FanHouse Hnic

With only ten days left before the CBC closes their HNIC Anthem Challenge on August 31st, I figured this would be a good time to check in on the contest and the infamous 'Hockey Scores' to see how it is all progressing. About a month ago, I took at look at 'Hockey Scores' which was the most popular song in the contest and had taken the internet by storm. With babies crying, sheep and gun shots it's hard to imagine how this isn't the most popular song on terrestrial radio right now.

But how have the babies and sheep held up? Are they still on top of the leaderboard? Well, you probably don't care but I'm going to tell you anyway.

With ten days remaining in the competition, Hockey Scores remains atop all the leaderboards. It lead in views, with twice the amount of views as the second place Take it Higher. It's also has more comments and a higher rating than any other anthem on the CBC's website. And with a facebook group that numbers more than 1,300 people it's clear whom the people have chosen -- if only jokingly -- to win the CBC's anthem competition.

The only obstacle left is to see whether or not the CBC is going to fix the vote, like the NHL may or may not have done during the infamous 'Vote for Rory' campaign. After all, the CBC smartly added the rule that their decision is final, regardless of vote count, rating or whatever else. If they don't pick Hockey Scores, there is sure to be an internet uprising. Somehow, I don't think they're worried about that. But there will be backlash, however big or small it may be and I feel like is not the last we'll hear about Hockey Scores. At least until the techno-geeks start raising hell after it gets brushed aside.

Bob McKenzie reported this morning that the NHL will play four games in Europe to start the 2008-09 season: The Ottawa Senators will play the Pittsburgh Penguins in Stockholm and the New York Rangers will play the Tampa Bay Lightning in Prague, each playing twice on the weekend preceding the domestic opening of the regular season. This follows the mixed results from the League's foray to London to kick off this season.

If the League is on a mission to become a global sports entity like the NBA -- once a David Stern disciple, always a David Stern disciple -- playing regular season games to hockey-mad crowds in Prague and Stockholm is a great idea. I think, overall, the pluses outnumber the minuses in a big way here. If there's a short list of reasons to not play overseas, I'm pretty sure HNIC's Scott Morrison's logic ranks somewhere below "because EuroTrip sucked." Morrison opines that the rights of Senators fans to see Sidney Crosby in Ottawa outweighs the League gaining a stronger foothold in potentially very lucrative foreign markets:

All teams are compensated for losing one home gate, so there is no revenue loss. But in the case of the Senators, for instance, there is a greater cost involved. They lose the buzz of having Sidney Crosby and the Penguins come to town. They lose that excitement that is attached to a visit from The Kid. And Senators fans lose the opportunity of seeing Crosby in person. It means one fewer visit next season.

Boo-hoo. I'm no Mr. Spock, but I'm pretty sure the needs of the many outweight the needs of 20,500 fans in Ottawa that will still get to watch Crosby come to town again later in the season. I'd like to see the hard economic data that suggests taking one Crosby visit away from Ottawa will adversely affect anything except the media's time spent star gazing in the Penguins' locker room.

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

St. Pete Times reporter Damian Cristodero dropped a bomb the other day, quoting Tampa Bay GM Jay Feaster that huge changes could hit the Lightning if the team hasn't turned things around by Christmas: "Being sub-.500, being 13th or 14th out of a 15-team Eastern Conference isn't cutting it, given the money we lose, to think we're going to keep payroll where it is and not make changes."

Naturally, Vinny Lecavalier became the topic of conversation for everyone from Vancouver to Montreal, who believes it should own Vinny based on birth-right. Lyle "Spector" Richardson -- one of the few level heads when it comes to trade speculation in the NHL -- points out that unlike high-priced teammates Brad Richards and Marty St. Louis, Vinny does not have a no-trade clause in his contract. But Spector also claims that Feaster has gone on the record stating that "he wouldn't go down in history as the man who trade(d) Lecavalier." Which, to me, means it's more likely that the Bolts will fire John Tortorella or trade Vaclav Prospal if the team doesn't turn it around.

But even if Vinny were on the block, the notion that he could be had for some sort of mediocre Joe Thornton package is ludicrous.

(Coming Up Next: Last Night's Losers, Scandalous and Hilarious Puck Headlines, More CBC Hockey Blogging Reaction, Wade Belak Hits Pay Dirt, Games You Need To Watch Tonight, NHL Limericks and Why Hockey Players Need To "Where Visors.")

Edmonton Oilers assistant coach Craig Simpson has left the team to head back to the broadcast boost with Hockey Night in Canada. He'll be a part of the 'A' team with Jim Hughson, relieving dinosaurs Bob Cole and Harry Neale of their prime duties. While this doesn't seem like much of a transaction of note, Oilers fans have some reason to rejoice.

Is Simpson a bad guy? A jerk? Hardly. Simpson is one of the nicest guys in hockey, and his good looks and verbosity translate well onto the small screen.

The reason Oilers fans will hold a keg party is that Simpson was responsible for running the Oilers Power Play into the ground with his constant tinkering and mind-boggling decision making.

The boys at Covered in Oil are celebrating this departure as only Oilers fans can: with a heavy dose of snark and derision.

This is, of course, double-plus-good news, as it means that (1) Simpson will now permanently be at least 100 yards away from the Oilers power play unit and only able to comment on how he wishes the forwards would stop moving around so much and just feed the puck to the point for the wild slapshot one more time; and (2) Canadians will no longer be primarily subjected to Bob Cole's mildly retarded, "He passes to the man and boom goes the dynamite," calibre of game-calling.

Personnel issues aside, the Oilers Power Play was less effective than Britney Spears' parenting.

Last season, the Oilers finished in 27th place with a putrid 14.2% success rate. The media was all over the Oilers for their lack of offensive firepower, and the lack of PP Prowess ultimately cost the Oilers a playoff spot. I'd say the Oilers looked like a bunch of headless chickens, but that would be an insult to decapitated poultry.

Although Simpson might not be a great bench boss, Simpson is one of the rising stars in the hockey broadcast community. Together with his sister, Christine Simpson, Craig will be a face you will get to know and love for many years to come. Consider this a good move for both hockey fans and the Oilers.