NHL Northwest Division News

Luc Bourdon, a promising rookie defenseman with the Vancouver Canucks , was killed Thursday when his motorcycle struck a tractor-trailer in a crash near his hometown.

Trevor Linden is still mulling over his options. The popular Vancouver Canucks centre is expected to retire, but said he hasn't decided on his playing future.

The NHL's most memorable championship series Check out where in the Top 10 Lanny McDonald and the rest of the 1989 Calgary Flames land in the NHL's most memorable championship series.

Posted by George James Malik May 22, 2008 11:23AM USA Today's Kevin Allen says that Detroit Red Wings assistant Todd McLellan might land a head coaching job this summer: May 21, USA Today : The Detroit Red ...

“I realized I had a long way to go after that experience”

The versatile Pittsburgh Penguins forward has played for four different NHL teams in his pro career and on each occasion in his debut performance for the Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, Atlanta Thrashers and ... via The Globe and Mail

“It was a great place to live and work, and it was a privilege for me and my family to be here. "I think everybody has a way of looking at things, whether they're technical things or whatever, and everybody has ideas going forward.”

Citing a difference in hockey philosophy, the Colorado Avalanche and head coach Joel Quenneville have parted ways after 3 seasons. via Philly.com

Minnesota Wild coach Jacques Lemaire says he'll return for an eighth season with the team. via Fox Sports

Going to watch the Minnesota Wild is going to get a little more expensive for many Minnesota Wild fans next season.

The team announced Friday that it raised season-ticket prices for all seats on the upper and lower levels of Xcel Energy Center for the 2008-09 season.

For example, side tickets and corner tickets on the lower level will go up $4 from last season to $86 and $75 tickets respectively.

On the upper level, side tickets will increase $3 to $38 while end tickets will rise $2 to $18. Read more

- The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to meet with former Vancouver Canucks GM Dave Nonis next week, a source confirmed to The Canadian Press on Friday.

Nonis was fired by the Canucks on April 14.

The Leafs have been looking for a general manager to succeed John Ferguson since Cliff Fletcher took over the team as interim GM on Jan. 22. It's not clear at this point whether Nonis would be hired on as GM or in some other front-office capacity.

Both Nonis and Fletcher declined comment when reached Friday. Read more

- The Colorado Avalanche announced Friday that Joel Quenneville will not return to coach the team next season.

"After meeting with Joel, we mutually agreed that the best decision for both parties involved is to go separate ways," Avalanche GM Francois Giguere said in a statement. "On behalf of the organization, I want to thank Joel for his years of service and wish him the best in his coaching career."

Quenneville guided Colorado to a sixth-place finish in the NHL's Western Conference standings this season. The Avalanche, who finished 44-31-7 for 95 points, beat Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs before bowing to Detroit in four straight games. Read more

Detroit Red Wings defenceman Chris Chelios is a finalist for this year's Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. via CBC

“The day after I got sat out, Ron texted me, 'Be ready, I'm going to lean on you hard,' ”

Once, they were the Young Americans - Jeremy Roenick, Mike Modano, Brett Hull - the Golden Generation of USA hockey, the kids who came along in the aftermath of the Miracle on Ice and helped make the United ... via The Globe and Mail

“The guy in the other net was (former Canadien) Cristobal Huet and we won in overtime.

"It was pretty sweet.”

- Game 7s were a hot topic this week, and a player who was in a truly memorable do-or-die contest was Boston Bruins backup goaltender Alex Auld.

Auld played for a very good Vancouver Canucks team that lost to Calgary in overtime in Game 7 of their first-round NHL playoff series in 2004. The Flames went on to lose the Stanley Cup final in seven games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The night before the loss to the Flames, the Canucks had forced the winner-take-all game with a 5-4 win in Calgary. Vancouver blew a 4-0 lead but Brendan Morrison ended up winning it for the Canucks at 2:28 of the third overtime period. Read more

“He works hard every day. He's a big, physical guy and he gives it everything he's got every shift. Good for him.”

In every way, the company he's keeping is big. Figuratively, literally, whatever. via Canada.com

“It didn't keep him from playing”

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Marian Gaborik has a hip injury that will keep him from playing for Slovakia in the world championships in May. via ESPN

“I spoke with [Senators GM] Bryan Murray and he's going to get back to me with something for (Brunnstrom), which discusses the benefits for him playing in Ottawa”

Posted by George James Malik April 23, 2008 09:43AM Super-prospect Fabian Brunnstrom's agent, J.P. Barry, told the Toronto Sun's Lance Hornby that his client will make his second attempt at whittling down the ... via Red Wings Snapshots - MLive.com

“We made them a better team, and they made us a better team”

A decade ago, it seemed like a rite of passage -- almost literally -- in Hockeytown. via Detroit News Online

“There's history there. The history isn't great for teams in this situation but the history also shows you can get it done”

The odds are steep. Cory Sarich knows what it's like to beat them. General belief is only 20% of teams win when facing the situation the Calgary Flames are staring at. via Slam Sports

Sometimes, the best moves are the ones that never take place. The Colorado Avalanche could've severed ties with goalie Jose Theodore last off-season by buying him out of the final year of his contract. via KOAA-TV Pueblo

“That's the best hockey game I've seen him play”

The morning after he set up the Calgary Flames' winning goal in Game 6 of the Western Conference quarter-final series against the San Jose Sharks, plastered an unsuspecting defenceman and face-washed a ... via National Post