FanHouse Jim Kelley

After two weeks of hard deliberating and consultation with family and friends, superstar Mats Sundin decided to have blueberry pancakes for breakfast. This comes as a shock to media and ex-teammates, who figured Sundin for a apple and cinnamon kinda guy. Raspberry remains heartbroken by the news (she should have seen it coming).

Yes, Sundin has yet to make a decision as to whether he'll play in the NHL next season, and has a few teams (Canucks, Leafs, Canadiens) waiting with bated breath as he considers their offers. O NOES!!!

There are far too many people, it seems, that think that Sundin, like every other free agent piece of meat, should have signed a contract at midnight on July 1st. OMGZ, How could Sundin possibly not pounce on the first big contract like a horny dog?

A few examples for your viewing pleasure ...

Sportsnet.ca, who calls Sundin's decision process 'dithering'. Nice. Apparently, making snap decisions is the only way to go.

Jim Kelley, douchebag exemplar, goes off on Sundin for putting a wrench in team's off-season plans. As if it is Mats' fault for GM's not having a Plan B?

Mike Consentino of Sports Full Circle compares this to a "Soap Opera", and says Sundin will look worse than Brett Favre. If this is a "Soap Opera", where are the lurid affairs, shower scenes, and evil twins?

Even our old buddy Greg Wyshynski is questioning Mats Sundin's heart, despite the fact that Sundin is one of the grittiest players in the entire league! WTF?

This doesn't count the 100's of forum posts I've read chastising Sundin for his careful consideration.

In the game against Buffalo, the Habs played a very solid, spirited 60 minutes of hockey while the Sabres took most of the second period off which cost them the game eventually. They certainly deserved their 2 points. What is noteworthy from this game is the sheer amount of clutching, grabbing, and interference allowed by the guys with the orange armbands, who, frankly I thought had left the ice to grab a brew for most of the game. This is what I call the Guy NHL, named after that great defensive forward and current Head Coach of the Habs, Guy Carbonneau. Watch Gary Bettman's nose grow the next time he says that the standard of what is and what is not a penalty has 'not slipped a bit.,' even though Director of Officiating Stephen Walkom admitted that the standard had changed to Sportsnet's Jim Kelley last week. Playing in Montreal on a Saturday night is like playing the game in quicksand and a time-warp to the late-90's all at the same time. If the Habs are fighting for a playoff spot, one can forget their team getting anything close to a fair game called.

The officiating was so bad and so non-existent in this game that one of the referees missed a blatant high-stick on Ales Kotalik by Francis Bouillon less than 10 feet away from him that dropped Kotalik to the ice for 20 seconds in the 3rd period with the score 4-2. I'm sure the Canadiens fans and the referee in question thought he took a dive, because you know, the Sabres are nothing but a pack of virulent divers. The Canadiens second goal was helped along by Chris Higgins riding Kotalik out of the play without the puck, thereby negating the back-check and leaving the Ty Conklin helpless to face down Radek Bonk. If it wasn't so predictable, it would almost be sad.... well, nearly as sad as the referees refusal to even talk with Lindy Ruff after the goal was scored while Ruff fumed on the bench.

The 'crackdown' on diving in this league has morphed into an opportunity for the referees to turn a blind-eye to the rule changes they never wanted to enforce in the first place. Count me as one of those who wouldn't mind the ticky-tac hooking call go the way of the dodo, but keep the restrictions on hitting guys without the puck on the back/fore/smite-them-hip-and-thighcheck. Defensemen are being run while set to receive a pass without ever receiving said pass. At a minimum that play is interference, at a maximum it's roughing or boarding. There are multiple rules that could be applied which are not.

That game was an object lesson as to why the NHL is ultimately a bush league. It's impossible to know what is and what is not a penalty. Until that changes, until the League realizes that the inconsistent standard of rules enforcement is the biggest obstacle to the casual observer understanding the game, the marginal status of the NHL that so many believe to be a problem will continue. When I have to explain to someone that well, it's hard to get a call in Montreal because it's, well, you know... Mon-Tre-al, and they look at my like I have 4 heads and speak with a lisp it's embarrassing when I don't have an answer for their saying that's insanely stupid and all I can do is shrug and agree with them.

During games like this one I have to wonder why the NHL doesn't just dispense with the 7 game Stanley Cup Finals and play one game of Last Man Standing, like in the Jimmy Caan classic of anti-authoritarian 70's cinema.

Ta,