Role defenition; The desire to learn or the willingness to compramise.

What separates a good player from a great player?  A good player is a man or woman who can skate, shoot the puck, stop the puck and do it well.  A great player; is a player who can do all of those things mentioned with a smile on their face. A burning desire to pull off that one big glove save, the confidence you bestow in yourself to succeed and be the best you can be. Anyone can play the game, and anyone can be good at it… Only a special kind of person can be great.

Look on the faces of the kids around your local arena, most notably the younger hockey players. That glimmer in their eyes and smile in their face is the reason they are playing hockey. There are 20 kids out on that ice surface, the ones who are falling down and jumping right back up, skating as hard as they can just to see if they can, those are the kinds of kids that make great players, and great teammates.

Some kids are forced into it, wanting nothing more than to be at home where it’s warm, or playing in another sport. Those kids are the ones who don’t care about the win, or the loss. They are the ones who are always late for practice, scowled looks on their faces, lacksidasical on ice performance and most likely a dividing force in the locker room.

Competition is what makes these great players go further on in their on ice careers, they have the tools to make good things happen on ice, they have the desire to play to their fullest potential, and the final piece of the puzzle is the flare of competitive soul inside of them. If you do not have the want in you to be better, you will not go anywhere in life. Be it hockey or education, you have to look inside of yourself to see what is right for you, and strive for it. With every last breathe in your body; until your muscles ache, your brain hurts and your breaking point is not far off, you push a little more. They are the unstoppable force propelling them to their goals and far beyond the realms of imagination. They train hard, study hard and always go that extra mile, no stone left unturned and no check left unfinished.

Not every person can establish their potential inside of them; no one person can make the long journeys on their own to reach their goals. You need people in your life to help you realize what you can be, a coach or mentor to help you see the abilities you can harness. Whether you are a hockey player with a heavy shot, a football star with an accurate arm, or a smart kid with a desire to learn. Not everyone can be a coach, or a teacher; for this reason it explains why the most influential people in your life are the positive role models. If you are to take the responsibility of helping a young soul achieve their dreams and ambitions, you have to be a special kind of person... Selfless and supportive, willing to compromise and be a leader. Too many wicked people have bypassed these characteristics and reject responsibility for their role.

A Mitchell Courtney suspension system

I have done some thinking about how the NHL system for suspensions works. I have discovered that there IS NO SYSTEM, and there should be.. The following is a few key points i will address on how i feel a suspension should be handled.

How a Mitchell Courtney suspension works;

1.)    After an individual suspension is issued by the NHL to a player, the team holding his contract rights will then be charged a penalty of one roster spot per suspension for the duration of the suspension.

-          If a player is traded, the suspension is carried over to the new holder of the players rights. The original team will be granted their roster spot back and the new team will now be forced to play with a penalized roster.

-          If a player retires or changes leagues, the suspension will remain on the player file if there is a return to the NHL.

-          If a player becomes a free agent, the NHL team signing him will take on his salary and roster penalty for the remaining duration of his suspension.

2.)    Suspensions will be divided into two categories; violent offenses and non-violent offenses.

-          For a non-violent suspension, the individual held accountable will not be forced to forfeit their full game salary, but only 65% of their wage; Capping out at $25,000.

-          For a violent offense involving an item of equipment (Skates, Sticks, pucks) forfeit 100% of the players wage; No cap. Money is donated in the victim players name to a children’s hospital of his choice.

-          For a violent offense involving the players body (Head, Fists) Forfeit 95%; Capping out at $100,000. Money is donated in the victim players name to a children’s hospital of his choice.

3.)    Suspension durations;

-          Headshot to a player whose body is above a 45 degree angle from the ice will be minimum 5 game suspensions, adding one game to each game the victim misses due to the injury.

-          If you headshot a player who is on the ice and unable to defend themselves or move, the player will then be suspended a minimum of 7 games, with one additional game for each game missed by the victim due to the injury.

-          Injuries resulting from illegal body checking will be handled as a straight across game for game situation. Player A low hits player B; Player B missed 3 games. Player A then will miss 3 games.

-          Stick offenses such as slashing (In which a player is assessed a 5 minute major) and spearing, will be minimum 2 games and an additional game for each game the victim misses due to the injury.

-          Violating the code of conduct for language or gestures will be done by the number of offenses the player has had.

-          1^st offense is a single game.

-          2^nd offense is 3 games.

-          3^rd offense is 5 games.

-          4^th offense or more is 20 games.

Any comments? Have your say on how you think a suspension should be handled by way of commenting on this post or by replying via facebook!

An open letter to the NHL; Subject; Contract, contrast to age.

Dear readers,

An open letter to the NHL.

I regret to inform you of a chrisis situation going on under your very awkwardly shaped nose, Mr. Bettman.

Yesterday I wrote a story on my hockey blog about the elder abuse going on in NHL training camps this season, using the two players Brendan Morrison and Bill Guerin. Today I bring you part two, in the happenings with Wade Redden and Sheldon Souray.

In the pre lockout it was unheard of, vanquishing your over-paid under achieving players in professional sport to the minor leagues… Today it has become a common occurance in the NHL. Following the lockout season in 04/05, the NHL salary cap started to take its toll on its players they were trying to appease.

With cap restrictions looming over the NHL general managers as they dusted off their offices, many were forced to make harsh and perhaps, irrational approaches to making their NHL teams salary cap compliant. In this case, and also the most common move, is to send their players they feel they are not getting enough out of to their minor league affiliates. Now, to the naked eye and for a business decision, it makes sense to simple ship your un wanted players off, out of sight… out of mind… and off the books. But dare I to udder the words again today, of Elder Abuse.  These are NHL calibre players who have played to earn their contracts you have given them, dear NHL general managers. Do you not see the obligated right you have to them, to ensure them an equal chance of participation?

Wade Redden of the New York Rangers, did not attend a full NHL camp this summer. He was made aware of the cap situation long before the start of the 2010/2011 NHL pre season, that the team could not afford him. While most his future teammates were practicing with the big club and trying to fight for position on the main roster, Wade was forced to play in Hartford with the NHL cuts. Dawning the Wolf Pack jersey he will grow accustomed to this season, he took his demotion in stride… I mean, what else is he going to do? Burning any bridges he may have back to the NHL by questioning managments decission, just doesn’t seem to be a fitting move. Now, had Mr Redden been able to fight for position on his NHL  club and still be demoted, then there would be logic behind it and he would have no choice but to accept his placment with no dis regard. Until that happens, he must live with himself and the thoughts of what could have been, the idea that maybe he could of wowed the coaches this year… And the disapointment of his 6M+ a season salary.

Now we avert our attention to a NorthWest division team that has been under its own fair share of scrutiny this offseason, with Sheldon Souray and the Edmonton Oilers. Last season the oilers hit rock bottom in the standings, and having the first overall pick in the NHL was the only thing to keep fans from jumping ship and searching for dry land. Sheldon Souray was no doubt, very high on the Oilers former general manager list when he signed him during the off season. Unfortunately this enthusiasm never carried over to the new head coaching duo last season of Tom Renney and Pat Quinn. Following a grueling and disapointing season in 09/10; Sheldon Souray said in a news confrence if the team wished to trade him, he would not object to it. They must do what they need to in order to make their team better. Taken as a challenge, the once fiery Tom Renney told Souray he may not attend his NHL camp this season, and must wait for assignment.Today was the cutoff date for Sheldon to get to his new team, and it was then we were all shocked again by the move made by the Edmonton Oilers. Sheldon Souray is on loan to the Washington Capitals farm team, in Hershey.

Both of these players are involved in two separate issues involving their denial to NHL training camps this year, and both of these players have been done a lot of wrong by their right holders. The NHL general managers have no responsibility when it comes to their lucrative contracts they bestow upon the games budding stars, and veteran players. When a young Dustin Penner is offered a 500% pay increase, when only 250% is deserved, then you cannot blame him when he doesn’t live up to the contract. When an NHL GM hands you an offer you know you cannot turn down, a last chance to cash in before your career is done for… You can not reject.

Instead of these suits being penalized for their mistakes, and lapst in judgment; These seasoned vets are being forced into demotion from their clubs. These are not just pawns on your board or cards in your hand people, these are married men, making a living the only way they know how. While Wade Redden is on a bus driving across the country to play hockey, his daughter is at home in New York alone with her mother.

These astronomical contracts, are hurting no one but the players and families who accept them, you don’t want to say yes, but can not afford to say no.