The Kings are Bringing the Mullet Back

In an homage to NHL veteran Ryan Smyth’s 1000th game in the big leagues, the entire L.A Kings roster rocked the classically awesome hockey mullet.

“Coaches don’t like disruptions to their practice routines, but Terry Murray happily agreed to let players pay tribute to Smyth on Saturday with those mullet wigs.

“The best way to show respect for a teammate is to do exactly what they did,” he said. “All of the presentations or talk or wristwatch, piece of crystal — this is the best, for sure.”

After laughing at the hair-raising joke, Smyth went back to work. He didn’t get to 1,000 games by slacking off and he’s not about to start now, not with a Cup dream to still follow.” {LA Times}

This could honestly be one of my favorite videos I’ve posted to the site ever. Puck Daddy hilariously noted that Wayne Simmond’s faux-mullet was ‘getting dangerously close to Rick James territory’, while Anze Koptiar’s getup was strangely reminding me of the guitarist from ‘Extreme’.

And as of last night, the Kings were tied for the first spot in the Western Conference, so the mullets must be working, right?

Crosby Pounds Niskanen

The Penguins’ star center rarely drops the gloves, but he usually comes out on top when he does – and his most recent fight with Dallas Stars defenseman was no exception, as Sid comes out as the clear victor.

{HuffPo}

Out of his five career brawls, Hockeyfights.com has him winning four, with his only loss coming out of his scrap from Keith Ballard in 2009. Does this mean he’s an ‘efficient’ fighter?

I usually don’t get jazzed about star players dropping the gloves (what if your $8-million-a-year guy breaks his hand during a meaningless fight like this?), but it’s not a bad effort from Sid at all. He struggles with Niskanen a bit at the beginning, but he recovers and gets the upper hand towards the second half of the brawl. Really wish he’d snap off that visor when he wants to fight, but more and more guys are leaving it on, so whatever. While we’re on the topic, this is one of my favorite star-player-brawls of all time – Iginla and Lecavalier in the Stanley Cup Finals:

Suspension Coming for Thorton?

Jaroslav Halak recorded his third shutout of the season with the St. Louis Blues during last night’s 2-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks, but the suspension talk is already swirling around this hit from Joe Thorton.

It’s a violent neutral zone collision, but I’m having a tough time condemning it entirely. Thorton isn’t totally responsible for how all of this transpired – Alex Piertrangelo (I think it was Petro, I can’t find a better video feed besides this one) led Perron with a very weak pass coming out of the defensive zone. You have to fire that pass, or gain the red and dump it. If you pass to your teammates like that, you won’t have any left at the end of the season. It’s a dangerous pass that usually results in a play like this, especially at the professional level. Secondly, Perron has a responsibility to keep his head up. The transition game doesn’t work if your forwards don’t keep their heads on a swivel, and that kind of situational awareness is key to avoiding hits like this.

That being said, I think Thorton was doing what he felt a captain to should do in a game like his, and he tried to use some big hits to get his team back in the game – but this hit on Perron and his hit-from-behind on T.J Oshie were absolutely reckless. The Sharks had just been shutout by the Wild, and their offense had stalled from the beginning of this game, so it’s plain to see that Thorton is frustrated, and he let his emotions get the best of him in this one.

So the way I see it, both guys got what they deserved. Perron got drilled because he was keeping his head down through the neutral zone, and Thorton got tossed from a game that he had been gooning up from the get-go. I doubt the NHL will issue any supplementary discipline for this check, considering Thorton isn’t a consistent offender, and that Perron doesn’t seem to be injured.

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