pucksandbooks: Dear Canada: you can keep Ron MacLean — particularly for attempts at standup comedy.
Gustafsson: Another Versus screwup going to TSN and not CBC . . . Thanks for joining the
program in progress.
pucksandbooks: One of the more under acknowledged aspects of Ovie’s appeal here is his rapport with Capitals’ fans. Notice he directed a personal hello to those who made their way to Verizon Center tonight.
pucksandbooks: Re. Pavel Datsyuk’s inspiring speech: on this front, again Alex Ovechkin is at the very top of his profession. Recall his aggressive efforts to gain command of the native tongue of the land in which he makes his career — he insisted on rooming on the road with an English-speaking teammate. Datsyuk’s been in the NHL for six years. Six. Is it too much to ask that such foreign-born players make more than indifferent efforts to be communicative members of the community?
Gustafsson: Another Russian revolution? Who knew the kids would present better than the adults (granted they were recorded) Interesting to see AO nervous and searching for the words… We’ve never seen that in the post-game locker room.
pucksandbooks: Ya think the league tonight is attempting to convey the image that it’s kid-friendly?
pucksandbooks: Oh *#@*, Datsyuk’s gonna try and speak again. Even MacLean gave him the business on his garbled, incoherent utterances.
Gustafsson: Did you see AOs face when they announced Scotty Bowman as presenter?
DC Sports Chick: Bruce!
OrderedChaos: Bruce!
pucksandbooks: Bruce!
Gustafsson: Bruce!
Empty Maybe: Bruce!
pucksandbooks: Dear Canada: you can keep Ron Maclean — particularly for attempts at standup comedy.
Empty Maybe: Mike Bossy, the anti-Dick Clark
pucksandbooks: Here comes the Calder . . . Kane. The Backstrom hopes I think were pinned on the Hawks’ guys splitting the vote. All three are gonna have spectacular careers, that’s for sure.
DC Sports Chick: Pat Kane, the anti-Pavel Datsyuk.
Gustafsson: I’m interested to see the vote breakdown for all categories with our guys… Was Nicky close? Did Bruce win handily? Did anyone not vote AO?
OrderedChaos: Bettman got introduced and there were no boos. Has that ever happened before?
pucksandbooks: This lifetime achievement award has the chance to be the evening’s highlight. Problem is, Bettman is hosting it. I’m gonna channel Mr. Hockey for a moment: “What am I doing standing next to this putz?”
pucksandbooks: Substantively, that was a strong speech by no. 9. He conveyed his enduring love for hockey (”in the alley, on dirt roads”), and in referencing the game being “in great hands,” he credited not the commissioner but rather the young guns. Who can disagree with him?
Gustafsson: Is there a kid for each nominee backstage or only the one with the winner?
pucksandbooks: Where are the parents?
Empty Maybe: At next year’s awards they should cram the stage with bloggers.
DC Sports Chick: Even Logan the 12-year-old speaks better than Datsyuk.
OrderedChaos: Apparently youth hockey is only played in Canada, as there isn’t an American youth up there to be found.
pucksandbooks: No surprise — Lidstrom takes the Norris. It’d be nice if the Academy Award winners’ speeches carried this evening’s economy of expression. Each one of those lasts longer than the NHL season.
Empty Maybe: I want to take a moment to thank Canada for being unassuming enough to run an awkward, earnest, awkward awards show. The geniuses in L.A. would have Ron MacLean sliding down a firepoll with Eva Mendez and Charisma Carpenter on each arm (stunt technology at it’s best), sip a martini, and then declare that Canadian bacon actually is ham, and that Moosehead beer has been bought out by Coors and will now be called Roadkill Lager.
Gustafsson: Have I missed Milbury accepting best broadcaster?
Empty Maybe: Billy Smith is on stage to present the Vezina. How is it that all of Al Arbour’s players from the ’80s look older than he does?
pucksandbooks: Who accompanied Brodeur to the awards tonight, his wife or her sister?
Empty Maybe: Maybe he’s moved on to the family au pair.
OrderedChaos: It’s Hart time!
Gustafsson: Ovie!
pucksandbooks: Ovie!
DC Sports Chick: Ovie!
Empty Maybe: Shocker!
OrderedChaos: Ovie!
Gustafsson: “You know . . . its all about my team” Perfect.
pucksandbooks: Mayor Fenty, you have a 4:00 appointment tomorrow. But I think you knew that.
