The Pittsburgh Penguins offense fell flat in the 2015–16 season opener against the Dallas Stars on Thursday night. Rookie left-winger Sergei Plotnikov, imported to the NHL after six seasons in the Russian-based KHL, looked particularly flat. Plotnikov made headlines by paying around $500,000 to negate the final year of a KHL contract with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and join the Penguins as the team allegedly sought a Russian winger to play on a line with Evgeni Malkin. Based on some simple ... Read More
NHL coach takes on new job
When most people think of the lockout, they’re thinking mostly about the owners and the players. The players spend their time honing their skills overseas, while the owners bathe in money, or whatever it is they do. But seldom do people consider the coaches. Honestly, what is a coach supposed to do during a lockout? Go to an arcade to critique someone’s bubble hockey skills? Maybe develop new air hockey techniques? Boston Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien decided to take a slightly different ... Read More
KHL on ESPN
When I first heard about the (possibly short-term) marriage between the Kontinental Hockey League and ESPN, I immediately poured hot coffee on my hand just to make sure that I was awake and alive. First off, the thought of watching hockey in any capacity is akin to winning free Taco Bell for life. I barely even remember what ice skates look like. As was stated by Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption, “I find I’m so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head.” ESPN’s ... Read More
Love for Lokomotiv
A year ago today, September 7, 2011, professional hockey faced one of the most difficult days in its history. A plane carrying the KHL team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl caught fire and crashed shortly after take-off, killing nearly everyone on board, including former NHL-ers Ruslan Salei, Pavol Demitra, Josef Vasicek, among others with NHL ties. The official cause of the crash was pilot error, though there are many thoughts and innuendos surrounding the event. Candidly, I have struggled for a couple ... Read More