NHL

"The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09, from left: Brett Hull, Lou Lamoriello, Brian Leetch, Luc Robitaille, and Steve Yzerman." - Bill Sodeman from Bookmarklet

"The very fact that the NHL has cut a deal to buy the Coyotes, which has basically excluded Gretzky and the money owed him, may save them a few million dollars in the process but won’t be worth the alienation created with the most important player the game has known. The relationship between Gretzky and the league is the worst it has ever been no matter what rhetoric is spread. Of all that Bettman has bungled over the years, this may be his largest gaffe from a public relations point of view. Hockey is a hard enough sell in the United States and selling out Gretzky will end up costing them more in the long run than it would have cost them to pay The Great One what he was owed." - Bill Sodeman from Bookmarklet

"The Staples Center version of Hyde Lounge will be designed in part by sports architect Rossetti, the firm planning other parts of the arena’s $10 million renovation this summer. It will have ledge seats overlooking the bowl and high-end leather furniture, rich fabrics, strong earth tones and hand-carved finishes. The 175-person lounge, opposite stage end, is to debut Oct. 27 for the Lakers’ home opener. Levy Restaurants, the arena’s food provider, will operate the club in tandem with on-site managers representing the two firms. Food will also be served with some of the same items on the menu at Katsuya and other SBE restaurants. In its first year the lounge will be open to courtside seat holders and suite owners. As part of the deal, AEG sold a block of tickets for Lakers, Clippers and Kings games and other events to SBE to distribute to its best customers to hang out at the new club, said Lee Zeidman, the arena’s executive vice president and general manager." - Bill Sodeman from Bookmarklet

Damn. - Derrick

Tie Domi? Trust me, he's got one - Shey, Jamaican of FF

"Senior health officials in the Canadian province of Alberta said on Wednesday they had fired an unidentified worker for giving National Hockey League players preferential access to the H1N1 flu vaccine. The controversy boiled over this week when it was revealed that players for the NHL's Calgary Flames and their families received shots on an exclusive basis one day before the province closed public flu clinics due to a shortage of the vaccine." - Bill Sodeman from Bookmarklet

I really don't understand what the big deal is here. - Shey, Jamaican of FF

"A federal bankruptcy judge has given his approval to the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes to the NHL. Judge Redfield T. Baum agreed to sign the sale order on Monday after attorneys made minor modifications to the deal. None of the changes significantly altered the NHL's agreement to pay about $140 million to buy the team from owner Jerry Moyes. The only party who didn't join in the agreement is former coach Wayne Gretzky, who owned a small portion of the team. However, Gretzky did not file a formal objection with the court." - Bill Sodeman from Bookmarklet

Bettman twists the knife one last time. Good luck to the NHL finding someone who wants to run a charity. - Kenton

The Milwaukee Admirals really did wear these uniforms for a game. - Bill Sodeman from Bookmarklet

GAK! That doesn't look like a hockey sweater, it looks like a pajama top! - vicster

"The red lines were originally broken up with white in order to differentiate the red line from the blue line on black and white TVs. Perhaps this is common knowledge, but I only figured it out last year when Montreal played in Colorado and the local sports station broadcast the second period in black-and-white as a tribute to the old days of hockey." - Bill Sodeman from Bookmarklet

It's about time they won a game at home, too. - Bill Sodeman from Bookmarklet

""The door has always been open (to Canada)," he explains. "What I've said consistently is, not that we plan on relocating, but if we relocate or if we expand, we are going to consider all of the opportunities in Canada that should be considered, assuming people want to own franchises in any one of the possible markets." Bettman's backers point out how the commissioner supported the survival of small-market Canadian teams such as the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers at the time of the woeful Canadian dollar. Or how he came to the aid of the Ottawa Senators when that cash-strapped organization was on financial pins and needles." - Bill Sodeman from Bookmarklet

Sutter is doing the right thing with Iginla. - Dana Fosburgh from Bookmarklet

Paul's annual OCD review of NHL uniform changes. He's also got information about the new officials uniforms, and update on some goalie masks. - Bill Sodeman from Bookmarklet

"These moves did not come as a shock, but sources close to Gretzky have told SI.com that he's been stung by criticism of his decision to not be on the ice as coach when training camp opened even though he'd made that decision with the best interests of the Coyotes in mind. One source told SI.com that an even bigger disappointment for Gretzky was that the NHL had stated in open court that it would not honor his contract with the franchise should it be the successful bidder for the bankrupt franchise. "That," the source said, "was like a kick in the gut to Wayne. He's done everything ever asked of him by the league and then some, and then when this came along they didn't even talk to him. They are willing to honor a whole list of existing contracts, but not his. That's unbelievable. He knew this day was coming." Don't for a moment think there will not be long-term fallout from that decision. Gretzky is almost a decade removed from his playing days, but he is still the most recognizable... more... - Bill Sodeman from Bookmarklet

In its latest court filing, the Balsillie camp suggests that NHL teams hold veto rights over their home territory — something the league has denied in court — citing a recent interview with Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk on Toronto radio station The Fan 590. The veto issue was raised in the Coyotes case because Balsillie's $242.5-million (U.S.) bid for the team is contingent on a move to Hamilton — a city that falls within the Maple Leafs territory. - Shey, Jamaican of FF from Bookmarklet

You said it, Chris - Shey, Jamaican of FF