2008-09 NHL Third Jersey Mock-Up Images Part 2

Part 1 can be found here.


The much rumored return of the "third jersey" seems ready to become fact for the 2008-2009 NHL season. Images abound on the net featuring cell phone images, cryptic color changes and actual statements from teams. However the best information yet dropped on the hockey world (or at least those that take an interest in what the player's wear) has come from HockeyBuzz's Howard Berger who recently posted vivid descriptions of images he has seen of both the front and backs of the jerseys.


The complete post by Berger can be read here.


In the spirit of this site I've done my best to create images based on the descriptions given, some are more informative than others. The following are my interpretations accompanied by the text from HockeyBuzz...as well as some thoughts. This is part 1, the rest will come in a follow up post.


Los Angeles Kings

"The Kings will unveil a predominantly black jersey with the letters �L A� inside a pencil-point logo on the front. Broad white stripes will adorn each arm. A thin white stripe will run horizontally on each side of the jersey, just beneath the shoulder. There are no stripes at the bottom of the uniform. The color purple � widely evident in the Kings� primary jersey � will likely be featured in the number outlines of the alternate, though the photo copy I have doesn�t clearly show it. A better idea would have been a reprise of the Kings� original purple and gold uniforms from 1967, but the club marketers are apparently not bent on tradition. "
- This is kind of up for grabs regarding the use of silver over purple and the shoulder patches. It sounds like what they are going for is the Gretzky era jerseys with some hints of the current ones. As long as they don't do silver numbers and names on a white jersey again things should be ok...


Ottawa Senators

"A dramatic change in the Senators� third jersey will see a predominantly black uniform with the word �SENS� angled upward on the front. A fashionable red stripe will run from the arm pits, down the side of the jersey, to its base, where the stripe turns inward. A pair of narrow red and white stripes will adorn each arm, and the very bottom of the jersey. It�s quite a sharp design."
- Mehh...sharp design but just plain awful use of the team's name on the front. I'm not sure if the Senators have been around long enough (disregard the old team...) to throw a nickname on their jersey. The Canadiens never put Habs on theirs...


San Jose Sharks

"Though the photo I have is a bit grainy, the Sharks will wear a predominantly black third jersey with aqua and white stripes on each sleeve. The back number is white. The traditional Sharks� �biting-stick� logo is on the front."
- Seen these before? Yes, well...there back. Just when you thought it was safe to go in....nevermind. These actually do look good on the ice - just don't use arched names and the old numbers...otherwise we've got the Minnesota Wild two teams in one thing going on. Seriously, keep it simple and stick with the basic block numbers you've gone back to, they make you look like a hockey team not a merchandise machine.


St. Louis Blues

"Another significant change. The Blues will introduce a dark-blue alternate jersey with a white stripe trimmed in black on the sleeves and uniform base. The club�s traditional �blue-note� logo appears within a circle on the front of the jersey, with the city�s famous Gateway Arch in the background. It will also have the lace-up feature."
- I hope to god they have more going on on the front of these then they do on the back, or at least have some unmentioned shoulder patches. These are a huge wild card for St. Louis, they may look great...or they may crash and burn. I still haven't figured out why a team with the Blues history didn't op to resurrect something from the 70's.


Tampa Bay Lightning

"Also completely different. The Lightning will introduce a predominantly dark-blue alternate with the word �BOLTS� angling downward in white on the jersey front. A narrow white stripe is featured above a broad black stripe at the uniform base. Grey and white stripes are on each arm, and the latter half of the sleeve, to the tip, is black. "
- Oh you thought "Sens" was bad...how about "Bolts". Not digging that at all. In fact since I don't live in Florida I've never even heard someone call the Lightning that. Alas...I'm not the target audience or on the team so I guess it doesn't matter. None the less one can't help thinking that it really is...well...a bit silly. The jerseys themselves may however end up looking better than either the home or away jerseys simply due to the fact that they are using dark blue.


Vancouver Canucks

"The Canucks are going back to their inception in 1970-71 by bringing back the predominantly blue road jersey the club wore. At the bottom of the jersey � and on each arm � is a broad green stripe flanked by a pair of white stripes. The club�s original �hockey-stick-in-a-rink� logo is outlined in green and white on the front."
- Correct me if I'm wrong here...but isn't that the Canucks current home jersey? Maybe they'll take away the shoulder patches or change the font, but it's still nearly identical. Maybe we're talking about the V-sleeved jerseys, in which case things just got a little more interesting.


Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year and rumor has it that they will be sporting not 2, not 3, but 4 different jerseys this year. Considering the team, despite being around since before the Titanic sank, has changed their uniform style very little over the last century. This is my bet on what we're going to see:





That would be the one other jersey style they wore for I believe 2 years. However, Maurice Richard was on the team at the time so....As for the last one, who knows. I'm guessing they are going to go with something that truly represents the age of the team. That style was used during the 30's.


There you have it, my versions based on the descriptions available. Now all one has to do is sit back and wait...and see how completely off everyone was.

2008-09 NHL Third Jersey Mock-Up Images Part 1

The much rumored return of the "third jersey" seems ready to become fact for the 2008-2009 NHL season. Images abound on the net featuring cell phone images, cryptic color changes and actual statements from teams. However the best information yet dropped on the hockey world (or at least those that take an interest in what the player's wear) has come from HockeyBuzz's Howard Berger who recently posted vivid descriptions of images he has seen of both the front and backs of the jerseys.


The complete post by Berger can be read here.


In the spirit of this site I've done my best to create images based on the descriptions given, some are more informative than others. The following are my interpretations accompanied by the text from HockeyBuzz...as well as some thoughts. This is part 1, the rest will come in a follow up post.


Atlanta Thrashers

"The club will introduce a dark red jersey with the word THRASHERS on the front, just above the player's uniform number, which will appear on both sides of the design. A broad white stripe will adorn each arm of the jersey with a dark red number in the stripe. A broad white-and-dark blue stripe will run down the sides of the jersey."
- I could be way off here, who knows if they'll be shoulder patches and the number may use either yellow, dark blue or even light blue edges. Anyway you look at it this is a departure from the Thrashers norm, and could actually end up looking pretty good on the ice...except for maybe that thing about the numbers appearing on both sides of the front.


Boston Bruins

"The Bruins will unveil an all black jersey with the club’s alternate logo on the front – a black bear with the word “BRUINS’ above it in a semi-circle. Two gold stripes will appear on the arms, with gold numbering above the stripes and on the back. "
- Video and images of these surfaced a couple of months ago, whether they are what the team will actually wear remains to be seen. The fact that these are "all black" really brings nothing to the table, what does is the use of the teams new alternate logo. It will be interesting to see how these turn out...and whether or not Boston straightens out their issues with the text and numbers which seem to vary between 2 and 3 different colors. If these are in fact simply "gold", then we might have something that really looks good. Nice to see a team go with the less is more option...something the Bruins did not do with the Pooh Bear jerseys.


Buffalo Sabres

"The Sabres will bring back their original road jersey the blue design with the round cross-sword logo on the front, and the three gold stripes on the arms and the bottom of the jersey. It's the uniform the Sabres first GM/coach, George (Punch) Imlach, requested; a design similar to that which Imlach's Maple Leafs had from the 1967 playoffs through 1969-70. And, it's the jersey Buffalo wore during road games from the beginning of the franchise in 1970-71 to the end of the 1995-96 season. Beginning in 1996-97, the Sabres switched to a black, red and white uniform, and completely redesigned their logo. Another redesign occurred prior to the 2006-07 campaign, with the team returning to its blue and gold color scheme."
- According to Disengaged in the forum, these will be the same blue as the current set and feature silver accents. I'm all for this, I'm not a fan of the overly complicated Buffaslug jerseys, I think you'll see sales of these probably go through the roof - which is what Reebok and the NHL are probably banking on. You'll also see more of that trend in the rest of the teams listed here.


Carolina Hurricanes

"The Hurricanes will introduce a black third jersey, with red and white trim � different than their customary red home uniform with the black and white trim. Each arm will sport red and white angular stripes. The bottom of the jersey will feature a narrow white stripe and a thicker red one. In between, will be 10 white stars. The club's red logo on the uniform front is placed within a white triangle, presumably to honor the famed Research Triangle that dominates the Raleigh-Durham area."
- It was inevitable, the Hurricanes have never had a third jersey and now that they do it is...black. I was hoping for the grey color they have to work with, but what can you do. This image could be way off, it will depend on how much of a departure from their standard look it actually is. As for the ten stars - no they were not the 10th state admitted to the Union (they were the 12th). They were however the 10th state to secede from the Union. They are now the 10th most populous state. Maybe it's because they just finished their 10th season in the NHL. Who knows, it's a round number and maybe just looked good.


Chicago Blackhawks

"The Blackhawks will return to the predominantly black third jersey they have worn in recent years. A white stripe flanked by two red stripes will appear on each arm, and at the bottom of the jersey. A wide red stripe is featured at the tip of each arm. The traditional Blackhawks Indian-head logo appears, as usual, on the front."
- No surprises here...at all. These have always been popular and will no doubt continue to be even in Edge form. It would have been great if they had gone with one of their older jerseys, even the one they wore during the 75th anniversary season, but I don't think these will receive any negative responses from fans of the team.


Dallas Stars

"The Stars third jersey is simple" a white uniform with the word DALLAS crowned on the front, atop the jersey number, which appears on both sides. Parallel dark-green and black stripes appear on each arm. There are no stripes at the bottom of the jersey."
- Not sure on the shoulder patches, or the numbers here. I would assume black with green trim. Yes, I can hear you Texas...boring. These are a little (say a lot) too much like the current Stars' away jerseys. Why they opted to do this rather than utilize more of the green is anybody's guess. One has to conclude that they tried a number of different things before coming to the conclusion that this looked the best. I hope that when these are officially unveiled that there is something interesting about them that was some how overlooked, as they stand I don't understand the reason for a third jersey if all you do is exchange one color.


Edmonton Oilers

"The Oilers are going back to their glory days with the predominantly blue jersey Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier et al wore on the road while winning five Stanley Cup titles between 1984 and 1990. Orange shoulder piping will re-appear, along with a broad orange stripe at the tip of each arm. Two white stripes flanking an orange stripe are on the arms and near the bottom of the jersey. The original round Oilers logo, with the orange oil drip and blue team name, is on the front."
- Beats the living pulp out of what they are wearing as their main jerseys. Depending on how these look with the new fabrics they could be really sharp. No doubt people will buy more of these than the current dark blues.


New York Islanders

"The Isles are going back to their original road jersey from 1972-73, when they joined the NHL along with the Atlanta Flames. It is a royal-blue base, with broad orange and white stripes on the arms and at the bottom of the jersey. The uniform numbers as they appeared during the club's inaugural season are orange with white trim. Player names will also be orange. The Islanders switched to white jersey numbers after their dreadful first year in the league; when they compiled a 12-60-6 record worst, to that point, in NHL history."
- It is interesting that the Islanders chose these, rather than the almighty Cup era jerseys, but they did wear these once before a couple of years ago. The team's 40th anniversary is also coming up in a couple years and this could be a nod back to those. The one thing that could completely kill these is if the Isles finish dead last in the league this year...


Philadelphia Flyers

"The Flyers are also going for tradition, bringing back the predominantly orange jersey the club wore at home when it joined the NHL in 1967-68. White shoulder piping will again run the length of each arm, with orange numbers trimmed in black. A large black stripe is affixed to the tip of each arm. A broad white stripe adorns the bottom of the uniform. Number on the back is white. The Flyers stylized P black logo with the orange dot is on the front."
- (Speaking as a Flyers fan) I love these, and if I ever buy a Flyers jersey it will be this one and not one of the other two. I am part of the "Flyers should be orange" group, and the return of a historic jersey is exactly what one could have hoped for. Images of these have been tossed around the net that show these, and they have been both confirmed and denied. Why the white nameplate? Originally many teams only had names on their home jerseys, however televised games during the 70's would occasionally have both teams wearing the player's names. A lack of orange nameplates meant that the Flyers used the white ones they had. It could have been terrible, but it actually looked good. (At least that's the way I heard it...)


Phoenix Coyotes

"The Coyotes will unveil an all-new design a predominantly black jersey with a leaping desert-red coyote as the front logo. A large, dark-red stripe will run down the side of the jersey, broadening at the base. A similar dark-red stripe, only smaller, is affixed to the latter half of the arm, beyond the white numbers."
- If you want to see the leaping Coyote just look around the web... I'm not sure how close these will be to what comes out. I would personally want to put red around the numbers, but since Phoenix is one of the few teams that use no trim, maybe it's better to stick with that. I'm guessing the Arizona state patch will still be present, and not the Coyotes primary logo...since that would by coyote overkill.


Pittsburgh Penguins

"Kudos to the Penguins for staying with the jersey the club wore during the Outdoor Classic in Buffalo last Jan. 1st. It's a replica of the home jersey the Penguins wore starting in 1968-69, their second year in the NHL: Predominantly light-blue in color, with broad white stripes trimmed in dark blue on the sleeves and uniform base. A large, dark-blue stripe is at the tip of each arm. The neckline is dark-blue with the lace-up feature. The dark-blue, circular Penguins logo is on the front."
- No surprises here, and I think the Penguins have made a smart decision by adding these as a third jersey. They looked great during the Winter Classic and were obviously popular. If you haven't seen enough people wearing the Crosby version of one of these, prepare yourself for the onslaught of Malkin ones this fall.



Look for LA, Ottawa, San Jose, St. Louis, Tampa Bay and Vancouver in the next post. And maybe some thoughts on the 4 jerseys Montreal is planning on wearing next season...

Part 2 can be found here.

The Battle of Pennsylvania 2008

Not since Gettysburg has a battle of this proportion taken place within the borders of the Keystone State. (Well, at least not since last time the two teams met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.) Starting tonight a state united by common laws, a common name, and a common wealth, will stand divided as the West and the East go to war with one another.

Yes, the rather subdued of late instate rivalry between the Flyers and Penguins will more than likely be re-awoken over the coming weeks as both teams vie for the right to represent PA in the Finals.

Now, if you had to put money on this (and I mean a lot of money) I imagine you'd follow the advise of the analysts, bloggers, newspapers, oddsmakers, and probably even the dude next door who doesn't follow hockey and go with the Penguins. They've cleaned house so far in the playoffs, they have what's-his-Crosby and Malkin and Hossa and Fleury and a bunch of other guys who you've heard of. They won their division and had a number 2 seeding in the Eastern Conference. Mathematics points out the obvious: they win more games.

But, in sports it's never that easy. Especially in hockey were on any given night any team can beat any other team. And the Flyers have thus far proven that they have the uncanny ability to defy the assumptions of the press and even the defeatist mentality of their own fans. Squeaking into the playoffs, second to the bottom of the Atlantic Division, and seeded number 6 they beat Washington (which they weren't supposed to do and even more amazing did it in game 7 on the road.) Following that they did the more unthinkable and disposed of number 1 ranked Montreal in 5 games. The disbelievers will point out that Montreal beat themselves, but the fact remains that the Flyers are not golfing yet and the Canadiens are shining their clubs.

There you have it, the expected-to-win Penguins against the how-did-they-get-there Flyers. If the Penguins win in 4 the pundits will merely nod their heads. If the Flyers win in 7 they'll be the cinderella team that battled their way to the finals...and probably end up on the cover of Sports Illustrated. But, first they'll actually have to play at least 240 minutes of hockey against each other.

The Math
How do these two teams actually stack up statistically?
I was going to list off a bunch of percentages and have a graph of some nature here, but suffice to say that Pittsburgh is ahead on just about all of them. Except for the small fact that the two teams met each other 8 times during the regular season and Philadelphia won 5 of the 8 games. (62.5%) Which, technically makes all other stats devoid of merit.

The Cities
Moving on to the more important aspect of the Battle of Pennsylvania. How do Pittsburgh and Philadelphia stack up? Here are some comparisons for those not familiar with the Quaker State's two largest cities.

Population (Metro):
Philadelphia: 5,823,233 +1
Pittsburgh: 2,870,776

Year Founded:
Philadelphia: 1682 +1
Pittsburgh: 1758

By Whom:
Philadelphia: The Swedes +1
Pittsburgh: The French

Elevation:
Philadelphia: 39 ft.
Pittsburgh: 1,223 ft. +1

Number of Bridges:
Philadelphia: Less than 446
Pittsburgh: 446 +1

Highest Temperature Recorded (in Fahrenheit):
Philadelphia: 104 +1
Pittsburgh: 101

Lowest Temperature Recorded (in Fahrenheit):
Philadelphia: -7
Pittsburgh: -19 +1

Percentage of people who voted for Bush in 2004:
Philadelphia: 19.3% +1
Pittsburgh: 42.1%

Number of Major Sports Championships:
Philadelphia: 5
Pittsburgh: 12 +1

Very Slanted Totals:
Philadelphia: 5
Pittsburgh: 4

Conclusion: Too close to call...will depend entirely on the quality of the referees, the ice, and the goaltending.

NHL Trade and Roster Updates Done

As of now, this minute, all of the current NHL rosters including all of the trades should be up to date in the database. In total, including some older deals and call-ups from the minors, it was over 60 new players/jerseys (x 2).

If I happened to have missed anyone please let me know.

Forsberg Back in Colorado

Disregard everything you've read up unti now, we finally have a contract signed. The usual last minute deal, signed this afternoon, will see Foppa spend the remainder of the season with the Avalanche. Full story on TSN here.

This was actually what I was hoping would happen if Forsberg actually did return to the NHL at all...which looked doubtful. I think Colorado was the right choice, it's where he's won two Stanley Cups and spent the bulk of his career.

Start digging out your old jerseys Avs fans.

Around the NHL's team websites, Part 3

The following is a list of some of the more amusing things I've found while exploring each of the NHL club's websites (and reading the mascot biographies.)

Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings are one of the few teams that actually have "History" as one of their main website features, the section found here features a comprehensive look back at the club's 80+ year history decade for decade, as well as records, stats, player bios, and even the history of the octupus. Plus much more. WingsCast the team's official podcast has player interviews and game highlights. Fans can submit questions to their favorite players, the answers to which are here. Including Zetterberg responding to what music is on his iPod...If that's not enough, Red Wings World offers Wings fans probably more than they could ever need. Sign up is required but it's free. No mascot per se, unless we count the octopi.

Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers all-time roster list is here (no numbers...). Both audio and video blogs featuring pre-game and post-game analysis as well as highlights and interview are found here. Edmonton also has a very cool photo blog. For reasons unknown the Oilers have no history section (that I could find)...and no mascot. Not actually on the site, but affiliated with the team is Oilers Heritage, which is amazing to say the least. Needless to say you can spend 2 hours just looking at the images in their archives (over 10,000 of them). How about Gretzky playing baseball in an Oilers baseball jersey?

Florida Panthers
The Panthers have amassed somewhere in the neighborhood of 50,000 get well wishes for Richard Zednik since the skate incident, the latest of which are here. You can add yours as well. What you hear at a Florida game.. YES, Stanley C. Panther!. What a name...

Los Angeles Kings
Lots of and lots of Kings history found here including a timeline, alumni, all-time roster (with sweater numbers) and much more. KingsVision (video) section here. Plenty of podcasts as well. And, lest I forget, the most serious mascot section in the NHL for the Kings beloved Bailey.

Minnesota Wild
Wild All Access is the team's official blog site and features among other things live game commentary. All time roster sans sweater numbers. Wild PONDcast available here.. You can order the Wild Anthem and see the lyrics and video on this page. I love when teams do this: Wild goal horn, it almost makes up for the lack of a mascot...

Next up Montreal, Nashville, New Jersey, and the Islanders and Rangers.

NHL Premiere in Stockholm Tickets On Sale

Tickets went on sale this morning for the two games that will be played here in Stockholm on the 4th and 5th of October to start the 2008-09 season. Prices are between 400-1100 SEK which really is better than what was expected. Globen is not very big (compared to other venues) and of the 14,000 seats made available for hockey games few can be considered bad.

As of writing this, tickets are still available for both games, with the Saturday game being the more popular of the two. You can book yours at ticnet.se.

The image to the right comes from one of the daily papers in town, that ad was in all of them...

More info on the games can be found on Globen's home page here.

The only annoying thing about all of this is that now that I have tickets I have to wait 9 months for the game....

Sundin Trade Possibilites (Swedish TV)

This aired yesterday on Swedish television, SVT talked to fans, Tucker, the press, and Sundin himself about the trade rumors and the possibility of leaving Toronto after 14 years. A good deal of the video is in Swedish (obviously), although there is little new to be added to all of the swirling rumours.

Sundin basically says he wants to stay in Toronto (his hometown as he puts it), he also says it would be a big deal for him to win a Stanley Cup - but that he'd want to do it with the Leafs.

SVT puts up an interesting comparison between Sundin and fellow Swede Niklas Lidstrom's time in the NHL. They've both played about as many years, however Lidstrom has 3 Stanley Cups and has been in the playoffs all of his 15 years. Sundin, as we know, has no Cups and has been in the playoffs only 9 of his 16 seasons in the league...

With 8 days left before the trade deadline anything can happen, with the biggest events usually coming in the final days/hours. For more on the Sundin business, Bill Clement has a blog post on HockeyBuzz.com from Friday talking about the situation and saying Anaheim...there are roughly 200 responses so far...

Around the NHL's team websites, Part 2

The following is a list of some of the more amusing things I've found while exploring each of the NHL club's websites (and reading the mascot biographies.)

Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have not forgotten their roots in Hartford and feature an in-depth timeline of the franchise's history here, as well as an all-time roster that includes the Whalers. Unfortunately it doesn't indicate who played where (or give you sweater numbers). Kaiton's Corner is now available as a podcast and features the Hurricanes play-by-play announcer Chuck Kaiton answering fan's questions as well as interviews with the team. And yes, lots of Stormy the pig information is available...

Chicago Blackhawks
Jonathan Toews talking about his first NHL goal....while eating dinner at a French restaurant. You know you want to see that. More info than you could ever need regarding the history of the team can be found hidden here, including team photos going back to the late 60's. In addition to the HawksCast audio the Blackhawks have some "Audio Classics" files which can be downloaded including goal horns and the song "Here Come the Hawks". And, lest we forget Tommy Hawk, the Blackhawks seldom seen Hawk mascot.

Colorado Avalanche
Maybe I missed something entirely, but the Avalanche seem to be lacking in features on their site. No history, no blogs, no podcasts, not even a mascot. Not even a mention of the Stanley Cup teams. Sorry Avalanche fans, but besides the Forum you're not getting a lot from your team website.

Columbus Blue Jackets
Lots of podcast audio available here, as well as game highlights. You can also download the Blue Jackets goal horn - in WAV format. It's Stinger!

Dallas Stars
The Stars have a great history section that includes not just the team but hockey in general in Dallas. They also have an all-time roster with sweater numbers! There is an iMix section on the site which features iTunes playlists selected by players like Modano and Ribeiro, as well as the Ice Girls and even Dave Tippet. Ribeiro is quite the rap fan...and go Modano for admitting to being a Cure fan. Alas...no mascot.s

Next up Detroit, Edmonton, Florida, Los Angeles and Minnesota

Around the NHL's team websites, Part 1

The following is a list of some of the more amusing things I've found while exploring each of the NHL club's websites (and reading the mascot biographies.)

Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks, despite their relatively short existence in the NHL, have a rather comprehensive history section. Including a description of past logos and jerseys found here. They also have an all-time player roster - alas without sweater numbers. Adam Brady writes the official Ducks blog, the official Ducks podcast is here. The customary mascot page featuring the likes, hobbys and skills of Wild Wing explains how that name happened. And, if you need them, the lyrics to "Bro Hymn" by Pennywise (the Ducks goal song) are located here. I had no idea they had an official "goal song" let alone one by Pennywise...

Atlanta Thrashers
The comprehensive Blueland blog, they are quite the tightly knit community down there in Atlanta, can be found here. The Thrashers have a franchise history section which includes rosters, stats and a team timeline. But the most interesting feature on the page has to be the list of NHL alumni that currently reside in the state of Georgia (includes biographies for each player.) I always wondered what happened to Uwe Krupp...oh and needed to know much much more about Thrash.

Boston Bruins
You can subsribe to BruinsCast - the aptly named Bruins podcast - as well as audio game recaps here. Team history, including PDF's, video and 80+ years of team rosters can be found here. And, perhaps it has escaped your attention but the Bruins have a mascot named Blades. No doubt you want to read the rather prosy story as to how this came about and "How Blades Became a Bruin". If that isn't enough, John Bishop covers the team in his Bear Essentials column daily.

Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have a section that lists all the music played at their home games. Each game has a playlist with links to iTunes with player selections highlighted. (Each game features a different player.) Most recently it was Andrew Peters, but if you want to know what Ryan Miller listens to you can now find out...Bon Jovi? They also have a lot of members only stuff, it's free to register, and well worth it if you want to be able to access things like Jason Pominville's blog and the team's podcasts - of which there are many. Hmm...the Sabres have a mascot called Sabretooth who is not a buffalo or a slug...nor a combination of both.

Calgary Flames
Yes, the Flames actually have an all-time roster by numbers, every team should have this. FlamesCast, the team's podcast, features player interviews and a Coaches Corner. No doubt you were unaware of Harvey, unless you live in Alberta, the NHL's very first mascot. A picture can be found on the "Songs of the 'Dome" page.

Next up...Carolina, Chicago, Colorado, Columbus and Dallas...

NHL Stockholm Tickets Go On Sale Feb. 20th

UPDATE FEB. 19th
Info has finally been posted on Globen's website. Prices start at 395kr (cheaper than expected) which is a little less than: $65-€45-£35. Info in Swedish here. Start times either 6PM or 8:30PM (to be determined).

The official date and time of release for tickets to the two NHL games here in Stockholm is February 20th at 9AM Swedish time. The prices of the games, scheduled for October 4th and 5th, has yet to be announced on Globen's website. In fact I contacted them about this earlier today and the answer I received is that they have not yet been determined but that when they have they will be posted here. Speculation is around 700SEK (roughly $100) at present.

The official site to purchase tickets for the matches is ticnet.se. Tickets will also be available for physical purchase at Globen itself on the 20th. (I'll probably opt for that option, and get over there at about 6 AM next Wednesday to line up.)

Seating capacity in Globen for a hockey game is roughly 14,000 people and both games are expected to sell out quickly as interest is high in not only Stockholm and Sweden but also northern Europe and the Baltics.

The Forsberg Saga

The Flippity Flop of Foppa
So, does anyone want to put money on where Peter "Foppa" Forsberg ends up in the coming weeks/days? Not me. I wouldn't even put money on whether or not he ends up in North America. I'm not even sure if I'd bet on whether or not he ended up on ice or not.

But, that doesn't stop the speculation surrounding the 34-year old's future in the NHL. Here in Sweden I think it has been about 6 months since an article about Forsberg didn't appear in the paper. One can seemingly not get enough when it comes to foot injuries, special skates, practicing with MODO, the possibility of playing with the national team, the fact that he is not going to play with the national team, and now the bubbling pot of god-knows-what that you'd call the 13 days remaining till the trade deadline.

What the Swedish Press is Saying
Today, in Aftonbladet, there was an article that basically did nothing more than inform you that; "Whoever gets Forsberg will become a better team over night." That quote does not come from the Swedish press, that comes from Ian Laperriere of the Colorado Avalanche. Yes, today's speculation was about a return to Colorado. But, overall, one team keeps coming to the top of the "Guess Who" list: Philadelphia.

Allow me to quote from a panel of two Swedish hockey journalists discussing this topic last week on Aftonbladet.se:

Which uniform will we see Forsberg in?
Tomas Ros - "Philadelphia with a 1-2 year contract. He'll be applauded by Flyers fans when he comes back."
Per Bjurman - "The most common assumption is the Flyers, but I keep hoping for the Rangers."

And, if he goes to the Flyers - does he get the number 21?
Tomas Ros - "Yeah, I feel that Peter Forsberg with the number 21 would be a big seller in Philadelphia. Jason Smith will have to switch, despite being the captain. Who wants a 21 Smith jersey?
Per Bjurman - "Depends on how much Smith cares. 21 is available for the Rangers by the way."

What Paul Holmgren Has To Say
So, they're already discussing jersey numbers. In Philadelphia things are a little different. The Daily News featured a brief article by Ed Moran on Feb. 11th which included some quotes from Flyers GM Paul Holmgren. Holmgren had apparently heard from Forsberg's agent who had told him that Peter still hadn't made a decision as to whether or not he's even coming back to the league. He needs another week to decide. Which means no answer till after this coming weekend at the earliest. Holmgren later echoes my sentiments exactly: "You know we seem to be spending a lot of time [talking about Forsberg] and until we actually know he's coming back to the NHL, it's sort of a moot point....I'm still not convinced he's coming back to the NHL. People seem to think he's coming back to the Flyers. I'm certainly not convinced of that. People seem to think they know something we don't know." Thank you Paul, that is exactly the answer all of us want to hear, and is about the only concrete thing anyone has said regarding all of this.

Regarding the Flyers and Foppa
Do the Flyers even need Forsberg? Last year they certainly did, but he only played 40 games with them before being dealt on to a much better Predators team. The previous season he played 60 games with the Flyers. His two season totals on the team were some of the lowest in his career (missed games taken into account): 30 goals, 85 assists. I'm not saying Forsberg is a bad player, I'm saying he is a major injury risk and what he wants right now is not inline with what the Flyers need. Which brings me to:

The Foppa Conundrum
Peter Forsberg is only going to play in the NHL again if he gets to play for a team that is going to contend for a Stanley Cup - this year. He will not end up in some place like Los Angeles. In fact the better the odds of winning a Cup this year, the better the odds that Forsberg will end up there. Detroit? Ottawa?

Forsberg is expensive. We are talking at least $5 million for this year and next year. At least. Which means hitting the salary cap big time, and putting your money where your mouth is as a club owner. I'd seriously be surprised if the Flyers would do this considering their off season following last year's dismal record. Dealing Forsberg to Nashville helped them, re-signing him now (when things are going good) would be bizarre to say the least. Me thinks there are better things to do with that kind of cash - like pick up some more defense.

Philadelphia has franchise players now, they've moved forward. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I don't think fans are going to applaud an injury prone Forsberg's return to a team he's already been on twice. That would be like welcoming back Lindros. If he did come back to the Flyers, and that is a big IF, the expectations on him to perform would be gigantic. (Donovan McNabb proportions for those familiar with the minds of Philadelphia sports fans.) If I was Peter Forsberg I wouldn't want to deal with that. Personally, I'd want to go back back to Colorado...

The Cold Hard Foppa Truth
So, to put it bluntly. Cash + Cup = Forsberg on your team. But, Forsberg gets the last say in the matter. And, to go back to the beginning of this article, you better truly believe that "Forsberg is going to make your team better over night." I'm not sure anyone in the Flyers organization can truly believe that as much today as they did in 2005. Colorado yes, the Rangers probably, Detroit hmmm..., Ottawa they just pulled off a huge trade, Nashville most likely, Vancouver definitely, MODO...certainly....but the Flyers I don't think so. Then again they've lost 3 straight and Gagne's out again....naah...I still don't believe it.

Foppa Figures
During the course of 12 seasons in the NHL Forsberg has played in nearly 700 games and scored almost 250 goals. His true skill, and what has made him a star player, lies in the fact that he has racked up 623 assists in those near 700 games. Which, when all is said and done, is still more than a point a game average. If he's healthy, like he was early in his career, we're talking a 30 year a goal scorer plus 80 assists with the ability to up the level of his line mates. That would make any team a better team over night.

He's played in 7 All-Star games and won two Stanley Cups with Colorado, In addition he has won the Calder, Ross and Hart trophies. Oh, and yes, two Olympic gold medals.

We shall see, in 13 days everyone will know everything and this will just be added to the huge pile of outdated speculation and Foppa related jibberish....that is, unless he goes to Philadelphia. In which case I'll look very foolish.

NHL interview sites and podcasts

Hockey players are a different breed and listening to them talk about the game, their hometown and their lives is always entertaining. There are a number of sites on-line that feature these audio files (and in some cases video) and I'd recommend checking them out if you have an interest in getting beyond just the name and stats of player's past and present.

The Hockey Hall of Fame have a huge media library that is usually overlooked by visitors to their site. Found in their Audio/Video Vault here, they have short biography clips with a lot of seldom seen footage for nearly 50 members. They also have files from player inductions, interviews with members, and even the locker room footage following Anaheim's win of the Cup last year. You could spend easily an hour watching the footage in the Legend Spotlight section - don't miss the Bobby Orr video.

Another site, far less known than the HHOF, is a place called TheHockey.Net (great name), where they have about 3-4 dozen interviews from about 5-10 years ago as well as some video. Found here and divided into sections for Playoffs, Regular Season, Classics, and Olympics it's a trove. The site was last updated in 2003 by the looks of it, but all of the files still work. Great interviews with the likes of Mike Ricci, Al MacInnis, Alexander Mogilny, and (not to be missed) Slava Fetisov.

The NHL Radio has three podcasts (links will open in iTunes) that focus on player interviews as well as historical perspectives of the league. One on One with Sam Rosen is a weekly clip with interviews of players past and present as well as other notable figures (like Gary Bettman...). Most recently the show featured Mike Babcock, in the last month you get a two part interview with Teemu Selanne and the energetic Darren Pang.

Interviews and Features another NHL Radio segment, has almost 90 audio files from this season available to listen to. A lot of interviews with coaches around the league as well current players. Most of the content focuses on the this season and the upcoming playoffs. Highly entertaining interviews with Ovechkin among others...especially the one involving a discussion around whether or not he's old enough to drink beer.

And, finally, Doc's Classic NHL looks like it is finally back after a long hiatus. Every week the Devil's Mike Emrick narrates a 5 minute look back at a particular team, player or incident from NHL history. These are actually really entertaining as they feature audio clips from different sources as well as brief interviews. This week's subject was the 1967 Leafs team, and some highlights of the past have included the zamboni, Dave "The Hammer" Schultz, the California Seals, Patrick Roy, and a very modest Phil Housley....

If you've got any tips on other sites feel free to share them.

It's Official: 2008 Season Starts in Europe

The NHL made it official over the weekend by announcing that 4 teams will start the 2008-09 season in Europe by playing 2 games a piece in 2 cities.

The Senators and Penguins will play two games on back to back nights in Stockholm, Sweden while the Rangers and Lightning will play two in Prague, Czech Republic. The complete description and player reactions can be found at NHL.com in this article here. Jagr will finally get the chance to play in front of his fellow countryman, as well as Alfredsson.

Here in Stockholm this has obviously been big news and interest in tickets covers not just the immediate area but most of Northern Europe. Tickets haven't officially been released, the games aren't for another 8 months, but they will no doubt go quickly as soon as they become available.

As I mentioned in another post, this is really huge for Swedish hockey - especially in Stockholm where interest and resources have waned to some degree. Bringing two of the best teams in the world as well as some of the most notable players here will be a huge boost in getting the sport back into the spotlight. Despite what many believe about this country ice hockey comes in at a resounding second behind football/soccer in popularity. All this in combination with the Victoria Cup and Champions League, which is to start following next year's season, should be a major lift for European hockey.

If only there was something we could do about the issue with timezones...

Flyers Web Calendar

Here's another little calendar widget that you can post on a website, this time for my fellow Flyers fans. (And slightly modified from the original version of the JerseyCal widget.) This includes Flyers greats from the past as well as some current players to round things out (and some players based on their number alone). It will show a different player each day of the month with the corresponding jersey number. The list is as follows (using different jerseys for different eras):

1. Bernie Parent
2. Mark Howe
3. Doug Crossman
4. Barry Ashbee
5. Braydon Coburn
6. Moose Dupont
7. Bill Barber
8. Dave Schultz
9. Pelle Eklund
10. John LeClair
11. Craig Berube
12. Simon Gagne
13. Martin Biron (43)
14. Ron Sutter
15. Joffrey Lupul
16. Bobby Clarke
17. Jeff Carter
18. Mike Richards
19. Scott Mellanby
20. Dave Poulin
21. Jason Smith
22. Rick Tocchet
23. Ilka Sinisalo
24. Sami Kapanen
25. Keith Primeau
26. Brian Propp
27. Ron Hextall
28. Lasse Kukkonen
29. Todd Fedoruk
30. Antero Niitymaki
31. Pelle Lindbergh

To post the widget to your website, blog, etc simply copy and past the following code into your HTML:

<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" width="160" height="160" id="jersey" align="middle"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="false" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.hockeywidgets.com/flash/jerseyf.swf"> <param name=FlashVars VALUE="id1=0020&id2=2031&id3=1985&id4=0036&id5=9130&id6=10614&id7=0035&id8=0038&id9=2032&id10=10602&id11=2001&id12=9096&id13=9139&id14=2040&id15=9102&id16=10619&id17=9120&id18=9127&id19=2038&id20=2029&id21=9114&id22=2033&id23=1984&id24=9123&id25=11079&id26=1980&id27=10599&id28=9134&id29=2741&id30=9140&id31=11493"> <param name="quality" value="high"> <embed src="http://www.hockeywidgets.com/flash/jerseyf.swf" quality="high" FlashVars="id1=0020&id2=2031&id3=1985&id4=0036&id5=9130&id6=10614&id7=0035&id8=0038&id9=2032&id10=10602&id11=2001&id12=9096&id13=9139&id14=2040&id15=9102&id16=10619&id17=9120&id18=9127&id19=2038&id20=2029&id21=9114&id22=2033&id23=1984&id24=9123&id25=11079&id26=1980&id27=10599&id28=9134&id29=2741&id30=9140&id31=11493" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="160" height="160" wmode="transparent"></embed> </object>

You can also make your own calendar for websites using the database of over 12,000 jerseys by using the JerseyCal creation page here.

Canadiens Web Calendar

There are a couple teams that truly lend themselves to these little calendars, the Canadiens with all of their retired numbers and legends are one of them.

The widget shown here will display the date using Montreal greats such as Richard, Lafleur, Geoffrion, Beliveau, Savard, Moore, as well as modern players such as Koivu, Kovalev and Corey Price.

To display the widget on a web page simply copy and paste the following code into the appropriate spot of your HTML code:

<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" width="160" height="160" id="jersey" align="middle"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="false" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.hockeywidgets.com/flash/jersey.swf"> <param name=FlashVars VALUE="id1=0061&id2=0063&id3=10655&id4=0064&id5=0065&id6=9056&id7=0066&id8=2919&id9=0018&id10=0067&id11=9055&id12=2914&id13=0069&id14=9061&id15=0313&id16=11327&id17=11212&id18=10699&id19=2918&id20=2921&id21=0847&id22=9052&id23=2917&id24=10656&id25=9066&id26=9067&id27=9057&id28=10544&id29=0076&id30=10640&id31=10546"> <param name="quality" value="high"> <embed src="http://www.hockeywidgets.com/flash/jersey.swf" quality="high" FlashVars="id1=0061&id2=0063&id3=10655&id4=0064&id5=0065&id6=9056&id7=0066&id8=2919&id9=0018&id10=0067&id11=9055&id12=2914&id13=0069&id14=9061&id15=0313&id16=11327&id17=11212&id18=10699&id19=2918&id20=2921&id21=0847&id22=9052&id23=2917&id24=10656&id25=9066&id26=9067&id27=9057&id28=10544&id29=0076&id30=10640&id31=10546" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="160" height="160" wmode="transparent"></embed> </object>

You can make your own calendars using jerseys from the database by using the creation page here.

ALF and the Islanders

I was watching ALF today, as one does, when I came across something interesting. If you've never seen the tv show ALF you are about to learn some very useless knowledge...so bare with me.

In this particular episode - in season three (episode 77 originally aired May 1st, 1989) and entitled Shake, Rattle and Roll (yes, I own it on DVD...), there is a scene that takes place in Brian's bedroom. I could go in to detail and set things up, but suffice to say ALF has spawned much canned laughter due to an irrational fear of earthquakes. Now, the Tanner household is in Los Angeles (hence the earthquakes), but what appears on the wall? A New York Islanders pennant of all things.

One could assume that this is nothing more than filler from the props department to help in decorating Brian's room to look appropriately...well like a tv studio version of a child's bedroom. OR one could actually try and truly stretch things and make the guess that Paul Fusco, the creator of ALF, who hails from New Haven, CT is actually an Islanders fan.

I don't suppose we'll ever know...

AN UPDATE:
Well, about 3 episodes later I can confirm that it is not a coincidence and not just filler. There appears on the other side of the room above Brian's desk an Islanders wall calendar. A serious Isles fan is somewhere amongst the ALF cast and crew.

Flyers-Penguins at Penn State - A closer look

The NHL has not even discussed it, but the dream machine is in full swing.

The idea of the Flyers playing the Penguins in State College at some point has quickly shot to the top of the conjecture list for future outdoor NHL games. It should probably be pointed out that this is not just a rumor being thrown around, but is actually even less than that. The "idea" was merely thrown out there by the Flyers GM Paul Holmgren in mid-December as something he would like to see - annually. The Philadelphia Daily News published the account back on December 17th, and the article can be found on-line here via Philly.com. Accordingly, the Flyers coach John Stevens endorsed the idea as well - and who wouldn't?

The Penguins got word of the potential game and a write-up was featured in the Post-Gazette on the 18th of December found here. The article features the re-echoing of probably the most vivid sentiment regarding the game's possibility coming from R.J.Umberger of the Flyers (who is a native of Pittsburgh) saying, "Just imagine how intense and fun that would be in an outdoor game. To play at Penn State there, the fans from Pittsburgh and Philly, it would be insane, probably one of the best games in NHL history." Anyone who has ever been to a Penn State football game, or even Punxsutawney for Groundhog's Day, knows just how accurate those words are. Because, when it comes down to it this would not just be an NHL game, it would be an event not unlike Woodstock for the state of Pennsylvania. People would flock to this just to be part of an atmosphere, to be around thousands of other Pennsylvanians, to say they were there, and to say their side of the state is the better of the two. (There is a rivalry, it's a friendly one, but that doesn't mean it isn't intense.)

What isn't there to actually like about this possibility? Allow me to jack things into the stratosphere with some more:
just think of the food and drink at something like this. Cheesesteaks, pierogies, soft pretzels, Devonshire sandwiches, those Primanti Brothers things and on one side Yuengling and on the other Iron City. It would have to be a two-day event.

The weather - more than likely ten types of cold with a good chance of snow. And as we saw in the Winter Classic, snow is a necessity for an outdoor hockey game. As I write this it is a blistering 14 degrees fahrenheit in State College (according to Weather.com) - which is about normal for January as a low. The average temperature is about 26 this time of year. So no problems selling logo-laden toques and Wawa coffee.

The location - State College is smack in the middle of the state roughly 3 1/2 hours from Philadelphia and 3 hours from Pittsburgh. It's neutral territory...and just about everyone has been there at least once before. There is plenty of lodging in the area, and the truly hardy could make the return home after the game.

The stadium - Beaver Stadium is massive. How big? The second largest in the country (the sixth largest in the world). Three months ago they filled it with a greater than capacity 110,134 people. If they can get anywhere near that many for a hockey game you'd have one heck of an atmosphere.

The rivalry - besides the Eastern PA - Western PA thing, there is a somewhat lost rivalry between the Penguins and Flyers. Not as highly contested as the Battle of New York, the Battle of Pennsylvania has had some pretty notorious games in the past. There have been some pretty ugly brawls and the third longest game in NHL history was one the Flyers won in the fifth overtime period against the Pens in the 2000 playoffs. Then of course we have the current spat ongoing this season with the whole Smith slashing Crosby thing, with the last meeting of the teams ending 8-2 with 8 misconducts in the third period. The complete box score is here, if you want to see the entire story. The next match is Jan. 24th.

Uniforms - well, if the idea of wearing vintage jerseys continues with outdoor games then the Flyers are going to have to break out the orange here. If they were to wear the 80's-90's away jerseys I think you'd see a mindboggling output of emotion from the Philadelphia fans. Pittsburgh has now done the blue if they came decked out in the Lemiuex-era whites from their Cup winning days the scene would be complete.

So, as you can see the potential of how great an event this could truly be is amazing. It really could be, as Umberger said, one of the greatest games in NHL history.

If Paul Holmgren gets his wish, and this not only comes off but actually becomes an annual event, then it's going to need a name. (It will, without a doubt be referred to as the Battle of Pennsylvania to some degree.) Winter Classic isn't going to cut it for something like this, nor will any corporate nonsense like AMP Keystone State Classic. They'll need something truly original for this one. Might I even suggest having some sort of symbolic trophy to be awarded yearly to the winning team - not unlike The Ashes. Nothing in the rulebooks states that we are no longer allowed to create great traditions. I think we have the makings of the "Keystone Cup" here.

(As a sidenote - currently 3 players from PA are on the two team's rosters, accounting for half the Pennsylvania born players in the league, to them this would really be something.)

Winter Classic - Some Thoughts

It was a heck of a game, and if anyone was the true winner it was probably the guys who organized an event like this and had it go off with nothing worse than one stubborn hole in the ice. It ended the only way something like this could have ended, with Crosby going five-hole on Ryan Miller as the last shooter in the shoot out. You just can't script a better ending for the NHL's big shining moment on NBC and for once the focus of the sporting world. (There was of course a small college football game called the Rose Bowl today...but weather conditions were more favorable there and they have experience playing outside.)

Opponents of the shoot out will have their issues (and I am one of them), but considering the weather and the game, you have to admit that a 1-1 tie would have been a serious dissapointment. That someone could skate away the winner of such a game has some merit to it - even though it wasn't the home team Buffalo. Although, based on the jerseys in the stands, it's hard to say who really was the home team there. Powder blue was mighty plentiful in the crowd.

Speaking of which, I think we have seen the beginning of what will probably (finally) become a lot more common place in the league: teams wearing vintage jerseys. Heritage jerseys aside, hoopla aside, and wishful thinking aside, if you can honestly say that either one of those teams didn't look brilliant on the ice than you were blinded by the snow. Stop the presses and throw third jerseys out the window. If they can make those old blue Pens jerseys look that good using the Rbk Edge design and fabrics, then you can only imagine what they can do with some other classics. If Reebok wants to make their jerseys a huge attraction and focus, then I think they just found a better way to do it than adding an 8% speed increase and non-water absorbing fabrics. (In a related note the jerseys used were the "Edge 2" model which incorporate a variation on the types of fabrics used in certain parts.)

Snow. Lots of snow. And lots of cleaning of the ice. And a broken zamboni. Because of snow. But, it didn't go so far as to ruin the game and I think it actually added to the atmosphere. Heck, at least it wasn't a cold rain for 3 hours, that really would have killed things. If they have the gall to play "Let it Snow, Let is Snow, Let it Snow" over the PA, then things couldn't have been that bad for the 71,000+ people who were in attendance. The fact that it was 1-1 through regulation, and not 7-5 is also a good sign that the goalies weren't completely at a disadvantage in regards to seeing the game play. (Although, I think some of this was also due in part to the low number of shots in general and the speed of the game being rather hampered by conditions.) No snow for an outdoor hockey game would be like an open air music festival without rain and mud.

So, was it a success? I'd say so. It wasn't called after the second period, there were no weather related disputes or "scandals". Nobody got hurt because of the hole in the ice, and the goals remained on the pegs when they needed to. The name "Winter Classic" sounds to me like it implies an event that is recurring, and I'm guessing that when the NHL reviews the game and everything surrounding it that they will definitely begin looking at the next outdoor game. Where and when it will be held is anybody's guess. Seems like everybody wants one of these things now. Philadelphia wants to play Pittsburgh at Penn State, I'm sure Buffalo will want another match, Detroit wants one... They could make an entire weekend out of these matches. Someone on the CBC even suggested having the All-Star game held outside... Seems like the NHL may finally be making some headway when it comes to bringing the sport back to it's elements (and back to the fans).

All in all it was a great way for the league to start the new year.

Winter Classic - King of Retro

In just about an hour the sports world will be treated to not only the first official NHL game played outdoors in the US, but also the ultimate retro event. How retro? King of retro - it seems no stone has been left unturned when it comes to making this game look "old".

Jerseys
As was reveiled months ago the Penguins will be wearing their light blue jerseys which they wore between 1968-73, the only difference being that they are using their current number font. The Sabres are wearing their original white jerseys which were in use between 1978 (when the patches were added to the shoulders) and 1996 (when they changed everything). In addition to wearing the old jerseys they are also using the old system of white at home and dark for the away team.

The jerseys themselves are actually using the Rbk Edge templates, however they are the new "Edge 2" design, which apparently makes some changes to the fabrics used in certain parts. This is the first time these will be used in a game and whether it is Reebok's intention to expand this to the rest of the league remains to be seen.

Pittsburgh is apparently so pleased with the blue jerseys that they plan on appealing to the league to officially adopt them as an alternate jersey for next season.

Goalie Pads
Dany Sabourin, although not scheduled to start, has some mighty cool retro looking Sher-Wood pads and gloves. Complete with the old waffleboard style blocker. Larger images can be found here. It's too bad nobody has them, nor have any of the goalies gone with the old fibreglass style masks. (Although one can understand the decision not to.)

Sticks
According the the Penguins website in an article here, some players will actually be using "retro-looking" sticks. They haven't been unveiled yet, but are apparently the same carbon composite sticks designed to look as if they are all wood. Talk about taking things seriously. Hopefully we'll get some close up shots of these during or after the game.

In addition to all the hype and sideshow stuff surrounding the gear, there will in fact be a hockey game. If you aren't fortunate enough to be able to watch it, and in the case of this game it's definitely something that needs to be seen, you can always listen to it via NHL Game Radio where all NHL games are available live here.

2008 NHL Season to start in Stockholm

Well, this is interesting, if you happen to live in Stockholm, Sweden - which I do. For the rest of you this is this year's matches in London again. The only difference is that next year the season will start with Ottawa vs. Pittsburgh playing two games at Stockholms Globe Arena (more commonly known as Globen).

The source for this bit of information is not NHL.com, but rather Eurosport's Swedish website so one will have to take it with a grain of salt. However they cite a "reliable source" for giving them the heads up. A spokesperson for the arena merely said that they cannot confirm the event.

NHL exhibition games have been played in Stockholm before, most notably when hometown hero Mats Sundin and the Maple Leafs played here a few years ago. These would be the first official matches ever played in Sweden.

If you ask me this all seems a bit too good to be true, I mean Ottawa vs Pittsburgh? That is just a little too close to, "What is the best possible matchup we could see?" Not that I'd complain if this turns out to be the case, but I wouldn't put any money down on this or mark it my calendar for next October quite yet.

BUT, what if it did happen? Well, it certainly would be a major help to Swedish hockey, especially in Stockholm where things are none too good. Of the three teams here only one is in the Elite League, the other two are tier 2, one in the middle of the pack the other dead last and very much in danger of bankruptcy and worse.

The odd thing is that hockey is just not big in Sweden's capital and largest city. (Soccer, football, by comparison is mammoth. )Attendance at games is paltry at best, with the Elite League games topping out at less than about 5,000 and other games getting as few as 500 on some nights. They've moved games from the fore mentioned Globe Arena to a smaller venue because the atmosphere is hardly conducive when 80% of the seats are empty.

The chance to turn the focus once again towards hockey in the media, even if it is for two games, would be a much needed kick start to what was once a thriving hockey town. Crosby, Malkin and Alfredsson coming to town would be huge. (All we've got right now is Ed Belfour.)

Hopefully this does come to pass, because if anywhere needed this kind of hockey savior it is Stockholm.

The article on Eurosport (in Swedish) can be found here.

A brief, and somewhat questionably, translated English version can be found here.