Running 2007 NHL regular season thread

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=220752&hubname=

NHL players to use heated blades

A select handful of NHL players are about to begin using heated skate blades produced by a Verdun, Que., company to enhance performance.

Thermablades use a rechargeable battery and a microprocessor within each skate blade to maintain a temperature of 5 C. The warm blade increases the thickness of the water layer between the blade and the ice surface, and the company says its tests have shown this reduces gliding friction and starting resistance for skaters.

''The NHL is very interested in confirming the data provided by Therma Blade Inc. to establish the safety and reliability of the blade under NHL game conditions and we have agreed to allow a small group of players to test these blades in practices over the next few weeks,'' says Kris King, the NHL's senior manager of hockey operations.

Six to 10 players will try them first. If there are no glitches, the blades then would begin appearing in NHL games.

King says once he receives from the company a list of players who want to participate, he and Stu Grimson of the NHL Players' Association will review it and decide who'll be asked to wear the blades.

 

Betcha Ovie and Crosby will be asked to wear the heated skates.

 

On a completely unrelated note, is there a bigger disgrace than the Sabres' treatment of Teppo Numminen?

The organization suspended the defenseman the day it was announced that he had to undergo open heart surgery. Since then, they dropped his name off of their website's roster and gave away his locker.

Class, thy name is Buffalo Sabres.

 

Wow. Former Leafs Kris King landed himself a good gig. I always thought he was smarter than your average bear.

 

Someone needs to get some heated blades to the Thrashers. They are looking awful, and are a period away from 0-6, down 3-0 to the Flyers.

 

Win or lose, Tomas Vokoun has to be the first star in Montreal. Without him in nets, the Panthers are losing by more than 1-0.

 

Vokoun and Stumpel conspired to rob the Habs tonight. Vokoun turned away 36-of-40 shots in regulation, overtime and the shootout, and Stumpel potted the only shootout goal. Panthers win 2-1.

 

Mike Keenan is going to absolutely explode. The Flames had a 4-0 lead 2:50 into the second period.

At intermission, the game's tied.

 

To be fair, he was suspended to help give the Sabres some cap room, IIRC. Remember, it is still a business.

But I have no explanation for removal of the name and locker.

 

Oh I agree.

But really, the last thing the league needs right now is more labor strife as they try to get more media and fan attention on the game.

 

Wild going for six in a row. Up 1-0 to the Kings right now.

 

Iginla needs to lose the C.