hockeyfights.com Archived Originals

« View Without Introduction
Title Date Author
« Previous Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next Page »
Belak's Swing is Costly Mar 21, 2004 Troy Shockley
It nearly happened again.

New Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ossi Vaananen could have easily suffered a major injury Saturday night in Toronto, but luckily escaped with only a headache.

Toronto's Wade Belak was jostling in front of the Colorado net with Vaananen, when he swung around and violently hit Vaananen in the side of the head and neck with his stick. Luckily the defenseman wears a visor, or he would have been seriously hurt.
Todd Bertuzzi and the Reaction Mar 13, 2004 David M Singer
Hockey has become front page news across Canada and America. It is a rare occasion. Unfortunately, just like the last time the NHL grabbed the headlines, it is due to what can only be defined as an awful on-ice decision that's lead to the end of the season for two players, one by injury. Todd Bertuzzi still needs to be reinstated to hockey, and Steve Moore's career as a player is in doubt as he recovers from a fractured neck and other injuries.

Now hockey's heart is wanted on a platter. So-called journalists, most of whom rarely, if ever, sit through an entire game, have swooped in like vultures to peck at hockey's reputation the best they can before moving on to the next topic du jour. They question the integrity of the players on ice, the coaches, the management and even the fans who tune in night after night. They deem it violent, barbaric and don't stop for one second to realize no one, from top-level management down to the beer vendor, condones the actions Bertuzzi took on the ice March 8th.
Q & A: Mike Amodeo Mar 2, 2004 Rob Way
Mike Amodeo played in the OHL for the Sault-St.-Marie Greyhounds and Kitchener Rangers. The 21-year old who stands at 6'0" and tips the scale at 210 lbs is not the superheavyweight, but is very willing. Currently playing in the Central Hockey League with the first-place Laredo Bucks, an affiliate of the Panthers, Amodeo had six points in first three pro games and his first two goals were game winners. He also happens to lead the team in PIMs.
Q & A: John Hecimovic Feb 4, 2004 Rob Way
John Hecimovic is a player who combines the two things most sought after in Canadian hockey today: toughness and touch. In other words, he can beat you on the ice, or in the alley.

A true power forward in the mold of Cam Neely, Brendan Shanahan, or even Jarome Iginla, Hecimovic is on pace this season to net thirty-plus goals for the third straight year; and while it's true he hasn't fought as much as he did last year, he's still getting his knuckles dirty whenever necessary.
Iron Man Jan 30, 2004 Sarah Green
Steve Reid is a Fighter Worth Watching

Steve Reid has made quite an impression on minor pro fight fans since being signed by the Central Hockey League's Fort Worth Brahmas on New Year's Eve, and he knows exactly why the Bulls called him to duty. "I understand what I was brought in here to do. I have to get out there and clear the path for the high scorers. I'm happy to be able to do that. My job is to help bring some intimidation, some fear to the other team so that the scorers can focus on what they need to do, without having to worry so much that someone's going to do something stupid to them and take them out of the game."
Squaring Off With Mike V Jan 22, 2004 David M Singer
Think you can handle squaring off with an NHL enforcer? Some claim they can, but few have the chance to find out. Skateboard legend Mike Vallely did after approaching Kip Brennan and asking for his shot.
Q & A: Luch Nasato Jan 18, 2004 Rob Way
Luch Nasato is just one of those guys. You know the kind - you love him if he plays on your team; you despise him if he doesn't.

What you might not know is that unlike some tough guys, he's also a fine player. Don't believe me? Check the stats. Still don't believe me? Consider this: since graduating from the OHL's Barrie Colts in 1998, Nasato has won three league championships in the past four years.
Q & A: Brent Severyn Dec 26, 2003 David M Singer
Brent Severyn spent part of seven seasons in the NHL. He wore the jerseys of six different teams over the course of 328 games, earning 40 points and amassing 825 penalty minutes. He brought a strong work ethic to each one of those teams along with a reputation as a character guy on and off the ice. In both of his last NHL season, he won the team awards for community service in Anaheim and Dallas.

However nice his reputation off the ice was, his tough reputation on it may have hindered his career a bit. The label of enforcer is a hard one to break and grow out of. Always a tough defenseman, he was pretty solid at every level he played at, but as he became the team’s tough guy instead of part of the defensive core, the number of games played and ice-time for him began to decrease. Despite two solid years for Utica in the AHL, including being named a first-team All-Star in the second, the Devils never gave him a call-up.
Q & A: Jason Maleyko Dec 16, 2003 Rob Way
When the 1996/97 Windsor Spitfires ran into injury trouble and found themselves in need of a quality, but short-term, defenseman, they did something a little unusual – they called up local boy Jason Maleyko and stuck him straight into the lineup.

Today, Maleyko is 23 and playing professional hockey for the Reading Royals of the East Coast Hockey League. This, after a solid four year stint in the Ontario Hockey League, and two years out east playing CIS hockey for St. Mary’s University.

Recently, I had the excellent opportunity to interview Jason on a variety of hockey related issues, and specifically, his sometimes fight-filled nights patrolling the blue line for the Windsor Spitfires, Oshawa Generals and the Brampton Battalion.
Gaming Season: NHL Rivals Review Nov 21, 2003 David M Singer
Microsoft is entering the world of hockey gaming. Despite the corporation name behind it, they must be considered the underdog entering the realm of EA, Sega and Midway. Can they actually make a dent in this market long dominated by EA? Can their Xbox-only rookie version get a following? You bet. With some smooth play, and great online features, Microsoft's NHL Rivals will most likely pick up a nice cult following within a few months.
Anaheim’s Garrett Burnett Defies the Odds Nov 6, 2003 Tony Tornberg
They say when you are passed up in the Western Hockey League’s annual entry draft as a Bantam-aged player, you’ve already been slammed with one major knock against you. Well, four years later, when you’re sent packing from a Tier 2 junior A hockey club well…stick a fork in you because, in the highly competitive world of Canadian junior hockey, you should be, pretty much, done like a cheap microwaved dinner.
Q & A: Kip Brennan Oct 11, 2003 Shawn LaRoche
Kip Brennan is a player every NHL team would like to have. An Ontario native who grew up playing the game spent part of five seasons in the OHL refining his skills, before taking his game to the AHL. Over the last two seasons he has played 23 games in the NHL, dropping the gloves 9 times. Kip was good enough to spend some time answering questions from hockeyfights.com's Shawn LaRoche.
Predictions and Analysis: The East Oct 8, 2003 Tony Tornberg
Tony lays it all down, team by team, position by position. Who's making the playoffs, who's missing them - and why.
Gaming Season: NHL 2004 Preview Sep 9, 2003 David M Singer
Continuing our preview and interview series we move on to NHL 2004 from EA Sports. NHL 2004 is boasting about their upgrades, and it's easy to see why. A new Dynasty Mode™, smarter AI, more international teams, better hitting control and animations and how could I forget?... a new fighting engine. Let's find out more from the inside with Dan Sochan, Assistant Producer, NHL 2004, EA Canada.
Gaming Season: NHL Hitz Pro Preview Sep 6, 2003 David M Singer
September for hockey fans means a few things: training camps, preseason - and video games. Every year, early fall marks the time when game makers release the latest titles of their hockey line. This season looks to have some of the best competition hockey gamers have ever seen. A revamped NHL Hitz from Midway, big improvements to EA's NHL 2004, Sega's renamed ESPN NHL Hockey and a new comer to the field, Microsoft, with NHL Rivals.

We'll start our preview and interview series with NHL Hitz Pro from Midway. A big change to the NHL Hitz franchise this season with 5 on 5 play (former years were 3 on 3). A stricter rules set and higher level of customization also have come to the game. Still billed as the fastest and hardest hitting series, is it trying to make the jump into realism? I was able to get some answers from Nigel Franks at Next Level Games. He is the Executive Producer of NHL Hitz Pro.

Recent Quick Hits