I earn 5 times what you chimps can ever make!

I see that I failed to answer my own question. Bad Jordi. Bad Jordi!

I don't know if there's some outstanding member of the Canadiens community. I might be missing something huge here. Of course there's the obvious "legends" of sorts who get invited to charity hoo-haas so they can relive their glory days or maybe Patrick Roy since fans just love to claim him. Jose Theodore is apparently quite active in it but his name is taboo and as soon as anyone mentions his name someone will always mutter "Propecia!". But it seems more like no one should ever ever become too dedicated to a place with fans likes these. I don't know, maybe it's because anyone can get booed away so easily. But there isn't a name that jumps into mind when it's asked this. You can list the friendliest people or the people more likely to be part of a charity event, but there's no man who will go out of his way all the time to make people happy. Unless you count Kovalev apparently giving a couple of people free rides on his plane when he was with the Rangers or something.

But that doesn't mean people don't try to help out in charity. There was already a charity golf tournament, which raised oodles of money to help kids. but I reckon it's more of an obligation. Hell even Markov turned up and he got lost on the way. And he lost his information card to help him if he got lost. Thankfully Perezhogin found him, but not before he found out he really sucked at golf. By the way, digging for Perezhogin helped me find that he did his part for charity, but not before he helped a goalie convulse and bleed on the ice.

Kovalev recently did his bit to help kids. I have a soft spot for him because he helps add some sort of colour to the team. I'll be honest, he's a bit of a nutcase from his hit on Tucker to his recent argument with refs to get himself thrown out of the Bruins game. Youppi certainly has a knack of making Gainey smile. And Komisarek did it before Commodore decided to try shaving his hair.

However who makes the cut as the #1 figure of purity and goodness? Like what Iginla is to Calgary, Saku Koivu is arguably a lot more to the Canadiens. He's got hero written all over him, even if he may never learn French. Probably the biggest story of him is when he was diagnosed with cancer not too long ago.

Except for a strange metallic taste in his mouth and a loss of appetite, Saku says he felt fine for the first few days in the hospital, where he was deluged with get-well cards. But as soon as he was sent home, shot full of ultrahigh-dose chemotherapy drugs, he closeted himself in the dark, writhing in pain. For three days, he couldn't bear to speak, hear noise or see light. He couldn't get out of bed. Listening to him scream, his parents, who had flown in from Finland, were convinced he was dying. Hanna thought so too.

What little Saku remembers, he describes this way: "I just needed to sleep, to close my eyes. My head was killing me, I was throwing up and the pain, the fire that was in me -- it was like ... it was like ... " He falls silent before he can find the words to finish.

Apart from all the support (including those by Lemieux and Lance Armstrong), Saku Koivu pretty much cheated death. His Non-Hodgkin Lymphonia has a 50% survival rate, not really good odds. And not only did he promise to return to the ice, he promised to keep the date for his wedding with his fiancee.

And if Koivu wasn't going to be traded away as per the "curse" of captains, some higher being was kind of trying to kill him. That included the more recent eye injury which threatened his career. And like Roloson's injury threw his team into mayhem, Koivu's injury possibly guaranteed Montreal's elimination from the playoffs more than before. But apart from his occasional headaches, he's still all fine and dandy. And he's playing a pretty good game recently, obviously Koivu's built like a rock. So why is it all important, hearing about a guy get all banged up and throw up? Because he provides inspiration to people. He's become known for his character not just on the ice, becoming an unrivaled figurehead for the team. And to seal the claim that he is just a natural leader, he was voted in as a member of the International Olympic Commitee in the Athletes' Commission. And he sticks up for his teammates, not exactly physically but in the press. He's like the guy everyone loves. I love him. He deserves 4 mil and more. But he's Finnish so that's probably why.

In other news, Roger Crozier Award winning goaltender Cristobal Huet gave his loot from the award to charity. Nice bloke ain't he? There's even an ebay auction for a charity "Cristobal Huet Experience" item. I don't read French from never taking it (but I do a mean Japanese) so it offers:

• 1x Huet
• Bedding
• Leaf & Habs stationery
• Burning money (for when you're drunk)
• Montreal, especially one of the big buildings
• An Airline
• And a shirt to keep you warm

Of course theres an english translation but this way is much more fun.

And please, please, please, help me make a new question to change the topic to.

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Cap'n Smiley and his good causes

Why does Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla rock as a community leader?

Recipient of the Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award for 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, given by the Calgary Flames to the "player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, determination and leadership on the ice, combined with dedication to community service."

In 2004, he was awarded with a NHL Foundation Award for Community Service and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for which is given to the "player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."

He is very active with KidSport in Calgary, an organization that provides opportunities for economically disadvantaged children to participate in sports. Iggy donates $1000 for every goal he scores at the end of the season; ie. 54 goals = $54,000. Nike and CIBC have also donated funds. During the summer, Iggy puts on a non-profit hockey camp for kids.

He is also involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation by being a spokesman and participating in various events, and the Shoot for the Cure foundation, part of CSRO, which raises money for spinal research, promotes safe hockey and increases awareness of neck injuries in hockey.

As one who works with children, I recognize the need for children to be provided with as many opportunities as possible; this helps with self-esteem, self-respect and respect for others, determination and confidence as well as brain and motor development.

Also he was picked as one of the top 50 Albertans in 2005 by the prestigious Alberta Venture magazine! Haha, so cute.

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Lin-den and the child-ren

For the weekly topic: Explain your favourite community contributing team member and why he rocks.



I say: Trevor Linden, a Canucks veteran and a true leader on and off the ice.

Linden's work: He is well-known for his work with children's charities, including Ronald McDonald House, a home away from home for families and children with cancer, B.C.'s Children's Hospital, and Canuck Place, a hospice for terminally ill children. Linden also started a program for underprivileged children called Trevor's Captain's Crew, which brings children by limousine to a free hockey game complete with a luxury suite at GM Place. He was even honoured with the Order of British Columbia for his work.

When he visits the kids, he supposedly plays video games, signs autographs and chats with them. I also read a story about Linden taking a patient with cancer for lunch and to the driving range before his surgery.

Great Linden quote: "I've wanted to make a difference outside of what I do on the ice...It's good for your soul. It makes as big a difference to me as it does to the kids."

The verdict: Seeing how guys react/relate to kids really shows their sensitive, nuturing side...which is oh-so-attractive, no? Take Aaron Eckhart in the movie Erin Brockovich for example. I'm not so into the biker dudes with long hair, but seeing his character taking care of Erin's kids made me melt.

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Kris Draper - Detroit community leader

So I got a little behind and will now be posting my responses to this week and last week's topic...

1. Explain your favourite community contributing team member and why he rocks.

Since Darren McCarty no longer plays for the Detroit Red Wings, his pal Kris Draper has to be my favorite community contributing team member. I interviewed him for about half an hour back in November of 2003. I liked to credit myself for giving him a spark in his offense. He won Selke that year and it all started in the first game after my interview. And when I saw him at a restaurant once (I didn't say anything to him though), he scored two goals that night. Anyways, here was an excerpt from that interview about community service:

Christy: So you brought the Stanley Cup to Children’s Hospital after the win in 2002. Why did you decide to bring in there over anywhere else?

Draper: “Obviously, I’ve been very fortunately not only healthy as a person but as a professional athlete as well. And to give the opportunity to kids who are sick or wouldn’t be able to come out see the Stanley Cup in public because of their illness, it was an opportunity that came and they asked me if I wanted to bring the Stanley Cup to Children’s Hospital. And for me to be able to do something like that, it was easy. I was like ‘Absolutely, no matter what day or time or how long I have to be there for. So I went there and I guess I spent a couple of hours with kids who were less fortunate than I was. And just to see the expressions that these kids had, and not only the kids, but also the kids’ parents because the parents go through this everyday. You know as we wake up in the morning, while you guys go to school and I go play hockey; these parents go to the hospital everyday to visit their kids. To have an opportunity like this and to give it back to the community and to the children, it was tough there. Being as fortunate as I am and to go in there and see all the sicknesses and illnesses and be able to put a smile on a kid’s face and if you have the opportunity to make kids forget about their illnesses for even just 10 minutes; you know you’ve done something good. It’s very rewarding to go in there and to do that. Like the Stanley Cup was bigger than some of the kids, it was pretty neat. And they saw it and couldn’t believe how big it was and so it was pretty good. We put a couple of not newborn but like 1-year-old kids in the Cup. The parents asked ‘if my son or daughter could sit in the Stanley Cup’ and I would hold the kids and the parents would take pictures. It was a special day.”

Ok, that was kind of long but it says pretty much all that needs to be said about why Kris Draper is the No. 1 community guy at the Wings. Oh, and this story doesn't hurt either [he helped a dying girl and her single dad].

2. Take a photo (or draw with your mouse) the biggest dedication to something hockey related you have/own.

I can't decide which autographed picture I like better so I'll post them both year but excuse the crappiness of the glare and sucky camera. My room as a whole is very wonderful with over $1000 worth of signed memorabilia. :) But my two favorites are the ones hanging over my bed - a signed Steve Yzerman photograph and a signed Swedish 5 photograph. All 5 Detroit Red Wings Swedes who won the 2006 Gold Medal signed this lovely image.





3. Which player has impressed you so far? And which player has disappointed you (not restricted to your team only).

Due to my cable situation in the dorm, I can only watch the Wings games (I can't even watch the ones on Versus) so my answers will be Wings players only.

Impressed the most- Well, the Wings haven't been playing too great to start the season so I really haven't been impressed my much. I guess Jason Williams has impressed me the most because he was awful in the 2006 playoffs and he has 5 points so far leading all forwards on the team (defensemen Lidstrom and Schneider have 7 and 6 points respectively).

Disappointed the most- Kirk Maltby. His role for the team has really become limited to the penalty kill. The Wings penalty kill percentage is awful - 75.5% placing them 28th in the NHL. Plus, Maltby is the only Red Wings player with negative +/- rating.

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