News from Around the NHL

CTV Locks Up a Song

Without a doubt, CTV along with Copyright Music& Visuals stepped up on Monday and made the biggest save in sports history. A weekend after die hard traditionalist hockey fans were mourning the sad news of CBC not coming to terms with the rights holders in continuing to play the sacred Hockey Night In Canada song on their Saturday night telecasts, CTV came along and made sure that this inspiring theme song that some call Canada’s second national anthem will not die in effigy. “The song has a long storied history in Canadian sports and has been ingrained in the hearts and minds of hockey fans across the country,” said Rick Brace, President, Revenue, Business Planning and Sports, CTV Inc. “It’s an honor and a privilege to own such a cherished piece of Canadiana.” This theme song, which was put together by Dolores Claman back in 1968, will be implemented on TSN and RDS beginning this season. “I am very moved by how so many Canadians have taken the hockey theme to heart,” said Claman. “We are so pleased the song has found a new home.” “Throughout our negotiations, CTV displayed a tremendous amount of respect for my family and the song. The Hockey Theme means so much to Canadians, and we know it’s in good hands with CTV.”

  Ron Wilson To Become The Maple Leafs Coach

 

It has been widely reported that on Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs will make it official in naming Ron Wilson as the team’s 27^th coach in franchise history. Wilson, who as a player was drafted by the Toronto Maple back in 1975, spent the past five years behind the San Jose bench where he led them to four consecutive playoff appearances and in 2004 went all the way to the Western Conference finals. A couple of days after the Sharks dropped their playoff series to the Dallas Stars, general manager Doug Wilson decided to pull the trigger and fired Wilson who had coached 1,091 games with the Sharks, Washington Capitals, and the Anaheim Ducks.

According to hockey insiders, Wilson talked with the Leafs intern general manager Cliff Fletcher late last week where he was offered right away the coaching position. Wilson, who has two grown daughters, decided to go back home and talk the offer over with his family before making a decision. On the weekend, the two spoke and apparently came to a verbal agreement on a four- year pact at 6.5 million.  “It is not on paper and won’t be until at least Tuesday,” said Fletcher. “There is no contract until it is signed.”

Wilson has never won a Stanley Cup but came close in 1998 when he led the underdog Washington Capitals to the Stanley Cup finals where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings. With Wilson coming on board, the broad speculation is that the Leafs will wait a year before hiring a general manager and that according to the rumors will be Wilson’s good friend Brian Burke.

 

 

  Stanley Cup Will Be Going To Los Angeles

 On Tuesday night, the Stanley Cup will be making the first of what will be many appearances on the talk show circuit. Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lindstrom along with their standout veteran goalie Chris Osgood will be making an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, which will be shown at 11:35 p.m. Lindstrom became the first European to captain his team to a Cup, while Osgood signed with Detroit as their backup and ended up as the starter for the playoffs and never looked back.

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