Steve's Hockey Corner

Wayne Gretzky should quit coaching and go somewhere to quietly enjoy his last 20 years. His preening and pissing on the bench only serves to sully his image as ice hockey’s modern pioneer and one-time face of the game. He should be in some role in the league office, not in Phoenix or New York or even Edmonton. It’s just hard to watch him curse at the refs, throw his hands up and scowl. Between the anger and the aging, his face is hardening! It’s a shame, really.

My biggest complaint while watching hockey is the shoddy camera work. After a stoppage, the camera will follow the goalie as he does his little circle in the corner instead of focusing on the scrum in the crease! Or they follow the puck to the linesman picking it up, while some doofusses (doofi?) are roughing up each other with stinky gloves. I don’t know if this is just the Detroit cameramen. Someone out there tell me if they see this problem elsewhere.

Did anyone watch the Skill’s Competition from Montreal, during All-Star weekend? Once again, poor production from Versus. I knew I shoulda recorded it on CBC. Specifically, there were numerous times when they dwelled on a replay while action was commencing live. The first time, they ran a replay of Stamkos in the shootout while Alex Ovechkin was pumping up the crowd! They totally missed the biggest personality in the game today, to replay some kid (who should still be in juniors) fiddle with the puck like he’s shooting at a garbage can on the pond! There were at least 2 more similar occurrences. At least we didn’t have to listen to Pierre Maguire! Don’t get me started on that guy….

I’ve changed my mind in the last month or so. The Red Wings DO need to trade for a goaltender if they are going to compete against the Sharks or the Flames come playoff time. They don’t have much cap room, so it’s going to be difficult. Conklin has been inconsistent and has no playoff experience, while Osgood has been just plain Os-BAD! Ozzy ranks last in save percentage and GAA. LAST, out of 44 eligible rubber-eaters. Maybe Cam Ward or Vokoun in Florida? Could they get a guy like Manny Fernandez in Boston, or Khabibulan in Chicago? Both teams have essentially 2 number 1 goalies, but the Wings would have to offer quite a package. Maybe Conklin and Lebda or Lilja for Fernandez. Osgood and Lebda AND Lilja for Fernandez and another body. I’d buy that for a dollar, as the saying goes. Regardless, I think the Wings will pull a major move this year.

Nick Lidstrom is, in my mind, the greatest defenseman since Bobby Orr, and the 3rd greatest of all time, behind Orr and Doug Harvey. The 4 Stanley Cups puts Lidstrom above Ray Bourque, easily.