2008/2009 FANTASY HOCKEY

The rule changes were approved last spring without much fuss. But you can bet there'll be a whole mess o' fuss when the referees start making the calls. So what happens this season when an NHL player takes a shoulder to the noggin or a nasty tumble into the boards? We can only guess, because the exact wording of a rule doesn't reveal much. What matters is how the NHL chooses to apply it. The accepted "standard of enforcement" usually evolves after a good deal of trial, error, and debate. But the bottom line is that some hits considered legal last season should be deemed illegal this season. That's sure to result in angry fans, fuming GMs, and inevitable cries of "They're taking hitting out of the game!" To help prepare you for all the outrage, here's a look at the amendments made to Rule 41 (boarding) and Rule 48 (hits to the head), and how those changes on paper might change the game on the ice: The NHL's Head Shot Rules for 2011-12 Photo: Bruins' forward Marc Savard is wheeled from the ice after taking a hit to the head in March, 2010. His hockey career is likely over due to concussions (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images).Deciphering the NHL's New "Head Shot" Rules originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Monday, September 19th, 2011 at 09:20:38.Permalink | Comment | Email this

Elite athletes travel a lot, and do most of it by air. Which is not to say tragedy is inevitable. But over the years, air disasters have had terrible consequences for sport. Last week's crash that devastated Russia's Lokomitiv Yaroslavl hockey club is among the worst ever. The list of Air Disasters in Sport includes accidents that claimed the lives of boxers, football players, rugby players, figure skaters, and soccer players. It also includes three tragic hockey stories, including one that was covered up for years. Photo: Hockey fans in Yaroslavl gather outside the 'Arena 2000' to mourn the members of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team. (Photo: Harry Engels/Getty Images.)Sport's Most Tragic Air Disasters originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Monday, September 12th, 2011 at 00:28:35.Permalink | Comment | Email this

Just last week folks were looking at the deaths of NHL veterans Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien, and Wade Belak, and calling it a "wretched summer." No one could have anticipated how much worse it would get. Wednesday's plane crash in Russia killed nearly the entire roster of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, a team in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League. The dead include several names familiar to NHL fans, like Slovak star Pavol Demitra (pictured) and former Calgary Flames captain Brad McCrimmon. Collectively, the team had connections throughout the pro hockey community. While players and executives around the world struggled to find the words, the KHL temporarily suspended operations. For now, the league declined to discuss the continuation of the season or the future of Lokomotiv, one of its most successful franchises. Eventually it will have to follow a contingency plan, and consider the delicate question of whether it's appropriate to ask any player to wear the Lokomotiv colors this season. When the KHL finally resumes play it might look like business as usual. But there's no telling how long the dark clouds will hang over this hockey season, as the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl crash takes its place among the worst air disasters in sports history. Updates: Sept. 8/11 - Plans are afoot to rebuild the Lokomotiv roster. The KHL season will open on Monday after a memorial service on Saturday. Sept. 10/11 - Contradicting earlier reports, team officials say the Lokomotiv franchise will not ice a team this season. Sept. 10/11 - Thousands turn out for Saturday's memorial service at the arena in Yaroslavl. Photo: The late Pavol Demitra celebrates a goal during the Bronze Medal game at the 2010 Winter Olympics. (Harry How/Getty Images).Hockey's Worst Summer: A Staggering Body Blow originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Wednesday, September 7th, 2011 at 21:49:29.Permalink | Comment | Email this

Here's unwelcome news for those who carry emotional scars from the 2005 lockout: the NHL is entering the final year of its collective bargaining agreement with the Players' Association. It remains to be seen where we'll be a year from now, whether negotiations on a new deal lead to a peaceful settlement, a labor war, or something in between. But you can be sure that topics like the salary cap, salary floor, revenue sharing, guaranteed contracts, and assorted CBA tidbits will slowly strangle the hockey conversation in the months to come. The good news you already know: there's a ton of hockey to be played. From Winnipeg's debut to Philly's Winter Classic to the final bell on the CBA, here are the dates to circle on your hockey calendar over the next 12 months.Dates to Circle on Your Hockey Calendar originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 at 00:18:17.Permalink | Comment | Email this

Derek Boogaard's death (alcohol and painkillers), followed by Rick Rypien's (suicide) reignited an ongoing hockey debate. Some argued that life as an NHL enforcer was a factor in both deaths. Others considered it presumptuous to draw conclusions from a pair of individual tragedies. Now we have another dead hockey fighter, the third this summer: Wade Belak, lost to an apparent suicide. Not many folks are talking "individual tragedy" anymore. It's still too early to draw conclusions. But it's clear that when it comes to dealing with the human toll of the game, the NHL remains in the dark ages. As do most fans. (This summer's discouraging news regarding Marc Savard and Sidney Crosby is another reminder that player safety isn't one of hockey's strong points.) Presumably, we're past the days when NHL execs would puff up their chests and dismiss all criticism by insisting it's a "man's game." But whether they can offer a more intelligent or coherent response remains to be seen. It's not as if we can expect a ban on fighting anytime soon. As with the endless debate over hits to the head, hockey's love-hate relationship with fighting indicates that nobody can agree on exactly what kind of game it should be. What could the NHL have done to help guys like Boogaard, Rypien, and Belak? That's a tough question. For now we'll leave the last word to another fighter, as quoted in yesterday's National Post: Former enforcer Georges Laraque spoke to TSN radio Wednesday, and he said, "I hated fighting. I did it because it was my job. I hated promoting violence. I hated it, I hated it, I hated it." Update: The NHL and NHLPA have issued a statement promising to examine "whether concrete steps can be taken to enhance player welfare and minimize the likelihood of such events taking place." Photo: Wade Belak (right) takes on Anaheim's George Parros last season (Jeff Gross/Getty Images).Hockey Mourns. But Will It Change? originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Thursday, September 1st, 2011 at 11:35:01.Permalink | Comment | Email this

The About.com Essential Fantasy Hockey Tips are timeless, remaining unchanged through the ages. But this year they carry an added shot of credibility: I offer them as reigning champion of my local circuit, the Monkstown Fantasy Hockey League. The Muttonheads captured the league lead in February and dominated down the stretch to claim the 2010-11 Monkstown Cup. Joe Thornton led the way all season - Who says he's not a winner? - and a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline brought in the final, crucial piece. Jarome Iginla came at a steep price (James van Riemsdyk and a first-round pick) but it's all worth it when you lift that big mug. Actually, it's a little mug. But you get the idea. With a bit of luck and a lot of preparation, you too can soar to fantasy hockey glory. A great place to start, especially if you're new to the fantasy game, is with our Essential Fantasy Hockey Tips. A new season is just six weeks away... Fantasy Hockey Updates: The latest news, analysis, injury updates, and player projections from fantasy specialist Jim Cerny. (Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)12 Essential Fantasy Hockey Tips originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Thursday, August 25th, 2011 at 08:49:11.Permalink | Comment | Email this

Nobody wants to select a slew of Islanders, Leafs, and Oilers in their fantasy hockey draft. The fear is that too many NHL losers will result in a losing season for your fantasy team. But as long as they produce, players from lousy NHL franchises can help your roster. Islanders' defenseman Mark Streit is one of the NHL's most valuable losers, according to About.com fantasy guru Jim Cerny. In this week's Fantasy Hockey Mailbag, Jim considers Streit's ranking among defensemen in 2011-12. He also takes a question on which players will benefit most from off-season moves, and looks at the status of Anaheim's vertigo-prone goaltender. The Latest Fantasy Hockey Mailbag More Fantasy Hockey Tips and Updates Jim welcomes your fantasy hockey questions. Email him at jimcerny@gmail.com to get the answer in his next mailbag columns. (Photo: Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)Fantasy Hockey Mailbag: Off-Season Mysteries originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Monday, August 22nd, 2011 at 11:33:55.Permalink | Comment | Email this

Mystified by the give-and-go? Flummoxed by the butterfly? Ashamed to admit you wouldn't know a goal suck if you saw one? Your troubles end here. We've completed letters A to J in our revamped and updated hockey glossary. The project continues, but most of the important terms through the rest of the alphabet are also done. No other sport can match the rich and colorful language and slang of the hockey world. If you're a new or casual fan, the glossary will take you inside the game. (Image: Palma Collection/Getty Images.)Know Your Goons From Your Grinders: The Hockey Glossary originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 at 11:01:30.Permalink | Comment | Email this

In his ongoing mission to help you achieve fantasy hockey supremacy, About.com fantasy man Jim Cerny has been working all summer, evaluating the off-season moves. His latest articles include an analysis of the new-look Columbus Blue Jackets, a fantasy take on Kesler's injury and Nabokov's return, and a tip on a possible steal in your 2011 fantasy draft. Today, Jim sizes up the remains of the NHL free agent crop. In his view, there's not much left to pick over. Among the players still available, only two are likely to make a solid fantasy contribution next season. One of them is the ageless Finn who ranked eighth in NHL scoring last year. The other is a defenseman most fans have probably forgotten about. Jim Cerny's Fantasy Hockey Off-Season Focus: What's Left Among the Free Agents? 2011 NHL Free Agents More Fantasy Hockey Tips and Updates Jim welcomes your fantasy hockey questions. Email him at jimcerny@gmail.com to get the answer in one of his regular mailbag columns. (Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)Fantasy Hockey Summer School originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Friday, August 12th, 2011 at 00:05:13.Permalink | Comment | Email this

What will the San Jose blue line look like? Where did Jamie Langenbrunner end up? Who's playing goal in Colorado? You'll need those answers and many more by the time the puck drops on the next NHL season. It's been a hectic summer, with plenty of roster turnover. The Blue Jackets, Flyers, and Panthers are among the teams undergoing radical makeovers since they last played a game. If you're struggling to keep track, we've compiled all the moves in our list of Who's In and Who's Out on Every NHL Team. Our list of NHL Free Agents is also up to date, with notes on who moved where, who stayed put, and who's still available for 2011-12. Photo: Jeff Carter and Ilya Bryzgalov are both being fitted for new colors (Mike Stobe/Getty Images).Who's In and Who's Out on Every NHL Team originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Sunday, August 7th, 2011 at 20:16:53.Permalink | Comment | Email this