General posts, including essays and discussions.
Despite the fact that this blog is a site for critical reflection on the sport of hockey, every now and again it’s nice to raise the hammer and appreciate what is great about the sport. This is one of those opportunities. Roland Barthes (1915-1980), the famed French literary theorist and philosopher, took part in…
By Alvin Ma “It is one of the most disgusting, brutal parts of NHL hockey…it seems absurd, so why doesn’t it change?” By now, many people have seen or heard of the head injury that George Parros of the Montreal Canadians sustained in a fight on the opening night of the National Hockey League season.…
Sporting mega-events such as the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games, despite claims by their organizers and boosters about the political neutrality of sport, are deeply enmeshed in political structures. In recent months, a number of these high profile events have drawn the ire of political activists, citizens, and some media precisely because of…
Honest. That is about the best way I can sum up Journeyman: The many triumphs (and even more numerous defeats) of a guy who’s seen just about everything in the game of hockey. I loved reading this book! If you have ever dreamt about playing in the NHL with the best of the best this…
In the Fall of 1993, EA Sports released the third edition of its NHL video game series for the Super NES, Sega Genesis and PC computer consoles. The game, titled NHL ’94, quickly became popular amongst video gamers and hockey fans. However, at the time few could have predicted the cultural impact that NHL ’94…
By Sunil Agnihotri A few weeks ago, I saw an interesting tweet from Andrew Ference, the newest member of the Edmonton Oilers. In Edmonton for a couple of days, #destinationdeck is rain or shine at 630am sharp for anyone who wants to join. pic.twitter.com/Mqq4tPMrni — Andrew Ference (@Ferknuckle) July 15, 2013 November Project If…
I just finished playing an extremely dirty recreational playoff game. It was the kind of game that makes me dislike hockey. The hockey I play is as recreational as recreational gets. No one is going to get a college scholarship. No one will play for the Olympics. No one is even going to make a…
By Sunil Agnihotri The field of hockey analytics took a big step with the recent release of Hockey Abstract, a book which aims to provide a guide to statistical analysis in hockey. As more and more people, including fans and professional teams, seek a deeper understanding of the game, hockey analytics continues to grow and…
By Sunil Agnihotri Hockey analytics is continuing to gain prominence, both as a tool for professional teams to make on-ice decisions and for fans who want to better understand the game. The online fan community has really been the driver of hockey analytics as they seek to answer questions and contribute to the information and…
The (North American) hockey world was shocked yesterday to learn that superstar winger Ilya Kovalchuk was retiring from the National Hockey League and, according to subsequent reports, planning to sign with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League. Today, it was announced that he has signed with the KHL club for four years. Kovalchuk’s…
Hockey in Society / Hockey dans la société 