This article has been submitted by Ian Cass.

The establishment of the new Russian Continental Hockey League is already proving to be a significant threat to the NHL game. Earlier this summer, KHL founder Alexander Medvedev proved to everyone he means business by trying to draw Evgeni Malkin out of the last year of his NHL contract with the Penguins. The NHL and the KHL have now drawn up an agreement to ensure all contracts are respected but it is clear that the new league intends to compete with the NHL for players. How far will it go? Well, we can only speculate.

Many Russian, Swedish, Czech and other European superstars move their lives and families over to the North America in order to play with and against the best competition in the world. It has always been taken for granted that the best hockey players in the world and the biggest money contracts are in the National Hockey League. As a result, most of the top young European talents of the last decade have made the sacrifice in order to play with the best players and make the big bucks. But what if they could do all of it at home? If we think of the incredible and ever-increasing number of skilled European players (forwards, defensemen, and goalies) playing in the NHL, it becomes easy to imagine an extremely competitive league comprised of these players located overseas. European hockey leagues have always existed and have always been competitive, but the best players aren’t there. The new Russian League has the potential to change the entire dynamic of hockey worldwide and it will likely be the start of a huge shift in the balance of power on a worldwide stage the European way.

Although several current European players (most notably Jaromir Jagr, Alexander Radulov, and Sergei Brylin) accepted large money offers to play next year overseas, it remains unlikely that the young and established next-generation NHL superstars will move back home. However, the NHL does have to be very concerned about the future. In recent years, there has been enormous incentive for young European players to make the move to North America. Competition, money, sponsors, fame, the list goes on. But as the size, reputation, and power of the Russian league become more attractive to the hometown boys, the benefits of going overseas will all of a sudden not be worth the sacrifice. And so they’ll stay. The next generation of great European players is going to have a huge incentive to stay home. And why not? There is no reason that this league cannot, over time, become as or more competitive than the NHL. The players will be there, the fans will be there, and the money will be there.

A majority of American NHL teams are no longer (or never were) financially viable. Despite an improved on-ice product, seats are still empty, ratings are low, and teams are now struggling to meet the minimum end of the cap! The league is vulnerable and the time seems to be right for somewhat of a fresh start for hockey. The game seems to be transitioning to more of a skillful European style of play and the European players are the most electrifying and fun to watch anyway so why should they keep coming to us? Why don’t they just move the show back home? Soon enough they will. And before we know it, we might be back to the Original Six.

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass.

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass.

Tiger, I promise you that you’ll never meet another person as mentally tough as you your entire life. And he hasn’t, and he never will. – Earl Woods

From the start of the U.S. Open coverage on Thursday through to then end on Monday afternoon, this Nike ad narrated by the late Earl Woods seemed to appear in almost every commercial break. As the week went on, the words of Earl Woods become increasingly appropriate and inspirational.

Those of us fortunate enough to watch Tiger hole by hole earlier this month at Torrey Pines are well aware that we witnessed one of the most surreal and inspirational performances in sports history. With a badly torn ACL and a double stress fracture is his left leg, every full swing Tiger made was followed by a sharp jolt of pain that he knew very well was coming. Yet he somehow put this thought behind him swing after swing and continued to execute. In typical Tiger fashion, he simply did what he had to do to win. I’m not sure how Nike managed to pick such a perfect ad for the week but Tiger certainly proved his dad right. He will never meet anyone as mentally tough as him.

Since suffering the injury to his ACL 10 months ago running at home, Tiger won an incredible 10 times, had two runner up finishes and a fifth place finish in his 13 starts. His average tournament paycheck over that span was just under a million dollars (although this is chump change compared to his numerous endorsement deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars). Tiger is projected to become the first athlete billionaire as early as 2010. He is the best athlete in the world today and the most dominant and important athlete of our time, if not of all time.

Tiger will not be in the field for the next two majors and he will miss out on the Ryder Cup at Valhalla this fall. The tour should be thankful for the legendary week Tiger provided, but the end of Tiger’s year might as well be the end of the golf season. There will not be significant interest in the next two majors (well at least not until Sunday) and the Europeans must now be heavy favorites to continue their dominance in the Ryder Cup. But Tiger will return next season atop the world rankings and possibly with another player of the year victory under his belt.

Thanks, Tiger, for one of the most entertaining, gutsy, and inspiring performances I’ve ever seen. Number fifteen comes at Augusta 2009. The golf world is waiting.

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass.

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass.

Both my second year of university and the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs are now in the books. Even though I can’t say the same for my exams, I can’t complain at all about the action we saw in round one. There were nine overtime games, three game sevens, and the Sens got a good old-fashioned ass whooping. There were some great performances and some unlikely heroes, and also some disappointments. To recap the first round, I have put together a list of the “Top 10 Ups” and the “Top 10 Downs” from round one.

Top 10 Ups
10. Owen Nolan and Cujo: The Flames lasted a lot longer than most expected in the first round. This was a great series and both teams were equally deserving of a round two birth. Iginla and Phaneuf carried the team as expected but an unlikely pair of former Leafs played crucial roles in keeping the Flames alive. Owen Nolan had two game winners and recorded points on the three final goals in a crucial Game 3 comeback. Cujo came in to relieve Kiprusoff in the same game and stopped all 22 shots he faced. What awesome and unexpected performances by two former Leafs (obviously).

9. Jeremy Roenick: This guy has had nine concussions and has no real reason to be seriously risking his health by busting his ass on every shift. It just shows how some players have a true passion for the game and JR played with some serious heart in the first round. He also chipped in with some timely goals. I would love to see JR hoist that cup. He’s always been a “love him or hate him” type, but I definitely love him.

8. Daniel Briere and Mike Richards: What a tandem these guys were in the first round. After a relatively quiet regular season, Briere exploded out of the gate. He played a big role in each of the Flyers four victories and is the current playoff scoring leader. He sure won back the fans in Philly. I watched Richards play a lot in junior, especially with Team Canada, but I hadn’t really had the chance to watch him play much in the last couple of years. Richards was amazing to watch in the first round. He did it all at both ends of the ice. Now I understand his huge contract.

7. Stephane Robidas: Robidas has already received a few shout-outs on the ODC but you can’t say enough about his performance in the first round. After taking a puck in the face and breaking his nose, Robidas put on the full cage for Game 6 and played like a champ. Not only was he logging serious minutes but he scored the game tying goal early in the third and then promptly did all the work on the winning goal that came later the same shift. With injuries on the blueline, the Stars needed someone to step up and fill the void left by Zubov and they got all of that and more from Robidas. What a series for the Stars.

6. Phil Kessel: Kessel already got a shout-out in Gary Roberts Wednesday but once again, some performances can’t go unmentioned. He turned a lot of heads in the first round and clearly deserves to be regarded as one of the game’s best young talents.

5. Jose Theodore: He’s back. After seemingly taking a few years off following his MVP season in 2001-2002, Theodore has clearly found his groove in Colorado. Key off-season acquisitions, a great young group of forwards, and some timely blasts from the past additions at the deadline certainly help, but as we’ve seen many times, teams don’t win in the playoffs without solid goaltending. Theodore was stellar in round one. I can’t wait to watch the Wings-Avs series. It’s going to be a classic.

4. Alex Kovalev: It’s truly a shame that Kovalev doesn’t try on a more regular basis. He has shown moments of brilliance throughout his career and has proven that he is one of the most skilled players in the world…when he wants to be. Right now he’s bringing it all to the table and he has been amazing to watch.

3. The Caps’ Young Guns: All the talk in Washington is about Ovechkin (and deservedly so). But if the first round proved anything, it’s that there are a lot of special young players on that Washington team. Alex Semin’s poise and puck control in traffic was incredible, and Nicklas Backstrom stuck it to all his critics who say he’s “too soft”. Semin and Backstrom were amazing in the first round. If you didn’t see this insane passing play in game six, check it out. Believe it or not, it doesn’t stop there. Mike Green is one of the most offensively gifted defensemen the game has seen in years. But he also kills penalties! He’s a great skater, has incredible vision, confidence, and patience on the ice, and is well on his way to becoming a Norris Trophy candidate in the near future. On top of everything, they seem to have found a goalie for the future. This team is going to be scary.

2. Chris Osgood: I am officially adding him to my list of the league’s most underrated players. Osgood has been incredibly solid all year and in the playoffs and I don’t buy any of this talk about the Wings goaltending problems. Osgood might be old but he continues to prove he can play with the best of them in crunch time. The Avs series is going to bring out the best in him. So, everyone stop talking about Detroit’s goaltending problems when they don’t have any.

1. Tom Renney: What a job Renney has done bringing this Rangers team together. They certainly have a ton of individual talent, but more importantly, they are an incredible team. They are one of the best defensive teams in the league, they wear teams down, and Sean Avery is just pissing everyone off. The Penguins will be a really tough test, but I will not be the least bit surprised if the Rangers end up winning the East.

Top 10 Downs
10. Marian Gaborik: It was obvious that the Wild were going to rely heavily on their defense and special teams to keep them in this series. But in order to have a chance, they needed a substantial offensive contribution from Gaborik to complement their defensive consistency. There were many chances throughout the series for Gaborik to come up big, including three overtime games, but the spark never came. Minnesota definitely pumped a lot of shots at Jose Theodore, and no one can take anything away from the way the Avs played throughout the series, but it was definitely a disappointing performance from one of the game’s most exciting offensive threats and likely prevented this series from being a very different story.

9. The Ottawa Senators: This is a different type of disappointment because I am definitely pleased that Pittsburgh made fools of the Sens and got some redemption from last year’s playoffs. From the perspective of a Senators fan, there has to be obvious disappointment. In a way, the Sens had nothing to lose going into the playoffs because of key late season injuries and the fact that the team was such a visible mess. Heatley and Spezza are two of the most talented players in the world and they could have taken it upon themselves to prevent total embarrassment. Over the course of the four games, they combined for zero goals, two assists, and were minus nine. Besides a small glimpse of hope in game two, Ottawa seemed completely out of sync and disorganized. Maybe Heatley and Spezza just wanted to go home early and play for Team Canada.

8. Numbers on the front of jerseys: What is this, football? There are a lot of things the NHL could learn from leagues like the NFL and the NBA, but who decided to put numbers on the crest of some of the new jerseys? I know this isn’t particularly relevant to the playoffs, but get rid of the numbers on the front of the jerseys!

7. Washington Capitals losing: I watched almost every minute of this series and it was some of the most entertaining hockey I have seen in a long time. It was definitely fitting that this series went to overtime in game seven and each team was equally deserving of winning. From the league’s perspective, however, it is extremely unfortunate that the Caps did not pull through. A Washington victory would have set up a Pittsburgh-Washington match-up that would have had more “league saving” potential than we’ve seen in a long time. Even though you wouldn’t know it based on the energy in the buildings, hockey continues to struggle in the U.S. and a Crosby-Ovechkin series would turn on a lot of TV’s. The NHL is in desperate need of an exciting, attention-grabbing match-up and it’s too bad that the Caps came up just one goal short. The good news is that both the Caps and Pens are incredible young teams and there will be plenty more similar opportunities in the near future.

6. MLSE: The media nonsense surrounding Brian Burke and the Leafs’ vacant GM position has been completely ridiculous. Without any basis whatsoever, the Toronto media turned Burke into the leading candidate for the job. It took a few repetitive press conferences and talks of a contract extension with the Ducks to quiet down the garbage in the media. I guess there’s nothing better to talk about these days in Toronto.

5. The Ducks: Well, that was unexpected. Dallas looked to be going in the wrong direction heading into the playoffs and the Ducks seemed to be just getting it together. The Stars dominated almost all aspects of this series and sent the defending champs home early. Dallas looks amazing right now and I think they have a great shot of taking down San Jose in round two.

4. Officiating inconsistency: The game is called properly in the first period, calls in the second depend heavily on the situation in the game, almost everything is let go in the third, and only plays that prevent realistic scoring opportunities are called in overtime. I understand the idea of “letting them play” in the third period and overtime, but the officiating throughout the playoffs had been incredibly inconsistent. Tom Poti’s tripping penalty that led to the Flyers’ goal in overtime of game seven was a weak make-up call for a missed trip earlier in the overtime. If you’re going to call it, then call it. If not, then let it go. But don’t leave the players guessing when there’s so much on the line.

3. Sean Avery: What he did in Brodeur’s face was completely unsportsmanlike. The league dealt with the situation appropriately.

2. Sean Avery’s critics: In round one, Avery accomplished exactly what he set out to do and more. His responsibility was to throw the best goalie in the world off his game and he did so to perfection. The league adjusted the rulebook to prevent the specific conduct Avery displayed (and got away with) in Brodeur’s crease. Some have said that Avery is a jerk, but he’s also very clever. He threw off the best goalie in the game, changed the rulebook, and he’s averaging a point a game in the playoffs! On top of all that, he is getting all of the attention in the media heading into a round two series with the Pens. Even if you hate him, you have to give the guy some credit.

1. Martin Brodeur: There is no question that Marty Brodeur is one of the best goalies of all time. He has done it all and won it all. In round one, however, Brodeur showed some serious weakness. He started off with a shaky game one and then he let Avery get to him. Regardless of what Avery was doing or saying, as a world-class goaltender you can’t let a guy get to you in the playoffs. Avery got to Brodeur, who wasn’t ever himself in the series. He let his teammates down and the Devils never stood a chance.

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass.

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass. You can also check out the Eastern Conference.

Now we move to the West for the second preview of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The winner of the Western Conference will, in all likelihood, be your Stanley Cup champion. There are three divisional match ups here, which should make for some heated competition. Again, the record shown is in the past 10 games. Let’s get it started!

1. Detroit Red Wings (7-2-1)
8. Nashville Predators (6-3-1)

The Edge:
Season Series: 5-3 Detroit
Up Front: Detroit
On the Blueline: Detroit
Between the Pipes: Tie
PP: Detroit
PK: Nashville

Barry Trotz has done it again. After watching Timonen, Hartnell, Vokoun, Kariya, and Forsberg leave in the off-season, not many gave Nashville a legitimate shot in the West but here they are. After sneaking into the eighth spot thanks in part to an easy schedule coming in, the Predators have found themselves in a familiar spot: 8th place and facing the Wings. Back in 2004, the Predators surprised the Wings in games three and four but went on to lose the series in six. This year is likely to be a similar story. Since the Wings regular season dominance tends to be overly credited because of the weak Central, it is hard to predict how they will perform come playoff time. But it is safe to be confident they are on their way to the second round. Detroit is healthy again and is looking strong heading into the post-season. Many consider them Cup favorites. The Preds have unfortunate injury issues and are going to have to work hard to avoid a potential sweep here but as we’ve all seen before, a playoff team with good goaltending and nothing to lose can be a pleasant surprise in the playoffs.

Verdict: Detroit in 5

2. San Jose Sharks (7-2-1)
7. Calgary Flames (5-5-0)

The Edge:
Season Series: 3-1 Calgary
Up Front: San Jose
On the Blueline: Tie
Between the Pipes: Tie
PP: San Jose
PK: San Jose (#1 in NHL)

San Jose has been so hot since the trade deadline it’s ridiculous. Prior to their two losses to close out the season, the Sharks had picked up points in 20 consecutive games, 18 of them wins! The addition of Brian Campbell at the deadline was a brilliant move and Nabokov is on his way to his first Vezina. The Flames have had their struggles all season and will have trouble stopping the red-hot Sharks, who have become a possible Stanley Cup favorite. If Kipper gets hot and they play a very strong defensive game, the Flames could steal a couple of games. They did manage to win three of the four meeting between the teams this season but San Jose has been a new team since the deadline. This series will likely be a quick one.

Verdict: San Jose in 5

3. Minnesota Wild (6-2-2)
6. Colorado Avalanche (5-4-1)

The Edge:
Season Series: 5-3 Minnesota
Up Front: Tie
On the Blueline: Colorado
Between the Pipes: Minnesota
PP: Minnesota
PK: Minnesota

In the final game of the regular season, the Avalanche beat the Wild in a shootout to ensure a first round match up between the two Northwest division rivals. Even though these teams played eight times in the regular season, it is hard to predict how they will match up come playoff time. Colorado has a promising group of young forwards to complement a good core of veterans who are all proven winners. Thanks to a couple of “blast from the past” additions at the deadline, the Avalanche have the chance to make a run in the playoffs. However, constant injury woes throughout the season and a big question mark in net have prevented them from remaining consistent all year. They haven’t had the chance to really gel as a team. As for the Wild, everyone knows exactly how Jacques Lemaire will play this one. He will play a very conservative, defensive minded system and ride his goaltender and high quality special teams as far as it will take him. The power play and penalty kill make a big difference in a tight series and Minnesota is among the leagues best in both categories. This series could go either way but I’m predicting that Minnesota’s special teams, defensive consistency, and a timely spark from Gaborik will allow the Wild to sneak into the second round.

Verdict: Minnesota in 7

4. Anaheim Ducks (8-2-0)
5. Dallas Stars (3-5-2)

The Edge:
Season Series: 5-3 Dallas
Up Front: Tie
On the Blueline: Anaheim
Between the Pipes: Tie
PP: Dallas
PK: Dallas

This one is going to be a dandy. Those of you who read my first article back in February know that I’m sticking with the Ducks all the way but I have no doubt that this will be the series to watch in round one. It’s a shame that one of these two teams has to go out so early. The Ducks are the most well rounded team in the league and the defensive core might be too strong to be beat in a seven game series. Dallas is not the same team that went down each of the last three years in the first round but they are going to be in for a tough match up, especially if one or two of Pronger, Schneider, Niedermayer, and Beauchemin are on the ice for most of the game. But Dallas did take the season series, so we’ll see how this one unfolds. This will be the series to watch in the first round.

Verdict: Anaheim in 6

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass. You can also check out the Eastern Conference.

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass.

The Playoffs are here. Ovechkin is here. What more could we ask for?

This is part one of a two-part preview of the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I am starting with the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference will follow. Each preview starts with the teams listed along with their conference seeding and record in the last ten games of the regular season. “The Edge” is a preview of which team has the advantage in the season series and different aspects of the game. I have included a short series preview for each of the four match ups and then my prediction for the series. And bring on the comments!

1. Montreal Canadiens (8-1-1)
8. Boston Bruins (4-2-4)

The Edge:
Season Series: 8-0 Montreal
Up Front: Montreal
On the Blueline: Tie
Between the Pipes: Tie (but both playoff question marks)
PP: Montreal
PK: Boston

Even though Montreal will be missing their captain for an undetermined number of games in the playoffs, this one is the Habs’ to lose. They have been one of the hottest teams in the league since before the deadline, goaltender Carey Price is on top of the world (especially after being named NHL rookie of the month), and they have every reason to be confident that they are the team to beat in the East. The Bruins have had a strong comeback season and maybe they feel they have something to prove after being upset by Montreal back in 2004, but all signs point to smooth sailing for the Habs through to the second round.

Verdict: Montreal in 5

2. Pittsburgh Penguins (6-3-1)
7. Ottawa Senators (3-6-1)

The Edge:
Season Series: 3-1 Ottawa
Up Front: Pittsburgh (Ottawa injuries considered)
On the Blueline: Ottawa
Between the Pipes: Pittsburgh
PP: Pittsburg (Once again, no Alfredsson)
PK: Ottawa

This rematch of last year’s conference quarters is going to be a very different story. The Sens have been among the worst teams in the NHL since their blistering start to the season, they have serious goaltending issues, and the losses of Alfredsson and Fisher will put a serious damper of any chances of an ‘upset’ here. The Pens have been consistent all season, even without Crosby in the lineup, and made important short-term upgrades at the deadline. Their power play is completely absurd, goaltending has been solid from both tenders, and if Crosby can stay healthy this team will make a serious run at the finals. I have to admit I was really hoping for a Pens-Flyers match up in the first round but this rematch is going to produce some really high paced, exciting hockey. If Ottawa turns it on (which I think they will) this series could go either way.

Verdict: Pittsburgh in 7

3. Washington Capitals (9-1-0)
6. Philadelphia Flyers (7-2-1)

The Edge:
Season Series: 2-2
Up Front: Ovechkin
On the Blueline: Philadelphia
Between the Pipes: Washington
PP: Philadelphia
PK: Tie (equally bad)

There are many reasons to be pumped for this year’s NHL playoffs. And when I say ‘many reasons’ I mean Alexander Ovechkin. He locked up the Art Ross and the Richard Trophy today and in my opinion has a lock on the Hart and Pearson as well. No player in my lifetime has brought this much excitement to the game. For the past few weeks, the Caps have been my team. I have wanted nothing more than to see Ovechkin get the chance to play in the post-season and now it’s about to happen. I was hoping that Ovechkin would have the chance to beat up on the Senators but this will do. This match up is intriguing because these teams happen to be two of the hottest in the league. This might not say much for the Flyers, who are possible the streakiest team we’ve ever seen. They picked up points in 15 of 17 games mid-season and then immediately lost 10 in a row before closing out the season as one of the strongest teams in the league. The Capitals, who finished last in the Southeast each of the last three seasons and sat dead last in the Eastern Conference at Christmas, managed to climb all the way to the top of the division and claim home ice advantage in the playoffs. They won 15 of their 19 games after the deadline including 12 of the last 13 and 7 in a row to close out the charge. The addition of Sergei Fedorov to lead Ovechkin, Semin, and Backstrom into the playoffs was a genius move by George McPhee and right now, nothing seems to be getting in Ovechkin’s way. Other than San Jose, the Caps are the hottest team in hockey. I can’t wait to watch this series. Ovechkin in the playoffs is going to be a serious treat for all true fans of the game (Editor’s note: don’t forget casual fans like me).

Verdict: Washington in 6

4. New Jersey (4-5-1)
5. New York Rangers (5-1-4)

The Edge:
Season Series: 7-1 NY Rangers
Up Front: NY Rangers
On the Blueline: Tie
In Net: New Jersey
PP: NY Rangers
PK: NY Rangers

This series really started Sunday night when these two teams faced off for home ice advantage. The Devils won it in a shootout which seems to give them the edge but the concerning thing is that this was the first victory for the Devils in eight tries against the Rangers this season. If the Devils had won half of their games against the Rangers they would have won the Eastern Conference. Neither team is particularly hot at the moment and both teams have a goalie who can steal games. The teams were the only two in the East to allow fewer than 200 goals against and had equal trouble putting the puck in the net during the season. These teams seem to match up really well in almost all aspects of the game. This could lead to a very boring series (especially if one team starts to take control), but there is also potential for a really exciting game seven here, so I’m looking forward to seeing how this one unfolds.

Verdict: Rangers in 6

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass.

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass.

Shape up Long John. We miss you out there.

In 1991, a relatively unknown rookie entered PGA Championship week as the eight and final alternate. Come Sunday afternoon, he found himself raising the Wanamaker trophy high above his mullet. Since this famous “zero to hero” victory, John Daly has been one of the most entertaining and charismatic characters in the world of sports. He has the most recognizable and unique swing the game has every seen (sorry Jim Furyk), he bombs it off the tee, he never lays up or plays it safe, he interacts with the fans, and he has incredible touch in and around the greens for someone of his…let’s go with…physique. But unfortunately for Long John, these are not the qualities that have defined his career.

“There are probably some things I could do to keep my flexibility up, but I’d rather smoke, drink Diet Cokes and eat.”

This quote pretty much makes a long story short. Daly is the only professional athlete that anyone has ever seen smoking cigarettes and drinking Diet Cokes in front of the camera while performing at the highest level. Over the course of his career, Daly has been married and divorced four times, had serious issues with alcoholism and depression, and has squandered tens of millions of dollars popping quarters in Vegas.

Daly’s off-course drama has prevented him from consistently performing at the major championship level we all know he’s capable of. But other than Tiger, is there anyone that brings more excitement to a field or attracts a larger gallery? Not that I know of. And when asked the “dream foursome” question, I know almost everyone has Daly in there.

Starting in the 2004 season, Big John made a brief comeback of sorts, making 17 of 22 cuts including 5 top tens, a win, and a playoff loss to Tiger. He seemed to have his life and his game in order and the golf world was loving it. How good of a feeling was it to be able to cheer him on as he rolled in that last putt to win the Buick Invitational? How cool was it to watch Daly and Tiger fight down the stretch at the 2005 American Express? These were some of the best weeks the Tour had seen in years. But since the 2005 season, Daly has fallen back into his usual off-course grind.

On the morning of the second round at the 2007 Stanford St. Jude Championship, Daly showed up for his tee time with cuts across his face, claiming that his wife had attacked him with a steak knife. Earlier this month, he was disqualified from the Arnold Palmer Invitational for missing the Wednesday pro-am and then later found out that his swing coach Butch Harmon was quitting. Harmon was looking for Daly to put golf first in his life but decided to resign because “the most important thing in [Daly’s] life is getting drunk.” I guess I don’t blame Butch for leaving a guy who won’t go to the gym because they won’t let him smoke there.

John, I just want you to know that we’ve got your back. You have done so much for the game and we want you back out there doing what you do best. Grip it and rip it. Roll up in your RV. Make another 18 on the sixth at Bay Hill. Hit it off another Coke can in the Skins Game. Wear that Hooters logo proudly. Win that third major. But most of all we want to see you get well John. The game needs you. Do it for golf and do it for the fans. We miss you out there.

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass.

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass.

Sydney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin will be the face of the NHL for years to come. These guys are serious game breakers. But I’m not here to talk about them. Even though they deserve every lick of praise they get, they certainly get enough of it in the hockey world. On the other hand, there are too many NHL players who don’t get the credit they deserve. In a game that is often too fixated on numbers, there are a lot of impact players out there who go relatively unnoticed. Even though I don’t like the term “underrated” because it leaves too much open for interpretation, I’m going to throw it out there regardless. These guys are underrated, and it is about time that they started getting a piece of the limelight.

I’m limiting the list to six since I could go on all day with this. You may disagree with some of my selections so please, feel free to let me know and also add players to the list! I’m just getting it started.

1. Marc Savard
Why does nobody talk about Marc Savard? Since the 2005-2006 season, only Joe Thornton has racked up more assists. Currently, Savard sits atop the the NHL in the category. Just to put it in better perspective, here are some of the guys that are looking up at him: Thrornton, Datsyuk, Malkin, Spezza, Lecavalier, Richards, Lidstrom, and St. Louis. How many times have you heard the name Marc Savard used in the same breath as these guys? I’d say never. Just because Savard doesn’t put the puck in the net with the same efficiency, it doesn’t make him any less valuable. He is currently tied for 11th in league scoring with Mats Sundin. That’s ahead of St. Louis, Gaborik, Stall, Getzlaf, Crosby (Ok, that’s a stretch), the Sedin twins, Richards, and Briere to name a few notables. When it came time for Gretzky and boys to make up the Olympic team, not once did anyone give Savard a moment’s thought. He is one of the best playmaking forwards in the game today. He is also one of the only reasons that the underdog Boston Bruins seem to have a firm grasp on a playoff spot. Give Savard some credit – it’s long overdue.

2. Duncan Keith
Duncan Keith is a great defenseman on a weak Blackhawks team (weak for now, but look out in a few years). Sure, he got some well-deserved credit earlier this year when he was named to his first all-star team, but he is another example of a relatively unknown player who deserves to be talked about with the best young defensemen in the game. It took people a while to realize how incredible a player Brian Campbell is and it’s only a matter of time before Keith is in the same category. Like Campbell, at just under six feet he’s fairly small as far as top defensemen go. In the new NHL, though, fast and mobile defenseman who can move the puck and skate with the top opposing forwards are crucial to a team’s success. If I haven’t convinced you, here’s is where it starts to get good. Keith is currently plus 27. That is sixth in the NHL! I have always said that plus minus is the most telling stat for a defenseman, especially on a weak team, but usually you can only compare plus minuses with teammates. On a team that is third from the bottom in the Western Conference, he trails only Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Heatley, Zetterberg and Iginla in the category. You have to go all the way down to number 22 to find the next best plus minus for a player on a non-playoff team (who happens to be equally underrated teammate Patrick Sharp). When this young Chicago team starts to light it up in a few years, look for Keith to make a name for himself among the best defensemen in the game.

3. Ryan Malone
On a team with Sydney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Marian Hossa, it is easy to see why some of the other players may fly under the radar. When Crosby went down, Malkin was given almost all of the credit for keeping the Pens in serious contention in the East. Malkin was incredible during that streak, but there was a guy at his side the entire way that never got any recognition: Ryan Malone. He played some seriously good hockey while Crosby was out of the lineup. He’s scored 24 goals and has averaged a point a game since Sid went down in mid January. If the Pens make a serious playoff run, Malone will be a big part of it.

4. Jay Pandolfo
Defensive forwards are the most commonly underrated players. They aren’t always fun to watch, but they become prized deep into the playoffs. Pandolfo is one of the best examples of a player who never gets enough credit. Him and longtime line-mate John Madden are the definition of the Selke Trophy. Madden won the award back in 2001 but Pandolfo, who has only received one lame nomination for the award, has never been given the credit he deserves. He is one of the best penalty killers in the game, consistently shuts down the best forwards in the NHL, and played all 82 games for the Devils in three consecutive seasons from 2004-2007. Give the guy the Selke. It might as well be his name.

5. Jason Pominville
Since the Sabres began a semi-rebuilding process, Pominville (along with teammate Derek Roy, who could easily be on this list), has done all he can to keep the Sabers in the playoff race. I bet you didn’t know that Jason Pominville is the captain of the Sabres. He has 22 goals and 65 points, putting him in a tie for 28th in league scoring with Daniel Sedin and Brendan Morrow. He plays in all situations and is clearly shaping up to be a great leader in this league.

6. Ryan Getzlaf
This is the reason I don’t like the term underrated. Getzlaf is very highly rated. But he’s on the list because I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves. Getzlaf is flat out one of the best players in the league, no questions asked. He is the best forward and the leading scorer on the best team in the NHL. He is a big physical body, a great skater, he scores, he passes, he plays defense, he kills penalties, he plays the power play, and he’s only getting better. He made a big impact during Canada’s victory in the 2005 World Juniors, he’s already won a cup, and he’s going to win more. More of everything. Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin, Getzlaf. He’s right there with the best young players in the game. This guy is a star.

Here are some honourable mentions:
Patrick Sharp
Derek Roy
Joe Pavelski (or the entire Sharks’ second line)
Jere Lehtinen
Tomas Plekanec
Mark Streit
Antoine Vermette
Ray Whitney

This article has been submitted by Ian Cass.

This article has been submitted by the debuting Ian Cass. Welcome, Ian.

For years, we have come to expect Western Conference domination in the NBA. In fact, since the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty of the nineties, the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs have claimed seven of nine championships. The NHL, on the other hand, has admirably avoided falling into a similar trend. Since the Montreal Canadiens’ championship victory in 1993 as members of the Prince of Wales Conference, the East and West have shared the hardware winning six and seven cups, respectively. But thus far in the 07/08 season, the West has clearly emerged as the cream of the NHL’s crop.

Detroit, Anaheim, Dallas, San Jose, Minnesota, and Calgary can all take on the best the East has to offer in a seven game series. Although a large part of the difference can be attributed to the superior goaltending in the West, the teams are deeper from top to bottom. One of these Western teams, however, stands out from the pack and will not be beat in the playoffs (more on that later). First, let’s take a closer look at the deadline.

With another 24 deals and 48 hours of continuous TSN deadline coverage come and gone, some impact players have found new homes.

In the West: Brad Richards is a great addition to a Dallas team that was looking to add some north-south speed. They won’t win as many shootouts without Jussi Jokinen but who cares? There are no shootouts in the playoffs. Brian Campbell is a smooth-skating, mobile defenseman built for the new NHL and will be a big difference maker on the Sharks’ blueline, especially if they go deep in the playoffs. Both deals are a result of former powers in the East unloading salary. The NHL’s balance of power is shifting west.

In the East: Bob Gainey is lucky that Montreal retired his number 23 the week before the deadline. Not only did he not follow through on his word to bring in an impact player, he moved the team’s number one goalie for a second rounder. Even though Gainey was almost certainly making room for a package with Marian Hossa and goaltender Johan Hedberg from Atlanta, the decision-making is questionable. Instead of his expected destination, Marian Hossa will be joining the NHL’s most exciting young team in Pittsburgh. Good luck to any team trying to stop Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Gonchar, and Whitney on a power play.

In a wide-open Eastern Conference, the Penguins made the only real splash and have sent a message to the other teams atop the conference. But Pittsburgh management certainly paid a hefty price for a rental player who they will likely be unable to sign when he goes unrestricted on July 1st (To fellow Leafs fans: doesn’t it make you wonder what we could have got for Sundin?). Hossa has every right to expect a long-term deal with similar money to Danny Heatley’s $7.5M. He will have a hard time getting Penguins’ veteran GM Craig Patrick to commit that kind of money, even if the cap rises to its expected level of $53M. If Pittsburgh fails to win the cup, this deal will come back to haunt them. That being said, would I have made the deal? Absolutely. With the East as wide open as it is, you have to go for it.

Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, Ottawa, New Jersey, and the other hopefuls in the East, the West is too strong. There is no question that the Penguins have drastically improved their chances of coming out of the East and the Sens could easily turn it around with Bryan Murray back behind the bench, but it stops at the finals. If 65 games and the events of deadline day have told us anything, it’s that the cup is staying put in the West.

Here’s why: The Defending Champs.

Apparently management chose to remove the “Mighty” just at the wrong time because the Anaheim Ducks are setting themselves up as clear favorites to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. GM Brian Burke’s ingenious ploy to let Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer rest for half of the season is paying off. The Ducks have won nine of ten since Selanne’s return.

As much as I disapprove of Todd Bertuzzi’s right to lace ‘em up every night, his addition, along with the veteran presence of Doug Weight, rounds out one of the deepest and most well balanced set of forwards in the game. On the blueline, Mathieu Schneider is the fourth defenseman. That should be enough said.

Ducks GM Brian Burke wins my “Most Under-rated Deadline Deal” award with the late acquisition of offensive defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron from Long Island. With Bergeron, O’Donnell, Beauchemin, Schneider, two Norris Trophy Winners in Pronger and Niedermayer, and Conn Smythe winner J-S Giguere between the pipes, no team is getting past them in four out of seven games. Heatley, Spezza, and Alfredsson were no real test last year, and Crosby, Malkin, and Hossa will be more of the same. The Ducks have only become stronger on the back end and more experienced up front.

All that being said, we have seen time and time again that nothing is guaranteed in the playoffs. So just for fun, here are some possible sleepers and things to watch for as the drive to the playoffs begins.

1. The Washington Capitals
Alexander Ovechkin is the most electrifying player to hit the ice since Cory Cross. With the additions of Segei Fedorov, Christobal Huet, and Matt Cooke, look for the Caps to make a serious run at the playoffs. Once they’re in, I just can’t wait to see what Ovechkin can do. If he can make a hole-in-one his first time on the golf course, we can only imagine what he’ll do the first time he makes the playoffs. Don’t count them out in the East.

2. The Philadelphia Flyers
Vinny Prospal could be the medicine this team needs to turn it around. We know they can be good; they just need a little jump. They might have gotten it with Prospal and a big comeback win in Buffalo so look out for the Flyers. They’ll climb FAST.

3. The New York Rangers
No one talks about the Rangers but Tom Renney has his team right where he wants them. I wouldn’t want to play them in the playoffs.

4. The Colorado Avalanche
Patrick Roy is coming back!!! Just kidding, but Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote are back in town. When Forsberg’s healthy there’s no one better so don’t count the Avalanche out of the playoff run.

5. Martin Brodeur
He’s doing it again. The Devils can NEVER be counted out of it and he is the reason. There are a lot of players who can steal games, but only Brodeur can steal a series.

Enjoy the ride to the cup! (Anaheim in 5)

This article has been submitted by the debuting Ian Cass. Welcome, Ian.