Spider-Man NL

By ROBIN SHORT, Telegram Sports Editor Last year’s rookie sensation Michael Ryder is considering joining another Newfoundland native overseas, while Darren Langdon will be off moose hunting now that National Hockey League players were officially locked out Wednesday. It’s the first time since they left Newfoundland to play junior hockey that Ryder and Langdon have remained home this far into their summer break. “It’s pretty different,” Langdon said from Deer Lake Wednesday, hours before commissioner Gary Bettman made the lockout official at the NHL’s New York office. “I’m never here when the weather gets cool.” While Langdon’s priority for the short term is to knock down a moose, Ryder, a 25-goal scorer with the Montreal Canadiens last season, is leaning towards taking his sticks and skates to Europe. Of course, Ryder, a finalist for rookie of the year, has more to lose than Langdon, who is on the downside of a fine 507-game NHL career. An unrestricted free agent the Canadiens inexplicably cut loose after the season, Langdon signed a two-year deal with the New Jersey Devils in July. Ryder may be headed to Sweden, where his agent, Toronto’s Thane Campbell, has placed two other NHL clients — Carolina’s Justin Williams and Jonathan Cheechoo of San Jose. If he does play in Sweden, he’ll join Daniel Cleary of Riverhead, Harbour Grace who signed with Mora IK along with former Edmonton Oilers teammate Shawn Horcoff. Cleary scored six goals in 68 games with Phoenix last season. Any contracts NHLers sign with European — or minor pro — teams come with an escape clause once the lockout ends. “I don’t know how long we’re going to be out,” said Ryder, who was on the way home to his native Bonavista Wednesday, “but if I miss out not playing and everybody else is out there playing, I’m going to lose a step.” Langdon considered playing elsewhere, like the six-team Ontario Stars Hockey League which features four-on-four play. But with a family that includes four children to pack up and move, he’s opted to remain home. “We have to get back to work pretty soon,” he said, “although it looks like it’s going to be a long one. “The players are pretty set. Most of us think it’s a pretty good system, although there are a few owners paying out millions and millions. You don’t need to give out $10 million contracts if you don’t want to. And if you do, then tax them. “This (recent CBA) agreement has been in place 10 years and teams like Calgary and Tampa Bay seem to be doing well with it.” In the meantime, the Canadiens signed defenceman Sheldon Souray this week which means Ryder is the only player from last season the Canadiens have not cut loose not under contract. Montreal qualified the Group II restricted free agent, a minimum 10 per cent raise on last year’s $605,000 US deal. “They never came back with nothing else,” said the 24-year-old, hard-shooting right-winger. “We’re kind of stuck in neutral. “We haven’t been talking (to Montreal). I guess they want to wait to see what happens with a new CBA.” Forward Daniel Cleary of Harbour Grace, who skated with the Phoenix Coyotes last season, had already signed a contract to play with a Swedish team in the event of a lockout. Back in the AHL Harold Druken of St. John’s and Corner Brook’s Jason King, two players who spent time in the NHL last season with Toronto and Vancouver, with be back with their AHL teams in St. John’s and Manitoba. Ryane Clowe of St. John’s will begin his second AHL season in Cleveland, while St. John’s defenceman Doug O’Brien is a rookie trying to make the Springfield Falcons. Veteran John Slaney from the capital returns to the Philadelphia Phantoms where he’s playing out the final year of his contract with the parent Philadelphia Flyers. rshort@thetelegram.com [Edited on 2004/9/17 by Spider-Man NL]

KEITH McARTHUR Wednesday, September 15, 2004 Most of them can barely skate. But Carl DeMarco hopes wrestlers with names like The Rock and Evolution can help sports fans and advertisers suffering through the withdrawal pains of a National Hockey League shutdown over a labour dispute. Mr. DeMarco, president of World Wrestling Entertainment Canada, a division of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., is launching a campaign aimed at getting hockey-starved Canadians to tune in to wrestling, as well as convincing advertisers such as Molson Breweries and Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. that in a puck-free winter, wrestling is a good substitute for our national pastime. "I think there's going to be some people who are surfing the dial to find alternative programming out there . . ." Mr. DeMarco said. "We see a void here and we want to be strategically smart to try to fill this void as best we can." After last night's gold-medal match between Canada and Finland at the World Cup of Hockey, millions of Canadians are waking up this morning to face the reality that they may not see professional hockey for a year or more. Come midnight tonight, barring a miracle, the NHL lockout will finally begin. Few believe it will end any time soon. The NHL's board of governors convenes this morning in New York, where commissioner Gary Bettman and executive vice-president and chief legal officer Bill Daly will likely recommend a lockout as the proper course of action. Lack of hockey is a problem media buyers have been -- ahem -- wrestling with for months as they look for alternatives to Hockey Night in Canada in efforts to sell everything from beers to cars to a predominantly male market. "There's a gap that -- without having hockey -- I'm not sure can be repatriated . . ." said Lauren Richards, president of Cossette Media. "It certainly makes it more challenging." The WWE began running advertisements this week in trade magazines warning advertisers and media buyers: "Don't get locked out." And tomorrow, the WWE will launch a campaign aimed at sports fans. Ads to be placed in Sun Media newspapers will include the message: "We put our fans first." The print campaign will be followed by radio and TV advertising, Mr. DeMarco said. He said the WWE is spending significantly more on advertising than usual this year to take advantage of the NHL's potential labour disruption. The WWE has research that shows most hockey fans are also into wrestling, Mr. DeMarco said, so it wouldn't be a stretch to convince them to spend more of their time watching the WWE's two weekly shows if hockey's not available. Both sports draw a male-skewed audience, Mr. DeMarco said. And while wrestling draws a younger audience, about 80 per cent of wrestling fans are of legal drinking age, making it a suitable substitute for breweries looking to reach their target demographic. But media buyers say wrestling is no substitute for hockey, which they've traditionally relied on for delivering huge audiences on Saturday nights. "It can play a small part in many campaigns, but it's small potatoes compared with . . . hockey," Ms. Richards said. She said many advertisers have already made decisions on alternatives to hockey for the next few months on the assumption that the season will start late, if at all. Ms. Richards said some of the budget that would usually have been spent on hockey is going to other television programs, including wrestling and shows with male-heavy viewership such as Fear Factor. She added that CBC's Making the Cut, a reality TV program about hockey, can also draw a large audience from the same viewers who would have watched hockey. Sunni Boot, president of Zenith Optimedia Canada Ltd., said that while some advertisers might shift ad budgets to other television programs, others might put the funds in reserve or spend on other marketing initiatives, including in-store promotions and male-skewed radio programming. "There's a reason that we choose hockey beyond just the sheer numbers and audience composition. There is a connectivity between that content and the hockey viewer -- especially the passionate hockey viewer -- that can't be replaced," she said. Mr. DeMarco said one of the advantages to getting involved in wrestling is one-stop shopping. Instead of leaving ad sales to the broadcaster, the WWE sells its own advertising inventory on its two weekly shows -- Raw (TSN, Mondays at 9 p.m.) and Smackdown! (The Score, Thursdays at 7 p.m.). The WWE also controls access to its stars, which makes it easier to co-ordinate advertising and sponsorship, he said.

I don't think that he is God, I just think he is a better goalie than Luongo is.

I seem to remember back in 2002 the Canadiens were out shot bad just about every night and Theo still managed to get the Habs to the playoffs. I'm not saying that Luongo sucks but if he is so damn great how come he can't lead his team to a playoff spot. Luongo is a good goalie but I think he is over rated. [Edited on 2004/9/11 by Spider-Man NL]

I got to disagree with you there, if Luongo is so great he would have lead the Panthers to the playoffs last season. In my opinion Theo is the better goalie hands down.

By Robin Short, The Telegram Whenever the NHL resumes its schedule, there’s no certainty Michael Ryder will be in a Montreal Canadiens uniform again. The Calder Trophy finalist is a free agent, albeit a Group II restricted one. Which means he’s ‘free’ in name only. The Canadiens have the right to match any offer extended to Ryder or accept draft-pick compensation. And a 25-goal scorer commands a couple of high picks. Montreal qualified Ryder in July, a minimum 10 per cent raise on last year’s $605,000 US deal. But Ryder hasn’t signed and the Canadiens haven’t been beating down Thane Campbell’s door looking to negotiate. “There haven’t been any negotiations to speak of,” said Campbell, a Toronto lawyer who not only represents the right-winger, but his younger brother, Daniel, who toils for the OHL’s Peterborough Petes. Campbell says given the precarious labour climate surrounding the NHL, it’s almost certain any deal between the Canadians and Ryder — if there’s one to be had — won’t be worked out until a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached. The agent is evasive as Martin St. Louis in the corner when discussing Ryder’s contract status. But he does admit there’s something to be read in the fact the Canadiens haven’t approached Ryder with anything more than a qualifying offer. “That will tell you that at the end of the day, there’s no certainty Michael’s going to be with Montreal,” Campbell said. “I think both sides understand that. (Habs’ GM) Bob Gainey and company are smart people. They understand that. “At the end of the day, if Michael’s not with Montreal, Montreal pays the price and Michael too. “He’s an unsigned guy who realistically could be in a standoff with Montreal to the point where ... well, you’ve seen what’s happened with players (in that situation). They don’t end up with the team after it’s said and done.” On ice if locked out In the meantime, Campbell doesn’t seem too hopeful Ryder will be playing during the lockout, unlike some NHLers who have already signed contingent contracts with European clubs. He says Ryder prefers not to go overseas and while Hamilton of the fledgling WHA picked him fourth overall in its July draft, the revival of the old World Hockey Association seems stalled. Most teams have yet to even appoint coaching staffs. “Where he’s unsigned,” Campbell said, “I don’t think he’s going to play anywhere. There’s insurance issues to deal with. There are many issues to deal with. “But if it looks like the season is going to go sideways on us and he’s not going to have a season, whether it’s because the CBA hasn’t been signed or because he doesn’t have any options with Montreal — there’s no contract with Montreal — then he’ll look elsewhere. And he’s got to look at a long-term situation.” [Edited on 2004/9/5 by Spider-Man NL]

Here is some more:

I've been looking for it and I can't find it eaither.

I can remember watching an interview she did a few years ago and in it she said she was a Canadiens fan.

Your welcome.

http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=682 Edit: The article is now on HabsWorld. Matt Godbout is an HW collaborator and will be in the Prospects writer team this year. [Edited on 2004-8-29 by sakiqc] [Edited on 2005/3/23 by sakiqc]

Here are some pics of Shania wearing Canadiens outfit.

I hope things work out for Perezhogin. I still think he should not have been suspended for a full season while the other jackass only gets off with 6 games. In my opinion Stafford should also be charged with attempting to cause bodily harm because for fuc*ing well sure he took the first swing.

http://www2.townonline.com/natick/schoolSp...articleid=68338 LaCouture might have lost some optimism about the league avoiding a lockout, but he's more encouraged about landing a new deal for himself soon. "I've talked to Boston, Montreal, Pittsburgh, a lot of teams," said the free-agent forward. One team he hasn't spoken to is the Rangers, as LaCouture was frustrated by his lack of playing time there last year. "I'm happy to be out of New York," said LaCouture, who had seven points and 82 PIMs in 59 games with the Rangers last year. "I have no interest in going back there." [Edited on 2004/8/15 by Spider-Man NL]

Kostisyn & Higgins

http://www.carolinahurricanes.com/news/new...?articleid=1275 RALEIGH, N.C. (Aug. 10, 2004) – Jason Karmanos, Vice President / Assistant General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with forwards Colin Forbes and Gordie Dwyer on one-year, two-way contracts. As per club policy, no other terms were announced. “Colin and Gordie add depth to our system,” said Karmanos. “Both have considerable NHL experience, and will help our organization with their skill and physical play during the course of the season.” Dwyer, 26, played in 55 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL in 2003-04. He finished the season with six goals and six assists (12 points) and ranked second on the team with 110 penalty minutes. The Dalhousie, N.B., native also played in two games with Montreal to start the season. St. Louis initially drafted Dwyer in the second round, 67th overall, in 1996, but he re-entered the draft in 1998 after failing to come to terms with St. Louis and was selected by Montreal in the fifth round, 152nd overall. Since turning professional prior to the 1998-99 season, Dwyer (6’ 3”, 215 lbs.) has played in 108 NHL games, recording 394 penalty minutes and five assists. In 159 AHL and International Hockey League games, he has recorded 12 goals, 16 assists (28 points) and 706 penalty minutes.

you have to put %5burl=http://www.canadiens.com/eng/news/redirect.cfm?sectionID=habsNewsDetails.cfm&newsItemID=3897%5dhttp://www.canadiens.com/eng/news/redirect...newsItemID=3897" target="_blank"> tags between any links from the habs site to work http://www.canadiens.com/eng/news/redirect...newsItemID=3897 Sorry about that.

In a article posted on canadiens.com http://www.canadiens.com/eng/news/redirect...newsItemID=3897 Gainey said that: “In Sheldon’s case, we’re talking every day, so I’m confident we’ll find a way to keep him on the team, perhaps even with a long-term deal” he noted. “Michael’s situation is somewhat different. We gave him a qualifying offer, but he chose not to accept it, so he’s a case we’ll need to address down the road.” I sure hope he can get Ryder sign soon.