Wax Stain Rookie: Yvan Cournoyer

 Wax Stain Wednesday is a regular feature on Dirty Dangle. Our pal Dave at Wax Stain Rookie is an avid autograph and card collector and has some amazing experiences to share with us. WARNING: these posts may make you want to buy a Beckett and get those dusty hockey cards out from under your bed that you hide from your girlfriend like a secret porn collection.

The Montreal Canadiens have been the most successful franchise in the history of the NHL and one of the most successful in all professional sports. As a result, it should come as no surprise that people who have played for the club have won a couple Stanley Cups. However, 10 Stanley Cups, that impresses me no matter WHAT team you played for. Yvan Cournoyer won 10 Cups as a player and that only trails Henri Richard with 11 Cups by a player.

Old School Video Game Review: NHL 97 for Sega

I remember the first time I played this game. My brothers and I had bought it from Zellers and had run home to play it on our Sega Genesis. We were so excited we moved the system onto our big 40" TV at the time. I also remember playing it for Playstation soon after and thinking at the time how brutal it was. The play was choppy, the graphics hurting - the whole thing felt rushed.

NHL 97 had so many new features it was almost overwhelming, similar to the new EA games in which there are so many game modes to choose from. There were international teams, skills competition events, and our favourite addition: special skills for certain players.

The game featured Team Canada, Team USA, Team Russia and Team Europe teams for the first time. It was pretty cool to be able to play with your country and real players for the first time,and redeem that 1996 World Cup of Hockey loss.

Why Are The Islanders Playing Around With Niederreiter?

I want to point out that at this time I am not an NHL General Manager (I am a hell of a fantasy GM though), so I can’t be giving out advice to real GM’s, but if I could get a hold of Garth Snow I would ask him: “What the hell are you doing with Nino?” 

Sunday Recovery

After an eventful Saturday of hockey (and probably heavy drinking), it's time to relax and recover with some light reading and highlights from this past week in the hockey world.

Welcome to another edition of Sunday Recovery for all you hungover hockey fans out there. Apologies for the late start, as I slept in like Joel Ward today.

3-Point-Games: Like or Loath?

As a Leaf fan, I realized just how hard it is to catch teams you are chasing in the standings when a team can lose a game, but still get a point in overtime or the shootout. Now when I hear of a game going to overtime, I don't think of how exciting the 4-on-4 play will be, but that the game is now a 3-point-game. The worst is when your team loses a tight 1 goal game, and then you see highlights of two teams from your conference head to overtime and know that both teams are pulling ahead of your team in the standings. This really increases your bar tab at the end of the night.

Mike Smith: Stopping Pucks In The Desert

It appears as though Mike Smith has finally become the #1 goalie that Tampa and Dallas thought he could be. Unfortunately for those teams, he is standing on his head these days for the Phoenix Coyotes.

Around The League In 30 Teams: Best Addition, Worst Addition and Biggest Breakthrough

Our buddy Ben who is living out in B.C these days chasing West Coast tail sent this our way. 

His thoughts on the 30 teams around the league as we take a night off to drink.

You might agree with Ben, but if not and you feel the urge to chirp him, shoot him an email

Who The Hell Is Matt Read?

We've all heard the hype surrounding Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, we know that Luke Adam was the 2011 AHL Rookie of the Year, and we expected that Adam Larsson would be a horse on the blueline. All of these players are having awesome rookie campaigns, but right now the NHL's rookie goal scoring leader is Matt Read. Which begs the question - who the hell is Matt Read?

Did The Sedin's Switch Jerseys?

Yes. This is a Sedin photoshop... or is it?

When you think of the Sedin twins you probably think of redheads with telepathic abilities. No? Just us? Well often when think of them as players it's easy to differentiate the two as when you think of Daniel, you think of the goal scorer; and when you think of Henrik, you think of the playmaker. 

Wax Stain Rookie: Martin Brodeur

Wax Stain Wednesday is a regular feature on Dirty Dangle. Our pal Dave at Wax Stain Rookie is an avid autograph and card collector and has some amazing experiences to share with us. WARNING: these posts may make you want to buy a Beckett and get those dusty hockey cards out from under your bed that you hide from your girlfriend like a secret porn collection.

Who is the greatest goaltender of all-time? A good way to start a bar fight if you ask me. Fact is, there is much more debate in this question than if I asked “who is the greatest defenseman of all-time?” I don’t think I can answer the question of who is the greatest goalie of all-time without asking which era?

Potential Scenarios For Milan Lucic In Buffalo

Immediately after the Sabres and Bruins last meeting, most hockey fans circled this date on their calendar as a must-watch game. In case you missed it, Milan Lucic bowled over Ryan Miller and the Sabres star goaltender has been out ever since with a concussion. There was little retaliation by the Sabres players on Lucic following the hit, which led to a team meeting to discuss how the team dealt with the incident. 

What Should We Expect From Sidney Crosby?

We guess it's mandatory that we write up something about Sid the Kid. Watching him light it up last night was pretty special, there was just that feeling that he would step up and deliver and boy did he (really glad I took him in my weekly pool). Notching 2 goals and 2 assists after not playing a game for almost a year is pretty amazing, even if it did come against a brutal Islanders team.

Twitter Tips For Brian Burke

@coachrw63 You're fired. Pack your bags and leave immediately. #jk #lmfao

In case you live under a rock, Brian Burke is now on Twitter. This is a big step for the Maple Leafs GM as he becomes the third NHL GM to join the Twitterverse, and one of many in the Maple Leafs organization to start tweeting. Brian Burke started his Twitter career off by announcing his debut, and warning to dispel all fake accounts (we're looking at your DGB). On a serious note, Burke plans to use his account to inform fans, hopefully entertain followers and provide clarity for the #Leafs when needed. If he keeps to his word, he has the potential to be a hilarious online presence. 

Sunday Recovery

After an eventful Saturday of hockey (and probably heavy drinking), it's time to relax and recover with some light reading and highlights from this past week in the hockey world.

Insert mandatory Phil Kessel/Alex Ovechkin stats since All-Star Game Fantasy Draft joke

Sunday Recovery is back for all you hungover hockey fans. We know the feeling when you wake up thinking Milan Lucic just ran you over and all you want to do is lie around and be lazier than an Alexei Kovalev backcheck. So grab a Gatorade and enjoy.

Will Alex Galchenyuk Slip In The 2012 NHL Draft?

Have you heard of Sarnia Sting forward Alex Galchenyuk? If you are just a casual hockey fan probably not, but this is a player you'll be watching in the NHL one day. Galchenyuk was projected to be a Top 5 pick in the pre-season draft predictions, and some scouts even thought he could be drafted as high as 3rd in the 2012 NHL Draft.

Marc-André Bergeron: The NHL Booty Call

When you take a look at the top point getters who play defence you will notice Marc-André Bergeron near the top of that list. So far in 18 games he has scored 3 goals and has 14 assists for 17 points. Pretty solid production from the backend, and really good production considering he is signed for 2 seasons at just $1M a year.

Jonas Gustavsson's Roller Coaster Career

Despite being relatively short, Jonas Gustavsson's hockey career has been one of the more interesting ones in recent memory. Remember those weeks of speculation about where Jonas Gustavsson would sign in North America? Would it be Dallas? Would it be Colorado? No, it ended up being Toronto. Gustavsson had just led his Farjestad team to a championship in the Swedish Elite League and put up a 1.96 GAA and .932 SV% during the regular season. He had NHL GM's drooling, but it would be Toronto who would land the Monster to challenge Vesa Toskala for the starting job. 

The Playoff Probability Conundrum

This is a guest post by Nick - Dirty Dangle's Ottawa Senators Devil's Advocate

Will the Ottawa Senators making the playoffs: heads or tails? In probability theory, an event that is a near guarantee is referred to an “almost surely.” In contrast, events that have a near zero probability of occurring are described as “almost never(s).” So, in the case of flipping a coin, there is a 50% chance of it landing on heads and 50% on tails. However, there is the slimmest of slim chances that the coin lands on its side. The “almost never” event. Or, the probably of the Ottawa Senators making the playoffs. What’s the Blue Jackets’ odds you ask? Try flipping that coin twice and getting neither heads nor tails both times.

Cody Franson: Life In The Press Box

"You can't sit me out if I don't get off the ice"

Some ACC employees are starting to wonder if the 6'5" Cody Franson is part of the Toronto Raptors and has been locked out from playing. Franson is just 24 years old and has a solid career in front of him, but has found himself stuck in the pressbox as the Toronto Maple Leafs 7th defenceman.

Will Alexander Ovechkin Score 35 Goals? Part 2...

It is still very early into the 2011-12 NHL season, but the league's top sniper is off to another not-so-Ovi start. Last season, Alexander Ovechkin scored a career low 32 goals and we asked this same question at the midpoint of the season when he had 15. While 30+ goals which would be a solid year for most NHLers, Ovechkin should be winning the Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophy every year with his skillset and shot.

Dion Phaneuf: On His Way To A Norris Trophy?

I can remember watching Dion Phaneuf at the World Junios and thinking how the Leafs can never get a stud D-man like that. During the 04-05 dream team Tournament he put up 6 points in 6 games and killed everyone in sight. Canada won Gold that year over Alex Ovechkin and the Russians and many people were wondering how long it would be until Phaneuf would be an impact player in the NHL.

Around the League In 30 Teams

Our buddy Ben who is living out in B.C these days chasing West Coast tail sent this our way. 

His thoughts on the 30 teams around the league as we take a night off to drink.

Anaheim Ducks: Cam Fowler is yet again a minus player, although a majority of the team falls in this category. Jonas Hiller has been Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde early on, but you can’t hate on his moustache mask.

Is Eric Staal's Shitty Season A Product Of Guilt?

Eric Staal is a star centre, but is playing like a concussed defenceman right now. In 15 games he only has 5 points and is a league-worst -16 on the year. We're curious if injuring his brother last season is weighing heavily on his mind.

Hockey and Remembrance Day

Today, we remember the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces in times of war. We remember our veterans who fought and died for our future. We honour them with ceremonies and poppies, and Dirty Dangle would like to honour those NHLers that fought in the two great World Wars with a special post.

The Different Types of Fantasy Hockey GMs

Lance is a Fantasy Hockey Legend

NHL GM's are people, and like most people, they have personalities. Brian Burke is outspoken, Don Maloney doesn't take shit from unproven youth, Glen Sather likes to smoke cigars, and Garth Snow is... Garth Snow. When it comes to fantasy hockey, Fantasy GM's are no different. Fantasy owners have different characteristics that allow them to be classified. Here's a few of the different types of fantasy GM's you may have encountered over the years or will no doubt encounter this fantasy hockey season:

Wax Stain Rookie: Theoren Fleury

Wax Stain Wednesday is a regular feature on Dirty Dangle. Our pal Dave at Wax Stain Rookie is an avid autograph and card collector and has some amazing experiences to share with us. WARNING: these posts may make you want to buy a Beckett and get those dusty hockey cards out from under your bed that you hide from your girlfriend like a secret porn collection.

When you hear about celebrities and athletes falling on hard times, it is very easy to get cynical. I think it is difficult sometimes to realize these people we elevate above ourselves are actually as fallible as you and I. The reality is, before they were famous, they were the kids sitting next to us in school or living down the street from us growing up. Theoren Fleury is an example of a person who fell on hard times, but rather than turn into a person who continually makes the same mistakes and blames others, he took control of his life and is fighting the daily fight of sobriety. I certainly will not attempt to summarize his life in this post, if you are interested in his story (and it is a good one), I recommend you pick up Playing With Fire. 

Players Behaving Badly: Stanley Cup Hangover Edition

The Boston Bruins are crawling their way out of the wine cellar in the Eastern Conference, but that won't stop hockey fans from calling their start to the NHL season a serious case of the Stanley Cup Hangover. Of the 17 defending champs since 1994, the Bruins had the worst record through 10 games with their 3-7-0 start. Some are shrugging the Cup Hangover off, but there is no arguing that some members of the Boston Bruins had some very rough mornings this past summer.

Tim Connolly's Injury Woes Continue

Tim Connolly is injured again. After missing Monday's practice, Maple Leafs head coach, Ron Wilson, announced that Connolly would miss up to two weeks with an upper body injury unrelated to the one he suffered during training camp. Leaf fans shouldn't be surprised with this news, as they knew what they were getting when "Tiny Tim" signed as a free agent in Toronto, although we're sure they didn't expect it to be this bad.

Sieve Mason: Lost in the Woods

2 wins, 10 losses, 1 overtime loss. 3.70 GAA. .869 SV% - those are some depressing numbers right there. Steve Mason is consistently putting up some of the worst performances of his career and has glaring comparisons to a shooting sieve. While the play of the Columbus Blue Jackets can be blamed for their horrible start, it's not like Mason is giving them any help in the goaltending department. In 13 games this season, Mason has given up 3+ goals 10 times, and 4+ goals 7 times. Why his he still being started in games? They have no one else to fill in.

What If Brendan Shanahan Goes All Ricky Bobby On Us?

Brendan Shanahan is doing great things for the NHL these days. He's suspending players and sending a clear message that they have to clean up their shit. No more headshots, no more hitting from behind, and no more boarding. With hefty suspensions already handed out, Shanahan has backed his decisions up with his suspension explanation videos on NHL.com. He is being transparent with the fans, and that is something we've been begging for since the Wheel of Justice spun out with Colin Campbell.

Age Is Not An Issue In The NHL

"...And Uncle Mario deked through the defenceman and everyone lived happily ever after!"

There have been plenty of amazing performances so far this NHL season. You probably think of Phil Kessel, Jason Spezza, Thomas Vanek, Kari Lethonen and Jonathan Quick to name a few as some of those off to hot starts. They're all established players in the league in the league and are doing what they're expected to do, but that doesn't mean the old men and young guns haven't been lighting up the NHL either.

Wax Stain Rookie: Nail Yakupov

Wax Stain Wednesday is a regular feature on Dirty Dangle. Our pal Dave at Wax Stain Rookie is an avid autograph and card collector and has some amazing experiences to share with us. WARNING: these posts may make you want to buy a Beckett and get those dusty hockey cards out from under your bed that you hide from your girlfriend like a secret porn collection.

I still never get tired of receiving autographs in the mail. There just seems to be something fun and exciting about getting something that was made just for you. My most recent one was lots of fun, and certainly is a return I won’t forget anytime soon! 

Toronto Maple Leafs Award Drought

The Maple Leafs have struggled with team success in recent years, but they've also struggled with individual players capturing NHL Awards. While the Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Drought since 1967 is commonly talked about, it's not the only drought going on in the Leafs organization. Here's a rundown of the Maple Leafs individual awards droughts: