candidates such as these.