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Friday 14 December 2012

Life at the Rink

The Zamboni.

Invented by an American, but altogether Canadian.

For many who live in the Great White North, it is an icon. The Zamboni mesmerizes kids who grow up in Canada when those gates open wide and it rolls out onto the ice.

These young hopefuls, with NHL dreams in their eyes, wait patiently along the glass for the ten minutes it takes to clean the ice. All in hopes the driver will wave or honk his horn at them.

As those same players grow older, NHL dreams faded, the fascination with the Zamboni does not waver. Rather, it just transfers its energy to another detail.

No longer do these players stare in awe at the immense machine driving up and down the ice, but rather what that machine is doing to their playing surface.

The attraction is now with the clean sheet just waiting for them to dig their skates into.

So, no matter where a player is in his hockey career, the Zamboni always will play an important part in bringing the games emotion out in us.

The Zamboni may have been an American creation, but it is the adopted Canadian symbol of the rink.


Monday 10 December 2012

World Juniors: Two Chicago Blackhawks Players Look To Make Canadian Team


Phillip Danault, courtesy Photi Sotiropoulos


The World Junior Championships is always a big deal, especially if you are a player looking to make the Canadian team. 
Although it means being away from family and friends over the holiday season, it is a sacrifice all players would be willing to make in order to represent their country in a national tradition.
The 2013 edition of this event is going to take on an even bigger meaning, not just to Canadians but also to any hockey fan throughout the world.
Of course there have been European leagues, the AHL, NCAA and other leagues to follow but there is still no NHL hockey being played. Many fans of the game have been talking about the World Junior’s since the beginning of the hockey season.
After all, with the ongoing lockout we are experiencing, this tournament has been the one constant fans could look forward to. It also helps that many NHL-caliber players will be suiting up for their countries.
Even though these talented players will make the hockey better, it also makes it tougher on players who are on the fringe of making their respective teams.