The Hockey Sweater – All Things Hockey

THS is pleased to present an Exclusive ” One on One” with Player Agent Bob Perno.

Mr Perno has been in the business of player representation since 1979 and is currently a principal along with Stephane Fiset in SportsReps International. http://www.sportsreps.ca/index.php

 Mr. Perno has graciously agreed to share his insights with THS readers and offers an intriguing opportunity to peer into the world of Player/Agent relationships and the inner workings of these same. If you are curious as to how Mario Lemieux decided to wear number 66 instead of the Gretzky 99…If you are intrigued about a Professional and extremely well respected Player Agent’s views about their responsibilities to their clients, views on Euros vs. Canadians, the “Changes” over the last 30 years, a funny Harry Sinden story, a respected and great caring man’s sense of responsibility to a fallen athlete, perhaps you may enjoy the following “One On One” with Mr. Bob Perno- a Gentleman Par Excellence! continue reading…

"The name is Ilya… Ilya Kovalchuk - as in K-Bomb"

Well, this is it, folks.

Using the Kovalchuk Kontrakt as their stealth weapon in a pre-emptive strike, the NHL has reportedly issued an ultimatum to the NHLPA.

If you care about the game, you have to read this. continue reading…

THS is pleased to present an Exclusive One On One with former NHL Star Bobby Smith and current majority owner of the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL. Well spoken and articulate, Smith shares many of his opinions concerning his early NHL years and has intriguing thoughts about Canadian Major Junior Hockey today.

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Cha' Ching!

Today is the first day when the NHL is entitled to dip into the $25 million dollar cash register graciously provided by the elected officials down in the Arizona desert.

Although the NHL might not actually reach into the till today, the clock did start ticking. The moment the NHL actually begins showing a loss, the money from that cash drawer will disappear faster than a 7-Eleven holdup.

So is the Coyotes fiasco any closer to being resolved?

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Does Carey like Dunhills or Mark Ten? Or Export "A"? Or Sweet Caporal? Inquiring minds want to know.

Carey Price is one of those hockey players that leaves many wondering. The kid has talent, no doubt. But the questions about his attitude always seem to make more headlines.

So when Montreal Canadiens GM Pierre Gauthier traded Jaro Halak to St Louis, a wave of discontent seemed to waft from the epicenter of all things Bleu-Blanc-Rouge.

Now comes news that Mr Price is playing poker with Pierre, saying “meet my price, or I’m outta here.”

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Slovenia's Anze Kopitar is one of the NHL's hottest young stars.

In the spirit of the me-me-me world of hockey writing and the me-me-me world of the blog, please allow me to introduce myself. No. Myself is boring. Where I am is not dull, at least in hockey terms.

Ten years ago I left Toronto and English for a new language and life in Slovenia (not Slovakia). They play hockey here, even professionally, but it’s not the talk of the town and running into someone who plays or stayed up to watch the Habs game – we’re six hours ahead of Montreal – is rare. This adds value because hockey suddenly becomes a cool sub-culture and you have to work at it.

Hockey is not life, but it is a fine comfort at times. Most of the time in my new life I’m in a state of mild linguistic and cultural confusion, regularly scratching my head over what I did to piss off the bank teller or bus driver. So when a now-friend recruited me five years ago for shinny, I was chuffed.

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It Gets Costlier Every Year

Will hockey as a participation sport be the realm of the financially elite at some point in the future?

For families who have sons or daughters playing this great game, the financial burden of keeping their kids in this game gets heavier with each passing year. As a participation sport, hockey is one of the most expensive sports, if not the most expensive. Has anyone gone online and checked out prices of kid’s hockey equipment lately?

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Part Two of thehockeysweater.ca research into grading the performance of the NHL, one number at a time.

The number on the back of the hockey sweater.

Click here For

Part One #’s 1 – 5

Numbers 6 – 10

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Pal Hal: Hall Of Fame Inductee

In 1977, Harold E. Ballard was inducted into the Hockey Hall Of Fame as a builder.  That may come as a surprise to many, but it didn’t seem to faze the induction committee at the time.  Many may also have forgotten that Pal Hal spent time in Kingston and Millhaven Penitentiaries in the early 1970’s on many counts of fraud, theft and tax evasion involving $205,000 of company money spent on personal items for his home, cottage and relatives.  He was paroled in October of 1973 but only four years later, he was in the Hall.

Harold Ballard became a member as a builder.  What he actually built is very much open to interpretation.  Of course, between 1971and 1977, under Ballard’s ownership, the Toronto Maple Leafs did nothing on the ice.  So, this award was for nothing he built during that period.    Based on his track record as majority owner of the team, one could surmise that Ballard had little to do with the on ice success of the Leafs in the 1960’s?   If you came to that conclusion, you are not far off the mark.

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Mr. New York Hockey

Back in 1972, when we had the rude awakening at the hands of the Soviet Red Army, we struck back and criticised them for being personality deficient robots, who wore helmets.  Of course, in 1972, real men didn’t wear helmets, just like rugby players will tell you.

When Craig McTavish became the last player to feel the wind past his hair during an NHL game back in the spring of 1997, forever gone was our link to a time when we could personalise the players.   The exact same criticism we dumped on the Soviets had become part of the new hockey.  Sure, the game is faster and players are bigger, along with the padding, but my goodness, Craig McTavish actually survived with all his marbles intact.

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