Silver Nuggets: Retiring Numbers
The Vancouver Canucks and Colorado Avalanche both honoured former players on Saturday by retiring their numbers in high profile ceremonies. The Avs honoured long-time defenseman Adam Foote by raising his number 52 to the rafters of the Pepsi Center. Known as a defensive-defenseman throughout his career, Foote helped his teams win championships in the NHL and internationally. The highlight of the night came from Vancouver, where Hall of Famer Pavel Bure was finally honoured by the Canucks for his excellent career, in a ceremony designed to occur in prime time for eastern audiences watching on HNIC.
Both Bure and Foote left the teams they began their careers with (and are most associated with). Significantly, there was always tension in Bure's relationship with the city of Vancouver and his departure didn't help matters. Yet, there he was Saturday afternoon errr evening, thanking a mentor who helped him grow as a man (Pat Quinn) and the city which meant so much to him while taking his rightful place among the Canucks legends at Rogers Arena.
All of this is to say, how long will it take the Senators to officially retire Daniel Alfredsson's number 11 once he retires (it's safe to say no one will wear it between now and then)? One season? Two? Longer? Of course, the player needs to be willing, just ask the Ducks and Paul Kariya. Sometimes external factors get in the way; Nicklas Lidstrom's ceremony has been delayed until later this season because of last season's lockout. But what about Alfie?
Sens Links:
- Dallas at Ottawa roundup: Recaps [Silver Seven] [Yost] [James Gordon Senators Extra] [Wayne Scanlan Senators Extra] [SenShot] [Radek Bonk's Mullet] [Le Droit] Photo gallery [Senators Extra] Video: Paul MacLean post-game [Senators Extra] Video: Mark Borowiecki scores on his own net [Pucky Daddy]
- Sens goalie Craig Anderson left Sunday's game on a stretcher [SenShot] Video [Sportsnet] [Pucky Daddy] Andy's ok [Senators Extra]
- B_T's weekly column [Silver Seven]
- Scott frightens us all with a historical chart of Ottawa's shot differentials [6th Sens]
- James Gordon looks at the week ahead [Senators Extra]
- Jeremy Milks defends Chris Neil's play [Black Aces]
- The ramifications of the loser point [The Storied Sens]
- Chris Phillips is the early Movember favourite [Le Droit]
- Travis Yost wonders if a message has been sent by Paul MacLean's line juggling [Yost] He also looks at zone entries/exits from the Dallas game [Yost]
- Jean-Gabriel Pageau is taking his demotion in stride; he had four assists in Bingo's win over Syracuse [SenShot]
- Latest Sens podcasts: Sens Call-Ups episode 207 [Sens Underground] episode 8 from the folks at Sens Nation [Sens Nation]
- Ryan's Ups and Downs. Hint: Cowen stays red [Silver Seven]
NHL/Hockey Links:
- Pavel Bure - the Russian Rocket - finally had his number 10 retired by the Vancouver Canucks [Nucks Misconduct] [Canucks Army] Video of the ceremony [Nucks Misconduct]
- Adam Foote (winner of two Stanley Cups with Colorado as well as Olympic gold in 2002 and a World Cup win in 2004) had his number 52 retired by the Avalanche on the weekend [Mile High Hockey] [Mile High Hockey]
- Buffalo has placed Patrick Kaleta on waivers [Die by the Blade]
- Ray Emery fought on unwilling Braden Holtby on Friday [Broad Street Hockey] Emery disgraced the NHL [Pension Plan Puppets] But did he spark the Flyers? [The Hockey News] Why don't the NHL rules prevent such actions/Why wasn't Emery suspended? [Eyes on the Prize] [Broad Street Hockey] [Pucky Daddy] Could this failure led to further restrictions on fighting? [The Hockey News] [The National Post] The fight-filled game cost the Flyers Vincent Lecavalier and Steve Downie, who both left the game with injuries from fights [Broad Street Hockey]
- While Semyon Varlamov awaits a resolution to charges of domestic abuse and kidnapping in a court of law, Greg Boysen believes the Avalanche organization sent the wrong message by allowing Varlamov to start Friday night against Dallas [Second City Hockey] Mark Spector agrees, but believes Varlamov got the start because the Avs care only about winning, not doing the right thing [Sportsnet]
- The Sens aren't the only team who had a rough October. The Devils are hoping a lighter November schedule will benefit the club [In Lou We Trust] The Rangers also began the season with a horrific west coast trip and are hoping the time for panicking is over [Blueshirt Banter]
- Jo Innes examines Pekka Rinne's injury [Backhand Shelf]
- Columbus has been awarded the 2015 All Star Game. The city was supposed to host the 2013 All Star Game, but it was cancelled because of the lockout. It will be the first NHL All Star Game since the 2012 game held in Ottawa [The Cannon]
- Roberto Luongo's new masks transforms the Vancouver netminder into Johnny Canuck, complete with moustache for Movember; the mask will be auctioned off at the end of the month [In Goal Magazine]
- College hockey round-up: Hockey East [College Hockey]
- Will Dave Bolland's injury burst Toronto's bubble? [The Hockey Writers]
- Former Senator Mike Fisher was injured against the Kings on Friday night; did he re-injure his foot? [On the Forecheck]
- Dave Lozo looks at the first month of the season [Backhand Shelf]
- Week 5 Free Agents and Trade Targets for fantasy hockey [Fantasy Hockey Scouts]
- November marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy; Dallas Stars goalie Jack Campbell has a new mask designed to honour the 35th president [In Goal Magazine]
- Tomas Hertl was named NHL Rookie of the Month for October [Fear the Fin]
- Will the rivalry between the Sharks and Kings become one of the best in the NHL? [The Hockey Writers]
- On a sad note, a list of NHLers who died before their 30th birthdays [Battle of California]
- An in-depth look at Kings defenseman Drew Doughty [The Hockey News]
- Derek Zona looks at the Top 50 prospects for the 2014 NHL Draft [Copper & Blue]
- Daniel and Henrik Sedin have re-signed in Vancouver. Rory Boylen thinks it's a good deal for the twins and the Canucks [The Hockey News] Cam Charron looks at the contracts [Canucks Army]
- The Edmonton Oilers have started the Craig MacTavish era horribly, with just 3 wins in their first 15 games [Oilers Nation] Robin Brownlee takes a look at the culture of losing [Oilers Nation]
When will Alfie's #11 be retired by the Senators?
| The season following his retirement | 49 |
| 1 year later | 28 |
| 2+ years later | 39 |
| 5 years later | 8 |
| When hell freezes over | 11 |