Want another good reason to cheer for the Wings? Mike Babcock proud McGill alum has another connection to a venerable Montreal institution. The Detroit bench-boss sent a video testimonial to Selwyn House hockey coach Tom Nicoll at the Westmount school's recent Athletics Banquet. Tom is a diehard Wings fanatic and was presented a signed Stevie Y jersey (what else?!) Nice touch Torrey Mitchell, who played for Selwyn House before hitting the NHL. He was on hand, but also recorded a video-clip where he skates through the San Jose' Sharks jaws and thanks Coach Tom for his contributions to Mitchell's success. Torrey then vows to take it to the Wings at his next opportunity. Too bad that didn't come in the playoffs, young Mr. Mitchell!



I love the fact the Als have hired Joe Paopao as a consultant for the coming season and guest-coach at Training Camp in Fort St. Jean. Paopao is in your Nice Guy Hall of Fame, and has been around the league since Tony "The Staple Gun" Proudfoot was still wearing a helmet and shoulder pads! I'd also love to see Paopao bring his love of Hawaiian shirts to the Als' sideline.

From this blog forward, I hereby promise to never refer to Tony as "The Staple-Gun" again. Truth is he cringed when I first gave him the Soprano-style nickname during a CJAD broadcast. Now we'll have to call him "Doctor Proudfoot." That's because the pride of Pointe-Claire is going back to his alma mater the University of New Brunswick to receive and honourary doctorat on the 28th.





Hey Thunder-Monkey---Kris Draper of the Wings and his wife had a baby girl just two days before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. My sources say if was a boy, Sidney, Stanley and Thunder-Monkey were top of the list!