Your New KHL Head Coach Nutty

((HT: KHL their own selves))

The HQ remembers Andrei Nazarov in his playing days as an enforcer, and he seems to have taken that approach to his time behind the bench for Barys Astana in the KHL.

A "too many men" penalty has resulted in one of these outsbursts


To be honest, the arm swing reminds us more of this... at the 4:11 mark

ECHL and CHL To Merge...???

((HT: Pro Hockey Talk/Mahiban))

The HQ finds this interesting on a few fronts...

Dhiren Mahiban is rolling off a Tweet from agent Darryl Wolski that says the two leagues are in talk to come together.

Mahiban is maintaining that the Western Division of the ECHL- long an odd situation with regular season and playoffs with their four teams- could be losing them all to the American Hockey League so they could have a true Western Division base.

Which makes sense...

In return, the Central Hockey League, with ten teams of their own could help squinch the geography of the ECHL if they merge leagues.

It would project out to something like this in the ECHL/CHL of 2015-2016.

Northeast Division

Brampton
Reading Royals
Wheeling Nailers
Elmira Jackals
Kalamazoo Wings
Cincinnati Cyclones
Toldeo Walleye

Southeast Division

Fort Wayne Komets
Evansville IceMen
South Carolina Stingrays
Orlando Solar Bears
Greenville Road Warriors
Florida Everblades
Gwinnett Gladiators
Indianapolis (expansion)

Central Division (All CHL)

Allen, Texas
Missouri
Rapid City
Quad City
Tulsa
Wichita
St. Charles

Western Division

Denver
Arizona
Alaska Aces
Utah Grizzlies
Idaho Steelheads
Colorado Eagles

And they'd all be chasing what Alaska did last season
((HT: Alaska Aces their own selves))


This is contingent on the Western Division currently all being taken as a block- leaving the four teams currently in the projected West.

And it also presents an interesting issue when it comes to talent. The Central Hockey League is considered, in some circles to be more like single-A baseball while the ECHL is double-A. How would the ECHL front offices mesh with their triple-A brothers and how would the single-A front offices mesh with their double-A brothers...???

Both financially and in personnel matters...
Food for thought for all of the teams in the three leagues to figure out if this comes to pass...

ICYMI: Flyers Fire Peter Laviolette After 3 Games

So....is it safe to say after 3 games, ownership has seen enough to determine how your season is going to be?

That is one of the few explanations that can be offered after the Philadelphia Flyers axed now former head coach Peter Laviolette after an 0-3 start this season.

Laviolette has coached the team since 2009 and got the 2010 version of the Flyers all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals.

But a non-playoff performance in the strike shortened 2012 season coupled with we guess the slow start this year lead to his demise.

Assistant coach Craig Berube takes over the team. No word if he'll keep the job or if the Flyers are looking for someone else.

Highlights of Sunday's loss to the Carolina Hurricanes:

Why The Stanley Cup Is A Big Deal

((ht: puckdaddy))

This is pure awesomeness.

If you ever want to know why you should watch the Stanley Cup Playoffs, you should watch this video.

If you ever want to know what Canada does better than the U.S, you should watch this video. (It was produced by the CBC)

For most of us here in the states, we don't pay a lot of attention to Hockey most of the year. Much like the NBA, the regular season goes on forever. But unlike the NBA, when it comes to the playoffs, there are few things more intense or amazing to watch.

Hockey's playoff's, they, at least in our opinion (OSG Sports), every bit as exciting and fun to watch as March Madness.

((**--Note-- We don't include the NBA Playoff's as exciting, because much like the regular season, they drone on...........forever))

Check out the Canadian Broadcast Company's (CBC) Hockey Night in Canada open to kick off their Stanley Cup Coverage--yeah, the song is used too much for commercials in the states, but it's perfect for this.

Avalanche Fire Coach Joe Sacco

So the NHL is winding down their regular season, and in fact for several teams, the season is over.

One of those teams, the Colorado Avalanche wasted no time in firing head coach Joe Sacco Sunday afternoon.

The Avalanche were the worst team in the West during this strike shortened season going 16-25-7 and amassing only 39 points. Or a mere 16 points away from a playoff berth.

Sacco got the job in 2009 and made the playoffs that 1st season, but the Avalanche haven't sniffed post season play since then.