By Paul Kukla
Some of the hockey stories that have grabbed the headlines in the last week or so- Tootoo is a clown and Phaneuf is a punk.
Ah yes, the playoff posturing has begun. Let me explain.
A few days ago Nashville's Jordin Tootoo performed his one-man wrecking ball act in the third period against Columbus, which included a self-proclaimed victory celebration after a fight. Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock referred to it as a clown show in his post-game comments.
Yesterday, Nashville coach Barry Trotz went public to say he had a talk with Tootoo, basically telling him to calm down his act. Why did Trotz go public with this? There is simply one answer; if the Predators make the playoffs, he doesn't want Tootoo to be a "marked" man by the refs, so he tried to smooth this situation over in the press.
Another sign the playoffs are near is courtesy of a Denver Post writer who comes out with a "Phaneuf is a punk" line, then decides to change it. You see, Phaneuf played his usual game according to the writer, hitting from behind, hiding behind his shield but one day, he will get it back and good. Or if you read between the lines, keep an eye on Dion during the playoffs, especially if the Avs play the Flames.
Expect more of this pre-playoff talk. We are going to hear everything from the Wings make illegal line changes to the visiting locker room is about to be painted pink. The fun is about to begin and I am looking to some original content in the coming days. Just remember coaches, GMs, players and media types, we want fresh and creative content, and stay away from the bad-ice theory. That one is old and should be banned from being brought up again.
Health my wish for playoffs
Going into the playoffs, my one wish from this point forward is a playoff-bound player does not suffer an injury that will keep him out of the playoffs. As a fan of the game, I want the teams going into the second season with a full roster, one they can win with and not have to depend on depth players to step-up and fill-in for an injured player. Then if your team does win a playoff round, you can say your team beat their best and if you lose, you walk away, knowing your team was beat by a better one at that point in time. It works both ways and eliminates the "we weren't healthy" excuse we may be hearing in the coming weeks.
Enjoy your weekend of hockey, the playoff race may be a little more clearer come Monday, when I will be joining you again here at Hockey.com.
Paul