The Fifth Liners

The Pittsburgh Penguins have parted ways with coach Mike Johnston and assistant coach Gary Agnew. It was announced today that Johnston and Agnew would be given a whole load more time to spend with their families over the holiday period, after GM Jim Rutherford relieved them of their coaching duties in Pittsburgh, while dressed as Ebenezer Scrooge, I assume. The Penguins have lost six of their last 10 games, three of those in overtime and the team definitely isn't playing up to its potential. Evgeni Malkin is playing well, as is off-season addition Phil Kessel . But that's not enough, the team are ranked 26th on the power play and 27th on team shooting and goals per game. Times aren't good when the Columbus Blue Jackets are scoring more. Superstar Sidney Crosby's  season has been forgettable by his own, usually phenomenal standards, only six goals so far. Johnston took over for the 2014/15 season, after former coach Dan Bylsma was shown the door, and the team fin

In the wake of his investigation for alleged sexual assault, the Chicago Blackhawks could well be shifting one of its best. Patrick Kane  has been at the centre of trade talk in the last few days and the Hawks are apparently willing to listen. Despite his off-ice trouble, Kane has been one of the key figures of a tremendously successful team. Should Chicago offload him after three cup wins?  On the one hand I can understand Chicago wanting to be rid of Kane. This sort of rumor can destroy a man's reputation and should things be pressed further it could lead to a lot of lost ice time for him. Kane hasn't coated himself in glory, that is plainly obvious but does he really deserve to be ostracized already? The Blackhawks have been busy off loading their veteran players recently so how would losing a top line player really help at this point?  Another point to consider is that would any team in the NHL really touch a player who could be in court soon? Kane is one of the

Today Indycar racing mourns the tragic loss of one of its most beloved figures. Justin Wilson has died today at the age of 37 after sustaining a fatal head injury in sunday's ABC Supply 500 in Pocono. The native of Sheffield, UK had over 117 Indycar starts and had won seven races. A talent in junior levels, Wilson after winning the Formula Palmer Audi title moved up to Formula 3000 in 1999. In a dominant season he would capture the title in 2002 with three wins which secured him a Formula 1 seat the next season. Despite concerns over his 6"4 height, Wilson performed admirably whilst driving for the struggling Minardi team. A mid season switch to better funded Jaguar team would season him score his one and only F1 point at the US Grand Prix. However, although his talent was established Jaguar would opt against signing Wilson for 2004 which led to his move stateside. Wilson entered the Champ Car series with Conquest racing, but a switch to Rusport in 2005 would gave him a

Today the Boston Red Sox announced the appointment of former Detroit GM Dave Dombrowski as the new franchise general manager. After a tough season in Michegan, Dombrowski will be keen to make an impression on a dying Red Sox team. After help guide the Tigers to the 2012 World Series, this team has suffered a downswing in fortunes this year. Despite guiding them to four straight AL Central Division titles the 2015 season has seen Detroit fall from grace. After the departures of key names such as David Price and Yoenis Cespedes , the writing was on the wall. In Boston though, Dombrowski has a great chance to regain his reputation and aid the Red Sox in their time of need. The last two seasons have been a horror show for the loyal fans and once more they sit bottom of the AL East. Unlike the tight race at the top, the Red Sox sit a staggering 14 games out of first! Their winning record this year is a horrendous 53-66 with a percentage of .445. The howls of disillusion echo loudly aroun

Vancouver Canucks fans might be accustomed to Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin being the driving force of Hockey in B.C. Today they kicked off another season of 'Sedin vs Sedin' and tried something a little bit different and attempted the game H-O-R-S-E. Judging from the action on display, these guys should probably just stick to playing on ice!

Only a matter of weeks after hoisting the Stanley Cup for a third time, Patrick Kane is trapped in the eye of a major storm. The Chicago Blackhawks winger is being investigated over an alleged sexual assault while at home in Hamburg, NY. This scandal has led to him being removed from the cover on the NHL 16 game and the Conn Smyth winner has had his once sparkling image has now been firmly altered. Kane made the news once before for some troublesome off ice antics. Back in 2009 he was charged with assaulting a cab driver after a drunken night out in Buffalo, NY. While this incident might not have been life changing, it seems this current case could well be. Kane has always been one of the key figures of one of the most exciting and dominant attacking forces in Hockey. A 1st overall draft pick in 2007, he has scored over 205 goals and 557 points from 576 regular season games. A reliable and dangerous force on the top line, Blackhawks fans believed this man could do wro

The NHLPA seems to be taking Mike Richards ' dismissal from the LA Kings very seriously. Today they filed a grievance on his behalf contesting the termination. While it is unclear where Richards will be granted a hearing or not, the NHLPA is attempting to speed up the process. Richards had five years and $22 million remaining on his contract before it was terminated in June for what the Kings called "a material breach of contract." The movie itself proved controversial as this occurred only days after he was placed on waivers. The reasons for what caused this termination still remain to be revealed but there were initial whispers about a "border crossing incident!" During his NHL career, Richards has 179 goals and 303 points from 710 regular season games. He won two Stanley cups both with the Kings in 2012 and 2014. Also he was a member of the 2010 Olympic Gold Medal winning Team Canada. As of today Richards remains un-signed, hopefully he will find a new ho

During the LA Dodgers narrow 6-5 loss to the Pirates yesterday, right fielder Yasiel Puig showed his defensive capabilities. At the bottom of the first inning, Puig barehanded a ball before throwing to second to nail the runner. The Dodgers have a good team this year and this kind of fielding will be key should they make the post season!

Chelsea Are Vulnerable Following their 2-2 draw with Swansea, Chelsea may have been unlucky following the sending of goalie Thibaut Courtois , but still some key holes were exposed that manager Jose Mourinho will need to be wary of. Still possessing one of the best attacking forces in world football, Chelsea will need to repeat their fine performance at the back of last season. However there was a distinct lack of spark in this fixture from the reign champions. Having failed to attract a big name in the off-season, this season could be an interesting one at Stamford Bridge. Crystal Palace Could Be Contenders Having survived again last season, Crystal Palace manager, Alan Pardew has shown his intent to not only keep his team in the league but to go one better too. A f ine 3-1 win over returning new boys Norwich will help his cause. Debutant Yohan Cabaye scored following his move for PSG and having quality like this in midfield is a sign of ambition at Selhurst Park. Whethe

It has been a big week trade wise in Ontario and the Toronto Blue Jays have succeeded in giving fans a renewed faith. After a season of fans and experts talking about changes that needed to be made, GM Alex Anthopoulous has apparently been listening keenly. From out of nothing the last 48 hours have been a trade deadline whirlwind. On Wednesday, All Star short-stop Troy Tulowitzki was traded to Toronto from Colorado Rockies for Jose Reyes , Miguel Castro , Jeff Hoffman and Jesus Tinoco. This move came a big but very welcome surprise to Jays fans and it is a move that has bolstered their already thriving offense. There were rumblings that Tulo wasn't made aware of the deal until moments before and that he wasn't at all happy. Any baseball fan could probably side with his mentality here because his entire career had been played at Coors Field. Despite any misgivings, he still gave Toronto fans a debut to remember with a home run blast in an 8-2 win over the Phillies. Given

Brendan Shanahan's rebuild of the Toronto Maple Leafs took another turn today as it was announced that Lou Lamoriello has been hired as new team GM. Having held the same post at the New Jersey Devils since 1987, Lamoriello is certainly experienced. Under his reign, the Devils took home three Stanley Cups from 1995 to 2003. However, will his lack of progress since then hinder Toronto's chances? The first thought we have to contend with is that is Lamoriello jumping from one sinking ship to another which has already sunk? His 28 years in New Jersey brought about some great results, he was the first GM in the NHL to bring across Soviet players into North America. Also he brought about 21 play-off appearances and nine division titles, for his efforts Lamoriello was inducted to the NHL Hall of Fame in 2012. Asides from the roll of honor, there are some minor facts to be considered, such as the fact that from 2010 onwards, New Jersey has only made one trip to the play-offs. Alt

Hockey fans cast your mind back to the night of May 16th, 1995, when the Quebec Nordiques lose 4-2 to the New York Rangers at MSG. Bitterly disappointed, the Nordiques play-off run had come to an end in the first round over six games. The next season would prove to be the ultimate disappointment to Quebec City as their beloved team relocated to Denver, Colorado. Since this day, Quebec City has been dry of hockey and despite local passion and hope still hanging in the air, no return has come about. There had been problems developing for years before hand as the limited market in this part of Quebec had been causing the team to suffer financially. Also being pretty much a monolingual city had also harmed their marketability to attract bigger players. At this stage, Quebec had a fine roster including future hall of famers, Joe Sakic as well as Peter Forsberg and previously held big names like Mats Sundin and Peter Stastny . Quebec City lack of English speaking culture proved a deturr

As the the free agency period drags on, there are still some note worthy names who have yet to find a new home. Here are the pick of the bunch who still remain un-signed. Cody Franson  The 27 year old blue-liner has been the source of much speculation this summer, but as yet no offer has been made. Last season splitting his time between Toronto and Nashville, his form declined after being traded in February. Franson has a good shot and has proven to be a solid D-Man in years gone by. The main problem is the $3.3 million cap hit that his signing would bring. Still, I believe this man is one name that shouldn't be left floundering in free agency for this long. Alexander Semin After having the remaining $7 million bought out of his contract after a poor season for Carolina, Semin is search for a new dawn. Although he has proven to be a solid pro, his point production has slowed over the years after leaving Washington. However, at only 31 years old, Semin still has plenty to pr

Nothing spices up a surfing competition like a good old fashion shark attack. That's what Australian surfer, Mick Fanning found today during a World Surf League competition in South Africa. Bravely Fanning defended himself while the shark attacked him from behind- talk about a sneak attack! Luckily Fanning wasn't hurt, but the days competition was cancelled. Kudos to the big man- from both of us here.

It has been announced that the long saga involving Raheem Sterling 's future at Liverpool has been resolved. The club today has accepted a bid over £49 Million from Manchester City . Apart from the fact that is an astonishingly high sum for a club be playing for a player who is only 20 years old, the real question will be is he worth it? This summer has been filled with the will he/won't he spectulation, but is Manchester City really the club for this guy? Sterling is unquestionably a talented player and Liverpool losing him will be a big blow. However, I do not feel that he is really worthy of this kind of transfer fee. Many people sneered when Gareth Bale went to Real Madrid for £85 million. Prior to that he had two PFA Player of the Year award's in his corner and had been one of the leagues most talented wingers. A Champions League winners medal later and everyone saw just how valuable he could potentially be. Sterling however is still in the early dawn of a playing

Admittedly this year's Free Agency pool was only ankle deep and compared to previous seasons there was not the big names for bidding.  However, there were still some bargains to be had and there was flurry of signings come July 1st. Here are my personal top 3 picks Justin Williams  Although William's goal production had been slowing the last few years at LA, the Washington Capitals have got themselves a bargain. Williams at 33 is still an effective right wingers which can be used to anchored the second or third line. The Capitals with the exception of Ovechkin and Holtby are a team that still needs rounding out. Williams also have extensive experience of the post season, including three Stanley Cup wins. His Conn Smyth Trophy  win in 2014 shows just what an asset he can be to a team.  P A Parenteau  Things didn't end happily in his season in Montreal, but 32 year old Parenteau still has life left in him. Signing for the Toronto Maple Leafs is a smart move as the te

After becoming a free agent, today Martin St Louis has announced his retirement after 16 glorious years. There has been much speculation about the 40 year old's future, but after only 1 goal in 19 playoffs games last season, team were not stepping up to sign him. St Louis scored an impressive 391 goals and 1,033 points from 1,134 regular-season games in a career that took in Calgary Flames , Tampa Bay Lightning and lately the New York Rangers . In 2004, St Louis had his most successful year as he helped the Lightning to a Stanley Cup win and was also awarded the Art Ross, Ted Lindsay and the Hard Trophy for his career best showing. He was also selected for over six different All-Star games. Noted for being one of the smaller players in the NHL, St Louis was noted for being a passionate player. Also he felt that being forced into a more checking role whilst at Calgary 'helped to round out my game'. Even when he was traded to the Rangers in 2014, St Louis was still a fe

Winners Buffalo Sabres  In two short days, Dan Bylsma 's new reign in Buffalo already seems a lot brighter. Not only did they selected hot prospect Jack Eichel second overall, but they also pulled off an excellent trade with Colorado swapping Ryan O'Reilly and Jamie McGinn for Nikita Zadarov, Mikhail Grigorenko and J.T Compher. The day before they also acquired Robin Lehner and David Legwand in a trade with Ottawa for the 21st pick! Already their depth quality looks far more impressive than last season. With a top line included, Kane, Bogosian and Eichel, this might be a time to scale back on the Sabres related jokes on this blog. Edmonton Oilers Having the first overall pick, selecting Connor McDavid was a guaranteed high point. But new GM Peter Chiarelli also smartly acquired the services of goalie Cam Talbot for New York. While old team the Bruins (we'll get to them later) took a hit, Edmonton is now in the beginning stages of building a team that is actua

Being pride weekend in Toronto, I felt it necessary to blog about this fine event. On Thursday Sonoma Stompers pitcher Sean Conroy threw a shutout 7-0 victory against the Vallejo Admirals. Not only was this his first ever pro start, but Conroy is also the first ever openly gay professional baseball player. With the announcement yesterday of the US Supreme finally legalizing gay marriage- this event is fitting. Conroy struckout 11 batters on 140 pitches and never allow a runner to get further than second base. The 23 year old has received great support from both teammates and fans alike. The game itself was a tremendous experience for him, Conroy was quoted as saying "All of the fan support was overwhelming -- the rainbow socks, wristbands, arm sleeves. It was just incredible." It is magnificent to see a new era beginning in baseball. Will be watching Conroy closely in years to come.

Unless there is some kind of minor miracle at 2015 NHL Draft this Sunday, the Edmonton Oilers are set to select Connor McDavid at the first overall pick. His selection was highly sought after for all NHL sides last season. Maple Leafs fans in particular were fervent supporters of 'Tank Nation' which celebrated each loss which brought them closer to the chance to select the Ontario native. When Edmonton won the first pick from the NHL Draft lottery, many fans expressed disappointment of the Oilers once again getting this selection. Particularly as it seemed it has become a little too familiar with the same underwhelming results being produced. The hype around McDavid has been at fever pitch for some time, many experts have already compared him to legends Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux ! His OHL jersey has already been selling for a pretty penny at auctions and many are convinced he is already a superstar. But in the midst of this hullabaloo, many seem to be forgetting one v

Since retiring at only 32 in 2012 (mainly because no team would take him) former trouble maker Sean Avery has shed light on his decision to retire. In short, he claims that he needed people to hate him in order to stay motivated. Although he achieved his goal is spectacular fashion, Avery often resorted to hateful tactics to provoke people. We all remember his notorious 'Sloppy Seconds' quoted aimed at Dion Phaneuf or the time he decided to get creative while screening Martin Brodeur ! Apparently ever since his off-broadway debut fell apart in bizarre and typical Avery fashion (he got into an argument with a stage hand over refusing a slice of pizza), he now has taken to remodelling East End homes in NYC. Let's hope he does cause too much mayhem during the renovation part of the job! To see more about his reflections in the Players Tribune, click on the link here .

1938 - While playing for the Boston Red Sox , Jimmy Foxx set a major league record when in one game, he was walked six times.   1975- Kareem- Abdul Jabber was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the LA Lakers 1981- The Chicago Tribune purchased the Chicago Cubs from the Wrigley Chewing Gum Company for $20.5 million (the pocket change for Roman Abramovich in today's world) 1993- Michael Jordan breaks the record for most points in an NBA Finals game when he scored 55 points against Phoenix Suns. 2006- The Disney owned Mighty Ducks of Anaheim have sale to Henry and Susan Samueli approved by NHL Board of Governors.

Goalie: Ben Bishop He may have missed out on a Stanley Cup ring, but Bishop was the glue that held Tampa Bay Lightning together during their play-off run. Notching up 13 wins including 3 shutouts, a save percentage of .921 and a GAA of 2.18, Bishop was remarkable in net.  Defense: Duncan Keith The rightful Conn Smyth Trophy winner, Keith was remarkable on the blue line. Scoring the first goal in game 6 was a tribute to his dominance. Scoring 21 points which included a staggering 18 assists, Keith had the highest plus minus rating of +16. The Chicago Blackhawks have been well served by this man and his importance was truly demonstrated in this final. Defense: Victor Hedman   Behind Keith, Hedman was the second highest plus/minus rating of +11. His great defensive quality helped back up Bishop in net. During this series, Hedman broke the record for the most points scored by a Lightning player in a single playoff year with 13. Heavily favored to win the James Norris Trophy, t

Once more we turn to an old and predictable tale- the future of the Arizona Coyotes . A fatal blow was struck yesterday when the Glendale, Arizona council elected to terminate the Coyotes arena lease! After being purchased by Ice Arizona LLC in July 2013, things look to have finally been sorted. A 15 year agreement had been finalize, but now after only two seasons, it has been terminated. Now once more, the teams future will hang in the balance. Last season, despite high hopes of an improvement, the fans once more stayed away. The average attendance at the Gila River Arena was a mere 13,345 and was the 28th lowest in the league. Only the Carolina and Florida were more sparsely attended. For years now, desert hockey has been on the downswing and as many people have been predicting, the franchise may now be departing for newer pastures. The reaction in Arizona has been one of immense frustration and anger and co-owner Anthony LeBlanc sees this treatment as unfair. He was quoted as sa

1964- Sandy Koufax throws this third career no hitter 1980- 'Mr Hockey' Gordie Howe officially announces his retirement from Hockey 1986- Boston Celtics win NBA Final's in five games over Phoenix  2000- Fred McGriff gets his 2000th career hit while playing for Tampa Bay

This year was one to forget for San Jose Sharks as they crawled home only 11th overall in the Western Conference. For the first time in over a decade, the Sharks failed to make the play-offs. This lapse in form also led to sacking of Todd McLellan as Head Coach. What exactly went wrong? Well not having a clear leader seemed to affect the direction on the team. Long time leader, Joe Thornton had the 'C' removed from his jersey in the off-season. Copying Montreal, the Sharks went with four alternates instead. While the Habs made it work, production seemed to slow at the SAP Arena. Joe Pavelski was top scorer with over 70 points and the other big four Logan Couture , Brent Burns , Thornton and Patrick Marleau all contribute around the 60 point mark. But outside of these guys, the higher points score was 36 points. The Sharks need to find a way to round the side more, because right now it is just a party of five. Former Devil's boss, Peter De Boer has been installed

Once more life in Raleigh, NC is a dull and barren affair! Again the Carolina Hurricanes failed to add more proof that their cup win in 2006 was little more than a fluke. About the only interesting activity that fluttered around PNC Arena was the persistent trade rumors surrounding aging star, Eric Staal. Sadly Staal decided to keep underwhelming himself in Carolina and the wheel kept on spinning backwards. Misfiring at both ends, the Hurricanes limped home 14th overall in the Eastern Conference. Sporting the 3rd worst goal difference with only 188 goals against. There sparks of life such as the form of young gun Justin Faulk and Elias Lindholm . Eric Staal as per usual was top scorer- but who exactly is his competition these days. Cam Ward in net continued to be one of the few good elements of a bad team. But his GAA of 2.40 is a little alarming. In front of him his defense saw a whopping 226 goals goals against for a goal difference of -38! The Hurricanes are a team who these

It's time to grade the NHL teams' overall performance for 2014-15. The grades range from A* to E-. Meanwhile in Toronto, this happened, three times in one game. THREE TIMES. You can throw a hat on the ice, that's cool. In Detroit it's tradition to throw an octopus, but throw a jersey in the Air Canada Centre and not only will you be ejected from the game, but the Maple Leafs will press charges.  Seriously, when fans are that unhappy with your performance that they'll throw away their $169.95 jersey in disgust, pressing charges is just plain wrong. Tip of the cap to the fans who demanded better, and got worse.   Disappointed sad face to the whole damn franchise. In 2014/15 the Maples Leafs were an insult to hockey and its fans. That's all I have to say about the Leafs. For 2014-15, the Toronto Maple Leafs score an E- . 

It's time to grade the NHL teams' overall performance for 2014-15. The grades range from A* to E-. Another tail of woe, this time from north of the border. There are two fundamental  rules in hockey: the first is 'don't try and fight Zdeno Chara', the second is 'score more goals than your opponents'. The Oilers average goals per game was a paltry 2.35, 24th worst in the league (or 24th best if you're an optimist). Meanwhile at the other end of the ice, the team conceded an average of 3.37 goals per game, officially the leakiest defense in the NHL. The goalie situation at Rexall Place is dire, in 2014-15 Ben Scrivens, Victor Fasth, Richard Bachman, Laurent Brossoit and Tyler Bunz all clocked up ice time for the Oilers in front of net. With the lack of consistency at the back, coupled with a defensive corps who couldn't manage a single positive +/-, it's a wonder the Oilers were able to finish higher than Arizona and Buffalo. There were a

With the hockey world caught up with a contagious case of Stanley Cup fever, in the AHL there was a moment worth of a highlight reel. This weekend has seen the Rangers amazingly dumped out the cup by an inspired Lightning team and seen the Hawks battle against Anaheim over 7 unpredictable games! But in Sunday's AHL West Conference Final, the Utica Comets won a hard fought 3-2 game over the Grand Rapids Griffins . But their win was made all the more impressive by this astonishing stick save by goalie Jacob Markstrom ! This one early in the second period would prove instrument to the Comets victory! Having arrived to the Canucks as part of the Roberto Luongo trade, Markstrom has struggled to get ice time. But this season, the Swede has put up great numbers in the AHL including a 10-7 record with a 1.97 GAA and a save percentage of .928 from 17 play-off games! Should either Miller or Lack be sidelined next season, this guy will be handy in net!

It's time to grade the NHL teams' overall performance for 2014-15. The grades range from A* to E-. The only award the Arizona Coyotes won this season is Most Home Losses. The team from the desert lost 25 at home in regulation. Coincidentally they also lost 25 on the road in regulation. Prize for consistency but nothing else. The only factor that saved the Coyotes from the ignominy of sitting bottom of the standings was the Buffalo Sabres being worse on the road. Wins against Los Angeles, Edmonton and Florida in October gave fans a glimmer of hope, but it wasn't to be. Dismal performances meant that the team wouldn't even be a contender for silverware. Defensive failings saw the team concede at least five goals in 18 games. An unsustainable performance by any standard. Tip of the cap to Keith Yandle for 37 assists in 63 games.  Disappointed sad face to Kyle Chipchura for his 82 penalty minutes.  For 2014-15, the Arizona Coyotes score an  E- . Must try h

It's time to grade the NHL teams' overall performance for 2014-15. The grades range from A* to E-. The Buffalo Sabres are a team locked in perpetual rebuild. Like a child with a tub of Lego, the team continues to go through change after change both on the ice and in the front office. 2014-15 was no different as it was announced yesterday that former Penguins coach Dan Bylsma was to take over at the First Niagara centre. The glory days, and I use that term lightly, of the late 90s are but a distant memory. 2014-15 started badly for the team who won only two of their 11 games in October. November and December fared slightly better, including a 6-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  January was horrific for the Sabres who won none of their 12 games who were now becoming the NHL's whipping boys. The heaviest defeat was at the Minnesota Wild who put seven past the Sabres for no reply. Bet that was an awkward journey back to Buffalo. The rest of the regular season

Finally Dan Bylsma 's exodus from the NHL has ended. Today it was announced that he has been appointed the 17th head coach of the Buffalo Sabres . His hiring will no doubt come as positive news to Sabres fan, who are still aggrieved at losing out on Babcock. Here is a statement of intention by Sabres management to improve the dour situation at the First Niagara Centre. But the real question will remain, can Bylsma wring any life out this dying team? Although his previous life at Pittsburgh didn't have a happy ending, Bylsma still gave away with an impressive record. His team took home a Stanley Cup in 2009 and in each of his five seasons in charge, they reached the playoffs. But sadly despite having some of the NHL's elite players, he failed to replicate his cup win and slowly tested the patience of fans and management alike. What the Sabres off him is a completely clean slate and the possibility of having Jack Eichel on the roster. Having coached this same player at the

After personally witnessing his complete game shut out victory in the Toronto Blue Jays 6-0 over the Chicago White Sox last night, you have to wonder whether pitcher Drew Hutchison is the new ace that the team so badly needs? Pushing his record to 4-1 this season, the 24 year old Florida native struck out 8 different batters, allowed only 4 hits and and looked in complete control, 96 pitches was all it took. Yes, he was aided by a substandard White Sox performance, but taking nothing away from the young man. When he was selected as opening day pitcher in the Jays 6-1 win over the Yankees, few eyebrows were raised. In getting the start over more experienced candidates such as Mark Buerhle and R.A Dickey , it shows just what high hopes the organization has for this man. The bullpen has been a source of concern to the Blue Jays this season, with young talent Daniel Norris being already sent down to Triple A along with talented reliever, Miguel Castro . But Hutchison has been noted as

This week former Russian hockey legend, Slava Fetisov has announced that he wishes to restrict young Russian players from playing in the NHL. According to the ex Red Wings and NJ Devils star, he wishes to keep Russian players in the KHL until they are 28 years old. However, with the KHL in a state of collapse due to financial issues and even talk of teams moving into China. Fetisov has been quoted as saying that his reasons for this are he wants to keep, the most talented players "the ones people come to see." In some ways you can understand his logic because unlike the home hockey league, the NHL provides an allure that the KHL is unable to match. By doing this it would allow home grown players to expand their skills and perhaps become more grounded. But it feels unfair to deny new talents their dreams of playing abroad. Fetisov himself suffered under the old Red Army team and their notoriously controlling coach, Viktor Tikhonov . These days, we are no longer living in an

So once more, the Edmonton Oilers are looking towards a new man to lead them back towards the promised land. That man comes in the shape of former San Jose coach, Todd McLellan . After recently being given the chop in California after a seven year stint, this guy has been given the tough challenge of actually getting something out of a beleaguered Edmonton side! When former boss, Dallas Eakins was given the boot back in December, the damage had already been done to their season as Edmonton as usual limped home dead last in the Western conference to claim another wooden spoon. But what does McLellan offer that other coaches will not? Well for one he brings a consistent play off run with him! In his seven seasons in charge he led San Jose to over six playoff appearances (including two conference finals). His record of  311-163 from a possible 434 regular season games is a fine record to take across to Alberta. Eakins was an ambitious experiment that sadly went array. His youthful an

Well this is just silly now. At first Tom Brady's suspension was funny, but now the situation is out of control. The New England Patriots, have produced their own report in response to the Wells Report. It can be found on the cleverly named wellscontextreport.com . The site includes the original report, the Patriots' reply and some stuff from a scientist.  The Pats' report contains some interesting stuff, as well as some utter nonsense. There might be some tremendously groundbreaking revelations too but I've not finished reading it yet because it's 20,000 words long.  Yeah, 20,000 words. To put that into context, JD Salinger's Catcher In The Rye has 83,000 words. The Patriots have written a quarter of a novel. Brady, the Patriots, the NFL, science... let it go, nobody will come out of this situation looking good. 

It appears there is indeed talent in British Hockey these days! Today it has emerged that 11 year old Emma Nichols recorded a remarkable 3-0 victory f or her team U-11 South East! Overnight she has become a sensation, and watching by the way she effortless dominates the crease- she is one to watch out for! Sadly despite a .957 save percentage, her side would lose to Scotland in the final after a shootout! Check out the video below for a glimpse of this talent- gotta love that British commentary as well! 

Today it has emerged that what started as a joke by the Discovery Channel against the Pittsburgh Penguins has become something way more funny! Gently mocking the Pens first round exit against the Rangers, this jousting has turned into a real spat. But reading the final tweet from Discovery is the definition of being owned! Click on link for the results. Just be glad it wasn't Boston, because they would have sent Zdeno Chara round instead! http://www2.tsn.ca/bardown/story.aspx?what%2Bstarted%2Bas%2Ba%2Blighthearted%2Btweet%252c%2Bhas%2Btaken%2Ba%2Bturn%2Bbetween%2Bthe%2Bpenguins%2B%2526%2Bdiscovery%2Bchannel&id=536031

So far this season, the Boston Red Sox are still looking a far cry from the 2013 World Series winning team they once were. Currently they sit bottom of the AL East Division with a record of 16-18 and a winning percentage .471 which puts them 4.5 games out 1st place. Might not sound terrible but when you consider that they were the heavy favourites to sweep this division, a heavy cloud comes over proceedings. On the MLB power rankings, the Red Sox currently rank 22nd overall! When you consider that this is below team such as the Miami Marlins and the Baltimore Orioles, then serious questions are raised. During the off season, the Red Sox appeared to have filled the gaps from last season by landing some of the most sought after free agents such as former Giants slugger, Pablo Sandoval , Hanley Ramirez and pitcher Justin Masterson . All seemed bright in the state of Massachusetts, but since then things haven't been so straight forward. Having a consistent starting pitcher seems to

In the Seattle Mariners 4-3 win over the Oakland A's yesterday, there was a collectors moment for all Mariners fans as 29 year old star Felix Hernandez became the 4th youngest player to reach 2000 career strikeouts when he struck out Sam Fuld in the 5th inning! The Seattle skipper is always capable of producing magic on the mound, 3000 seems only a stone throw away now!

Finally the Detroit Red Wings have given permission for head coach Mike Babcock to begin speaking to other teams. This news has caused a wave of disillusion over Michigan because after taking home the Stanley Cup in 2008- he has become a fan favourite! But where would be the best destination for this man? Here are my top 3 choices for M.B Toronto Maple Leafs  This one is by far the bookies favourite and many were speculating this one as early as last season. As an Ontario boy at heart, this one will no doubt be in the front of Babcock's mind! But although this project may have long term potential, surely it is too much of a short term risk? The Leafs are currently going through yet another rip up and rebuild operation by Brendan Shanahan and I feel there is too much work needed to get where Babcock wants to go. Also lest we forget, the Leafs fans are not forgiving of lack of progress (no matter how many years running) and should he take the job- M.B should expect jersey's

Martin St Louis  Although he is now 40 years old, which side wouldn't want to gamble on ever reliable St Louis? In his advancing years he has shown no intention of taking things easy- plus all the goal scoring and pace from his early years have yet to vanish. St Louis has stated he wants to remain a Ranger, hopefully bringing home a Stanley Cup will see him off the market very quickly!  Devan Dubnyk  After having a break out season, Dubnyk has finally shown what he capable of doing in net. Should Wild opt not to re-sign him, the Alberta native's services will be high demand! Currently one of Minnesota top players, Dubynk is currently in the form of his life and being traded from Arizona was a wise move. Though both Niklas Backstrom and Darcy Kuemper are both signed through to 2016, which could cause salary cap problems! Any team that lands this guy will be lucky. Justin Williams  Winner of the 2014 Conn Smyth Trophy, Williams have proven himself to be a reliable team