WASHINGTON — Maybe Sidney Crosby is a fan of Jay’s or maybe he was upset at not being invited to Dave’s Super Bowl bash with Oprah, but folks around the NHL sure would be interested in learning even one of No. 87’s reasons for rejecting David Letterman’s invitation to host his Top Ten while the Golden Boy was in New York this week.
Upon learning of the snub, Slap Shots was told that this wasn’t the first time Crosby, who last year declined to appear on NBC’s “Today” show following Pittsburgh’s Stanley Cup victory, had rejected a request from Letterman’s “Late Show.”
We only can imagine the demands on Crosby’s time. Yet, in the days that hockey was front-page and back- page material after Canada gold, U.S. silver in overtime attracted more television viewers in the States than any game since the Lake Placid Miracle in 1980, it’s difficult to understand why the NHL’s most recognizable player and ambassador refused to spread the gospel.
Rest assured that league personnel who have been ridiculed for not having the imagination or wherewithal to capitalize on hockey’s Olympic exposure, are miffed.
Maybe Crosby thinks that World Wide Pants belong to Alex Ovechkin.
* The NHLPA executive committee consisting of the 30 player reps has begun discussions about the importance of notifying the NHL of its intention to extend the collective bargaining agreement through 2011-12 — as it surely will — so that the 7.5-percent bonus cushion for entry-level and over-35 contracts is in effect next season
The matter was part of the agenda of last Sunday’s union conference call, Slap Shots has been told. According to deputy commissioner Bill Daly, the deadline to trigger the cushion is Sept. 15, 2010. The union, which did not submit notification on a timely basis for 2008-09, has until May 15, 2011 to extend the CBA.
As well, after initially committing $1 million to investigate the shenanigans surrounding Paul Kelly‘s dismissal last August as executive director, the union last week cut the budget to $300,000 — and it was that much only because the Players’ Association had entered into a contract with a third party to aid the investigation.
* Ryan Miller, America’s goalie, is what Rick DiPietro was supposed to be when Mike Milbury traded Roberto Luongo, Olli Jokinen and either Marian Gaborik or Dany Heatley for him 10 years ago.
Seems like a good topic for an intermission show on NBC, doesn’t it?
Speaking of which. The NHL truly does serve as professional sports’ melting pot. The league’s unique multi-national and multi-cultural workplace environment is perhaps its greatest asset. Czech in that corner of the room, Slovak beside him, American across the way, Canadian over there, Finns and Swedes and Russians side by side by up to nine months working toward a common goal.
So why on earth would the NHL present two national television spokespeople — Don Cherry north of the border and Milbury on our side — to spout North American-trash talk out of the dark ages?
We’re not big on suspending people who are hired to give their opinions for expressing those opinions, no matter how ignorant they might sound.
We just wouldn’t hire them in the first place.
* Look, if the NHL is going to subsidize the Coyotes, of course the league was correct in allowing GM Don Maloney to attempt to improve the team — and, therefore, its viability — at the deadline even if his acquisitions increased the payroll.
When Major League Baseball owned the Expos in 2002, then-GM Omar Minaya was allowed to increase payroll at the deadline when Montreal was in contention.
Minaya acquired veteran pitcher Bartolo Colon from Cleveland for youngsters Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore and Brandon Phillips, one of the primary reasons the GM has never been heard from again.
Oh, uh, oops.
* The Flyers, we’re told, were rejected by the NHL when they attempted to place Bernie Parent on retroactive Long Term Injury back to 1979 in order to clear cap space at the deadline in order to acquire Tomas Vokoun.
Yes, we know. Baltimore won a Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer at quarterbck. But the Ravens needed to win just three games to take the championship in 2002 while Flyer goaltenders Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher will be required to win 16 to get Philadelphia its first Cup since 1975.
Hockey’s all-time goals: 1. Yes! Mike Eruzione, USA 4, USSR 3, 1980 Olympics at Lake Placid; 2. Henderson scores for Canada! Paul Henderson at 19:26 of the third, Canada 6, USSR 5, Game 8, 1972 Summit Series in Moscow; 3. Crosby’s Golden Goal, Canada 3, USA 2 in OT, 2010 Olympics; 4. Mario Lemieux from Wayne Gretzky at 18:34 of the third, Canada 6, USSR 5, 1987 Canada Cup in Hamilton, Ontario; 5. Peter Forsberg‘s postage stamp shootout goal for the Gold against Corey Hirsch, Sweden 3, Canada 2, 1994 Olympics at Lillehammer.
This just in. Heatley enjoyed himself in Vancouver, but he wants to be traded from Canada before 2014. Norway and Belarus are believed on his no-trade list.
News: Ottawa scoreboard operator shows images of Canadian gold medal winners during playing of U.S. national anthem beforeRangers-Senators.
Views: Canada owned the video screen.