Penguins at Dick's Sporting Goods

Loyal HftL reader, Kylie (KD), was lucky enough to get a wristband for one of the three autograph sessions yesterday at the Dick's Sporting Goods in the Mall at Robinson. The signing was held from 6 PM - 9 PM and were split up into 3 sessions lasting one hour (and 3 Penguins players at each session).

Kylie went to the session with Petr Sykora, Max Talbot, and Pascal Dupuis. She was also able to get a few pictures of another session and was generous enough to share the photos, so enjoy ladies (THANKS, KYLIE!)!!!

If any other readers were lucky enough to be there yesterday and would like to share his / her story and any pictures, please feel free to e-mail me, thesteelcitysportsfan@gmail.com (we'd appreciate it)!!

Eastern Conference Eye Candy: Boyd Gordon (Washington Capitals)

So I was watching the Pens / Caps game yesterday and this guy caught my eye (after he received a tripping penalty in the first period and was escorted to the box). He's what Kena would call my "type." You know, dark hair / dark eyes (the Sid-type!)!! Yes - he's definitely "my type" and that's probably why he caught my eye in the first place.




HOCKEY FACTOR:

• born in Unity, SK, Canada
• plays right wing, shoots right
• named to 2003 WHL East First All-Star Team
• represented Canada in the 2003 World Junior Championship (earning a silver medal)
• has spent all six years of his professional career with Washington since he was their first-round pick in 2002 (17th overall); rookie season 2003-2004, re-signed with the Capitals in 2006
• made his first SCF appearance last season, but the Caps fell to Philadelphia in the first round
  
• leads the Capitals in face-off wins this season (seventh in the NHL) - 57.1%

HOTNESS FACTOR:

Well, Gordon is simply yummy - just look at him!! He's 6'0 - 6'1 depending on where you research on the internet and weighs a healthy 201 pounds making him a pretty solid hockey player. You won't see him scrap though -- I looked him up on hockeyfights.com (because that always interests me about a player not to mention adds to the hotness factor), and he's not even listed which I find quite interesting!!

His favorite sports aside from hockey are baseball and soccer; his favorite athlete is Wayne Rooney (English football / soccer player) and his favorite movie is “Gladiator” (a pretty manly selection).

Oh, and ladies, his nickname is "muffins" (which I can interpret in all sorts of ways, but decided to leave it up to your own discretion - have fun!)!!

Hockey 101 with HftL: More Minor Penalties

Continuing with more minor penalties and their signals covering hooking, interference, and tripping.



HOOKING (MINOR)
When a player tries to block the progress of an opponent by "hooking" his stick around him / her. The ref's official signal for this is pictured to the right (a tugging motion with both arms, as if pulling something toward the stomach).





INTERFERENCE (MINOR)
Illegal body contact with an opponent who is not in possession of the puck, or knocking an opponent's fallen stick out of his reach. The ref's official signal for this is pictured to the left (crossed arms stationary in front of chest with fists closed).




TRIPPING (MINOR)
When a player uses his / her stick, knee, foot, arm, hand, or elbow to cause an opponent to trip or fall. The ref's official signal for this is pictured to the right (striking the side of the knee of the non-whistle side and follow through once, keeping the head up and both skates on the ice).

Positively Dan Bylsma

I'm doing this partially because I'm finding myself resenting our new [interim] head coach just a smidgen (when I know full-well that none of this is his fault) and partially because we should all learn a little something about him while he's here (or in case he becomes a permanent fixture in the Penguins organization). Besides, the Pens are winning, and isn't that what's important?!!!

I must admit that, at the moment, I haven't taken too kindly to Dan and everytime I see him during an interview or pre- / post-game conference, I find myself telling my husband that I think he looks smarmy and somewhat of a smartass (why? I have no idea!)!! My husband continues to tell me that he doesn't look like either of those things and chuckles at me.

So I've been trying to focus on the positive things about him. The first BIGGIE is that he's American-born!!! Hails from Grand Haven, Michigan (and I've decided to look past that fact to cut him a break for my own sake or else I'll never end up liking our IHC and that could be a really bad thing!).

The next good thing is that the guy is SHARP -- LOVE the suits so far (though I realize that he's married and has a wife with discerning taste who we all know full well takes care of him in that department, but I have to start somewhere, ladies, right?!!)!! And when I put all this other BS aside, he's actually kind of an attractive man (who wears glasses, no less -- now we all know how much I LOVE those!)!!

So, yeah, I guess ol' Danny Boy isn't that bad after all and how could I possibly resent a guy that looks like an innocent, playful little puppy dog (as in the above pic)?!!

Here are some more interesting tidbits I found out about Bylsma:

• Bylsma is pronounced "BILES-mah"
• is 38 years old and is currently the youngest coach in the NHL
• wife, Mary Beth, is a certified personal trainer (an All-Conference gymnist for Bowling Green)
• has one son, Bryan Thomas
• has his own webpage, http://www.danbylsma.com/
• played collegiate hockey for four years at Bowling Green State University - 1988-1992 (so he's intelligent too!)
• was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the 6th round (109th overall) during his freshman year of college in the 1989 draft, but never played a game for the team
• signed with the LA Kings in 1994 and played parts and most of the entire seasons in 1995-1996 through 1997-1998, and again in 1999-2000
• signed as a free agent by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 2000; was named an alternate captain in his second season with the team and played with them through 2003-2004 (Petr Sykora was his teammate from 2002-2004!)
• retired following the 2003-2004 season
• wrote several books with his father, Jay - "So Your Son Wants to Play In the NHL," "So You Want to Play in the NHL," "Pitcher's Hands is OUT!" and "SLAM DUNKS Not ALLOWED!"
• became the assistant coach for the WB / S Baby Pens for the 2006-2007 season and was promoted to head coach this season (2008-2009) when HC Richards was hired as the assistant coach for the San Jose Sharks

RYAN SUTER
Nashville Predators

(son of Bob Suter, part of USA's 1980 Olympic gold-medal winning team)

BIRTHPLACE: Madison, Wisconsin
COLLEGE: University of Wisonsin
POSITION: Defenseman

DRAFTED: in first round by Nashville in 2003 (7th overall)

HOTTIE [CAREER] HIGHLIGHTS:
WCHA All-Rookie Team (2004); served as captain for Team USA at the 2005 World Junior Championships, and became one of 16 American players to compete in three World Junior tournaments; named to the All-Tournament Team after leading 2005 WJC tournament defensemen in scoring (1 goal, 7 assist, 8 points), tying for second on Team USA in points and tying for third in the entire tournament in assists; appeared in one contest with Team USA at the 2005 World Championships in Austria; scored one goal and had 15 assists in 71 games during his rookie season (2005-2006).

Season Highlights (2008-2009)

• one point shy of his career high reached last season (31)
• reached a career high for assists (100) with his 25th of the season on February 12th vs. St. Louis
• has seven multi-assist games this season after posting six in his first three NHL seasons combined
• second on the team in assists and is second among Nashville defensemen in points (4 goals, 26 assists, 30 points)
• leads the team in average ice time and has logged 20 or more minutes in all but one game this season
• tied a career high for power play points (11) with his 10th man-advantage assist on January 28th at Vancouver
• scored his first career overtime goal on November 28th at Atlanta, becoming the third defenseman to score an OT goal for the Predators this season
  

BAD BOY of Winter: Darcy Hordichuk (Vancouver Canucks)

One of the baddest of Bad Boys. He's almost too gorgeous [no, really he is] to post as a "bad boy." I'm explaining myself, so if you want, skip ahead to the good stuff, go ahead; but none the less, here he is.

He's got brains too. Just check out this post on his blog [from the Canucks website [READ HERE]. It's really intelligent and gives some neat insight into the job of the "enforcer" in hockey because, come on, do that many of the fans really want them to take the fighting out of hockey? I think not (at least the fans I know certainly don't!!).

I just said it a few sentences ago, but I'll say it again. He's gorgeous. He says in the above article that he's been fighting since juniors and I know he's got some of the best AHL fights ever.

I know that the readers of this site are primarily Penguins fans and I know what their view is on most things Red Wing (it matches mine BTW), so I'm posting one of my favorite fights below. Wherein he whups the stuffing's out of Darren McCarty.



If all the above wasn't enough for you, you should check out some of the stuff, here. This is just one year's worth. [sigh] Yummy!!!

Those beautiful milk-chocolaty eyes (with a glittery golden sparkle)!

I don't even think I need to elaborate on this - the pictures speak for themselves (and I'm sure the rest of you ladies are already well aware of them!)!!