Wharnsby: This Ochocinco happy to share success with family

Chad Johnson rewarded his new team with a 21-save shutout, his first in seven career NHL appearances, in the Phoenix Coyotes' 4-0 win at home against the Nashville Predators. The performance has earned him the start against the visiting Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.

This family vacation turned out better than expected.

Initially, Karen and Terry Johnson were supposed to be entertained by their pro hockey-playing son Chad in the New England area over the AHL all-star break. Chad, a goalie with the Portland (Maine) Pirates, knows the area well. Before he switched to the Pirates this season, he played for the Connecticut Whale in Hartford.

But the Johnsons' plans were altered when Chad was promoted to the Phoenix Coyotes last Thursday after Mike Smith suffered a lower-body injury. So instead, Karen and Terry flew from Calgary to the desert in the hopes of seeing their son get another shot in the NHL.

The 26-year-old Johnson had not played in the NHL since March 31, 2011, when he relieved Henrik Lundqvist for the final period of the New York Rangers 6-2 loss to the rival New York Islanders.

Johnson got the call on Monday and he rewarded his new team with a 21-save shutout, his first in seven career NHL appearances, in the Coyotes' 4-0 win at home against the Nashville Predators. The performance has earned him the start against the visiting Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.

"It worked out really well," Johnson said in a phone interview. "My twin brother [Curtis] just happened to be down in the Phoenix area visiting some friends, too. Everyone was excited and it was nice to share the shutout with my family."

Usually, after a game the only text messages waiting for Johnson are from his girlfriend Alexandra or the occasional one from his parents. But this time his voice mailbox was full and he had too many texts and e-mails to return.

'I was overwhelmed'

"I was overwhelmed," Johnson said. "So many people were supportive and happy for me. It just shows you the NHL is different territory."

Time will tell whether Johnson can turn this opportunity into a more permanent NHL gig this season or down the road. Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said that Smith could be ready to return to action on the weekend.

Johnson got into goaltending because when he and Curtis played road hockey as kids on the cul-de-sac in front of their Deer Ridge Place home in the Southeast Calgary neighbourhood, "one of us had to go into the net, so I strapped on the pads." 

His bond with goaltending only strengthened. He played for the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League with his brother, who now runs CuJo Conditioning in Lloydminster, Alta.

Chad wound up with a scholarship to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. The Pittsburgh Penguins drafted him in the fifth round in 2006, and three years later they traded him to the New York Rangers for a fifth-round selection after he put up an incredible .940 save percentage in his senior season and was a Hobey Baker finalist.

His longest stint as Lundqvist's backup was for six weeks midway through the 2009-10 season. With so little opportunity in the Rangers system, he signed a one-year deal with the Coyotes last summer. He also was intrigued working with Coyotes goalie coach Sean Burke.

Johnson had been playing some of his best hockey with Portland this year. He was 14-8-0 with a .912 save percentage before being called up by the Coyotes.

"The only thing I can control is when I play," he said. "I've gotten off to a good start and now I just want to help my team win."

This humble approach doesn't exactly exude the arrogance of his NFL namesake Chad (Ochocinco) Johnson. But some of his teammates have called him Ochocinco in the past anyway.

"It's starting to fade away now," Johnson said with a chuckle. "Early on, when he changed his name to Ochocinco a lot of my teammates called me that. It was a good nickname."

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Wade Redden a 'perfect fit' for Blues, Pietrangelo

Wade Redden is back in the NHL at age 35 for the first time in three seasons, thriving on the blue-line for the St. Louis Blues and providing a strong complement to standout youngster Alex Pietrangelo.

On Jan. 18, the chase finally ended for Ken Hitchcock.

Five years earlier, while coaching in Columbus, Hitchcock and Blue Jackets management pursued unrestricted free-agent defenceman Wade Redden, who was fresh off a 38-point campaign in his 11th NHL season with the Ottawa Senators.

"I coached him in the World Cup [of Hockey in 2004] and [the 2006] Olympics and I coached against him a lot when him and [Zdeno] Chara were a pair for Ottawa, so I knew him really well," Hitchcock, now head coach of the St. Louis Blues, said in a phone interview this week.

Unfortunately for Hitchcock, the New York Rangers signed Redden for six years and $39 million US in hopes he could rejuvenate their power play. But he ended up scoring just two power-play goals over the next two seasons before Rangers general manager Glen Sather sent Redden and the burden of his contract to the American Hockey League to start the 2010-11 season.

It wasn't until the official end of the lockout earlier this month that Hitchcock had much hope of luring Redden to St. Louis since Blues general manager Doug Armstrong had no interest in taking on the final two years of the defenceman's contract and $6.5 million annual salary cap charge.

However, under the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement, Redden's salary no longer could be hidden in the minor leagues, so the Rangers used a compliance buyout on Jan. 17 to rid themselves of his contract and Armstrong pounced, signing him the following day to a one-year, $800,000 deal.

Both Armstrong and Hitchcock hoped they had a potential defence partner for young standout Alex Pietrangelo after choosing not to re-sign oft-injured Carlo Colaiacovo (now with Detroit) and releasing Colin White, who was at training camp on a pro tryout contract.

Big void

They wanted to add depth to the left side of the Blues' defence, with Kevin Shattenkirk, Roman Polak and Pietrangelo manning the right side.

"Our pro scouts had seen a lot of Redden the last two years to make us feel comfortable he still had NHL game in him," said Armstrong. "He's a very dependable, smart player [and] lets the puck do the work for him."

So far, the puck has found the back of the opposition's net, with Pietrangelo setting up Redden's first NHL goal in two seasons on Jan. 26 at Dallas. Redden also scored the next night against Minnesota to match his goal total in 75 games with the Rangers in the 2009-10 season.

"It was the perfect fit for us and Alex Pietrangelo," Hitchcock said of the Redden signing. "Redden makes all of the little plays that at the end of the night add up to easier exits [from the defensive zone]. They need to get on the ice where they don't get bogged down in their zone, and that's where Redden really helps."

At 35, Redden doesn't have to be the go-to guy on the Blues' back end, but rather play a support role for the 23-year-old Pietrangelo, a lanky rearguard who wields a stick and, like Redden, is a quiet man. He's also the youngest defenceman in franchise history to record consecutive 40-points seasons.

Armstrong, who watched Redden play a couple of games with the Rangers' AHL affiliate in Hartford, Ct., said the veteran blue-liner appears to be a strong complement for Pietrangelo because his game is defined and not sporadic.

"He's just a steady player," said Armstrong of Redden, who has posted a positive plus-minus in 11 of his previous 13 NHL seasons. "One of the things I've seen here is he lets the puck do the work for him. And Alex knows where he's going to be."

Seamless transition

It appears Redden has made a seamless transition back to NHL hockey, having scored twice in three games after collecting 20 points in 49 games for the Connecticut Whale during the lockout. Hitchcock pointed to conditioning for Redden's impressive return and said the native of Lloydminster, Sask., brings a sense of calm to the 5-1-0 Blues.

"I go back to junior and he was a calm player there [for the Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings]. He's in a different place in his life now," said Hitchcock, who has Redden killing penalties but envisions him playing the point on the power play in the near future. "Wade plays for the right priorities.

"He wants to have his children see him play hockey. He wants to prove to himself that he can be a contributing member on the team. I think when you're at peace with that stuff you got the good mindset going."

Armstrong said having someone with the quiet confidence of Redden on the team with other veteran players such as Jamie Langenbrunner, Scott Nichol and Jackman will help in educating the youngsters on different situations they will face in their NHL career.

"When [the Rangers] assigned him to the American Hockey League ... he could have just cashed a paycheque and [accepted] his lot in life," said Armstrong. "But he took a leadership role there [as team captain] and he was a good mentor so I think it shows a lot about his character.

"It's not where he wanted to be but he showed [his Connecticut teammates] that sometimes hockey can throw you curveballs and you gotta stand in there and keep swinging."

One day, it might lead to the chase for a Stanley Cup title.

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Field of Play: From the Rockies to Russia

CBC Sports Weekend host Scott Russell joined five lifelong friends on a dream excursion to Vail, Colo.

When I was a hockey-playing kid my father had only two bits of advice: "Be a good teammate," he urged. "And for goodness sake if it looks like you aren't going to make to it to the NHL find a sport you can do for life."

Wise words from a man who was often too busy professionally to pursue sport the way he wanted to.

And so it was that I found myself poised for the annual 'guys' ski trip.  It was going to have to be a quick one because last-minute arrangements for an exploratory voyage to the next Olympic city of Sochi, Russia had cut into my plans.

Still, the commitment to join five, lifelong, friends on an excursion to Vail, Colo., the quintessential American ski destination celebrating its 50th anniversary, was not negotiable.

Two days of skiing at the site of the 2015 world alpine championships to be staged in the Vail Valley, not to mention the home of World Cup superstar Lindsey Vonn, was not to be missed.

Even for an "aging athlete" and in spite of the fact that I'm beginning to question my ability to stay the course in a sport I've only seriously practiced in my middle-aged years, it was a no brainer.

We assembled at the gondola, which is at the head of historic Bridge Street in the main village of Vail.

In our other lives we appeared as, a broadcaster, an insurance executive, an international banker, a lawyer, a high school teacher and a professor of kinesiology. We had gone to summer camp together and first met about 45 years ago. These were the same fellows who were my swim instructors, my cabin-mates as well as the guy who first taught me about the ecosystem and how to paddle a canoe.

Fountain of youth

In our ski garb, we were suddenly young again, teammates and little boys all thrown into the same boat and ready for an adventure. The fact that some of us were retired and another was a grandfather did not come into play.

There was only skiing and the magnificence of the post-dawn rush on what was to be a bluebird day. It had snowed all through the previous night, and for the first time in what had been a lean season, Vail luxuriated in fresh powder.

The Tuesday morning lift lines overflowed as the faithful migrated 2 1/2 hours north from Denver, eager to undertake what was natural to them. Vail had been restored to its glorious self.

We were headed to the legendary "Back Bowls" led by the most proficient of our group.

"It's not often in life you get the chance to ski powder like this," he declared.  And then the three words you come to dread when you don't trust completely in your own abilities.

"Just follow me."

Up to an elevation of 11,220 feet we went. The landscape was breathtaking in more ways than one. The snow at the threshold of the peaks was unmarked as we became like the first explorers in a one-in-a-million day. The altitude was such that it forced a difficult flow of oxygen to the lungs.

Never mind, there wasn't a moment wasted as we were off in search of immortality and the unadulterated feeling of exhilaration that presents itself all too infrequently.

Menacing names

Before I had time to chicken out, we had dropped over a vast cliff into a basin which had runs with menacing names like "Dragon's Teeth," and "Chopstix."  I alarmingly realized that this was the first time I had attempted to ski on anything other than a nicely groomed "blue cruiser," marked by symmetrical, corduroy-like lines drawn in the snow.

It was too late.

My boards were sinking fast and so was I. But I heard the whoops of joy that the other trailblazers let out as they floated by. Snow flew all around me and my leader looked like a pro on his descent. I resisted the temptation to give up, partly because there was no turning back. Mostly though, there was no other way out.

But at the midway point, he waited.

"You're doing it," he shouted. "The skis will check your speed. Let them run!"

And so I did.

It wasn't pretty and once complete I wasn't overjoyed on the lift ride back to the top. Still, I had made it to the bottom and left a freshly marked trail on the face of the mountain where no-one else had been. It was an accomplishment to be sure.

"Now that you've done it, you'll be a hundred per cent better the next time out," our leader said by way of consolation. It went a long way toward easing the burning pain in my legs and the more hurtful bruising to my pride.

I don't know why I didn't give in to the overwhelming inclination to quit or to retreat to the easy slope on that morning. Perhaps it was the sound of my father's voice echoing in my head.  

"Be a good teammate and find a sport you can do for life."

Love of skiing

It was true, I wanted to be with the rest of the guys and I didn't want to give up on something which has been such a joy to me. I really do love skiing, and to think that there would be a "next time out" was tremendously encouraging.

In order to make my plane for Russia and the Olympic city I had to leave Vail a day early. Meantime my buddies, undaunted, had another crack at the "Back Bowls" and a rendezvous with the endless fields of play that the mountain afforded their aging but rejuvenated bodies.

On the bus ride back to Denver I got a text message from my friend, the one I have known the longest and the organizer of the trip.

"Thanks for the day comrade," was all he wrote.

These were the very same words we all said each night as the lights went out at summer camp those many years ago.

Nothing had changed.

In our love of this sport we were in it together and for the rest of our lives.

1 year to go

This Saturday Sports Weekend comes from the Olympic city of Sochi, Russia. February 7th marks the one-year out celebrations and the test events are in full swing. At 1 p.m. ET we'll have the World Cup short track speed skating event from the Iceberg Skating Palace. I'll be on site while Steve Armitage and Kristina Groves provide the play-by-play.

At 2 p.m. ET it's Hockey Night in Canada with Buffalo at Montreal.

Then at 5 p.m. ET, World Cup snowboarding has snowboard cross from Blue Mountain in Collingwood Ont. Featured are Olympic champion Maelle Ricker as well as Dominique Maltais of Canada. Brenda Irving and Tara Teigen have the call. We'll also provide full coverage of the one-year out anniversary from Sochi on CBC News Network.

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Canucks' Roberto Luongo shuts out Avalanche

recap

Vancouver goaltender picks up 61st career shutout

The Canadian Press

Posted: Jan 31, 2013 12:52 AM ET

Last Updated: Jan 31, 2013 8:19 AM ET

 

There once was a time Roberto Luongo thought he'd never get another start for the Vancouver Canucks.

By turning in a shutout performance in a 3-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche Wednesday night, Luongo raised more questions about the goaltending situation in Vancouver.

Luongo, who has been on the trading block since Cory Schneider replaced him as Vancouver's No. 1 goalie, was rarely tested by Colorado but still made some big saves while stopping 24 shots.

"I really wanted to get in there and get a win for the guys," Luongo said after earning his first win of the season in three starts and his 61st NHL career shutout.

"The guys did a great job of keeping most of the shots to the outside, enabling me to do my job much easier. There wasn't any second or third opportunities either."

There will be plenty of second guessing in Vancouver about who should start Friday when the Canucks face the Chicago Blackhawks. Luongo was one of the best Canucks on the ice in Vancouver's 3-2 shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.

The 33-year-old veteran laughed when asked how coach Alain Vigneault decides who will start.

"I don't think there is a plan," he said. "I think A.V. decides on the way he feels."

Having two starting goalies is a problem Vigneault doesn't mind dealing with.

"I understand why this is an issue outside our dressing room," said Vigneault. "We've got two goaltenders that want to play 60 games in a 48-game schedule. I get it.

"But at the end of the day they are both quality individuals. They are both team guys and they will do what I say and they will never complain. When I call on one to go in our net I know he's going to give us the best chance to win and the other one is going to support him."

Zack Kassin scored on the power play to collect his fifth goal in seven games. Defenceman Jason Garrison and centre Max Lapierre both scored their first goals of the season as the Canucks improved their record to 3-2-2.

Kassin tipped a Dan Hamhuis shot past Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov at 8:18 of the third period. That broke an 0-for-13 power-play drought for the Canucks.

Two of Luongo's best saves came in the third period. With Vancouver leading 2-0, Luongo stopped Matt Duchene on a short-handed breakaway. That stop brought calls of "Louuu, Louuu" from Canucks fans. Later he blocked a John Mitchell shot from the slot.

One of Colorado's best scoring chances came with the game less than two minutes old. Jan Hejda fired a shot that Luongo got a piece of. The puck dropped behind him and lay on the ice. A falling Luongo knocked it out of the crease with the knob of his goal stick.

It was another frustrating night on the road for the Avalanche, who dropped to 2-4-0. Colorado is winless in four games away from the Pepsi Center this season and have been outscored 15-3.

The Avs' struggling power play has managed just one goal all season and is 0 for 12 on the road. Against Vancouver, the Avs failed to score on a 1:25 two-man advantage and on four opportunities overall.

"Every team goes through dry spells and slumps," said Duchene. "When they come, they'll come.

"It takes a little while sometimes. We've got to keep pressing. We're getting chances."

Head coach Joe Sacco said his team kept fighting even after falling behind 2-0.

"I thought we stuck with it, we worked hard," said Sacco. "I can't fault their effort at all.

"The 5-on-3 was a key part of games. We were down 2-0. If we score there it's a totally different game."

The Canuck goaltending saga began in last year's playoffs when Schneider replaced Luongo after Vancouver dropped the first two games of their opening round playoff series against the Los Angeles Kings.

Vancouver was expected to trade Luongo when the NHL lockout ended, but general manager Mike Gillis is still waiting for the right deal.

Luongo said he can't let the uncertainty about his future affect his game.

"You just take it for what it is," he said. "I'm playing hockey in the NHL.

"I consider myself lucky."

Defenceman Kevin Bieksa said the goaltending question isn't an issue in the dressing room.

"There is no talk of it in the room," he said. "I wouldn't say there is no care, but you can't go wrong with whoever you put between the pipes right now."

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Greg Jamison's bid to buy Coyotes falls apart: report

The prospective owner of the Phoenix Coyotes is unlikely to complete a deal to buy the team from the NHL before a lease agreement with the City of Glendale expires, a league official told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Barring a last-minute change, former San Jose Sharks CEO Greg Jamison won't have the money or investors in place to meet the midnight Thursday deadline for the lease agreement, the official said on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss the situation.

Jamison reached a 20-year, $324-million US lease deal with Glendale last year that was reworked in November with a Jan. 31 deadline.

New Mayor Jerry Weiers recently told the Arizona Republic that he would not extend the deadline on the lease agreement, so Jamison would likely have to negotiate a new deal if he is able to complete his purchase of the team.

Missing the deadline also could open up the possibility of Glendale working on a deal with any potential new ownership groups.

Either way, the Coyotes' drawn-out ownership saga will drag on some more.

The Coyotes have been run by the NHL the past three seasons, since former owner Jerry Moyes took the team into bankruptcy in 2009.

The team still managed to be successful on the ice despite financial limitations, reaching the playoffs all three years, including the franchise's first trip to the Western Conference finals in 2011-12.

The Coyotes have had several potential suitors in that time and a deal with Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer appeared to be in place last year before the conservative watchdog group Goldwater Institute killed it by warning potential bond buyers to stay away from the Glendale offering because of a looming lawsuit.

Goldwater tried to stop the deal with Jamison, but the City Council voted in favour of the lease agreement during the summer and Glendale voters in November's election upheld a 0.7 per cent sales tax increase designed to help the city's finances.

A reworked deal with the city in November appeared to clear the way for Jamison to buy the team, but the NHL lockout may have hurt his ability to gain the finances he needed to beat the deadline.

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Markham approves funding deal for NHL-size arena

Markham city councillors have voted in support of a funding plan to build an NHL-style arena with the help of public funding.

The vote followed a debate that stretched into the early hours of Wednesday morning.

A motion rejecting the financial framework around the so-called GTA Centre was defeated 7-6.

The proposed 20,000-seat arena is estimated to cost some $325 million.

Markham is a city of about 300,000 people just north of Toronto.

Councillors were expected to vote on the plan sometime late Tuesday night — but with at least 60 people or groups registered to speak on the motion, the final vote was pushed back to just before 3 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The big draw for many in Markham is the suggestion that the new rink could be a potential home for a new NHL franchise.

Dr. Ken Ng of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce called it a "once in a lifetime chance to leave a legacy."

Former NHLPA executive Paul Kelly said if the city doesn't act now it may miss the boat forever. "If you don't act now you'll likely never have another chance to get an NHL team," he said.

Under the proposal, half of the money would be put up by the Remington Group.

"It's unprecedented what Remington [Group] is doing, making this type of contribution towards an amazing facility for our city," said Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti on Monday.

Although half the money would come from private sources, the other half would come from a levy on newly built homes, townhouses and condominiums.

Many speak against the project

"Based on the formula, getting half the money from Remington, based on the growth that's coming to the city of Markham over the next 20 years — that we know is coming — this is about as good as it gets anywhere in the country," Scarpitti told CBC News.

But the arena has many detractors.

Many who spoke at the meeting said they don't want the arena paid for with public money. Coun. Don Hamilton said raising property taxes to pay for the project raises alarm bells.

"Members of the community that I've spoken to, they do not all support the city being financially involved [in the project]," Hamilton said.

Opponents also point to a lack of proven revenue sources for the arena if an NHL franchise doesn't materialize.

Marilyn Ginsburg of Grandview Residents Association put the vote in an historical context.

"The captain of the Titanic was waiting for info on conditions," said Ginsburg.

She warned councillors not to "wait too long or you'll go down with a sinking ship."

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Chick: Should Raptors tank for Andrew Wiggins?

Because the Toronto Raptors likely aren't "bad enough" this year to keep their top-3 pick, they will watch somebody else draft Brampton, Ont., native Anthony Bennett. That's life, but Bennett is not a once-in-a-generation player. Andrew Wiggins, the presumptive No. 1 pick in 2014, is.

A 48-hour span between Thursday and Saturday demonstrated once again, all too well, the NBA world the Toronto Raptors reside in.

From the high of DeMar DeRozan's buzzer-beating game-winner in Orlando to the low of Kyrie Irving's cold-as-ice three-point winner for Cleveland, another old NBA adage was proven yet again: You can beat bad teams with good players, but teams with great players can beat anybody on any given night.

And so once again in 2012-13, the Raptors hover somewhere north or south of mediocrity, nowhere near as bad as their 4-19 start, nowhere near as good as the 10-3 run which followed it.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. When the Raptors acquired Kyle Lowry from Houston for Gary Forbes and a first-round pick (top-3 protected this year, top-2 next year) after losing out on Steve Nash last summer, there was concern about how Jose Calderon would adjust before ultimately being traded. Nobody anticipated -- Bryan Colangelo included -- that Calderon would be the better point guard for this team at the midway point of the season, with Lowry coming off the bench among whispers he's won no endorsements from his new teammates.

Such is sports, however. Give longest-serving Raptor Calderon credit for withstanding his umpteenth challenge at the point in his eight-year history with the club.

Yet with Lowry now on the trading block as a possible alternative to Calderon's exit (although the Memphis Grizzlies would prefer the Spaniard in exchange for the wing player Toronto appears to covet so greatly, Rudy Gay), it begs another question about the Raptors franchise.
Why are they always chasing their tail?

Trading Lowry at this point, regardless of his shortcomings, signals another fail for Colangelo. Even the prospect of acquiring Gay for a package that would include Ed Davis seems to almost reek of the same middling commitment to mediocrity.

I mean, let's just guess what transpires in the next three months: The Raptors hang around the 8th-10th place zone in the East, perhaps make things interesting in terms of chasing a playoff spot with the Celtics lacking catalyst Rajon Rondo, yet ultimately come up short, finishing ninth, a few games out of the post-season.

Toronto will almost surely lose its first-rounder from the Lowry trade, which certainly isn't the end of the world. This isn't a deep draft, after all. Not like next year's. And therein lies the bad omen.

Once-in-a-generation player

Because the Raptors likely aren't "bad enough" this year to keep their top-3 pick, they will watch somebody else draft Brampton, Ont., native Anthony Bennett, the UNLV freshman forward who has shot up this year's draft rankings by averaging 18.4 points and 8.6 boards a game going into Tuesday. But that's life. Bennett is great, but he's something of a tweener and not a once-in-a-generation player.

Andrew Wiggins is.

Andrew Wiggins is the real deal.

Andrew Wiggins's nickname at Huntington Prep in West Virginia is "Canada's LeBron."

That's his nickname because the Vaughan, Ont., native is the highest-rated high school prospect since James. I don't need to get into him more -- die-hard fans know who he is, and the rest of Canada that isn't paying attention will fly from the woodwork to the bandwagon in a year and a half anyways (it's worth noting that Wiggins and his Huntington team are playing at McMaster University in Hamilton on Feb. 17).

And that's the point. I'm not endorsing that the Raptors tank for Wiggins in 2014, but it's something that must be considered as a very serious option.

Like I said, this is a franchise that's always chasing its tail. This is a franchise that somewhat unfairly has a reputation for being unable to keep star players (unfair because Vince Carter and Chris Bosh both voluntarily signed second contracts with the franchise before checking out in their own ways).

But perception is reality. In a hockey culture on steroids, where the din around the equally inept Maple Leafs is well past the high end of Bruno's note-meter here (go to the 2:12 mark), the Raptors are always fighting for relevance. It's something they've only truly enjoyed with Carter, and to a lesser extent Bosh.

So, in theory, what better way to hit the reset button and shut the haters up than to land the Canadian kid who may well become the best basketball player in the world?

Cavs rolled dice to get LeBron

Yet there are questions about whether the board at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment even knows who Wiggins is (although Bell CEO George Cope, the man thought to be Brian Burke's backbreaker, is six-foot-seven and a former university basketball player). And there is the even more frightening question of whether Colangelo is so desperate to get a contract extension past this season that he's willing to further mortgage the future in order to keep his job in order to contend for eighth place.

The Wiggins comparison to LeBron also ties into where the Raptors are now and where the Cleveland Cavaliers were in 2001-02. Not unlike Toronto today, Cleveland then was a mediocre team with a few good parts (think Jonas Valanciunas and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jose Calderon or Kyle Lowry and Andre Miller).

Sixty kilometres south in Akron, Ohio, James was posing for the cover of Sports Illustrated as a junior in high school. The Cavaliers decided to roll the dice and go all in on LeBron. They traded away Miller for Darius Miles, and famously for Raptors fans, dealt veteran Lamond Murray to Toronto for Yogi Stewart and a draft pick that would become Jared Dudley.

The Cavs purposely went into 2002-03 too young, a by-design gong show of rookies Carlos Boozer and Dajuan Wagner and fellow youngster Ricky Davis. The result was a 17-65 record, tied for worst in the NBA. It was a gamble because there was no guarantee they would land the No. 1 pick until the lottery smiled on them. Yet they were smart enough to recognize that it was a very good draft, and they took a chance at landing the hometown kid.

Again, I'm not definitively saying the Raptors should now follow in their footsteps. Yes, there's no guarantee Wiggins will become a superstar -- although it's widely believed among scouts and observers that disaster is the only thing that can prevent that. Yes, the conspiracy theorists will tell you future commissioner Adam Silver will ensure the Canadian team doesn't get the Canadian superstar. Yet was little ol' Cleveland really the type of market the NBA wanted an icon in either?

If the Raptors want Wiggins, and by extension to instantly rebrand the franchise, this is what they must do. Tank. It is inconceivable that they would be able to acquire him in any other way -- whichever team drafts him will not trade him. Sure, they can wait for his rookie contract to expire and go after him four years later in free agency. But there are no guarantees he'd sign. Just as there are no guarantees he'd stay in Toronto if they drafted him, a la LeBron.

No guarantees, like life. But like life, sometimes you have to gamble. And when 19 years of results don't amount to much, maybe it's time to gamble.

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NFL Roundtable: Super Bowl XLVII preview

In this week's pre-Super Bowl chatter, the guys break down the key matchups to watch between the 49ers and Ravens, and deliver their predictions for the NFL title game.

In this week's pre-Super Bowl chatter, the guys break down the key matchups to watch between the 49ers and Ravens, and deliver their predictions for the NFL title game.

Follow our panelists on Twitter: @tcare66 @JesseCampigotto @JasonD79.

What matchup are you most interested in?

Tony Care: Can the Baltimore Ravens' offensive line protect Joe Flacco from the San Francisco 49ers' physical front? Flacco has been terrific, throwing for eight touchdowns against zero INTs in the post-season. He's systematically taken apart Indy, Denver, and New England, and much of the credit should go to the O-Line, which has been magnificent in protecting the Ravens' QB. Falcons pivot Matt Ryan killed the 49ers in the first half of the NFC championship game with a clean pocket. The same fate awaits San Fran if its defensive front can't get to Flacco.
 
Jesse Campigotto: I love the matchup of two of the best coaches in the league. Both guys are known for putting together strong, sometimes imaginative game plans and making smart, aggressive in-game decisions. This is a rare game where neither John nor Jim Harbaugh should be able to give his team an edge by outwitting his counterpart on the opposing sidelines. Still, I bet that doesn't stop the brothers from dreaming up a few wrinkles. With two weeks to prepare, and the dual motivations of the Super Bowl stage and the sibling rivalry, I bet we see a few surprises.

Jason Davidson: Obviously, the Harbaugh factor is huge here but I think the linebackers on both sides have a great chance at dictating what happens in this game. The 49ers have NaVorro Bowman, Aldon Smith, and Patrick Willis. Talk about a three-headed monster at the position. Expect each of them to factor in. Of course, you have Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs leading the way for the Ravens, along with Ed Reed in the secondary. Those six names right there are keys on the defensive side of things.

At 25, 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick will be the sixth youngest quarterback in Super Bowl history. Will the moment be too big for him?

Tony: No way. He passed that test against the Packers in the divisional round. On the 49ers' opening drive, Kaepernick made an awful throw for a Pick-6. If there was ever a point where the kid would've crumbled, it should have been then. But he regrouped and had one of the best-ever playoff performances by a quarterback. In the NFC championship game against Atlanta, Kaepernick got off to a slow start and the 49ers found themselves down 17-0 early. Yet he didn't fold. Like I said last week, there's a reason why coach Jim Harbaugh made the switch from Alex Smith to Kaepernick. And now this young man exudes tremendous confidence after two huge playoff wins. The Super Bowl won't shake Kaepernick.   
 
Jesse: Guys like Colin Kaepernick have been playing in big games their entire lives, from the time they were competing in Pop Warner and Little League to the pros. Yes, the Super Bowl is a different (and more highly watched) beast, but did Kaepernick looked overwhelmed in his first NFL start in Week 11 against the vaunted Bears defence? He completed 70 per cent of his passes and threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns. How 'bout his first playoff start, against a hot Green Bay team many were picking to win the Super Bowl? A QB-record 181 yards rushing and four TDs (two through the air). First road playoff start, in Atlanta, where the Falcons almost never lose? 76 per cent completion rate and 233 passing yards. Kaepernick may not win the Super Bowl. He may not even play particularly well. But he's not a guy who folds under pressure.

Jason: Kaepernick will be able to handle all of this. He's been on a pretty big stage already with the two playoff wins over the Packers and Falcons. He works well with his receivers and knows when to either dish the ball to Frank Gore or go for a run himself. He might not shock the world with his numbers, but he'll prove himself to be capable nonetheless. Backup QB Alex Smith has been pretty good about this entire situation as well, and Kaepernick will be happy to have him on his side come Sunday.
 
The Ravens have been on quite an emotional ride throughout the playoffs. But is the Ray Lewis farewell story really having as big of an impact as many media types are suggesting?
 
Tony: It's overblown, that's for sure. I'm not going to totally discount Lewis's ability to lead the Ravens on an emotional level, but let's look at some facts. Since the playoffs began, the Ravens are the healthiest they've been on defence since early in the season -- a time when they were a top team. In the last two games, Baltimore has only allowed four TDs against the high-powered Broncos and Patriots. On offence, Flacco has come alive under new co-ordinator Jim Caldwell's more aggressive play calling. Now, the Ravens finally have an offence that can compete against any team in the league. Those are the factors I point to as the reasons for Baltimore's late-season success.

Jesse: Say it ain't so! A player's importance being inflated for narrative purposes during Super Bowl week! Ray Lewis is a sure Hall of Famer and one of the great motivational speakers in football history (which is saying something), but he's not the player he used to be. The Ravens' Super Bowl run owes more to a hot streak by Flacco and one of the worst pass-defence plays in recent memory by the Denver Broncos. But so what? Storylines are fun. Watching Ray Lewis play football is fun. And Lewis's last stand (whatever you think of him) is a pretty good hook.

Jason: One of the greatest ever to play the linebacker position, Lewis has provided some entertaining moments on the football field, and to see his career come full circle since the Super Bowl win against the New York Giants a dozen years ago provides a good storyline. At the same time we have to remember that Lewis is a polarizing figure. That said, he doesn't have that same impact as a player that he did at the beginning of the millennium, although he can still be effective and he will lay it all on the line against the 49ers. After all, what does he have to lose?
 
Finally, which team will win Super Bowl XLVII?

Tony: First off, the betting line is crazy. Even with it dropping to 3.5 in most books, there is no way the 49ers should be favoured by more than a field goal. All my instincts tell me to take the Ravens. They have a rejuvenated defence and a balanced offensive. But I think Kaepernick is the wild card in this game. He kills teams with his legs and arm. If you try and take away his ability to move outside, like Atlanta tried, he can stay in the pocket and pick apart the secondary. As much as I've given credit to Baltimore's offensive line, the 49ers have the best unit in the NFL, and Harbaugh never gives up on the run. In the end, I'm going with the 49ers.
 
Jesse: Any credible measure of overall team quality over the course of the season (point differential, yards gained per play vs. yards allowed per play, DVOA, Sagarin ratings) will tell you that San Francisco is better. As I write this on Monday around noon ET, the Ravens have attracted 3 bets against the spread for every 2 on the Niners, causing the line to fall from the opening number of 5 all the down to 3.5 at most books. So I have a chance to bet against public opinion while backing the better team on a neutral field, and get the best of the number? I'll take San Francisco to win and cover, though (and this is for the gamblers) that 3.5 line still scares me enough that I think the best bet is laying minus-165 (which is available) on the moneyline.

Jason: The 49ers win and cover (if the line stays at 3.5) but just barely. This team has impressed me immensely throughout the course of the year. With all due respect to the Ravens, who have accomplished many things this season, they will fall just short. They have more injury concerns than the 49ers, who are relatively healthy. Not having Lardarius Webb in the Ravens' secondary is a big loss that could leave them vulnerable in that area. Don't expect an offensive explosion on Sunday, but a close enough result should keep viewers locked in the whole way through. Final score: 49ers 24, Ravens 20.

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Quebec City, Toronto likely expansion spots: Ex-NHLPA boss

Former NHLPA boss Paul Kelly stood up in front of Markham city council and said the NHL not only wanted to expand the league to 32 teams, but had directly discussed doing so with him. 

Paul Kelly was executive director of the NHLPA from October 2007 until August 2009. That position allows access to many high-level conversations.

On Tuesday night, Kelly revealed that while he ran the union, the NHL not only wanted to expand the league to 32 teams, but had directly discussed doing so with him.

He made the comments during a presentation in support of the proposed 20,000-seat GTA Centre in Markham, Ont. Opponents of the plan filed a motion to stop all work on it. That motion failed 7-6.

Kelly, who's been working with W. Graeme Roustan, the "face" of the project, would not say specifically who told him that. An immediate email to the NHL has yet to be returned.

The possibility of a 32-team NHL has been suspected for some time now, but commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly tend to discount it. There are already accusations that Kelly is only saying this because he is pro-arena. Whatever the case, his comments were as emphatic as any I've heard that actual plans exist.

(For the record, almost seven hours after Kelly spoke, Deputy Mayor Jack Heath read a quote he said he got from Bettman two years ago: "Please do not build an arena in Markham with the expectation of an NHL team.")

During the recent lockout, NHLPA executives said they asked league representatives if there were plans for expansion. They were told, "No." Under the previous CBA, all expansion fees were kept by the NHL, not shared with the players. That remains the case in the new agreement.

Players, however, would certainly benefit from any increased revenue these teams created.

"I've discussed it with many owners, the commissioner and many players," Kelly said in a conversation after his presentation. "That's given me a strong sense that at some point there will be a second team [in the greater Toronto area].

Expansion in 2-3 years

Kelly added he believes expansion will take place in the next two or three years, "most likely" to Quebec City and Toronto.

"You're not going to wait until the back end of a CBA, when you will be under negotiation again...[Expansion] balances re-alignment; increases revenue streams. It adds $80-100 million US to the [Hockey Related Revenue] pie.

"Quebec City had a franchise before and it served the sport well," Kelly said. He also said the NHL considers the Quebec market "underserved."

Kelly's experience with Jim Balsillie's attempted move into the Hamilton market leads him to believe the Toronto Maple Leafs would not be able to stop such a plan.

"When I went through it with the NHL, I was told the Maple Leafs would be entitled to financial compensation - maybe over a number of years - but would have no right to block a team."

Kelly passionately stated that if Markham wanted into the NHL, the time to build "a sparkling new facility" is now, because the league is primed to strike.

"Gary Bettman could not have been more clear: he was making no commitments. But, if you wanted to be considered for a team, you must have a building and must have strong ownership."

After Kelly finished his presentation, Markham citizens were given the opportunity to give five-minute speeches of their own. The majority were not as enthusiastic as he was, to say the least.

But, at 2:50 am, council voted to keep the project going. This does not mean the city will build the GTA Centre. A lot of convincing still needs to be done. But, it does mean the idea isn't dead.

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Did You See That: Kari Lehtonen's miraculous save

Kari Lehtonen earned himself an early candidacy for save of the year Monday. The Dallas Stars netminder robbed Blue Jackets defenceman Jack Johnson with a behind-the-back glove save that sent everyone spinning in disbelief.

Kari Lehtonen earned himself an early candidacy for save of the year Monday night.

The Dallas Stars netminder robbed Blue Jackets defenceman Jack Johnson with a behind-the-back glove save that sent everyone spinning -- in Lehtonen's case, literally -- in disbelief.

Johnson thought he beat the Finnish goalie when the puck bounced off his glove, but Lehtonen made a sweeping manoeuvre to snatch the biscuit out of mid-air. 

Do you think Lehtonen's semi-pirouette move will hold up as save of the year?

Decide for yourself and check it out at the top of the Stars-Blue Jackets highlight pack below:

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Blues rookie Vladimir Tarasenko raising eyebrows

The heartache for millions of Canadian hockey fans was an eye-opener for one National Hockey League executive.

General manager Doug Armstrong of the St. Louis Blues knew very little about Russian forward Vladimir Tarasenko prior to selecting him 16th overall at the 2010 NHL entry draft.

But he learned plenty just six months later in the gold-medal game at the world junior championship in Buffalo on Jan. 5, 2011. With Russia trailing the Canadians in the second period, things went from bad to worse for Russia when Tarasenko, the team captain, left the game when Marcus Foligno's skate apparently made contact with his shoulder.

Fortunately for Tarasenko and his teammates, he managed to return to the game in the third with the Russians down 3-0. He also made an immediate impact by setting up a goal and scoring the equalizer in an eventual 5-3 Russia victory.

"That's where I really got excited, in Buffalo, because it confirmed what our scouts were telling us," Armstrong said on the phone Monday from St. Louis, where Tarasenko and his Blues teammates enjoyed a day off after opening the season with five wins in six games.

"It showed a lot about his competitiveness and character to come back into that game."

It reminded Armstrong of his days working as an assistant GM and GM when the Stars moved to Dallas from Minnesota in 1993. That summer, the team drafted right-winger Jamie Langenbrunner, who's now in his 16th full NHL season and second with Armstrong in St. Louis.

"He just worked like a dog from the start to the finish of a game," said Armstrong. "[Those types of players] are wired that way, and that's what Vladdy showed [in Buffalo]."

Armstrong traded right-handed shooting defenceman David Rundblad, a 2009 first-rounder, to Ottawa at the 2010 draft for the 16th overall selection. At the time, the Blues had two other blue-line prospects that shot right-handed in Erik Johnson and Alex Pietrangelo, and there was a belief that all three wouldn't play for St. Louis at the same time because their styles were similar.

Passed over

St. Louis then chose Tarasenko, who had been passed over by several teams earlier in the draft, including St. Louis, because of the lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL and Russia's Kontinental Hockey League.

"We thought he was going to be a very good prospect," Armstrong said of Tarasenko, "but we didn't take him at 14 [overall]. It was too high of a pick to take a flier. We took [forward] Jaden Schwartz," who cracked the Blues lineup out of training camp earlier this month.

Tarasenko, 21, arrived at camp armed with a three-year entry-level contract and nearly four years of KHL experience. He played in Russia during the recent NHL lockout and had 14 goals and 31 points in 31 games for SKA-St. Petersburg, playing on a line with NHLer Ilya Kovalchuk and former Phoenix Coyotes centre Viktor Tikhonov.

Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock got a chance to see the line play on multiple occasions from an 18-game video package the KHL sent him featuring Tarasenko, a five-foot-11, 220-pound right-winger dubbed The Russian Tank.

"I got a better handle on him from that video package," said Hitchcock, whose Blues became the first team to reach 100 points last season. "The first thing I noticed is that he's more than a scorer.

"He's got a great wrist shot … but where he's really good is he makes a great pass. He sees the ice really well."

Hitchcock said Tarasenko is different than Russian forwards Nikolai Zherdev and Nikita Filatov, whom he coached in his previous NHL stop in Columbus, saying he's responsible in all three zones on the ice and knows how to play in each.

"You can just tell he's a coach's son," Hitchcock said. "He's a very respectful young man who is humble and has no sense of entitlement."

Tarasenko's father, Andrei, coaches HC Sibir in the KHL and was a forward in Russia for 21 seasons. His grandfather was also a coach.

Invaluable experience

Hitchcock said the younger Tarasenko's time spent in the KHL has helped him adapt to the speed of the North American game and the size of NHL players. Tarasenko awoke Monday with four goals and eight points in six games, highlighted by a two-goal effort including the winner in his NHL debut in the Blues' season opener on Jan. 19.

"The best part for us is he's a [scoring] threat every night. You can't have enough of those guys," Hitchcock said of Tarasenko, who entered Monday's action averaging 14 minutes 46 seconds of ice time, or four to five minutes less than the majority of players ahead of him in the scoring race.

"He's a throwback to the way the players were in the '70s and '80s [with his] respect of [the veteran players], respect for the history of the game, respect for playing the game the right way. I think that is going to help him career-wise."

—Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock

By season's end, Hitchcock expects Tarasenko's production to have surpassed that of fellow rookies Mikael Granlund and the Edmonton Oilers duo of Nail Yakupov and Justin Schultz.

"I think there's just a lot of really good young players," he said, singling out Schultz in particular. "But I think once the enthusiasm wears out [for some rookies] I think that's when Tarasenko is going to shine because he's used to this level [of play].

"I don't think he's going to get distracted by [his] success. And I think endurance-wise, having played all that hockey [in the KHL] is going to help him."

The key for a veteran NHL coach is to not overreact when a player like Tarasenko gets tired like he did against Dallas on Saturday. He rebounded the following night with a one-assist performance in a 5-4 overtime win over Minnesota.

"Get him in a consistent pattern where you don't start moving him from line to line and get him out of sync," is Hitchcock's advice to himself. "Make him as comfortable as you can and help him through the difficult spots that are going to be there. He's never been in some of these [NHL arenas]. He's never seen some of the players. Let him play through that stuff."

Let him open his eyes.

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Canadiens sign P.K. Subban to 2-year deal

Defenceman P.K. Subban will be rejoining the Montreal Canadiens after signing a two-year, $5.75 million US contract on Monday.

He will make $2 million the first year after having earned $875,000 last season on an entry-level contract.

Subban did not attend training camp and missed the first four games of the regular season while negotiating with the NHL club. But in a statement released by the Canadiens' official Twitter account, the young blue-liner said he is ready to hit the ice.

"I'm extremely happy to be at this point now where the past is behind us and I can look forward to be integrated into the team and after their great start to the season," Subban said.

What's your opinion on the P.K. Subban deal?

"With this process, I understand everybody will have their opinion, but my focus is getting on the ice and helping this team win," the statement continued. "This is where my heart is, in Montreal."

The 23-year-old led the team in average ice time per game last season at 24 minutes 18 seconds.

He had seven goals and 29 assists in 81 games and was seventh among NHL defencemen with 205 shots on goal.

In his NHL career, the Toronto native has 21 goals and 55 assists in 160 games.

Until Monday, Subban was one of five notable restricted free agents who remain unsigned after centre Jamie Benn and the Dallas Stars hammered out a five-year, $26.25-million US deal last Thursday. Forwards Linus Omark (Edmonton), Ryan O'Reilly (Colorado), Alexander Radulov (Nashville) and Nikita Filatov (Ottawa) are the others.

Restricted free agents are players who have completed their entry-level contracts but are under 27 years of age or haven't reached seven years of NHL service.

Teams with RFAs have the first chance to match another team's offer.

With files from Doug Harrison

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Canucks fall in first match-up with Kings

LOS ANGELES (AP) The Los Angeles Kings were a minute away from another disheartening post-Stanley Cup loss until Slava Voynov and Jeff Carter finally got a couple of pucks past Vancouver's Roberto Luongo.

Carter scored Los Angeles' first power-play goal of the season and added the only score in the shootout, leading the Kings to a 3-2 comeback victory over the Canucks on Monday night.

Voynov tied it with 43.2 seconds left in regulation for the defending NHL champions, who have won two straight after an 0-2-1 start. Jonathan Quick stopped 21 shots for the Kings, including all three Vancouver attempts in the shootout.

``Any time you get two points, you get a little boost of confidence, but it's only good for tonight,'' Quick said. ``It's a playoff race right now, and every point is huge.''

Until Voynov sneaked a long shot through traffic, the Kings were on the verge of adding another loss to their slow start since winning their franchise's first title. Los Angeles' impressive finish that recalled several big wins in last season's playoffs, including a couple against the Canucks in their stunning first-round series.

``We're still not the way we were in June last year, but we're getting there,'' said Anze Kopitar, who had an assist on Voynov's goal. ``It's definitely a step in the right direction. We still have to work on things, and everyone in here thinks we can crank it up a notch. We just want to make sure we build on this win and roll ahead.''

Luongo made 26 saves for Vancouver, which went 1-1-1 on a three-game California road trip. Zack Kassian scored his fourth goal of the season, and Alex Burrows also scored a slick wraparound goal as the Canucks nearly persevered to a grinding victory in their fourth game in six nights before narrowly allowing Voynov's goal, which eventually cost them a point.

``We emptied the tank,'' Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. ``Our guys did what they had to do to have a chance against the Stanley Cup champions. When you get the type of effort like we did tonight, you feel like you should win. Losing is not fun, but at the end of the day, some of our guys took a step in the right direction. ... The puck had eyes (on Voynov's goal), because we were in the right areas, the right place.''

Luongo was sharp in his second start since losing his job to Cory Schneider, and Los Angeles struggled offensively through 59 frustrating minutes until pulling Quick for an extra attacker. Voynov teed up a shot from the point that found a hole in heavy traffic, wobbling past Luongo for the Russian defenseman's first goal of the season.

After a scoreless overtime, Quick easily stopped Burrows, Alexander Edler and Kassian, while Carter beat Luongo in the third shootout round.

``It's a short year, and you want to bank as many points as you can,'' said Luongo, who got benched in favor of Schneider during last season's playoff series. ``We were in control tonight, and it's disappointing.''

The clubs hadn't met since the eighth-seeded Kings eliminated the Presidents' Trophy-winning Canucks in five games before romping through the next three rounds to the title.

Although Los Angeles handily won the clubs' playoff series last spring, a 111-point Vancouver team arguably gave the Kings their toughest test during their 16-4 rampage through the postseason. The Kings persevered through several tight games against Vancouver, capped by an overtime victory in the Game 5 clincher.

The Kings got blown out by Chicago in their banner-raising season opener before winning once on a three-game road trip. Los Angeles finally returned home to face the Canucks, who made their second appearance in Southern California already this season after routing Anaheim last week.

Vancouver already had a 2-0 lead when the Kings ended their 0-for-25 start on the power play this season.

Kassian scored late in the first period when Quick allowed a rebound of Edler's long shot from the point out of a faceoff, easily knocking home his fourth goal in six games to start the season. Burrows then came from behind the net early in the second period and sneaked the puck between the post and Quick's skate.

``That's my fault,'' Quick said. ``He had it on his backhand, and as he pulled it to his forehand, he opened his blade a little, and I bit on the (possible) pass.''

The Kings finally ended their man-advantage drought when Carter scored out of a faceoff just 7 seconds after Chris Tanev went off for high-sticking.

NOTES: Kings F Dustin Penner was a healthy scratch for the third straight game. Coach Darryl Sutter wasn't pleased with the two-time Stanley Cup champion's early efforts. ... Canucks C Manny Malhotra returned to the lineup after missing two games following the birth of his son. Andrew Ebbett was scratched. ... Kings captain Dustin Brown played in his 600th NHL game, all with Los Angeles ... The Kings welcomed their 25 millionth fan to Staples Center, presenting season tickets and a wealth of merchandise to 21-year-old Dustin Kramer of Torrance, Calif.

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Did you see that: Hab rookies put on show

Montreal Canadiens rookie Brendan Gallagher won't soon forget his first career NHL goal. Playing on a line with fellow first-year player Alex Galchenyuk, the duo combined for the prettiest goal of the Canadiens' 4-3 overtime victory over the New Jersey Devils.

Montreal Canadiens' rookie Brendan Gallagher won't soon forget his first career NHL goal.

Playing on a line with fellow first-year player Alex Galchenyuk, the duo combined for the prettiest goal of the Canadiens' 4-3 overtime victory over the New Jersey Devils.

Galchenyuk broke free to the left of Martin Brodeur before sending a perfect dish to Gallagher, who beat the Devils goaltender with a one-timer.

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Vote: Should these NHL rookies stay or go?

The deadline for NHL teams to decide whether their young prospects will stay with the parent club (which counts as their first NHL season on their entry-level contract) or head back to junior arrives just five games into this lockout-shortened season.

That means players like Montreal's Alex Galchenyuk, Florida's Jonathan Huberdeau, Boston's Dougie Hamilton, and Edmonton's Nail Yakupov could be on the bubble.

Who is ready to play in the NHL? Who needs more time with their junior club to hone their skills?

Well, fans, that's what we're asking you.

Which of these teams should keep their rookie in the NHL, and which one should choose to send theirs for seasoning in the minors?

Have your say by voting in our polls and tell us why you voted the way you did in the comment section below!

Which player most deserves to stay in the NHL this season?

Which player would benefit most from being sent back to junior?

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Andrei Markov's OT goal leads Habs past Devils

recap

Brendan Gallagher nets 1st NHL tally

The Canadian Press

Posted: Jan 27, 2013 9:07 PM ET

Last Updated: Jan 28, 2013 1:48 AM ET

 

Andrei Markov is on a roll.

The veteran defenceman scored during a power play 4:22 into overtime to lift the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday night.

It was Markov's fourth goal in as many games this season and was a third straight winner.

It came after the Canadiens wasted a two-goal lead in the third period as David Clarkson and Dainius Zubrus scored for New Jersey to force overtime.

"We played against a good hockey team that hadn't lost and that went to the Stanley Cup final last season, so it was a good measuring stick for us," said Montreal coach Michel Therrien. "We showed a lot of resilience."

Brendan Gallagher scored his first NHL goal and Brandon Prust got his first as a Canadien, while Ryan White also scored for Montreal (3-1-0).

Patrik Elias had the other goal for New Jersey (3-0-1). Elias and Clarkson had three points each.

While Markov was the overtime hero, the talk was all of young players Gallagher and his 18-year-old linemate Alex Galchenyuk, who had two assists.

Galchenyuk stole the puck from Andy Greene at the blue-line and sent a perfect pass across to Gallagher to fire into an open side past Martin Brodeur at 13:35 of the first period.

Gallagher didn't slide the length of the ice like Edmonton's Nail Yakupov, but the 20-year-old looked awfully happy as he leapt in the air and was hugged by his teammates.

"To get that first one is something you remember," said Gallagher. "Alex made a great pass. He looked off the D-man and put it right where it had to be. I just had to put it on the net."

They are both making a case to stay with the NHL club.

Gallagher, playing his third NHL game, made the team out of training camp after starting his first pro season with Hamilton of the American Hockey League.

Galchenyuk, the third overall pick in the June draft, has three points in four NHL games.

Decision on Galchenyuk to be made Tuesday night

The team will have to decide after a game Tuesday night against the visiting Winnipeg Jets whether to keep Galchenyuk in Montreal or return him to the junior Sarnia Sting.

Therrien said only that the decision will be made with Galchenyuk's future in mind and won't be influenced by injuries or other factors. The team has lost left-winger Max Pacioretty for 3-to-4 weeks after he had his appendix removed on Saturday.

Therrien said "we like how [Galchenyuk] is developing on and off the ice.

"We're seeing a lot of combativity from the two young players. They were on the ice for two goals. They had a lot of energy. What's good is that they're learning and we're seeing results."

The youngsters are on a line with rugged veteran Prust, who has also been solid.

"We've got to keep doing the same thing — keeping it simple out there, moving pucks and hunting down pucks," said Prust, a former New York Ranger. "That's what made us successful."

The Canadiens, who had a 32-25 shot advantage, posted a rare win over Brodeur, who is 43-19-5 against Montreal in his lengthy career.

Montreal was first on the puck from the outset and scored 2:25 into the game when Alexei Emelin's shot was tipped by Travis Moen and went off Brodeur to White for his first of the season.

Emelin flipped the puck to the far blue-line where Greene lost it to Galchenyuk, who slipped a pass into the slot for the onrushing Gallagher to fire into an open side for a 2-0 lead.

The roles reversed in the second period as New Jersey camped out in Montreal's end and got a goal at 3:26 when Elias tipped a Mark Fayne point shot past Carey Price after some strong work in the corner by Clarkson.

Galchenyuk intercepted a clearing attempt and slipped the puck ahead to Prust to bat into the net two minutes into the third period.

Galchenyuk and Prust were both off for high-sticking when Clarkson banged in an Elias feed during a two-man advantage at 5:23.

Zubrus tied it at 13:02 on a feed from behind the net by Elias.

Markov was at the edge of the crease to lift the rebound of Rene Bourque's shot off the end boards in overtime. The Canadiens went on the man advantage after Greene took down Erik Cole going to the net at 4:01.

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Wharnsby: Blackhawks, Sharks make history

From the hot starts by the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks to successful returns from Andrei Markov and Wade Redden to Jay Bouwmeester's big outing, there was plenty to muse about in the first week of the shortened NHL season.

Some Monday morning musings on the shortened 2013 NHL season.

A start to remember

What are the chances the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks can get through another week with their perfect records intact? It certainly would set up quite a heavyweight match on Feb. 5, when the Blackhawks visit San Jose.

The Blackhawks (6-0-0) and Sharks (5-0-0) are off to the best starts in their history. Chicago has all its top players in form, including former Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith. The same goes for the San Jose, notably nine-goal sniper Patrick Marleau.

But in order to get to our dream matchup next week, the Blackhawks will need road wins against Minnesota, Vancouver and Calgary. The Sharks will have to get by Anaheim, Nashville and Edmonton at home and beat the Ducks in Anaheim next Monday. 

Welcome back

Veteran defencemen Wade Redden and Andrei Markov have made storybook returns to the NHL this season.

The 34-year-old Markov was limited to only 20 regular-season games the past two seasons with the Montreal Canadiens because of knee problems. In his first four games this season, he has scored four times, including all three game-winning goals in the Canadiens' current three-game win streak.

The 35-year-old Redden had been banished to the AHL by the New York Rangers for two years. In his first three games with the St. Louis Blues, he has scored twice in three wins. Redden checked in with only two goals in his last full season with the Rangers in 2009-10.

Flames need more from JayBo

After his team's first win of the season -- a 4-3 decision at home against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday -- there was Jay Bouwmeester wearing the firefighter hat given to the hardest working Calgary Flames player after each victory. The Flames can only hope this will be a regular occurrence this year.

The 29-year-old Bouwmeester scored a goal and an assist in Calgary's win. When he signed with the Flames in 2009, he was coming off seasons of 12, 15 and 15 goals, respectively. In three-plus seasons with the Flames, he has scored only 13 goals.

Bouwmeester is durable. He has played 592 straight games, which is the longest current streak and sixth longest in NHL history. But he needs to return to his scoring ways if the Flames want to lasso a playoff spot. 

Junior talent

And then there were eight.

The Philadelphia Flyers returned Scott Laughton to the OHL Oshawa Generals and the Minnesota Wild sent back Matt Dumba to the WHL Red Deer Rebels over the weekend. That means only eight junior-aged players remain in the NHL.

Alex Galchenyuk (Montreal), Nail Yakupov (Edmonton) and Dougie Hamilton (Boston) are good bets to stay in the NHL the rest of the shortened season. The others -- Mikhail Grigorenko (Buffalo), Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida), Stefan Matteau (New Jersey), Rickard Rakell (Anaheim) and Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg) -- are 50/50 to play a sixth game in the NHL this season. A sixth game means losing a season off their three-year, entry-level contracts.

There also is the possibility that because the NHL regular season doesn't end until April 27, more junior-aged players could be promoted to NHL clubs after their junior seasons conclude.

Stars missing

The AHL all-star game is set for Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence, R.I., on Monday, but the showcase will miss several of the league's top performers.

A total of 126 players who began the season in the AHL this year were on opening-day NHL rosters, including Cory Conacher (Tampa Bay), Chris Bourque (Boston), Justin Schultz (Edmonton), Jordan Eberle (Edmonton), Sven Baertschi (Calgary), Jakob Silfverberg (Ottawa), Nazem Kadri (Toronto), Mike Kostka (Toronto), Zack Kassian (Vancouver), Cody Hodgson (Buffalo) and Brendan Gallagher, who scored his first NHL goal for Montreal on Sunday.

Before the game, Harvey Bennett, Ken Gernander, Jim Morrison and Peter White will be inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame. 

By the numbers

0 -- Time the Oilers have led in their first four games. The Oilers' two wins were come-from-behind victories that were decided in a shootout in Vancouver and overtime against Los Angeles.

18 -- Of the 30 home openers were won by the visiting team this season.

200 -- Wins in only 333 games behind the San Jose bench for Todd McLellan to pass Don Cherry (200 wins in 341 games) as the second-fastest head coach to 200 wins. The fastest in NHL history was Bruce Boudreau's 200 wins in 326 games.

361 -- WHL and AHL regular season and playoff games defenceman Thomas Hickey played after he was selected fourth overall in the 2007 NHL entry draft by the Los Angeles Kings and before his NHL debut with the New York Islanders on Sunday.

900 -- Points for 36-year-old Patrik Elias (all with the New Jersey Devils) after he checked in with a goal and two assists in his team's 4-3 overtime loss in Montreal on Sunday.

Follow Tim Wharnsby on Twitter @WharnsbyCBC

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Did you see that: Avs' Gabriel Landeskog gets crunched

San Jose defenceman Brad Stuart leveled Colorado's second-year man Gabriel Landeskog with a bone-crunching check on Saturday.

San Jose defenceman Brad Stuart leveled Colorado's second-year man Gabriel Landeskog with a bone-crunching check on Saturday night.

As with every big hit, the team on the receiving end didn't take too kindly to the rude treatment.

Shortly after the hit, Avs defenceman Ryan O'Byrn went after Stuart to settle the score.

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Flames hold off Oilers for 1st win

In his career, Lee Stempniak has always been a streaky scorer. This year, so far, so good.

Stempniak scored his third goal of the season and added two assists Saturday night to lead the Calgary Flames to their first win of the season, a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

"I've been trying to be more consistent," said Stempniak, who scored 14 goals last season, his first with the Flames. "Unfortunately, I've sort of been a streaky scorer in the past. I'm trying to take the same approach and be consistent and hopefully the scoring will become more consistent as we go along."

Stempniak had a career-high 28 goals three years ago, 14 of the goals coming in 18 games after he was acquired by the Phoenix Coyotes. The next year, he had 19.

"You take it while you can and today I got a great pass from [Jay] Bouwmeester and it was pretty easy to put that one in," Stempniak said.

His power-play goal at 14:57 of the second period, restoring a two-goal cushion for the Flames at 4-2, would turn out to be the winning goal as the Oilers got a goal from Sam Gagner with two seconds left in the game.

"We knew Calgary was going to bring their 'A' game today and they truly did play hard and strong through the game and didn't give us much but at the same time, we're not pleased with some of the execution," said Oilers coach Ralph Krueger.

Mikael Backlund and Curtis Glencross, with his third goal, also scored for Calgary (1-2-1), who lost back-to-back games at home last weekend to open the season.

Justin Schultz and Jordan Eberle also scored for Edmonton (2-2-0), which was outshot 35-20.

Bouwmeester shines

On the decisive goal, Bouwmeester pinched in from the blue-line, made a slick move to fool Ladislav Smid, then zipped a hard pass across the top of the crease that was neatly deflected in by Stempniak.

"Bouwmeester was flying tonight," said new Flames coach Bob Hartley, celebrating his first win. "We saw the real Jay Bouwmeester, a guy that took charge, wanted the puck, made a great play on Lee Stempniaks' goal. He was a quarterback out there."

Often the object of fan disdain since signing a lucrative free agent contract with the Flames three years ago, Bouwmeester looked energized all night, constantly jumping up into the rush. After scoring 12, 15 and 15 goals his final three seasons with Florida, he's scored 12 goals combined in three seasons with the Flames.

"That's the kind of hockey that Jay Bouwmeeester can bring to us and he has the green light," Hartley said. "He has the speed to create offence and if he doesn't, he has the speed to come back. We're telling him that we want him to create a good second wave for us, to make sure he's always in the play, always active and that's hard to defend."

New Czech acquisitions Jiri Hudler and Roman Cervenka both played well for the Flames in their debut. Hudler got in on the scoring with an assist.

"With those two guys, it's puck control, hockey sense and vision. In the second period, there was that one shift that there were tic-tac-toes all over the ice and I thought the fans really appreciated this and we even had a few fans on the bench," said Hartley.

The Oilers entered the night not having led yet in a game and that trend continued as goals by Backlund and Bouwmeester gave Calgary a 2-0 first period lead.

The Oilers cut the gap to one when Schultz scored just five seconds into a power play.

However, Calgary restored its two-goal lead four minutes into the second when Jarome Iginla's centring pass was tapped in by Glencross.

"We got off to bad start in all three periods and that's something we can work on," said Schultz.

The Flames are off until Thursday night when they continue their three-game homestand against the Colorado Avalanche.

Before coming to Calgary, Colorado stops off in Edmonton as the Oilers next opponent on Monday night.

"I'm excited to see what we do when we get a lead," said Schultz. "Hopefully Monday, we can get off to a good start, get a lead and build on it from there."

There was a strong turnout of Oilers supporters at the Scotiabank Saddledome in the provincial rivals' first meeting of the season, and Edmonton faithful got the crowd fired up halfway through the first period by chanting "Let's go Oilers."

"The two best teams to beat, I think without question, are Vancouver and Edmonton," said Iginla. "I still have buddies up there I couldn't convert — after 15 years, I've given up trying to convert some of them — so it is nice to beat them, so they don't have any bragging rights."

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Novak Djokovic captures 3rd straight Australian Open title

Novak Djokovic returned to his dominant best to win his third consecutive Australian Open title, denying Andy Murray a second major championship with a 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2 victory Sunday night at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

The top-ranked Djokovic is the first man in the Open era to win three straight Australian titles — nine others have won back-to-back but were unable to win three in a row.

"I love this court," Djokovic said. "It's definitely my favourite Grand Slam. It's an incredible feeling winning this trophy once more."

He has won four of his six majors titles at at Melbourne Park, where he is now unbeaten in 21 matches.

Born a week apart in May 1987 and friends since their junior playing days, the two played like they knew each other's game very well in a rematch of last year's U.S. Open final won by Murray. There were no service breaks until the eighth game of the third set, when Djokovic finally broke through and then held at love to lead by two sets to one.

Djokovic earned two more service breaks in the fourth set, including one to take a 4-1 lead when Murray double-faulted on break point.

The 25-year-old Serb didn't rip his shirt off this time, as he did to celebrate his epic 5-hour, 53-minute win over Rafael Nadal in last year's final. He just did a little dance, looked up to the sky and then applauded the crowd after the 3-hour, 40-minute match.

Murray's win over Djokovic in the U.S. Open final last year ended a 76-year drought for British men at the majors, but he still is yet to make a breakthrough in Australia after losing a third final here in the last four years.

Djokovic's win went against the odds of recent finals at Melbourne Park. In four of the past five years, the player who won his semifinal second has won the tournament. But this year, Djokovic played his semifinal on Thursday — an easy three-set, 89-minute minute win over No. 4-seeded David Ferrer. Murray needed five energy sapping sets to beat 17-time major winner Roger Federer on Friday night.

The win consolidated Djokovic's position as the No. 1-ranked player in the world, while Federer and Murray will be second and third when the ATP rankings are released Monday.

Their last two matches in Grand Slams — Murray's five-set win at last year's U.S. Open and Djokovic's victory here last year in five in the semifinals — had a total of 35 service breaks.

Tactical battle

It was a vastly different, more tactical battle on Sunday, with the first two tight sets decided in tiebreakers.

Murray, who called for a trainer to retape blisters on his right foot at the end of the second set, was visibly annoyed by noise from the crowd during his service games in the third set, stopping his service motion twice until the crowd quieted down. After dropping the third set, he complained about the noise to chair umpire John Blom.

Djokovic also appeared frustrated at times, kicking the ball football-style back over the net after he hit a forehand long during a lengthy point, and muttering to himself while sitting down in his chair during changeovers. But both players were guilty of making unforced errors, often ending long rallies with shots into the net or long.

Murray's fans came dressed for the occasion, with some wearing "Braveheart"-style wigs, Scottish flags painted on their faces and tartan caps. One group of men wore white T-shirts with black letters that spelled out A-N-D-Y; they serenaded Murray at the start of the first two sets.

There were a number of Serbian shirts, caps and flags in the stadium, as well as fans calling "Ajde!" or "Come on!" in Serbian to support Djokovic. Retired NBA basketball star Vlade Divac was sitting in Djokovic's box.

Djokovic looked agitated after failing to convert the break points in the first set, frequently looking up to his box and yelling at the members of his team and himself.

Although Djokovic went into the match with a 10-7 lead in head-to-heads, Murray had beaten Djokovic five out of eight times in tiebreakers, and that improved to six of nine after four unforced errors by Djokovic to end the first set.

Djokovic pegged back that edge in the second set, when Murray also didn't help his cause by double-faulting to give Djokovic a 3-2 lead, and the Serbian player didn't trail again in the tiebreaker. He levelled the match after nearly 2 hours, 15 minutes.

Andre Agassi was among those in the capacity crowd at Rod Laver Arena — the four-time Australian champion's first trip Down Under in nearly 10 years — and he later presented the trophy to Djokovic.

Victoria Azarenka, who won Saturday's women's singles final over Li Na, was in the crowd with her boyfriend rapper Redfoo. Actor Kevin Spacey, who met in the dressing room with both players ahead of the match and later tweeted a photo of himself with them, also was in attendance for the third straight night.

In the earlier mixed doubles final Sunday, wild-card entrants Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebden of Australia beat the Czech pair of Lucie Hradecka and Frantisek Cermak 6-3, 7-5.

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Russell: Celebrating our last king of Kitzbuehel

Todd Brooker, who is celebrating the 30-year anniversary of his victory on the famed Streif downhill course at Kitzbuehel, Austria this weekend by broadcasting the event for CBC, is a link to the glory days of Canadian alpine ski racing.

It's hard to believe it's been 30 years since a Canadian won the greatest of all ski races.

Then again, some legends live forever.

"My vision of the track, the line I had to ski -- all embedded with such clarity in my mind," says Todd Brooker of his 1983 victory at the famed Kitzbuehel downhill.

"It was the most important day of my life and the most successful day of my life. It had been a dream of mine to win on the greatest course in the world for many years."

Brooker, who is celebrating the anniversary of his victory by returning to Austria and the famed Streif course this weekend to broadcast the event for CBC, is a link to the glory days of Canadian alpine ski racing.

Four years straight, the unlikely "Crazy Canucks," as they were dubbed, won at Kitzbuehel. Ken Read was first in 1980, and then Steve Podborski followed up with two straight wins. Brooker completed the unprecedented and unrivaled string of success in 1983, and in a sense was the most unexpected champion of all.

"I quit high school after Grade 11, moved to Collingwood, Ont., lived with ski instructors at Blue Mountain and skied every day. I chased my dream, for which I really had no right to have such high expectations of attaining," Brooker reflects.

His father Charlie was an Olympic hockey player who represented Canada at the 1956 Games in Cortina, Italy, as part of the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen. The elder Brooker came home with a bronze medal and later went to Austria to become the player-coach of the Kitzbuehel hockey team.

"I wasn't from a private club family and wasn't really from a skiing family either -- my dad was an Olympic hockey player, my mother's two brothers were both NHL players and my brother played hockey," Brooker says of his background in sports.

"It wasn't in our blood to ski, but it was in mine."

'Rag doll' crash

Brooker has since known the joy and pain of Kitzbuehel. As one of the champions at the notoriously difficult venue, he has his name emblazoned on one of the gondolas that reaches the summit. He revels in the celebrations that are an integral part of the event.

But in 1987, his fabled "rag doll" crash down the Streif threatened his life and marked the abrupt end of his competitive skiing career.

"Every good racer also realizes how dangerous this course really is. Maybe me more than most, I've understood that a simple run down the Streif can end in such painful failure," Brooker says. "Kitzbuehel only yields real champions, not accidental victors, and although it changes, it has never become easy."

It is the most daunting and exhilarating of ski races. It regularly attracts 60,000-70,000 spectators on race day. The downhill at Kitzbuehel is one of the most revered of winter sporting events -- one of the most fabled races on the face of the earth.

"I think of the event itself more like the old majors in golf because of the historical factors," Brooker says. "There is something way more important about winning a race where you are being compared to one of your predecessors who have walked the same fairway or been on the same course. Following the tracks of Toni Sailer or Karl Schranz or Franz Klammer in a race made important by them."

Thirty years later, Brooker has the same awe-inspired respect for Kitzbuehel and what the place means to the sport he loves.

"It's like walking on sacred ground," he says. "Because there is such risk in the attempt to win, there is also such a big reward for doing it."

Extreme danger

Kitzbuehel has become a word synonymous with the best in ski racing. It's the Super Bowl, the Masters, and the Indianapolis 500 all rolled into one. And because of the great tradition that accompanies the race as well as the possibility of extreme danger, the downhill at Kitzbuehel has the potential to be what sport ultimately aspires to be.

It's almost always thrilling, and those who stand at the top of its podium revel in a career-defining moment.

"It has meant everything to me personally, especially in terms of how I got there," Brooker says. "For me it means that anything, including winning the most important race on the World Cup, was possible because I wanted it enough."

Three decades removed from basking in the sunshine at the pinnacle of ski racing, Brooker must take great satisfaction in what he's accomplished.

By taming this wild field of play, he has become the King of Kitzbuehel. Not just for a day, but always and forever.

What's on Sports Weekend

On Saturday, CBC's Sports Weekend bring you two hours of coverage from Kitzbuehel, starting at 4 p.m. ET. Todd Brooker is on site in Austria and brings us a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of the race.

Rob Snoek delivers the play-by-play along with Olympic champion Kerrin Lee-Gartner, who will keep us up to speed on the legends and contenders that make Kitzbuehel the most anticipated race on the World Cup calendar.

Editor's Note: Watch CBC's live stream of the Kitzbuehel men's super-G race Friday at 5:25 a.m. ET.

On Saturday, watch the classic men's downhill race on the famed Streif course live at 5:25 a.m. ET. Catch the replay on CBC-TV and online at 4 p.m. ET.

On Sunday, watch the first run of the men's slalom live starting at 4:10 a.m. ET, followed by the second run at 7:25 a.m. ET.

Follow Scott Russell on Twitter @SportsWkndScott and @TheFieldofPlay.

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Wharnsby: No quit in this minor-league vet

Bryan Helmer hoped for one more season, and the 40-year-old defenceman had his wish granted with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL for his 20th campaign of pro hockey.

When, during the lockout, some thought there was no way the NHL season would be salvaged, Bryan Helmer still had hope.

The 40-year-old defenceman hoped for one more year. He hoped to play a 20^th season of professional hockey. 

Helmer hasn't hopped over the boards for a shift in the NHL in more than four years. His last NHL game was on Jan. 20, 2009 with the Washington Capitals against the Senators in Ottawa, fittingly not far from his hometown of Winchester, Ont. And as long as AHL teams were being fortified with young talent from the locked-out NHL, there was no room at the inn for Helmer.

But then the lockout ended. Helmer's phone rang. Four teams had interest. But it was first-place Springfield Falcons general manager Bruce Landon and head coach Brad Larsen who made an impression. They needed a defencemen. Helmer was back in business.

He had kept in shape skating with his buddies on an oldtimers' team in Westport, Ont., just north of Kingston, Ont., and worked out with his brother-in-law, New York Islanders defenceman Matt Carkner.

Helmer was in a similar situation two years ago, when halfway through the season the Oklahoma City Barons called to put him back to work.

"I've always said if I still could contribute and the body felt good I would continue playing," the 6-foot-1, 208-pound Helmer said. "Last year was a good year for me and there were no injuries. I still love to play this game. I love coming to the rink. I love the competition. I still have the drive. I still haven't ruled out returning for another season."

Why not? Helmer already has the record for most games played by a defenceman in the AHL at 1,097 and counting. He's also the league's all-time points leader among blue-liners at 562.

If Helmer can play in the AHL next season -- his only non-AHL season was in 2000-01 when he split that year with the Vancouver Canucks and the IHL's Kansas City Blades -- he will join Willie Marshall and Fred Glover as the only three men to have played in the AHL over parts of 20 seasons.

Farm boy

To say Helmer is a survivor is an understatement. He was only 18 months old when he had a cancerous tumour removed.

He was a raised on a farm, and any patch of ice in a nearby field was good enough for him and his friends to start a game. He played four seasons for the Wellington Dukes, a solid Tier II Junior A franchise near Belleville, Ont.

However, Helmer almost didn't return for his final season as a 20-year-old with the Dukes. Instead, he contemplated taking a job at a dairy farm back home.

But he was talked into returning for his final season. That was a good thing, because then New Jersey Devils scout Frank Jay, now with the Montreal Canadiens, saw him play and offered him a tryout for the 1993-94 season.

"I was going to go to the University of Guelph to play," Helmer recalled. "Only a few from that league were offered pro tryouts. But it was a no-brainer to give it a shot.

"I grew up as a big Montreal Canadiens fan. Two of the first people I saw standing right in front of me when I walked into the dressing room for [the Devils] training camp were Claude Lemieux and Stephane Richer. Larry Robinson was an assistant coach. I was overwhelmed."

But Helmer performed well enough to earn a spot with the Devils' AHL affiliate in Albany, N.Y., where he helped the Falcons win 4-2 on Wednesday. It seems like everywhere he turns these days, there is a memory lingering.

His first NHL game wasn't until Oct. 11, 1998 for the Phoenix Coyotes against -- yes, you guessed it -- the Senators. He's played in 146 NHL games for the Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks and the Capitals.

He's also played for 10 different IHL and AHL teams and won three Calder Cups, one with Albany and two with the Hershey Bears. Friday night's game will be Helmer's 1,458th (regular season and playoffs combined) in the pro ranks.

Forever young

The Falcons haven't lost since Helmer joined them four games ago. They are first overall and give the forever young blue-liner a good shot at a fourth championship. It also gives his wife, Pam, and three children a few more months to watch him play.

A few years ago, Helmer's first-born child, Cade, asked, "Dad, when am I going to see you play in the NHL?" Then, unexpectedly, the Capitals had a bunch of injuries. Helmer was promoted from Hershey. Cade got his wish.

"He was seven," Helmer said. "He was more excited than I was. He had a permanent grin.

"You know, I never went to Europe, because playing in the AHL you're one step below the NHL. You never know. I got that unlikely chance at age 36. I still had that drive."

And that hope.

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Share your Hockey Night in Canada memories

What's your favourite Hockey Night in Canada memory? As we celebrate our 60th season, we want to hear your stories, see your photos and share them with Canadians.

What's your favourite Hockey Night in Canada memory? As we celebrate our 60th season, we want to hear your stories, see your photos and share them with Canadians.

This is an easy one for me. I'm the youngest of three children and I have two older brothers. I take great pride in being the one that turned my brothers and dad into hockey fans. I was glued to Hockey Night in Canada every weekend, and because Ron and Don's voices echoed throughout the household, the rest of my family finally got drawn into watching the action with me.

It was the thrill of a lifetime when I was asked to take part in the broadcast, although in a small way, for Doug Gilmour Night at the Air Canada Centre in 2009. I was the Game Night Host for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the time, and that night I got the honour of introducing Don Cherry to the home crowd, who then went on to introduce Gilmour. It lasted only a few minutes, but it was magical. The energy in the building was electric and it's a feeling I'll never forget.

Whether your Hockey Night in Canada memory happened on your couch as you watched an unforgettable goal happen, or on a rink as you thought back to that unbelievable breakaway you watched over the weekend, we want to hear about it. All season long we invite you to post your memories on our Facebook page. Every weekend, Andi Petrillo will share one of the memories during the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast.

As we get set for our second weekend of the season, join the conversation with us on Twitter @hockeynight with the hashtag #hockeynight or chat along live in the Hockey Night in Canada Live Chat.

If you haven't played along with the Hockey Night in Canada 2nd screen, this is the weekend to log in and join other Canadians in the game day experience. You can cast your vote in our poll, get players stats, see the best from the social world and more at www.CBCSports.ca/2ndscreen.

For more on how to connect with us this weekend, watch Hockey Night in Canada Online.

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Victoria Azarenka claims 2nd straight Australian Open title

Victoria Azarenka won her second consecutive Australian Open title in Melbourne, beating Li Na 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a dramatic final that contained a break for fireworks, two medical timeouts and a nasty fall to the court by Li.

The Chinese star first tumbled to the court after twisting her left ankle in the fifth game of the second set and had it taped.

On the first point after a 10-minute pause in the third set while fireworks boomed overhead from nearby Australia Day celebrations, Li fell over again and slammed the back of her head on the court. The 2011 French Open champion was treated immediately and had another timeout before being allowed to resume the match.

Azarenka, who broke down in tears and sobbed into her towel when the match ended, won five of the next six games to claim her second major title and retain the No. 1 ranking.

"Unfortunately, you have to go through some rough patches to achieve great things. That's what makes it so special for me," she said. "I went through that, and I'm still able to kiss that beautiful trophy."

Serena Williams, who lost in the quarterfinals, will become the new No. 2 in the rankings.

The 2-hour, 40-minute match featured 16 service breaks, with Li losing her service nine times.

On a crisp Saturday night, Azarenka won the coin toss and elected to receive, a ploy that seemed to work when a nervous Li was broken to start the match. After a double fault on the first point, Li's forehand long gave Azarenka the early lead.

Injured star

When she first injured her ankle, Li was trailing 3-1 in the second set. When she came back, she won three of the next four games to level the set at 4-4, but Azarenka broke back and then held her serve to level the match.

Azarenka broke in the opening game of the final set, just two games before the match was suspended for the fireworks, a planned stoppage of play that both players were notified about before the match.

While Azarenka jogged around and practiced her serving motion during the 10-minute fireworks break, Li sat on her courtside chair for most of the stoppage.

It was on the first point that she again fell to the court.

Li said she went "totally black" for two seconds after her head hit the court, and when a medical official asked her to follow her finger, "I started laughing, thinking `This is a tennis court, not like a hospital."'

Li said the tournament doctor saw her after the match and checked out her head and neck.

"I should be OK,' Li said.

From the outset, the capacity crowd at Rod Laver Arena was firmly behind Li, cheering loudly when she was introduced. Azarenka, meanwhile, had her errors applauded, and one spectator even mocked the loud hooting sound she makes when she hits a shot.

The chill from the crowd was a remnant of Azarenka's semifinal win over American teenager Sloane Stephens, when Azarenka was criticized for taking a questionable 10-minute medical timeout near the end of the match. She was accused of taking the time out to compose herself after she'd wasted five match points while serving for the match against Stephens, although Azarenka said she needed the time out because a rib injury was making it difficult for her to breathe.

In the second set Saturday, a few fans heckled Azarenka over the incident. One man yelled, "Take a deep breath, Vicky."

'You deserve it'

By the end of the match, she appeared to have won some of the fans back. Azarenka's friend, rapper Redfoo, yelled down to her from the player box "You deserve it," and she later blew kisses to the crowd. Someone else in the crowd shouted "Victoria, we love you."

Azarekna appeared to quickly forgive the crowd, saying during the trophy presentations that she wanted to thank the fans for their support.

"I will always keep very special memories of this court and it will be in my heart forever," she said, pausing several times to find the right words. "Of course, I [almost] forgot to say congratulations to Li Na, she's had a terrific start to the year ... hope to see you in many, many more finals."

Azarenka and Li had met twice before in Grand Slam tournaments, with Li winning both times — in the fourth round of the 2011 Australian Open and quarterfinals at the French Open. Li lost the 2011 Australian Open final to Kim Clijsters but won her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros a few months later, beating Francesca Schiavone.

But after failing to advance past the fourth round at any major in 2012, Li hired Carlos Rodriguez, Justine Henin's former coach. The hard training he's put her through in the past four months appears to be paying dividends.

Li won a WTA tournament in China before travelling to Australia, where she advanced to the semifinals at the Sydney International.

In the men's final on Sunday, Novak Djokovic will attempt to win his third consecutive Australian Open against U.S. Open champion Andy Murray. Djokovic has had the benefit of an extra day off after an easy three-set win over David Ferrer on Thursday night, while Murray needed a tough five-setter to defeat Roger Federer.

Murray has predicted a tough match with long rallies against Djokovic, the player he beat in the final at Flushing Meadows in September.

"I'm ready for the pain," he said. "I hope it's a painful match, that will mean it will be a good one."

In the other final Sunday to end the year's first Grand Slam, the unseeded pairs of Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebden of Australia and the Czech Republic's Lucie Hradecka and Frantisek Cermak play for the mixed doubles championship.

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