Category: Darren Eliot
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Special DElivery: Is it time to reassess the structure of midget hockey?
By Darren Eliot – When I was growing up playing youth hockey, there was a category called “Juvenile”, which in and of itself brings to mind how hockey age groups ever got their names in the first place. I mean, when you think about it, Mite, Squirt, Peewee, Bantam and Midget (throw in Atom and…
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In Michigan, there is no such thing as a hockey lockout
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By Darren Eliot – So, the NHL is going to lock out the players yet again. No wonder I feel as if I’ve written this article before. Because I have. In the fall of 2004, I was high atop Air Canada Center in Toronto with my play-by-play partner Sam Rosen calling the final of the…
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Special DElivery: If it were up to the kids, what would they say?
MiHockey’s Darren Eliot discusses the hot topics of cross-ice play in 8U hockey, and the American Development Model in general, in his latest Special DElivery. By Darren Eliot – Even Michael Phelps must have started in a wading pool. That’s all I could think of as I watched the Olympics these past couple of weeks.…
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Special DElivery: At the NHL Draft, teams look to the future, but keep an eye on the present
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By Darren Eliot – As evidenced in the preceding pages, the draft is all about looking ahead. There is so much hope and optimism attached to the event for all in involved. The smiling faces of the players tell their story. They are the focal point and even though the reality is that the draft…
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Special DElivery: Weighing in on the Hudson River Rivalry
By Darren Eliot – Make no mistake: the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils are rivals, bound by geography and defined by history. Proximity is obvious looking across the Hudson and looking at the standings every year and seeing the two teams battle six times annually in the regular season as part of the…
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Special DElivery: Preds, Flyers mentally drained for second round
By Darren Eliot – The physical part of this post-season has been compelling in a gladiators-sort-of-way. With all of the shot blocking going on, it is safe to say that the flamingo is an extinct species in today’s game. On the mental side of the equation, I found it intriguing – and almost predictable –…
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Special DElivery: Playoff sacrifices have never been more important
By Darren Eliot – Much has gone into a playoff season that has surprised many. Certainly, parity has played a part in early round exits of top seeds, where the “work harder/give more” mantra is enough to make a difference. The Western Conference is evidence of that, as both coaches, Dave Tippet in Phoenix and…
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Sheriff Shanny’s quest for a new normal
By Darren Eliot – On the day that the Phoenix Coyotes’ Raffi Torres received the longest suspension in playoff history for his open-ice KO of Chicago Blackhawks’ Marian Hossa, Ottawa Senators’ winger Chris Neil crushes N.Y. Rangers’ center Brian Boyle. Post-game, Rangers’ Coach John Tortorella said the blueprint was in place – that the Neil…
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Special DElivery: What happens next for the Red Wings
By Darren Eliot – In a regular season that was arguably better than anticipated, the Red Wings’ playoffs ended more abruptly than anyone around here is accustomed, or expects. In a five-game series in which the scores were close, the series was not. As coach Mike Babcock pointed out after the Nashville Predators advanced, his…
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Special DElivery: Wings vs. Preds
Former NHL goaltender and current Fox Sports Detroit analyst/Sports Illustrated columnist Darren Eliot breaks down the Red Wings’ first round series with their division rivals, the Nashville Predators. By Darren Eliot – The Predators face the Red Wings in the playoffs for the third time. They lost in six in 2004 and 2008, but this…