After four consecutive losses to open their season – two of them, the “not-even-close” variety, the Toronto Maple Leafs look like a team that will be hard pressed to improve on their 81 points in the 2008-09 season.  Ron Wilson has worked all kinds of line combinations, bag-skated his players and is not reluctant to name names to the media, but thus far it has not worked.  His... 

My last column examined a couple of guys who I think will break out with unexpectedly big 2009-10 campaigns. Today I’m going to take a look at several players who I don’t believe will deliver what many fans of their respective teams are hoping for. Mikael Samuelsson, Vancouver At $7.5 million over 3 years Samuelsson will not be a bust for Vancouver, but it’s tough to see him having... 

Whats the one thing most seasoned sports writers loathe most?  Predictions. Yet, year after year they’re produced en-masse as they’re arguably the most in-demand offering the media provides to the hockey reader. Predictions are silly.  So many factors and variables beyond even the players control impact the type of season he or his team will have.  Line mates, trades, coaching schemes,... 

    Imagine we have a map of North America, dotted with a pin representing each NHL city – then remove the pin representing Phoenix and proverbially leave the room for a minute. To an executive tasked with growing a sports league, the geographic approach may be the most simple-yet-effective way of determining where your next franchise should be placed.  Read More →

  While the Coyotes auction saga may wrap-up shortly, many fans of our game perceive this as being the end of an epic conflict.  I call this the beginning of the end.  Once Judge Redfield T Baum declares a ‘winner’ to this mess, territorial rights may or may not be an issue.  Read More →