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Wings still feared, respected

There is a perception around the NHL that the sun is finally setting on the Detroit Red Wings empire; that the game's most influential team, the franchise which played a huge role in dragging hockey out of the dead-puck era, has finally succumbed to that most relentless of foes, time.

Violence will stay as long as it sells...

The National Hockey League has been taking a lot of heat in the media recently for its reluctance to eliminate head shots and fighting from the game.

Hockey World

Best wishes to former Oilers coach Ron Low, who was mugged walking down a Calgary street Wednesday about 9 p.m. He was there doing oil-company business in his current job as a salesman. Low, one of the game's great people, needed surgery to repair a perforated bowel. He remains in a Calgary hospital.

New rules can't come fast enough

The Mad Hatter? You don't get much madder than Gary Bettman. The White Rabbit? Here bounces Bill Daly, telling us that Bettman is really sane as Sunday.

Flames stay in playoff hunt

Nothing about the long-on-style/short-on-substance perception we have of the San Jose Sharks was dispelled Friday night.

Stocking up

The small, nearly invisible scrape is about ankle-high on the inside of Travis Moen's left foot. And the tiny nick delights David Nerman, whose curiosity and salesmanship might have saved the Montreal Canadiens forward an injury much worse.