NHL Net to Show AHL Games Down the Stretch

This is a great deal for both the network, which gets some additional games to fill up some programming space, and the league, which gets a little more exposure.  But my only question is why the league and network don’t get together toward the start of the year?  This is worse than the NHL’s deal with NBC in terms of exposure.  NHL.com has the story, and the schedule’s after the jump.

Happy 75th Birthday, Grapes!

Congratulations on turning 75, Mr. Don Cherry.  Without you, we probably wouldn’t have a blog, or a deep desire to move to Canada or get NHL Network to watch you each week.  Tim Wharnsby of The Globe & Mail has more on Grapes’ 75th:

And the Canadian icon’s passion for hockey and his Saturday evening segment, Coach’s Corner, has not dwindled. Living rooms, bars, restaurants and press boxes across the nation go silent when Cherry appears alongside host Ron MacLean in the first intermission to listen to the words that come out of Cherry’s mouth.

He is as bombastic as ever. He has engaged in a season-long feud with Ron Wilson, charging that the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach is about as arrogant as they come. He hammered veteran centre Mats Sundin for dragging out his return to the NHL.

Cherry criticized Dallas Stars co-general manager Brett Hull for signing Sean Avery. Last week, he targeted Cal Clutterbuck for fighting with a visor attached to his helmet, calling the Minnesota Wild forward “buttercup.”

“If anything I have turned it up,” Cherry said. “I don’t feel any different now than I did 30, 40 years ago. I still get so excited on Saturday’s that I can hardly wait for Coach’s Corner to start. A lot of people tell me to ease off a little so I wouldn’t get in so much trouble. But trouble is my middle name and I say things the way I want to.

No debate with you on that last line, sir.  We look forward to being entertained by you for still many years to come.

NHL Puts Together New Wings-Pens Promo; Reminds You Their Last Game Kicked Ass

You can check it out here.

Thanks to Schuyler Baehman of the NHL for the tip.

UPDATE (12:55 PM): YouTube-d.

From the Dep’t of “This Has Nothing to Do with Puck the Media”: Even the Joker Thinks the Rangers Suck

Could the Devils Be Keeping Max Weinberg from Moving to LA with Conan?

 

E Street Band and "Late Night" Drummer Max Weinberg

We are unabashed fans of both “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” as well as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.  Of course, no one combines that enjoyment moreso than drummer Max Weinberg.  He’s not only the fantastic percussionist who gives Bruce his foundation, he’s also a hilarious counterpoint to bounce comic ideas off of on Conan’s show, often with his stage persona having a perverted twist.

Well, with Conan moving to LA to do “The Tonight Show”, it would make sense that Weinberg and his “Max Weinberg 7” would come along.  But apparently, there are a couple things keeping this from happening, one of which is hockey related:

It is understood that Weinberg, a father of two and a Newark native, rakes in bigger bucks from Springsteen and does not want to be forced to leave his south Jersey home for the move to LA.

He is also said to loathe the notion of giving up his season tickets for the NJ Devils.

We can’t say we’ve ever seen Max at a Devils game, nor has he been shown on camera at one.  But we remember John Davidson dropping his name once, and John Buccigross interviewed Max about the Devils a few years ago.  While I’d hate to see Conan lose Max, I’d also hate to see the Devils lose a season ticket holder.