Hockey north of the US Canadian border seems to carry more sway than any political, national or international moment. Hockey is far more than a sport to most Canadians, it's a catalyst for memories of our youth. Whether it's playing hockey on a frozen pond after the snow has been shoveled to the edges, or playing on the street in between cars and until the street lights come on. Hockey brings back crystal clear memories for most Canadians. Used to be mostly boys, but times have changed, and with the rise of women's hockey, many grown women for this and future generations will be sharing those same memories. And, that's why hockey means so much more than just a sport to most of us. It's a nostalgic reminder of a less troubled past, and a reminder of a happy youth.
Not Just A Sedimental Journey
Hockey is great sport first of all, for a variety of reasons. It's truly exciting to watch. Because of the ice surface it's played on, very few sports can match the speed at which the players move about the field of play. It moves as a game, really moves! Both the players and the puck. The tide can turn quickly in a hockey game, and you really can't let down your guard down for a moment. There can be long periods of no scoring, with lots of back and forth action. But then, in a heart beat the other team scores, and maybe a second or third goal shortly after, and fortunes have been reversed. I can think of no other sport that causes such heart-stopping, breath-holding, sheer intensity as when another team is pressing for a goal during a power play or man advantage after pulling their goalie. Usually it resembles some kind of train wreck in front of the goalie, with shot after shot, as the goalie goes down and up time and time again. Defensemen sliding desperately, risking injury to stop the puck, in the hopes, that the final seconds will elapse and the hockey game will be theirs.
The Great Ones and The Great One
Those nostalgic memories of hockey are not just of our own epic battles played between the street curbs and mounds of recently shoveled snow. There were of course the hockey legends themselves battling against one another. Hockey night in Canada is truly as much a national treasure, as any to this nation. During our formative years watching the great hockey teams and their rivalries were both a patriotic right and a duty. And then reliving those times in our own backyard rinks and streets, as we assumed the persona's of our favorite teams and players, to crush the opposing neighborhood kids with spectacular hockey moves, only to be followed only be even more spectacular goals. Truly times to be remembered, and cherished.
It's Not Just Our Game
The game is shared now. With other players, and other nations. Everyone plays, and their current and future generations are building their own great hockey memories. Andthat's OK. I just wonder, if those memories will rule their hearts and nations one day as they do ours.
By: Chris Campbell
For more on hockey visit http://www.hockeyplayonline.com or read other hockey articles at http://foolishmumbles.com/category/hockey/
Saturday, December 20, 2008
The Rise And Fall Of Professional Hockey
I remember a time when hockey was awesome. You know, before the strike and the fall from popular demand and interest? It wasn't just Canada then either--the NHL was chock full of talented players and dominating teams. Sadly, I fear those days are over.
It used to be about respect for the players and the team coordination, but recently it has been more about the hockey fights. Everyone loves a good hockey fight. Usually they are provoked, but you still never quite expect them to happen so fast. Next thing you know fists are flying and someone gets stuffed into the penalty box. Sure, they are entertaining to watch, but what about the game? I mean, hockey has always been a very physical and dangerous game. Between the fights, the body checking, and just the painful smack of the puck you know you had better be wearing proper padding for such a physical game.
That is why hockey equipment is so vital to the health and well being of the players, especially the goalie. They have one of the most demanding jobs on the ice. When a player takes a slap shot, you had better believe the goalie is terribly glad to have a proper hockey goalie mask to protect himself. The amount of padding a hockey player wears, especially the goalie, is greater than other sports. The hockey puck looks innocuous but at high speeds can cause massive bruising (hematoma), fractured bones, broken bones and skin abrasions. So, you better believe those goalies have the best you can buy when it comes to hockey equipment.
Of course, hockey would not still be alive and kicking if it wasn't for the fans. Hockey fans go all out to support their team from wearing NHL team hard hats like these: http://www.sports-collectibles-store.com/NHL_Hard_Hats-p-1-c-32.html to show their team spirit. Of course, the fans show up in droves to watch their team through every shot, check and fight.
By: Richard Pace
Richard Pace is an aspiring sports columnist with dreams of writing for ESPN. If you would like to read more of his articles, please visit National Hockey League collectibles stories.
It used to be about respect for the players and the team coordination, but recently it has been more about the hockey fights. Everyone loves a good hockey fight. Usually they are provoked, but you still never quite expect them to happen so fast. Next thing you know fists are flying and someone gets stuffed into the penalty box. Sure, they are entertaining to watch, but what about the game? I mean, hockey has always been a very physical and dangerous game. Between the fights, the body checking, and just the painful smack of the puck you know you had better be wearing proper padding for such a physical game.
That is why hockey equipment is so vital to the health and well being of the players, especially the goalie. They have one of the most demanding jobs on the ice. When a player takes a slap shot, you had better believe the goalie is terribly glad to have a proper hockey goalie mask to protect himself. The amount of padding a hockey player wears, especially the goalie, is greater than other sports. The hockey puck looks innocuous but at high speeds can cause massive bruising (hematoma), fractured bones, broken bones and skin abrasions. So, you better believe those goalies have the best you can buy when it comes to hockey equipment.
Of course, hockey would not still be alive and kicking if it wasn't for the fans. Hockey fans go all out to support their team from wearing NHL team hard hats like these: http://www.sports-collectibles-store.com/NHL_Hard_Hats-p-1-c-32.html to show their team spirit. Of course, the fans show up in droves to watch their team through every shot, check and fight.
By: Richard Pace
Richard Pace is an aspiring sports columnist with dreams of writing for ESPN. If you would like to read more of his articles, please visit National Hockey League collectibles stories.
The 4 Fundamentals of Top Ice Hockey Skating
In ice hockey, skating can make or break you. Here are the 4 fundamentals to becoming a top performing ice hockey skater, plus 4 extra techniques to push you right over the edge!
1. A solid, well-balanced stance is basic to any degree of speed you want to attain. If you will work on your starts, stops, and turns as described, you will be well on your way to good balance.
2. In striding, you have better balance if you skate with your feet about shoulder width apart. If your feet are too close together, you are more easily knocked off-balance in the heavy going of a game.
3. The faster you skate, the more you should bend forward from the waist. The comparison here is to the body-lean of a sprinter doing the 100-yard dash and the striding form of a two-miler. During the course of a hockey game, you will be both a sprinter and a strider as the play dictates. But when you really want to dig fast, with or without the puck, you should lean well into it.
4. For straight-ahead speed, your power comes from the thrust you get when the knee of the digging foot straightens. To get maximum thrust, the knee of the leg coming forward should be well bent. Be sure you carry this knee forward ahead of the foot. Then when you place your foot on the ice, you get full muscle power when the knee straightens.
Top athletes, especially outstanding track stars, recognize the importance of leg power and do something about it. They use a principle of training known as over-load. And you can use your own form of it, too. Here are some methods of over- loading:
1. Drive yourself all out as long as you are on the ice during scrimmage. Do not just coast around the rink on skates; they will do most of the work for you if you let them.
2. Skate in short, hard bursts, gradually building up the number of lengths of ice you can do successively.
3. Get a buddy to let you push him up and down the ice. You are over-loading by the amount he weighs.
4. In testing yourself at top speed, keep up a continual refrain in your mind: "I can go faster yet!" Be sure to warm up well before any all-out test.
If you study these 4 fundamentals and over-load with the 4 techniques above, you will improve your skating skills dramatically. And that in turn will improve your overall ice hockey performance.
FREE ice hockey training can be found at Sir Jon Weaver's information web site. Discover the secrets to performing at the top of your game, with a focus on beginners. It's FREE! Click here: www.HockeyForBeginners.com
By: Jon Weaver
1. A solid, well-balanced stance is basic to any degree of speed you want to attain. If you will work on your starts, stops, and turns as described, you will be well on your way to good balance.
2. In striding, you have better balance if you skate with your feet about shoulder width apart. If your feet are too close together, you are more easily knocked off-balance in the heavy going of a game.
3. The faster you skate, the more you should bend forward from the waist. The comparison here is to the body-lean of a sprinter doing the 100-yard dash and the striding form of a two-miler. During the course of a hockey game, you will be both a sprinter and a strider as the play dictates. But when you really want to dig fast, with or without the puck, you should lean well into it.
4. For straight-ahead speed, your power comes from the thrust you get when the knee of the digging foot straightens. To get maximum thrust, the knee of the leg coming forward should be well bent. Be sure you carry this knee forward ahead of the foot. Then when you place your foot on the ice, you get full muscle power when the knee straightens.
Top athletes, especially outstanding track stars, recognize the importance of leg power and do something about it. They use a principle of training known as over-load. And you can use your own form of it, too. Here are some methods of over- loading:
1. Drive yourself all out as long as you are on the ice during scrimmage. Do not just coast around the rink on skates; they will do most of the work for you if you let them.
2. Skate in short, hard bursts, gradually building up the number of lengths of ice you can do successively.
3. Get a buddy to let you push him up and down the ice. You are over-loading by the amount he weighs.
4. In testing yourself at top speed, keep up a continual refrain in your mind: "I can go faster yet!" Be sure to warm up well before any all-out test.
If you study these 4 fundamentals and over-load with the 4 techniques above, you will improve your skating skills dramatically. And that in turn will improve your overall ice hockey performance.
FREE ice hockey training can be found at Sir Jon Weaver's information web site. Discover the secrets to performing at the top of your game, with a focus on beginners. It's FREE! Click here: www.HockeyForBeginners.com
By: Jon Weaver
Choosing a Winning Hockey Pool
Picking a winning hockey pool involves more than simply going online and downloading last year's scoring statistics and starting from the top down. Anybody can do that! To be a successful hockey prognosticator, you must be able to find players who will exceed their point totals from last year and not simply go with last year's Art Ross Trophy winner with your first pick.
This theory holds true if you picked Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis to repeat his 2003-2004 season when he tallied 94 points. Last season, I'm willing to wager that St. Louis was a hot commodity and probably picked in everybody's hockey pool in the first or second round because he had one good season. Can't find St. Louis on last year's scoring list? Well, that's because he didn't make it into last year's Top 50 scorers - in fact St. Louis finished tied for 76th overall in scoring with Maple Leafs "super sniper" Darcy Tucker with a grand total of 61 points.
Another strategy to remember in picking a winning hockey pool is selecting players who have a history of consistency. When I think of consistency, I think of players like Joe Sakic, Brad Richards, Mats Sundin, and Daniel Alfredsson. These players are also consistent "point-per-game" players which is crucial in picking a successful hockey pool. Even though some of these players won't compete for this year's Art Ross trophy, they have a history of finishing in the top 25 players in scoring. These types of players are guys you know who are going to show up every night to play and you will thank yourself every night when you look at the box scores.
In most hockey pools, it is usually required to take at least a couple of defensemen but knowing what round to start picking defensemen is another strategy. Last season, the top scoring defenseman in the NHL was Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom who finished with 80 points - good enough for 25th in overall points. The next highest defenseman was Dallas' Sergei Zubov who had 71 points and finished 48th overall in scoring. The bottom line here is only 2 D-Men finished in the top 50 so don't waste your time worrying about selecting a defenseman in the first few rounds of your hockey pool. If you think a forward is still out there that could conceivably score more points then the defenseman you want to pick, take the forward - it will probably pay off in the long run. However, when it does come time to start picking defensemen, the number one rule is pick a player who is going to see a ton of ice time each night and is also going to be a major factor on the power play.
In some hockey pools, it's also customary to pick at least one goaltender for the year. Depending on how points are allocated, goaltenders can be big point producers in any hockey pool. The best advice is to pick a goaltender that is an established number 1 that will play 65 to 75 games and has a good defence in front of him that can earn him a few shutouts. Be careful in picking a good goaltender that plays for a bad team - i.e. Nikolai Khabibulin on Chicago or Olaf Kolzig in Washington. Remember, no goalie is capable of winning a game alone, so make sure he has a solid a solid team in front of him.
It also pays do some homework and find out if any players are injured before the season starts or if they are involved in contract disputes. Having players missing from your line in the early months will set you back early in the season and you may never get a chance to catch up. Similarly, if want to pick injury prone players, make sure your hockey pool rules include a re-draft halfway through the season where you can drop players who are injured or underperforming. You may also want to check in to find out what players are in the final years of their contract and may be looking for that big raise the following year. Players who are due to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season are usually the best examples of this philosophy.
Keep in mind too; a player may have missed some games the previous season, thus his stats might not be at the very top of the list. An excellent example of this strategy is Bruins centre Marc Savard. Two seasons ago, Savard tallied 52 points in only 45 games and therefore didn't register in the top 25 in scoring. Last season, Savard played in all 82 games and rung up 97 points with the Atlanta Thrashers.
So on draft day, print out a copy of the top 250-300 players from the previous season and go through every player thoroughly and ask yourself, can this player improve on his stats from last year? Could this player do better now that he's playing on a different team with different linemates?
By: John Smith
This theory holds true if you picked Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis to repeat his 2003-2004 season when he tallied 94 points. Last season, I'm willing to wager that St. Louis was a hot commodity and probably picked in everybody's hockey pool in the first or second round because he had one good season. Can't find St. Louis on last year's scoring list? Well, that's because he didn't make it into last year's Top 50 scorers - in fact St. Louis finished tied for 76th overall in scoring with Maple Leafs "super sniper" Darcy Tucker with a grand total of 61 points.
Another strategy to remember in picking a winning hockey pool is selecting players who have a history of consistency. When I think of consistency, I think of players like Joe Sakic, Brad Richards, Mats Sundin, and Daniel Alfredsson. These players are also consistent "point-per-game" players which is crucial in picking a successful hockey pool. Even though some of these players won't compete for this year's Art Ross trophy, they have a history of finishing in the top 25 players in scoring. These types of players are guys you know who are going to show up every night to play and you will thank yourself every night when you look at the box scores.
In most hockey pools, it is usually required to take at least a couple of defensemen but knowing what round to start picking defensemen is another strategy. Last season, the top scoring defenseman in the NHL was Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom who finished with 80 points - good enough for 25th in overall points. The next highest defenseman was Dallas' Sergei Zubov who had 71 points and finished 48th overall in scoring. The bottom line here is only 2 D-Men finished in the top 50 so don't waste your time worrying about selecting a defenseman in the first few rounds of your hockey pool. If you think a forward is still out there that could conceivably score more points then the defenseman you want to pick, take the forward - it will probably pay off in the long run. However, when it does come time to start picking defensemen, the number one rule is pick a player who is going to see a ton of ice time each night and is also going to be a major factor on the power play.
In some hockey pools, it's also customary to pick at least one goaltender for the year. Depending on how points are allocated, goaltenders can be big point producers in any hockey pool. The best advice is to pick a goaltender that is an established number 1 that will play 65 to 75 games and has a good defence in front of him that can earn him a few shutouts. Be careful in picking a good goaltender that plays for a bad team - i.e. Nikolai Khabibulin on Chicago or Olaf Kolzig in Washington. Remember, no goalie is capable of winning a game alone, so make sure he has a solid a solid team in front of him.
It also pays do some homework and find out if any players are injured before the season starts or if they are involved in contract disputes. Having players missing from your line in the early months will set you back early in the season and you may never get a chance to catch up. Similarly, if want to pick injury prone players, make sure your hockey pool rules include a re-draft halfway through the season where you can drop players who are injured or underperforming. You may also want to check in to find out what players are in the final years of their contract and may be looking for that big raise the following year. Players who are due to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season are usually the best examples of this philosophy.
Keep in mind too; a player may have missed some games the previous season, thus his stats might not be at the very top of the list. An excellent example of this strategy is Bruins centre Marc Savard. Two seasons ago, Savard tallied 52 points in only 45 games and therefore didn't register in the top 25 in scoring. Last season, Savard played in all 82 games and rung up 97 points with the Atlanta Thrashers.
So on draft day, print out a copy of the top 250-300 players from the previous season and go through every player thoroughly and ask yourself, can this player improve on his stats from last year? Could this player do better now that he's playing on a different team with different linemates?
By: John Smith
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)