News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. The San Jose Sharks players are asking management to keep the team together for another run.
2. Canadiens GM Bob Gainey is looking to add a forward to the mix.
3. Hockey Canada honours the 1976 Canada Cup team, at a ceremony in Canada.
4. Darren Dreger notes that the Dallas Stars will have to physically target the Wings' defense.
5. Adam Proteau comments on Jim Balsillie and Elisha Cuthbert.
6. Ken Campbell says that history dictates we will see a Pittsburgh-Detroit final.
7. Jaromir Jagr hopes to remain a Ranger.
8. The Sabres are for sale, but will not be moved. The Sabres also signed Nathan Gerbe.
9. Jeremy Roenick says that he will return to the Sharks next season.
10. The Capitals will consider signing Sergei Fedorov.
11. Hockey players have become the toast of celebrity gossip. Just ask my wife!
12. Joining tens of other people, Brad Stuart says he enjoys Detroit.
13. John Buccigross discusses hockey guys.
14. John Tavares fires his agent and hires his mother.
15. Al Strachan believes Ron Wilson's days are numbered in San Jose.
16. Jim Matheson answers readers' questions.
17. Craig Conroy faces an uncertain future in Calgary.
18. Confessions of a hockey virgin.
19. Damien Cox says the current Flyers are channeling the Broad Street Bullies.
20. The weekly release from the USHL.
21. The draft order has been set.
22. Norway continues the climb to respectability at the World Championships.
23. The weekly Junior Report.
24. Memorial Cup history, 1940.
25. Stan Fischler predicts a Flyers-Stars Stanley Cup final.

News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. Wild defenseman Kurtis Foster had surgery to repair a broken leg suffered in last night's game versus San Jose. This is sure to re-open the touch icing debate.
2. Darren Dreger fires the opening salvo in the debate.
3. Mike Toth with his thoughts on a few subjects.
4. Ian Mendes does his best to refute the claim that the Western Conference is stronger.
5. A preview of the CHL playoff series'.
6. Rob Hennigar is the CIS Men's Hockey Player of the Year.
7. Craig Hartsburg will not be behind the bench when Team Canada takes the ice at next year's World Juniors.
8. Adam Proteau proposes a term limit for the NHL's chief disciplinarian.
9. Taking Note provides us with a list of the possible top selections in the upcoming WHL draft.
10. The Hockey News points to the extra tight Northwest division as proof that the schedule works.
11. Is the NHL overlooking the CIS as a potential talent pool?
12. Damien Cox updates the Edmonton-Anaheim feud.
13. Terry Frei checks out the suddenly tight Northwest.
14. Andrew Ference (deservedly) takes a lot of heat for being an NHL environmentalist. Dirty hippy.
15. A look back at the '83-'84 Tulsa Oilers.
16. No need to worry about John Tavares.
17. The Roseau Rams are back playing shinny.
18. Expect a donnybrook whenever the "Murrays" meet.
19. FauxRumours with an interesting post on teams that might be mailing it in and teams that are fighting til the end.
20. Is Jose Theodore's resurgence related to him needing a new contract?
21. The Panthers, and Jacques Martin, are desperate for the playoffs.
22. A look back at the Good Friday brawl between the Habs and Nordiques.
23. A fantasy hockey inspired look at Brooks Laich, Brett McLean and Jaroslav Halak.
24. What David Staples would do if he was King of the Oilers. Please check out the classic response of sportswriter Robin Brownlee when questioned about the blogosphere's fascination with statistics.
25. Wes Goldstein notes that more than a few coaches are feeling the need to win.

Also, whatever happened to Harry York?

EURO CURVE

Euro Curve chronicles the latest international hockey news.

Team Canada edged Sweden 3-2 in overtime Saturday to take the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championship (their fourth straight gold medal in a row), capping an exciting two weeks in which we were treated to some of international hockey's brightest young stars. Pardubice, Czech Republic provided a sneak preview of next years NHL Calder class as well as some 17-year-olds who won't be draft eligible until 2009. Players like Brad Marchand, John Tavares, Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, James van Riemsdyk, and of course Matt Halischuk became household names in what turned out to be a very competitive tournament.

The 2009 World Junior Hockey Championships will be held in Ottawa, Ontario and may break attendance records previously set in Vancouver, British Columbia in 2006. Three of the next four WJC will be held in Canada, and rightly so, as the tournament has become Canada's March Madness.

In other European Hockey news:

- Slapshot.ch reports that Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Simon Gamache has been released and will join SC Bern of the Swiss Elite League. Gamache was seeing regular ice time with the Buds earlier in the season, but was sent down to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL back in November. He had two goals and two assists in 11 games with the Maple Leafs. Gamache is a former QMJHL MVP who registered an astounding 184 points back in 2000-01 for the Val d'Or Foreurs. The 27-year-old Thetford Mines, Quebec native will get another shot in the NHL again as he can provide a scoring boost to a number of teams.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Ezra Ginsburg.

EURO CURVE

Euro Curve chronicles the latest international hockey news.

Writers Note: Euro Curve's 2008 World Junior Hockey Championship report is back after being absent for two days following the shocking 4-3 victory Sweden handed Team Canada on Saturday afternoon in Pardubice.


- Team Canada advanced to the quarter-finals with a 4-1 victory over lowly Denmark Monday afternoon. Now, this may not be the 10-0 victory that hardcore puckheads wanted, but it was a solid effort coming off the difficult loss to the Swedes. 17-year-old Oshawa Generals forward John Tavares added a goal and assist, and continued to show his array of offensive weaponry. Phoenix Coyotes draft pick Kyle Turris (University of Wisconsin) continued his strong play and has Coach Gretzky smiling. Goaltender Steve Mason played well enough between the pipes, facing only 16 shots, making a strong case to be get the next start between the pipes. Canada will now move on to the medal round to face the surging Yanks.

- Team Sweden beat Czech Republic 4-2 on Monday and finished the tournament with a perfect 4-0-0 record, winning Group A and earning a bye to the semi-finals. Oscar Moller of the WHL's Chilliwack Bruins has been especially impressive.


CANADA WINS SPENGLER CUP

- The game ended only two hours ago, but will still be enjoyed by Canuck fans as it is broadcast on tape-delay on Rogers Sportsnet later this afternoon. Canada beat Salavat Yulaev Ufa 2-1 on goals by Ryan Keller and Kirby Law, taking the tournament for the first time since 2003 and for the 11th time in the tournament's history. Canada won all five of their games, beating international club teams from Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic and Russia.


For Illegal Curve, I'm Ezra Ginsburg.

EURO CURVE

Euro Curve chronicles the latest international hockey news.

As everyone continues to enjoy their holiday season, Illegal Curve provides hockey fans with excellent insight and analysis on the two major international hockey tournaments which take place every December; the 2008 U-20 World Junior Hockey Championships from Pardubice, Czech Republic and the 2008 Spengler Cup Hockey tournament, held in Davos, Switzerland.

- Canada is three-time defending champion at the 2008 World Junior Championships, and won their 19th consecutive game on Wednesday afternoon, defeating the host Czech Republic 3-0, on the strength of two John Tavares goals. The 17-year-old Oshawa General, who isn't draft eligible until 2009, leads a new youth movement for the Crazy Canucks, which also features 2008 draft hopefuls Steven Stamkos and Drew Doughty, two other 17-year-olds who played impressively in their first WJC games respectively.

Canada didn't bring their A-game for the opening contest but played well enough to win. Los Angeles Kings goaltending prospect Jonathan Bernier was the star of the game, stopping 44 shots and earning the goose egg. Canada will play Slovakia tomorrow morning, a team they beat in exhibition play last week.

Other Scores:

Sweden 4 Slovakia 3
USA 5 Kazakhstan 1
Russia 7 Finland 4

Tomorrow's games:

Canada vs. Slovakia, 10 a.m. ET, Pardubice Arena
Kazakhstan vs. Russia, 10 a.m. ET, Tipsport Arena
Czech Republic vs. Denmark, 2 p.m. ET, Pardubice Arena
Finland vs. Switzerland, 2 p.m. ET, Tipsport Arena

- The opening match at the Spengler Cup Tournament was entertaining to say the least, as Canada needed the overtime shootout to beat HC Pardubice 4-3. Dale MacTavish and Captain Serge Aubin had the shootout goals for Team Canada while Curtis Joseph provided superb goaltending, stopping everything in the extra fame. Manitobans Kirby Law and J.P Vigier put Canada ahead 3-2 late in the second period but the Czech Republic squared the contest in the third period on a 5-on-3 man advantage.

In the only other game of the day, Adler Mannheim upset host club HC Davos by a score of 3-2.

Tomorrow's games:

HC Moller Pardubice vs. Salavat Yulaev Ufa, 9:00 a.m. ET.
HC Davos vs. Team Canada, 2:15 p.m. ET.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Ezra Ginsburg.