I've been slacking off again...it's been far too long since my last post. Let's see...what's new...what is new...

Former NHLer and Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet has been accused of running a sports betting operation out of New Jersey; charges against him include money laundering and conspiracy, as the operation had strong ties to the mob in New Jersey and Philadelphia. According to many sources, including Tocchet himself, the betting had nothing to do with hockey, and had only to do with other sports. Wayne Gretzky's wife Janet Jones is also under investigation for placing bets, but Gretzky insists that she did not place any on his behalf, and he is not involved in any way. Several other individuals (the number ranges from three to a dozen, depending on what report you're reading) are apparently being investigated as well, and that number may include current NHL players. As long as the betting was indeed not related to hockey, the NHL will survive; otherwise, it will be another black eye to a league that has had more than its share of troubles over the last few years.

If you're looking for a good game review, and over-politicization has a tendency to make you ill, stay clear of Sun newspapers, if you're not doing so already. In the two weeks since the Conservatives' victory at the polls, it is nearly impossible to read an editorial about the Leafs in the Toronto Sun that doesn't allude to the election ("Toronto has lost more defencemen than the Liberals lost seats to the Tories," etc). Of course, looking to the Sun for an unbiased political opinion is like looking to Exxon executives for advice on whether to buy a hybrid car or a Hummer, but when the politics start leaking into the hockey coverage, I think it's time to stop reading. Fortunately, the work of Al Strachan and Steve Simmons is downright stupid at times, so you won't miss much.

As for the upcoming Olympic hockey: are you excited? You should be. I am. Of course, many big names will be missing due to injury - Kiprusoff, Niedermayer, Jovanovski, Lidstrom, Khabibulin, and Zhitnik, to name a few - and some players just weren't asked to the show, and it doesn't sit well with them. Take Jeremy Roenick. He was furious when the U.S. team didn't select him, and has decided that they are harbouring some kind of grudge against him. But really, what reason would anyone have to dislike Jeremy Roenick? Hmmm...

Back to Scott Niedermayer and Ed Jovanovski, they have pulled out of Turin (or Torino, depending on who you're talking to) due to a knee injury and abdominal surgery, respectively. Bryan McCabe and Jay Bouwmeester will replace them on the squad, while Dan Boyle will take McCabe's place on the taxi squad. Many chesterfield GMs will complain that Dion Phaneuf was not selected as a replacement, and even more are up in arms that Bryan McCabe was picked to go at all. It's not hard to tell who's not a Leafs fan in the latter debate, but the fact is that McCabe has been having a career year, and has improved dramatically at both ends of the ice. Granted, until he hits the ice in Italy his skill set on the bigger ice surface can't be fairly judged, but in case anyone is interested in the opinion of Scotty Bowman, the greatest hockey coach of all time, he simply said, "He's having a breakout season and I think he deserved to be on the team." Case closed.

Finally, a classic quote from Thrashers coach Bob Hartley:
"Ilya's goal was a big goal as well as an important goal."
Either he just said two things that mean the same thing, or the goal was actually physically larger than average. Of course, I've never heard anyone accuse Bob Hartley of being a genius. A headhunter, yes...genius, no.