| |
Stanley Cup, Michael Burgess, great hockey
Next weekend's Scotty Morrison charity event promises to be exciting for everyone
By Matt James
January 29, 2009
Roll out the red carpet – Lord Stanley’s Cup is coming to Haliburton County this weekend as part of Community Care Haliburton County’s latest fundraising effort, the Scotty Morrison Charity hockey tournament running February 6-8.
Hockey’s holy grail is just one of the weekend’s attractions to help raise funds for the organization’s support of the county’s older residents and those who are physically challenged. The weekend also includes the chance to sing the national anthem along with singing sensation Michael Burgess.
Morrison, a retired NHL referee-in-chief and former chief executive of the Hockey Hall of Fame, has made quite a few friends during his time in hockey and he’s invited them up to participate in his charity tournament.
“They do such a fantastic job in the community,” said Morrison of Community Care and its volunteers. “The whole aspect of keeping seniors in their homes, meals on wheels, volunteers taking people to hospital visits, shopping, etc. That’s why I got involved – I saw this as something that could really help the community.”
The weekend is jam-packed with excitement for hockey fans and the action starts Friday night at the Haliburton Legion.
Starting at 7 p.m. the Hockey Hall of Fame’s keeper of the cup, Phil Pritchard, will host “Cup Stories,” an evening of spectacular stories about the Stanley Cup told by Pritchard, along with a couple of hockey heroes, legendary NHL linesman Ray Scapinello and Ron Ellis, former player of the Toronto Maple Leafs and a member of Team Canada’s 1972 Summit Series.
It’s also the night the public can have their picture taken with the Stanley Cup for a small donation.
“It’s the one trophy in all of professional sport that has something mystic about it,” Morrison says. “I mean people see it and say ‘that’s the Stanley Cup’ and they can’t believe it, whether you’re a hockey fan or not.”
Tournament play begins Saturday with teams facing off at both the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena in Minden and the Dysart et al arena in Haliburton. And as final preparations come to a close Morrison says it’s not too late to sign a team up for the event.
Originally Morrison and the tournament’s steering committee were aiming for 20 teams to participate and currently there are 17 teams signed up.
Sponsorship is also available and while all of the gold sponsorship spots have been filled, Morrison said silver and bronze sponsorships are still available for $250 and $100 respectively.
Following Friday night’s fun Saturday night is not to be outdone. The evening begins with a ceremonial puck drop by former Toronto chief of police Julian Fantino prior to the much anticipated hockey game between the World Champion Canadian National Amputee Team and the Ontario Provincial Police team.
The game will be officiated by Scapinello, who after the game will sign and donate his game-refereed jersey to the weekend-long silent auctions in both arenas.
Game time is 7 p.m. at S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena in Minden and admssion is by donation.
Prior to that game will be the singing of our national anthem by hockey fanatic and star of Les Miserables, Michael Burgess.
“Michael just loves to play hockey,” said Morrison, who told of Burgess’s travels across Canada with the NHL Oldtimers/Alumni team singing anthems and playing a little hockey here and there with the team.
On Saturday at the Minden arena will be the draw for the four raffle prizes. Those prizes include a hockey print by Vic Gibbons, a Montreal Canadians 100th Anniversary signed print, and an autographed jersey and stick by Canada’s 2008 IIHF World Men’s Championship Team.
In additional to all the excitement Canoe FM host Roxanne Casey will be live-to-air on Saturday. When it’s all said and done it is Morrison’s hope that $15,000 will be donated to Community Care Haliburton County.
Sports Ticket Depot - NHL Stanley Cup,
News Archive Index: 2010, 2009, 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Red Wings sign Zetterberg to 12-year contract
By JIM IRWIN
January 29, 2009
DETROIT (AP) — Looking to keep one of hockey's top teams on steady footing, the Detroit Red Wings knew exactly where to start.
The Stanley Cup champions announced Wednesday that they signed Henrik Zetterberg to the longest contract in team history, a 12-year, $73 million deal that could keep the star forward in Hockeytown until 2021.
"Henrik is one of the world's premier players at both ends of the ice," general manager Ken Holland said. "This is a tremendous commitment on the part of the organization as well as by Henrik. ... We are thrilled that a player we drafted and developed will play out his career in Detroit with this lifetime contract."
Zetterberg could have become a free agent at the end of this season, his sixth in the NHL, but Holland said the team decided Zetterberg was "one of the players we wanted to build our franchise around." Negotiations began last June.
"I'm happy I don't have to do it again," Zetterberg said. "I don't want to play anywhere else."
The contract will pay Zetterberg $7.4 million next season, $7.75 million in each of the following three seasons and $7.5 million in each of the next four seasons. He is to receive $7 million in the 2017-18 season, $3.35 million in 2018-19 and $1 million in each of the final two seasons.
"From the start they've been taking good care of me," said Zetterberg, a 28-year-old Swede drafted in the seventh round in 1999.
Zetterberg has 43 points in 45 games this season, the last of a four-year, $10.4 million contract. In 400 NHL games, he has 169 goals and 375 points, and 28 goals and 52 points in 62 playoff games.
He was picked to the All-NHL second team last season, when he and then-linemate Pavel Datsyuk combined for 74 goals and a robust plus-71 rating.
Zetterberg also set a franchise record with 27 points last postseason, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP when Detroit won its first Stanley Cup since 2002. He scored the clinching goal in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"Our goal is to try to keep this team together," said team vice president Steve Yzerman, who won three Cups as a Red Wings player. "He's the kind of person and the kind of player we want in this organization."
The salary cap — $56.7 million per team this season — makes it likely that Holland will have to choose between two other key players who become free agents at the end of the season: winger Marian Hossa and center Johan Franzen.
"We're not going to be able to keep every player," Holland said. But Zetterberg's contract is structured so that it "gives us a chance to keep an extra player down the road," he said.
Other Red Wings players signed through at least 2012 include Datsyuk, fellow forwards Valtteri Filppula and Dan Cleary, and defensemen Brian Rafalski and Brad Stuart.
Sports Ticket Depot - NHL Stanley Cup,
News Archive Index: 2010, 2009, 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Laviolette plays the waiting game
By Ken Hamwey
January 28, 2009
Peter Laviolette coached the New York Islanders to a pair of playoff appearances and two years ago led the Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup title.
Now the 44-year-old native of Franklin spends his days at home in North Carolina waiting for the phone to ring, hoping a National Hockey League franchise is in the market for a head coach.
Laviolette, who played at Franklin High and Westfield State, was fired by the Hurricanes in December with two years left on a five-year contract.
"I'm in a holding pattern," said Laviolette, who in 1999 coached the Providence Bruins to their only American Hockey League crown. "Right now, I'm making up for lost time, spending the days with my family. When a hockey season moves along, usually a half-dozen jobs become available. If a coaching change is in the works somewhere, you usually get a call in advance."
Laviolette has no regrets that his career in Carolina ended halfway through his contract. Winning a Stanley Cup and giving the state of North Carolina its only professional sports championship have a special meaning.
"Winning the Cup in 2006 gave the fans in Carolina something to hold near and dear to their hearts," Laviolette said. "They know that no one can take that away from their state. For me, that was a wonderful time. My parents and my sisters were on hand for the final game and my high school coach (Bob Luccini) was there, too, along with college friends and people from Franklin. My relatives and friends all drank out of the Stanley Cup the night we won the title."
Laviolette, who started his coaching career in the East Coast Hockey League at Wheeling, W. Va., is fully aware that expectations in hockey run high. He understands the business side of the NHL.
"I was with the Islanders for only two years and got them into the playoffs both seasons," he emphasized. "I was fired after two years. At Carolina, I coached for five years, the longest time I've been with one team. But it ended. Nevertheless, I was grateful for the opportunity and knew that happy times don't last forever. Coaches get fired because someone in an organization isn't happy. Expectations are always high."
When a coaching vacancy occurs, Laviolette likely will hear his phone ring. And, he'll be hoping an interview gets scheduled.
"Usually a general manager will initiate a call," Laviolette said. "If an interview follows, then you often meet with the team president and owner. A good interview involves stating your beliefs and how you intend to build a successful team. It's important to convey those things."
Laviolette, who has three children (ages 11, 9 and 7), is thankful for the support he's received after his dismissal. He's heard from family, friends and fans. Even friends in Franklin have contacted him. Most importantly, however, he's thankful the way his wife and children have adapted to new settings, new homes and new schools.
"My wife is a blessing," he said. "She's set up new homes and helped get the children adjusted to new schools. My kids have asked me when and where we'll be going next."
Laviolette, who still considers Franklin home, knows there's only 30 head coaching jobs in the NHL. And, he is acutely aware that lots of good coaches are available. But, he remains patient, willing to bide his time and hopeful he's on a GM's short list.
"Times will be good again," he said, referring to Carolina's Stanley Cup triumph. "When you accept a coaching job in the NHL, you also have to accept that some day they won't want you around."
Peter Laviolette has enjoyed playoff success in Wheeling, Providence, Long Island and Raleigh. The big question isn't whether he'll coach again. It's where he next will create a successful atmosphere.
Sports Ticket Depot - NHL Stanley Cup,
News Archive Index: 2010, 2009, 2008
|
