FanHouse PhoenixCoyotes

The Detroit Red Wings continued their sluggish recovery from five-game losing streak Wednesday with 5-4 win over the Phoenix Coyotes. The game came two nights after an ugly win over St. Louis and was just the Wings' fourth in ten games.

It was a game of role reversals relative to Monday's against the Blues. Whereas Monday it was Chris Osgood who kept his team in it and put them in a position to win in shootout, Wednesday it was Osgood's teammates who carried their goaltender to a tick up in his win column.

A good buddy of mine recently landed a journalism job that made me equal parts proud and insanely jealous: He's going to be an assistant editor for DRAFT magazine, which he describes as Cigar Aficionado for the beer enthusiast. An editorial office filled with an unending assortment of promotional beer schwag and "review" brews? I haven't asked him yet if he's paying them to work there...

He pointed me in the direction of DRAFT's Nov./Dec. issue and its cover story on Jeremy Roenick. Titled "Jeremy Roenick: He's Good" in honor of his immortalizing in the movie "Swingers," the Q&A by Bonnie Siegler covers two of Roenick's business ventures -- the Phoenix-based Muze Lounge and a line of designer shirts, Muze Clothing -- as well as his famous dust-up with Patrick Roy in 1996 (you know, the one that ended with Roy saying he couldn't hear what Roenick was saying because he had "two Stanley Cup rings plugging" his ears), his near-retirement via text message ("It was taken out of context."), the fact that Alexander Ovechkin reminds him of his younger self and, of course, beer.

The story doesn't appear to be available online, so here are some choice excerpts from the mouth of Jeremy:

It looks like "Operation Slapshot" has scored a goal as former NHL rabble-rouser and Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach-in-limbo Rick Tocchet pleaded guilty to running a sports gambling ring.

[Tocchet] pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to promote gambling and promoting gambling. Such offences usually do not carry a jail sentence for first-time offenders.

The 43-year-old Tocchet is the third man to plead guilty in the case, which New Jersey authorities dubbed "Operation Slapshot." The others, including state Trooper James Harney, are expected to get jail time.

Prosecutors said in February 2006 that the ring handled US$1.7 million in wagers during a 40-day stretch that began at the end of 2005 and included college football bowl games and the Super Bowl. They said there were no bets on hockey games.

While there were quite a few mediots, writers and bloggers running around like Chicken Little when this story first broke, the fact is that it will not give the NHL or hockey a black eye, and won't really damage Tocchet as much as people think.

First of all, nobody was betting on hockey, so the integrity of Coyotes games (which Tocchet was a part of) or other NHL games was not at risk. As Jeremy Roenick once put it, "Nobody bets on hockey."

Secondly, who cares if some rich folks want to plunk down some dough on some football games? It's their money, and they have every right to gamble it, throw it away, burn it, or buy Carrot Top DVDs. The attitude towards gambling in North America is really quite silly and puritanical.

Most people, especially hockey fans in Canada, are smart and decent enough to know that betting on sports isn't really all that bad, nor is running a gambling ring the sign of an evil person. Sports betting is so pervasive in Europe that my European friends can't help but laugh at how silly this whole story is.

Tocchet was simply filling a market niche, and got caught by the morality police. Rick will be bruised and battered, but will come back just fine ... much like he did during his NHL career.

For more on how silly this whole thing is, check out colleague Tom Luongo's post over at Sabre Rattling.

Mike Lange, long-time Pittsburgh Penguins play-by-play guy, is one of hockey's most well-known announcers. His growly voice is distinct as are his catchphrases, such as "He smoked him like a bad cigar", and "Look out, Loretta!"

The Penguins broadcaster, FoxSports Pittsburgh, irked a lot of their fans, such as blogger Michael the Hockey Fanatic when they decided Lange wasn't "TV Friendly" enough, and demoted him to doing radio broadcasts.

Lange, obviously, felt jilted and may want to look elsewhere to get back in the TV spotlight.

"I do love Pittsburgh, but the scene has changed for me. There isn't any doubt about that. I've been turned aside from TV. I'm not their No. 1 guy anymore. I have to do what's best for me. I have to consider my career."

It can't be easy working for/with the same organization that has demoted you and no longer thinks you are worthy of the role you had for so many years.

Mr. Hockey Fanatic notes that the Phoenix Coyotes recently fired their play-by-play guy, and Lange might want to petition for that role, or perhaps a national role:

If Pittsburgh were to lose Mike Lange's talents, I would hope that perhaps a national broadcast team would pick him up. He would then be exposed to the rest of the hockey fans and they would get to enjoy his quirky-yet-endearing style.

Phoenix may want to get some 'young' blood in the booth, but they would be wise to pick up a good broadcaster with some personality. Lange's style doesn't appeal to everyone, but he's far more interesting and adept at calling a game than most talking heads these days. Phoenix would be smart to pick up Lange for their TV broadcasts.

For a nearly-complete list of "Lange-isms", check out this list at The Igloo Report.

According to TSN.ca, the Phoenix Coyotes have already begun the process of gutting their management team and starting from scratch (again) after a woeful season which saw the Coyotes finish dead last in the Western Conference with 67 points.

General manager Mike Barnett, assistant general manager Laurence Gilman, and Senior Executive and Vice President of Hockey Operations, Cliff Fletcher have been let go.

Barnett joined the Coyotes as Vice President and GM in 2001, leaving behind a successful career as a player agent with Wayne Gretzky as his marquee client.

Although not many will be surprised at the front-office shakeup, it's hard to imagine that Wayne Gretzky, who is unfailingly loyal, will simply kick good buddies Barnett and Fletcher out the door altogether ... at least not without a cushy payout pillow to fall on.

Under the management of Gretzky and Friends, the Coyotes have made a number of bad decisions that have left the club with dim prospects for the present and future. Signing over-the-hill veterans such as Curtis Joseph, Jeremy Roenick, and Owen Nolan only blocked the younger players from getting more ice time while eating a large chunk of salary cap space at the same time.

The Gretzky Era has seen The Great One hire good friends for important positions, rather than hire based on merit. Claude Lemieux, Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, Keith Gretzky, and Tom Kurvers were all brought on board because they just happened to be part of a nice entourage.

The scouting staff, in turn, made a pile of questionable picks that have left the Coyotes with a fairly meager pool of prospects from which to draw from. With poor attendance and a weak market, the Coyotes' franchise is going to need somebody with some exceptional talent to turn that club into a success. Will Gretzky finally do the right thing and hire the best candidate, even if he's not a good friend?