Brad Staubitz gets preseason, 3 Wild games ban; Shanahan range?

Another day, another fairly easy call for NHL discipline czar Brendan Shanahan: Minnesota Wild forward Brad Staubitz has been suspended for the rest of the preseason and three regular-season games for a hit from behind on Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cody Bass during a preseason game on Friday night.

Here's Mr. NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety; still can't tell if these videos being so commonplace is a good sign or a bad sign for the NHL in September:

So what does this mean, and what does Staubitz think about the suspension?

From the NHL:

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Staubitz will forfeit $9,324.33. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

At 4:24 of the third period, Staubitz hit Bass from behind and into the glass. Bass was injured on the play. Staubitz was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for checking from behind.

Staubitz will miss regular-season games Oct. 8 vs. Columbus, Oct. 10 at the New York Islanders and Oct. 11 at Ottawa.

Michael Russo of the Star Tribune got the Staubitz side of the story earlier on Monday, before the decision:

"I was on the forecheck, and it's obviously not the outcome I wanted from the hit. I say I play hard but not dirty. ... You've just got to be conscious all the time of what you're doing. It's tough. You've got to play hard, especially in the role that I'm in. It's a narrow line."

"Start of the new year, I want to be playing, I want to be in the mix. I want what's fair though. As long as there's consistency with this now."

If you ignore the preseason ? and who doesn't? ? there a little range established already for Sheriff Shanny.

Jody Shelley, a three-time repeat offender, was given five regular-season games. Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, who only had a one-game suspension for instigating on his record, was given one regular-season game. Now Staubitz, a repeat offender from 2009, falls in the middle at three regular-season games.

But again: This is a player who averaged 6:30 per night in 71 games. As Lambert pointed out this morning, these are the tap-ins; the tougher calls will arrive if players like Danny Briere, Joe Thornton, Shane Doan or Dany Heatley ? all suspended last season ? must feel the power of the Shanahammer.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Brad-Staubitz-gets-preseason-3-Wild-games-ban-?urn=nhl-wp13464

Chad Rau Marty Reasoner Peter Regin Steven Reinprecht

Mancini a hostage to fortune on Manchester City's good ship Venus | David Lacey

By going public on the Carlos Tevez no-show, the manager will be under increasing pressure as long as the Argentinian is around

Troublesome footballers are rarely sacked. More often than not they are sold or in extreme cases given free transfers. Either way there is almost always another club willing to take them on, baggage and all.

But who on earth would want to buy Carlos Tevez after the Munich business? Probably the same people who have shown an interest in him before, except that they would now expect to get the player at a much reduced price.

Tevez may not be a fan of the Marx Brothers but his theme song could well be Groucho's old number Hello, I Must Be Going. That employers have been prepared to accommodate his whims and mood changes is in its way a tribute to what he offers on the field, which is total commitment and the knack of winning matches. His combination of skill, pace and a strong physical presence has made him admirably suited to the intensity of the Premier League.

Which is why Manchester City signed him from Manchester United, where he had won Premier and Champions League honours before the feet began to itch. At Eastlands City's habit of signing up every gifted footballer going had forced Tevez down the pecking order before he remained rooted to the bench at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday as his manager, Roberto Mancini, tried to salvage something from an evening that had gone badly wrong, Bayern having led 2-0 at half-time.

What actually happened after Mancini had told Tevez to get warmed up has become obfuscated in the mists of assertion and denial. Mancini said after the match that the player had refused to go on. Tevez has since claimed that he did nothing of the kind and that the incident arose out of a misunderstanding due to language difficulties.

Even if the exchange involved Italian, Spanish and broken English it is hard to see how an instruction to warm up could be misinterpreted. Tevez's plea that he was already warmed up, whereupon Mancini is supposed to have said that if he did not warm up he could not play, recalls Basil Fawlty's dealings with Manuel: "This ball, that pitch, this smack on head!"

City's decision to suspend Tevez for a fortnight, the maximum allowed in the Premier League, shows the club believe the player has a case to answer. Mancini's priority is to repair the mood in the dressing room which even without the Tevez affair would have been in danger of fracturing following Edin Dzeko's petulant reaction to being substituted.

Before City went to Munich the English season was enjoying the prospect of the two Mancunian dreadnoughts slugging it out for the Premier League title. At the moment Manchester City would appear to possess the might of that old favourite with bawdy balladeers, The Good Ship Venus.

Ructions between managers and players tend to be kept in-house and by going public on Tevez so soon after the game Mancini has made himself a hostage to fortune, whatever the rights and wrongs. The longer Tevez is still around, the greater will be the pressure on the manager's authority.

The reaction of the football public and pundits towards Tevez has generally been scathing and nobody has summed things up better than Graeme Souness: "He epitomises what the man in the street thinks is wrong with modern footballers." When George Eastham went on strike at Sunderland in the early 1960s as a protest against the retain-and-transfer system, he enjoyed the nation's sympathy. Tevez has earned its condemnation.

In football, however, it is dangerous to assume that words will be backed by deeds. Towards the end of 1974 Keith Weller refused to take the field after half-time for Leicester City, then managed by Jimmy Bloomfield, against Ipswich and left the ground before the end of the game, which Leicester lost 1-0. He was put on the transfer list and fined two weeks' wages.

John Bond, in charge at Norwich, wrote to other managers asking them to blacklist Weller. "Here is a chance for managers to unite," he declared. "If Weller is allowed to get away with this there is nothing to stop any other player who fancies a move doing exactly the same." In the event Weller stayed at Filbert Street for another four years.

City could do worse than erect a billboard by the westbound carriageway of the M56 depicting a rear view of Tevez above the words: "You are now leaving Manchester."

That would tickle Sir Alex Ferguson.

• Carlos Tevez
• Manchester City

David Lacey

guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/sep/30/carlos-tevez-manchester-city-roberto-mancini

Ty Wishart James Wisniewski Jeff Woywitka Keith Yandle

Rugby World Cup 2011: Scotland confident they can send England home | Robert Kitson

The message is clear: England are guaranteed nothing, particularly if they start slowly and allow their composure to fray
? Watch World Cup video highlights, interviews and more

At some stage in life everyone reaches a T-junction. Turn left for a brighter future, turn right for the dark side. England, sooner than expected, have arrived at that delicate intersection. Beat Scotland in the most eagerly awaited head-on collision between the old enemies for 20 years and most of their troubles disappear. Lose by more than seven points and, barring a freak reprieve, they will be on a plane with little to show for an eventful month in New Zealand.

Even by the standards of professional sport, it is a brutal equation. But therein lies the beauty of Rugby World Cups, as Martin Johnson well knows. England have not covered themselves in sweet-smelling rose petals lately but, to this management, that is irrelevant. Win and people will forgive you everything, lose and the fig leaves suddenly thin out. Johnson will always be a stubborn competitor but no manager would presume to be reappointed should England fail to reach the knockout stages for the first time.

In theory they should have no such fears. Say what you like about balls and off-field adventures, but England do have a sprinkling of world-class talent. The majority of New Zealanders would happily poach Ben Youngs for the All Blacks, while Manu Tuilagi and Chris Ashton have the potential to break records before their international days are done. Courtney Lawes has all the makings of a future Test giant. Steve Thompson, Lewis Moody, Jonny Wilkinson and Mike Tindall know what it takes to win a World Cup. There should be enough ballast to send their opponents homeward instead.

But then you listen to Scotland's players. Had they not suffered a momentary brainstorm in the final minutes against Argentina, they would already be safely into the last eight. At Twickenham in March they lost 22-16, with England's solitary try from Tom Croft scored when the Scots were down to 14 men. "The last time we played against them I felt we had them rattled," said Max Evans, always an elusive attacking threat. "I think the boys believe they can win," murmured Sean Lamont, preparing to line up at inside-centre opposite Tindall. "It's just about execution, ball retention and taking the opportunities when they come."

The message is clear enough: England are guaranteed nothing, particularly if they start slowly, concede early penalties and allow their composure to fray at the breakdown. Scotland's team has been specifically chosen to play at pace; whatever they lacked in finishing power against the Pumas their handling was frequently outstanding in desperately difficult conditions. Richie Gray, Euan Murray, John Barclay, Lamont and Evans would all press hard for places in England's XV. Some might say Chris Paterson's goal-kicking is a more reliable weapon just now than Jonny Wilkinson's.

Then there is the weather. There is no question England were lucky to play all three of their pool matches beneath the roof of the Otago Stadium. These days they prefer a dry ball, the easier for Ashton and Tuilagi to collect as they surge on to flat inside balls close to the gainline. Scotland, who played in the famous "water polo" Test at Eden Park in 1975, have been splashing about in the shallow end for most of the tournament. If it is wet, as the forecasters have been insisting all week, it will hardly faze the Scots.

Nor does Andy Robinson concede that Scotland's inability to beat England by more than six points for the past 25 years might just be a teensy-weensy bit of an issue. "Historians like to look back," he replied. "I'm the type of guy who likes looking forward." As he spoke the gleam in his eye was unmistakable. For a patriotic Englishman, there is a distinct streak of Robbo the Bruce about him at times, even before he joked about going to watch the Red Hot Chilli Pipers in concert.

England's former head coach also learned long ago that teams who make the mistake of assuming victory before a ball is kicked deserve to be beaten. England were given virtually no chance of beating Australia in their Marseille quarter-final four years ago; some players had even phoned home to tell their partners they would be back within 48 hours. Instead the Wallabies walked straight into the warm embrace of Andrew Sheridan and his fellow forwards, inspiring England to waltz all the way to the final.

Johnson's men, in addition, are capable of producing the occasional shocker without any prior warning. Even if they do sneak past the Scots, it is a bad habit they need to eradicate. A losing bonus point might still be enough to sidestep the All Blacks in the knockout stages, but it would hardly terrify France, their probable next opponents. At times England invite little sympathy, but being piped out of the tournament by euphoric Scots really would be a grim punishment. That spectre should be sufficient to keep them in New Zealand for at least another week.

• Rugby World Cup 2011
• England rugby union team
• Scotland rugby union team
• Rugby union

Robert Kitson

guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/sep/30/rugby-world-cup-2011-england-scotland

John Mitchell Torrey Mitchell Mike Modano Oscar Moller

Puck Daddy Hockey Rumors Live Chat!

Suspensions! Slurs! Simmonds!

Hey, how about some hockey talk for a change?

Please join us beginning at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT today for our weekly chat that includes a revolving door of panelists like Lyle (Spector) Richardson of Spector's Hockey; David "Dave" Pagnotta of The Fourth Period Magazine; as well as your friendly neighborhood knuckleheads from Yahoo! Sports, Puck Daddy and Buzzing The Net.

You bring the funny; we bring the abrupt changes in tone and Hamburger Women. That's how it works.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Puck-Daddy-Hockey-Rumors-Live-Chat-?urn=nhl-wp13592

Brett Festerling Jeff Finger Joe Finley Mark Fistric

Now the best horsemanship gets a fairer crack of the whip | Lydia Hislop

This is not the first time the BHA has rewritten its whip regulations. Its authors must fervently hope, tweaks aside, that it will be the last

If it is possible to draw a lasting line in the sand, this was achieved on Tuesday. It now falls to party members not to engage self-destruct by stamping all over painstaking work. "These are not the old whip rules," racing declared. Unlike Ed Miliband, it had impact.

From Monday week, the number of times the whip can be used by a jockey in a race will be roughly halved. From start to finish, regardless of the distance, a Flat rider can take his or her hand off the reins and make a stroke seven times. For a jump jockey, it will be eight.

The penalties for breaking these rules are much harsher, with a five?day minimum suspension replacing a caution for some infringements to ? moving up the scale ? the loss of a jockey's prize money and riding fee, bans to be counted in months rather than days for multiple offences and the annual relicensing of riders to depend on their disciplinary record.

There are many unalloyed positives about the new rule book, and potentially some drawbacks. The removal of the deferral clause for suspensions, which allowed jockeys to serve penalties on days that did not clash with important rides, is welcome. It is predicated on the severity of the offence rather than implicitly evaluating welfare according to a jockey's status.

The British Horseracing Authority's renewed focus on education, remedial training and the constructive targeting of repeat offenders, rather than relying overtly on punishment, is long overdue ? as is their inclination to take a lead.

Having commissioned public opinion research, the BHA now also realises the imperative of better communication. There was an attempt by their man on BBC Breakfast to explain key differences between the traditional whip and the air-cushioned ones mandatory in racing, although not nearly as effectively as might have been. On the downside, putting a figure on the number of hits that trigger a breach has run racing into trouble before ? although the definition of what constitutes a "hit" and enduring emphasis on excessive force (rather than just frequency) will help.

The hefty penalties for those who may seek to compensate jockeys punished for a win-at-all-costs ride sound more idealistic than enforceable. Introducing the new rules only five days before the inaugural British Champions' Day, when the plain cost of not winning will be higher than ever before in the UK, is a risk ? we hope a calculated one.

But all this is beside the point. This new incarnation of rules needs to work for the simple reason that even the most entrenched of racing people ? almost a tautology ? must understand which way the wind is blowing. It is in the direction that, back on the Breakfast couch, quite naturally led the presenter Bill Turnbull to link the whip discussion with whether jump racing should exist.

This is not the first time the BHA has entirely rewritten its whip regulations. Its authors must fervently hope, tweaks aside, that it will be the last. There is little scope left for greater restrictions. Indeed, this review turned to address the elephant, asking the fundamental question of whether a whip is needed at all. Most pertinently, given all but the most deluded abolitionists allow that it must be carried for steering purposes to ensure the safety of horse, rider and others around them, the review examined whether the whip is a valid tool "for encouragement". After taking varying evidence from within racing and from animal welfare organisations and crunching some numbers, the BHA concluded that it was.

The "acceptable use of the whip" is now defined. It is to "focus and concentrate a horse so that it performs at its best". Its use must be justified within the context of a race. The horse must be in contention, able to respond and given time to do so. This is where the breakthrough can be made. Crucially, this report links overreliance on the whip with inferior riding, most likely to result in an inferior performance from the horse. Only four of the 30 Flat jockeys with the most wins rate above the national average for whip offences. The message is clear: if you break the whip rules, you're probably bad at your job.

This is no surprise. Anyone who watches a lot of racing sees, daily, horses underachieving because their riders have not exhausted their portfolio of physical communications with their horse before reaching for their whip. This review ends that culture.

Now everyone ? jockeys, trainers, owners, punters and the media ? knows what is good riding and what is not. The erroneous link between using the whip again and necessarily getting the best from a horse is broken. The connection between achievement and riding within the rules is enforced. These rules say that getting a whip ban carries the stigma it always should have.

• Horse racing
• Animal welfare
• Animals

Lydia Hislop

guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/sep/28/whip-use-racing-animal-welfare

Jiri Tlusty Jonathan Toews Tyler Toffoli Mathieu Tousignant

With Kerry Collins' Status Unclear, Dan Orlovsky Rejoins Colts, According To Report

Source: http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2011/9/27/2454840/dan-orlovsky-rejoins-colts-kerry-collins-concussion

J.P. Testwuide Colten Teubert Kimmo Timonen Jarred Tinordi

Video: In honor of his retirement, it?s Mike Modano vs. Mr. Perfect

One undeniable aspect of just-retired Mike Modano's appeal as an NHL star was that he was a little bit Hollywood, and not just because he appeared shirtless on magazine covers and married the woman who gave the world "I Wanna Be Bad."

He's also one of the only NHL stars to appear in a World Wrestling Federation vignette; and what better time to revisit this classic than on the day he officially hung up his skates?

This originally aired in March 1993 on the syndicated "WWF Superstars" program. Clearly, Ed Belfour was the second choice for the Dallas Stars behind the late Curt Hennig. Just another link in the Puck-and-Wrestling Connection.

As you can imagine, the tributes to Modano's impact and career continue to roll in. Check out Y! Sports NHL columnist Nick Cotsonika's "greatest American player" take, Kevin Allen's celebration of Modano's speed, Jordan Kuhns's take on "a real star" and Mike Heika will a nice piece about Modano's legacy in Dallas (sub. required, sadly).

s/t to reader Aubrey Chau for the clip.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-In-honor-of-his-retirement-it-s-Mike-Mod?urn=nhl-wp13100

Justin DiBenedetto Jake Dowell Kris Draper Nicholas Drazenovic

Puck Daddy Season Preview 2011-12: Tampa Bay Lightning

It's going to be another year of blockbusters and huge flops in the NHL. Which teams blew out their budgets for big name stars and gigantic special effects to score Michael Bay-levels of box office gold? Which teams are bloated action retreads and terrible sequels? Find out in Puck Daddy's 2011-12 NHL Season Previews, running throughout the month.

Lightning really did strike more than twice for Tampa Bay last season. Under new ownership, with a new head coach and new general manager, the culture of the franchise was changed and it resulted in their most successful season since they won the Stanley Cup in 2003-04.

Owner Jeff Vinik installed rookie GM Steve Yzerman, who was groomed in Detroit. Yzerman hired rookie head coach Guy Boucher, who had rejected an offer from Columbus Blue Jackets after leading the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL to a 51-17-11 record.�Unlike in constructing a house, the foundation for a solid hockey organization is built from the top down and in two hires, the Lightning laid the groundwork for long-term success.

Tampa was expected to be improved heading into last season, but not many figured them to come within one victory of heading back to the Cup Final. But that's what they did pushing the eventual champion Boston Bruins to Game 7, but falling 1-0.

It was the end to a season that saw the Tampa Bay Lightning improve by 23 points and move up seven spots in the Eastern Conference from 2009-10. Their young superstar, Steven Stamkos, flirted with 50 goals-in-50 games early in the season; their franchise face, Vincent Lecavalier, looked rejuvenated and back to his old self; and their gritty vet, Martin St. Louis, finished second in the NHL in scoring with 99 points, earning a Hart Trophy nomination and winning his second consecutive Lady Byng Trophy.

A lot went right for Tampa last season and this season there won't be any surprises. Can they recapture the magic once again?

[Play Fantasy Hockey, now with Pro Leagues]

Yzerman focused his summer on re-signing key cogs from last year's squad. Dwayne Roloson, Teddy Purcell, Eric Brewer and, of course, Steven Stamkos all return with new deals.

The backup goalie position opened up after Mike Smith took on the No. 1 job in Phoenix. Filling that void will be Mathieu Garon (2-year, $2.6 million) who spent the last two seasons in Columbus.

With more responsibility in Ottawa last season, Ryan Shannon posted career bests in goals (11), assists (16), points (27), and games played (79). He'll figure into the wing depth after a 1-year $625,000 contract.

Defenseman Bruno Gervais (1-year, $525,000) had spent his entire 6-year NHL career with the New York Islanders battling with injuries. He can be a nice fit depth-wise if he's able to stay healthy after missing 40 games over the past two seasons.

Seeing his role diminished in the playoffs, Simon Gagne headed west to sign a 2-year, $7 million deal with the Los Angeles Kings. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Sean Bergenheim took his 9-goal playoff performance and cashed in on the Florida Panthers' spending spree with a 4-year, $11 million deal.

The late-season acquisition of Eric Brewer and the signings of Gervais and Matt Gilroy pushed Randy Jones (1-year, $1.15 million, Winnipeg), Mike Lundin (1-year, $1 million, Minnesota) and Matt Smaby (1-year, $600,000, Anaheim) off the Tampa blueline.

At forward ... There's no talking about the Lightning up front without beginning with the three-headed arsenal of Lecavalier, St. Louis and Stamkos.

After a start that saw him pot 21 goals in 22 games, Stamkos slowed up in the second half and only finished with 45 after sharing the Rocket Richard Trophy with Sidney Crosby in 2009-10 with 51 goals. Those back-to-back seasons moved him into the "elite" conversation with Crosby and Alex Ovechkin and earned him a 5-year, $37.5 million extension over the summer.

The heart and soul of the Lightning is within their two most-tenured players in Lecavalier and St. Louis. The 31-year old Lecavalier looked back to his old self after a hand injury cost him 15 games early on. During the playoffs, it was vintage Lecavalier as he finished second in team scoring behind St. Louis with 19 points. Even as he gets older, St. Louis seems to just get better. Now 36, his 99 points and 12 PIMs earned him a Hart nomination and the Lady Byng trophy. St. Louis has also proved durable with a current 472 consecutive games-played streak heading into this season.

Tampa averaged 2.94 goals/game, putting them eighth (241) in the NHL. Aside from the big guns up top, it's their scoring depth that helped them rank that high. Eight players returning from last year's roster hit double digits in goals starting with Teddy Purcell who had a breakout season with 17 goals and 51 points. He earned a 2-year deal in the summer and now he'll be looked upon to prove last season wasn't a fluke. Nate Thompson (10 goals, 25 points) took advantage of a full-time opportunity and made the most of it. He also earned Boucher's trust by showing strength in the faceoff circle winning 59.4-percent of his draws.

Injuries hindered the seasons of Ryan Malone (54 games, 38 points) and Steve Downie (57 games, 32 points), but helping to pick up their scoring slack was veteran journeyman Dominic Moore who posted a career high in goals with 18 and finished with 32 points. Noted for his two-way abilities, Moore impressed on the penalty kill and excelled in his defensive responsibilities.

Hoping to find a spot in the lineup on opening night is Mattias Ritola who played in just 31 games last season. Battling Meniere's disease, which causes dizzy spells, Ritola received treatment and took medication that's lessened its effects on him. He put up 27 points in 17 games with Norfolk of the AHL last season and the Lightning will be looking at him to be one of the players helping to replenish the production that left over the summer.

On defense ... The blueline was a bit of a mess before Eric Brewer was acquired in February. Entering Brewer's first game as a member of the Lightning, Tampa had been averaging 2.89 goals against/game. In the 22 games after the deal, that number dropped to 2.23. The former St. Louis Blues captain's presence (with a little help from Dwayne Roloson) paid huge dividends immediately.

Aside from Brewer, it's a veteran-laden defense corps. Mattias Ohlund, Brett Clark and Pavel Kubina surround up-and-coming Victor Hedman, who improved in his sophomore season. Not the meanest of blueliners, Hedman saw a big of a bump in his responsibilities and chipped in 26 points.

Marc-Andre Bergeron is the team's power play specialist. Of his 14:19 average ice time per game last season, 3:25 of it was spent with the extra man. Matt Gilroy and Bruno Gervais fill the void of Tampa's defensive depth that took a hit after losing three blueliners over the summer.

In goal ... Dwayne Roloson was a season-saver in 2010-11. Coming over from the Islanders, Roloson helped a defense that ended up finishing 21st from getting much, much worse. His play in the playoffs speaks for itself and he was rewarded with a 1-year extension. Hoping to keep him fresh and healthy for the season, Yzerman brought in Garon, a veteran backup capable of easing Roloson's workload by playing 30-35 games.

"Goldeneye." Once-great franchise gets kick-started by a sexy new leading man, an updated plot and some, er, eye candy.

The hockey world fell in love with the coaching styles of Guy Boucher. His approach of finding how to inspire each player led to improved production from a number of his players. Now that the NHL has a year of scouting on him, his second season behind the Lightning bench might make for the hardest.

The rookie GM brought on a rookie head coach and it worked. Steve Yzerman was groomed under Ken Holland in the Detroit Red Wings organization and there isn't a better place to learn on the job. Yzerman didn't make any rash moves, in fact, his best move was acquiring Dwayne Roloson from the New York Islanders on Jan. 1. Rolson went 18-12-4 after coming over in the trade.

Carter Ashton will begin the year with Norfolk, but the 6-foot-3, 215 lbs. forward should make an impact for the Lightning at some point this season. The son of former NHL journey man Brent, Ashton put up 71 points in the WHL last season and is very familiar with Boucher's system having attended Tampa's last two training camps.

"I AM MASTER OF THE LIGHTNING AND SEVERAL YEARS YOUNGER THAN DWAYNE ROLOSON."

We've seen it many times before. A player has a breakout season when he's due for a new contract. That was the case with Teddy Purcell in 2010-11 as his 17 goals and 51 points (and 17 points in the postseason) earned him a 2-year, $4.75 million contract just before a scheduled arbitration hearing. Playing next to Lecavalier will help your point totals and now with a new deal and expectations on him, it's up to Purcell to provide the secondary scoring that helped put the Lightning eighth in the NHL last season.

Steven Stamkos showed last December he's listened to the penalty shot advice from teammate Martin St. Louis:

Is Dwayne Roloson solid enough to reach that level he went to after coming over in the New Year's Day deal that helped set the path for the Lightning to reach the Conference Final? He's never been a workhorse, and with the signing of Roloson's former partner in Edmonton, Garon, it'll ensure he remains fresh in preparation for the playoffs.

All the pieces fell in place for a magical season last year; the Lightning won't surprise anyone in 2011-12. Tampa should challenge the Washington Capitals for the Southeast Division crown and once again find themselves in the East playoff mix. How far they'll go will once again be up to Roloson's play and whether or not their depth can complement the offensive leaders in Lecavalier, Stamkos and St. Louis.

[Play Fantasy Hockey, now with Pro Leagues]

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Puck-Daddy-Season-Preview-2011-12-Tampa-Bay-Lig?urn=nhl-wp13383

Steve Staios Ryan Stanton Logan Stephenson Matt Stephenson

Pekka Rinne on bad ice in Baltimore and the Vezina Trophy

BALTIMORE ? The Nashville Predators played in the inaugural The Baltimore Hockey Classic against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night; an event held to promote hockey in Baltimore, the city that once hosted an AHL team.

There are quite a few hockey fans who live in Baltimore and travel to Capitals games in Washington DC, and both the Predators and the Capitals treated Baltimoreans with some of their biggest stars: Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Shea Weber and Pekka Rinne.

The conditions of the ice surface proved to be an issue and the "Hockey Classic" turned out to be a far shot from a true hockey game, with players falling over for no apparent reason and pucks getting stuck in puddles of water. One player noted that the concrete was visible through the cracks in the ice right next to the boards. Alexander Semin told me that the ice reminded him of a worse version of the Winter Classic ice in Pittsburgh.

"The ice was, well? It was the same for both teams" Predators' goaltender Pekka Rinne told me after the game.

"On the ice like that the quality of the game was going to go down a bit, obviously. But for me personally, because it was my first game, it was just fun to be out there," he said. "But it was so hot! It was extremely hot! It was like a Finnish sauna!"

To which I replied: "You would know!"

"Yeah!" Rinne laughed, "but it was still fun to play again. We have a great mix of players here: guys from last year and a few good young guys. For our coaching staff it was a good game."

With one of the most tragic ? if not the most tragic ? summer for hockey virtually behind, it was just a breath of fresh air for players to get back to playing. Especially for the Nashville Predators, with the death of Wade Belak touching everyone in the locker room -- something the players are still trying to cope with it.

"With all the bad things that happened in hockey over the summer it was a different mood in the locker room when everybody got back in town," Rinne told me.

"At the same time, we could talk about things together. We are able to go through things together with your team mates. You can ask questions, and it is important. The mood, everything was way different this year. But obviously you have to stay positive. Even though it is terrible, you have to get over these things. These things make your team more united, they brings us closer together. The work now [brings] everybody in and it's great."

The Predators got off to a good start in the preseason, beating the Capitals, 2-0, in Baltimore on Tuesday night. There are real expectations for the Predators to emulate last season's success, which saw Rinne nominated for the Vezina Trophy.

"I am happy to have been nominated," Rinne told us a few months ago. But it looks like all along Rinne thought it was Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas' award to lose.

"I honestly thought from the beginning it was Tim Thomas who deserved it," Rinne elaborated.

"All three of us were good enough to win it. But that guy [Thomas] deserved that trophy. He made the all time-record in save percentage and that is such a difficult thing to do. It used to be held by Dominik Hasek. I am a big fan of Tim Thomas. But overall it was a cool experience, I loved it in Las Vegas and had a really good time."

Going deep into the playoffs is the Predators' ultimate goal. And as for Rinne winning the Vezina this year?

"Ha! I don't set those kind of goals for myself. But that would obviously be an ultimate good year [if I win]," he said.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Pekka-Rinne-on-bad-ice-in-Baltimore-and-the-Vezi?urn=nhl-wp13072

Greg Rallo Chad Rau Marty Reasoner Peter Regin

NFL: five things we learned in week three | Steve Busfield

Minnesota Vikings need new half-time refreshment; Peyton Manning injury update; and Deion Sanders is a cute little angel
Gallery: The best of the week three action in pictures
Five things we learned in week two

Here are five suggested talking points from week three of the NFL season. You may have your own talking points to raise below.

Minnesota Vikings need to sort out their half-time refreshment

What do the Minnesota Vikings do at half-time? Eat pumpkin pizza? The Vikings have outscored opponents 54-7 in the first half this season but have been outscored 67-6 in the second. On Sunday they lost in overtime to Detroit (who are now 3-0 this season) having been 20 points ahead at the half.

In week one the Vikings were up by 10 at half-time against the Chargers and lost 17-24, the following week they were 17 up against the Buccaneers before folding to 20-24. After Sunday's defeat, $100m rushing back Adrian Peterson said: "I feel sick right now." Might have been something he ate.

Appreciate the veterans while there's still time

When Peyton Manning was making 227 consecutive starts it might have seemed like he would go on for ever. Not any more. Manning's pre-season treatment may have had the medical world a-flutter but more to the point it has the football world wondering whether he will be seen on the field again. This week it was suggested he may be back by December.

Mike Tanier in his New York Times Fifth Down blog sums up the Colts' Manning conundrum beautifully:

Opinions on how the Colts should address their quarterback problem correspond directly to the speaker or writer's overarching philosophical stance. The optimist waits for Peyton Manning to return. ("He will return. He must return.") The pessimist wants to give up and draft Andrew Luck. ("This era is over. Can't you see it's over?") The pragmatist looks to the young backup Curtis Painter. ("Let's use this opportunity to evaluate some prospects.") The realist advocates sticking with Kerry Collins. ("There are no viable solutions, so we might as well get our $4 million worth.") The nihilist wants to call Brett Favre. ("The season is ruined, so why not destroy hope and sanity as well?") The cynic comments on all of the others from above the fray, mocking their opinions but offering no viable alternatives, and profiting from the enterprise.

Meanwhile Michael Vick is out of action again.

As blog regular Bix2bop pointed out last week, the Eagles have specially designed their offence to protect Vick, keeping him in the pocket. Vick plainly doesn't like it there and certainly doesn't like the hits he's taking. After the game he said: "[It was] Just an unfortunate situation, after such a great play, and I felt like I got hit late. There was no flag. Broke my hand."

The status of Vick's injury changes daily: he may yet be back this weekend. But the batterings he is taking suggest that the clock is ticking on his career. Enjoy his style while you can.

Even Tom Brady can have an off-day

After losing 15 on the bounce to the Patriots, the Buffalo Bills finally broke the streak. And in what a fashion. Losing 21-0 in the second quarter the Bills came back to win 34-31. Not only that but the usually unflappable Tom Brady gave away four interceptions. And the Patriots gave up eight penalties.

Maybe we should credit the Bills, who the previous week came back from 21-3 down against the Raiders to win. But possibly we should be looking at the pressure being put on the Patriots offense by their leaky defence. New England may have scored 104 points so far this season ? Brady posted a further 386 yards in this game ? but the defence has given up 79 points. The Bills now lead the Patriots in the AFC East

Deion Sanders: the cutest little Angel

Deion Sanders, who was omnipresent as an athlete playing football and baseball, is once again everywhere. He is the star of a new DirecTV ad campaign which pops up in just about every ad break. Opinions are split. What do you think?

Personally I prefer this old ad:

Which leads us nicely into the Monday night football matchup, featuring one of the most storied rivalries in the NFL: the Washington Redskins versus the Dallas Cowboys.

Tony Romo in the red zone

In a nailbiter, the Cowboys finally edged out the Redskins when it turned out that 257lb linebacker Anthony Spencer is faster than 225lb QB Rex Grossman.

Romo led his team to victory through the pain of his broken rib. But the jury is still out after his previous outings (one won, one lost, in the closing seconds): the Cowboys may have scored six times, but they were all field goals.

The Cowboys now lead the Redskins 61-38 (two ties) in the 101 games between the teams in the regular season.

• NFL
• US sport

Steve Busfield

guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/sep/27/peyton-manning-minnesota-vikings-deoin-sanders

Nik Antropov John Armstrong Tyler Arnason Jamie Arniel

Arsenal face another contract saga as Robin van Persie ponders future | David Hytner

Arsenal's inability to tie down players could cause further unrest after their leading striker hinted he is keeping his options open

Robin van Persie looked as if he might have killed with a single glance. The Dutchman's first home match as the Arsenal captain had ended in defeat by Liverpool and he was hot with rage and frustration. A penny for his thoughts would have been worth the investment yet Van Persie was never going to go public. The 28-year-old knows himself too well.

It was 20 August. Cesc F�bregas had left for Barcelona and Samir Nasri was poised to leave for Manchester City. Ars�ne Wenger had signed only one established international ? the forward Gervinho from Lille ? and found himself in the throes of a selection crisis. It felt as though the club had hit rock bottom, although that was to come, at Manchester United the following weekend.

Van Persie bit his lip as he marched out of the Emirates Stadium dressing-room that day because, as more than one club official acknowledged, he can speak only with candour and he realised that the heat of this moment was not the time to vent it. So he stewed, which is something he has done plenty of since the beginning of the summer. But, if Van Persie has given a passable impression of a ticking time-bomb, it was no surprise when he detonated following Saturday's win over Bolton Wanderers, sparking a trail of banner headlines.

Van Persie's admission that he was in no hurry to discuss an extension to his contract, which expires in June 2013, and the associated suggestion that it would be better to wait until the end of the season, has caused no little alarm. The striker could have gone further and he doubtless would have done if he had spoken about the club's direction after the Liverpool or United games. But his words at the weekend sufficed to get the message across and the issue out into the open. As Arsenal labour, Van Persie intends to keep his options open.

The mood of an overseas player in the Premier League can often be judged when he is back with his country on international duty and Van Persie has cut a withdrawn figure with Holland of late, retreating into the company of his close friends Ibrahim Afellay, Khalid Boulahrouz and Nigel de Jong and being unusually reluctant to speak to the Dutch press.

At the end of last season, in the June friendly against Brazil which finished 0-0, he lost his cool at Arjen Robben, after his team-mate ignored the opportunity to play him in. When he was substituted by the manager, Bert van Marwijk, Van Persie stormed straight down the tunnel and he clashed with Robben in the dressing-room after the game. His crankiness was reflected in a post-match statement that was critical of Robben. "Everybody hashis own character," he said. "I would always have played that ball ... I think most players would but I shouldn't have walked away [to the dressing-room] like that."

During the most recent international break, when Holland beat San Marino and Finland, Van Persie declined to speak to the press for fear of any comments about Arsenal rebounding in England. Van Persie would not normally have such concerns and the general impression is that he has become anxious and uncomfortable.

F�bregas displayed similar traits last season, when he kept his own counsel apart from the controversial interview that he gave to Don Bal�n, the Spanish magazine. When F�bregas finally completed his transfer to Barcelona, there was the view that he might not get into the team but he has thrived in the early weeks of his second spell at Camp Nou. Van Persie, who would back his ability anywhere in the world, would surely have taken note.

Wenger added five players in the final 48 hours of the summer transfer window and he said that he wanted all of his business to reassure the club's existing stars. It is unclear, though, whether it has done so with Van Persie, who had called in early July for "statement" signings to be made.

He could not contain his exasperation with Gervinho in the defeat at Blackburn Rovers, when the Ivorian ignored him in an excellent position to go for goal himself ? Van Persie hates selfish players ? while, in his eyes, most midfielders would struggle to measure up to F�bregas. Mikel Arteta has big boots to fill.

Van Persie is not the only Arsenal player who stands to become a free agent in the summer after next ? Thomas Vermaelen, Theo Walcott, Andrey Arshavin and Johan Djourou are in the same position. But the sense of unease is most acute with Van Persie, who is arguably the club's one remaining world-class talent.

The conspiracy theorists worry about his close links to Darren Dein, the agent who helped to move F�bregas out of the club, although Van Persie's Fifa-registered representative is the Amsterdam-based Kees Vos. Van Persie, however, is his own man and one with no shortage of potential suitors. Yet another Arsenal contract saga is set to run.

• Robin van Persie
• Arsenal

David Hytner

guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/sep/26/robin-van-persie-arsenal-contract

Michael Chaput Stefan Chaput Kyle Chipchura Erik Christensen

Puck Headlines: Ovechkin wax figure; Campbell talks Shanahan

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

? Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will be getting his own wax figure at Madame Tussaud's museum in Washington, D.C. Or they're just going to leave it as a floating head in memory of Ovie's CCM commercials. [@darrenrovell via @dcwax]

? NHL commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement Friday morning regarding the incident Thursday night in London, Ontario: "We have millions of great fans who show tremendous respect for our�players and for the game. The obviously stupid and ignorant action by one�individual is in no way representative of our fans or the people of London,�Ontario."

? Frank Seravalli spoke with former NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell in London, Ontario, Thursday night about Brendan Shanahan's first day of suspensions: "The position needed some fresh blood, some new eyes.�Brendan is a good replacement, he's been suspended by at least three of us [disciplinarians], and he's been hanging around us for the last couple of years." [Daily News]

? Friday is Mike Modano Retirement Day. NHL Network and NHL.com will be broadcasting the press conference. At 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, NHL Network will air a one-hour special on Modano's career. [NHL]

? Chris Peters with a Modano tribute of his own. [USOH]

? Mason Raymond of the Vancouver Canucks is still unsure when (or if) he'll be able to play again after suffering a broken vertebrae in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final from a Johnny Boychuk hit. [Vancouver Sun]

? Edmonton Oilers tough guy Darcy Hordichuk on why Shawn Thornton's play in the Stanley Cup Final helped the Bruins win: "Had Vancouver won, it would have been again everybody is trying to be like Detroit and we don't need that toughness. What he [Thornton] did in that series and [Milan] Lucic and [Brad] Marchand, it's going to change Vancouver's approach." [The Province]

? Bruce Dowbiggin got CBC's P.J. Stock on the phone to discuss his comments following the death of Wade Belak. [Globe & Mail]

? The story of Philadelphia Flyers prospect Tomas Hyka's week is a very interesting one. He was cut, then rostered, then finds out the team can't sign undrafted Europeans under 22 years old and�will re-enter the draft in June. [SB Nation Philly]

? During the New Jersey Devils/New York Rangers preseason game on Wednesday night the Berkshire Bank logo at center ice was misspelled as "Berskshire" at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York. Oops.�[Times Union]

? Apparently, the Hockey Hall of Fame has a mascot now. I'm disappointed as I was just there on Sunday and missed the opportunity to meet a 6-foot tall hockey-playing beaver. [HHOF s/t Scotty Hockey]

? San Jose Sharks netminder Antero Niittymaki has decided to have a procedure to cure a lingering lower-body issue and will miss the next 12 weeks. [Mercury News]

? An interesting look by Dirk Hoag at "Moneyball" and the Nashville Predators. [On the Forecheck]

? Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic talks about his newsworthy offseason to Matt Kalman: "So you definitely need to be careful where you are and of your surroundings, and I think the best thing for me that I've got to look for is, I've got to put myself in the best situation everywhere I go so I don't wind up in the same incident that happened."�[Boston Herald]

? The R.J. Umberger deal shows that Columbus Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson's plan is moving ahead as planned. [The Hockey Writers]

? Todd Bertuzzi's 16-year-old nephew is trying to make a name for himself in junior hockey with the Guelph Storm. [Postmedia News via Vancouver Sun]

? The Kalamazoo Wings and Vancouver Canucks have reached an affiliate agreement for the 2011-12 season. [ECHL]

? Finally, here's Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Guy Boucher playing conductor as the Florida Orchestra records the team's new theme song, "Be the Thunder" (s/t Kukla):

[Play Fantasy Hockey, now with Pro Leagues]

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Puck-Headlines-Ovechkin-wax-figure-Campbell-ta?urn=nhl-wp13244

Cory Quirk Prab Rai Greg Rallo Chad Rau

Talking Horses: Latest news and best bets in our daily racing blog

The latest news and best bets in our daily horse racing blog, plus the start of a new week's tipping competition

2.20pm Champions Day build-up gathers pace

Chris Cook: I saw the cinema trailer for next month's Champions Day on Friday, while waiting for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. It was considerably more exciting than the film and you can watch it here.

In other news, it has been revealed today that the winner of the Fillies And Mares race will get an additional prize. As well as a large sum of money, she gets the right to be covered by Makfi the following spring.

It's a decidedly odd prize to offer but somebody clearly feels this is an interesting way to market a new stallion. Ironically, Makfi always flopped around Ascot, so the filly in question will be one up on him when they meet.

I should imagine the BBC may glide over this particular detail in their coverage and who can blame them?

Today's best bets, by Greg Wood

It is rare to come across a Grade 5 handicap as competitive as today's sixth race at Hamilton, in which five of the seven remaining runners were winners last time out, but the flipside of that is the chance to back Tongalooma (4.40) at 4-1 with the bookmakers and 9-2 on Betfair.

She was tipped here last week when she won over track and trip and the good news is that, even from an 11lb higher mark, the time of that race suggests that she still has something in hand of today's field, including another recent wide-margin winner in Babich Bay.

Babich Bay is the current favourite for today's race but, while he was an impressive winner, he is dropping back to the minimum trip today and may not cope with the sheer speed of James Moffatt's mare.

There is no other race on the programme today that ranks with this one in terms of field size and shape, but Icebuster (Ffos Las 3.50) looked to have plenty left when successful at Sandown earlier this month. Minsky Mine (4.00) is one to consider at Bath.

Tipping competition ? a new week

Congratulations to curlycov, who held on to win last week, despite spirited finishes from MrWinnersSonInLaw, goofs and AlexCook among others. Curlycov wins a copy of the new Champion Jockey video game.

This week's prize is a �50 bet on Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, courtesy of our good friends at Betfred. Keep an eye on your email inbox on Friday evening if you think you may have won, as we will need to contact your sharpish to sort out your bet.

To kick things off, we'd like your tips, please, for these races: 4.20 Ffos Las, 4.40 Hamilton, 5.05 Roscommon.

As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of �1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers.

In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.

For terms and conditions click here.

Good luck!

Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.

Post your tips and racing-related comments below.

• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing

Greg Wood

guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/sep/26/horse-racing-live-26-september-2011

David Legwand Mark Letestu Trevor Lewis Corey Locke

New and improved Matt Cooke boards a guy

Matt Cooke has become public enemy number one over the past few NHL seasons for a handful of controversial bodychecks, most notably hits from the blindside and from behind. He was suspended twice last season, once for a hit on Fedor Tytutin of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and then, only a month later, for an elbow on Ryan McDonagh.

In the summer, Cooke vowed reformation. From The Pittsburgh Tribune:

Cooke said, he has "changed (his) approach" to hitting. He said he never wants to again do what he has done to opponents such as Marc Savard, Fedor Tyutin or Ryan McDonagh ? the latter of whom he caught with an elbow to the head late last season, an illegal blow that brought upon Cooke a 17-game suspension.

He said will still hit, but only "the right way," and not because he believes his return to the NHL is under zero-tolerance terms, even though he said nobody with the Penguins or league has used those words.

That was Matt Cooke on August 24. This was the Matt Cooke on September 24, in his second preseason game as the Pittsburgh Penguins took on the Minnesota Wild:

Pretty sure that's not the right way.

Will the league look at this hit? You bet. Is it suspendable? Perhaps. We'll reserve judgment for a better video, but that looks a little embellished.�You wonder if, with the reputation Matt Cooke has, guys will make sure every hit he dishes out gets noticed with a little hop.

Still, for Cooke, who has to walk on eggshells this season, especially with Sheriff Shanahan looking to set precedents, assert his new authority, and use all that fancy new audiovisual equipment, this doesn't look good.

Cooke received two minutes for boarding on the play. The Penguins would go on to win the game, 4-1.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/New-and-improved-Matt-Cooke-boards-a-guy?urn=nhl-wp13351

Julian Talbot Max Talbot Eric Tangradi Tomas Tatar

NHL suspends Sabres? Brad Boyes two games for head check

While the announcement yesterday that Minnesota Wild forward Brad Staubitz and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman James Wisniewski were suspended pending a hearing and review by NHL discipline czar Brendan Shanahan was the news yesterday, a head check by Brad Boyes of Buffalo Sabres flew under the radar.

During a preseason game with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night, Boyes delivered a hit to the head of Joe Colborne, with the head being the principle point of contact. In doing so, the NHL suspended Boyes for two preseason games.

Here's Shanahan's explanation of the 2-game ban:

The first game Boyes will be able to return to the Buffalo lineup is the Oct. 4 preseason game against German club Adler Mannheim.

Two preseason games isn't the harshest of penalties, but keep in mind Boyes is not a repeat offender, which played into the Jody Shelley and Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond suspensions. Also, as Shanahan mentioned, Colborne was not injured on the play.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/NHL-suspends-Sabres-Brad-Boyes-two-games-for-he?urn=nhl-wp13374

Ricard Blidstrand Severin Blindenbacher Jonathon Blum Andrew Bodnarchuk

Wild?s Staubitz, Blue Jackets? Wisniewski suspended pending hearing

The Brendan Shanahan Era as NHL czar of discipline is starting to give him work him bunches.

Two days after he suspended Philadelphia Flyers forward Jody Shelley five preseason and five regular season games and Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond of the Calgary Flames four games (three preseason, one regular season) after repeat offenses, a pair of incidents Friday night in the Minnesota Wild-Columbus Blue Jackets game have draw the ire of Shanahan.

It was announced on Saturday afternoon that Brad Staubitz of the Wild and James Wisniewski of the Blue Jackets were each suspended indefinitely pending a hearing and review by Shanahan. Staubitz hit Cody Bass from behind and was given a major penalty and game misconduct, while Wisniewski delivered an illegal check to the head to Cal Clutterbuck and was given a minor.

The Wild played the Pittsburgh Penguins in an afternoon game on Saturday, while the Blue Jackets were traveling back home to Columbus, that is why the announcements had to be made before any final suspension decision is handed out.

So far, this new process of handing out discipline has gone over better than expected with the detailed explanation videos of how Shanahan came to his decision. There's no video available of last night's hits, but media and fans are waiting for the first borderline hit to occur and see how that is processed by these new standards. It's been a great start, and fans are hoping the old days of the Wheel of Justice are long gone.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Wild-s-Staubitz-Blue-Jackets-Wisniewski-suspen?urn=nhl-wp13343

Rick Rypien Mark Santorelli Mike Santorelli Max Sauve

Puck Daddy chats with Buffalo?s Robyn Regehr about Terry Pegula, Tyler Myers, leaving Calgary and long-term contracts

When he was asked by the Calgary Flames to waive his no-trade clause and accept a trade to the Buffalo Sabres in June, defenseman Robyn Regehr began his hockey reconnaissance.

As a Western Conference defenseman, the Sabres were foreign to him; and Buffalo was even more of an unknown as a lifelong Canadian resident. So he spoke with Rhett Warrener, Steve Montador and Jordan Leopold ? all three having been Flames and Sabres during their careers ? to get the lowdown on his potential new home.

Of course, bribery never hurts in the decision-making process, either.

"When we were trying to decide whether to come here or not, it took us three or four days to make the decision. So my wife was on the Internet and she found two offers from Buffalo: One was for free wings for life if we came, and the other one was a free gas range for a year," said Regehr, who accepted a trade to Buffalo on June 25.

"We gotta follow up on that."

We spoke with Regehr at Sabres training camp on Sunday about coming to Buffalo, leaving Calgary, Sabres owner Terry Pegula, defenseman Tyler Myers and the issue of long-term contracts in the next CBA negotiation.

Q. Was it tough leaving Calgary?

REGEHR: It was tough to leave the city of Calgary. Both my wife and I really enjoyed the city. We had a lot going on outside of hockey. We had a lot of friends there and still do ?� it's just tougher to go out and see them. That was really difficult.

As for the team ? it's part of what we do.

Owner Terry Pegula went above and beyond the norm to get you to drop your no-trade clause and come here. Was there anything in particular he did that blew you away?

No, just talking to him. Getting a feel for what he was looking for with the team, and then talking with Lindy Ruff and Darcy Regier too. They were pretty adamant about coming up to the lake to visit with us when we were trying to decide. I told them that may not have been the best situation, because we were in the middle of trying to gather all of this information and make a real good decision. Them coming up at that time might have added a little more pressure to the situation.

When we phoned them and let them know what our decision was, they said we're coming. It didn't matter what we said ? they were coming.

People don't realize what a difficult decision it is, do they? The level of stress and strain on a family?

It was a difficult decision, based on all the information we had to gather. There's the hockey side, which is probably the easiest decision to make ? looking at where the team's going, the coaches and GM and the ownership side of it. The most difficult is the family situation. We didn't know anything about the city. I had never lived in the States before, I had never played in the East before.

But I also thought that I didn't want to go through my whole career not having looked at that opportunity. There was a lot of back and forth, a lot of talking between myself and my wife.

Before you came here, if somebody said "Buffalo Sabres" what was the first thing that came to mind?

I knew it was a good young team. Probably their most high-profile player was Ryan Miller. I was familiar with most of the players, not all the players, because sometimes you only face a team from the other conference one a year. There's not that familiarity.

It was a little bit of a ? I wouldn't say I was scared or anything like that, but it's a little bit unfamiliar territory. I feel like I have to relearn a few things. Learn a little bit more about the teams out here, the players and their tendencies. I've got my hands full.

What do you see as your role on the Sabres?

I see myself as someone who's going to try and set an example. Play real good, hard, physical game and try into their style of their style of play, which is a little bit different than how I played in the last. So there's going to be a bit of a transition.

But I haven't told myself that I'm going to be the minutes leader or anything like that. There are a few things that I just want to focus on that I can bring to the team.

Tyler Myers will probably be the minutes leader. He said earlier today that he grew up watching you. You're 31; is it weird playing on teams where there are players who grew up watching you?

[Laughs] Yeah, it's a bit of a transition right now. Guys I played with are now coaching or things like that. I see Jay McKee on the ice [as a coach], and I played against him. [Sabres assistant] Teppo ?Numminen, played against him.

I heard [about Myers] from Terry and Lindy when they came up to the lake. That makes you feel a little bit old when you hear that, but I don't feel old. I'm sure he's going to go through the same situation 10 years down the road.

Talking about Myers reminds us of his contract: 7 years, with $12 million up front. Christian Ehrhoff signed a 10-year deal in the summer. What are your feelings on long-term contracts like those in the NHL?

Right now, you have the framework that was agreed upon by the NHL and the NHLPA. And it's up to the people involved ? general managers, owners, agents, players ? to work within those guidelines. And that's what they are: guidelines. There are certain rules that can't be broken, but other than that you can be a little bit creative.

It's like going out to play the game: If you see something out there that you can exploit, and it's within the rules, you do it. That's always going to be like that.

Usually, when you do something within reason, it's OK. It's those extremes that you go to, and then there are issues.

I'm sure the NHL isn't happy that there are things like that going on.

Are you worried about the fate of long-term contracts in the next CBA negotiation?

Yeah. That's one of the issues. We're not sure as players what they're going to try and come after ? guaranteed contracts, the term of them. They always want more. They're getting their ducks in a row.

Alright, last question, and we're going to put you on the spot: Do you look at this Sabres roster and see a Stanley Cup champion?

I think we have lots of potential. I think we need to do certain things, and there's always some luck involved. The buy-in of everyone in the locker room, too.

But I see a lot of potential on this team, and ? I don't want to give you any bulletin board material. I'll just leave it at that. [Smiles]

[Play Fantasy Hockey, now with Pro Leagues]

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Puck-Daddy-chats-with-Buffalo-s-Robyn-Regehr-abo?urn=nhl-wp12929

Brendan Mikkelson Juraj Mikus Zach Miskovic Willie Mitchell