Clever tactic or skirting the rules?

Here's a tactic that seemed worth a try, but ultimately ran afoul of the league for cheating.
In a Toronto house/select league, a team essentially pulled its goalie for the entire game, dressing the girl who usually played goal as a skater. The tactic, discussed with referees before the puck dropped, worked and the team won. But upon review, the game was recorded as a 5-0 default win for the other team.
Was that the right decision for this level of hockey - house league 10- to 12-year-old girls and boys?
Likely not. The No. 1 rule of the game at this level is to have fun. Making friends and keeping fit would follow as rules two and three.
For details, read the full story in the Toronto Star.

Car!

Why Toronto is a silly city. Can't offer decent minor hockey rinks. Can't play road hockey. Can't build a decent NHL team.
Here's what happened on the street hockey debate, as reported by the Toronto Star.

Simmons on Gillis, Frost and Danton

On the eve of playoff elimination for the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Sun sportswriter blogs about GM Mike Gillis and his role in the David Frost minor hockey strange behaviour/Mike Danton case. Interesting reading here that may make some of us jump off the Canucks bandwagon.

The goal and the glory ...

The last year my son played house league before making the jump up to competitive hockey was remarkable. The team went through the entire regular season undefeated in London's Community Hockey League and it was, for most of us, a foregone conclusion that we'd play in the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario championship down the road in Brantford.
There was a hiccup. The tournament was scheduled for Easter weekend with the opening games on Good Friday and championship on Easter Sunday.
One parent spoke up to say there was no way he and his son would play in the championship tournament. Another parent, obviously not a church-goer, piped up asking if Good Friday was big deal. The conversation went downhill from there.
Turns out we didn't have to worry. The no-loss kids were defeated in a deciding game after a "hand of God" play in which a key goal by our kids was disallowed after the referee asked the opposing goalie if the puck went in the net. I kid you not. The young goalie gave the answer you'd expect and the dilemma over playing on Good Friday and Easter was passed to another team of 9 and 10-year-olds.
I'm reminded of this story not just because it's Easter weekend, but because of a story published earlier this month by the Globe and Mail about Toronto Maple Leafs goalie James Reimer, who is only one of a handful of publicly devout Christian athletes in the NHL.
We all like to balance all aspect of family life -  kids' hockey and church are often in conflict.
Wonder what James Reimer, Mike Fisher or Jarome Iginla would do if some goof asked them to play on Good Friday?

Domi watch

Not many 15-year-olds generate a buzz like that surrounding Max Domi of Toronto, who is eligible for this year's OHL draft.
The Hockey News calls Max "easily" the best player at a recent NCAA showcase. And while the future seems to point to an eventual career with the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (and who wouldn't want to play at Yost Arena?), some believe Max would play in the OHL if the right team drafted him. Rumour has it the only right team would be the London Knights.
We'll soon see.

Canadian sledge hockey team wins in London

The London Free Press came up with some great shots from the gold medal game of the World Sledge Hockey Championship in London today. Canada won as expected, although the 8-0 final score over Norway wasn't as close as many hoped.
For some reason, The Free Press used coverage of the sledge hockey championship in its news section instead of sports. Was it because the athletes were disabled?

Sledge tournament prompts renovations

Western Fair Sports Centre in London, Ont., is usually known as the home of a Jr. B teen hockey club and a minor hockey palace. But this week, it's become headquarters for the World Sledge Hockey championship.
The facility has completed a bunch of renovations that startle. In the main, Olympic-ice rink, clear plexiglass has replaced the solid boards so that sledge players can watch the game when they're in the bench area. We can't say they're on the bench as it has been removed.
Plastic ice sheets line the hallway so players can slide from the dressing rooms to the ice surface.
Great coverage of the tournament - which I expect Canada will win - is available at lfpress.com. London Free Press reporter Deborah Van Brenk (debatlfpress) is tweeting from the tournament tonight. Click here for Deb's video report.

Couture in running for Calder

Congratulations to London, Ont., minor hockey product Logan Couture for being one of the three finalists for the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year.
A former Junior Knight (naturally), Couture is a buddy of the greatest young defenceman in hockey, also a London product, Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings.
Couture stars for the San Jose Sharks - amusing that the Sharks and Kings are playing each other in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Toronto Star has the rookie nominees story. And The London Free Press has a great piece about this city's Stanley Cup participants.

Takin' it to the streets

Road hockey, street hockey, ball hockey ... call it what you will. Fact is, it should be allowed on quiet residential streets. Apparently some in Toronto are sour on it. Some, such as Counc. Josh Matlow, are sweet.
The Toronto Star has the latest flare-up.

Trevor Gretzky: Future pro

Wayne Gretzky's 18-year-old son is talented athlete with pro potential - but not in hockey.
Trevor Gretzky is aiming for a pro career in baseball. Click here for the Toronto Star story.