Thursday, December 06, 2007
Bertuzzi: "The Devil Made Me Do It!"
by Jes
This Steve Moore story refuses to die, and now we are getting some juicy tidbits about Marc Crawford's involvement in the whole affair.
There have always been rumours that Marc Crawford instructed Todd Bertuzzi to make the hit on Moore, but this was pure speculation, and nothing has ever been proven.
Now, we learn that Bertuzzi testified, under oath, that Crawford did, indeed, tell him to layeth the smacketh down on the yappy ex-Avalanche forward.
A few thoughts that are oozing out of my thick skull right about now
1. Where was Bertuzzi's brain in all of this? He didn't HAVE to do anything, and could have easily just laid a solid bodycheck, or told Moore a few choice mama jokes, rather than attack him from behind. Obviously, Bertuzzi made the conscious decision to attack Moore, and didn't exactly step back and say "Hey, wait a minute ... "
2. If the rumours are true, this could explain why Bertuzzi could do no wrong in Crawford's eyes. Remember Bertuzzi's last season with the Canucks, when the grumpy bear simply cruised around and didn't break a sweat? While Crawford chewed out most any other play for not playing hellbent-hard, Bertuzzi simply did not get taken to task. If Crawford felt some sort of guilt or responsibility for the trouble Bertuzzi got in, he probably felt that he couldn't criticize his star winger for blowing his umpteenth defensive assignment.
3. Crawford's Kings are doing awful, and his coaching, to me, hasn't been very good the past few years. As more details come out about this case, Crawford could easily lose his job, and have loads of trouble finding another. I won't say he's be blacklisted, but I'm sure he wouldn't get a lot of calls for job interviews.
4. In that regard, if Crawford is fired as coach of the Kings, would CBC really want him back? Crawford was great with the CBC as an analyst, but I can't see the 'ceeb' wanting to put up with the backlash for hiring 'the guy who ordered the hit'
This Steve Moore story refuses to die, and now we are getting some juicy tidbits about Marc Crawford's involvement in the whole affair.
There have always been rumours that Marc Crawford instructed Todd Bertuzzi to make the hit on Moore, but this was pure speculation, and nothing has ever been proven.
Now, we learn that Bertuzzi testified, under oath, that Crawford did, indeed, tell him to layeth the smacketh down on the yappy ex-Avalanche forward.
A statement of claim filed in Ontario court by Moore's lawyer and obtained by CBC alleges that Crawford pointed to Moore's name and number on a board in the Canucks dressing room during the second intermission of that game and said ". . . (Moore) must pay the price."
In an accompanying document, Moore's lawyer claims Crawford's statement was disclosed by Bertuzzi while under oath, and by Canucks GM Dave Nonis
A few thoughts that are oozing out of my thick skull right about now
1. Where was Bertuzzi's brain in all of this? He didn't HAVE to do anything, and could have easily just laid a solid bodycheck, or told Moore a few choice mama jokes, rather than attack him from behind. Obviously, Bertuzzi made the conscious decision to attack Moore, and didn't exactly step back and say "Hey, wait a minute ... "
2. If the rumours are true, this could explain why Bertuzzi could do no wrong in Crawford's eyes. Remember Bertuzzi's last season with the Canucks, when the grumpy bear simply cruised around and didn't break a sweat? While Crawford chewed out most any other play for not playing hellbent-hard, Bertuzzi simply did not get taken to task. If Crawford felt some sort of guilt or responsibility for the trouble Bertuzzi got in, he probably felt that he couldn't criticize his star winger for blowing his umpteenth defensive assignment.
3. Crawford's Kings are doing awful, and his coaching, to me, hasn't been very good the past few years. As more details come out about this case, Crawford could easily lose his job, and have loads of trouble finding another. I won't say he's be blacklisted, but I'm sure he wouldn't get a lot of calls for job interviews.
4. In that regard, if Crawford is fired as coach of the Kings, would CBC really want him back? Crawford was great with the CBC as an analyst, but I can't see the 'ceeb' wanting to put up with the backlash for hiring 'the guy who ordered the hit'
Labels: Canucks, Marc Crawford, Steve Moore, Todd Bertuzzi
Saturday, December 01, 2007
The NHL's Overpaid Schmucks
by Jes
Over at his blog, James Mirtle highlighted a group of the NHL's Unsung Heroes. Let's face it, guys like Greg Zanon deserve a little more appreciation. Jan Hejda? Remember, Hockey Rants highlighted this guy's mad skillz before, and you mortals still don't worship him nearly enough.
Well, as much as we love a warm and fuzzy story, I'm a much more bitter guy. I'd rather highlight the players that are making boatloads of cash and sucking eggs at the same time. Feel-bad features are more my thing, right?
So, here's a list of players that deserve to be booed, egged, and heckled.
Todd Bertuzzi, Anaheim - 13GP 1-5-6PTS -3
Do I really need to say more about this lazy ogre? He rarely breaks a sweat, routinely lets his checks go (Markus Naslund is thanking him right about now), and gets paid $4mil/season to do so.
Dustin Penner, Edmonton - 26GP 4-8-12PTS
I realize that Kevin Lowe put Penner into a position to 'fail', giving up the farm for a second-line winger who hadn't proven himself.
The problem I see is that Penner has a bit too much Bertuzzi in him, in that Penner jut cruises far too often and isn't nearly as assertive as he should be. Was less than half-a-point a game really worth all that?
Patrik Elias - 23GP 4-8-12PTS -6
I don't get it. Elias has been bad at both ends of the ice, which is very unusual for him. Combine these awful stats with a $6mil salary and you get a bad payoff on your return.
It's not like there are any positive signs, either. Elias was actually worse in November (5 points) than he was in October (7 points).
Michael Ryder - 25GP 3-7-10PTS -2
Remember when this guy used to be good? Well, last year has had a god-awful -25, but at least he put up some offense with 58 points. This season, he's doing rather BLAH at both ends of the ice, and makes enough money to buy my condo 10 times over. He's gone from core player to support player in a short time.
Miikka Kiprusoff - 25GP 10-11-3 2.96GAA 88.5SV%
It's kinda funny how Calgary gave this guy a big fat contract extension despite the fact that he's having, by far, his worst season ever. Kipper has been the weak point of the Flames this season, and doesn't get along well with coach Keenan. (then again, many players don't)
Let's face facts, people. Kiprusoff has been one of the NHL's worst #1 goalies this season, and he's getting paid some big bucks. The Flames aren't getting their money's worth.
Over at his blog, James Mirtle highlighted a group of the NHL's Unsung Heroes. Let's face it, guys like Greg Zanon deserve a little more appreciation. Jan Hejda? Remember, Hockey Rants highlighted this guy's mad skillz before, and you mortals still don't worship him nearly enough.
Well, as much as we love a warm and fuzzy story, I'm a much more bitter guy. I'd rather highlight the players that are making boatloads of cash and sucking eggs at the same time. Feel-bad features are more my thing, right?
So, here's a list of players that deserve to be booed, egged, and heckled.
Todd Bertuzzi, Anaheim - 13GP 1-5-6PTS -3
Do I really need to say more about this lazy ogre? He rarely breaks a sweat, routinely lets his checks go (Markus Naslund is thanking him right about now), and gets paid $4mil/season to do so.
Dustin Penner, Edmonton - 26GP 4-8-12PTS
I realize that Kevin Lowe put Penner into a position to 'fail', giving up the farm for a second-line winger who hadn't proven himself.
The problem I see is that Penner has a bit too much Bertuzzi in him, in that Penner jut cruises far too often and isn't nearly as assertive as he should be. Was less than half-a-point a game really worth all that?
Patrik Elias - 23GP 4-8-12PTS -6
I don't get it. Elias has been bad at both ends of the ice, which is very unusual for him. Combine these awful stats with a $6mil salary and you get a bad payoff on your return.
It's not like there are any positive signs, either. Elias was actually worse in November (5 points) than he was in October (7 points).
Michael Ryder - 25GP 3-7-10PTS -2
Remember when this guy used to be good? Well, last year has had a god-awful -25, but at least he put up some offense with 58 points. This season, he's doing rather BLAH at both ends of the ice, and makes enough money to buy my condo 10 times over. He's gone from core player to support player in a short time.
Miikka Kiprusoff - 25GP 10-11-3 2.96GAA 88.5SV%
It's kinda funny how Calgary gave this guy a big fat contract extension despite the fact that he's having, by far, his worst season ever. Kipper has been the weak point of the Flames this season, and doesn't get along well with coach Keenan. (then again, many players don't)
Let's face facts, people. Kiprusoff has been one of the NHL's worst #1 goalies this season, and he's getting paid some big bucks. The Flames aren't getting their money's worth.
Labels: Kiprusoff, Michael ryder, Patrik Elias, rants, Todd Bertuzzi
Monday, October 29, 2007
What's Wrong with the Ducks?
by Jes
The Anaheim Ducks, defending cup champs, have opened up the new season in a horrible slump. Slumps are typical for clubs over the course of the year, but it is odd to see the likes of the Blue Jackets doing well while the Anaheim Ducks are looking up from the basement.
How is it that the Ducks are off to a 4-7-2 start? Here are some thoughts from a Canucks fan who doesn't mind that the Ducks are doing poorly. :)
1. Hits to the roster? Many people point the finger at the losses of Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer (a guy who takes 25 minutes to decide if he wants large fries with his Big Mac) as the prime reason the Ducks are losing more than the Washington Generals. Look, it's not as if Burke did nothing to stem the tide. Signing Todd Bertuzzi and Mathieu Schneider certainly proved that the Ducks weren't sitting idle, and both players certainly are talented. Going into the season, did anyone reasonably think the Ducks were a vastly weaker team?
2. Health concerns - We certainly can't discount the fatigue factor when talking about the Ducks slow start. A long Stanley Cup run, combined with a 2-game stint in England, has certainly had to have a real effect on the stamina of the Ducks, who like to play a physical brand of hockey. If we look at the performance of recent cup winners during the follow-up season, we can see a heavy drop in those teams' records. Just look at how the Canes missed the playoffs completely.
Let's not forget the injury bug has hit the Ducks, especially Mathieu Schneider, the prized signing who has yet to play a single game this season thanks to a broken ankle.
3. Discipline - While the Ducks ground-and-pound thug-life style was prized for helping them to win the cup, it's also causing them a whole lot of grief. Only the Toronto Maple Leafs have been shorthanded more times than the Ducks (68, overall), and the Ducks PK unit is struggling at 80.9%, 16th in the NHL. Last season, the roles were reversed, with the Ducks middle-of-the-road in shorthanded situations and near the top in PK efficiency. Obviously, the Ducks are shooting themselves in the webbed foot.
That said, there are quite a few players that have been playing well below expectations.
Todd Bertuzzi - 7 games, 2 points and a -2 before suffering another injury to his inflated ego. Bertuzzi was given the golden parachute by Brian Burke, and has nothing to motivate him into playing like the man-beast he was with the Canucks.
Andy McDonald - Many suggested that his huge spike in production had to do with playing on the same line with a rejuvenated Teemu Selanne. While I think both players meshed with each other very well, it's obvious that Andy Mac misses his old mentor. With just 7 points in 13 games, Andy's production has dropped a great deal from the point-a-game pace he established the past two seasons.
Rob Niedermayer, Todd Marchant, Samuel Pahlsson (is god) - I realize that their job is to be the defensive shutdown unit of the Ducks, but a combined one goal and five points in 13 games? That is truly terrible.
If I am Brian Burke ...
1. Have Rob Niedermayer call Scott Niedermeyer EVERY DAY and beg the All-Star defenseman to put the skates back on.
2. Tell the team to smarten the hell up. Bad penalties are killing the Ducks, and not allowing the team offensive stars to get going.
3. Hunt around for a goal-scoring winger. The Ducks need someone who can combine with Dandy Andy and put the puck in the net. There should be quite a few b-grade scorers out in the wilderness that Burke can get his hands on. Bertuzzi can't be counted on for many reasons, Jason King is a flop, and the Ducks have the assets to make a deal.
The Anaheim Ducks, defending cup champs, have opened up the new season in a horrible slump. Slumps are typical for clubs over the course of the year, but it is odd to see the likes of the Blue Jackets doing well while the Anaheim Ducks are looking up from the basement.
How is it that the Ducks are off to a 4-7-2 start? Here are some thoughts from a Canucks fan who doesn't mind that the Ducks are doing poorly. :)
1. Hits to the roster? Many people point the finger at the losses of Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer (a guy who takes 25 minutes to decide if he wants large fries with his Big Mac) as the prime reason the Ducks are losing more than the Washington Generals. Look, it's not as if Burke did nothing to stem the tide. Signing Todd Bertuzzi and Mathieu Schneider certainly proved that the Ducks weren't sitting idle, and both players certainly are talented. Going into the season, did anyone reasonably think the Ducks were a vastly weaker team?
2. Health concerns - We certainly can't discount the fatigue factor when talking about the Ducks slow start. A long Stanley Cup run, combined with a 2-game stint in England, has certainly had to have a real effect on the stamina of the Ducks, who like to play a physical brand of hockey. If we look at the performance of recent cup winners during the follow-up season, we can see a heavy drop in those teams' records. Just look at how the Canes missed the playoffs completely.
Let's not forget the injury bug has hit the Ducks, especially Mathieu Schneider, the prized signing who has yet to play a single game this season thanks to a broken ankle.
3. Discipline - While the Ducks ground-and-pound thug-life style was prized for helping them to win the cup, it's also causing them a whole lot of grief. Only the Toronto Maple Leafs have been shorthanded more times than the Ducks (68, overall), and the Ducks PK unit is struggling at 80.9%, 16th in the NHL. Last season, the roles were reversed, with the Ducks middle-of-the-road in shorthanded situations and near the top in PK efficiency. Obviously, the Ducks are shooting themselves in the webbed foot.
That said, there are quite a few players that have been playing well below expectations.
Todd Bertuzzi - 7 games, 2 points and a -2 before suffering another injury to his inflated ego. Bertuzzi was given the golden parachute by Brian Burke, and has nothing to motivate him into playing like the man-beast he was with the Canucks.
Andy McDonald - Many suggested that his huge spike in production had to do with playing on the same line with a rejuvenated Teemu Selanne. While I think both players meshed with each other very well, it's obvious that Andy Mac misses his old mentor. With just 7 points in 13 games, Andy's production has dropped a great deal from the point-a-game pace he established the past two seasons.
Rob Niedermayer, Todd Marchant, Samuel Pahlsson (is god) - I realize that their job is to be the defensive shutdown unit of the Ducks, but a combined one goal and five points in 13 games? That is truly terrible.
If I am Brian Burke ...
1. Have Rob Niedermayer call Scott Niedermeyer EVERY DAY and beg the All-Star defenseman to put the skates back on.
2. Tell the team to smarten the hell up. Bad penalties are killing the Ducks, and not allowing the team offensive stars to get going.
3. Hunt around for a goal-scoring winger. The Ducks need someone who can combine with Dandy Andy and put the puck in the net. There should be quite a few b-grade scorers out in the wilderness that Burke can get his hands on. Bertuzzi can't be counted on for many reasons, Jason King is a flop, and the Ducks have the assets to make a deal.
Labels: Brian Burke, ducks, musings, Todd Bertuzzi
Friday, June 25, 2004
Todd Bertuzzi - An Assault to the Senses.
Yeah, so we all know Canucks winger/monster/moron Todd Bertuzzi has now been formally charged with assault by the Powers That Be. Excuse me while I try and express some shock at that news...nope, my face is still as wooden as Chuck Norris'.
Looking at similar cases in the past, we can see that Todd Bertuzzi won�t get more than a small fine and some community service.
"Take it from me, kids, it�s not a good idea to punch someone in the head from behind, no matter how much of a punk they are!"
Honestly, if Todd Bertuzzi suffers more punishment at the hands or the law, I�m not going to shed a single teardrop. While it doesn�t matter much to me if he gets jail time or less ice cream, it would certainly serve him right for his malicious act.
Free Bertuzzi?? - Yeah, I said my piece before, but these idiots really piss me off. These are the lemmings that hang �Free Bertuzzi� signs on their lawn, and give the ape a standing ovation. Yeah, the guy costs his team a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup and assaulted a player from behind, unprovoked.
As we saw in the Orenthal James Simpson case, you can basically get away with murder if you are a beloved star athlete. At this rate, Trevor Linden could drop a nuclear bomb on France and come out as a folk hero.
The mediots will play this as a �black eye� for hockey, but the damage was done in the US media back when the incident took place. This court case won�t go far, and won�t have any lasting impact on the game itself. If Steve Moore had been killed or crippled, then maybe it would lead to some changes in the game. (But how would you stop an unprovoked assault?)
Todd�s real fear would be that Moore would proceed to file a civil claim for damages. Still, what could Moore claim? Moore didn�t miss any salary, he�s not permanently damaged, and couldn�t look his macho team-mates in the eye if he claimed �psychological� trauma.
Bertuzzi has already lost over $500,000 (US$) in salary, his shot at the World Cup, and his (and his team�s) chance at the Stanley Cup. If you believe the NHL can police itself, then Bertuzzi has already been punished severely.
---
Not a lot of draft buzz as we prepare for tomorrow�s �Meat Lottery�. Don�t expect the Capitals to trade their pick unless they can pull off a ream job like the Bonsignore/Hamrlik deal. If Ovechkin and Malkin are head and shoulders above the rest of the pack, it makes much more sense to take the �sure-fire� picks, rather than take a chance on a lower prospect.
Looking at similar cases in the past, we can see that Todd Bertuzzi won�t get more than a small fine and some community service.
"Take it from me, kids, it�s not a good idea to punch someone in the head from behind, no matter how much of a punk they are!"
Honestly, if Todd Bertuzzi suffers more punishment at the hands or the law, I�m not going to shed a single teardrop. While it doesn�t matter much to me if he gets jail time or less ice cream, it would certainly serve him right for his malicious act.
Free Bertuzzi?? - Yeah, I said my piece before, but these idiots really piss me off. These are the lemmings that hang �Free Bertuzzi� signs on their lawn, and give the ape a standing ovation. Yeah, the guy costs his team a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup and assaulted a player from behind, unprovoked.
As we saw in the Orenthal James Simpson case, you can basically get away with murder if you are a beloved star athlete. At this rate, Trevor Linden could drop a nuclear bomb on France and come out as a folk hero.
The mediots will play this as a �black eye� for hockey, but the damage was done in the US media back when the incident took place. This court case won�t go far, and won�t have any lasting impact on the game itself. If Steve Moore had been killed or crippled, then maybe it would lead to some changes in the game. (But how would you stop an unprovoked assault?)
Todd�s real fear would be that Moore would proceed to file a civil claim for damages. Still, what could Moore claim? Moore didn�t miss any salary, he�s not permanently damaged, and couldn�t look his macho team-mates in the eye if he claimed �psychological� trauma.
Bertuzzi has already lost over $500,000 (US$) in salary, his shot at the World Cup, and his (and his team�s) chance at the Stanley Cup. If you believe the NHL can police itself, then Bertuzzi has already been punished severely.
---
Not a lot of draft buzz as we prepare for tomorrow�s �Meat Lottery�. Don�t expect the Capitals to trade their pick unless they can pull off a ream job like the Bonsignore/Hamrlik deal. If Ovechkin and Malkin are head and shoulders above the rest of the pack, it makes much more sense to take the �sure-fire� picks, rather than take a chance on a lower prospect.
Labels: Bertuzzi, mainstream mediots, Todd Bertuzzi, Violence
