Saturday: Game Day vs. Kings and more

First of all, it's a sad day as Canada lost one of it's greatest broadcasters today. Don Wittman was one of the best CBC had to offer, from NHL and CFL to curling and the Olympics, he was one of the greatest voices in Canadian sports play by play. He lost his battle to cancer this morning, but leaves behind fond memories and great calls (Pavel Bure in overtime, anyone?). RIP.

The Canucks look to build on a strong comeback that almost was in Detroit as they take on the Kings at GM Place tonight. Good news as it looks like Mattias Ohlund may be ready to return after missing 11 games with concussion symptoms. He has been sorely missed, and the Canucks record in his absence proves it. The Canucks find themselves in 3rd in the NW Division, tied with Minnesota and 1 point behind the 1st place Calgary Flames who hammered the Kings last night 6-1. Roberto Luongo will be in net for the Canucks tonight, while the Kings will likely go with J.S. Aubin after Jason LaBarbera gave up 5 of the Flames' 6 goals in just 2 periods.

The rumor mill (you know, where people speculate on trades that never happen thanks to the CBA) has Vancouver and Calgary interested in Mats Sundin. The Leafs have to realize they are almost at the no hope point for this season, and dealing Sundin and getting some help for the future has to be done, lest he walks away for nothing after the season. While if there is a deal it probably wouldn't happen until closer to the February trade deadline, I for one wouldn't mind seeing Sundin here with the kind of season he is having.

If there was any doubt about the "character" of Chris Pronger, it should be laid to rest after his appearance on the Jim Rome radio show this week. The story goes that they had a "Chris Pronger Furniture Burning Day" and that the fans of Edmonton, so ungrateful for Pronger's willingness to honor 1 year of his 5 year contract before demanding a trade, burned his baby's crib among the other items.

"Yeah, there's obviously a few things that didn't set well with me, for instance, taking the furniture that I had in my house and burning it, and having a ‘Burn Chris Pronger's Furniture Day,' that really did sit well with me very much," Pronger said.

"They burned my kid's crib and things like that. When you hear stories like that, it doesn't sit well." Just one problem. It never happened. I don't know who the bigger douchebag is, Pronger for telling the blatant lie, or Rome, who has always been such a classy broadcaster (and I apologize for setting off your sarcasm detectors) for making it worse by claiming Oilers fans broke into the house and stole the furniture. Thanks to Mr Brightside on CDC for the link.

Ottawa is happy to have Jason Spezza back in the lineup, problem is his linemates are now down, Dany Heatley will be out up to 6 weeks with a shoulder injury and Daniel Alfredsson is out with a hip flexor... and that means that 3 of the East's big guns will miss the All Star Game now that Sidney Crosby is out with a high ankle sprain...

Brendan Morrison will be filling in for Tom Larscheid on the radio broadcast of tonight's Canucks game, which can be heard at http://www.team1040.ca