FanHouse TheoFleury

EDMONTON, Alberta -- Former NHL star Theo Fleury says he was sexually abused by a junior hockey coach.

Fleury's account is detailed in an autobiography called Playing With Fire. The book is to be released next week. Excerpts appeared Friday on the website of Maclean's.

The former forward, who played for the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks during his career, accuses Graham James of abuse. James was jailed in 1997 after admitting to sexually abusing two players on his junior hockey team -- one being ex-NHL player Sheldon Kennedy.

Tonight the Bruins and Hurricanes played a hockey game that went about as close as any game could. The two teams went toe-to-toe for nearly four periods, matching each other in every facet of the game. Goaltenders Cam Ward and Tim Thomas showed why they were big reasons as to how their teams made it to this point, making 35 and 34 saves respectively. Fittingly, the game headed to overtime and the Bruins would fall thanks to a familiar foe.

During Game 5 Scott Walker received a game misconduct for a punch -- or sucker punch depending on your view -- to the face of Aaron Ward. The NHL decided to rescind the automatic one game suspension that comes with an ejection and let him play, drawing the ire of Boston and many in the media. Tonight, Walker made a few more enemies in Boston by netting the game winning goal with 1:14 to go in overtime.

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When the Detroit Red Wings signed Johan Franzen to an 11-year contract extension back in April, reactions were mixed. Some folks, like a number of the commenters at the Hockey's Future boards, thought the Red Wings were out of their minds for signing a soon-to-be 30-year-old forward to an 11-year contract. Others, like the good people at Abel to Yzerman, applauded general manager Ken Holland for not messing around when it comes to keeping the guys he wants.

We're only a month into the new deal, but the early results are stellar. Franzen has continued to excel as one of the better power forwards in the NHL, and has proven himself to be one of the best playoff, big-game goal-scorers the NHL has seen in quite some time.

Each Friday throughout the season, I'll provide you with my predictions on whose stock is on the rise and whose is failing miserably like the American job market pretty much everything these days. It's a neat little segment entitled Buys and Sells. There are a few teams/players/issues to buy and a few to sell.

Alex Ovechkin is arguably the biggest star in the NHL today and, like anyone on top, he takes his fair share of criticism along with his fair share of praise. Last night, Ovechkin scored his 50th goal of the season. There's the distinct possibility that Ovechkin may be the only NHLer to reach that mark this year, as New Jersey's Zach Parise is the next closest at 41 goals with 12 games to go. So, for someone who scores so much more than his competition, is it right that Alex Ovechkin celebrates every goal like it is his last?

Minor League Baseball has long had a tradition of quirky gimmicks, such as signing a celebrity or former star to a one-day contract, or giving out toilet plungers, to entice people to attend their games..

The Golden Baseball League's Calgary Vipers are the latest to jump on that trend as they announced their newest celebrity signing: ex-Calgary Flames/New York Rangers Star Theoren Fleury. I guess that proposed Reality TV show never panned out (what a shock).

Theo is one of the great sportsmen of Calgary and we are thrilled to have him with the team," said Calgary Viper's President Peter Young. "He's an incredible athlete and while we anticipate that his time as a Viper will just be these three days, you never know what can happen in this wonderful game."

What can happen in three days? Hmm ...

One unknowing pitcher decides to bean the former hockey star, causing Fleury to charge the mound and a massive on-field brawl to ensue. Fun for the whole family!

Fleury realizes that he's barely taller than a Keebler elf, and decides to utilize a squatty batting stance, ending up with Fleury getting on base with four straight walks. Eddie Gaedel, eat your heart out.

While running to first base, Fleury bodychecks the first baseman, starting another massive brawl. Baseball needs more bodychecking!

Fleury strikes out in every at bat (most likely).

You'd think there was more than enough 'reality' TV on the airwaves these days. We have C-list celebrities doing ballroom dances, an over-the-hill rocker wearing geeky one-piece pajamas, and the umpteenth season of Survivor. *Snore*.

Well, it appears that ex-NHL star Theoren Fleury wants to cash in on the trend with a reality show of his own. O RLY?

The newest project feature Fleury and his family in a reality TV series entitled Theoren Fleury: Rock Solid, centred around his Fleury's Concrete Coatings business in Calgary. Mike Lownsbrough's Straycatt Productions would produce and distribute the program.

The premise deals with the the day-to-day life of Fleury, his wife, two brothers, sister-in-law and a gang of cousins involved in the concrete business. A few driveways and the odd foundation served with a side dish of hockey anecdotes. Not exactly Iron Chef, but Fleury figures it's a recipe for success.

Oh, if this was Theoren Fleury during his wild drinking, fighting days, this show would be a must-see. Who wouldn't want to watch train-wreck Fleury down about 15 Bud Lights and then go drive his Hummer off-road.

Well, the new Theoren Fleury has pieced back his life and is no longer quite the wild child he used to be. in other words, he's a lot more boring. It's great that Fleury has beat some of the demons that plagued him throughout his career, and turned himself around before he ended up in prison or something like that.

However, I don't think the public is really going to get excited about watching Fleury scheduling work shifts, negotiating with quarry suppliers, and features on the newest cement mixing technology.