Versus to Revive the FoxTrack?

USA Today is reporting that Versus is looking into developing a puck tracking system for the 2009-2010 season. The term "puck tracking" automatically brings up memories of Fox's mid 90s experiment the FoxTrax. Fox Trax followed the puck with chips embedded inside the puck. Throughout the broadcast the puck glowed and grew a comet-like tail when shot. Fox's aim was true, but the FoxTrax was seen by many traditionalists as a gross perversion of protocol. Hopefully Versus is smart enough to forget about blazing blue trails in their pursuit to ensnare the larger audience.

This news got me thinking about what the NHL needs to do to attract new viewers?

1. Cement ties with a major network. Versus has done a great job thus far. I'm not going to argue with two games a week, but I'm willing to bet Versus is not on most people's favorite channel list. How many viewers popped on the former Outdoor Network to catch the end of the Bassmasters Invitational only to stick around for the Nashville/Columbus game? NBC has been giving us a game (or two) of the week but it is clear that the NHL is not a top priority. There's more discussion of Milo Ventimiglia's tattoos than the NHL in NBC board meetings. Go ahead, check NBC.com. Not one mention of the NHL. With back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday there is not even an ad on NBCSports.com. The NHL needs to find a way to convince NBC to cater to them more or find a new home. Each option is easier said than done, but still both essential and possible.

2. Better marketing. Much like Rick DiPietro's judgment the overall marketing of hockey is getting better. Not great yet, but better. Hockey ad campaigns have not been on the cutting edge. Anybody remember "HEY! You're Joe Thornon."? Not exactly sleek and sexy. There have been great ads such as Nike's Kovalchuk vs. Naslund street war. The only problem was it was not shown in the US. So, cities in 24 out of 30 NHL cities did not see that ad. Crosby and Ovechkin give the NHL immense star power that should be capitalized on. Newer ads give us hope that the NHL and it's sponsors are putting thought and effort into their marketing.

3. HDTV When people ask about the difficulty of watching hockey on television the usual response is, "You really need to see a game live to get into it!" One game may do make a life-long fan, but one game may also bankrupt you. In a time when the economy is in a "slow-down" many people don't have $40 to spend on a sport they don't follow. The obvious answer would be to lower ticket prices. Good luck there. Thankfully, viable alternative to being at the arena may still be sitting on your couch. HDTV clear the crease for the new fan. Crisper picture gives the novice viewer an easier chance to follow the puck. Wider views bring more of the playing surface into view and Essentially, HDTV offers the next best thing to seeing a game live and with all broadcasts legal required to be digital by January 2009 HDTVs may become more prevalent in households.

4. Find the Middle Ground. In the past, nationally broadcast games have dumbed-down the game to the point where they assume every viewer needs to be informed that yes,the game is played on ice! Conversely, regional coverage has a tendency to talk over the heads of prospective fans. There has to be a middle ground that satisfies (or at least appeases) both sectors. If you feel the need to explain what a puck is then you better be telling the fan who has followed the Red Wings since Gordie Howe's rookie season a thing or two about vulcanized rubber that he did not already know.

Face-Off: News and Notes for May 7th, 2008

NHL:
And it begins!!
Eastern Conference Finals begin in Detroit at 7:30 pm (Versus in the US).
I'm calling Detroit in six.

Toronto, on the heels of firing coach Paul Maurice have talked to recently-axed Canucks GM Dave Nonis as well as Sharks GM Doug Wilson. The big question: Why the hell would Doug Wilson leave San Jose?

Florida signs 2007 first rounder Keaton Ellerby.

Swedish star Fabian Brunnstrom is now a Dallas Star!
The 23 year old forward had 37 points in 54 games for Farjestads BK Karlstad in the Swedish Elite League (SEL) this year. Brunnstrom was compared to Senators captain and fellow Swede Daniel Alfredsson by The Hockey News earlier this year.

Sabres sign Boston College Lilliputian forward Nate Gerbe and German forward Felix Schutz

IIHF World Championships
In the two later games Norway defeated Germany and Finland beat Slovakia.

Swedish defenseman Nicklas Wallin was suspended for two games for his hit on Swiss forward Roman Wick in Sweden's 5-3 loss yesterday.

The Preliminary round is over with the Qualifying round beginning today and the Relegation round starting tomorrow. Slovenia, Italy, Slovakia, and Latvia are headed towards relegation this year.
Today's games:
Sweden vs Denmark, Canada vs. Norway, Switzerland vs. Czech Republic, USA vs Germany.

IIHF World Champ. - Switzerland stuns Sweden!

The Swiss have added another notch into Sweden's list of international disappointments in a 4-2 win today in Quebec City. It's not only amazing that the Swiss have beaten the number one ranked Swedish team, but also that the Swiss have gone unbeaten 3-0 and won Group A.

The Swiss, who entered the tournament ranked eighth in the IIHF World Rankings played a stifling defensive game that stymied the talented Swedish squad. Sweden did not help their own cause spending much of the second half of the third period on the penalty kill down two goals.

Patric Hornqvist gave Tre Kronor hope, scoring shorthanded with less than a minute left in regulation to put them within one. An empty netter by the Swiss dashed Sweden's comeback hopes.

Sweden met with success in 2006 winning both Olympic and World Championship gold, but failed to medal last year. They were upset in the 2002 Olympic medal round by Belarus after being the heavy pre-tournament favorite.
The Swiss have one silver and eight bronze medals in World Championship history, their last trip to the podium coming in 1953 winning bronze.

Face-Off: news and Notes for May 7th

NHL News
Toronto Maple Leafs fire head coach Paul Maurice

World Championship
According to DEB-Online.de the Team Germany used a non-eligible player in it's 4-2 victory over Slovakia.

"Most likely Team Germany's win over Team Slovakia will be changed into a 5:0 victory for Team Slovakia as the German Hockey Federation (DEB) recognized today that Canadian born German defender Jason Holland played in the 1996 IIHF WJC tournament for Team Canada and thus he isn''t eligible to play for Team Germany without having played 4 full seasons in German leagues. As Holland has only played 3 full campaigns with Ingolstadt of the German elite league (DEL) the win is almost certainly gone."

UPDATE: Germany's win will stand. Jason Holland has been suspended.

The Legend of Strazzabosco

Michele Strazzabosco is known far and wide for his unequaled work ethic, blistering slap-shot, bone shattering hits, and for his ability to skirt the time-space continuum and play for six teams in six different cities on the same night (according to Yahoo Sports).

"The Strazz" as he is known is a defenseman for the Italian national team currently competing at the 2008 IIHF World Championship in Canada. A ten year veteran of the Italian league and a participant in the 2006 Olympics, The Strazz was given a shot at the NHL in 2006, a tryout with the Buffalo Sabres.

While Strazzabosco's play impressed the Sabres brass, they were concerned with press reports (Yahoo) of him also playing for Carolina, Boston, Toronto, New Jersey, and Minnesota...On the same night.

"I like what he brings to the table, but after reading these reports I have to wonder if he's giving the Sabres 100% let alone 110%." said Sabres GM Darcy Regier.

"The Strazz was a force of nature. One shift you'd receive a perfect breakout pass from him up the middle and the next he'd be scoring in a city 600 miles east." added former pre-season teammate Daniel Briere. "And that hair!"

Strazzabosco's philandering took him back to his native Italy where he continues to baffle physicists.

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Today's games:
Sweden vs. Switzerland, Finland vs. Slovakia, France vs. Belarus, Norway vs. Germany

2008 NHL Draft Order

The NHL Draft will be held in Ottawa June 20-21. Here's the order of selection for the first round followed by a explanation of selection criteria.

1. Tampa Bay Lightning
2. Los Angeles Kings
3. Atlanta Thrashers
4. St. Louis Blues
5. New York Islanders
6. Columbus Blue Jackets
7. Toronto Maple Leafs
8. Phoenix Coyotes
9. Nashville Predators (from Florida)
10. Vancouver Canucks
11. Chicago Blackhawks
12. Anaheim Ducks (from Edmonton)
13. Buffalo Sabres
14. Carolina Hurricanes
15. Nashville Predators
16. Boston Bruins
17. Calgary Flames
18. Ottawa Senators
19. Columbus Blue Jackets (from Colorado)
20. New York Rangers
21. New Jersey Devils
22. Edmonton Oilers (from Anaheim)
23. Washington Capitals
24. Minnesota Wild
25. Montreal Canadiens
26. Buffalo Sabres (from San Jose)
27. Clubs eliminated from Conference Finals in inverse order of points.
28. Clubs eliminated from Conference Finals in inverse order of points.
29. Stanley Cup runner-up.
30. Stanley Cup winner.

First-Round Order of Selection Criteria

Picks 1-14: Results of 2008 NHL Draft Drawing held April 7
Picks 15-22: Clubs eliminated in first two rounds of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs who did not win their division during the regular season, in inverse order of points
Picks 23-26: Clubs eliminated in the first two rounds of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs who won their division during the regular season, in inverse order of points
Picks 27 and 28: Clubs eliminated in the Conference Finals, in inverse order of points
Pick 29: Stanley Cup Final runner-up
Pick 30: Stanley Cup champion

Summary of Transferred Picks (1-26)

Pick 9 (Florida to Nashville): Nashville traded G Tomas Vokoun to Florida for Detroit's 2nd-round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft (pick 58, previously acquired) and Florida's 1st- and 2nd-round picks in 2008 (June 22, 2007).

Pick 12 (Edmonton to Anaheim): Edmonton transferred its 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-round picks in the 2008 Entry Draft to Anaheim for the signing of Restricted Free Agent LW Dustin Penner (July 3, 2007).

Pick 19 (Colorado to Columbus): Columbus traded D Adam Foote to Colorado for Colorado's 1st-round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft and a conditional pick in 2009 (Feb. 26, 2008).

Pick 22 (Anaheim to Edmonton): Edmonton traded D Chris Pronger to Anaheim for RW Joffrey Lupul, D Ladislav Smid, Anaheim’s 1st-round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft, and 1st- and 2nd-round picks in 2008 (July 3, 2006).

Pick 26 (San Jose to Buffalo): Buffalo traded D Brian Campbell and its 7th-round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft to San Jose for RW Steve Bernier and its 1st-round pick in 2008 (Feb. 26, 2008).

Source: NHL.com

2008 IIHF World Championship: Canada beats US 5-4 and More

Dany Heatley scored his second goal of the daywith 46.3 seconds left in the third period to break a 4-4 tie as Canada beat the US. Heatley's first goal came when he put the Canadians up 2-0 with eleven seconds in the first.

The US found themselves in a 3-0 hole less than a minute into the second period before responding with goals by Zach Parise and Patrick O'Sullivan . Derek Roy's goal three minutes into the third gave the Canadians a short lived 4-2 lead before back-t0-back power play goals from Dustin Brown and Jason Pominville allowed the Americans to equalize the game.

Heatley's goal was assisted by line-mates Ryan Getzlaf and Rick Nash giving the trio 22 points in three games. Healey leads all scorers with 6 goals and 4 assists.



Canada took the ice in throw-back jerseys honoring the 1977 Summit Series.






The USA lost captain Jeff Halpern for the remainder of the tournament after he tore his ACL. The New York Rangers rookie Brandon Dubinsky will replace Halpern.


Czech Republic 7
Italy 2


More throwback jerseys. Italy actually led 2-1 in the first period. Alas, Strazzabosco was a minus-5 for Italia.



Latvia 3
Slovenia 0

Anze Kopitar is held off the board for the first time. Edgar Marsalksis had 37 saves in goal for Latvia.






Russia 4 Denmark 1