Crosby is the face of hockey, a player that is known by lovers of the sport and those who have no idea what a puck is. ‘Sid the Kid’ is already skating towards hockey greatness, most recently racking up the Hart Memorial Trophy, claiming the Ted Lindsay Award and the Art Ross Trophy at the 2014 NHL Awards.
While the accolades for Crosby run deep, the laugh lines for fans of Andy Samberg do as well. An Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor, Samberg brought the comedy to Saturday Night Live from 2005-2012, starred in movies and now brings the laughs on a weekly basis to the hit sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
While the two hold two different talents, the resemblance they share is uncanny.
There is something decidedly American about apple pie, warm apple pie reminds us of autumn, and all of the holidays from the first falling leaf through Thanksgiving. But it’s June and quickly skating into July, where apples aren’t in season, but their much smaller friend is, yes Mr. Blueberry, we’re talking about you. While apple takes the American pie for the cooler months, it’s red, white and blueberry during the summer months. Of course, this recipe is tasty year round, however, incorporating it into Fourth of July festivities with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream really brings the fireworks.
Everyone has their own tricks and preferences in life, when it comes to taping a stick and baking, stay out of the way… Almost everyone chirps the cobbler topping on this pie because it’s non-traditional. What is traditional? Pie crust on the bottom, pie crust on the top, but skating outside your comfort zone in the kitchen may just bring a new world of possibilities — using cobbler topping on the blueberry pie is a prime example of that statement. Without further adieu, Oh My, Blueberry Pie with Cobbler Crust.
Ingredients
1 box Pillsbury Pie Crust — you’ll only use one crust in the package of 2
Photo: Maine.gov
Blueberry Filling
6-8 cups fresh blueberries. If you’re using blueberries from the produce section, 6 cups should suffice, however, we often use wild Maine blueberries from the bushes at the lake house and 8 cups is necessary because they’re drastically smaller than the ones you find in the store. If you can utilize the fresh wild blueberries, we highly suggest it — it makes this recipe all that much tastier!
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup tapioca
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Cobbler Crumb Topping
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar — our preference is light brown, but either light or dark will work just fine.
1/2 cup butter softened at room temperature
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. In glass pie dish, press one package of crust into the dish, making a small crust edge on the upper sides of the pan as well, set aside.
2. In large bowl, mix all of the blueberry filling ingredients thoroughly, then pour into pie dish over crust
3. In separate bowl, mix all of the cobbler crumb topping ingredients thoroughly — you’ll want a crumbly consistency, once you’ve achieved that, pour onto the blueberry filling and spread evenly.
Bake
45-50 minutes at 400 degrees or until blueberries are soft and the crumb topping and crust both tinged golden brown
The inevitable road trip, something in the world of hockey that you’ll experience more than once. Heading out on the road is a fun perk of covering a team, experiencing new cities, arenas and members of the media for different teams are all enjoyable — packing however, not as much. I’ve been lucky enough to visit different arenas throughout the league and this past week, I headed to Las Vegas for the 2014 NHL Awards. As a hockey journalist, 75% of your time is spent inside a rink, so dressing for the cooler temperatures is par for the course. But the NHL Awards take place in Sin City, where the average temperatures in mid-June range from a balmy 103-110 degrees… ummmm, how does one pack for the hotter than h-e-double hockey sticks heat, while still remaining professional? Its a line that can be hard to skate as a female to say the least. While the NHL Awards host a plethora of events over the course of a few days, the two main events are media day and awards day.
Media Day is generally held in the late morning, the day prior to the awards themselves. It doesn’t matter than every hotel and casino is air conditioned to feel similar to the arctic circle, it still isn’t cold enough. Unless you’d like to melt into a puddle, choosing airy breathable fabrics are 100% the way to go. For those of you that are unaware, I cover the Boston Bruins during the season, so, as you might imagine, the opportunity to wear black and yellow throughout the season are scarce. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again, but the awards allow for a little leeway in terms of color combinations, so I took the chance to represent the home team.
Media Day Breakdown:
Lightweight yellow blouse, Nordstrom Rack, $17.99
Black and white striped shorts, Grime Thrift Shop, $12
Black tassle drop necklace, yard sale, $2
Black belt, Wet Seal, clearance, $.60
Nude pumps, Target, $22.99
Awards day itself is all about the walking. Walking from the media room, to the red carpet, to the media room, to the red carpet, then back to the media room, then to winner availability and so on. Sure, a pair of sky high stilettos would be a lovely choice, but realistically, picking a pair of shoes that you can walk miles in without dying is a key component to surviving awards day. Not to mention, picking a dress that you can comfortably live with for hours and hours on end is a smart decision.
Awards Day Breakdown:
Long white maxi dress, Dainty Hooligan, under $50
Tan gladiator wedges, DSW, $24.99
Ultimately, if you’re heading to Vegas in the middle of summer, your pack list should include, lightweight dresses, shorts, tanks, sandals, sunglasses and sunscreen, if it starts with an S, pack it. Hockey fans in Vegas, be prepared… most of you have never worn a jersey with shorts and it’s an experience that all of you should have on your bucket list — especially if the combination is being worn as a fan at the NHL Awards.
(photo: Bill Streicher / USA TODAY Sports)
Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon is not shy when it comes to making moves on draft day. In his first year as General Manager in 2010, he made a splash with no less than 13 draft picks, a record-high for the Florida Panthers franchise, including 3 picks in the opening round. This year, with the Panthers sitting on the first overall selection, there was buzz as to whether Tallon would either be content with, or consider offers for the coveted top pick.
Among others, the Vancouver Canucks and Philadelphia Flyers made offers for the #1 overall, but in the end, no offer was enough for Tallon to give up the first pick. The Florida Panthers staff and Dale Tallon turned down deals involving Jason Garrison, Brayden Schenn, and Vincent Lecavalier in favor of drafting defenseman Aaron Ekblad. Not before letting Ekblad and the fans at Wells Fargo Center squirm, however.
After thanking the Flyers and the city of Philadelphia, congratulating the Kings, and inviting fans to Florida for the 2015 draft… Tallon still wasn’t ready to calm Ekblad’s nerves. He began “from the Ontario Hockey League,” but stopped for a dramatic pause that elicited chuckles from the crowd. Finally he called out Ekblad’s name, who joins an exclusive club of first overall draftees.
“I made Ekblad sweat a little,” Tallon said. “I thought this is show business. This is entertainment, isn’t it?”
Watch: Aaron Ekblad Mic’d up for the Draft
“I was freaking out there for a second when he stopped,” Ekblad said. “Obviously I was hoping for the best, hoping for my name to be called. But I could only hold on for so long.”
Ekblad won’t have to wait very long to join the team, though. He is said to be an NHL-ready player and he is looking forward to being a part of the Florida Panthers organization. The defenseman even gained exceptional player status at the age of 15 to play a year early in the OHL.
“I am for sure,” he told TSN. “I believe in myself and I’m confident that I can step into the league next year. I think that’s what the Florida Panthers see in me.”
Ekblad knows the Panthers have holes to fill, and will have high expectations of him.
“That’s the burden of expectation. I chase it,” Ekblad said. “I want the burden of expectation, that feel for motivation. I want to succeed under that.”
Aside from hoping to go first overall, Ekblad thought the Panthers would be a good fit for him.
“I wanted to get drafted by Florida because they are an up and coming team where I can facilitate my development and help them win a Stanley Cup,” he said in an interview after being selected.
The Panthers have been in a rebuilding stage for a few years now, but Ekblad sees potential in the team we have here.
“They have a young core and they want a Stanley Cup,” Ekblad said. “This D core in a couple years is going to be pretty good. And, of course, if I am a part of that, I hope to help out.”
(photo: Matt Slocum/The Associated Press)
The 2014 NHL Entry Draft, held at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA., saw five Americans selected in the first round.
Right in the middle of round one, at pick #15, Dylan Larkin was chosen by the Detroit Red Wings. American-born players would be drafted back-to-back as Sonny Milano was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets at pick #16. The 18th, 19th, and 20th consecutive picks saw another run on Americans as Alex Tuch, Anthony DeAngelo, and Nick Schmaltz went to the Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Chicago Blackhawks, respectively.
Watch: Anthony DeAngelo Mic’d up for the Draft
All five players participated in the 2013 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game. Larkin, Milano and Tuch were teammates on the gold medal winning U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team that competed at the 2014 International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s Under-18 World Championship in Finland. All three are products of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.
The question on most USA Hockey fans’ minds is who will join these five young men in the 2014 draft class of American-born players. Goaltender Thatcher Demko will almost certainly go early tomorrow, and many more Americans are eligible for this year’s draft.
NAME
|
ROUND (PICK)
|
NHL CLUB
|
2013-14 TEAM
|
| Dylan Larkin |
1 (15) |
Detroit Red Wings |
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) |
| Sonny Milano |
1 (16) |
Columbus Blue Jackets |
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) |
| Alex Tuch |
1 (18) |
Minnesota Wild |
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) |
| Anthony DeAngelo |
1 (19) |
Tampa Bay Lightning |
Sarnia Sting (OHL) |
| Nick Schmaltz |
1 (20) |
Chicago Blackhawks |
Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) |
On Friday, June 27, the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association announced the payroll range for the teams for the 2014-15 season. The range is pursuant to the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
For the coming season the CBA provides for a Lower Limit of $51 million, an Adjusted Midpoint of $60 million and an Upper Limit of $69 million. There are some teams that will feel the crunch of the upper limit, despite the fact that it went up from the previous season.
The Boston Bruins, for instance, will be saddled with a cap penalty of close to approximately $4.75 million as a result of bonuses paid to Jarome Iginla for his play this past season. The irony is that it could be this penalty that keeps the Bruins from being able to resign Iginla for the coming season as they will not have enough cap space to keep him and complete their roster for the coming season.
Original projections had the upper limit at closer to $71 million back in December. Calculations that include accounting for the fluctuation of the Canadian dollar and its exchange rate with the US dollar contributed to the lower final agreed on upper limit. And NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman alluded to this during a press conference he held in Boston on May 3, before the Bruins hosted the Montreal Canadiens in the first game of round 2 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
(photo: cwhl.ca)
There are not a ton of ways you can prepare for an adventure like The Amazing Race Canada, but going through a year of intense physical and mental training, not to mention winning an Olympic gold medal definitely doesn’t hurt.
Meaghan Mikkelson and Natalie Spooner are one of 11 teams competing in the second season of the show, which premieres July 8 on CTV. Like its sister shows, The Amazing Race Canada pits duos against one another in an epic travel-thon peppered with challenges, setbacks, and eliminations. It’s a race which requires as much dumb luck as it does skill and strategy.
“Even if they found out that we’re Olympians, I think they would still underestimate us a little bit,” Mikkelson said of the competition. “They might think we had the physical component, but we’re smart, too.”
They certainly do have the physical toughness component locked down; Mikkelson played the entire gold-medal game with a broken hand, and Spooner registered four points in five games (with two goals and two assists). The Amazing Race has always drawn in viewership with its epic meltdowns and tragic flameouts, but if anyone can handle that kind of pressure, it’s these two.
Of course, the manufactured pressure of a reality show is a whole different beast from the weight of being Canadian hockey players during the winter Olympics (#WeAreWinter, anybody?). When athletes take home gold, they do it as an athletic synecdoche in which everyone watching at home wins with them.
By contrast, winning The Amazing Race would mean taking home $250,000, new cars, sweet deals on Air Canada, and gas for life from Petro Canada.
“We just want the race to start already. We’re ready to go,” Spooner said.
No kidding — gas for life! Have you seen gas prices these days? It’s worth its weight in gold.
Hockey’s modern legends and a selection of current on-ice talent gathered in Vancouver Monday for a fundraising gala for Hockey Canada, governing body of Canada’s game. While the gala was a private event, media were invited to meet with a panel of hockey thought-leaders and ask questions. The Pink Puck was on the ground in Vancouver to meet with them.
First up, a panel of six greeted us. From left-to-right sat Hockey Canada executives Jim Hornell, Jim Treliving, and George Melville, plus honorees Clare Drake, France St-Louis, and Steve Yzerman. The latter three – all inductees into a smorgasbord of sport and hockey halls of fame – received the Order of Hockey in Canada for their efforts in furthering Canada’s game and they all spoke fondly of their lives involved in hockey. Clare Drake’s remarks were particularly moving.
“Hockey has meant everything to me during my life,” said hockey veteran Clare Drake. Drake has accolades to his name almost too numerous to mention. Most notably, the 86-year-old Saskatchewan native guided Team Canada to their first ever gold medal at the Spengler Cup tournament in Switzerland in 1984. In 1983, Drake became the first coach in CIAU history to win 500 games, and on October 8, 1985, he become the most successful coach in inter-collegiate history with his 556th victory. When he retired after the 1988-89 season, he had 697 wins under his belt for a .695 winning percentage. Drake also worked with NHL teams the Winnipeg Jets (the first time around), and more recently the Dallas Stars.
Hockey Canada executives Jim Hornell, Jim Treliving, and George Melville listen intently to honouree Clare Drake at Hockey Canada’s news conference on June 23, 2014 in Vancouver
Drake was inducted into the University of Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 1987, and joined the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame two years later in 1989. He has an award and a hockey rink named after him. He has conducted coaching workshops and clinics throughout North America, Europe, and Australia, where he has been recognized as one of the leading Canadian authorities on the game. Drake’s family were on hand to see him receive his Order of Hockey in Canada award and it was humbling to witness.
Honoree France St-Louis also has an impressive list of accolades. From gold medals, World Championships, MVP titles, captaincies, and a recent chef de mission role for Canada’s Olympic team in Sochi, the Laval, QC native admits hockey has given her so many memories. “I wish I was younger and could go back and start again!” she said, prompting a chuckle from the throng of media and VIPs.
Honouree Steve Yzerman talks hockey as fellow honouree France St-Louis looks on. The three Order of Hockey in Canada awards are pictured right.
Third and final honoree Steve Yzerman spoke passionately about the growth of the game in Canada during his lifetime, proudly stating “The level of play has grown exponentially.” Yzerman played 22 season in the NHL, all for the Detroit Red Wings. He is VP and General Manager for Tampa Bay Lightning, serving in that role since 2010. Yzerman has also served as Executive Director and General Manager for Team Canada at the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi 2014 and Vancouver 2010, where the team claimed the coveted gold medal both times. He represented Canada on the ice on eight occasions, including two Olympic Winter Games, two World Cups of Hockey, three World Championships, and one World Junior Championship.
Honourees France St-Louis, Clare Drake, and Steve Yzerman receive their Order of Hockey in Canada awards
After the three honorees received their awards, it was time for part two of the news conference – Olympic edition. In front of us sat six modern hockey greats, with a coach and a captain from each of Canada’s two Olympic hockey teams plus the National Women’s Under-18 team. The panel included double gold medal winner Sidney Crosby and Team Canada men’s coach Mike Babcock, along with Caroline Ouellette and Kevin Dineen representing the Olympic women’s team.
With many of Hockey Canada’s events taking place in Toronto or Calgary, the event marked a rare opportunity for Vancouver-area media to meet with hockey’s finest talents. For me personally, it was humbling and somewhat surreal to be in the presence of Sidney Crosby and Mike Babcock. Having looked up to both of them for longer than I care to remember, it was quite an experience to finally see them in person. I went home that night and noticed I have books on both Crosby and Babcock sitting on my bookshelf – one covering Crosby’s meteoric rise to the top of the game, and another book written by Mike Babcock himself entitled ‘Leave No Doubt,’ a nod to the slogan adorning the men’s hockey locker rooms during Vancouver 2010.
The second part of the Hockey Canada news conference – Olympic edition
I digress. It was time to talk Olympic hockey, and Crosby set the tone from the start. When asked how he feels about competing on the international stage in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain and MVP said with a smile, “Well my past two experiences were pretty good,” prompting laughter in the room of media outlets and VIPs in the downtown Vancouver hotel.
Hockey Canada coach, who led Team Canada to gold medal victories at both Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014, Mike Babcock spoke of his pride representing his country, noting there is no greater feeling than hearing ‘O Canada!’ as you stand on the ice after a gold medal win. Babcock spoke to the recent departure of Hockey Canada legend Bob Nicholson, assuring Canada there is plenty of talent to help further the game from coast to coast.
“I am really confident. The group at Hockey Canada have done great things and have lots of different people,” said Babcock. “That’s part of it. Different people get opportunities. They grow from it and they move on. A new group will get an opportunity and that’s great.”
Team Canada show off their hardware at the Hockey Canada news conference
“You take a lot of pride in being the best,” Babcock continued. “In order to be the best you have to find the best to win. We’re going to have to continue to grow our game over the next four years. If you want to have success at the next Olympics, 2014’s effort won’t be good enough to win the next one. We have to keep getting better.”
Crosby rounded out the 2018 Winter Olympics discussion in his trademark articulate style, “To represent your country, and have those opportunities, I don’t think that ever gets old, no matter what the situation is. As a player, I think you’re always looking at those opportunities, and you want to be a part of that, so we’ll see what happens.”
On competing in 2018, Crosby’s words were loud and clear.
“I would have no complaints.”
Early this afternoon, new Penguins GM Jim Rutherford moved to name Mike Johnston the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Johnston, 57, has been coaching since he was 23. Most recently, Johnston was head coach of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, but he has coached at the collegiate, minor league, NHL, and even Olympic level. Johnston is considered responsible for the turn-around of the Portland Winterhawks, who had missed the playoffs three years in a row before his tenure. During his tenure as both head coach and general manager, the Winterhawks made the playoffs for five straight seasons and came away with a Memorial Cup.
Tony Granato, who had been the Penguins assistant coach, was let go today, as was Todd Reirden, but in his place the Penguins named former Penguins player Rick Tocchet and still have one opening for assistant coach open. Staying on the coaching staff will be Jacques Martin, Mike Bales (goaltending coach), and Andy Saucier (video coordinator).
Johnston, however, does come with some controversy. In 2012 he was fined $200,000 and suspended for most of the season due to several violations, such as player contracts including providing families with flights to and from Portland, paying for a player’s summer training regimen, and providing a cell phone to the Winterhawks captain for three seasons.
Still, Johnston hopes to put that behind him in coming to Pittsburgh, where he hopes to build a team around puck possession, puck management, tempo and pace. Johnston has said he feels Pittsburgh is a good fit for his style because they have a core that is strong down the center. He is less interested in stretching out the zone with long passing and more interested in attacking as a unit.
Still, whether the Pittsburgh Penguins buy into Johnston’s coaching strategy is something that remains to be seen. Until then, every Pittsburgh fan is hoping that the Penguins will have all the success of Johnston’s Winterhawks with none of their controversy.
Last week, the Annual ECHL Board of Governors Meeting was held in Las Vegas, Nevada where they approved both conference and divisional alignment for the 2014-15 season. The realignment moves several eastern teams plus the newest ECHL team, the Indy Fuel, into the Western Conference as part of the new Midwest Division. The moves are aimed at creating parity in the league, particularly since the Western Conference shrank by two teams (San Francisco Bulls, Las Vegas Wranglers) heading into the upcoming season. The playoff format will also change as a result. Here is a look at the new Conference and Divisional changes.
Eastern Conference
North Division
Cincinnati Cyclones
Elmira Jackals
Reading Royals
Toledo Walleye
Wheeling Nailers
South Division
Florida Everblades
Greenville Road Warriors
Gwinnett Gladiators
Orlando Solar Bears
South Carolina Stingrays
Western Conference
Midwest Division
Colorado Eagles
Evansville IceMen
Fort Wayne Komets
Indy Fuel
Kalamazoo Wings
Pacific Division
Alaska Aces
Bakersfield Condors
Idaho Steelheads
Ontario Reign
Stockton Thunder
Utah Grizzlies
2015 Kelly Cup Playoff Format
The top four teams in each division during the regular season will qualify for the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs. All four rounds of the playoffs will be played in a best-of-seven format.
The first two rounds of the playoffs will be played entirely in the division. The Division Finals will then have the two top finishers, one from each division face off against one another to determine the Conference Champion. The Finals will see the same Western conference champion meet the Eastern conference champion in a best-of-seven format to capture the Kelly Cup.
The Colorado Eagles, although remaining in the Western Conference, will meet entirely new competitors once the playoffs roll around. They will only meet one team in their division, the Kalamazoo Wings for a three game series during the regular season.
Team schedules were set for the 2014-15 season ahead of the Board of Governors meeting.
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