Sunday, April 10, 2011
Posted: 7 a.m.
By Tim Panaccio
CSNPhilly.com
Its a form of recognition that most hockey fans dont realize exists.
And if they do, they likely dont see it as being meaningful.
Yet to the media, which spends as much as 10 months a year covering the Flyers, traveling with them, seeing them more than their own families, the Yanick Dupre Class Guy Memorial Award is something to take very seriously.
The award is given annually by the Philadelphia chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association to the athlete who not only has a strong rapport with the media but best illustrates character, dignity and respect for the sport on and off the ice.
Brian Boucher is this years Yanick Dupre winner.
NHL
It means a lot, said the 11-year veteran. To look at me in that way means a lot to me. Some days are better than others, as far as this job. Certainly, players can sometimes be short with you guys and I hope you dont take that personally, given how were feeling that day.
Most players feel they owe something to the community and the fan base.
Since the lockout, its understandable we could have lost some fans during that time," Boucher said. "Its everybodys duty to try and get them back. We do the Wives Carnival. And for suite holders, we have special events for them, like bowling night. The organization is trying to connect with the fans.
In some places, its even more important because the fan base isnt thereI think in Philadelphia, we have a strong fan base. At times, we can take it for granted and assume they will show up and dont have to give back. But thats not the case. As players, we should always take that responsibility with great pride.
In some cities, the fans really arent there and you have to go the extra mile. Here, were thankful for great fans who show up every night. For us to give back at any time, its our privilege doing that, and I feel good about it.
Boucher said hes changed as a player. He admits when he was younger, he sometimes felt self-absorbed and found it very hard to see down the road.
As you get older and have gone through some years and been through adversity and gotten through the other side, you realize its not all that bad. And that theres a bigger picture, he said.
Boucher also said he felt it was incumbent upon veterans, such as himself, to nurture younger players with the media and help them understand that a negative comment or story about their play should never be taken as a personal slight.
Reading the paper or listening to sports radio, they might take it to heart and might think it is personal, but I dont think it is personal, Boucher said.
Youre calling it like you see it and this is sports. We have our short period of time in this game. And when were done, well be fans again and look at it the way that everybody else does.
I realize you guys have a job to do to report and write about the team and whats going on and if poor play is in there, thats the way it is. Its up to us as players. If it bothers you not to look at that stuff then do a better job on the iceand hope things are written in a nicer way.
Mike Richards might by the Flyers' team captain, but hes a very poor spokesman for this team. Much like Eric Desjardins, who wore the C briefly, Richards is uncomfortable talking to the media.
Yes, Richards is shy and would rather have Chris Pronger do all the talking, but the fact is, he wears the C and is accountable to the public through the medialike it or not. Its part of a captains duty to scrum with the media.
Too often, media sessions with Richards have an atmosphere of a cold war around them.
Richards has been rather testy, of late, given the Flyers' second-half collapse and his own emotional detachment from many of those games. In the past week, when the heat rose, he appeared to make an effort to be civil and receptive with the media.
Boucher doesnt wear the C, yet has always been there in the room, no matter what happened in a game, and always acts respectful during interviews.
You dont just show up when you win, Boucher said. Youve got to be a man and stand up and answer questions when its tough, too. I think in the end, people will respect that. Thats the way I see it. In a town like this, I think it goes a long way.
It certainly doesnt go unnoticed.
Unlucky 13
So, there wont be playoffs for the New Jersey Devils for the first time in 13 years.
We put so much into the second half and we came up short, said left wing Ilya Kovalchuk. But it's going to make our team better next year.
Goalie Marty Brodeur was a member of the 96 team that missed the playoffs after winning the Stanley Cup the season before.
You can't be proud because our goal is to make the playoffs regardless of how you get in, Brodeur said. This is the first goal that you need to achieve in the regular season and we haven't done that. Right there, it's a failure because you've got to go for that chance to compete for the Stanley Cup and the first step is the playoffs and we didn't make it, so it's a failure of a season.
Not a Wild celebration
Interesting take from Minneapolis Star Tribune writer Michael Russo on the Wilds misfortunes this season and how they were impacted by the draft.
Russo noted that, had the Wild earned four fewer points last season, Minnesota would have had a chance to pick earlier than ninth in last Junes NHL Draft. The club might have come away with prospect Jeff Skinner of Carolina, who will likely take Rookie of the Year honors as the Calder Trophy winner.
Carolina drafted Skinner at No. 7. The Wild chose Mikael Granlund at No. 9.
And guess what? The Wild arent making the playoffs this year, either and still wont get into the top three spots for this summers draft.
Top coach?
Rangers captain Chris Drury, who was out since early February with a knee injury, played Saturday night against the Devils.
But Drury has played just 24 games for the Rangers this season.
It has been a huge loss for Rangers. One of the reasons Rangers coach John Tortorella deserves consideration for the Jack Adams Award as the leagues top coach is how hes kept his team competitive through a litany of injuries, as have other coaches, such as Detroits Mike Babcock.
Tortortella's biggest test, however, unfolds this week if the Rangers make the playoffs. Gritty winger Ryan Callahan is done for the year with a fractured foot. This occurred after Drury said he wanted to play if the Rangers made the playoffs.
I have all the confidence in the world that we can continue this run and continue it in the playoffs, Callahan said. This team has battled through injuries all year and has responded in the correct way, and I don't think that's going to change with me in or out of the lineup.
To sit out at this time, it's tough for me, but at the same time, I'm gonna try and stick around the room and stay positive and do what I can to help the guys.
Callahans absence would be a huge factor if the Flyers were to meet New York in the playoffs.
Just ducky
Anaheims Corey Perry went into the final weekend of the regular season as a 50-goal scorer for the Ducks. Perry is a legit candidate to win the Hart Trophy as league MVP, though most feel it will go to Vancouvers Daniel Sedin.
I've said all along that getting to the playoffs is more important than winning an award, Perry said.
The last Duck to hit 50 was Teemu Selanne in 1997-98.
We have two games left and he could score 10 more points, Selanne said going into the weekend. He gets those octopus arms going, it's amazing.
Loose pucks
Gotta love that Devils coach Jacques Lemaire doesnt hold back. He says exactly what is on his mind. Kovalchuk notched 30 goals for the eighth straight time this season as a Devil. While the Russian seemed an outcast at seasons start, he seemed woven into the Devils fabric by the end. Hes at least a 40-goal scorer, Lemaire said. I think he started very slow. Thats why he only has 30 at this time.
Congratulations to referee Bill McCreary, who just retired after a distinguished 29-year career in which he worked more than 1,700 regular-season games. No McCreary. No Kerry Fraser. No Don Koharski. All gone.
Penguins center Evgeni Malkin was wearing skates at the team photo this week. He actually skated out from the bench area without help. Malkin had surgery on Feb. 4 to repair a torn ACL and expects to be ready for training camp.
Colorados Adam Foote will retire after 19 years. Not a fancy player, but a true heart n soul guy on the Avs. I'll always remember how hard he played, Marc Crawford, the Dallas Stars coach who coached the Avs' Stanley Cup team of 1996, told the Denver Post. It was a privilege to coach him, and he really did a lot of great things, not only for me, but the Colorado and Quebec organizations, and for the league. Even when we played him this year, he was still one of the toughest guys in the league to face. He really thought the front of the net was his area. It was definitely a no-parking zone to him.
Finally, a sad goodbye to an old friend, EJ McGuire, who died this week from cancer. There was nothing EJ wouldnt do to help you on a story about a player, an aspect of the game, or in recent years, tracking down info on any potential draft prospect on the planet. Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said it best: EJ was a good friend to many of us in the hockey world. He will be missed.
Editors note: Playoff standings were not finalized when this story was posted before the final games of the regular season on Sunday. Associated Press, Denver Post, LA Times, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Newsday, Star Ledger, New York Post, Ottawa Sun and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review contributed to this story.E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net