… A headline which begs the question: Was there ever a good time?

Vyacheslav Kozlov

In light of the news that my (unabashedly) favorite Thrasher (and hockey player in general) wants out of Atlanta has me on the brink of begging to be run over by a Zamboni. Slava Kozlov has been a cornerstone of the franchise. Not in the way that Ilya was. Or Hossa was. Or Heater was. He’s just been a quiet force. A rock-solid, good leader. He’s been in a bit of a funk lately, but I can’t for the life of me figure out how he is benched in favor of some other guys who have been just as dismal and bring less to the table. Now, word is, he wants to leave Atlanta too. Aside from the personal heartbreak this brings, I think it speaks volumes about what is going on in Atlanta — none of it good. I am, frankly, rather terrified at the downward spiral the team seems to be in.

For those who don’t know, there are tons of hockey fans in Atlanta. Tons. There is also a great deal of corporate sponsorship, which other cities simply can’t offer. It’s important to have a team here, but the ownership and leadership is driving the franchise into the ground. Hockey fans in Atlanta deserve better than this.

I really feel Kozlov deserves better than this. I’d always hoped he’d retire a Thrasher and that his number would be the first retired at Philips. That he’d stay in the organization and make it better. Now he, too, wants to flee the scene.

It worries me.

Photo: Vyacheslav Kozlov by Goddess Kaat. Copyright 2009-2010. All Rights Reserved.

Once again, the Goddesses gazed into their crystal balls and here is what they see for week two in the men’s Olympic tournament. Note: None of the goddesses consulted with the other, and this was posted before the Canada-Russia game.

Goddess Amy

• Best uniforms: Sweden… classic and classy
• Best sighting from another league: Double J — Jaromir Jagr — from watching him play and some of the interviews, he’s grown up a lot I think.
• Biggest surprise: Probably Norway. They just about pulled it out last night and looked really good.
• Best non-NHL player: Tore Vikingstad from Norway. Boy has some skills.
• Ugliest player *: I don’t know … ugly is in the eye of the beholder. But if I had to pick one, maybe Andrei Markov or a couple of the Belarusian guys.
• Prettiest player *: Probably Toby Enstrom of Sweden.
• Most unusual name: Tore Vikingstad… it’s perfect for a Norwegian.
• Best goalie mask: I really like Ryan Miller’s mask a lot.
• Worst/lamest goalie mask: I can’t think of one. They are all pretty great.

Goddess Kaat

• Best uniforms: USA: I’m a homer, but you can’t beat the red, white and blue throwback-kinda jerseys they wore in their win against Canada. A bit of a nod to the 1980 Miracle on Ice team. Classic. I like them even if they do look a bit like the New York Rangers out there. Honorable mention to the Czech Republic with their old school coat of arms on the front. I just dig them.
• Best sighting from another league: Richard Zednik. He’s always been one of my favorite players. As regular readers may know, I have a strange array of favorite players and he is one of them. So great to see him playing and playing well — especially after the horrible skate to the neck. Honorable mention: Jaromir Jagr. The NHL lost a character when he defected to the KHL.
• Biggest surprise: That either Canada or Russia will go home sans medal. And how awesome Jeremy Roenick has been as a color commentator for NBC. As the old McDonald’s slogan goes: “I’m lovin’ it.”
  
• Best non-NHL player: Jaromir Jagr. As much as I want to say Richard Zednik. It’s Jags.
• Ugliest player *: Phil Kessel. He’s played like crap so far. Has he even been on the ice?
• Prettiest player *: Ryan Miller, baby. He’s been incredible.
• Most unusual name: Janis Sprukts. I was fascinated by this last name when I saw him play in the KHL. It still gives me a mixture of intrigue and giggles. And it looks awesome in Cyrillic. To wit: “Спруктс.”
• Best goalie mask: Henrik Lundqvist always has cool masks. I am digging his Tre Kronor/Lady Liberty mask. Kind of the duel personality — Sweden’s crowns and a symbol of the U.S. on the other.
• Worst/lamest goalie mask: I know not everyone can afford to get a new mask just for the Olympics — or can they? They probably can, but are too superstitious or something. But I think Miikka Kiprusoff is lame for wearing his regular season mask. And, under normal circumstances, I love that mask of his — with the bad ass flaming skulls and all. It’s awesome, but I’d like to see something new for the Olympics. Show a little flare, Miikka baby.

Goddess Savvy

• Best uniforms: Germany. The Germans always have great uniforms, no matter what the sport.
• Best sighting from another league: Rosie — Vladimir Ruzicka — coaching the Czech Republic! :-)
• Biggest surprise: Besides the obvious? U.S. upsetting Canada and Canada needing a shootout to beat Switzerland?
• Best non-NHL player: n/a
• Ugliest player *: Tomas Plekanec. He’s always the ugliest player, and that goes both ways.
• Prettiest player *: David Krejci. He’s getting lots of well-deserved recognition from NBC’s announcers.
• Most unusual name: Is there any better name for a Norwegian hockey player than Vikingstad? Did he make that up?
• Best goalie mask: Tomas Vokoun. I like the Czech coat of arms. (Props to Miller, though, for including a shamrock on his mask as a tribute to Jim Craig.)
• Worst/lamest goalie mask: Thomas Greiss. He’s using his Sharks mask. Fail.

* Note: Prettiest/ugliest player was open to interpretation. It could have meant looks, style or play, however the goddess chose to interpret that question.

Bold Predictions

The Hockey Goddesses have thrown their hats into the ring, dropped the gloves, gone mano-a-mano … er, well, something like that, to bring you our Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey predictions. (We’d have done women’s hockey too, but were a little late in starting and they’ve already played too many games — given us a bit too much of a preview.)

So, herewith, and without consulting one another are our picks — a few bold ones in there. We’ve also picked our tournament MVP and a players we expect to surprise you — maybe for good or bad. Amy selected two possible MVPs — we’ll let her get away with that, but just this once. She also selected a second set of winners — BEEP — not gonna happen. You gotta go with your gut. So for the purposes of this table, it’s first instincts. For the record, Goddess Amy said her table would look different if the goalies wigged and stunk. For the purposes of our exercise, we are assuming everyone is firing on all cylinders. Maybe we’ll do the all-oops team picks tomorrow. Ha ha!

Anyway, let’s see who comes closest … and see if you agree with our picks. If not, tell us why.

Hey folks! New goddess here. ;-) Since I’m the resident Bruins “expert,” and we’re entering the Olympic break, I thought I’d begin with a post about what some have called the surprise member of the Canadian Olympic team, Boston center Patrice Bergeron.

Patrice’s selection was probably only a surprise to those who haven’t followed his career. He’s not a flashy stats guy. He’s not a monster checker. He is, however, one of the most well-rounded, versatile, intelligent players in the NHL. He plays on the PK and on the power play. He’s excellent in the faceoff circle. He’s the guy you want on the ice when you’ve got the goalie pulled and are trying to tie the game, or if you’ve got a one-goal lead you’re trying desperately to protect.

Patrice was picked 45th overall in the 2003 draft  and made the Bruins at age 18. He won a gold medal with the Canadian senior men’s team in 2004, and a gold medal with the juniors in 2005, the first player in history to have accomplished that feat. He skated on a line with Sidney Crosby at the junior tournament (and was named the tournament MVP), and speculation is that he’ll do the same in Vancouver.

Unfortunately Patrice’s biggest claim to fame is the horrific concussion he suffered in October 2007, when he was hit from behind by Philadelphia’s Randy Jones. What not many people outside of New England seem to realize is that Patrice came periously close to dying that day. His doctor said that any normal human being (and many hockey players) would have suffered a broken neck from that hit, but thankfully Patrice’s astounding level of fitness and strength spared him. 

Even so, the hit was devastating. Patrice missed the rest of the season with a Grade III concussion.  Many fans and media declared he’d never make it back, but not this fan. If there’s one thing that surpasses Patrice’s physical strength, it’s his heart and will. That’s what makes him a special hockey player (and a special human being), and I knew he’d be  back with a vengeance. 

After a long, difficult recovery (knocked off the rails a bit when he suffered another concussion in December), Patrice was back to normal by the time last spring’s playoffs rolled around, as Josh Gorges discovered:

Josh Gorges vs. Patrice Bergeron

That was the first fight of Patrice’s career, and as usual, he got it right the first time.

However, that’s not what makes Patrice Bergeron a superb hockey player. What makes him great is his vision, his hockey sense, his passing ability, and strength on his skates. Watch his move on Mike Richards:

Winter Classic goal

Even better, Patrice steals the puck from Maxim Lapierre and feeds Mark Recchi:

Recchi scores in OT

Two things to love about this goal: The strength and balance Patrice shows in taking the puck away, and the absolutely wonderful feed to Recchi. Patrice never looks at Recchi; he appears to be thinking shot all the way, then dishes off and hits Recchi’s blade perfectly.

That’s why Patrice Bergeron was the only player not invited to Canada’s summer tryout camp to be named to the Olympic roster. Despite the naysayers, I have no doubt he’ll be a key part of  Canada’s success.

Besides, it doesn’t hurt to have a pretty team, right?

Some additional notes on Patrice Bergeron:

 - When he was very little and just starting to skate, his parents signed him up for hockey lessons. On the first day, he sat down inside the net and watched. The coach asked him if he wanted to join in, and he said, “No, I’m good.” This went on for several sessions until one day he proclaimed himself ready and played. His mother, upon telling the story, said it was typical of Patrice. “He watches and studies and when he’s ready, he’s ready.”

- Bergeron is his mother’s maiden name. His father’s name is Cleary. After his fight against Gorges, teammate Shawn Thornton dubbed him “Patrick Cleary” and still refers to him by that name, especially when Patrice gets fiesty.

- Patrice is one of Boston’s busiest athletes when it comes to charity work. Among his many projects, he owns a suite at the Garden in which children from area hospitals or community groups are invited, and he meets with them after games.

- Patrice has been an alternate captain since his second year with the Bruins, and most Bruins fans have no doubt he’ll inherit the “C” when Zdeno Chara retires (the other “A” is rotated amongst the Bruins veterans).

Though I’m an American, I’ll actually be rooting for Canada in the Olympics, for one reason only: Patrice Bergeron. He makes me proud to be a Bruins fan.

Until next time!

Say you’ll love us again … Kovy? (Hope does spring eternal.)

Intriguing article out of NY. Of course it’s out of New York — The Post — so maybe case open AND closed. Kovy, Kovy, Kovy

I am far too attached to Ilya Kovalchuk to be even remotely objective on the subject of the trade. I’ll just sum it up by saying the Thrashers break my heart into tiny pieces every year, just when I am glueing them back together again. This time, though, it was the Thrashers and “I want to stay in Atlanta” Ilya crushing what was left of my naive hockey-loving heart into tiny irreparable shards.

I know I promised some KHL hockey observations, and I have many, but in lieu of what has transpired over the last 24 hours I feel it necessary to give some thoughts on the Kovalchuk trade. Fellow Goddess Kaatiya is still in mourning and like most Atlanta fans may be so for quite some time.

Colorado is my team of course, but Atlanta is my second. I love the diversity of the players in Atlanta, the Russians and the Swedes. My pal Salmela is unfortunately gone along with Ilya, but I still love the team.

As hockey fans, we often get attached to individual players. I know I sure do. While some people don’t separate the individual from the team, it’s the whole persona that individual players often bring that endear us to a team or a sport. Ilya was one such person. He was a fantastic player, a kind soul to fans and a wonderful father and wife to his family. People watched him grow up in Atlanta. It’s hard to take that he just didn’t want to be there anymore.

Fans will blame the owners and GM, but really, if he had wanted to stay he would have for the deal he was offered. Yes, people will argue past problems with the team, but with the ownership issue resolved this year, the team went out and got Antropov and Afinogenov per Kovy’s request. And it hurts those of us who truly loved him and believed he wanted to stay in Atlanta for his entire career.

I know, I know. You’re going to tell me it’s just business. But we’re all human. We want to believe that people aren’t just motivated by dollars and really care about the fans and the organizations that have given so much to them.

Despite the heartbreak many of us are feeling, I am a perpetual optimist, and I see much in this trade to be optimistic. Hurt feelings aside, I believe this isn’t the end for the Thrashers, but a new beginning – and a legitmate one at that. One only need to look as far as my number one team, the Colorado Avalanche, to see what a plethora of youthful talent can do for you. A solid goalie (Kari is about ready) and hungry youngsters is how all great teams start. Detroit has proven this time and time again.

Atlanta has made some savvy moves in this deal. Take Niclas Bergfors. He’s one of the top scoring rookies this year in a defensive minded system. Put him with Afinogenov or a passer like Kozlov and watch this kid bloom. Oduya? He’s just the defenseman the Thrashers have needed this year. One can argue this had been the team’s biggest weakness this year. It also doesn’t hurt to have another player of African decent in a city with a large African-American population. The Thrashers need to grow their fan base, and this could help market the team. I don’t want to overplay the ethnic issue, but as a Native American, I can tell you that any team with Natives on it sure becomes more interesting to me and is the reason I came back to hockey in the early 90’s. Then there’s Cormier. Suspension aside, let’s not forget that he was the captain of Canada’s World Junior team this year and is a physical force and exciting to watch.

Finally, and what might get me into hot water, is my response to the fans that are crying foul on the management. Putting the past aside, I can’t fault the GM on this move, as much as I hated to see it happen. Hindsight is 20/20 but I think everyone believed that Ilya really wanted to stay in Atlanta. I’ve seen many fans on message boards saying they will no longer be Atlanta fans because of their disgust with the ownership and management. Yet based on the attendance at games, I wonder how many true fans there really are? Don’t get me wrong. I understand that there is enough corporate sponsorship for the survival of this team (something Winnipeg simply can’t rival – sorry folks,) and that poor attendance isn’t enough to move them, but if you love this team you need to come out and support them. If you claim to be a fan, why aren’t you at Philips Arena for games? If Ilya isn’t enough to bring people out to games, perhaps some exciting, passionate youth who might be willing to get out in the community and sell themselves will do the job.

Only time will tell, but I, for one, am not giving up on the team.