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Bluelines: Interesting decision ahead on Yashin

By now it should be clear that Sid (Der Bingle) Crosby will not win The Calder. It’s not even close. Henrik (I’m Not Henny Youngman) Lundqvist and Alex (I’m All-Inclusive) Ovechkin are neck-and-neck for the prize. If The Big O totals 50 goals, that should clinch it for the rapid Russian.

A fan favorite as a player, P.J. Stock is winning friends as a sportscaster in his native Montreal. He’s on Radio 990 doing a Canadiens’ pregame show.

“I more or less just make stuff up for a couple of hours a day,” Stock told the Hartford Courant’s Bruce Berlet, who also got a P.J. earful about whining millionaire players. “My message (to them) is to enjoy it as much as possible because one day it might not be there.”

Dynasty Islander Anders Kallur had one of the best stories at the gala 1980 team reunion. His yarn is about Anders using Al Arbour speeches to pump his team. One day Kallur told his sextet, “Keep skating even if the roof caves in.” At that point one of the skaters pointed out to coach Anders that there was no roof above them. It was an open-air rink!

There can be no doubt Lundqvist is a Calder Trophy Finalist. (AP)

As popular as the shootout may be, it still raises issues with execs such as Bob Clarke.

“Shootout points should be a tie game,” the Flyers’ GM told the Inquirer’s Tim Pannachio, “and you should get credit for a tie. Shootout points should be kept by themselves, since it has nothing to do with the game.” No doubt the Shootout will be heavily-discussed in the off-season but it’s not going away. The fans love it!

Scott Thornton could have an offseason career as a bike-racer. During the Olympic break, Joe’s bro raced against pros, finishing a 17-mile time trial in 48 minutes.

Unfinished Business Dep’t.: The Blues’ sale remains a three-way tug between Sports Capital Partners, MatlinPatterson Global Advisors and General Sports and Entertainment. Hopefully, the deal will soon be completed.

We’re sad to report the death of Reyn Davis of the Winnipeg Free Press. When the World Hockey Association was in its prime, Davis was one of the top chroniclers of the upstart league. And one of the nicest guys on the beat. He’ll be missed.

Overlooked on Trade Deadline Day was another big news item: The Avalanche have lost Marek Svatos for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. 'Til the mishap, Svatos was the league’s best-least-discussed rookie.

Good News Dep’t.: Olli Jokinen, his agent, Mark Gandler and Mike Keenan agreed on a four-year, $21 million contract extension. Why is it good? Because the Panthers’ captain never wanted to leave Florida. “I wanted to stay,” explains Jokinen, “because I’m confident this franchise is going in the right direction.”

Bob Clarke offers yet another good reason why the NHL should stay out of the Olympics.

“We give European countries total access to our players and they were put under a lot of pressure,” says Clarke. “European hockey officials were phoning them all the time and seeing them in the locker rooms. I don’t think that should have been allowed.” We second the motion!

An interesting documentary is in the works about the history of Rhode Island hockey. A focus is on the upset win of Toll Gate High School over perennial power Mount St. Charles Academy in 2004. MSC had won 26 straight titles, and its alum includes Mat Schneider, Bryan Berard and Garth Snow.

When Colin Campbell and his merry band of Make-The-NHL-Better Boys next convene they’ll be considering the physical play issue. Or the supposed lack of it under the new system. A significant number of players will say – off-the-record, of course – that too much contact has been removed.

When you think about it, Darcy Regier made the best trade deadline decision of all; he left his wonderful lineup alone.

Will Yashin be an Islander in 2006-07? (AP)

Arguably, the most perplexing decision any team must make between now and September involves the Islanders and Alexei Yashin. Or, more specifically, owner Charles Wang, whomever his new GM might be and Yashin.

The club’s captain has $35.3 million left over five years in his contract. No question Yash can be a useful player either in Nassau or elsewhere, but the dough hurts.

Newsday’s Alan Hahn opines, “The most logical option is a buyout.” Any decision will follow naming the new GM. Meanwhile, the likeable Alexei cryptically says, “We’ll see what happens after the season.” We think Hahn’s right!

Long ago, several hockey observers contended that Eric Lindros would be better off had his parents not meddled in his NHL business. Well, guess what? It’s still an issue. His father, Carl Lindros, is sniping at Maple Leafs doctors for what will be season-ending wrist surgery.

Israel’s national team gets a boost while preparing for the World Championships with the addition of Robby Glantz to its staff. He’s been power-skating coach for the likes of Luc Robitaille, Jeremy Roenick, Rob Blake and Sid Crosby. Meanwhile, Israel’s National Junior club started off the World Junior Championships in Romania by beating Turkey, 14-3.

Pleased with his terrific play during the Olympics, Kenny Jonsson is thinking about returning to the NHL next season. Several NHL teams would be glad to have him.

Not that Cale Hulse isn’t a good interview, but what really has Calgary scribes excited is the arrival of Mrs. Hulse. Cale’s better half is better known as gorgeous actress Gena Lee Nolin, whose TV and movie credits include her own show Sheena, and appearances with David Letterman and Conan O’Brien. In case you’re interested, last year Gena starred in Life After Baywatch.

A columnist’s comment worth noting: “The Olympics have been nothing but a nightmare for the NHL,” observed The New Jersey Record ’s Adrian Wojnarowski. “They’ve stopped the season three times now and it’s hard to tell what benefit it’s served for them.”

Bruins defenseman Nick Boynton should keep his mouth shut.

After a recent loss to the Sabres, Boynton complained, “They (the Sabres) are out there flopping around like fish out of water. It’s embarrassing.” We agree with Daniel Briere’s response, “It doesn’t really bother us. They’ve got to give good reasons to their fans why they’ve been losing to us this year.” Lindy Ruff had a better line prior to his Sabres’ 6-2 win over Boston on Sunday: “I told them not to flop around like fish and to go after them like sharks.”

One of the – temporarily – scary, trade deadline gambits was pulled by Bryan Murray. At a practice, hours before H-Hour, the Senators’ coach approached Antoine Vermette as if he was delivering trade news. Of course, there was none. So, why did Murray do it?

According to the Ottawa Sun’s Chris Stevenson, “Murray did it because he likes the kid and made it clear the Senators couldn’t deal him with the year he’s having.” True enough!

The legacy of "Boom-Boom" is extending into the bloodlines. (AP)

Boom Boom Geoffrion would have been tickled about his grandson, Blake Geoffrion. The 18-year-old plays Junior hockey in the North American League and is part of the U.S. National Team Development Program. Blake was projected by NHL Central Scouting as the 45th overall prospect among North American skaters in mid-term rankings of players eligible for the NHL Entry Draft this Summer. Young Geoffrion will attend the University of Wisconsin and play for the Badgers next season. Blake is the son of Boomer’s son, Dan, who skated for the Canadiens and Jets.

Gary Bettman impressed during a Buffalo visit, “It’s spectacular to see this building this filled, this alive this energized. This is what I’ve always known hockey in Buffalo to be,” the commish raves.

Mat Schneider has emerged as a Norris Trophy candidate – well ahead of Olympic disaster Bryan McCabe. In Matty’s case, overdue credit is due to his dad, ex-Marine Sam Schneider.

Sam says, “What I was trying to do was instill a sense of responsibility and accomplishment and respect, I was trying to teach kids how to grow up to be young men. I just used hockey as a vehicle.”

Denis Potvin retired almost two decades ago, yet Rangers fans unfailingly “remember” him with a standard “Potvin -----“ chant. To his credit, the Hall of Famer for 18 years has reacted to it with good humor. At the recent Isles 1980 team reunion, he told a packed Nassau Coliseum crowd, “Rangers fans will never get it; they’re saying, ‘POTVIN’S CUPS. POTVIN’S CUPS.’”

Best Hitter Of The Week Award: Goes to Al Ovechkin for his booming take-downs of Colin White and Zdeno Chara.

Brad Shaw is stuck with the “interim” coach label. The way he’s coached the Islanders since taking over for Steve Stirling (12-7-2), there’s every reason for the next GM to consider him as head coach next year.

Fred Modin has an interesting take on winning a Stanley Cup with an Olympic Gold Medal: “Winning the Gold Medal is something where the whole country is with you, and goes through all the games with you,” says Modin.

“With the Stanley Cup you’re with a group of guys that fight for a playoff spot for 82 games. Then you go through four rounds of the playoffs and end up where you want to be. It’s just such a relief and such a reward.”