As 2013 winds to a close, TSN. Charlie Coyle Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. TSN.cas writing staff reflects on the best hockey moments from the past 12 months including Alfie going to Detroit, Ovi finding another gear, Patrick Roy losing his cool and more. Daniel Alfredssons Motown Revue By: Shane McNeil Hockey fans had seen it before. The hero leaves the city where hes enjoyed years, sometimes decades of memories and successes in search of one or two years worth of hunting down a Championship ring. Ray Bourque, Mats Sundin, Jarome Iginla - It happens. Its no slight on the player and more often than not, the organization and the fans do nothing but wish them the best. But, Daniel Alfredsson? Did anyone see that coming? Here is the man that took a pay cut to keep the team afloat amidst bankruptcy. Alfie is a man who ascended to nearly religious standards in the Nations Capital after years of battling the Toronto Maple Leafs and getting the team to its only Stanley Cup Final. In the days (hours?) that followed Alfredssons signing in Motown, the Senators brass tried to foist the breakdown on their long-time captain and his agent J.P. Barry. The lines of communication, they believed, went silent at the most crucial time. Alfredssons decision to sign in Detroit appeared to be based on a player not being willing to settle for another discount deal. But whats more surprising than Alfredsson leaving Ottawa is that the Senators let it happen. Ovechkin makes fast work post-lockout By: Ken Rodney Nobody embodied the sprint mentality of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 NHL regular season quite like the Washington Capitals and more specifically their superstar Alexander Ovechkin. After not scoring in the first four games of the season, Ovechkin finished the first month of the schedule with only two goals and in those seven games, his team had only managed to pick up three points. However as their captain and leader caught fire so did the team Capitals, who rely on him for both an offensive and emotional boost. When the dust settled at the end of the 48 game regular season, Ovechkin had 32 goals, including 24 in the final 23 games and the Capitals had captured the Southeast Division and were the third seed heading into the playoffs. The Moscow native won the scoring race by three goals to earn his third Maurice Richard Trophy as the leagues top goal scorer, the only player to win as many since it was first awarded in 1998. Proving three is a charm for the man they call The Great Eight, he was also awarded with his third Hart Trophy as league MVP for his spectacular season. Patrick Roy blows up on his first night as Avalanche head coach By: Ryan Horne It didnt take long for Patrick Roy to make his mark as an NHL head coach. In fact, it only took one game. Roys Colorado Avalanche were pummeling the visiting Anaheim Ducks on the inaugural night of the regular season. When the first-year coach witnessed what he viewed as a cheap shot against his star rookie Nathan MacKinnon, he didnt hold back. Roy cursed and hollered at Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau and even pushed the plexiglass separating the two teams, almost knocking it down. He was hit with a game misconduct and fined $10, 000 for the incident. Not bad for your first night as a professional bench boss. A lot of people speculated this could happen with the fiery former goalie, but probably not this quickly. Regardless, the Avalanche players seem to be cool with it as they hold one of the better records in the Western Conference after being forecast as a non-playoff team before the season. Its yet to be seen whether Roys actions will get him into any further trouble, but theres a good chance hes not going to change for anybody. If the Quebec City native feels a certain way, he has no problem with expressing it. Just ask Ronald Corey. Martin St. Louis: One for the Ages By: Mike Beauvais There are a lot of things Martin St. Louis probably shouldnt have been. Undrafted, the diminutive native of Laval, Quebecs stay in the NHL probably shouldnt have lasted for much longer than the cup of coffee he had with the Calgary Flames in the late 90s. Conventional wisdom also didnt see St. Louis developing into the offensive juggernaut, six-time All-Star, Hart Trophy-winning, Stanley Cup champion that St. Louis blossomed into while a member of the Lightning. With the list of things Martin St. Louis probably shouldnt have been already lengthy, he added yet another to the list in 2013. Alongside young sniper Steven Stamkos, the 37-year-old St. Louis was the Batman to his Robin in 2013. The cagey veteran partnered with the Boy Wonder. The NHL was their Gotham City in 2013 and they were the premier Dynamic Duo of offence. In the Lightnings April 27 season-ending 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers, St. Louis had a goal and assist to bring him to the 60-point plateau in the shortened 48-game season. That was three points more than Stamkos haul for the year and the most in the NHL, handing St. Louis his second Art Ross Trophy. When he did it before in 2003-2004, it was improbable, but when he did it again in 2013, he did it as the oldest player in NHL history. There are a lot of things Martin St. Louis probably shouldnt have been, but it should surprise nobody at all when he decides to add something else to that list. The Lockout ends, the fans flock back By: Barry Riz The NHLs arenas were empty. The lockout had dragged on some 100 days. The first week of 2013 saw some headway in negotiations but no deal yet. As fans described it, billionaire owners and millionaire players just couldnt figure out how to divide up $3.3 billion in revenue. And the fans had seen more than enough through a battle that dragged on through the fall and early winter. Fans were going to protest by returning season tickets. They were going to boycott games if any were ever played. They were going to stop buying NHL-branded merchandise. They were going to stop watching on television. But things turned quickly in the early days of 2013. A deal was struck Jan. 6, and after a speedy training camp the season opened Jan. 19. And the fans came back. Oh, did they ever. League attendance and TV numbers returned stronger than before. The 48-game season was fast-paced and quickly consumed, with a Bruins-Blackhawks Stanley Cup Final topping off the leagues return. Forgiven? Probably not. Forgotten, absolutely. And as someone tweeted on opening night: "Somewhere Gary Bettman is watching all this hoopla and making a note to himself, and is putting it in a file marked "NHL LOCKOUT 2020." MacKinnon lights it up at Memorial Cup, locks in at first overall By: Ryan Horne Saying Nathan MacKinnon earned the right to be drafted first overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft would be an understatement. In the finals of the Memorial Cup against Seth Jones, the other first overall hopeful, and the Portland Winterhawks, MacKinnon netted a hat-trick, added a couple assists and helped the Halifax Mooseheads win their first national championship in team history. He was named tournament MVP, scoring seven goals and six assists in just four games after a spectacular regular season tallying 75 points in 44 games. Going into the tournament, many thought the smooth skating Jones would be the man the Colorado Avalanche would end up taking with their No.1 selection, especially considering their lack of depth on defence. But on June 24, 2013, Joe Sakic stepped up to the podium in New Jersey and took the 18-year-old from Halifax. And with MacKinnons stellar play at both the Memorial Cup and in the QMJHL, you cant blame them. Jones, on the other hand, fell to the Nashville Predators at number four. Both are having solid rookie seasons, but it will be interesting to see if Colorado still likes their decision a few years down the road. Nino Niederreiter Jersey Eric Staal Jersey . Coaches are now allowed to challenge both called and potential defensive pass interference fouls under certain conditions. http://www.hockeywildauthority.com/matt-cullen-wild-jersey-c-26/ .com) - Jahlil Okafor erupted for 25 points and 20 rebounds as No.TORONTO – Three-and-a-half hours before Wednesdays series finale with the Yankees, the Blue Jays issued a surprising media release announcing the demotion of Kevin Pillar to Triple-A Buffalo. This is far from an earth-shattering move, Pillar was the 25th-man, but the shock lies in his return to the Bisons just 48 hours after his latest recall and in the reasons why hes Buffalo-bound. Pillar and Anthony Gose were supposed to be the right-field platoon while Jose Bautista recovers from a mild strain of his left hamstring. The contract of outfielder Brad Glenn, a 23rd-round pick in 2009, has been purchased. “Were looking for a little more sock from the right side,” said manager John Gibbons. “Weve got three left-handed pitchers coming in from the White Sox and Glenn, hes been on fire down there, as well. So this is his opportunity.” When pressed for more, Gibbons acknowledged Pillars behaviour in the eighth inning of Tuesday nights game played a part in the decision. The score was 6-6 at the time. The Jays had loaded the bases with one out. Pillar was due up but the Yankees flame-throwing set-up man, Dellin Betances, was on the mound. Gibbons pinch hit Anthony Gose. Pillar reacted. He stormed into the dugout. Footage shows him angrily tossing his helmet and ripping off his batting gloves as he walked from Gibbonss end of the dugout to the other. He then tossed his bat, underhanded, down the tunnel leading to the clubhouse. “It didnt help him at all,” said Gibbons. “This is a team game, you know. Theres no room for selfish play. But weve been thinking about Glenn for a while now, anyway.” Glenn has given the Blue Jays plenty to ponder. In 113 at-bats with Buffalo since his promotion from Double-A New Hampshire, the 27-year-old has hit .381/.421/.575 with four home runs and eight doubles among his 43 hits. To make room for Glenn on the 40-man roster, the Blue Jays designated infielder Jonathan Diaz for assignment. THE OUTSIDE CORNER Play a baseball game and inevitably someone will have something to say about the home plate umpires strike zone. Pitchers and hitters develop reputations, to the positive or negative, which can influence the way the game is called. What goes less noticed is how one pitch called incorrectly can affect the remainder of an at-bat. Take Colby Rasmuss three-pitch, caught-looking strikeout in the second inning of Tuesday nights 7-6 win over the Yankees. The first pitch was a David Phelps cut fastball off the outside corner of the plate for a called strike. This is the pitch that changed the at-bat. Pitch two: A knuckle-curve Rasmus fouled off. Pitch three: A cut fastball on the inside corner. The pitch crossed the plate, therefore it was a strike. The correct call was made. The problem: Rasmus was forced to adjust his approach after the first pitch to account for the wide strike zone. “Colbys told me he starts gettting bigger to protect and then he starts chasing balls all over the place,” said hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. Gustav Olofsson Jersey. “I said, ‘Do not change your zone and if they call it, they call it, but you cant change your zone. Do not expand. If they throw three out there and get called, come back and sit down by me.” When pressed for comment, Rasmus politely declined. Good move on his part - he doesnt need the trouble. Adam Lind has also fallen victim to calls off the outside corner. Its common around the game, certainly not exclusive to the Blue Jays. “They both have really good eyes and they look for pitches on the plate and thats what theyre geared to do mentally and I dont want that to change with any of our hitters,” said Seitzer. “Its just a part of the way games always been. (Umpires) are human. Theyre not perfect. Theyre going to make mistakes. You cant expect them to be perfect but I dont want our hitters to change their zone ever in any way, shape or form.” Both Rasmus and Lind have laid-back personalities. Its rare to see either be demonstrative with an umpire. Seitzer appreciates their respectful approach, but he wants them to converse. If a pitch was off the plate, hes encouraged Rasmus and Lind to let the umpire know. Seitzer will accept from his hitters called third strikes on pitches out of the zone. He firmly believes Rasmus, whos prone to the swing-and-miss, having struck out in 33.5 per cent of his plate appearances this season, ends up offering at pitches he otherwise wouldnt due to frustration. Seitzers been a sounding board for his frustrated charges. “All I can do is be supportive,” said Seitzer. “Youve got a great eye. Its not a pitch you want to go on, so you cant go. And you cant even think that theyre going to go back out there because of what happens there, you get locked up on paint inside.” LINDS FOOT Adam Lind fouled a pitch off his right toe in the seventh inning of Tuesday nights game. “Ouch. Thats what I said,” said Lind. Surely he must have cussed? “It was more just deep breaths.” Lind returned to the starting lineup on Monday for the first time since fouling a pitch off the top of his right foot on June 14 in Baltimore. He had three pinch-hit appearances in the seven games in between. Linds wearing a guard on his shin, which extends to the top of his foot. In Wednesday nights series finale versus the Yankees, Lind made his first start at first base since suffering the injury. TOLLESONS EYE Blue Jays utility infielder Steve Tolleson is dealing with an eye problem that cropped up on the last road trip. Hes got dryness and blurriness, especially in his right eye.Tolleson had laser eye surgery five years ago, but its unclear if this is a factor in any way.Hell be seeing a cornea specialist on Thursday, marking a fourth-straight day that hell see an eye doctor of some description. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '