The Montreal Canadiens are hoping less is more when it comes to Tomas Kaberle. And from Scott Gomez and several others, they're just hoping for more.
In the nine games since being acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes, the blueliner is averaging 1:27 less ice time per game than when he was with Carolina. On top of that, his ice time is down three minutes a game from last year and a full 10 minutes from 2005-06, the year he played a career-high 28 minutes a game with Toronto.
All this would be understandable if Kaberle's salary was adjusted accordingly. But that's simply not the case. Hurricanes' GM Jim Rutherford admits he made a mistake when he signed Kaberle to a three-year contract worth $12.75 million in the offseason. Canadiens GM Pierre Gauthier, on the other hand, apparently sees nothing wrong with a cap hit of $4.25 million for a defenceman who plays 17 minutes a game.
Kaberle's contract fits in rather well with the Habs culture of overpaying its players. Scott Gomez, still searching for his first goal of the season, is earning $7.5 million this year. Brian Gionta, Erik Cole and Mike Cammalleri are a few other players whose production isn't in line with their salaries.
The Canadiens' organization, as a result, should resolve to exercise some fiscal responsbility when it comes to players salaries and cease taking on bloated contracts that other teams want no part of.
As the calendar turns on a new year, here are some resolutions the other 29 teams should consider making...and keeping.
The Anaheim Ducks resolve to change travel agents in hopes of improving their fortunes on the road. Anaheim has won just three of its first 18 games away from the Honda Center.
The Boston Bruins resolve to convince themselves it's still 2011. The B's are 21-2-1 over their past 24 games.
The Buffalo Sabres resolve to find team-building exercises that work. The re-modelled Sabres have shown very little chemistry this season.
The Calgary Flames resolve to blow everything up if they continue to tread water outside of a playoff spot. And yes, that includes asking Jarome Iginla to waive his no-movement clause.
The Carolina Hurricanes resolve to play more interesting hockey. Failing that, they resolve to broadcast episodes of the Flyers-Rangers 24/7 just to prove that hockey can be an interesting sport.
I first encountered the Philadelphia 76ers' Hip-Hop mascot at the NBA All-Star Game in 2002 and was horrified by the Donnie Darko-meets-Fresh Prince abomination that was stalking the sidelines and invading my dreams. Of all of the sick, twisted appeals by boardroom executives to appeal to the youth's hip-hop culture, this was not only the most ill-conceived but also the most truly nightmare inducing. His death has only aggravated my fears now that I've become convinced that it has the power to haunt me from beyond the grave.
-- Tim Chisholm
Worst Use of the NBA Lock-Out
Some players used the downtime to heal injuries or expand their basketball repertoire. Peace ignored his rapidly degenerating game to dedicate his time to legally changing his name to a nonsensical mishmash of new-age gobbledygook, then lending his shockingly limited talents to Dancing With The Stars, lasting all of one episode before he was unceremoniously booted from the program. After two preseason games with the Lakers, it's clear that neither of these escapades helped re-ignite The Man Formerly Known As Ron Artest's talent for basketball.
-- Tim Chisholm
Biggest D-Bag Who Finds the Onion Bag
Though UK-based The Fiver claims Man City's Mario Balotelli has jumped the shark, we reckon the goal-scoring Italian clown with the diva attitude is bound to continue his antics in 2012 -- despite public pressure from his coach to knock it off already. In 2011, we've seen Super Mario fight at least two teammates at training, fail epically at getting a training bib on, set his house on fire after lighting off fireworks in his bathroom, and lift up his jersey to show off a "Why Always Me?" t-shirt after scoring against Manchester United. Not since Maradona's press interactions at the 2010 World Cup have we witnessed this kind of infantile need for attention but, like el Diego, Balotelli is deadly on the ball, an undeniable talent with speed, power and creative finishing abilities. Man City remain top of the table, the BPL has a lightning rod it can count on and, if you look up "love to hate" in the dictionary, you might just see a grinning Balotelli.
So far, so good for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships. After dominating Finland 8-1, Canada easily dispatched of the Czech Republic 5-0.
Mark Visentin will get the start tonight as the goalie switcheroo continues, Scott Wedgewood made 26 saves for the shutout against the Czech squad last night.
Puck drop is 8:00pm EST, make sure you tune in to watch the game on TSN, or if for some reason you can't be near a TV or it breaks, either TSN's mobile TV or online at TSN.ca are both great options. TSN.ca also has a sweet liveblog happening over at the streaming site.
Does Michael Redd have anything left in those surgically reconstructed knees of his? We’re about to find out.
The Phoenix Suns announced today that they’ve inked Redd to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum salary. The Suns have looked positively inept so far this season, managing only 84 points in a close loss to New Orleans and then only 83 points two nights later in a twenty-point blowout against the Sixers. For a team that was once renowned for it’s offensive potency, this decent into the league’s scoring basement has not been taken well.
Enter Redd, a career 20 ppg scorer and 38% three-point shooter, and a player that the Suns are praying has something left in the tank to give them this season. Redd has spent the last two years basically fighting to save his degenerating knees and after eleven years in the league looks just about done, regardless of Phoenix’s interest in him. If there is anything that he can provide the team it would be some long-range sniping off of the bench, and taking a look at the myriad problems facing the Suns right now, it doesn’t exactly look like he’s going to be the savior that turns the team around this season.
Redd has basically joined the brigade of faded stars like Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Baron Davis and Mike Bibby; players trading on their names at the end of some team’s rotation. They are the last remnants of an age of NBA ball that has already chewed up and spit out guys like Gilbert Arenas, Stephon Marbury, Allen Iverson, Antoine Walker and Steve Francis, and is just waiting for Redd to burn out his last chance before he joins them on the retirement heap.
It’s somewhat fitting that Redd and the Suns have found themselves this winter. Redd, in the twilight of his career, has joined up with a team in the twilight of their relevance. If people were more honest with themselves, Redd would be passed over for a younger guy hungry for a shot and the Suns would be broken up and sold for parts. For now, though, both parties have tried to resuscitate each other in tandem, even though both are probably DOA at this point already.
We missed this one just before Christmas… When a spectator got past security in the Ajax-AZ match and decided to try out his Shaolin moves on keeper Esteban, he was in for a nasty surprise. The Costa Rican shot-stopper not only dodged the blows but lashed out with some Karate Champ kicks of his own before dropping the interloper to the pitch and giving him a few quick boots in the ribs. The stills of the event look like a northern European Axe Body Spray ad, yet the ref gave AZ's Esteban a red card for his quick thinking and boss Gertjan Verbeek pulled his entire team in protest, leaving the game null and abandoned. This is just one example in dozens of high-level matches this season that have been bailed on thanks to fans gone awry.
In Karen Bell's fast-tracked wedding to hubby Simon, she didn't have to look far for something borrowed, blue or old… The UK woman, 38, showed up for her big day wearing a homemade wedding dress composed entirely of Simon's old Manchester City jerseys. Three weeks at the sewing machine and some fanatic-level commitment to the Blues meant the dress wasn't the only aspect of the ceremony that was unusual. Instead of jetting off to the Caribbean after getting hitched, Simon and Karen went straight to the Etihad to watch City un-stoke Stoke, 3-0.
The couple didn't tell any of their assembled friends and family about the dress and, after the big day, Simon, 49, said: "I was amazed when I saw her. The shirts were in a suitcase in the loft and I sacrificed them as a demonstration of my commitment." And, if you don't believe that City fans are willing to take things to new heights after this over-the-top wedding dress, peep the fan car from last year and get back to us.
This one was obvious, non? While many were waiting for the Phoenix Coyotes to eventually make their way out of the desert and back up to Manitoba, Mark Chipman and True North Sports made the unexpected happen. At the end of May, word was out that the Atlanta Thrashers would be moving to Winnipeg. As if that wasn't exciting enough, just under a month later (which to the internet was an ETERNITY) at the NHL entry draft the team officially announced it would be called the Jets. And then, they unveiled the sweaters. Whew, lots of exciting times. Oh, and then there was the whole matter of actually playing hockey and after a rough start the Jets have played themselves into playoff contention. All in all, a pretty sweet 2011 for the 'Peg.
The Just In Time To Say Goodbye Award
Five years ago, former Manchester United and England star David Beckham signed a contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy to revolutionize soccer in America. But while "revolution," is much to strong a word, Beckham certainly brough a spotlight on Major League Soccer that would not have otherwise been there and, arguably, opened the door for other aging stars like Thierry Henry and Robbie Keane to see the league as a viable option. So it was here, in the last season of his contract, that Beckham finally was able to help deliver the hardware, as the Galaxy won the MLS Cup in November. As good a parting gift as any, wouldn't you say? There is word he might sign a 12-month extension, but is also being pursued by newly flush French side Paris St-Germain.
Sports Legend Offspring of the Year
Paulina Gretzky has been called a lot of things since causing a bit of a Twitterstorm with some arguably less-than-wholesome twitpics a few months ago and the subsequent shut-down-the-resurrected Twitter account. You could write it all of as just another spoiled brat living the vapid Hollywood lifestyle whilst pursuing a mediocre singer/actor/model career, and you probably wouldn't be far off. But give the girl a break. She's 23-years-old. People in their early 20s do idiotic things all the time. It's just that most of them aren't related to sports royalty. OK, some of them are. But still.
All this fuss about twitpics is really just the faux-moral huffing and puffing of the 24-hour news cycle. It's not like there was a sex tape. No, Ms. Gretzky just made a few questionable calls, like we all do at 23, all the while giving fans a pretty funny peek at the real world of growing up Gretzky. Cripes, that Xmas portrait (above) alone is pure GOLD.
Tonight Canada takes on the Czech Republic at 8pm EST. Plymouth Whalers goalie Scott Wedgewood will get the start, taking the reins from Mark Visentin of the Niagara IceDogs.
The Czech Republic bested Denmark 7-0 in their first game of the tournament.
Make sure you tune in to watch the game on TSN, or if for some reason you can't be near a TV, either TSN's mobile TV or online at TSN.ca are both great options.
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Welcome, once again, to our annual Cheapies awards! For two years this has been our respectable nod and soft clap to the more memorable sports moments and people of the last year. We used the donut trophy before, but I think the above photo nicely sums up our feelings just as well. Go ahead, look at it. Soak it in. It's like a pirate ship and a wedding cake had a baby. It says nothing and yet it says everything. Striking.
Anyhoo, on to the awards!
The Good Riddance Award
The Ontario Teacher's Pension Fund sold off its stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in December to Bell and Rogers. Although many Leafs fans will be cheering the departure of the emotionless profit machine that is educational retirement money, it's more likely Teacher's is wiping its brow in relief and looking forward to making bucketloads of money off an investment that doesn't include crowds of flag-waving loonies who heap praise and adulation on a team that hasn't made the playoffs since before the Class of 2012 even started high school.
Best Cameo by an Athlete in a Non-Sports Commercial
Sure, Kobe did it first but this ad for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, "The Vet & the n00b" is simply a step above that noble effort. Director Peter Berg gets you all pumped up by the action and the ACDC, then laughing at all the Jonah Hillness... but right when you think it's all over, Dwight Howard steps in with a perfectly timed "WOOOOOOO!" Despite the trade request and ensuing rumours, Howard's still one of the more likeable NBA stars and this cameo only cements that fact.
The Best Start to a Crappy Finish Award
It all started out so perfectly for the Vancouver Whitecaps. The West coast soccer team with as much history behind it as any this country has seen finally made its jump to North America's top tier, beginning its inaugural season with a 4-2 home win over Toronto FC, the only other Canadian team in the league. "We couldn't have asked for a better start to our life in MLS," said Whitecaps FC head coach Teitur Thoradarson after the game. "We scored four goals and created a lot of chances. We could have possibly scored some more goals, but to win 4-2 in our very first MLS game is a dream come true. I'm extremely happy with the players and with the team." Thoradarson was fired 11 games later. The Whitecaps finished the season in the basement of the Western Conference and tied for last overall, with just six wins in 34 games. None of those wins came on the road.
November 2011
