2nd Edition 5+GAME

5+GAME With Danny Boome 31/08/09

5+ Game with Danny Boome is the new Article and Blog for Powerplay magazine.  The article will cover the 5 main events of the week – games, trades, players, coaches – and anything else that affects the NHL community.

To join 5+Game’s online community, go to 5+Game on Facebook or follow 5+GAME on twitter.  Your views are welcome!  The 5+Game Blog will also have daily updates and film clips of the NHL week as it unravels.

1. Phoenix: The saga of the Phoenix Coyotes has taken many twists and turns over the summer.  The politics, deceit, comedy and passion have played out like a weekly soap opera for the fans and employees of the NHL and have created a major headache for Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly.  As they try to defend their beloved NHL brand, they’ve become engaged in a full on power struggle with the inventor of the Blackberry and proud Canadian Jim Balsillie.  Long story short: Phoenix owner Jerry Moyes wanted out of the franchise as the club was losing money.  After he informed them of an application of bankruptcy, the NHL scrambled to organize a deal with Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf to save the franchise.  Desperate times call for desperate measures – and it doesn’t get more desperate than the NHL entering a bid for one of its own franchises when their hand-selected puppet leaves the show.  When Reinsdorf backed out of the deal, the NHL became the sole bidder in the bankruptcy auction until Bettman’s arch nemesis Jim Balsillie placed a bid to buy the franchise.  When Balsillie pursued Nashville in 2008 to take the franchise to Canada, he was stonewalled by the NHL board of governors.  Now, for the second time in a year, he’s bidding to take a franchise to southern Ontario, shaking up sports franchise law and meeting strong opposition by the NHL.  (See Blog for the Details).  The final decision rests with the bankruptcy judge.  If he deems Balsillie’s bid better, he’ll be able to take the franchise to an arguably better market place – Canada.  He might not have the blessing of the NHL, but he does have the loyal supporters of www.makeitseven.ca behind him.

2.Kane: Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane and his cousin pleaded guilty Thursday to a non-criminal charge of disorderly conduct and were ordered to send an apology to the cab driver they were accused of roughing up over 20 cents.  The 20-year-old player and his 21-year-old cousin, James Kane, were given conditional discharges meaning they will avoid any penalties if they stay out of trouble for a year and write apologies to cabbie Jan Radecki.  “Obviously, I’m in a little different situation than most kids at this age but at the same time I think it’s definitely been a learning lesson and something I want to move forward on,” Kane told City Court Judge Thomas Amodeo before receiving his sentence.  “It’s maybe better I learn it now than later in life.”
Outside the courtroom, Kane apologized to his family, the city, the Blackhawks and his fans “for being in a regrettable situation.” “But it’s behind me. It’s time to move on,” he said.

3.Olympics: America is going for bronze.  That was the joke going around the Team Canada Olympic Orientation Camp last week.  When you think about it, the Canuks aren’t far off!  Brian Burke, the GM of Team USA and the Toronto Maple Leafs, has his work cut out for him.  He’ll have to rebuild the Maple Leafs and get them into the playoffs – and has the nearly impossible task of getting Team USA into the medals (the quarterfinals at the very least).  Canada, Russia, Czech Republic, Sweden and Finland all have a better chance than the Americans.  If Burke can get the Leafs into the playoffs and the US into the medals, I’m guessing he can also walk on water.  Canada has one of the bigger headaches when it comes to selection.  They have so much world class talent that they’ve been scratching their heads about who to take and what combinations to work with – either way, it’s not a bad situation for Team Canada’s GM Steve Yzerman.

4. Moves Before Camp: The San Jose Sharks traded veteran defensemen Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich to the Vancouver Canucks on Friday for two prospects in a move to create space under the salary cap.  Vancouver also signed 40-year-old free agent defenseman Mathieu Schneider to a one-year contract on Friday.  The Canucks are counting on their newest acquisitions to solidify their defense after the loss of Mattias Ohlund to free agency earlier this summer.  “Defense has been an area we wanted to add skill and depth to and this trade has strengthened our group considerably,” Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said in a statement.  The Sharks save nearly $5 million in the deal, with Ehrhoff due $3.15 million and Lukowich owed $1.8 million this season.  They also acquired 20-year-old center Patrick White and 22-year-old defenseman Daniel Rahimi, two players who could contribute to the team down the road.

Tampa will be stronger up front this week after signing high profile free agent Alex Tanguay.  The 29-year-old left wing is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he registered 16 goals and 41 points in 50 games for Montreal.  He suffered a separated shoulder in a December 30 game against the Lightning after being checked hard into the boards by Evgeny Artyukhin and missed 28 games.  Vincent Lecavalier is excited at the prospect of having Tanguay with the Tampa Bay Lightning this season.  “He’s a hard-working guy, a good guy and you never have enough of those guys,” Lecavalier said Saturday.  “I played with him in the world juniors (in 1998). I’m happy he’s part of it.” “All the guys I talked to who played with him said he’s unbelievable,” added Lecavalier. “He’s going to bring a lot of offense to our team.”

5. You’re Fired: Less than two years after he was hired, Paul Kelly is out as executive director of the NHL Players’ Association, union sources confirmed on ESPN.com.  The story was first reported by TSN on its website.  Kelly’s firing came Monday following an hours-long meeting by the 30-member NHLPA executive board.

Kelly replaced Ted Saskin in October 2007 after Saskin was alleged to have ordered the spying of NHLPA player e-mail in the midst of a membership uprising against his leadership.  Before joining the NHLPA, he was a partner at Kelly, Libby & Hoopes, a Boston law firm that specializes in internal investigations and complex civil and administrative litigation.  He previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts and was involved in the investigation of former NHLPA leader Alan Eagleson.

Game: Game On! The judge won’t budge – who’s going to win the battle of Scottsdale: Bettman or Balisille?

Who’s Got Game? Rick Nash, Sid Crosby and Jarome Iginla as a prospect line, Canada’s Olympic Hockey team got game all right!

Who’s not got Game? Does Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco still have it as a starter?

What Game are you playing at? NHL governors blocking Jim Balisille bid for a franchise, is a seventh team in Canada that bad of a prospect??

The information statistics and subject matter of articles is sourced from the official NHL web site NHL.com and it’s archives. Research and quotations can at times come from independent associated press.