Hockeyfan.org - By a Hockey Fan for Hockey Fans

To start this entry, I want to welcome Mats Sundin to Vancouver and congratulations to rookie GM Mike Gillis for convincing him to sign with the Canucks. It’s going to be interesting to see how quickly he gets up to speed with the Canucks lineup and who coach Vigneault will have him play with. And while it doesn’t make Vancouver Stanley Cup favourites, it really does bolster the team well and gives the Canucks a very powerful top 6.

But that’s enough about Mats. But I have to add I’m really looking forward to seeing Cody Hodgson in a Canucks uniform… he’s going to be a special player.

What I really want to talk about is the World Junior Championships and a rule change that needs to be made.

This has been said before by more hockey knowledgeable than I, but I want to say it anyway – the IIHF needs to change the tie break rule so it’s no longer based on goal differential. I’m sitting here watching the Canada vs. Kazakhstan, its 15-0 and the shot differential is something like 54-12. While I’m always proud to see Canada do well, this is really ridiculous.

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I’ve been meaning to sit down and get another post together for a while now, so please forgive me if this seems a bit jumbled – lots to think about this week.

If Jim Balsille is actually in the process of purchasing a 27% stake in the Nashville Predators (as reported), he’s actually doing it the right way this time. No season ticket sales in Hamilton, no big news articles, no showing up at the Sommet Center with the teams’ logo on his Blackberry. If indeed he is, he’s keeping it low key; and this is a good thing.

I hope Jim Balsille gets an NHL franchise. I hope he can eventually get one moved back into Canada. This would be good for the game and great for the league. He seems to love the game and really wants to be involved with it. That’s more than can be said of a number of owners who are only phoning it in, who don’t have passion for the game and more importantly are more concerned about the bottom line than winning.

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I think it’s sad that the only thing Leaf fans seem to be looking forward to is the possibility of getting the chance to draft John Tavares. While I’m no fan of Toronto, it’s a shame to see such a storied franchise in its current state.

Unfortunately Leaf fans, this will not change until the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan (OTPP) finally sells its stake in MSLE.

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I apologize to the few of you that actually read my blog. Life has been most hectic and I’ve neglected this blog for far too long. So, without further ado, here we go

I don’t know about you, but I’m really tired of the whole Sundin saga. I understand (in hockey player years) he’s old. I understand he’s a vet. I understand he’s made a whole lot of money. But what he still needs to make is a decision - and he’s taking far to long to do so.

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I still can’t believe what Chris Simon did to Ryan Hollweg. What he did was inexcusable and I personally think that the punishment handed down by the NHL wasn’t near enough. This is (in my opinion) just as bad (if not worse) as the Bertuzzi incident of almost 2 years ago and it should warrant the same kind of suspension.

There is no place in the game for stick work like this and Colin Campbell totally blew the opportunity to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again by slapping Simon with a huge fine and a very lengthy suspension.

What I don’t understand is how the suspensions are doled out from the league. They really need to stop taking into account the result and only consider the intent.

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This whole Saskin debacle has gone on long enough and the members of the NHLPA need to fix it, and soon.

While I’m sure other greater hockey minds have said the same thing, I just can’t believe how long and drawn out this has been. If the players don’t want him as the head of their Union, he should be out. Done. Finished. Kaput.

What would be (in my opinion) a better move is for Saskin to settle this once and for all. Temporarily step down and have the players vote on whether to formally install him as the head of the NHLPA.

This whole power play has started to feel Eagleson-esque. And it needs to stop before things get further out of hand.

While I try very hard to ensure I don’t make this a Vancouver Canucks centric blog, I have to take this opportunity to praise my boys after a hard fought OT win last night in Minnesota.