Hockeyhead

Headlines can be misleading.  Rick Nash provided a hat-trick in Columbus’ 3-2 victory over Detroit last night, but his Blue Jackets teammates deserve as much credit.  I’ve tried to tell you that this team is for real.  Mike Commodore should get a lot more recognition as one of the NHL’s best shutdown defenseman.  Commodore is averaging over 23:00 minutes per game, and holds an impressive +/- of +11.  In this story from yesterday’s Columbus Dispatch, Commodore outlines the “cock” in Mike Babcock with left over animosity from their days in Anaheim.   I love when hockey players are honest.

Obligatory Leafs Bit:

Toronto suffered a crushing 6-1 bag-lashing at the hands of Minnesota.  Even more suffering was to be had by the folks who were viewing the game on Rogers’ Sportsnet.

I tuned out right after Marek Zidlicky hammered the puck off of his teammate Cal Clutterbuck’s back in front of the net.  “That’s a big stop by Pogge!” Joe Bowen exclaimed.

Justin Pogge is a whole other story.  According to the Sportsnet crew, the plan was to start him last night, demote him to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies after the game, wait for Curtis Joseph to die, then call him back up.  That is one path to John Tavares.

From the ashes of this mess comes one hell of a quote from Leafs’ bench-boss Ron Wilson via The Toronto Star:

“Had he won the game, you guys (the media) would have petitioned city hall to name a street after him, possibly have a parade. We could have carried him on our shoulders to the airport… How he handles getting kicked around like that … we’ll see how he plays the next couple of games with the Marlies. It will be a good experience for him.”

Alternate Interpretation:

Thanks to “loyal” reader and absent commenter David (what the fuck David?) for his tip on another meaning for hockeyhead.

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